New HAR Site Corners Houston Real Estate Search
Inman News reports this week that Houston Association of Realtors web site got a facelift.
Funnily enough, as I was researching my post 10 Kick Ass Real Estate Search Sites, I’d gone over to HAR.com and noticed the new site and bookmarked it to check out later.
HAR’s site has all the characteristics of a kick ass search site. Polygon based map search tools. Deep filtering tools – you can even filter searchs by lot (near golf course) and by amenities (private pools, sprinkler systems etc.). Fast, responsive searches. Addresses even! Love it.
No wonder that Comscore rates it the #1 Web site for Houston Real Estate.
I think it’s a great step in the right direction for a local Realtor Association, and one I think many more should look at emulating.
Public facing web sites are a great way to rebuild consumer trust in the role of the Realtor. Let’s face it, the MLSes have what we consumers want. cough… all the listings… cough
It seems to me that the resurgence of the MLSes and MLS powered sites (see Roost.com Kicks over the RE Search Cart) could spell an end to the venture backed vertical search sites.
When they launched, Zillow and Trulia were forced to adopt broker feeds as a way to populate their database. But even as Zillow adds the rest of Realogy listings - it’s beginning to seem like a slow painful, and possibly ultimately futile, slog to go broker-by-broker to build a comprehensive online database of properties for sale.
Times have changed though. And if HAR’s approach catches on with others, it could put a real squeeze on the national players. As we’ve been told time and time again, all real estate is local. If the MLSes figure out local search – what role is there for national search?
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8 Comment(s)
2 Trackback(s)
- From Matt Goyer’s Real Estate Blog » Blog Archive » HAR has a surprisingly good site | Feb 21, 2008
- From FBS Blog » Blog Archive » Community Rules | Feb 21, 2008
House Values | Feb 21, 2008 | Reply
I’ve recently seen a couple of reviews for this site. It really does have a great search functionality, and looks like a good/new website. Although, I dont think just becuase HAR or any other association start to catch on and deliver good user experience will it take away from national sites.
I mean look how long it took them to figure this stuff out, by no means do these organizations keep up with consumer demand (or care about the consumer for that matter). In an ever changing environment such as the Internet I would be surprised to see sites like these keep up with the times. It just seems real estate as a whole hates change (although that may be changing).
If local associations do start to take eyeballs away from national sites, I’d expect to see a features war fairly quickly. While its all about data, its also about presentation.
Like the Har.com site though.
Bert Sperling | Feb 21, 2008 | Reply
I took a test drive through the site, and the HAR has done a great job focusing on the local aspects which are too detailed and specialized for the national sites to cover. Plus, the integrated features work smoothly and effectively.
When someone is looking for a home in Houston, this will be the ‘go-to’ site.
It sets a new standard for local MLS sites.
Sean O'Toole | Feb 21, 2008 | Reply
The addition of foreclosures is interesting, and something I expect we’ll see more of. As currently offered it provides a somewhat misleading view of foreclosure activity – problem is that they are only showing listed homes that have been tagged by the agent as a foreclosure, rather than a complete list of foreclosure activity in the area.
While this is great from the standpoint of quickly finding foreclosures that are easy to submit an offer on, many consumers are going to these sites to better understand market activity – and this feature fails on that front.
Thomas Johnson | Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
Until I started serving as our company trainer, and reading what Realtors in other MLS areas have to deal with, I had no idea how fortunate we are here in Houston. I can have one of our newly licensed agents up and running with an all the listings IDX feed website in less than 20 minutes for the cost of a domain. HAR provides every agent a one page searchable website included with the dues. Buy a domain, point it to the agent’s HAR site and bang. They can go sell houses and refer buyers to their own website. Email inquiries are forwarded and there is a cell phone notification as well. We all love to rag on Realtor associations, but HAR really has been on the wave for quite a while. It’s a nice reminder that every now and then, the association that everybody loves to hate gets it right.
The absolute best thing about our public facing search is that it has reduced Realtor.com almost to irrelevance. I have never ever gotten a call from a prospective client who stated they found my listing on Realtor.com. It is always, “I saw a listing on HAR.com and the MLS # is…”
Most of the features you rave about, Joel were in the old version as well and have been in place for at least 5 years.
I guess it takes a pretty face to get noticed in the RE blogosphere.
David G from Zillow.com | Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
Joel,
“national search” is a misnomer. I am yet to see a site that doesn’t provide local search results.
What you’re missing here is that sites that are built by sellers (agents) for sellers (agents) struggle to be buyer friendly. That you consider “addresses even” an impressive feature should really clue you into the fact that this will always be a game of catchup.
Joel Burslem | Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
@David – National sites provide local search. Sure. But you ask people in my neighborhood if they’ve heard of Zillow? (I do, I’m kind of a geek like that.) Nope.
Heard of the MLS? Yup.
The point of the post is that some MLSes are catching on to what it takes to build a good search experience – not there yet, but it’s coming. HAR.com is on the leading edge of this I think.
I don’t think Zillow has any unique insight or a monopoly on what it takes to be buyer friendly.
I think you know me well enough that I’m surprised you missed the sarcasm in the “address even” comment.
David G from Zillow.com | Feb 22, 2008 | Reply
Hey Joel –
It’s Friday, I’ve been doing 16 hr days all week and I’m sorry that I missed the sarcasm. Comparing awareness of “zillow” to “mls” is like comparing “Tesla Motors” to “motorcar”. http://tinyurl.com/26cg8r.
Zillow had its biggest month to date in January. Closing in on 5MM uniques. We blew away every single one of our projections. It IS a hard slog but brokers are not the only source of listings (although some franchises are a more direct source than even the MLS.) Hardly futile.
I think it’s awesome that HAR is connecting their members (and more importantly, their listings) with local consumers but the point here is that to help members sell their listings there’s no point for an MLS to stop short at a single website. Case in point; if memory serves me correctly, HAR already syndicate their listings to the Chronicle online.
If your goal is to sell homes you want your listings where the buyers are. A progressive MLS will ultimately help their members syndicate listings like MLSPIN has done by feeding their listings to Zillow.
Handyman Home Repair Clear Lake TX | Jul 28, 2009 | Reply
HAR is a fantastic site and resource. We use it often. They did a great JOB…
Thanks for the Article.