Homes for Sale Searches Reach 2-Year Peak

by Tiffany Ownbey

 
Despite mortgage rates chilling up in the high-6–percent neighborhood, something interesting happened: people grabbed their keyboards and googled “homes for sale” like it was Black Friday at the mall. In mid-July 2025, search interest for terms like “homes for sale” and “houses for sale” reached their highest level in two years. That’s right—signals are lighting up: buyers are out there, even if they haven’t picked up a pair of shoes to visit open houses yet.
 

1. Why This Pricey Mortgage Climate Didn’t Cool Off Search Traffic

  • Digital browsing is warm, even when financing is cold
    Mortgage rates hovered in the high 6% range—yet searches surged. That means the desire to buy is simmering, even if budgets are strained.

  • Mid-July = peak curiosity
    That’s when search interest hit its highest point since 2023, according to Google Trends. 

  • Motivated is suddenly the new cool
    These searchers aren’t just “window-shopping.” They’re proactive, curious, and ready to pounce when the right property lands. If you're waiting for buyers, this could be your cue.


2. What This Means for Realtors and Sellers

  • SEO isn’t a luxury—it’s survival
    With buyers hunting online, listings and content need to show up front and center on Google. Think optimized property descriptions, local insights, and hyper-targeted social bits to make your listing pop.

  • Use your network—again
    Maybe old leads aren’t dusty; maybe they’re dormant. This surge in interest is a golden moment to re-engage past leads with fresh listings and helpful market intel. 

  • Lead-gen window wide open
    Search interest often precedes in-person visits. With motivation building, now’s the chance to turn browsers into buyers—especially as we approach the fall market push. 


3. A Not-2021 Surge—but Meaningful All the Same

Let’s be clear: this isn’t a return to pandemic-level mania. It’s more subtle—like the market saying, “Yeah, I'm here.” You don’t need multiple bids; you just need the right buyer, and that buyer might be typing your listing into Google right this second.


 

  • Online searches for key home-buying terms hit a two-year high in mid-July 2025.

  • High mortgage rates haven’t silenced buyer curiosity.

  • Sellers: now’s the time to make sure your listings shine in search results and social feeds.

  • Look to re-engage past leads—they might be closer to buying than you think.

 

If you’ve been sitting tight, waiting for demand to return—consider this your “go” signal. Buyers are browsing, algorithms are humming your listings, and interest is on the rise. Don’t wait for them to knock—let’s make sure they click first.

Tiffany Ownbey

+1(864) 634-0488

tiffany@tiffanyassociates.net

201 Anna Maria Blvd., Clemson, SC, 29631, United States

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