Consumers use the internet to shop for real estate

Don’t act so surprised.

Nine out of 10 home buyers use a real estate agent in the search process, but use of the Internet to search for a home has risen dramatically over time, increasing from only 2 percent of buyers in 1995 to 77 percent in 2005; it was 74 percent in 2004. The next largest source of information for buyers is a yard sign, mentioned by 71 percent of buyers.
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The median home price for sellers who use an agent is 16.0 percent higher than a home sold directly by an owner; $230,000 vs. $198,200; there were no significant differences between the types of homes sold.

The real estate profession is changing. Information is much more widely available. The value that a competent Realtor can add to a transaction is quantifiable both monetarily and in the consumer’s sanity and satisfaction. A home transaction is often the largest single transaction in one’s life; having competent representation is a good idea – and worth it.

The most important factor in choosing an agent was reputation, according to 41 percent of home buyers …