• by Tanya Gazdik , January 12, 2017

In an age where we use technology for nearly everything, you might think consumers would do the same when making the single largest financial decision of their lives — buying a home. 

However, a recent Wakefield Research study commissioned by Century 21 found 92% of Millennial home buyers believe it is important for a real estate agent to get to know them personally before choosing to work with them and another 9 in 10 indicated that its important for their real estate agent to have significant experience with other home buyers their age.

When you look at the Millennial mindset, this finding appears to be surprising at first, says Century 21 CMO Cara Whitley.

“However, while Millennial home buyers may think they know exactly what they want when it comes to buying a home, they may not have the experience necessary to navigate the ever-changing real estate market,” Whitley tells Marketing Daily.

The survey indicates that two-thirds would not consider their home-buying negotiating skills very strong, further highlighting Millennials' need to work with a trusted real estate professional. 

“That said, it’s encouraging that Millennials — and anyone who is looking to buy or sell a home — still see and understand the value in having an expert resource by their side when it comes to making the largest financial decision of their lifetime,” Whitley says.

The first of four spots from Century 21 broke this week. The ads showcase that no amount of technology (not even a robot) can replace the power of human interaction when it comes to buying and selling a home. The first spot, "Not an App," broke during the Golden Globes on NBC, while the other spots will air during the AFC and NFC Championship games, and live digitally online.

With 75 million Millennials representing the largest share of buyers, the real estate company’s efforts over the last several years have been focused on targeting this tech-minded generation. 

“As a brand, we’re looking to make the often overwhelming home-buying process easier for this population of young, first-time homebuyers,” Whitley says. “While most Millennials might look to an app to solve their day-to-day challenges, it’s our goal to show this group that the largest financial decision of their lives cannot be made with some quick online digging and by clicking around on an app. You wouldn’t fly a plane without a pilot, and you shouldn’t buy a house without an experienced agent.”