Real estate search is messed up, just look. . .

by Daniel Rothamel on January 31, 2009 · View Comments

in Industry Issues,Video Posts,technology

So the folks at OnBoard Informatics are having a little contest surrounding their newly-released Lifestyle Search engine. They wanted folks to submit their visions for the future of real estate search. I made a video to illustrate what I think is wrong with the way an average real estate search is conducted, and how it might be improved going forward.

I have always said that in order to know where your headed, it helps to know where you’ve been. Clearly, where real estate search has been is in a fragmented mess. There has to be a better way. . .

{ 6 trackbacks }

OnBlog: The Onboard Informatics Blog. Conversations on Demographics, Geography, Data, Neighborhoods, Technology, and Real Estate » Blog Archive » We’re not the only ones thinking about search…
February 2, 2009 at 6:13 pm
OnBlog: The Onboard Informatics Blog. Conversations on Demographics, Geography, Data, Neighborhoods, Technology, and Real Estate » Blog Archive » Lifestyle Search Essay Contest Entries
February 3, 2009 at 10:05 am
OnBlog: The Onboard Informatics Blog. Conversations on Demographics, Geography, Data, Neighborhoods, Technology, and Real Estate » Blog Archive » The Future of Real Estate Search
February 5, 2009 at 11:25 am
You’re Going about It all Wrong - Or How to Search for Homes in Charlottesville (Without a Realtor) | Real Central VA
March 13, 2009 at 1:45 pm
Seth Godin talks about broken stuff. He could have mentioned the real estate industry, too. | The Real Estate Zebra
April 21, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Blog Wayback - You’re Going about It all Wrong - Or How to Search for Homes in Charlottesville (Without a Realtor) | Real Central VA
May 20, 2009 at 7:02 am

{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Frank January 31, 2009 at 5:55 pm

Really love your video posts. this is definately a project for us too this year :)

2 Vincent Socci January 31, 2009 at 8:38 pm

Great post, Daniel

3 Alistair Helm February 1, 2009 at 4:29 am

Daniel

Excellent post – well articulated to demonstrate the frustrations of wonderfully rich information disparately scattered around the web – the nirvana is the aggregator that can provide the total integrated picture as you propose. These issues are common around the world.

4 Frank Borges LL0SA- Owner FranklyMLS.com The WIKI MLS February 1, 2009 at 11:57 am

Search by address in Charlottesville… is only days away!

Search by community… again shortly. Add your Blog to each community using Tag A Hood.

Search by School… yep.

You want crime data, just let me know.

Frank Borges LL0SA
FranklyMLS.com

ps. Why don’t you put this on youtube?

5 Ira Monko February 1, 2009 at 3:53 pm

Thanks for the mention…and perspective on how you would perform a search today. It was certainly informative and entertaining.

Everything on your wish list is possible using our Lifestyle Listings Engine. You can search, rank, and compare communities based on schools, local amenities, crime/safety, cost of living, and demographics. You can also find specific properties within those communities using other human-centric search parameter such as commute time, standardized property features, etc…

And this is just scratching the surface of what we’re providing.

Another big thanks for pointing out our lack of Mac compatibility. I will to work on posting an .app version.

Cheers,

-Ira

6 Real Estate Space February 2, 2009 at 10:35 am

Great video, just wish that Apple would roll out flash for my iphone… But yes, the real estate industry has so far to go before we have an effective, integrated search that gives the end user exactly what they need to make an informed home buying (or selling) decision.

7 Megan Murphy February 2, 2009 at 4:15 pm

Great Video Daniel! Thanks for your submission to our Essay Contest. I will post all the contest entries tomorrow so be sure to tell people they can vote for you on our blog, Onblog, http://blog.onboardinformatics.com/

Oh, and good luck! :)

8 Gary Rossignol February 11, 2009 at 2:05 am

You are so right on. I never thought of it this way. I just accepted the way it is. We do need to devise a better way. I am with you 100 percent.

9 Mr Mogul February 20, 2009 at 10:15 pm

Brillant! Our future searches of real estate may include standard virtual videos of communities, with highlights and mini-commercials as to what people do, how they do it, what the area looks like in every season, some interesting tid bits and what amenities are nearby.

I’m ready for more, hopefully these changes come sooner than later.

Leave a Comment

blog comments powered by Disqus