How do you search for your dream home?

With the use of laptops, tablets, iPads, iPhones, Androids and other smart devices, how do you search for your dream home?

A  new study just released from the Pew Research Center’s Project for Excellence in Journalism indicate that half of American adults have mobile Internet access via a tablet or smartphone.  This is a major shift on how we as REALTORS® might want to review how we price our listings. Now more than ever, it is important to identify how potential buyers are using new technology to find their dream home.

At the center of this growth phenomenon is the tablet computer. The report states that nearly a quarter of U.S. adults — 22 percent — now own a tablet device-double the number from a year earlier. Another 3 percent of adults regularly use a tablet owned by someone else in their home. And nearly a quarter of those who don’t have a tablet, 23 percent, plan to get one in the next six months.  In addition, 44 percent of U.S. adults have smartphones, which, according to the survey, is up from 35 percent from May 2011.

Most buyers start their home search by looking at listings online, or most often, on a real estate app specifically designed for a smart phone or tablet.  This search tools allow you to search for very detailed criteria. 

Which apps and sites do you use for your home search?