And this is why you, the seller, care if your agent is making technology the cornerstone of their marketing campaign.
From the 2008 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers:
When asked where they first learned about the home purchased, 34% of buyers said a real estate agent; 32% the Internet; 15% from yard signs; 7% from a friend, neighbor or relative; 7% from home builders; 3% a print or newspaper ad; 2% directly from the seller; and 1% a home book or magazine.
And, further evidence that strong on-line marketing is not just hype and that it is no longer enough to throw your listing into the MLS and call it a day:
Buyers used a variety of resources in searching for a home: 87 percent used the Internet, 85 percent used a real estate agent, 62 percent yard signs, 48 percent attended open houses and 47 percent looked at print or newspaper ads. Fewer buyers rely on a home book or magazine, home builders, television, billboards and relocation companies. Buyers most commonly start their search process online and then contact a real estate agent. (Emphasis added.)
But then, if you are a consumer reading this, I suppose it is all rather intuitive.
