The availability of homes for sale on the Internet has exploded recently. National real estate websites sponsored by brokerages, trade associations, and newspapers provide real estate surfers with the majority of properties listed. Anonymity and convenience of the Internet have changed how consumers begin their home search. Learning about a community and the historical financial data on comparable properties allows the consumer to drive their search before they contact a real estate agent. This shift from the real estate industry controlling information to consumer driven continues to force the industry to provide new value and business models for savvy Internet real estate consumers.

Fast Fact: How many homebuyers are using the Internet to find a home? According to the 2005 National Association of REALTORS