Aspiring buyers turn to Realtors first in their home searches: survey

A national survey released by NeighborWorks America found that prospective homebuyers overwhelmingly turn to Realtors first when seeking information about the homebuying process — outpacing friends, family and online searches.

According to the poll, 41% of respondents who plan to buy a home in the next year — or are waiting for the right time — identified Realtors as their most trusted information source.

Friends and family, as well as internet search engines, were each cited as the top resource by 19% of respondents. Fewer turned to mortgage lenders (7%), government websites (5%) or nonprofit organizations (1%) as their first choice.

Realtors were the top selection for respondents across all ages and ethnic backgrounds, although preferences varied for select demographics.

Among Hispanic buyers, 24% cited friends and family as their most trusted resource — more than the general population. Fourteen percent of Black respondents said the same, compared to 21% of white buyers.

“These are sobering data points,” said Noelle Melton, vice president of homeownership programs at NeighborWorks America. “The real estate industry’s larger marketing budget and central role in the home search process are factors in their favor.”

While real estate professionals dominate as the go-to source, NeighborWorks emphasizes the critical role of nonprofit housing counselors — especially for first-time buyers.

“For first-time homebuyers, the guidance and support offered by nonprofit housing counselors can be essential to sustaining homeownership. That’s why we believe it’s in a homebuyer’s best interest to start their journey with a trusted nonprofit housing organization,” Melton said.

She added that housing counselors certified by NeighborWorks and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) often provide access to detailed information about down payment assistance, closing cost programs, credit improvement strategies and budgeting tools.

“Buying a home is complicated even for repeat buyers. A nonprofit housing counselor walks alongside a buyer nearly every step of the way and is even there after the purchase closes with advice on home maintenance and more, frequently at little or no cost to the homebuyer,” Melton said.

NeighborWorks organizations assisted more than 16,000 homebuyers in fiscal year 2024.

The survey was conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of NeighborWorks America across a sample of 2,201 U.S. adults ages 18 and older.