Comments on: Real Estate Search on Google Maps

By: Google Rumoured to be Hiring Online Real Estate Sales People | Grow Your Rent Roll

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 03:03:30 +0000

[...] Real Estate Search on Google MapsToday Google added property listings to its already extensive range of features for Google Maps in Australia…. [...]

By: Google Reveals Real Estate "Vision" | Property Ad Guru

Google Reveals Real Estate "Vision" | Property Ad Guru — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 23:20:40 +0000

[...] Google first began adding real estate listings to Google Maps in mid-2009, the world of online real estate has been monitoring the company’s every move. Each upgrade [...]

By: James

James — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 06:41:31 +0000

Hi Alan, no I do not actually work for Google but am looking at the situation from an agents perspective with an understanding of how the likes of REA see the agents and the marketplace.

You are right in that there are many other cost effective portals in the market but are incorrect in referring to Google as a portal as they are not and do not want to be. Google are about “search” and connecting people with the most relevant results and content.

By: Alistair Helm

Alistair Helm — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:36:59 +0000

Emma

Just for clarification this new service was a simultaneous launch in NZ as well as Australia.

As the most comprehensive real estate website in NZ with over 93% of all agent listings we are now feeding to Google which makes this feature in NZ rich in content terms (accepting of the fact that only 60% of our listings have an address which we are allowed to show!).

As I see it – Google is a great search engine which in NZ is has a market share of over 80% – we are not threatened by a search engine – we are a rich repository of information on property for sale and rent – the depth of data is our USP.

By: snoop

snoop — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:03:09 +0000

They are a search engine,designed to wrap ads around your content,
Dissapointing UI.
No threat to the portals even in the USA most of the leading portals are growing traffic.

By: Google Adds Real Estate Listings to Google Maps | GeekEstate Blog

Google Adds Real Estate Listings to Google Maps | GeekEstate Blog — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:12:11 +0000

[...] Property Portal Watch [...]

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:51:17 +0000

Alan, you sound like you work for REA! I don’t know if Google’s effort was disastrous in the US. Millions of people use Google to find real estate every day.

By: Real Estate Search on Google Maps | Property Portal Watch | Distressed Marketplace

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:03:55 +0000

[...] here: Real Estate Search on Google Maps | Property Portal Watch Categories : AREA Property Partners, Real Estate [...]

By: Alan Grey

Alan Grey — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:29:09 +0000

That’s great James….sounds like you work for google. There are plenty of other cost effective portals on the market before google.

I expect google will once again mess things up, just like their disasterous effort in the U.S.

By: James

James — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 06:31:29 +0000

It is important that Google get this right as they hold the key to providing the agents in Australia with a cost effective alternative to online marketing compared to the likes of Domain and more to the point realestate.com.au.

One of my concerns though is that REA as an example will get on the bandwagon (assuming Google let them) and will use this feature to obtain more traffic to their site. They will then try to use this increase to charge the agents even more for their subscription. Let me assure you REA is worried about Google and what it may do their subscription revenue.

My advise is to get behind this initiative and to start tracking where your enquiry is coming from and what you are paying for this enquiry on a per lead basis.

Good Work and Good Luck Google.