Source: National Association of Realtors (NAR)
Notes: The vast majority of recent home buyers consulted a website (89%) at some point during their home search, with real estate agents (87%) close behind, according to a NAR study. A majority also used mobile devices to assist in their home search, with more than 2 in 3 Millennials (21-35) using a mobile or tablet site or application. Interestingly, online video sites were used more by older than younger home buyers.
Also of note, home buyers were more likely to have found their home on the internet (44%) than through a real estate agent (33%), though that wasn’t the case among buyers over 60 years of age.
The most useful website features among those who used the internet to search for a home were:
- Photos (87%);
- Detailed information about properties for sale (84%);
- Interactive maps (45%);
- Virtual tours (42%); and
- Real estate agent contact information (40%).
Related: Top 10 Multi-Platform Real Estate Websites ”“ February 2016
About the Data: The results are based on a survey conducted in July 2015 among 6,406 recent home buyers who had purchased a primary residence home between July of 2014 and June of 2015.