Survey reveals property browsing craze
A new survey by Trade Me Property revealed that Kiwis are more fixated on property than ever before, with 95% aspiring to own their own home.
However, it’s not just serious buyers combing through listings – many Kiwis are engaging in “dream scrolling,” a phenomenon where they browse property listings they have no intention of buying.
“We’ve coined the term ‘dream scrolling,’ which perfectly captures the ‘what-if’ mentality,” said Gavin Lloyd (pictured above), Trade Me Property’s customer director.
Dream scrolling becomes a popular escape
Dream scrolling has become a widespread habit, with 59% of respondents admitting they do it, especially among younger Kiwis.
“Kiwi are a pretty practical bunch, with looking at sale prices the main reason we tend to look at property online,” Lloyd said. “But for almost half of us, we browse for more emotional reasons like finding inspiration or simply for pleasure.”
See LinkedIn post here.
Workplace and unusual browsing habits
Interestingly, the survey also found that 20% of Kiwis browse property listings during work hours, and 12% even confess to scrolling while on the toilet.
Beyond practical reasons, Kiwis indulge in browsing for fun, with 38% saying they would rather scroll through property listings than watch rugby, and 12% even preferring it over sex.
Snooping on friends and neighbors
The survey highlighted the nosy side of Kiwis, with 31% admitting to checking out friends’ homes online and a similar number snooping on their neighbors’ properties.
Many Kiwis also browse homes that are far out of their budget, feeding into the growing trend of dream scrolling properties they likely won’t purchase.
See LinkedIn post here.
Owning a home still the ultimate goal
Despite the lighthearted nature of dream scrolling, the survey reinforces that homeownership remains a major goal for most Kiwis.
“Owning a home is still the big Kiwi dream for most people, even with the economic challenges we’ve faced in recent years,” Lloyd said.
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