April 11, 2007

Ladies and gentlemen, as predicted, I give you Google Housing (Beta)


Oh, man, is this could change the world... My only question for Google is what the hell is taking so long? Could this be more in their sweet spot?

Goodbye ramen eating real estate clerks. Goodbye zillow.com (who Google will buy anyway) . Goodbye Century 21. Goodbye "Mega-Producer" Russ Shaw. Goodbye Re/Max. Goodbye 6%. Goodbye MLS.

And hello Google Housing!

Hello REALTOR disintermediation. Hello efficiency. And hello world - Google Housing will destroy realtors and estate agents around the globe (finally!)

Note - this is only a beta - but should give you a sense of what's to come. Want a tip? Don't be against Google.

17 comments:

tmaioli said...

Now THIS changes the rules! You go Google!

Anonymous said...

All these tools already exist. What's so special about Google Housing? This could easily go the way of Google Video, which as you know was not a popular user model and was effectively shelved with Google's acquisition of YouTube. Care to predict if and/or which Housing website Google will acquire?

Anonymous said...

As long as Realtwhores aren't allowed to list on it, it should be great. Right now its nothing but overprices Realtwhore listings.

Anonymous said...

How can you praise up google?
It is one of the greatest cons/stock frauds ever created.
Try entering the words "click fraud" into any search engine or better still, goto the following web site for a more background reading on google, and how its makes money.

http://www.fuckedgoogle.com/

Keith, I thought you would be more more careful when you come across stories that are too good to be true.

What are the chances that the executives at google are now selling millions of shares to the suckers who think that google will rule the housing Realtor market?

Anonymous said...

How is this different than zillow?

And even if this is the greatest thing since sliced bread it will be years, maybe even decades before wide use. Wht bloggers forget is that only 50% of households have online access at home. 30-40% of US adults refuse to buy anything online for fear of fraud. If they are afraid to book a hotel on orbitz or use online banking do you think they're going to buy or sell a home online? Yeah right.

And assuming those fears are overcome some day, people are still lazy fucks. They need someone to drive them around from home to home. They need an "expert" to tell them about the neighborhood, schools etc. Of course the "expert" doesn't know jack shit, but that's not the point, it's about perception.

Anonymous said...

www.housingmaps.com does a similar thing - it integrates listings from craigslist though.

:)

blogger said...

It's not about the features and functions, or google vs. zillow.

Google will win in this space because of its charter and its reach.

Their role in life is to organize the world's information. And homes for sale are just a part of that necessary world database. Not just the US - EVERYWHERE.

This is especially needed in countries outside the US who have no MLS, no zillow, and no way for buyers or sellers to know in one central location what homes are for sale at what price.

In the US, the key is to replace the stupid and outdated MLS, which we all know is the only thing keeping real estate clerks alive these days

As the MLS goes, so goes the REALTOR profession.

Got ramen?

Anonymous said...

Aren't the google guys gay and jewish too? Birds of a feather flock together.

Anonymous said...

What's so great about google. I personally don't see any value other than a search engine. Advertising revenue will drop off substantially as the economy tanks. Goggle will be a complete failure.

Anonymous said...

Keeferonio..

It is truly refreshing and apparently the beginning of a free and open market for housing.
Cant wait for the day when buyers and sellers can negotiate directly, without the lazy commission hungry realtwhores bottlenecking the process and keeping prices inflated.

Anonymous said...

Best keyword search thus far. Google maps are beautiful, too. Nationwide search on "second empire", gave interesting results wi/pics - prices from the mid 100's up (way up).
I bought a FSBO house before and would do it again. You still have a lawyer go over the documents, just no middle man taking a cut. All parties have to be savvy, but all I can say is it worked for me.

Anonymous said...

Sweet! Thanks Keith.

Refinance id!

Anonymous said...

Google for the Win!

Anonymous said...

Anon said:
‘Aren't the google guys gay and jewish too? Birds of a feather flock together.’

Whats a matter?
You a realtwhore with too much time on your hands?
Or just stuck with a mortgage on a property that’s worth half of what you owe?
If you can not afford Ramen noodles, you can always collect dandelions from the front yard, they’re a little bitter, very much like yourself, but nutritious.

Frank R said...

Hi amigauser,

I spend over $10,000/month on Google AdWords and get 4x that much back in revenue.

Click fraud is overexaggerated, and even if the fraud is as high as people claim it is, I'd still be insane to give up a 400% ROI because of it.

Sorry but Google has changed the way we do business - for the better - and I wouldn't be in the position I am today without Google AdWords.

www.scottsdale-sucks.com

Westside Bubble said...

Good concept, but definitely still a "Beta". I selected Single Family homes in Santa Monica and got many condos (which I hadn't selected), already-sold listings, and too many without photo or address. I'd also want listing date, which Zip Realty conveniently provides.

To Anon's "only 50% of households have online access at home", yeah, but who buys houses?

It'll be a market in transition. If using a traditional agent costs you big bucks over online's buyer rebate, it'll shift quickly. Selling will take longer, as sellers wonder if they're losing buyers not offering the standard commission.

Anonymous said...

Here is the live link to Google's search page:

http://base.google.com/base/search?a_n0=housing&scoring=ld&a_y0=9&a_s0=0&a_r=1