Conversations about the MLS industry, creating software, and employee ownership.

You know you’re busy when you don’t have time to shower in the morning. That’s how it’s been for me lately, which explains why I haven’t been blogging. Anyway, I have been keeping up a bit with my reading and this post from Greg Sterling caught my attention with some interesting data from Yahoo! Real Estate and so I quote it here in full along with Mr. Sterling’s conclusion:

* Consumers spent an average of 12 hours online researching agents and 75% selected an agent within one week of starting their search
* Home buyers and sellers consider approximately two agents before making a final decision
* 74% of people who accessed an agent Web site got there with the help of a search engine
* 45% of respondents used the Internet to learn about agents they didn’t know existed
* 41% discovered special deals and promotions offered from an agent through the Internet

These data offer more confirmation of the Internet’s influence on consumer decision making. There’s no comparison with word of mouth, which probably accounts for the highest percentage of leads to realtors.