Category Archives: Technology
DS + Zillow = A whole Host of Questions
Warning: this post is not within the real of purely local real estate blogging …
Second, when I saw this news I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. One of the reasons I have so loved Diverse Solutions on my site is that they gave me what I believed to be the best tool out there to search for homes in my market. In part, I’ve been competing with Zillow (not really, they’re huge. I’m tiny) But really, I have been. Now they’re together? Zillow, who makes money (as all of the third parties do) selling agents on upsells for $X per month?
1. Is this the next step in the evolution of Zillow becoming/replacing/supplanting the MLS? Maybe. Maybe not.
2a. Presumably, if I keep using Diverse Solutions to power my real estate search page, I’ll have to update my site’s privacy policy saying that Zillow is likely to start farming my users’ information. That will suck.
4. Listings, and listing data are a commodity . Everyone has them. I’ve benefited by google indexing the MLS listings found on my site, but I’ve never depended on it. I generate unique, relevant, and occasionally good content. Anyone can get listing data.
6. See #4. Those depending on real estate search for their SEO are now SOL. It’s the evolution/consolidation of the tech space, and that’s ok. Real estate is about real estate representation – used with technology appropriately. Technology without competent representation and interpretation is merely cool tech.
Using New Technologies – Does it Help my Clients?
When you talk about your market or your peers, do you say, “no one is using it…” or “no one is using it yet”? Yet implies inevitability. If they’re going to use it, it might make sense to get there before they do.
That is how I choose to implement technology for my business and my clients. For example:
- I use Basecamp for project/transaction management because it’s simple and benefits my clients. Same as with floor plans.
- I’ve tested QR codes and have found that while they are cool, and somewhat functional, … Continue reading…
Trulia Enters the Cluttered and Confusing Home Valuation Arena
With one more entry into the (automated) home valuation arena, how does one make sense of all the methods of valuing a home in this market?
There are at least six methods of home valuation out there right now; I know that my customers and clients are going to use the ones that they find; my challenge in advising them is to put these valuations in context and either demonstrate their respective accuracies or most likely, prove just how wrong they are. And why.
- Trulia’s Estimates – (automated) – “Trulia has jumped into the home value game.” Now that they’re here, so what? While the Trulia Estimate are only in San Francisco right now, presumably they’ll be making their way nation-wide.
Communicating. With Clients
I’m texting a lot more, texting clients before calling to ensure they have time, Skyping much more frequently, texting via Google Voice ( because I can text from the browser ). I learn a lot by observing my daughter and her friends; there is no technological communication besides Facebook, texting and the occasional phone call. … All of these varied and important communication methods lead to at least one consequence – I need to be able to store and search all forms of communication. … So now I’m testing Greplin * – “The Search Bar for your Life” – a tool/service/program/I’m not sure what things are called anymore so I’ll go with “solution” … if they could integrate searching texts and Google Voice, my tech communication search life would be complete. Continue reading
More Fiber in Charlottesville – Fiberlight
(Charlottesville, VA) – FiberLight, LLC, one of the nation’s leading providers of mission critical, high performance fiber optic networks, announced today it will feature its newest high capacity fiber optic network, a 46-mile direct connection from Culpeper, VA to Albemarle County and Charlottesville, VA, during a special event on February 3. The new high-count, underground network will use enhanced fiber for lower latency and will provide a direct connection to Culpeper and Washington, D.C., home to FiberLight’s 500+mile multi-ringed, optical network.
The event, which is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday, February 3 at the Omni Hotel in Charlottesville, will feature speakers from FiberLight, the University of Virginia, Charlottesville and Albemarle County. … FiberLight wholly owns its 500,000 fiber-mile network in key growth areas and offers robust metro networks in 21 metros within Georgia, Florida, Washington, D.C., Texas, Virginia and Maryland, as well as Wide Area Networking options at layer 1, 2 and 3 to major commercial hubs throughout the country. Continue reading
If You’re Looking at Zillow to Value homes in the Charlottesville Area
Heck, Greene County’s not even there . Of course, they “only” represented 10% of all homes sales in the Charlottesville MSA last year. 
Median sales price and volume of single family, attached and condo sales for Charlottesville MSA in 2010: 
Note: the less metropolitan/urbanized/populated areas are less accurate. … For now, “But until Zillow gets a lot smarter, I don’t recommend making it a trusted bookmark. ” 
In time of course, they will get better. It’s best not to underestimate those with piles of money and lots of smart people. Thanks to Dan Greene for pointing this out ; I’d seen it a few years ago but forgot all about it. Continue reading
Search for Homes in Charlottesville – This Time, It’s a Beta
I’ve long thought (and most importantly, so have my clients) that Diverse Solutions , the providers of my home search tool, put together the best search for homes tool in the real estate industry.
…• New language in the search box • The map will now update as the criteria changes without the need to click view results • The map now shows properties immediately once a location is specified • Clicking on a city marker now adds it to the locations and shows properties • Added a variety of new design elements • Isolated and moved the Save as Favorite button I know that people want to search for homes without signing up, without being contacted by a Realtor, etc. etc. I don’t spam, I don’t contact without permission (I do send a “thank you for registering” email) and I want you to enjoy using this tool as much as I appreciate your using it and contacting me whenever you’re ready.
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Now, as soon as they release a version that allows for me to provide search results based on radius and polygons, I’ll buy every developer at Diverse Solutions a couple cases of fantastic beer made right here in Central Virginia. Continue reading
