NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS – The National Association of Realtors, in conjunction with Google.com, recently released “The Digital House Hunt: Consumer and Market Trends in Real Estate” to take a look at the impact digital media has on the consumer home search process.
The report uncovers digital use trends among home buyers looking for an exiting home, a newly built home or an apartment.
Among other results, the study found:
• Ninety percent of home buyers searched online during their home buying process.
• Real estate related searches on Google.com grew 253 percent year-over-year from 2011 to 2012.
• Buyers use specific online tools during different phases of the home search process.
• How important “local” search terms and websites are for buyers.
• How mobile technology cements online to offline home buying – including the reading of online reviews.
• How video and YouTube satisfy buyers’ research needs.
• The role of age and gender in driving real estate decision making in the market by being the top demographics who searched online and took the next steps offline.
• Top states for searches around first-time home buyer tips and specific housing segments like senior housing and foreclosures.
Read the full report here:
Digital House Hunt 2013: Consumer and Market Trends in Real Estate
