Buyers are doing it. In droves. Throngs, if you will.
Really.
From the National Association of Realtors’ 2009 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers:
Q: Why use print?
A: Because. (there’s really no better answer other than “to show sellers that we’re doing something to market their homes, even if the data say that it’s neither effective nor a good use of money)
Q: But … is print advertising useful to buyers?
A: Notsomuch. Looking purely at ROI, I much prefer spending my money on “Very Useful” versus “Not Useful.”
Q: What do buyers do after they see the home online?
A: They drive by. (signs matter )
(here are some steps to search for a home in Charlottesville)
The median income of internet buyers is higher than that of non-internet buyers.
90% is amazing. I’m glad the NAR releases this information because it helps to justify our efforts on an internet strategy. I wish NAMB would do a similar study for mortgage originations…