Links for 12 May 2006

Population data (archived: 2015) (HT: Business Pundit (archived: 2008))

Charlottesville (“and surrounding area”) is #90 (no longer available)

Charlottesville is the 39th “Smartest Place to Live” (archived: 2006) per Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.

North Pointe saga continues (no longer available). As reported by Cville Tomorrow. My reports say that those in favor of the project moving forward far outnumbered those opposed. The forthcoming podcast will prove enlightening.

Google Trends – an extraordinary means by which to peer inside the psyche of searchers. See: Housing Bubble
Print -vs- Web -vs- Blogging (archived: 2007)
An index of Sprawl

Zillow shows a little bit more of its hand – where will they go from here?

Finally, a blast from the past:

Nevertheless, technology alone isn’t the solution to the arcane world of real estate. “The business of working with realtors is complex,” said Barker. “This is a very fragmented business and realtors have lots of needs and they are expensive to service.”
Plus, it is an industry that is very sensitive to relationships and to traditions and practices such as various MLS rules that are dissimilar from market to market.