Most properties are seen initially online.  The photos and websites offer a lot of visual information but properties are best seen by visiting them.  You can see the properties and grounds if it is a house, and judge whether the street is quiet or busy.  You can also see surrounding houses and whether they impact your experience, how close you are to shopping and transportation.  Is there a train nearby that can be heard, a school, or frequent aircraft? There is no substitute for this first-hand experience.  You learn much more about a property this way.