New research from Google shows Americans spend an average of 55 minutes per visit when using real estate apps on their smartphones. The data – aimed at better understanding how buyers use technology during their house hunt – shows scanning through available homes for sale and looking at prices in different neighborhoods has become something of a past time, and not just for active buyers. In fact, the research shows that 64 percent of respondents said they keep checking homes for sale after they’ve made a purchase and one out of every five people looking at houses on real estate apps and websites aren’t actually in the market to buy. Additionally, nearly 70 percent said shopping for real estate online or on their phone was fun. The study highlights how new technology has changed how Americans shop for homes. John Thorton, a partner in Google’s real estate business, says apps and online listings have us hooked. “Customers roll over in the morning and start looking at real estate listings [on their phone],” Thorton said. Among the study’s other highlights, people begin looking at real estate sites an average of three years before they actually buy a home. More here.
