Estimate clients’ new commute times to enhance their homebuying experience

Commute time to work, school, shopping and retail has become an important determining factor for people in the midst of a homebuying search, especially millennials.

In fact, nearly three-fourths of people born in the 1980s and 1990s rated convenience and access as critical factors when buying a home.

For Realtors®, finding a home for these folks just got a lot easier.

RPR®, a member benefit for those who belong to NAR, has a newly-enhanced drive time search option, which includes the ability to filter by day of the week, time of day and length of journey. The function even includes walking times. That kind of pinpoint precision is invaluable for clients who want to spend less time in the car and more time building and enjoying a good quality of life.

While searching for homes using drive or walk time filters, consider tapping into RPR®’s points of interest (POIs), also found on maps. POIs help to paint a complete picture of what the search area offers, such as retail, recreation, arts and entertainment, grocery, restaurants, hospitals and more. View POIs by selecting the POI button on the large version of any map shown on the search, property details or search results page.

To find for-sale properties within a specific walk or drive time of a set destination, simply:

• Select for sale from the available search options on the RPR® homepage.
• Enter your general search area in the navigation box, e.g., “Erie, PA” or enter a specific address, such as the location of your client’s employer.
• Choose drive time and drop the pin on the map where you want to center your search.
• A pop-up will appear. Choose how you plan to travel (car or walking), time of day, day of week and length of journey.
• Select apply, and RPR® will provide results based on your criteria for your location.