How Are Different Generations Searching For Homes?

When it comes to searching for homes for sale in Lakeland, FL., each generation has its own way of doing things. That said, there are also quite a few similarities between some generations. For example, the oldest and youngest home-buying generations usually make sure to see a home in person, rather than rely solely on an online listing. Also, while only five percent of home-buyers go without the internet in their quest to find a property, less than one percent looked for a home without consulting a real estate agent. Provided below is a breakdown of how the home-buying process shakes out for every generation.

  • Regardless of generation, the first step in buying a home was searching for properties online. Most older Baby Boomers tended to start this step by consulting a real estate agent, Millennials usually started by asking friends and relatives and the Silent Generation were most likely to go out and drive around to find a home.
  • Most buyers tend to search for eight weeks, averaging out to eight homes examined; elder Millennials and Baby Boomers tended to search for 10 weeks, while the Silent Generation tended to stop after a mere six weeks.
  • Generation X tended to view the most homes, averaging out to eight; younger Millennials and the Silent Generation usually skipped online viewings in favor of an in-person viewing.
  • For 56% of all home-buyers, the hardest step to buying was finding the right property; younger Millennials had a notably harder time at 64%. Since Millennials occupy the greatest demographic of first-time home-buyers, it makes sense that they are also most likely to have issues understanding the many steps in the home-buying process.
  • As previously indicated, 95% of all home-buyers have used the internet to look for a home. It is because of those internet searches that buyers tend to walk through a home that they have previously viewed through an internet connection with an exterior viewing of the property following after.
  • The one website feature that was vital for 90% of home-buyers under the age of 57 turned out to be photos of the property. While all age groups appreciated a detailed breakdown of a property for sale, Generation X was most likely to place a priority on virtual tours.
  • In regard to internet searches among home-buyers, there is a solid split between those who favor a desktop or laptop and those who prefer to search on a mobile device. This split seemed to break along age, with those aged 56 and younger favoring a mobile search and those above the age of 56 favoring a traditional computer.

In Summary

You now have a good idea of how the members of each generation goes about finding their home. While there is quite some variance in how each generation goes about buying a home, it is a unanimous statement that all generations found satisfaction in their quest. Furthermore, this satisfaction tended to rise with age.