Harrisburg Real Estate Weblog

Google unveiled its latest innovation for real estate this past week and they crushed a 3-2 pitch in the bottom of the ninth into the upper deck!  Every time Google tinkers around with its website, real estate people get a shiver of anxiety and this latest innovation is likely to give many within the industry a full-blown case of hives.

Since Google announced the ability to see lots of real estate listings directly on Google Maps back in July of this year, they’ve been working hard to make it even easier to use.  They’ve added things like brand new high-resolution Street View imagery and detailed map data.  Now they’re making Google Maps an even more useful tool for online real estate searching.   Here are a couple of things you can look out for next time you visit their website:

• It’s now easier to find real estate listings.  Simply select ‘Real Estate’ from the ‘More’ button on the top right of any Google Map to discover listings.  Wow!  From there, it’s a simple matter to refine your search using the left hand panel – price, bedrooms, bathrooms, and so on.  Of course, you can still pan the map to search for the perfect neighborhood and it’ll automatically update with more listings.  Cool!  (click the screenshot below for larger image)

• Rental properties are front and center.  Google has added the ability to search for rental listings anywhere in the US.  All you need to do is turn on the Real Estate layer via the ‘More’ button and select some rental search refinements.
• An abundance of area info is in your face.  You’ll also notice that Google Maps is now showing even more information about an area as you pan around and zoom in.  There are small icons on the map showing the names and location of businesses and prominent features of the neighborhood.  This means that during your property search, you’ll be able to tell at a glance just exactly what shops can be found down the road from where you’re looking, all without typing!
• Old favorites keep getting better.  You can use Street View on Google Maps to check out the neighborhood before driving to an open house; use driving directions to find out exactly how to get there; and transit information to work out what your new commute might be if you went ahead and moved.

Why are there people within our industry going apoplectic?  Because they see this dispersal of FREE information delivered in an EASY format as a threat to their livelihoods.  Their mantra has been to keep real estate information close to the vest and force the customer to contact them to get it.  They see their value in the industry as equivalent to the information that they provide.  The more information that the customer can find on their own without them means a corresponding reduction in their value.

Let me clue you in on something:  Information is a commodity.  If you’re basing your value on this commodity, you’re dead in the water.  My value is directly related to how well I navigate the complexity involved in every real estate transaction so that my client can move from ’Point A’ to ‘Point B’ with a minimal amount of stress, frustration and anxiety.

Related articles of interest:

• Real estate easier to find in Google Maps (news.cnet.com)
• Google Maps Navigation Launch Aftermath: Yes, This Will Be Huge (mashable.com)
• Google Maps Navigation for USA (blogoscoped.com)
• Google Wants to be the Local Place (ducttapemarketing.com)