Trulia has added Google Street View to help provide a better viewing experience to its users. Now, visitors to Trulia can “virtually” walk the neighborhood and get a sense of parking, views, neighboring homes, stores and other neighborhood amenities, as well as all the unzillowables that are not found in raw data, like those neighbors collecting all sorts of stuff on their front lawn.
or the next door neighbor with the polka dot house:
This functionality is too useful-cool for other real estate sites not to jump on board. But Trulia gets to enjoy number 1 for awhile. Enjoy the view.
[Update: Jay Thompson (at AgentGenius) reports of others incorporating Street View: Diverse Solutions (for IDX) and RealBird]
Gee, I can hardly wait for Google Street Sounds and Smells.
Check the Trulia Blog for more details. Take a test spin around a Chi Town hood and see the house that never has to be painted.
Technorati Tags: trulia, google, street view, real estate search
This is only the second time I have seen StreetView used on a real estate website (the first on a national site). Trulia seems to be working hard to make a name for themselves, Zill-who?
Do any one thing this will replace the prospective buyer from actually visiting a property to determine if the property meets their own individual needs? IMHO, it could cause some to second think their desire to see a particular home within a neighborhood.
Using Google streets in real estate search is just a great idea!!!
Glenn,
Thanks for your insightful opinion (here and elsewhere).
It probably is a double-edged sword. Folks may pass on calling an agent and visiting a home because of the neighbors or the neighborhood and the agent may loose the opportunity to engage them, build a rapport and show them other homes that might meet their needs (i.e get them as clients). On the flip side, agents may save time showing buyers properties and the leads from these street view listings may be of a higher quality and convert easier and more often. I’m leaning to the flip side.
Online,
I think every real estate agent/broker ought to incorporate Google Street View into their search results. At least try it and see the effect. This technology is too good not to try. Good marketing ideas come from everywhere.