July 5, 2019
Commute time is an important factor to buyers when they’re deciding on a home to purchase. Eighty-five percent of buyers say they would sacrifice other home features, such as lot size, square footage, and home style, in order to shorten their commute to work, according to a survey of more than 600 realtor.com® users. Forty percent say they are looking to reduce their commute time by up to 45 minutes.
In response, realtor.com® announced a new tool that enables buyers to filter their home-search results according to rush-hour and off-peak commute times. “Our commute time filter is different from others in the marketplace because it gives buyers the ability to toggle between rush-hour and off-peak commute times,” says Chung Meng Cheong, chief procurement officer for realtor.com®. “With a more holistic view of their drive to and from work, people are able to make more informed decisions about where to live and, hopefully, reduce some unnecessary stress from their daily lives.”
Home shoppers can enter basic search information, such as number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and location desired. They can then filter listings to match their preferred commute time. Commute times are offered in 10-minute increments up to 60 minutes or more. All of the available homes that match the search parameters and commuting distance will then be displayed. The Commute Time Filter is available on realtor.com®’s iOS app and will soon be available on Android, as well as mobile and web versions.
“Copyright National Association of REALTORS®. Reprinted with permission.”