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New home buyers doing their research

For many new home buyers in the Lower Mainland, utilizing the Internet has never been more important.

For many new home buyers in the Lower Mainland, utilizing the Internet has never been more important. It's now possible to conduct hours of research and ensure you know exactly what you're looking for and can afford before purchasing, as well as which features of your new home will fit your lifestyle and allow the home to keep its value down the road.

"The extensive online research conducted by homebuyers is highly evident," says Intergulf Development Group Vice President Shaadi Faris. "Buyers are coming to us with knowledge of how the purchase process works, and having their priorities firmly established."

Faris has seen this play out at Intergulf's Burnaby condominium project The Park Metrotown, where potential buyers have been coming into the presentation centre and asking questions that used to only be asked by investors and real estate professionals.

"They are aware of market trends, know what specific features and dimensions they are looking for, and have firm figures in mind," says Faris. "Our marketing efforts now speak to strata fees and unit prices in dollars per square foot, and point out all the features that will impact the buyer's investment, including the location of the parking stalls and storage lockers."

While the younger buyer is leading the way regarding the use of digital media, Faris points out that there are buyers of all ages using technology to research their potential home.

Google recently teamed up with the U.S.-based National Association of Realtors to conduct a study looking at how important digital media was to home buyers. The study found that 90 per cent of homebuyers search online before and during the buying process.