WebsiteBox Research Suggests 1-in-4 Buyers Search for Homes with a Mobile Device
(Toronto) – JAN 30, 2015 – With one-in-four homebuyers checking out real estate websites with a smartphone or a tablet, it is imperative that agents ensure that their professional websites show well on mobile devices, according to Peyman Aleagha, CEO of WebsiteBox, the technology company that provides real estate professionals with complete websites for a one-time $99 fee.
After a National Association of REALTORS®/Google Digital House Hunt study indicated that 89 percent of homebuyers use mobile search, WebsiteBox compiled its own research to help agents understand why a mobile-friendly — also known as responsive — website is so important.
More homebuyers are going mobile: they require access anywhere at any time. If they are in a neighborhood and see a property for sale, they expect to get the listing details immediately, Aleagha said.
Analytics culled from 11,000 WebsiteBox-hosted websites — illustrated in an infographic — revealed that buyers with smartphones (74 percent) and buyers with tablets (26 percent) spend less time on agent sites than do other users. While desktop users typically spend 5:17 minutes on real estate websites, tablet, and smartphone users spend 4:02 minutes and 2:30 minutes, respectively.
All the more reason to make sure your website really pops on a mobile device, Aleagha pointed out. According to WebsiteBox-derived data, the three mobile platforms most often used for property searches are, in order of preference: Apples iPhone and iPad, and Samsungs Galaxy smartphones.
And just where are the most tech-forward house hunters? California, Florida, Texas, Georgia and New York, according to the WebsiteBox research. Homebuyers in Arkansas, Iowa, Delaware, Idaho, and Mississippi are least likely to use mobile search.
For more information, visit the WebsiteBox.com, email info@websitebox.com, or phone 1-866-857-1657.