New York, N.Y., April 28, 2010 - Experian®, the global information services company, today published its first quarterly Insight Index, identifying key Internet search trends against today's economic backdrop. Experian's analysis shows that Americans appear to be preparing to put one foot back in the housing markets, with Internet searches for real estate for sale increasing by 32 percent during January to March 2010 - compared to the same time last year.
* "cheap homes for rent" - increased 128 percent
* "house for rent by owner" - increased 94 percent
* "home for rent by owner" - increased 84 percent
* "homes for sale in Florida" - increased 73 percent
* "homes for sale in Michigan" - increased 74 percent
* Top searches in Q1 2010 included terms centered on first-time home buyers
"Search volume of terms related to an economic indicator can help us predict future market trends and movement," said Bill Tancer, general manager of global research, Experian Hitwise. "The uptick in ‘home for sale' searches indicates a refreshed interest on the part of consumers to enter, or move within, the real estate market."
Table 1: Internet search indicators: year-over-year
|
U.S. search term portfolios |
|
|
Search indicator |
Yearly change |
|
Q1 2009-Q1 2010 |
|
|
Real estate for sale |
32% |
|
Real estate for rent |
171% |
|
Mortgages |
43% |
|
Credit cards |
70% |
|
Loans |
11% |
|
Source: Experian Hitwise |
|
Credit cards/loans
Findings reveal that Americans' search behavior has increased around other financial needs outside of the housing markets, including searching for credit cards and loans over the first quarter of 2010.
Methodology
Data is based on an Experian Q1 2010 U.S. search indicators report according to research by Experian® Hitwise®, Experian Marketing Services' leading global online competitive intelligence service. Several search terms portfolios were created around different financial indicators to gauge consumer search behavior.
About the Experian Hitwise Global Search Indicators Report
The Experian Hitwise Global Search Indicators Report is a quarterly benchmarking report providing insight into consumer behavior and sentiment. Leveraging Experian Hitwise data, these indices shed light on consumer Internet search trends across categories including debt, credit cards, loans, fraud, telecommunications and government services. Data is published for two global regions: United Kingdom and United States.
About Experian Marketing Services
Experian Marketing Services delivers best-in-breed data, analytics and platforms into multiple regions around the globe. It is focused on helping marketers more effectively target and engage their best customers through email, digital advertising, customer data management, customer and competitive insight, data enrichment and list rental, modeling and analytics, and strategic consulting. Through these capabilities, Experian Marketing Services enables organizations to encourage brand advocacy, create measurable return on investment and significantly improve the lifetime value of their customers.
About Experian
Experian is the leading global information services company, providing data and analytical tools to clients in more than 65 countries. The company helps businesses to manage credit risk, prevent fraud, target marketing offers and automate decision making. Experian also helps individuals to check their credit report and credit score and protect against identity theft.
Experian plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 index. Total revenue for the year ended March 31, 2009, was $3.9 billion. Experian employs approximately 15,000 people in 40 countries and has its corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Nottingham, UK; Costa Mesa, California; and São Paulo, Brazil.
For more information, visit http://www.experianplc.com.
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