While national real estate statistics in recent months have indicated sluggish sales growth, buyer interest in lifestyle and rural properties is still strong based on the upward growth of real estate search traffic.

Traffic to United Country’s portfolio of nearly 1,100 websites has tripled in the last three years, reaching three million unique visitors per month. Visitors to our main website, UnitedCountry.com, have increased 13 percent year-to-date, resulting in 13 months of consecutive positive monthly growth.

“This goes beyond numbers,” said Mike Duffy, president of United Country Real Estate. “These statistics show a growing buyer interest in non-urban real estate. Visitors are looking for a better lifestyle, lower cost of living, affordable retirement properties, smart investment options versus the stock market and tangible investments they can use and enjoy. It’s a natural and logical consumer reaction to a challenging economic environment.”

Current market conditions make it an ideal time for these interested buyers to make purchases for a number of reasons.

“Regardless of the product they are considering, smart buyers want to be certain they are purchasing the right product, at the right time, and at the best possible price. We are confident that as it pertains to real estate, now is the best time to buy. We believe home prices in most parts of rural America have reached their bottom and mortgage rates are currently at 50-year lows.

“Whether considering a primary residence, vacation property, recreational property, land, or investment property, the time to “buy low” is now,” Duffy said.

Agents, are your buyers finding your properties online? Buyers, are you searching for real estate online?