Ever get a call from a listing prospect and you want to have an idea of what the house looks like before you get there?  Or wonder if the home has good curb appeal? 

Well, now there is Google Street View.  Simply type in an address on the Google search box and a map will appear.  If your home's street is highlighted in blue then there should be a photo box that you can click on.  Click on that photo and you'll get Street View.

It's pretty handy.  And pretty cool.  But a couple warnings;

• Not every street is available.
• Not every view is accurate.

For instance, the photo up top is of one of my rental properties in Olathe, Kansas.  When I typed in the address it actually had me almost 1/4 of a mile off to the west.  So I just moved the photo on down the street until I got there.  But it would be harder if I didn't know that the house pictured wasn't my house.  But like I said, this is an income property of mine, so I figured it out pretty quickly.

Play with it and have fun.  It's pretty easy to use.