There is no doubt that the consumer’s desire to access housing information through the internet will continue to increase throughout 2014. However, that doesn’t mean the value of the real estate agent has diminished. Inman News recently cited a NAR survey when they reported:
“Use of the Internet among consumers in the home buying process continues to grow, but those buyers are more, not less, likely to use a real estate agent.”
To continue to remain relevant, real estate professionals must keep pace with the changes in how the consumer is viewing pertinent housing information.
According to a recent joint study by Google and the National Association of Realtors, The Digital House Hunt: Consumer and Market Trends in Real Estate, consumers are using mobile devices more and more to access housing market information. The study revealed the percentage of new home shoppers who use mobile devices for housing information:
51% to read general home information
28% to call a brokerage
21% to locate a listing agent
20% to research mortgage information
Those agents who have a strategy to deliver powerful, highly visual content which can be easily viewed on mobile devices will prosper in this environment.