Twenty-nine percent of recent buyers reported that their first step in the home-buying process was looking online for properties for sale. Thirteen percent of first-time buyers and 19 percent of repeat buyers reported their first step was to contact a real estate agent.

Eighty-four percent of home buyers used the Internet to search for homes.

The typical home buyer searched for a home for a median 10 weeks and saw a median 10 homes.

Eighty-four percent of home buyers used a real estate professional during their home search.

Among home buyers, the typical Internet searcher was 41 years old and visited a median 12 homes. The typical home buyer who did not use the Internet to search for homes was 54 years old and saw a median 7 homes.

Forty percent of home buyers first learned about the home they purchased from a real estate professional; 24 percent first learned about the home they purchased through the Internet.

Real estate agents were viewed as a very useful information source by 79 percent of buyers, and as a somewhat useful information source by an additional 19 percent of buyers searching for a home.

Six percent of buyers purchased a foreclosed home. 48 percent considered buying a home in foreclosure, but either could not