SEATTLE, Sept. 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The record-setting housing market has brought anecdotes of frustrated home shoppers being repeatedly outbid and using risky strategies, such as waiving contingencies, to be competitive. But new data from Zillow's Consumer Housing Trends Report¹ debunks common misconceptions that all buyers have the same experience, and shows the reality for most is not as grim.

The typical buyer surveyed this year submitted just two offers before one was accepted, up from one in each of the previous three years. A vast majority of buyers (88%) had an inspection done before they closed on their new home.

"Our 2021 survey of buyers found buying a home got more challenging in the past year, but many buyers were ultimately successful in landing a home without taking unnecessary risks," says Manny Garcia, a Zillow population scientist. "Most buyers continue to get inspections, and sellers appear to prioritize higher offers over waived inspections. Most buyers are ultimately achieving homeownership by doing their research, making trade-offs, and considering a diverse array of options."

The survey finds first-time buyers do generally struggle more than repeat buyers. First-time buyers tend to have smaller down payments -- in large part because they are much less likely to have equity from a previous home -- which can make their offers seem less competitive. About two-thirds (67%) of first-time buyers submit more than one offer, compared to 54% of repeat buyers.

Before the offer comes the shopping, and the survey shows that the pandemic brought some changes in how buyers shop for, view and tour homes. While desire for virtual tools and 3D home tours is growing, home shoppers still value seeing a home in-person before making an offer. Nearly all buyers surveyed took a private tour before putting in an offer, and most attended at least one open house. In 2020 and 2021, the typical buyer went on three private tours -- up from just one in previous years -- and only 5% skipped a private tour completely. Despite the pandemic, most home shoppers are also still going to at least one open house. The typical buyer went to one open house, and over half (56%) attended between one to four.

"So many buyers are hearing horror stories from friends and family about the housing market, so it's important to educate buyers about the local market so they can make the best decision for their family," says Tom Toole, Team Lead at Tom Toole Sales Group at RE/MAX Main Line. "Buyers still strongly prefer in-person tours, but virtual tours help people see a home if circumstances don't allow and have helped a number of buyers get a speed advantage in the market. Virtual tools are a great addition to help buyers decide what houses they want to go see in-person."

Although in-person viewing remains a priority for home shoppers, the desire for 3D and virtual tours is also high and increasing from past years. Survey respondents agreed that 3D tours would help them get a better feel for the home than static photos (68%), wish more listings had 3D tours available (61%), and prefer to schedule in-person tours online (61%).² All of these categories increased since 2020, showing buyers value virtual tools because they make it easier to shop for a home. Additionally, the share of buyers who say they are at least somewhat confident making an offer after seeing a virtual tour, but not an in-person viewing, increased from 55% to 58% this year.

The fall market has shown early signs of cooling as home value appreciation begins to slow and inventory continues to grow each month. Even though sellers are still firmly in the driver's seat, buyers may find more options and less competition, making this a potentially more manageable market.

About Zillow Group
Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make it easier to unlock life's next chapter.

As the most-visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow® and its affiliates offer customers an on-demand experience for selling, buying, renting or financing with transparency and nearly seamless end-to-end service. Zillow Offers® buys and sells homes directly in dozens of markets across the country, allowing sellers control over their timeline. Zillow Home Loans™, our affiliate lender, provides our customers with an easy option to get pre-approved and secure financing for their next home purchase. Zillow recently launched Zillow Homes, Inc., a licensed brokerage entity, to streamline Zillow Offers transactions. 

Zillow Group's brands, affiliates and subsidiaries include Zillow®; Zillow Offers®; Zillow Premier Agent®; Zillow Home Loans™; Zillow Closing Services™; Zillow Homes, Inc.; Trulia®; Out East®; StreetEasy® and HotPads®. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

¹ Zillow Group Population Science conducted a nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 buyers. The study was fielded between March and August 2021. For the purpose of this study, "buyers" refers to household decision makers 18 years of age or older who moved to a new primary residence that they purchased in the past year. For more information on methodology, please contact press@zillow.com
² The percentages in this sentence refer to the share of buyers that said they agreed somewhat or completely with each statement.

SOURCE Zillow