Are you in the market for a new home? Or, would you prefer an older house? While many existing and prospective homeowners like the idea of renovating in order to create a home that reflects their personality and lifestyle, others would prefer to purchase a home that is move-in ready.
Locating Homes for Sale on the Internet
When searching for their first or second home for sale, most people use the Internet. A recent survey showed that this was the case for 92% of recent home buyers. During the weekends, 60% of home buyers used their mobile phones and tablets to conduct these searches rather than other means of access such as desktop computers.
Internet searches were useful for individuals that wanted to view property photos as well as detailed information about these properties. According to 87% of these individuals, the photos were helpful, and the detailed property information was helpful for 84%.
Since this information can be accessed online at any time of day or night, it can be particularly beneficial for prospective buyers with busy work schedules and other obligations. Once they locate listings that look promising, they are then able to visit them as their schedule allows.
Locating Homes for Sale off the Internet
Some home buyers may prefer to locate properties for sale off the Internet, however. The average buyer that didn’t use the Internet spent approximately 5 weeks looking for real estate for sale. They also visited 5 homes during this time period.
It’s interesting to note that prospective buyers that used the Internet spent more time looking at homes. They visited 10 homes over the course of 10 weeks.
The Benefits of Working with a Realtor
The first step toward home ownership for 42% of recent buyers was to search for properties online. However, 14% of recent home buyers contacted a real estate agent to begin this process.
According to 78% of recent buyers, having a real estate agent was beneficial. They found their agents to be a source of useful information, which makes sense for several reasons.
Realtors, for example, are aware of local listings as well as the communities within which they are located. Furthermore, they are able to provide their clients with relevant information and accompany them to the properties. A real estate service can also search for properties on behalf of clients, which can considerably shorten the time spent searching for just the right home.
It’s obviously important for home owners to understand the details of their mortgage. It appears, however, that 59% of homeowners don’t believe they understand these details as well as they could. Knowing the right questions to ask may be at the center of this for some home owners. Even though they may not work for the mortgage company, real estate agents understand how to explain mortgage terms given their wealth of experience in the field.
Older Homes versus New Constructions
Are you searching for a home for sale? If you’re buying your first home, are you planning to purchase a brand new home rather than an older house? Approximately 32% of first-time home buyers were in the market for these new constructions.
While most of the individuals that purchased newly-constructed homes wanted to avoid existing or potential renovations, others were concerned with possible electrical or plumbing issues. Since many of these new homes were also constructed with energy-efficiency features, this was also a major selling factor.
Home owners that purchased older houses often did so for a better price. This was the case for 32% of the individuals that purchased previously-owned homes.
Whether you are interested in looking at a brand new home for sale or a previously-owned home for sale, contacting a real estate service to begin this process makes sense. Since they, too, will have an online presence, you will be able to look at the properties they represent online as well as on site.
While many people purchase a new property within 14 miles of where they used to live, others may be relocating. If you’re planning to move to an unfamiliar area, a real estate agent can streamline this process for you.