Real estate and housing search website realtor.com has added a new feature to make it easier for users to see content and listings from local experts. 

Homebuyers who search for homes by city can now see branded content and listings from agents, teams and brokers in their search results. Real estate professionals can also customize social media ads that showcase their current or previously sold listings with branding in a city and/or ZIP code.

The branding is called Local Expert. With first-party data exclusive to realtor.com, Local Expert can help Realtors target specific, potential buyers. 

This release makes it easier for agents and brokers alike to elevate their branding game by targeting their specific ZIP codes and impressing their market. 

The 2018, National Association of Realtors' Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers claimed that 40% of recent homebuyers said the most important factors when choosing an agent were the agent's experience, reputation, or knowledge of the neighborhood. 

"We're excited to expand our successful Local Expert branding program to the city level for brokers, teams and agents, and the initial response has been very positive," said Deepak Thakral, realtor.com senior vice president, product management. "It's just one more example of how realtor.com is helping real estate professionals compete in a rapidly changing marketplace."

Since its launch in November 2018, Local Expert has helped lead thousands of agents and teams build their brand awareness with customized, branded ads in targeted ZIP code searches on realtor.com and in the social media feeds of consumers, the company said.

The city version of Local Expert is available in approximately 25,000 cities nationwide.