Comments on: Realtor.com Dives Deep into Neighborhoods http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods Internet, Web 2.0 and Real Estate Marketing Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:07:06 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Peter Goldey http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods/comment-page-1/#comment-18692 Peter Goldey Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:39:47 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods#comment-18692 Hey - We're the folks that supply Realtor.com with the neighborhood geographical definitions and much of the content about them (home sales, crime, school data, demographics, etc.) as well as much of the other contextual content found elsewhere on Realtor.com and other major RE sites such as CB.com, Trulia, Treb.com, and NY Times. A bit late to the show I know, but I'd like to answer how we define neighborhoods. The comments above are 100% correct - local knowledge is needed. Our approach has been to define neighborhoods in established areas that have cultural, commerical and housing differences. Such areas have well known neighborhood names (though often ill-defined neighborhood boundaries). We work with numerous sources in each market to derive a consensus definition for the neighborhood. Over time, these definitions change as neighborhoods evolve and we welcome comments from end users. We also write neighborhood descriptions (though Realtor.com doesn't use them) that go far beyond simply pulling in from Wikipedia. And recently we have begun to move outside of the major metro downtown areas to define the downtown areas of many towns and small cities. The feedback above was great and we're looking forward to working with our clients such as Realtor.com, Redfin, and others to evolve the display of neighborhoods and the information about them to create truly great end user experiences. Thanks! Pete http://onboardllc.com Hey – We’re the folks that supply Realtor.com with the neighborhood geographical definitions and much of the content about them (home sales, crime, school data, demographics, etc.) as well as much of the other contextual content found elsewhere on Realtor.com and other major RE sites such as CB.com, Trulia, Treb.com, and NY Times.

A bit late to the show I know, but I’d like to answer how we define neighborhoods.

The comments above are 100% correct – local knowledge is needed. Our approach has been to define neighborhoods in established areas that have cultural, commerical and housing differences. Such areas have well known neighborhood names (though often ill-defined neighborhood boundaries). We work with numerous sources in each market to derive a consensus definition for the neighborhood. Over time, these definitions change as neighborhoods evolve and we welcome comments from end users.

We also write neighborhood descriptions (though Realtor.com doesn’t use them) that go far beyond simply pulling in from Wikipedia. And recently we have begun to move outside of the major metro downtown areas to define the downtown areas of many towns and small cities.

The feedback above was great and we’re looking forward to working with our clients such as Realtor.com, Redfin, and others to evolve the display of neighborhoods and the information about them to create truly great end user experiences.

Thanks!
Pete
http://onboardllc.com

]]> By: Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) votes for re-branded mls.ca « Internet Marketing for Real Estate http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods/comment-page-1/#comment-16381 Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) votes for re-branded mls.ca « Internet Marketing for Real Estate Fri, 30 Nov 2007 03:46:43 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods#comment-16381 [...] related news, a post by Joel Burslem from the Future of Real Estate Marketing blog, discusses the latest Neighbourhood [...] [...] related news, a post by Joel Burslem from the Future of Real Estate Marketing blog, discusses the latest Neighbourhood [...]

]]> By: Kansas City http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods/comment-page-1/#comment-16349 Kansas City Thu, 29 Nov 2007 16:22:20 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods#comment-16349 Yes, a community may have double digit subcommunities within the community. It gets to the point that it's a mini-city within a city and defining an area in a way that everyone understands can become complicated - the Villas, the Estates, the Woods, the Enclave, the Hills, the Valley, etc. Yes, a community may have double digit subcommunities within the community. It gets to the point that it’s a mini-city within a city and defining an area in a way that everyone understands can become complicated – the Villas, the Estates, the Woods, the Enclave, the Hills, the Valley, etc.

]]> By: Chris Dowell http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods/comment-page-1/#comment-16273 Chris Dowell Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:01:23 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods#comment-16273 I'm not sure how they decide what a neighborhood is? Consumers search by area or school district boundaries. In some areas in Kansas City builders have named each of their phases a different subdivision. One might be Cedar-Southglen, the next Cedar Creek South Glen, and the next Cedar Creek-Hidden Glen. Most homeowners in the big developments don't even know what subdivision they live in. They can tell you the school area though. I find that buyers are the same also. I’m not sure how they decide what a neighborhood is? Consumers search by area or school district boundaries. In some areas in Kansas City builders have named each of their phases a different subdivision. One might be Cedar-Southglen, the next Cedar Creek South Glen, and the next Cedar Creek-Hidden Glen. Most homeowners in the big developments don’t even know what subdivision they live in. They can tell you the school area though. I find that buyers are the same also.

]]> By: Cape Number Plates http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods/comment-page-1/#comment-16246 Cape Number Plates Mon, 26 Nov 2007 17:38:28 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods#comment-16246 Yeah - I'm surprised by the FF troubles. Like Andrew mentioned, developers would usually use a compliant browser like FF to develop in and then apply fixes to IE6 etc. With the ground that FF is making on IE these problems could be costly. Yeah – I’m surprised by the FF troubles. Like Andrew mentioned, developers would usually use a compliant browser like FF to develop in and then apply fixes to IE6 etc. With the ground that FF is making on IE these problems could be costly.

]]> By: John Schroeder http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods/comment-page-1/#comment-16161 John Schroeder Thu, 22 Nov 2007 03:51:28 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods#comment-16161 I think that it has some real potential especially with who is behind it...but I do agree that right now it seems a bit clunky interface wise. The data will come hopefully the interface can be improved a bit. I think that it has some real potential especially with who is behind it…but I do agree that right now it seems a bit clunky interface wise. The data will come hopefully the interface can be improved a bit.

]]> By: Tim O'Keefe http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods/comment-page-1/#comment-16098 Tim O'Keefe Wed, 21 Nov 2007 02:32:46 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods#comment-16098 Every attempt at automating anything at a neighborhood level is simply impossible beyond census type data. It is a wonderful and neccesary idea. But impossible for any beheamoth like Realtor.com to scale. The reason is it requires a local level knowledge. It will not be done by a social inclusion as there aren't that many people in any one area to be a statistical concensus that gives enough of a damn to write commentary. It is there for the local Realtor to create, few actually do. But it is to them that are the spoils, and frankly the last opportunity that someone with little marketing muscle can build online. ~http://www.HouseBlogger.com Tim Every attempt at automating anything at a neighborhood level is simply impossible beyond census type data. It is a wonderful and neccesary idea. But impossible for any beheamoth like Realtor.com to scale. The reason is it requires a local level knowledge. It will not be done by a social inclusion as there aren’t that many people in any one area to be a statistical concensus that gives enough of a damn to write commentary. It is there for the local Realtor to create, few actually do. But it is to them that are the spoils, and frankly the last opportunity that someone with little marketing muscle can build online.

~http://www.HouseBlogger.com Tim

]]> By: Andrew http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods/comment-page-1/#comment-16097 Andrew Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:56:27 +0000 http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/realtorcom-dives-deep-into-neighborhoods#comment-16097 Very odd. Usually, developers use FF as a guide. Maybe Realtor.com only uses IE - strange. Actually, we're talking Realtor.com so sounds about right. Very odd. Usually, developers use FF as a guide. Maybe Realtor.com only uses IE – strange. Actually, we’re talking Realtor.com so sounds about right.

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