Dear Heather

My wife and I bought our current home years ago and we are thinking of downsizing. The real estate landscape is very different than it used to be and we have no idea where to start.

Overwhelmed

Dear Overwhelmed

You are right things have change significantly in recent years. According to studies conducted by the National Association of Realtors (USA), the biggest change for buyers is access to information. When in doubt I always start with research.

Did you know that as many as 90 percent of buyers use the internet to help locate homes before contacting a real estate agent? Here are a few things I found that might help you out.

• You tube is the top video research destination for home shoppers, and the internet has become an invaluable tool for people in the market for a new home. Busy lives often leave people without much time to actually drive around and check out homes, and the internet helps people narrow down their searches.

• 85 percent of recent home buyers saw their newly purchased homes as a good investment. Half of this number thought that their new investment would show more return than stocks. Qualified and motivated buyers typically take around three and six months to buy, but will engage with an agent 30 percent — 40 percent through the process. Both men and women play a fairly equal role in the decision making role.

The good news for me is that statistically 88 percent of buyers still use a real estate agent even though they are looking for property in a very different way. People like you who own their home and have been through the home buying process before are more likely to bring their search offline by walking or driving by a home they viewed on line.

So don’t feel overwhelmed — -the process is supposed to move at whatever pace you set. The important thing is to check with your real estate agent to make sure they are offering social media, internet and app advertising, as well as traditional methods. That way when you find what you are looking for, and when you are ready to list current home, you don’t miss out on the segment of the market using those tools in the buying process.

Go onto our Bermuda Realty Facebook page to like or share this article.

If you have a question for Heather, please contact her at hchilvers@brcl.bm or 332 1793.

All questions will be treated in confidence.