MARKET LEADER INC 
By KIRKLAND, WA -- (Marketwire) -- 03/11/13 -- Market Leader (NASDAQ: LEDR), a leader in online marketing and technology solutions for real estate professionals, today released results of a nationwide survey highlighting a significantly more optimistic real estate community across several key market indicators, including real estate valuations, existing-home transactions, new construction starts and more. The survey involved more than 2,400 real estate professionals, all members of ActiveRain, the real estate industry's largest social media network with more than 330,000 real estate professional members.
A similar survey in early 2012 correctly predicted the bottom of the US real estate market, as the National Association of REALTORS (NAR) showed a 9 percent jump in existing-home sales over the previous year.
For 2013, 84 percent of surveyed real estate professionals believe that real estate values and the number of transactions will increase this year over 2012. Whereas in 2012, one-third of real estate markets were forecasted to see valuation declines, no single market is expected to see a decline in valuations or transactions in 2013.
2012 vs 2013 Real Estate Confidence*
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2012 2013 Increase
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Real estate values 3.0 3.9 28%
Real estate transactions 3.6 4.0 11%
New constructions starts 3.2 3.9 21%
Local economy 3.4 3.8 12%
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(Scale of 1-5 where 1 represents a significant decline, 3 represents it to stay flat, and 5 represents a significant increase)
"The differences in how real estate professionals are seeing the market in the past 12 months is significant," said Nikesh Parekh, CEO of ActiveRain. "Confidence in the real estate market has increased by 28 percent, and a rebound in both housing and construction this year is a great sign for the economy."
Among the local markets expected to see the greatest activity and rebound in 2013 are several cities in the middle of the country. In fact, eight of top ten markets predicted to experience the most growth in 2013 are "heartland" states.
2013 Best Real Estate Markets
1. Austin
2. Ft. Myers - Naples
3. Kansas City
4. Salt Lake City
5. Houston
6. Portland, OR
7. Dallas-Ft. Worth
8. Nashville
9. Detroit
10. San Antonio
A full breakdown of the survey and its findings, as well as an infographic highlighting the key results, can be found at http://www.realestate.com/advice/real-estate-market-is-back/.
About Market Leader
Market Leader, founded in 1999, provides innovative online technology and marketing solutions for real estate professionals across the United States and Canada. The company serves more than 125,000 real estate agents, brokerages and franchisors, offering complete end-to-end solutions that enable them to grow and manage their businesses. Market Leader customers earn more than twice the median income of the typical NAR member. Market Leader's subscription-based real estate marketing software -- including websites, contact management, a marketing center, and lead generation services -- helps customers generate a steady stream of prospects, plus provides the systems and training they need to convert those prospects into clients. In addition, the company's national consumer real estate sites, including www.realestate.com, give its customers access to millions of future home buyers and sellers, while providing consumers with free access to the information they seek.
ActiveRain is the real estate market's largest social media network, with more than 330,000 professional members, and is owned by Market Leader.
Press Contact: Matt Heinz Heinz Marketing for Market Leader Inc. 877-291-0006 matt@heinzmarketing.com Investor Contact: Mark Lamb Director of Investor Relations Market Leader, Inc. 425-952-5801 markl@marketleader.com
Source: Market Leader, Inc.
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