Survey says local home buyers turning to mobile devices

The rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets is shaping local home search as shoppers look for ways to easily access listings information while on the go, according to a new Mobile Home Shoppers study from The Real Estate Book/RealEstateBook.com. Nearly all (98 percent) of home buyers who used a mobile device in their search process considered it a valuable tool, with 46 percent asserting it as “essential” and 52 percent stating it as “helpful.”

The study also illustrates that home shoppers are not only searching for information on their mobile devices, but also taking action afterwards. Sixty-eight percent said they contacted a real estate professional to view a home based on their mobile search.

The research also indicates there is still significant room for mobile usage to grow, with 85 percent of non-users stating they’d consider using a mobile device in their next home search.

“Our research supports that home buyers are turning to their smartphones and tablets in their search and taking action to reach real estate professionals,” says Scott Dixon, president of NCI’s Real Estate Division.

The Real Estate Book Mobile Home Shoppers study found that the activities conducted most often from a mobile device were:

• 78 percent viewed photos and videos of homes
• 66 percent inquired for more information about a listing
• 60 percent found listing details, price, description, amenities and contact information
• 57 percent located a house listing with GPS
• 55 percent searched by city
• 42 percent downloaded a home buying search app
• 30 percent shared listing information with friends and family

Dixon adds, “The time is now for agents and brokers to add mobile tools in their marketing mix to increase traffic and reach home shoppers right when they are actively engaged in their search process.”

“Mobile is a complementary to our print and web offerings. We use our printed pages and sign riders to drive traffic online. We track the results and see our peak traffic on our website on Monday and Tuesday, but our peak traffic on mobile is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday - when people are on the go,” says Dixon.