Internet Househunting

Looking to move home using the Internet is now favoured by more househunters than driving around checking out 'For Sale' signs.

Legal & General's latest Moving Intentions survey shows that nearly a quarter of homeowners today (24 per cent) will use an on-line property site to search for their next home compared to one in five who would take to the streets.

The number of househunters who would use the Internet has increased significantly compared to five years ago when Moving Intentions was first conducted. Then only three per cent said they would have used the Internet for their home moves whereas a run out in the car was preferred by 18 per cent.

Legal & General's Moving Intentions survey shows that estate agents are still the most popular first port of call for househunters with 68 per cent saying they would approach them. This figure is almost exactly the same as five years ago when 69 per cent say they would have gone to an estate agent. Scanning the property pages of local newspapers is also still popular among 51 per cent of househunters but this number has also not changed markedly since 1996 when 48 per cent said they would do it.

The growth in the number of people choosing to use the Internet underlines the importance to estate agents of offering on-line services to meet the expectations of all househunters. Legal & General's on-line property site, lists properties from its estate agent partners' websites, giving househunters access to a wide number of properties that meet their criteria from the one link.

Stephen Smith, Director Housing Marketing said, "I fully expect the growth in popularity of the Internet as a means of househunting to continue. It is a simple, effective and convenient way to look for your next home and can be done at a time to suit you."

"The Internet isn't going to replace the role of the estate agent but augment it. Significant numbers of househunters are already using the Internet to do their preparatory work before involving estate agents to handle the nitty gritty of their moves."

"Estate agents who have not yet bought into the e-business world should do so or risk losing a major opportunity with potential customers", said Stephen Smith. Legal & General offers members of its 1,400 strong network of estate agents assistance to develop their presence on the Internet with free professionally designed website templates and advice on how to make best use of their Internet presence. This is in addition to the opportunity to list their properties on GoingtoMove.co.uk. which also has business links with other housing portals to ensure wide exposure of properties to potential homemoving customers.

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