Who is today’s new construction shopper and what do they want most in a new construction home? And how crucial is the builder-buyer relationship in converting buyers?

The Zillow Group New Construction Consumer Housing Trends Report 2018 explores data insights on buyers and how they search for, think about and buy a new construction home in America today. It’s based in part on the Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2018 and includes data from two supplemental studies that dive into why home shoppers do or don’t choose new construction and how satisfied they are with the new construction home-buying process.

The sales center experience is pivotal in affecting a builder’s conversion and buyer satisfaction rate. Here’s what we learned from the report and supplemental studies.

Response time matters
It’s no secret that home shoppers want to hear back from builders. New construction buyers are significantly more likely to visit a home builder or sales center (60%) than existing home buyers (26%), but of those new construction buyers who contact a sales center, nearly half (46%) expect a response within a few hours or less.[1]

Most buyers are kept waiting …
After submitting an inquiry on Zillow, more than half of new construction buyers (53%) are unable to connect with a builder after 24-72 hours. Of those buyers whose builders do respond within 24-72 hours, 61% express interest in going on a tour.[2]

… and waiting
This data was also compared to buyers who reached out to a builder 2-4 weeks prior to completing the survey. Surprisingly, the number of buyers who were able to connect with a builder after 2-4 weeks is still less than half (45%). Given all that time to respond and schedule a tour, builders saw only 34% of buyers actually make it to the tour.[3]

Builders who act early often win
Of those new construction buyers who go on a tour with a builder, the majority (89%) have a positive experience, with 67% awarding five stars to their touring experience.

Overall, of those who connected with a builder, 40% intend to continue working with the builder.[5] Bottom line, home shoppers who are able to connect with a builder within a reasonable time frame are more likely to go on a tour and have a positive experience. By responding to all leads immediately, you keep your funnel full.

There’s much more to learn about today’s new construction shopper, including the best ways to engage them on their home-buying journey. Visit the New Construction Resource Center to download the full report. To learn more about how you can leverage Zillow Group’s industry-leading data to market your homes online, visit our advertising page or call us at 877-419-0589.

[1] Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report 2018[2] New Construction Buyer CSAT Study, July 2018, Zillow Group
[3] New Construction Buyer CSAT Study, July 2018, Zillow Group
[4] New Construction Buyer CSAT Study, July 2018, Zillow Group
[5] New Construction Buyer CSAT Study, July 2018, Zillow Group