Home > Blogs > Tracy Santrock > Raleigh, Cary, Apex NC Real Estate Blog

Will Google Make a Big Splash in Real Estate?

By Tracy Santrock

Real Estate Agent with Santrock Realty Group Inc. , 244213

January 22, 2010 12:43 AM

I recently attended the Inman News Real Estate Conference in New York City(and Raincamp too). It was a great opportunity to finally meet a few of the Activerainers I've met online over the years. There were a number of exciting panels and C-Level Executives from many of the leaders in real estate.

One of the panel discussions I found most interesting was Brad Inman's one-on-one interview with Sam Sebastion with Google. Sam discussed Google's possible plays into real estate and Googles strategic acquisitions into vertical market segments that may occur in 2010. If you haven't heard Google did mention that they are in talks with Trulia.com to possibly purchase them. Sam also mentioned that Google is already hosting listings on their site under google maps. Below is a screen capture of listings in my area.

If you were a consumer which online real estate site would you use?

As you can see from the Alexa traffic chart I pulled today Realtor.com, Zillow.com, and Trulia.com are by far the most utilized homes searches in the country. Consumers now have a number of homes searches to choose from - my own home search on my website, my companies website, Yahoo.com, and others. I've found a number of my clients utilize FMRealty.com because they like local searches and others that like Trulia.com because they like the data presented on the site.

How will the landscape change if Google enters real estate with a big splash? What kind of an impact do you see them having on our industry in general?

Related Video:

Brad Inman's Interview with Google

Comments(23)

Comment

Show All Comments

Sort:

Ray Saenz

Exit Realty Laredo - Laredo, TX

Homes for Sale in Laredo, TX - Texas, Realtor

Tracy,
I believe that Google will be the leader in many fields of businesses, I'm using it a lot for many things and you know specially my Android Google phone :P

Jan 22, 2010 03:40 PM

Tracy Santrock

Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC

Raleigh - Cary Broker

Pat, I agree

Jan 22, 2010 08:09 PM

Jim Frimmer

HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA

Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

Google reminds me of a movie I saw many years ago where McDonald's owned everything -- restaurants, department stores, gasoline stations, grocery stores, etc. Many 10 or 20 years from now Google will own everything. They certainly are trying.

Jan 23, 2010 05:53 AM

Tracy Santrock

Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC

Raleigh - Cary Broker

Jim, it used to be Apple, then Microsoft, and now Google(with Apple on the rebound). It will be interesting to see how this plays out!

Jan 23, 2010 08:28 AM

Tracy Santrock

Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC

Raleigh - Cary Broker

Rumor on the street is that Google is looking to pay $150M-$200M..That's a nice paycheck for Peter Flinn!

Jan 23, 2010 09:51 AM

Maria Morton

Platinum Realty - Kansas City, MO

Kansas City Real Estate 816-560-3758

I think I saw that movie, Jim! Is it the one where people cannot think for themselves? Need machines to accomplish the simplest of tasks?

Tracy, people are using the Google search in Kansas City now. It works well and is user-friendly. It may change the way some consumers find homes. It will be interesting to see what effect that has on the way real estate transactions are handled. One thing the general public may want to be wary of is making decisions based on the information found on the internet. I understand that some buyers will use on line services to write contracts and do their own negotiating. I have seen people get some really bad deals this way.

Jan 23, 2010 04:26 PM

Glenn Weilbacher

Watson Realty - Saint Augustine, FL

Goofle may join the frey but there is no way that a major player, be it Google, Zillow.com or Trulia.com can really compete with the local Realtor who provides more and better overall information on a local real estate market. I've had many of my Internet home buyers comment on the poor experiences they had on the big major sites.

Jan 24, 2010 03:19 AM

Tracy Santrock

Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC

Raleigh - Cary Broker

Glenn, you can still be a great agent and supplement your real estate practice with all 3 providers in my opinion. I agree that the Zestimates are not always accurate and so do my clients. The reality is that buyers will use these sites in the future. We are no longer the keeper of the keys. The best Realtors will continue to practice and succeed in real estate because of their knowledge of the market.

Jan 24, 2010 03:38 AM

Sam Miller

RE/MAX Stars Realty - Howard, OH

Knox County Ohio Real Estate Specialist

The direction this heads will be very interesting and I agree that the Realtor.com, Trulia and Zillow are at the top but am still surprised by how fast Zillow and Trulia shot to the top in such a short time.

Jan 24, 2010 11:09 PM

Tracy Santrock

Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC

Raleigh - Cary Broker

Sam, it appears the public likes choices and doesn't want to be force fed into using Realtor.com as their only source of information.

Jan 24, 2010 11:25 PM

Ross Quintana

Real E Smarter - Spokane, WA

Real E Smarter Real Estate Coach - 509-362-1966

Tracy, as with everything Google does, you can bet it will dominate. I also think Google is going to be the one stop shopping so why go to other sites when people already use google all the time.

Jan 25, 2010 04:36 AM

Peter Di Eduardo

West End Residential - Morristown, NJ

My interest in Google extends to its use a a tool for expanding my real estate business as well as increasing my internet exposure. Hence, my use of a Google/Android phone. If it helps reach the public more effectively then the tool worked as planned. Microsoft led the way with Windows computing, Dell/Gateway made inexpensive computers and data/cable/satellite carriers made high-speed connections more accessible to the public which spawned Web 2.0. Google and others seem to be leading the charge for Web 2x

Jan 26, 2010 04:35 AM

Tracy Santrock

Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC

Raleigh - Cary Broker

Hi Peter, I absolutely love your positive attitude. You are embracing the changes rather than fighting them and staying ahead of the curve in the process! Here's to Web 3.0 and beyond!!

Jan 26, 2010 09:33 AM

Kate Elim

Dockside Realty - Spotsylvania, VA

Realtor 540-226-1964, Selling Homes & Land a

Hi Tracy...I have one couple that used ListingBook.com. I looked at it and it looks pretty good.

Kate

Jan 26, 2010 11:03 AM

Kathy Anderson

Arizona Luxury & Lifestyle Living - Cave Creek, AZ

Arizona Homes For Sale

There's no way to fight the changes so why NOT embrace them. We are in the information age and I feel my clients are far more ready to purchase by the time they call me to see the homes. I think Google will rock it big time.

Some may have misconceptions about our retirement community market (much better than the bad press Phoenix real estate as a whole has) but after helping them sort through the info they've accumulated I feel I spend far less time in the car running them around.

Jan 27, 2010 09:56 PM

Don Wixom

RE/MAX Executives Nampa, ID - Nampa, ID

"Looking out for your next move..."tm

The public will grasp hold of whatever is most convenient & easy to use without being interrogated!

Jan 31, 2010 02:38 PM

Ralna Burridge

The Mortgage Centre - Vancouver, BC

Hi Tracy,

Google definitely will be one stop shop.

Feb 16, 2010 11:00 AM

Mike Yeo

3:16 team REALTY - Frisco, TX

Tracy,

Google will have some advantages since they have a powerful search engine and maps. I usually use the street view to look at places that I am going to. It would be interesting to see how it would play out.

Feb 23, 2010 03:41 PM

Tony and Libby Kelly

Keller Williams Realty Portland Premiere - Lake Oswego, OR

CRS, ABR, ePro, SRES, CLHMS, CDPE

Good question Tracy. I welcome Googles entry to real estate. Their tools are great and I look forward to the integration with apps for my Android. Now, if Apple would start making real estate applications so I could stop using clunking applications like Top Producer 8i, I would be thrilled.

Feb 26, 2010 02:10 AM

Gary Pike

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers - Powder Springs, GA

It's funny how one minute I was led to believe that I should stay away from Google and now it is here to stay. so far I like what I see from Google and will try to imbrace what it offers in my business plan.

May 04, 2010 12:27 AM

Older Post

Newer Post

Rainmaker
535,154

Tracy Santrock

Raleigh - Cary Broker

Service Areas

Real Estate Resources

Welcome to my Cary NC Area Real Estate Blog. This blog provides area real estate information and resources to guide homeowners and buyers through the process of selling and buying a house, townhome or even investment property. If you are interested in Cary NC Real Estate, please e-mail me here for a personal response! Thanks and let's get blogging!

Visit Short Sale Superstars

Comments(23)

Tracy Santrock

Service Areas

Real Estate Resources

Additional Information