Comments on: Google has the Real Estate Industry on Borrowed Time http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/google-real-estate-borrowed-time/2492/ Because not everyone can throw thousands of dollars at the 'How do we market ourselves online?' question... Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:57:14 +0000 hourly 1 By: Matt McGee http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/google-real-estate-borrowed-time/2492/#comment-176241 Matt McGee Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:11:53 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2492#comment-176241 Hi Carrie - thx for stopping by. Couple things in reply: 1) These place pages for individual real estate listings aren't being included in Google's main search index. So they shouldn't be outranking the crawlable and indexable MLS listings pages that Googlebot crawls on real estate sites. 2) I don't think anything is a leap where Google is concerned. We know their intentions about being the world's primary gatekeeper of information. So yeah, it makes sense that new types of data will continue to be added to Maps. Do you agree? Hi Carrie – thx for stopping by. Couple things in reply:

1) These place pages for individual real estate listings aren’t being included in Google’s main search index. So they shouldn’t be outranking the crawlable and indexable MLS listings pages that Googlebot crawls on real estate sites.

2) I don’t think anything is a leap where Google is concerned. We know their intentions about being the world’s primary gatekeeper of information. So yeah, it makes sense that new types of data will continue to be added to Maps. Do you agree?

]]> By: Carrie Hill http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/google-real-estate-borrowed-time/2492/#comment-175628 Carrie Hill Wed, 25 Nov 2009 15:47:33 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2492#comment-175628 Hi Matt, I'm wondering - we serve a large client base of vacation rental management companies that combine their rental business on their real estate website (certainly against our advice but it does happen.) So I have two questions to ponder here: 1) Do you think Google out ranking the real estate pages will affect the vacation rental pages in any way? 2) Also I'm wondering how far of a "leap" is it to see Google include Vacation Rentals in their Real Estate site...? Would appreciate anyone's thoughts :) ~Carrie Hi Matt,
I’m wondering – we serve a large client base of vacation rental management companies that combine their rental business on their real estate website (certainly against our advice but it does happen.)

So I have two questions to ponder here:

1) Do you think Google out ranking the real estate pages will affect the vacation rental pages in any way?

2) Also I’m wondering how far of a “leap” is it to see Google include Vacation Rentals in their Real Estate site…?

Would appreciate anyone’s thoughts :)
~Carrie

]]> By: Dan Connolly http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/google-real-estate-borrowed-time/2492/#comment-175574 Dan Connolly Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:40:57 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2492#comment-175574 I know it seems on the surface that Google could be a threat if it loaded the listings, but the reality is that real estate really is local and IMO there will never be a national site that can beat a local one. In our area at any given time there are 80-100K listings. Understanding the area values, safety factors, economic issues is critical to helping someone find the right house. We have different areas in our region where the exact same house will cost from 35,000 to 350,000 depending on the location. Looking at a national site like Realtor.com or Zillow which just shows a list sorted by price, or city or county without the imput of the local expert doesn't help anyone make an educated decision. I know it seems on the surface that Google could be a threat if it loaded the listings, but the reality is that real estate really is local and IMO there will never be a national site that can beat a local one.

In our area at any given time there are 80-100K listings. Understanding the area values, safety factors, economic issues is critical to helping someone find the right house. We have different areas in our region where the exact same house will cost from 35,000 to 350,000 depending on the location.

Looking at a national site like Realtor.com or Zillow which just shows a list sorted by price, or city or county without the imput of the local expert doesn’t help anyone make an educated decision.

]]> By: Sue http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/google-real-estate-borrowed-time/2492/#comment-175418 Sue Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:39:23 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2492#comment-175418 Yes it is all really interesting to see where this is going to lead....I have a few real estate clients and they are all taking note! Great post by the way - thanks! Yes it is all really interesting to see where this is going to lead….I have a few real estate clients and they are all taking note! Great post by the way – thanks!

]]> By: Geordie Romer http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/google-real-estate-borrowed-time/2492/#comment-175408 Geordie Romer Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:19:23 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2492#comment-175408 @David Thanks for the reply. I don't mind the HotPads link. I appreciate listing syndication and have worked hard to get my listings as many places as possible. What I find amusing is that Windermere took the time to create a relationship with Google and send all of our listings to Google Base. Unfortunately, I think they tried the "set it and forget it" strategy and haven't followed up to make sure it's working. As I've said before, Google will have to commit to really make real estate listings work. It's a crazy complex world of feeds and data and acronyms. Welcome to the world of IDX vs VOW, RETS and RPR... @David Thanks for the reply.

I don’t mind the HotPads link. I appreciate listing syndication and have worked hard to get my listings as many places as possible.

What I find amusing is that Windermere took the time to create a relationship with Google and send all of our listings to Google Base. Unfortunately, I think they tried the “set it and forget it” strategy and haven’t followed up to make sure it’s working.

As I’ve said before, Google will have to commit to really make real estate listings work. It’s a crazy complex world of feeds and data and acronyms. Welcome to the world of IDX vs VOW, RETS and RPR…

]]> By: David Peters http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/google-real-estate-borrowed-time/2492/#comment-175311 David Peters Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:15:47 +0000 http://www.smallbusinesssem.com/?p=2492#comment-175311 @Geordie - This is David from HotPads. Can you shoot me an email with a link to what you're talking about? dpeters@hotpads.com We syndicate to increase exposure and certainly don't mean to override anyone's own, so if I can figure out where your listings are coming from I will remove them from our Google Base feed. @Geordie – This is David from HotPads. Can you shoot me an email with a link to what you’re talking about? dpeters@hotpads.com

We syndicate to increase exposure and certainly don’t mean to override anyone’s own, so if I can figure out where your listings are coming from I will remove them from our Google Base feed.

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