FireDream

The Internet: A Powerful Tool in the Real Estate Industry

Some studies are showing that as many as 80 percent of potential homebuyers begin their search for a new property online.  In one recent survey, 500 men and women were interviewed in order to see what role gender played in the process.

I was interested to learn that almost half of the women surveyed began their search for a new home by going online, compared to only one-quarter of men.  Men, it seems, preferred to contact a real estate agent directly.  Women were also a little more adventurous, being more willing than men to consider listings in both familiar and unfamiliar neighborhoods-and over 50 percent of women also searched at least 21 homes online.

And here’s what I found really interesting-a whopping 94 percent of all women surveyed wanted to see photos of the home and most (70 percent) wanted 360-degree property panoramas.  Price, however, was still the predominant factor in looking for a home.

This is just one more indication of the powerful sales tool that the internet has become in the real estate industry.  The idea that you can sit in front of your computer in your jammies or plop down on your couch and surf on your laptop to begin the search for your next home is a compelling one.  There’s less pressure, you can save time and money by avoiding homes that would never interest you, and you can look for properties at midnight if that’s what your schedule allows.

It’s also equally important for those who are looking to sell to make sure that their property listing includes a lot of photos and a 360-degree panorama whenever possible.  And, of course, they need to make sure that properties look good on camera in the same way they need to look good for an open house: updated paint and fixtures, tidy rooms, uncluttered countertops, and floors that shine.  Finally, it is crucial that the property is priced right to draw in potential homebuyers.

All right, and now for a bit of humor in today’s blog.  Here in my office, there were many comments (and not a little laughter) about this statistic: men were three times as likely as women to say that the home’s size was one of the primary features to consider.  Apparently, it really does matter…