No need to drive around to discover properties

Real estate agents vary widely in their willingness to spend money listing properties, according to a June 2008 survey by real estate software company VHT. About one-quarter of agents surveyed said they spent $250 to $500 per listing, one-fifth spent $500 to $1,000 and another quarter spent $1,000 or more per listing. Nearly one-fifth said their spending depended on the property—unsurprising, since many agents spend more on a higher-priced listing.

VHT also said that agents with the most experience were more likely to market their properties online. "The longer an agent is in the business the more likely they are to: represent more properties, have higher priced listings and spend more on interactive media," said Brian Balduf, CEO of VHT, in a statement. The biggest challenges for agents and brokers surveyed were tracking results, managing multiple input forms and retyping listing information for entry into various media services.

Realtor.com, craigslist and Google were the top national Web sites used by the agents surveyed.

On the buyer side, those looking for real estate on the Internet use a variety of online tools, according to a Pew Internet & American Life Project study conducted last year.

More than one-half of US Internet users surveyed said they had taken virtual tours of houses, apartments or neighborhoods online. Researching community quality of life and searching the Web sites of real estate companies and agents were also popular with over one-half of users.

Learn more about online buyer behavior. Read eMarketer's US Retail E-Commerce: Slower But Still Steady Growth report.

Article Source: www.emarketer.com