Home Buyers Rank Commute Time Above Square Footage

I know a lot of people, but I don’t know anyone who loves sitting in traffic. Sitting still on the road keeps us from doing what we want to do, and I hate it. And I’m not alone. In fact, an interesting new study shows that commute time is extremely important to buyers when they're deciding on a home to purchase. Eighty-five percent of buyers say they would sacrifice other home features, such as lot size, square footage, and home style, in order to shorten their commute to work, according to a survey of more than 600 realtor.com® users. Forty percent say they are looking to reduce their commute time by up to 45 minutes.

Because of this survey, realtor.com® has announced a new tool that enables buyers to filter their home-search results according to rush-hour and off-peak commute times. “Our commute time filter gives buyers the ability to toggle between rush-hour and off-peak commute times,” says Chung Meng Cheong, chief procurement officer for realtor.com®. “With a more holistic view of their drive to and from work, people are able to make more informed decisions about where to live and, hopefully, reduce some unnecessary stress from their daily lives.”

Home buyers can enter basic search information, such as number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and location desired. They can then filter listings to match their preferred commute time. Commute times are offered in 10-minute increments up to 60 minutes or more. All of the available homes that match the search parameters and commuting distance will then be displayed.

Listening to our clients and their needs when they are searching for property is one of the most important roles of a Realtor. Realtors use the latest in technology to better serve our community. That’s Who We R.