It wasn’t so long ago that the search for a new house meant driving through neighborhoods looking for real estate signs. Today, access to virtual worlds and the tech stack that lets prospective buyers walk through rooms and around the yard has forever changed how we buy houses. Savvy agents leverage analytics and blend digital convenience with their human expertise to suggest properties you’d never find out on a Sunday drive.
Real Estate Online Shopping Trends
Here are some of the ways real estate has gone online!
Immersive Virtual Property Experiences
Online photo galleries are so last year! Today's buyers expect comprehensive digital previews. 360° virtual tours, which allow a potential buyer to vet properties remotely before scheduling an in-person visit, are increasingly sophisticated compared to the first iterations. Some programs can even let a viewer change the wall color!
Real estate agencies are investing in professional-grade virtual tour technology. Imagine interactive floor plans displayed alongside traditional photography so buyers understand spatial relationships and the flow between rooms.
Location, Location, Location
Location research has moved beyond basic school ratings and crime statistics. Real estate platforms now integrate multiple data sources to provide comprehensive neighborhood insights. Buyers can access information about walkability scores, transit options, flood zones, wildfire risk, internet connectivity quality, and proximity to amenities.
Leading real estate websites have developed interactive maps that layer various neighborhood characteristics, enabling buyers to evaluate locations based on their priorities rather than relying on generic ratings.
AI-Enhanced Property Matching
Search algorithms have become more sophisticated at understanding buyer preferences. Property recommendation systems look at buyers’ browsing patterns, saved searches, and explicit preferences to suggest relevant listings. These systems can identify properties that match a buyer's unstated priorities based on their interaction history.
Brokerages are developing more nuanced search filters and preference settings to help buyers discover properties they might otherwise miss. The most effective platforms combine automated suggestions with agent curation.
Verified Reviews and Community Insights
Buyers increasingly seek authentic perspectives on neighborhoods and properties.
Verified resident reviews about neighborhoods, buildings, and community dynamics continue to gain popularity. The insights they cover, such as noise levels and community atmosphere, are of particular interest and are rarely addressed in listing descriptions.
Progressive agents are embracing transparency by facilitating connections between prospects and current community members. New developments would benefit from enlisting resident ambassadors who provide honest perspectives to potential buyers.
Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Metrics
Environmental considerations have become mainstream factors in property evaluation. Energy efficiency ratings, utility costs, and sustainability features are among the criteria that new homeowners are most curious about. Other points of interest include solar potential, energy-efficient appliances, and the quality of insulation.
Listings are increasingly featuring standardized energy scores and highlighting green features. Some platforms allow users to filter specifically for properties with sustainability certifications or renewable energy installations.
Mobile-First Search Experiences
Like so many other areas of our lives, property searching has become primarily mobile-driven, with applications optimized for on-the-go research. Real estate companies that want to enhance the user experience offer apps that send location-based alerts, facilitate instant tour scheduling, and provide seamless communication tools. Mobile experiences like these prioritize quick decision support when buyers actively explore a neighborhood.
Industry response: Agencies have developed responsive tools that transition smoothly between devices, allowing searches to begin on mobile and continue on larger screens for detailed research.
Data-Driven Pricing Insights
Transparency around property values has increased dramatically. Buyers now have access to sophisticated pricing tools that analyze comparable sales, market trends, and property-specific characteristics to make competitive yet informed offers. These tools can also help potential buyers simplify their mortgage process, helping to streamline from either end!
Forward-thinking agents provide comprehensive pricing analyses rather than relying solely on comparable sales data, acknowledging that buyers often arrive with substantial pricing information.
The Evolving Role of Real Estate Professionals
While most buyers are taking full advantage of these technological options, they still rely on human expertise in the buying process. Agents with a reputation for their negotiation skills, local market insights, and ability to interpret complex data rather than merely providing access to listings will win in their markets. These sought-after professionals combine technological savvy with deep, local market knowledge.
Leading brokerages shifted their training focus toward consultative skills, emphasizing the agent's role as an interpreter of information and strategic advisor, rather than merely as an information gatekeeper.
Leverage the Human Advantage Online with McClatchy
In 2025, industry leaders and those who will be successful are the players who recognize that technology enhances, rather than replaces, human guidance. Professionals who embrace these evolving search behaviors and tools will better serve today's informed, digitally empowered buyers. People will always value human expertise when making one of life's most significant purchases.
McClatchy has the resources and audience understanding to help you match your real estate agents to the customers who will benefit from them the most. Through the McClatchy Premium Audience Network, they have a deep understanding of audiences across the nation.
Reach out to McClatchy today to learn more about how we can help grow your real estate brand!
