A new tool in my house search

One new tool I found extremely helpful in  my house search this time around is Googlemaps.  I'm no slacker when it comes to finding a place.  Beau and I look at anywhere between 4 to 6 houses every time we go out.  However, I want to maximize my time.

A house at a bad location no matter how good it looks and how sweet a deal is just not something I want to take on. Googlemaps helps me filter out a lot of these.  A quick search, if the road is on a yellow line (my definition of a major street) then we give it miss.  If it passes that litmus test, then I go to street view.  Looking at the map, sometimes it is not obvious that a house next to a sound wall, has a major bus stop in front of it etc. but a 'stroll' on streetview allows you to take a look at the surrounding and find some of these locations issues.  This saved me quite a few trips, definitely a great help in my house search.