I get this request all the time:

@tcar can you link me to the # of buyers who started their search online in 2006? Thanks!

— Chris Smith (@Chris_Smth) February 1, 2012

NAR creates a yearly Profile of Homebuyers & Sellers with this information. If you’ve ever heard an industry pundit saying something to the effect of “90% of all homebuyers use the Internet in their home search” it’s thanks to this question asked in the report:

So Chris, in 2006, the number was 80%. Now it’s closer to 90%. However, I think this is a more interesting stat:

2011 is the first year where those surveyed did not choose the real estate agent as the source for where they found the home they purchased. The Internet is now the top spot.