Despite the fact that more and more buyers are using the Internet to search for homes, buyers who use the Internet are more likely to say they need a real estate agent, according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2013 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers survey.
In fact, the highest share of buyers in the survey’s history — 92 percent — reported using the Internet to search for a home to buy. While 42% started their home search by looking for properties online, 17 % said their first step was to contact a real estate agent.
43 % of buyers said they found the home they ultimately purchased online, up from just 8 % in 2001.
Despite home buyers increasingly relying on the Internet for their home search, the overwhelming majority ultimately turn to a real estate agent for extra help.
88% of all buyers said they purchased their home through a real estate agent, while 90% of those who used the Internet to search for homes purchased their home through a real estate agent.
“Although the vast majority of buyers use the Internet during the homebuying process, the Internet does not replace the real estate agent in the transaction,” according to the report. “In fact, buyers who used the Internet were more likely than those who did not use the Internet to purchase their home through an agent.”
Buyers ranked the following services highest that agents’ can provide them in their search: finding the right property, helping to negotiating terms of the sale and price negotiations, identifying comparable properties, and assisting with paperwork.
Source: “Homebuyers More Likely to Use Real Estate Agents, Even as Internet Usage Hits an All-Time High,” Inman News (Nov. 4, 2013)
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North Eastern Group Realty is Fort Wayne’s largest independent real estate company located at 10808 La Cabreah Lane, Fort Wayne, IN 46845.
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