News flash: Americans love looking at homes, particularly via real estate apps.

Just how much they love those apps, though, has been put into greater perspective by recent research from Google, which interviewed more than 1,000 people, conducted dozens of surveys, and tracked many hours of app usage.

What did Google uncover? Here are the five most remarkable findings:

1. 55 Minutes – The average amount of time that Americans spend per visit on real estate apps.

2. 69 Percent – The share of respondents in Google’ surveys who said they find mobile/online home shopping to be “fun.”

3. 64 Percent – The share of respondents who admit to shopping for homes after they’ve purchased a home of their own.

4. Three Years – The average time people spend looking for homes on real estate websites before they buy something.

5. One in Five – The ratio of online home shoppers who are actually planning on buying a home.

Real estate apps and real estate agents

What can real estate agents take away from those survey findings? Two things:

•First, that online home shopping and real estate apps are here to stay, and rather than fighting the technology, agents should embrace it and do everything they can to leave as many digital footprints as they can throughout the programs and websites.

•Second, that while real estate websites/apps are ubiquitous, that popularity doesn’t necessarily reflect widespread usage by people who are ready to buy. Remember, only 20 percent of online/app home shoppers intend to buy a home. Therefore, agents need to view that class of consumer with a long-game strategy in mind, rather than as a pool of buy-ready clients who will leap at the chance to hire an agent.