October 16th, 2009
Weekly Roundup
• Our client Leading Real Estate Companies of the World launches the enhanced RELOHomeSearch.com (via RISMedia):
“‘What makes RELOHomeSearch.com unique is that it serves as a portal to the websites of leading real estate firms around the world,’ notes Eric Bryn, vice president of Strategic Development. ‘This distinction, paired with its robust community content, extensive listings, and cost of living data provided by Onboard Informatics, makes the site an invaluable resource for consumers wishing to identify quality firms while they search for ideal communities and browse for homes.’”
• One couple’s search for a Las Vegas home brought them to a market filled with destroyed foreclosed homes and bank bureaucracy (via CNBC):
“Finally, on day 7 of looking, and after having 7 offers ignored by the banks (who owned all the homes), the Realtor called Katie with ‘a gold mine.’ Yes, an owner-occupied, regular home. A rare non-foreclosure. They went immediately and put in an offer. The owner claims to like them, but she ended up with 10 offers and is still mulling. Ironically, in a market still flooding with new foreclosed properties every day, at the end of their week Katie and her husband met with a local builder.”
• Kayak publishes a slew of search data, giving travelers a look at the popularity of various destinations (via ReadWriteWeb):
“Best known for aggregating travel deals on roundtrip flights, hotels and rental cars, Kayak is now offering the public a peek under the hood. The company is laying bare its most popular destinations and searches via a new trends page. The site offers users a look at what people are searching for, where they’re searching from and the most searched hotels in the company’s top 50 most popular cities. With the travel industry slowly recovering from what has been a tough two years, this data can go a long way towards reinvigorating businesses.”
• Although they’ve dropped slightly, price reductions in major markets are still ever-present at 44% (via RISMedia):
“While many sellers continue to cut their asking prices, fewer are doing so, according to recent data compiled by ZipRealty, national real estate brokerage, which may lead to an upward trend in home prices. According to MLS data, more than 44% of home listings in 28 major markets tracked by ZipRealty in September 2009 included at least one price reduction, down 2.8% from September 2008.”
• Google insources its map efforts (via ReadWriteWeb):
“After a flurry of activity around Google Maps over the last few weeks, it now looks like Google is also ditching Tele Atlas as its data provider for Google Maps in the US in favor of a do-it-yourself approach. Google had been using data from Tele Atlas’ maps since September 2008 after moving away from Navteq’s data after Navteq was acquired by Nokia. Now, Google will use its own data, which it will supplement with data from government sources and a crowdsourcing approach.”
• And finally, since it’s Friday, here’s a lighthearted College Humor spot poking fun at the Google Maps Street View team
Tags: foreclosure, Google Maps, Kayak, Las Vegas, Leading RE, price reductions, relocation, search data, travel data.
If political involvement ranks high in your value system, you’re likely compelled to live in the company of like-minded peers to engage and organize with. In its latest community feature, U.S. News points its lens at the top 
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