SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 22, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Google Inc. (Nasdaq:GOOG) (Nasdaq:GOOGL) and LoopNet today released the results of a joint study: Commercial Real Estate Consumer Online Behavior and Trends. The study, which aimed to understand the role the internet plays in commercial real estate, leverages Google's proprietary online search data and custom research conducted on LoopNet's behalf by Market Connections, an independent research firm, in 2014 to survey and analyze the behaviors of tenants and investors currently involved in a commercial property search and who have recently been involved in a transaction. The joint study revealed that nearly 80% of tenants and investors report using online sources to search for commercial property. The study also found that six in 10 searchers begin their property searches on the internet before any other source. These findings correspond to a 60% increase in commercial real estate related online searches reported by Google over the last six years.
"This study confirms what LoopNet's traffic trends have long indicated," said LoopNet President Fred Saint. "The internet has quickly become one of the most valuable and widely used tools to connect buyers and sellers of commercial real estate."
Some key findings from the study:
- 80% of tenants and investors surveyed agree that they rely on the internet for their commercial real estate information needs more now than three years ago.
- Over three quarters (78%) of tenants and investors surveyed use online commercial real estate services or tools at some point in their commercial real estate search.
- Commercial real estate related online searches have grown 60% since 2008.
- Six in 10 respondents search for commercial properties using their mobile devices at least sometimes.
- Over half the survey respondents (55%) reported that they perform their own online searches for commercial property, even when they are working with a broker.
Along with the increase in online sources being used, there appears to be a decrease in other more "traditional" research methods. For example, only 7% of surveyed tenants and investors report beginning their commercial real estate searches by driving in the desired area. These findings are significant for commercial real estate brokers and firms who are marketing their services and available properties. With this study, LoopNet and Google hope to provide valuable insight to help them optimize their advertising efforts and reach more tenants and investors.
View the full study report here: www.loopnet.com/commercial-real-estate-consumer-online-behavior-and-trends.pdf
About LoopNet
LoopNet operates the most heavily trafficked commercial real estate marketplace online with more than 9.0 million registered members and over 5 million monthly unique visitors. The LoopNet marketplace, which consists of over 800,000 property listings, covers all commercial property categories, including office, industrial, retail, multifamily apartment buildings, hotel, land, specialty properties, investment properties and businesses for sale. LoopNet is a wholly owned subsidiary of CoStar Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:CSGP), the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces. For more information, visit www.loopnet.com.
This news release includes "forward-looking statements" including, without limitation, statements regarding LoopNet's and CoStar's plans, objectives, expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations and are subject to many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from these statements. The risk that the trends represented or implied in this release do not continue or produce the results suggested by such trends could cause or contribute to such differences. More information about potential factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those stated in CoStar's filings from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including CoStar's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, and CoStar's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2014, each of which is filed with the SEC, including in the "Risk Factors" section of those filings, as well as CoStar's other filings with the SEC available at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements are based on information available to CoStar and LoopNet on the date hereof, and neither CoStar nor LoopNet undertakes any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.