Americans waking up to online property sales

Posted: 05 Jun 2006 10:33:34 GMT

It has been reported that the internet is finally beginning to benefit the property market in the US.

The internet is already occupying a central role in the way that people order groceries, purchase books and CDs, look for new and used cars and even gain an education.

"But while so many transactions can be completed electronically, buying a house has remained rooted in the world of paper -- reams of it, in fact, as anyone who has sat through a tedious closing ceremony could attest to," reports the Boston Globe.

The report acknowledges that many people are still wary of completing such a major transaction online, but these fears are gradually being allayed by a string of success stories.

As noted by journalist Emily Shartin, prospective homebuyers already start the house-hunting process by searching online and using search engines to find properties in the right area and price range.

Sellers, meanwhile, are using their computers to advertise houses online and are profiting from the increased audience achieved when using this method.

While systems are now being put in place to cope with this demand in the US, house sellers in the UK appear to be one step ahead of the game, with private property transactions already extremely popular.


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