INDEPENDENT NEWS

New Layer Of Information For Real Estate Browsers

Published: Tue 2 Dec 2008 01:34 PM
Google Street View Has Arrived Adding Another Layer Of Information For Real Estate Browsers
“Once we get past the privacy debate, people will realise what a valuable and time saving real estate tool it is because it provides the same view you’d get from standing outside the house but it saves you the petrol and driving time to get there”, Realestate.co.nz. CEO.
The launch of New Zealand on Google Street View today heralds a significant jump forward in service for clients of the real estate industry.
It will provide a 360° horizontal and 290° vertical panoramic street-level view of NZ street by street, road by road and avenue by avenue.
There may be concerns expressed by those who feel that this raises issues of privacy as every property on every street, every beach, motorway, cul-de-sac and downtown bar is visible from your couch.
The fact is of course all Google has taken a photograph from street view as we have all done for years and then collated them and made them searchable in a global directory.
For real estate this free service offers buyers and sellers a useful and time saving way to view a property for sale or rent.
The property is no longer restricted to the photographs selected by the seller or agent making the marketing of the property much more transparent. If there’s a dungy bach next door or if a 10 story apartment block towers over the house blocking views and sun Google Street View will show it.
The enquirer will be able to see the neighbourhood as if they were walking down the street as well as being able to rotate the view from the property itself to see the neighbours either side and across the street.
This experience will enable much more information and research of a property to be undertaken by potential purchasers.
Leading real estate website, realestate.co.nz has been preparing for this launch and has the option to click on Google Street View available to browsers as of this morning.
It compliments the satellite, map and terrain view for every listing profiled on the website where the agent selling the property has included the address on the listing.
In total listing terms, about 50,000 of the 80,000 residential and lifestyle listings on Realestate.co.nz. can be seen using Google Street View.
About 38% of properties listed don’t display an address – it’s a percentage that is decreasing week by week but I’m hoping the addition of Google Street View may be just the motivation needed to prompt a change to that old chestnut of property being listed without an address.
Background:
www.realestate.co.nz is the official website of the real estate industry with over 95% of all licensed listings making it the largest specialist property website in the country.
Google Street View was launched on the 25th of May 2007 and today NZ has joined a pioneering group of countries comprising the USA, Australia, Japan, Italy and France.
ENDS

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