Home Buyer & Seller Survey Shows Rising Use of Internet, Reliance on Agents WASHINGTON (January 17, 2006) – Technology is transforming how Americans buy and sell homes in unexpected ways, including how they work with real estate agents and brokers, according to one of the largest surveys of real estate consumers ever conducted. The study was released today by the National Association of Realtors®. Nine out of 10 home buyers use a real estate agent in the search process, but use of the Internet to search for a home has risen dramatically over time, increasing from only 2 percent of buyers in 1995 to 77 percent in 2005; it was 74 percent in 2004. The next largest source of information for buyers is a yard sign, mentioned by 71 percent of buyers. When asked where they first learned about the home purchased, 24 percent of buyers identified the Internet, up strongly from 15 percent in 2004 and only 2 percent in 1997. Although most buyers use an agent to complete the transaction, 36 first learn about the home they buy from a real estate agent and 15 percent from yard signs; five other categories were 7 percent or less. The 2005 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, based on more than 7,800 responses to a questionnaire mailed to a large national sample of consumers located through county deed records, is the latest in a series of surveys evaluating demographics, marketing and other characteristics of home buyers and sellers. NAR President Thomas M. Stevens from Vienna, Va., said the findings underscore the complexity of the home-buying process. Buyers who use the Internet in searching for a home are more likely to use a real estate agent than non-Internet users, and consumers rely on professionals to provide context, negotiate the transaction and help with the paperwork, said Stevens, senior vice president of NRT Inc. The real estate industry today bears little resemblance to the way we did business 10 years ago. It is hard to find another industry that has adopted technology so readily to its customers, Stevens said. Realtors® have invested a lot of time and money in building information technology, and because of these efforts, more consumers than ever are using the Internet in their home search. The survey shows 81 percent of buyers who use the Internet to search for a home purchase through a real estate agent, while 63 percent of non-Internet users buy through an agent; non-Internet users are more likely to purchase directly from a builder or an owner they knew in advance of the transaction. For complete article go to http://www.realtor.org/publicaffairsweb.nsf/pages/hmbuyersellersurvey06

     If you are thinking of remodeling or redecorating in the near future, you might want to visit the Sunset Green-Built Idea House in Menlo Park. Actually, it is two houses. The front house is finished and fully furnished with eco-friendly floor coverings, wall coverings, cabinets and furniture.

     The second home is unfurnished and more informational, with cut aways, posters, and exhibits to demonstrate and explain the selections and the processes that make these homes special. Structural items include integrated solar panels on the roof, foil protected roof sheathing that reflects up to 95% of the sun's heat in the summer, rafters and floor beams made with recycled or salvaged wood products, flooring and furniture from easily and rapidly regenerating sources (such as bamboo).

     These homes will be part of a new subdivision consisting of approximately 40 homes, all built with eco friendly components and systems. The project is possible through collaborative efforts of Sunset Magazine, members of the Californias Sustainable Building Task Force, and builder Clarum Homes. Peninsula Habitat for Humanity is a Non-Profit partner in the enterprise.

    If you are interested, time is running short. The homes are available for viewing Fri., Sat., and Sunday from now though Jan. 22. For more information please visit

http://www.sunset.com/sunset/marketplace/package/0,20869,1032917~844996,00.html