Buyers:
- Nine in 10 buyers (88%) find their home through a real estate agent.
- 97% of buyers say honesty and integrity is one of the most important qualities for a real estate agent.
- 94% of buyers say agent responsiveness is one of the most important qualities for a real estate agent.
- 93% of buyers say knowledge of the purchase process is one of the most important qualities for a real estate agent.
- The largest share of home buyers are buying because of major life changes (new jobs, expanding families, etc).
- 23% of buyers compromised on the price of the home.
- 20% of buyers compromised on the size of the home
- The number of buyers compromising on aspects of the home is higher for first-time buyers compared to all buyers; be willing to take a look at what is available.
- More than half of all buyers report that the most difficult task is simply finding the right home to buy.
- The second and third hardest tasks are the paperwork involved and understanding the process of buying a home.
- The typical home buyer searched for 10 weeks and viewed 10 homes—this is two weeks shorter than last year.
- 8 in 10 buyers want phone calls to communicate agent activities to them.
- 6 in 10 buyers want e-mails to discuss specific needs or actions related to the home buying process.
Source: 2014 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers