Internet plays bigger role in home buying process

The internet is playing an increasingly important role in the home-buying process, a property expert has claimed.

With internet access now more widely available than ever before, it seems house hunters are keen for the web to take care of some of the legwork.

As a result, estate agents are spending more money on their websites as well as paying to list with various portals in a bid to reach out to potential customers.

"We have seen an increasing number of agents improving the quality of their websites as they realise that they are judged by its quality much as they would have been judged by their estate agency buildings and locations in the past," said David Lee, chief executive of the property website, Globrix.

"It is therefore becoming increasingly competitive to attract web users as it was to attract footfall in the past."

A study published last year showed an increasing number of home buyers used the internet for research.

However, the number prepared to apply for a mortgage or buy a home without any face-to-face contact remains relatively small.


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