Homeowners Do Their Homework . . . and it’s paying off!
Posted by Erica Vautier | Visited 606 times, 1 so far today | Currently 2 Comments »
Dramatic advancements in online tools means more real estate resources are available to more people than ever before. Armed with a plethora of new tools, buyers are doing their homework. They can search for homes, tour neighborhoods, and get expert advice from the convenience of their personal laptop.
A recent survey by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows that more than 77% of consumers now start the real estate process online. On sites like Realtor.com, buyers can specify what type of home they are interested in and have a list of properties that meet their criteria appear in seconds.
Good real estate sites let visitors save searches, send automatic notices when new listings enter the market, and provide extensive information on the property. Advanced sites will even provide foreclosure lists and help locate great real estate buys.
It’s no wonder that more than 3 out of 4 respondents to the NAR survey said they use search engines to browse through properties. While internet buyers spend a longer period of time looking for a home online than traditional buyers, they spend less time searching with their agent and have to view fewer properties in person.
A 2007 California Association of Realtors (CAR) survey showed that next to searching for homes, buyers spend most of their time online surveying neighborhoods. They look at comparable sales, watch local videos and map out the area.
User-generated videos on YouTube provide unique insight into many San Diego cities; a search for “La Jolla, San Diego” yields more than 1,100 results! Some reports suggest that buyers are beginning to prefer these amateur tours to the store-bought variety, which can come off as manufactured.
To further examine neighborhoods, buyers use interactive mapping tools like Google Maps. Simply type in an address and Google Maps displays: satellite images of the location; charts of the terrain; real-time traffic reports and drive times; and frighteningly accurate, panoramic street views. Online maps allow visitors to take a virtual stroll down their future block without ever leaving home.
As buyers migrate toward the internet, so are many real estate agents. Through industry blogs like Active Rain and personal blog sites, real estate agents are sharing their knowledge and experience with the world.
Most buyers are tired of the pre-canned information that populates most real estate sites and are instead choosing to read more organic blog entries.
On our company blog, Picture Perfect San Diego, Windermere agents write about the community, home sales, area activities, market trends, financing options and so much more. It’s a great forum for buyers to meet our agents, read first hand accounts of what is going on in the real estate market, ask questions and leave feedback.
The abundance of research tools available online has made today’s buyer more educated than ever before. They can search for homes, tour neighborhoods, and get expert advice online.
There is a lot of information out there, have you done your homework?
If you need help getting started on your homework, these links may help:
- Read More Articles by Erica Vautier about the Technology and Marketing Available to Homeowners and Agents
- Contact me about working for Windermere and gaining access to these tools
- Contact me about becoming a VIP Member of our site and gaining access to great technology search tools for homeowners
- Leave Feedback and let us know what you’d like to learn more about
Thanks !! very helpful post!
Ha, I don’t agree with it all but nice none-the-less