- Zonda, the leading provider of data-driven housing market solutions for the home building industry, recently announced it had acquired Builders Digital Experience (BDX).

BDX includes NewHomeSource.com, the largest new construction home listings platform in the U.S., and Envision, the leading new home design platform.

According to CoPilot, there are some real opportunities for more sales and listings:

1. Enhanced Listings Platform:

•  Zonda now owns NewHomeSource.com, one of the largest listings platforms for newly constructed homes.
•  Real estate agents can expect an improved and streamlined platform for showcasing new construction properties.
•  Access to a robust listings portal can help agents connect buyers with new home options more efficiently.

2. Rich Data Insights:

•  With Zonda’s deep data capabilities, real estate agents may gain access to valuable insights about consumer buying habits and trends.
•  This data can inform better marketing strategies, allowing agents to tailor their approach to match buyer preferences.

3. Increased Leads and Awareness:

•  The acquisition aims to drive more leads and awareness for builders and their homes.
•  As Zonda integrates its data and tech platform with BDX’s listings portal, real estate agents may benefit from increased visibility and connections with potential buyers.

4. Dynamic Homebuying Experience:

•  Consumers will soon be able to find, tour, and compare specific homes within new home communities.
•  Real estate agents can leverage this dynamic experience to engage buyers more effectively.

5. Growing Demand for New Construction:

•  New homes accounted for about 30% of the total inventory in 2023, significantly higher than the historical norm of 12%.
•  As demand for new construction continues, real estate agents working with builders may see increased opportunities.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that new-home sales are currently making up a record share of inventory. Traditionally, new-home sales constitute only about 10% of the market. However, NAR predicts that new-home sales will rise by 12.3% in the current year and 13.9% in 2024. Builders are increasing construction efforts and offering more incentives to attract buyers. This surge in new construction sales reflects a dynamic real estate market where buyers are actively considering newly built homes.

Approximately 25% of new construction homes are sold at the time of completion, while the remaining 75% are evenly split between those not yet started and those under construction. Additionally, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that 80% of all homes sold in the U.S. were sold by real estate agents in 2020, and this percentage has been fairly steady over the past decade. However, it has been as high as 82%.

Real estate agents play a significant role in the sale of both existing and new homes.

Both new and older agents are gearing up to learn how to find and serve new home shoppers. In a new homes sales webinar sponsored by New Home Source Professional, 727 Realtors registered, representing more than double the number that normally does for the monthly events,’ according to David Fletcher, Founder and CEO of New Home Co-Broker Academy, which has trained more than 6,000 Realtors to become certified new home co-brokers (NHCB)..

“There is one thing that will never change. Realtors need saleable, affordable inventory.  Builders need qualified, motivated new home shoppers - perhaps the one need for that technology will never replace.”

 The author would like to acknowledge the assistance of Copilot in providing valuable data and insights for this article.