Comments on: Online real estate’s final frontier: The neighborhood http://www.1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html Turn On Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:02:32 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: A big week in technology = a big week in real estate | 1000Watt Consulting http://www.1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html/comment-page-1#comment-9077 A big week in technology = a big week in real estate | 1000Watt Consulting Thu, 04 Mar 2010 02:15:04 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html#comment-9077 [...] to provide news, blogs and other media tied very tightly to place. I have long believed that online real estate’s final frontier is the neighborhood. The technology the adventurous will need to conquer it is pretty much here at this [...] [...] to provide news, blogs and other media tied very tightly to place. I have long believed that online real estate’s final frontier is the neighborhood. The technology the adventurous will need to conquer it is pretty much here at this [...]

]]> By: Lenn Harley http://www.1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html/comment-page-1#comment-2657 Lenn Harley Thu, 11 Dec 2008 03:17:00 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html#comment-2657 <p>Canned neighborhood descriptions don't always work because after a while they look alike. </p> <p>IMO, there are just too many areas across this great country to accurately describe the flavor of the "neighborhood" as locals know them. </p> <p>Mmmm. Could this be an area that is actually beyond the reach of the Internet?</p> <p>Lenn Harley<br /> Broker<br /> Homefinders.com<br /> <a href="http://www.homefinders.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.homefinders.com</a></p> Canned neighborhood descriptions don't always work because after a while they look alike.

IMO, there are just too many areas across this great country to accurately describe the flavor of the "neighborhood" as locals know them.

Mmmm. Could this be an area that is actually beyond the reach of the Internet?

Lenn Harley
Broker
Homefinders.com
http://www.homefinders.com

]]> By: nj real estate http://www.1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html/comment-page-1#comment-2656 nj real estate Sat, 29 Nov 2008 00:02:34 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html#comment-2656 <p>Hi<br /> Your blog is very nice. I have really learnt a lot from this blog thanks<br /> </p> Hi
Your blog is very nice. I have really learnt a lot from this blog thanks

]]> By: Michael Price http://www.1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html/comment-page-1#comment-2655 Michael Price Mon, 23 Jun 2008 20:05:19 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html#comment-2655 <p>Brian,<br /> I started to comment and decided to expand on them on my blog. I had already started a draft of the post and yours prompted me to complete it. Thanks for the push! <a href="http://www.mlpodcast.com/blog/2008/06/harness-power-of-neighborhood-knowledge.html#links" rel="nofollow">http://www.mlpodcast.com/blog/2008/06/harness-power-of-neighborhood-knowledge.html#links</a></p> Brian,
I started to comment and decided to expand on them on my blog. I had already started a draft of the post and yours prompted me to complete it. Thanks for the push! http://www.mlpodcast.com/blog/2008/06/harness-power-of-neighborhood-knowledge.html#links

]]> By: Galen http://www.1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html/comment-page-1#comment-2654 Galen Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:39:09 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html#comment-2654 <p>Great observation. Everyblock is the only neighborhood-oriented company that excites me on that list - they have a fantastic product that is a great way to monitor your neighborhood.</p> Great observation. Everyblock is the only neighborhood-oriented company that excites me on that list – they have a fantastic product that is a great way to monitor your neighborhood.

]]> By: G. Dewald http://www.1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html/comment-page-1#comment-2653 G. Dewald Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:59:03 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html#comment-2653 <p>Burlington Vermont has exactly what you are asking for: <a href="http://frontporchforum.com/" rel="nofollow">http://frontporchforum.com/</a></p> <p>It's pretty much a forum/bbs system with email push (read: super easy to use for non-tech-savvy), organized by neighborhood (the real neighborhoods of the town, not just sliced up street-sections). People can only join one of the neighborhoods (though obviously you could you use different emails etc).</p> <p>Conversations and postings range from yardsale announcements (and subsequent consolidations) to the Fire Chief giving the complete report on a fire in the neighborhood including advice on how to prevent that kind of fire in your own home to an elderly person asking for assistance with driveway shoveling in exchange for baked goods to complaints about abandoned vehicles etc etc etc.</p> <p>The site is not real-estate specific but neighborhood specific. Which is probably why it works.</p> <p>Just like any community meeting there are some people who talk more than others. But it is a great format and I hope the developer expands it.</p> Burlington Vermont has exactly what you are asking for: http://frontporchforum.com/

It's pretty much a forum/bbs system with email push (read: super easy to use for non-tech-savvy), organized by neighborhood (the real neighborhoods of the town, not just sliced up street-sections). People can only join one of the neighborhoods (though obviously you could you use different emails etc).

Conversations and postings range from yardsale announcements (and subsequent consolidations) to the Fire Chief giving the complete report on a fire in the neighborhood including advice on how to prevent that kind of fire in your own home to an elderly person asking for assistance with driveway shoveling in exchange for baked goods to complaints about abandoned vehicles etc etc etc.

The site is not real-estate specific but neighborhood specific. Which is probably why it works.

Just like any community meeting there are some people who talk more than others. But it is a great format and I hope the developer expands it.

]]> By: Brian Boero http://www.1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html/comment-page-1#comment-2652 Brian Boero Fri, 20 Jun 2008 08:52:08 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html#comment-2652 <p>@David<br /> I am glad you are making progress. I've spent significant time on the site, and there's a lot to like. But I did not see much street-level discussion. A lot of the groups appear to be company or industry focused. Many of the consumer focused groups and discussions appear to be at the county or regional level. <br /> </p> @David
I am glad you are making progress. I've spent significant time on the site, and there's a lot to like. But I did not see much street-level discussion. A lot of the groups appear to be company or industry focused. Many of the consumer focused groups and discussions appear to be at the county or regional level.

]]> By: Tim White http://www.1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html/comment-page-1#comment-2651 Tim White Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:39:06 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html#comment-2651 <p>Once again, IMHO, the successful neighborhood network (in the real estate space) will start from the bottom up and not the top down. This is not anything like IDX or listing aggregation, which is why the all the companies your mentioned in your post have failed at local. This is not a data play, but a lifestyle play with innumerable (unzillowable) variables. Success will come organically by the beat real estate "reporter" who learns how to leverage the power of the network (links) and offers a unique value proposition at the hyper-local level. But if any big aggregation player "nails" the neighborhood social, it will probably be Goolge (or an acquisition of)</p> Once again, IMHO, the successful neighborhood network (in the real estate space) will start from the bottom up and not the top down. This is not anything like IDX or listing aggregation, which is why the all the companies your mentioned in your post have failed at local. This is not a data play, but a lifestyle play with innumerable (unzillowable) variables. Success will come organically by the beat real estate "reporter" who learns how to leverage the power of the network (links) and offers a unique value proposition at the hyper-local level. But if any big aggregation player "nails" the neighborhood social, it will probably be Goolge (or an acquisition of)

]]> By: Victor Lund http://www.1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html/comment-page-1#comment-2650 Victor Lund Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:57:24 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html#comment-2650 <p>I am not a lawyer, but it seems that if these websites do not allow home sellers to opt out of having their home discussed, they could be in violation of the new DOJ/NAR settlement rules.</p> <p>With respect to any VOW that......<br /> (i) allows third-parties to write comments or reviews about particular listings or displays<br /> a hyperlink to such comments or reviews in immediate conjunction with particular<br /> listings,.........</p> <p>the site shall disable or discontinue those features as to the seller’s listing<br /> at the request of the seller.</p> I am not a lawyer, but it seems that if these websites do not allow home sellers to opt out of having their home discussed, they could be in violation of the new DOJ/NAR settlement rules.

With respect to any VOW that……
(i) allows third-parties to write comments or reviews about particular listings or displays
a hyperlink to such comments or reviews in immediate conjunction with particular
listings,………

the site shall disable or discontinue those features as to the seller’s listing
at the request of the seller.

]]> By: David McGraw http://www.1000wattconsulting.com/blog/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html/comment-page-1#comment-2649 David McGraw Fri, 20 Jun 2008 04:41:56 +0000 http://wp.1000wattconsulting.com/2008/06/online-real-e-1-2.html#comment-2649 <p>To be fair, <a href="http://wwww.Propertyqube.com" rel="nofollow">http://wwww.Propertyqube.com</a> dedicates I think a total of 6 pages to searching for real estate. Our #1 most active popular pages is our Conversations Board. </p> <p>Even on the home page, Search may be the first thing, but it's not even close in terms of the real estate space dedicated to the social aspects of the site. </p> <p>I think the work we have done at Propertyqube.com is a great start towards that local conversation. We just launched new user home pages which deliver local content to local people, and the conversations are getting more and more local. If you take some time to really dig into the site, you'll see that we are approaching exactly what you are describing while having to maintain the original teaser content of Real Estate Search. </p> <p>Give it another look.</p> To be fair, http://wwww.Propertyqube.com dedicates I think a total of 6 pages to searching for real estate. Our #1 most active popular pages is our Conversations Board.

Even on the home page, Search may be the first thing, but it's not even close in terms of the real estate space dedicated to the social aspects of the site.

I think the work we have done at Propertyqube.com is a great start towards that local conversation. We just launched new user home pages which deliver local content to local people, and the conversations are getting more and more local. If you take some time to really dig into the site, you'll see that we are approaching exactly what you are describing while having to maintain the original teaser content of Real Estate Search.

Give it another look.

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