SANTA MONICA, Calif. – Online searches for listings is the rage and even a hobby for many Americans. But a new survey shows having a living, breathing real estate agent is a top priority for consumers.
Ninety percent of consumers believe having a real estate agent is “absolutely necessary to do a deal,” according to a survey by the Santa Monica, Calif.-based Agent Ace real estate company.
“Even in the era where you can find your dream home with the click of a mouse, 46% of Americans still feel finding an agent should be the first thing they do in the process of buying and selling a home – even before looking at properties online,” Agent Ace reported in releasing the study Wednesday.
Other Key Findings:
- Overall, 84% of Americans think a real estate transaction is very complex. The same 84% say selling a home is very complex. Buying is perceived as slightly easier, with 81% of Americans saying buying is complex.
- 90% of Americans believe working with an agent is necessary, and 46% said finding an agent should happen at the very beginning, before anything else is done.
- Tech is tops: 71% of Americans strongly agree that real estate websites and apps are a great way to find the real estate agent that is the best fit for them.
- Money matters most: For those Americans who are buying or selling a home, 32% said that saving or making the most money is the most important thing for their deal.
- What spooks buyers and sellers? Picking the wrong house or neighborhood is their biggest fear (41%), followed by overpaying for the home (39%).
- Only 18% of Americans said the hardest part of the buying process is finding the money for the down payment, which may signal that consumer sentiment and economic barriers to homeownership are lifting.
- The American Dream is still alive and well: 79% of Americans strongly agree that their home is the most important financial asset they own.
The survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll/Nielsen on behalf of Agent Ace from June 12-16, 2015 among 2,079 adults ages 18 and over. Of the respondents, 71% are homeowners, 26% are renters, and 3% don’t identify as either. 53% of all respondents have ever bought or sold a home, 8% are currently actively looking and 3% are selling. 41% are not currently looking to buy or sell.