I am more interested in new/proposed commercial development in my County. I have a couple of pals in the bureaucracy who can tip me off as to recent permit applications, feasibility studies etc. I can also go into city/county websites and see permit apps/recently approved permits that give us an idea of where development is happening and in what direction it's moving.
** 17 glorious years ** (in AZ)

No time to do all this (busy enough lead generating and serving clients)... why would I compare mls sales records to tax records? Why would I spend much time to see if investors are "really" buying real estate? Local news keeps me well apprised of trends. What would I do with this data? I understand my clients' motivations as a result of the selling, buying process without having to do more market research on them. I've been in the business 25 years... what buyers and sellers want is someone who can negotiate, market, provide knowledge about specific neighborhoods. 

I have an expert I hired on Upwork who does an economic and demographic report every six months.

I work with investors, so I know they're buying real estate and how they're doing it.  Don't need to research that!  Only research I do is for more homes for my investors to buy.

30 years or so in the business, in some aspect or another (including wearing a house costume and marching in the city's parade back in the 80s with my parent's first brokerage... I was 8 or 9 at the time and the most handsome house you've ever seen!).

my favorite for tracking is PRODUCTION.... individuals and offices.... listings & market share...

Most of my research involves trees and those creatures who live among them.

15 years. 

I perform .... can I say, a "crap ton" of research on most all transactions when I represent the buyer. It seems that in addition to being a broker, I must also be a detective to get to the truth about what the seller and the listing agent are hiding.  It's great fun ... and a real time suck. A girl has got to do what a girl has got to do to ensure her clients assets are well covered. The time to get to the truth is before we close ... not after! 

The comps tell the story in our very active market.

I am always comparing the current tax assessment to the past 9 years and seeing where each property falls -- depending upon it's condition.  Find it very interesting and use this information when doing CMAs and when working withg buyers to help them determine values.  I do many other things as well and have been in real estate 24 years.

Careful listening brings some great rewards

Trend Graphics does a great job.

31 years

As a mortgage broker I do a lot of research into lenders and my competitors. With my competitors, I check their rates and closing costs just to see how much better I am than theirs. With my lenders, I am always on the lookout for better rates, and programs and when I do find someone better, I sign up with them. I do not just stick with a couple of lenders and forget about others. Agents should always check for better resources, like lenders, to make sure they have the best, and not stay with them just because you think they are good. You need to do your research at least once a year and make sure there is no one better out there

Not as active as I used to be, so no research lately!

So many comparisons so little time.. I use many. including your suggestion

I do stats on neighborhoods I like to work, other than that, just do real estate day in and day out.

I do a mls search for 7 days but other then that I am doing other lead generation and phone calls.

Whenever I do a post, I research the topic at hand, so it varies e.g. benefits of natural gas vs oil; benefits of coffee drinking and so on.

I've been doing this for 14 years and I try to let others do the research for me.

P.S. Since 2003

I'm in business 10 years and in addition to what you mentioned I research other agents. I like to talk to agents what works for them and what does not. This is one of the reason I'm a member here, since so many agents share their strategies, approaches, marketing ideas and even... fails. 

I've been in the business for 37 years and constantly talk with buyers and sellers to learn what they are thinking and how they make decisions. I check tax data and MLS and building permits to keep my thumb on the pulse.

  I scroll the Property Appraiser site, Clerk of Court, and Tax Collector.  I may glance at NAR RPR, and yes even ZT and R.  And of course the MLS.  I want to know everything about a property or neighborhood that I am working for a client or customer!   Total time for that information-gathering session is maybe 30 minutes, over a cup of coffee or a glass of iced tea.

   Active since January 1985.

Not much .

I have been doing this for over 20 years.  Not a lot has changed in marketing

20 years,

Not only do we do research on stats and stuff, we do a lot of anecdotal research (actually talk to people)--not necessarily buyers and sellers only) which sometimes yields much more data than those stats.  A

Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 I usually like to analyze Market Price vs. Tax Assessment value. This usually helps in establishing value when comps aren't available. I've been in the business 32 years.