Find Your New Home on Facebook… Yes, I Said Facebook!!

In this age of social media where you can find anything and everything by going to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or even Pinterest, one shouldn’t be surprised that you can even search for, view, and find your new home on said platforms. Gone are the days of driving house to house with your realtor to find the home of your dreams. You have access to a 360 view of properties, and the neighborhoods while sitting on your couch. Though this is not a new phenomenon, but it came to my attention when I began looking for a new home. According to Srivatsaa (2016), social media has maximized real estate agents’ ability to provide their clients with the most up to date and constant information regarding available properties. Many agents and agencies have accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter to remain connected (Srivatsaa, 2016).

In 2013, nearly 80% of real estate agents used social media as a sales tool, and 40% of them indicated that they closed, on average, two to five deals based on social media marketing (Doran, 2013). In 2016, that number has risen to 90% of real estate agents using social media to some extent (Cavano, 2016). In addition, more than 75% of home buyers used social media during their search for a home (Henry, 2015). On average, 44% used social media to gather information about specific neighborhoods, and 42% used social media to view their agents Facebook page (Henry, 2015).

Though Facebook appears to be the top social media platform that real estate agents and homebuyers gravitate to, Snapchat and Twitter are also their go to platforms (Srivatsaa, 2016). On Twitter, one can follow a real estate agent of their choice to view the homes they are selling and promoting. This practice is known as “Tweal Estate.” With Snapchat becoming the platform of choice for the the Millennial generation, realtors are building their brand through the use of Snapchat stories, to promote themselves as well as the properties they are selling (Srivatsaa, 2016).

That being said, I am still on the hunt and after reading these articles, I will be utilizing social media more than I was when I began my search.

Have any of you used social media in your home buying ventures? If so, how did you use it? And did it help in your selection?

References:

Cavano, K. (2016, January 8). Real Estate Statistics for 2016. Retrieved from

http://blog.contactually.com/2016/01/real-estate-statistics-for-2016/

Doran, J. (2013, July 11). Four Ways to Reach Home Buyers Using Social Media.

Retrieved from http://realtytimes.com/agentnews/technologyadvice1/item/ 142-20130712_usingsocialmedia

Consumer and Market Trends in Real Estate – realtor.org. (2013, January). Retrieved from http://www.realtor.org/sites/default/files/Study-Digital-House-Hunt- 2013-01_1.pdf

Henry, C. (2015, September 17). Home Buying Process Involves Greater Technology,

Realtor® Use. Retrieved from http://www.realtor.org/news-releases/2015/09/ home-buying-process-involves-greater-technology-realtor-use

Srivatsaa, S. (2016, August). Using Social Media to Sell More Homes Faster. Retrieved from http://realtormag.realtor.org/for-brokers/network/article/2016/08/using-social-media-sell-more-homes-faster

Vaynerchuk, G. (2013). Jab, jab, jab, right hook: How to tell your story in a noisy, social world. New York: Harper Collins.