20 Seconds for a First Impression

Ever wonder how long it takes for a love at first sight situation? What about in an online context? A clever article by Sanette Tanaka outlines how the immediacy of the first impression with respect to a real estate property can be the make it or break it for a potential buyer to take the plunge.

In the same fashion that a first impression is wholly important in meeting someone for the first time, an interview or dating, research shows that this can be extended to real estate listings. Eye-tracking movement performed by the Institute for Behavioral and Experimental Real Estate by founder and director Prof. Michael Seiler at the Old Domion University on online real estate listings reveals some interesting findings.

According to Prof. Seiler, in viewing a real estate listing online a user spends approximately 60% of the time on the listings photos, 20% of the time on the description of the property and the final 20% of the time on the real estate agent’s remarks section. What is also interesting to note is that an overwhelming number of 95% of users who viewed the first photo of the listing (namely a photo of the home’s exterior) for a total of 20 seconds. At this point onwards, the users’ eyes bounces to other elements on the page in a ‘Z’ shaped fashion from the top left-hand side of the screen towards the bottom right-hand side of the screen.

Total Stats

Check out the stats below to see how a user spends their time looking at different elements of an online listing.

Get your sights set on Zoocasa

We here at Zoocasa are always on the look for information that makes the homebuying and selling experience as seamless as possible. Be on the look out for an improved real estate experience from the team here at Zoocasa in the very near future!