It’s hard not to get stuck in the day to day chaos of the economy and all the factors that go into the mix.  I find myself looking at each market change under a microscope, wondering what it means to my clients.  Which is why I’m relieved to have some retrospective, bigger picture data about the housing industry.

A little over a week ago, the National Association of Realtors released their 2008 home buyer and home seller survey results.  The results reveal broad trends that shed light on where we’re moving within the industry.  Here are some stats I found interesting:

• 87% of people who researched their home purchase online also used a real estate agent
• First-time home buyers have increased significantly due to tax credit and improvements to the FHA loan program
• Percentage of buyers who purchased a home in foreclosure increased 600%
• 41% of buyers said commuting costs were “very important”
• 90% of buyers said environmental features were important to them

Although this survey is industry-specific, it also shows marketing trends that can be applied to clients across the board.  For the quick marketing bullets and charts, check out this blogpost.