Google Gets Serious about Real Estate Search
It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything coming out of the Googleplex around its moves in the real estate space.
And now, we wait no longer. On the Google LatLong blog today, Google announced that they have rolled out vast improvements in the way that they display real estate searches in their index; they are now included by default in the Maps view.
They have also rolled out brand new real estate specific landing page at maps.google.com/realestate.
We want to keep making it easier for people find the real estate information they’re looking for and have it returned to them in a useful way. So, from today, if you enter a query like san francisco real estate on Google Maps, you’ll see that we make it easy for you to see all your results on a map with a one-box that will take you to real estate listings. Previously, you had to specify “real estate” from the search options menu, but now we’re making it easier to find available listings.
This move should come as no surprise to anyone following this space. Real estate search tools like Zillow and Trulia are seeing significant traffic growth and Google will only stay on the sidelines so long once they see someone else starting to monetize search results.
They also seem to have borrowed some of the features (transit search) that made some of their competitors, like Estately, so compelling.
You’ll notice that we’ve made some other enhancements that will improve your real estate searching experience. We’ve added lots of markers that will show not only the ten most relevant listings with pins on the map, but also show a small circle on every other listing in that area using the search results layer, so you can get a really good idea of the distribution of properties for sale. You can click on each marker and each small circle to get more detailed information about the property.
This feature means you can now conduct a real estate search around a specific neighborhood, or see at a glance all the properties close to a BART stop. You can also pan the map to another area entirely to see listings there if you decide that another part of town is more your speed.
Google has silently been collecting broker feeds for the last couple of years (pulling them in to their Google Base database). And so like many of its counterparts it has a reasonably deep market coverage, but it does depend on what part of the country you’re searching.
As mentioned up front, right now Google is only deploying these searches into its Maps results, so they are relatively confined. But I wonder how long before they display them in their Web results too (much like they do with their Local Business results – at the top of the organic results). If that’s the case, here’s where we may see the Mountain View giant start to siphon off traffic from the real estate specific search sites.
Time will tell, but the game’s about to get interesting.
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12 Comment(s)
2 Trackback(s)
- From FBS Blog » Blog Archive » What is (and isn’t) new with Google Real Estate? | Jul 7, 2009
- From Google Muscles into Real Estate Listings | Future of Real Estate Marketing | Nov 20, 2009
Galen | Jul 6, 2009 | Reply
It’s all about capturing the second click for Google now that they have most of the first clicks. The success of this is really dependent on how hard they push their own results in their searches.
California GRI | Jul 7, 2009 | Reply
This is a great service provided by Google. It will give consumers more information about the availability of Real Estate.
Nevertheless, a real estate agent still provides the best service to a consumer looking to purchase property.
Overland Park Real Estate | Jul 9, 2009 | Reply
They are on the right track but my expectations for Google in the Real Estate search space is much higher….time will tell.
J Harker | Jul 9, 2009 | Reply
Very cool way to find real estate listings on your computer. There is a brand new product called HomeSource GPS. It fully integrates the entire MLS database into your GPS unit. This allows you to search listings, plan routes and much more. Currently we are launching the product in Canada with plans to expand into the US soon. Let me know if you have any questions. harkerj@gmail.com
Kevin Schmidtchen | Jul 14, 2009 | Reply
Google does so much so well and it just continues to surprise me that their real estate is not that helpful in comparison to other sites out there. Great maps and red flags do not sell real estate.
Free Real Estate Agent Training Videos | Jul 27, 2009 | Reply
It is not surprising that Google on the real estate bandwagon. It’s just another element where Yahoo seems to lag behind. Kudos on this blog post.
Jennifer Flaspohler | Aug 19, 2009 | Reply
Great to see that Google is helping making things a little easier for our clients. I think its important for the consumers to have as much access to the housing ‘inventory’ as possible!
Clark | Aug 22, 2009 | Reply
@Kevin Schmidtchen | Jul 14, 2009 | Reply
“Google does so much so well and it just continues to surprise me that their real estate is not that helpful in comparison to other sites out there. Great maps and red flags do not sell real estate.”
Google is phenomenal at most of what they do. But Kevin, regarding your comment above, I have to say Google is not here to sell real estate for us (nor to sell anyone else’s product). Google is a medium we can use to let others know that WE sell real estate.
las vegas foreclosures | Aug 29, 2009 | Reply
This is great news for the listing agents – more exposure …. hope this doesn’t put the buyer’s agents out of business:)
Pak Property | Oct 15, 2009 | Reply
Its a very good news for both buyers and sellers, by using the power of Google real estate search would be fast and easier and more relative then earlier. Google has always strive hard in its ventures, people are already familiar with Google Maps so this would be an added feature but more fruitful than just viewing your own home by different dimensions.
Adriaan Grove | Nov 20, 2009 | Reply
I’ve tried out a google maps real estate search on the Sarasota,FL area (I’m from South Africa).
What’s really great is how they simplified things, basic search options on price, beds, size – and getting immediate results. The other layers, e.g. photos one can enable is useful if your’re not from the area.
I think this is a first step from Google and that we will see a lot more improvements in the near future like more search options (e.g. when the property came on market so users can view the latest properties first).
Will we see an API where realtors can integrate these real estate maps in their own websites? I think it is a matter of time before the real estate results will be included in the normal Google search as per business listings.
Round Rock Realtors - Jacci | Dec 19, 2009 | Reply
If anything is true about google, they will get it done. The question is really how effective will this be? They should do it well since they already own the search engine market.