App – ropriate. Part 3: Zoocasa, Zillow and others.

This series of posts concerns what I think I know about smartphone apps and their kin as it relates to real estate.  We had a go at the new CIBC app in part 1, and looked at the mobile version of realtor.ca in part2.

Zoocasa, Zillow and others are websites with accompanying mobile apps that are supposed to represent the future for access to real estate information.

Maybe they do, but they aren’t there yet. 

Zoocasa is supposedly backed by Rogers and committed to developing its content and presence over the long haul.  We, and quite a few other agents in our community, have committed to a presence with them.  (Translated: they can include our listings and our advertising appears on the site).

In our case, we weren’t expecting them to “take off” instantly.  But given their apparent level of commitment and sophistication they seemed to have the best chance.  And we liked “being there” with the ad presence if and when take-off happened.

Advertising and promotion OF Zoocasa has disappointed us somewhat.  As a result we are not sensing that many people are using the site.  Are you?  If you are, tell us about it.

Again, the site and the app will map an area you select and “pin” listings in the area.  You can then call up the details for any listing – photos, room info, listing agent, etc.

Prices: Up? Down? Sideways?

I know. I'm always writing "expert" opinions that amount to "Beats me".  In these times, that seems to be what our expertise amounts to: "We know enough to know that we don't know".  Might make that our new slogan.

This Globe and Mail piece, despite the headline, seems to capture it well.  The Royal Bank report triggering the article takes an "on balance everything nets out and we're ok" position.  If I had to pick, this is probably the position I would take. 

But there remains a part of me that worries that I am just be averaging out more extreme possibilities.  If one doctor says you're fine and will live to 100, and another says you are terminally ill and will be gone at 50, it is not smart to decide that it all means you will live to 75 ... "on average".

The article leads with the Royal report.  But it also notes other predictions that are all currently on the table from knowledgable experts.  One group predicts a 25% slide in housing prices due to bubble indicators, rising rates and high personal debt. (disturbingly, our own financial advisor loiters around some of this thinking)

Another industry group predicts continued price increases in a healthy market and economy.

The Royal decides that an improving economy will balance rising rates and we just chug along about where we are now.  What do you think?

"comfree"

Have you seen the ads on TV for "comFree"?

I first thought this was a new entry in the flat-rate listing segment.  Given the timing -- with the recent news items around opening up the MLS® system, etc -- it made sense that somebody would start some heavy promotion.

Early in my initial investigation, I started getting agitated counting up how many Board and  rules they were breaking on their site.  Then I figured it out!

It seems that this is NOT an MLS® listing service.  It is, in fact, a juiced-up "For Sale By Owner" package.  You get photos, signs and some other support.  You also get on their website and in a "magazine" they publish. Even the market comparison to determine price appears largely do-it-yourself.

The packages list from around $500-900, though they are currently heavily discounted.  You can also buy additional ads in their magazine.

As I read it, you DO NOT get listed on any MLS® system. It would not surprise me if their representatives did offer some sort of listing service or referrals while signing you up for the basic stuff -- but I don't know this and don't see anything on the site that suggests it.  Anyone out there know the answer to this one?

You may have seen "By The Owner" signs in the past, with a traffic light logo.  This is in fact the same company, renamed.and relaunched.

FYI

App – ropriate. Part 2: Realtor.ca

Triggered by a new real estate/mortgage app for your iPhone/Blackberry and an article about real estate and mobile apps, we began a little review of a few of them, starting yesterday with the new CIBC product.  If you missed it, scan down the blog or go HERE.

Today we have a peek at the mobile coulsin of Realtor.ca -- the website familiar to many.  It’s the official public site for the MLS® system.  There is an iPhone app and a WindowsPhone7 app by the same name, with Blackberry en route.

The iPhone app reviews are pretty uniformly negative.  People like the idea but find the app buggy.  I think they are being a little harsh.

App - ropriate?

Real estate apps (and more) for your smartphones.

An ad ran in the Globe this week for a real-estate app for the iPhone and Blackberry. The next day there was an article titled “Bungalow hunting? There’s an app for that”.

They mention a couple of mobile apps and suggest more are coming. They are probably right. So we’re going to give you our take on a few that we have seen.

Let’s start with the new kid. The CIBC product is called CIBC Home Advisor.