Real Estate in a Digital Age

2017 Report

National Association of REALTORS Research Department

Introduction
In 1981, 22 percent of home buyers read newspaper ads to find a home and eight percent used
friends as an information source. In 2016, 44 percent looked for properties online first.

The world we live in today is a digital one and searching for a home is no different. Buyers now
have apps that let them search by location and neighborhoods. Online listings have virtual tours so
viewers can look at a bunch of potential homes while narrowing down their search to a select few in
the effort to save time. Online searching maximizes the ability to compare and contrast homes on
the market by selected features. Most of this is done before a potential home buyer connects with a
real estate agent.

Also in 1981 the top way to find an agent was through friends, relatives or neighbors. In 2016,
buyers worked with an agent 88 percent of the time to find their home, so trust in a REALTOR is
still king. While the initial process may start online, home buyers turn to the advice from a trusted
real estate agent. The difference is that home buyers are entering the process more educated about
the market before they speak to a home seller or an agent.

In addition to the home buying process, REALTORS also utilize technology in their everyday
business practices. Staying up to date with new technology is important, but also cited as one of
the biggest challenges for firms in the next two years.

Over 90 percent of real estate firms have websites, and the most common feature on their websites
were property listings. Along with web use, REALTORS are also using their mobile devices for a
multitude of different activities, with the primary being to communicate with their clients. In the
Real Estate in a Digital Age report, we examine the process home buyers go through in the initial
online search and how REALTORS are connecting with customers in the digital space.
 How Buyers Use Technology in
the Home Search Process
Section 1
Sources: NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2017 & 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
A Day in the Life of a Home Buyer

How Home Buyers find a home

The typical buyer used a mobile device to search for

properties online. S/he looked at websites with
photos, home listings, and information about the
home buying process. S/he then contacted an agent
and visited a median of 10 homes over 10 weeks
again in 2016 before purchasing a home.

The typical home buyers is 44 years old, married

without children living at home, and has a median
income of $88,500.

Sources: NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2017 & 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
Age of Home Buyers (Percentage Distribution)

Definitions:
Median 36 and
Generation Year Born:
Age (years) younger
Categories: =
Millennials/Gen Y:
Gen X:
1980-1998
1965-1979
44 34%
Younger Boomers: 1955-1964
Older Boomers: 1946-1954 37 to 51 52 to 61
Silent Generation: 1925-1945 years = years =
28% 16%
Millennials make up the
largest group of first-time home
62 to 70 71 to 91
buyers at 66%, followed by years = years =
Generation X at 26%
14% 8%

Sources: NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2017 & 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
First Step Taken During the Home Buying
Process (Percentage Distribution)
All Buyers:
44% - Looked online for properties for Generational Data:
sale
30% of the Silent
Generation contacted a
17% - Contacted a real estate agent real estate agent

13% - Looked online for information 18% of Millennials looked

about home buying process online for information

7% - Contacted a bank or mortgage

lender 11% of Millennials talked
with a friend or relative
6% - Talked with a friend or relative
about home buying process 53% of Younger Boomers
looked online for
6% - Drove-by homes and properties for sale
neighborhoods

Sources: NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2017 & 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
Information Sources Used in Home Search
(Percentage Distribution)

99% of Millennials search on online

websites compared to 89% of Older Boomers
Online and 77% of the Silent Generation
website
95%
Only 63% of Gen X visited an
open house
Real Mobile
or tablet Yard
estate website sign Older Boomers used a
agent or app 49% mobile device at roughly
92% 72%
half the rate of Millennials

Online
Open
video Both Younger and Older Boomers
house
site
50% used online video sites more
36% frequently than other age groups

Sources: NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2017 & 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
Frequency of Use of Different Information Sources
(Percentage Distribution)

Didnt
search
websites
12% Didnt
use agent
8% Used
Didnt mobile
search on device in
mobile search
device 72%
28%

Searched
websites
95% Worked
with
agent
92%

99% of Millennials
Went to
Didnt
search
Found
yard
cited using the internet open
house
yard
signs
signs
49%
whereas only 77% did Didnt go
to open
50%

51% from the Silent house

50%

Generation

Source: NAR 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers

Mobile Search (Percentage of Respondents Among those Who Used Mobile Search)

58% of Millennials and

46% Generation X found their home
on a mobile device compared to
33% of Younger Boomers

58% of all
buyers found
home on 14% of all buyers
mobile device found agent with
mobile device

10% of Older Boomers and 7% of the Silent

Generation found their agent with a mobile
device compared to 13% of Millennials

Sources: NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2017 & 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
Value of Website Features
(Percentage Distribution Among Buyers Who Used the Internet)

Photos and online information about properties were more important to Millennials
whereas real estate agent contact information, virtual tours and photos were most
important to Silent Generation

85% Found
89% Found 50% Found
detailed
photos very virtual tours
information
useful very useful
about properties

44% Found 41% Found

neighborhood interactive
information maps very
very useful useful

Virtual tours was very useful by close to half off all generations.

Sources: NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2017 & 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
 Length of Search (Median)

All Buyers:

2001 7 weeks
All generations except
Generation X spent 8
weeks searching for a 2005 8 weeks
home, who spent 12 weeks

56% of Millennials found 2009 12 weeks

their home on the internet
versus the Silent Generation
found it more frequently 2013 12 weeks
through a real estate agent

2016 10 weeks
Number of
Homes Viewed
10 Homes
Sources: NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2017 & 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
Most Difficult Steps of Home Buying Process
(Percent of Respondents)

Finding Finding the right property was ranked

the right highest among all generations for the
property MOST DIFFICULT STEP in home buying
52%
Under-
standing Getting a Paperwork and understanding
Paperwork the mortgage the process was more difficult
24% process
11% for Millennials than any other
17% generation

Saving for No
the down difficult 27% of Older Boomers noted there
payment steps were no difficult steps compared to
only 9% of Millennials
13% 16%

Sources: NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2017 & 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers
Use of Internet to Search for Homes
(Percentage Distribution)

A persons internet usage decreases with age!

100% 6%
8%
90% 10%
12%
80% 19%

70% 23%
60%

50% 93%
88%
83%
40% 78%
70%
30% 54%
20%

10%

0%
All Buyers 36 and younger 37 to 51 52 to 61 62 to 70 71 to 91

Frequently Occasionally

Source: NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2016
 The Utilization of Technology by
Real Estate Firms

Section 2
Sources: 2015 Profile of Real Estate Firms and 2015 Member Profile
REALTORS Everyday Use of Technology
REALTORS most often prefer to communicate with their
clients through email, at 94 percent. As well, 90 percent prefer
to communicate through text messaging, and 34 percent
through instant messaging.

Over 90 percent of REALTORS are also using e-mail,

laptops/desk tops computers, and smartphones daily.

While members are taking advantage of the technology that is

available to them, one of the biggest challenges firms are facing
in the next two years is keeping up with technology.

Sources: 2016 Profile of Real Estate Firms and 2016 Member Profile
 How much of a presence do REALTORS
firms have on the web? (Percentage Distribution)
Only 5% of firms do not have a web site, compared to 93% who do have
a web site.

The percentage of firms with websites increases with office size. Ninety-
nine percent of firms with five or more offices have websites.

Firm has a
web site 93%

Firm does not

have a web site 5%
Source: 2016 Member Profile
What are the most common features on
firms websites? (Percent of Respondents)
The most common feature on firms websites were property listings at 95 percent.

Commercial firms typically showed property listings (88 percent), agent and staff
photos (77 percent), and customer reviews and testimonials (36 percent).

Residential firms typically showed property listings (97 percent), agent and staff
photos (80 percent), and mortgage/financial calculators (62 percent).

95% 78%
Property Agent/Staff
Listings Profiles

58% 56% 55%

Mortgage/ Community Information on
Financial Information/ the home buying
Calculators Demographics and selling
process
Source: 2016 Profile of Real Estate Firms
 Encouragement of Software Use
(Percent of Respondents)

All Residential Commercial

Firms Firms Firms Real estate firms
provide their agents
Multiple Listing 86% 88% 77% and brokers with
specific software.
Comparative
83 86 72
Market Analysis Overall the most
Electronic encouraged software
82 85 68 was multiple listing.
Contracts/Forms

E-signature 78 82 57 At firms with four or

Document more offices, the two
Preparation/ 60 63 52 most used were
Management multiple listing and
Contact electronic
58 61 54 contracts/forms,
Management
both at 92 percent.

Source: 2016 Profile of Real Estate Firms

Challenges for Real Estate Firms
(Percent of Respondents)

48%
48%
48%
48 percent of all firms cited keeping
up with technology as one of the
biggest challenges facing their firm in
the next two years.

For commercial firms this decreases

to 43 percent, whereas 51 percent of
firms with three or more offices cite
keeping up with technology as a
challenge.
Source: 2016 Profile of Real Estate Firms
Trends and Demographics in
REALTOR Technology Use

Section 3
Source: 2015 Member Profile
Preferred Method of Communication with
Clients (Percent of Respondents)
94 percent of members preferred to communicate with
their clients through e-mail, while only 26 percent prefer
to use postal mail.

94% 91% 90%

E-mail Telephone Text

Messaging

34% 26%

Instant Messaging
Source: 2016 Member
Postal Mail
Profile
(IM)
 How Frequently are REALTORS Using
Technology? (Percent of Respondents)

Daily or A few
The most common A few times A few times Rarely or
nearly times a
a week a year Never
communication every day month
technology used by
E-mail 96% 3% * 1% *
REALTORS was e-
mail, which is used Smartphone
with wireless
daily or nearly every email and 94 3 * 1 2
day by 96 percent of Internet
members. capabilities

Laptop/Desktop
Over 50 percent of computer
92 5 1 1 1
REALTORS use
Cell phone (no
their e-mail,
email and 58 4 1 * 36
smartphone, laptop Internet)
or desktop computer, Global
cell phone daily, or positioning 53 25 5 7 10
system (GPS)
GPS daily or nearly
* Less than 1 percent
every day.

Source: 2016 Member Profile

 Which Age Group Utilizes Real Estate
Blogs? (Percentage Distribution)
Have a Have a
Have a
REALTORS Blog,
Blog, Blog,
17% 13%
who were 29 11%
Do not
Do not
years and Do not All have a
29 and have a 30 to
have a younger blog,
younger were blog,
REALTORS blog,
67%
39
53% Do not
the most likely 74%
Do not
Do not have a
have a
to have a real have a
blog, but
blog, but
plan to,
blog, but
estate blog, at plan to,
plan to, 20%
28%
17%. 14%

The 29 and Have a Have a Have a

Blog,
younger age 14%
Blog, Blog,
11% 9%
group was also Do not Do not
Do not
the most likely have a
40 to 49 have a 50 to 59
have a 60 or
blog, blog,
to plan on blog,
83%
older
69% 76%
creating a blog Do not Do not
Do not have
have a have a
in the future. blog, but blog, but
a blog, but
plan to, 8%
plan to, plan to,
17% 13%

Source: 2016 Member Profile

Active Use of Social Media (Percentage Distribution)

Women REALTORS and sales agents are most active on social media.

74% 66%

Female Male REALTORS

REALTORS

67% 72% 41%

70%

Brokers Broker Sales Agents Appraisers

Source: 2016 Member Profile
Associates
 Use of Drones in Real Estate Business or
Office
Drone Use
Typically, REALTORS
do not use drones in
their business or
Do not use drones 56% office, at 56%. 18
percent of
REALTORS plan to
Do not currently use drones, but plan 18%
to in the future
use drones in the
future.

Someone in office uses drones 12%

3 percent of
REALTORS
personally use drones,
Hire a professional to operate drones 11%
while 11 percent hire
a professional, and 12
3% percent said that
Personally use drones
someone in their
office uses drones.
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Source: 2016 Member Profile

Keeping Up with Changing Trends

Section 4
Source: Center for REALTOR Technology Survey and Smart Homes Survey
 Importance of Smart Home Devices to Clients
(Percent of Respondents)

The top five smart home devices that members feel

are important to clients:
62 percent of
REALTORS 62%
said that Smart Locks
Locks were the
most important
smart home 61%
device to clients. Lights

Lights (61 60%

percent) and Thermostats
Thermostats (60
percent) were
the next two 51%
smart home
Cameras
devices of
importance to 35%
clients. Doorbells

Source: Center for REALTOR Technology 2016 Smart Homes Survey

 Expanding Technology (Percent of Respondents)

When asked about the amount of technology that their broker

currently offers, 45 percent of REALTORS said that they would
like to see the amount of technology offered expanded.
45%
Some of the top offerings that REALTORS would like to see
include:
Easy to use
technology
Reliable
faster
A better internet
CRM
Keeping database
agents up
Cutting- to date
edge on tech
A more technology
professional trends
More tech
support/ website
training

Source: Center for REALTOR Technology Survey

Comfort Using Social Media (Percentage Distribution)

7% 1% 10%
Do not use Extremely Uncomfortable
social media uncomfortable

25% 31% 26%

Somewhat Comfortable Extremely
comfortable comfortable

Most members feel comfortable using social media, but 7 percent of

REALTORS do not use social media.

Source: Center for REALTOR Technology Survey

Participation in Social Media (Percent of Respondents)

For real estate purposes these were the eight platforms that showed the
most participation.

80% 71% 32% 30%

Facebook LinkedIn Google+ YouTube

28% 21% 16% 14%

Twitter Pinterest Real Estate Instagram

Blogs
Source: Center for REALTOR Technology Survey
Smart Home Technology Clients are
Interested In
(Percent of Respondents)

42%
Smart home
devices

22% 13%
Whole home Smart home
technology technology for
specific rooms

Source: Center for REALTOR Technology 2016 Smart Homes Survey

Jessica Lautz
Managing Director, Survey Research and Communications

Meredith Dunn
Research Communications Manager

Brandi Snowden
Research Survey Analyst

Amanda Riggs
Research Survey Analyst

Brian Horowitz
Research Survey Analyst

2017 National Association of REALTORS

All Rights Reserved.
May not be reprinted in whole or in part without permission
of the National Association of REALTORS.
For reprint information, contact data@realtors.org.
The National Association of REALTORS, The Voice for Real Estate, is Americas largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members,
including NARs institutes, societies and councils, involved in all aspects of the real estate industry. NAR membership includes brokers, salespeople,
property managers, appraisers, counselors and others engaged in both residential and commercial real estate.

The term REALTOR is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National
Association of REALTORS and subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.

Working for Americas property owners, the National Association provides a facility for professional development, research and exchange of
information among its members and to the public and government for the purpose of preserving the free enterprise system and the right to own
real property.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

RESEARCH DIVISION
The Mission of the National Association of REALTORS Research Division is to collect and disseminate timely, accurate and comprehensive real
estate data and to conduct economic analysis in order to inform and engage members, consumers, and policymakers and the media in a
professional and accessible manner. To find out about other products from NARs Research Division, visit https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-
statistics.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

Research Division
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Washington, DC 20001
202-383-1000
data@realtors.org