Shackprices.com was launched today. Partners Galen Ward and Doug Cole have created a cool ajax real estate search site for consumers in the state of Washington. The site is fast, clean and easy to use. They seem to have a referral based business model that allows consumers to call or email them directly about a particular property. It seems to be sort of a personalized match making service.
From their FAQ’S:
Will you guess the value of my house?
We don’t guess the actual value of a house. We’ll give you a list of comparable nearby properties that have sold recently to help you determine its value. If you want a better appraisal, click here to contact us and we’ll put you in touch with someone who can do it for you.
Are you trying to replace real estate agents?
Absolutely not. Buying and selling houses is a difficult and time consuming process; a good agent can make buying or selling a house much easier. Most people only buy a few homes in their entire lifetime – having someone with the experience of hundreds of transactions working on your behalf is an incredible advantage. A good real estate agent can give advice like “1950s homes in this area tend to have plumbing problems” or “these people have remodeled the kitchen and living room using cheap materials.” We believe that good agents provide (and will continue to provide) services that are not replicable by a computer.
It seems they understand what a computer can and can’t do and grasp that real estate agents are needed to decipher a property’s unzillowables. Best of luck to you guys!
Visit Galen’s blog for more info.
