Thatrnshopping is no longer about showing up in a store or a broker’s office or openrnhouse to get information is something Google calls the Zero Moment of Truth orrnZMOT.  Google says “the sales funnelrnisn’t really a funnel anymore,” instead there is a generation that does itsrnhomework ahead of time. They shop in traditional ways; watching or reading ads,rnwalk into stores to look at products, talks to friends, check styles and pricesrnbut alternate these with digital sources. rnThey watch “how-to” videos on You Tube, read product and servicernreviews, look up specific brands on search engines, and even research on the gornwith smart phones and tablets.  </p

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The study found the realrnestate-related searches on Google have grown 253 percent over the last fourrnyears and that Nine out of 10 homebuyers rely on the internet asrnone of theirrnprimary research sources, and 52 percent as their first step in buying arnhome.  They also found that homernbuyers used specific online tools at different points during their home searchrnprocess.</p

When they start the processrnbuyers tend to rely on search engines and general websites.  They frequently search terms like FHA loan,”rn”FHA,” “home grants,” and “home buyer assistance.  They tend to use maps more in the middle ofrnthe process, and engage mobile applications most toward the end of theirrnsearch.</p

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Bothrnfirst-time and repeat buyers rely on Realtors^® in their homernsearch.  Multiple listing services and Realtor.com are popularrndestinations with the latter attracting more than 20 million unique visitors inrnan average month and traffic to that site increased 31 percent between Marchrnand October of 2012.  Fifty-three percentrnof users who actually register on a major real estate site are female.</p

Accordingrnto data from Realtor.com, today’s buyers search most frequently on numbers ofrnbedrooms and bathrooms; square footage; garages; heating, ventilation and airrnconditioning (HVAC) systems; and swimming pools. </p

Mobilerndevices are significantly changing the way people search for homes, asrnwell.  About 20 percent of real estaternsearchers are done from mobile devices. rnA Google/Complete home shopper study found that 48 percent of people whornused a mobile device in their home search used the device to get directions tornhomes for sale, and 45 percent used the device to request more informationrnabout specific home features or real estate services. </p

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Agentsrnstill bridge the gap between internet research and viewing and buying arnhome.  Eighty-eight percent of buyers usrnan agent and 67 percent do so frequently. Real estate consumers who use the internet while researching a home are more likelyrntornuse multiple sources such as newspapers, yard signs, andrnopen houses but these play a minimal role in decision making, so Realtors wouldrnbe wise to incorporate digital marketing into their offline efforts.</p

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“Increasingly,rnonline technologies are driving offline behaviors, and home buying is nornexception,” said Google Head of Real Estate Patrick Grandinetti. “With 90rnpercent of home buyers searching online during their home buying process, thernreal estate industry is smart to target these people where they look for andrnconsume information – for example through paid search, relevant websites, videornenvironments, and mobile applications.”</p

“Technologyrnhas transformed the way Realtors^® do business, but in real estate,rnhigh tech doesn’t come at the expense of high touch,” said Steven Berkowitz,rnCEO of Move, Inc., which operates Realtor.com. “Rather than displacing realrnestate agents, the Internet is actually helping connect them with home buyers.rnAnd Realtors^® are responding by leveraging resources likernRealtor.com, Facebook and YouTube to engage buyers and sellers in ever-evolvingrnways.”</p

You can read the full report here.

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