What are quickly changing world we live in! You probably haven’t stopped to reflect upon the fact that just over ten years ago, real estate was still being sold from those big books that looked like phone books. We agents would flip through the pages in search of prospective homes for our buyers and listing agents had to get creative to get the word out about new listings while we waited for the next addition of the book to arrive!
Today, 90% of buyers use the internet to shop for their new home. While more buyers (40%) found the home they eventually purchased through their agent as opposed to finding it themselves on the internet (35%), most buyers actually started their search on the internet several weeks before contacting an agent.
The availability of information to home buyers has slowed down the home search process – the opposite of what you might have guessed. Because there is so much information that buyers can discover about homes on the internet, the typical home search has nearly doubled in length as buyers take time to do their due diligence.
While Buyers rank Realtor’s as the most useful source of information (81%), Buyers are heavily influenced by the materials available on the internet about a home. Among the most important items buyers seek and expect to fin on potential listings are multiple photos (84%), detailed property information (82%) and virtual tours (63%).
What does this mean for you when you plan to sell? Gone are the days when a sign in the yard is all you needed. In order to stack up well against competing listings, your home needs to present well to prospective buyers on the internet. Wonderful photos, a lot of relevant and helpful information and a visual tour are all key in drawing buyers to your home and maintain their interest long enough to request a showing. So before you list your home, check out your prospective agent’s other listings and see how they stack up against the competition. Make sure you trust your home sale to an agent who is using technology to your best advantage