From Clicks to Closing: Using Buyer Data to Sell More Homes

Real estate digital marketing has not always been so popular. In episode 31 of The Market Pulse, host Aaron Fichera interviews Ed Carey, founder and CEO of Audience Town. Both discuss the evolution of real estate marketing through consumer insights and data analytics, as well as how to responsibly incorporate AI into real estate ventures. 

The New Home Buying Process

While specific features can help sell a home, the home buying process has changed. According to 2024 data, the average new home buyer takes about 263 days from the start of the process to closing. The Market Pulse explains that this timeline is just getting longer, especially as economic conditions become more uncertain. As the market softens, the gap between first seeing a home and actually purchasing it continues to increase. While more buyers are adjusting to higher interest rates of around 7%, there’s also been an increase in what is referred to as “voyeurism,” where people browse homes without a serious intent to buy.

Demographically, we have seen a growing number of older homeowners who are opting to sell and buy in cash, bypassing mortgages entirely. In fact, 40% of homeowners in the U.S. do not have a mortgage. However, about one‑third of all homebuyers are first‑time buyers, who face more financial constraints. With the integration of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems in real estate, agents and buyers now have access to real‑time data, making it easier to track trends as data analytics can predict home buying trends before consumers realize it. 

Tariffs, interest rates, and economic policies have also had a big impact in the home buying process. This has been a new emerging pattern as people used to only move for a small handful of reasons but has expanded. Politics, tax structures, and even weather have become new reasons as to why people move. Post‑COVID, many buyers also feel they have more freedom to choose where they want to settle. Political preferences are playing a bigger role too and Ed explains Audience Town is also able to see the political preference of a consumer. For the first time, Ed Carey reveals to The Market Pulse that there has been an uptick in Republican‑leaning consumer traffic searching to relocate. Ed believes this is a sign of renewed confidence due to the current Republican majority in office. 

Automation in Real Estate

Aaron and Ed also discuss AI in Episode 31. Ed explains AI is also reshaping the real estate landscape. It’s making processes faster and more efficient, helping professionals get about 90% of the way to their goal. However, he stresses the importance of human input for the final 10%. They describe AI as the scaffolding, strong and supportive, but not the finished product. It provides easy access to data, enabling buyers, sellers, and agents to make smarter, quicker decisions with information right at their fingertips.

How is Audience Town reshaping real estate analysis?

Audience Town is a sales and marketing analytics platform designed for home builders. It provides an in‑depth view of consumer insights to help understand and optimize the home‑buying journey. The company was founded by Ed Carey who had previously worked with high‑growth companies to analyze consumer shopping patterns to uncover how sales are made. Seeing the rapid growth of digital marketing, he looked to apply these innovations to an industry that had not yet been taking advantage of them, real estate. He recognized the housing market as a prime opportunity to leverage data and technology, ultimately creating a platform that brings advanced digital marketing strategies to the real estate sector. 

Overall, the digital marketing landscape continues to evolve and Audience Town is here for any of your marketing needs. If you want to learn more about what Audience Town is capable of, make sure to turn into Episode 31 of The Market Pulse by clicking below.