From the 2011 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers: Length of the Home Search

• The length of the typical home search has remained the same at 12 weeks since 2009.
• While searching, buyers on average looked at 12 homes before deciding on their purchase. Buyers in the South typically only looked at 11 homes, while buyers in the West looked at 15 homes.
• Repeat buyers usually spent two weeks searching before they contacted an agent, while first-time buyers spent three weeks. First-time buyers also searched longer for their first home, 12 weeks, compared with repeat buyers who spent 10 weeks in the process.