Home Buyers Take the Hunt Online

If you aren’t using the Internet in your house hunt, you’re behind the times--and you’re also in the minority, according to a new study.

Online realty sites are attracting 64% of the Web users who are looking for homes, according to a study of 2,355 respondents released last month by Port Washington, N.Y., firm NPD Online Research.

Convenience, speed and property selection are the top three reasons consumers gave for using the Web as a tool in their search for a new home.

Of online shoppers, 43% said they searched for properties listed between $50,000 and $100,000. Only 15% looked at anything listed over $200,000.

Of those using the Web to look for property, 19% said their online search resulted in face-to-face meetings with a Realtor, and 7% actually purchased property shown on the Web. Web sites with a national database of home listings include https://www.realtor.com, https://www.homeseekers.com, https://www.homeadvisor.com and https://www.cyberhomes.com.