Realtor.com adds commute time filter to its search listings

One of the most important factors when considering a home to buy is the time it takes to commute to work.

According to a realtor.com survey of 600 of its users, around 85% of buyers say they would even sacrifice other sought-after features, such as square footage, home style and lot size, in order for a shorter commute to work. And as many as 40% of buyers said they’re looking to shave up to 45 minutes off their commute when they buy a new home.

With that in mind, realtor.com has created a new tool for buyers to search for a suitable home for sale that offers them the kind of commute time they desire. It’s called the commute time filter, and allows users to search for homes within a certain commuting distance of their place of work.

“Our commute time filter is different from others in the marketplace because it gives buyers the ability to toggle between rush-hour and off-peak commute times,” said Chung Meng Cheong, chief procurement officer for realtor.com. “With a more holistic view of their drive to and from work, people are able to make more informed decisions about where to live and, hopefully, reduce some unnecessary stress from their daily lives.”

The new tool is basically just additional filter on realtor.com’s search feature. Home buyers enter the usual information such as the number of bedrooms and bathroom they desire, location, price range and so on, and then filter the listings according to their ideal commute time. Users can adjust commute times to their place of work in 10-minute increments, and reveal all of the matches homes for sale within that commuting distance.

Realtor.com said the Commute Time Filter is available on its iOS app now, and will soon appear on its Android app and website.