Yes..it's like buying a car..I can do tons of research online, but until I've sat in the car, felt the materials, driven it, I won't buy it. Likewise for appliances--those are the rare 1-in-10 year type purchases, so I like to check them out up close.
And online does help a lot w/ research on homes...I spend plenty of time checking out neighborhoods and houses on Trulia and Zillow and other sites (convenient when my target areas are 1500-2500+ miles away), but when I'm ready to buy, I'm going to be on the ground...