this is very smart because i used to use Zillow whenever i would look for the prices of homes but now?..... google will take it all if it can

dsalehipour

I used this the other week looking for an apartment. Its pretty good. I wish it was more integrated into Google Maps though.

I imported locations into Google Maps manually, to see where the properties were, as well as see how far they were from my office. What was nice was I could save it to a custom map and share the map with friends and collaborate on a place. Unfortunately, it wasnt combined by Google.

Lazarus

Nice, but you have to enter a specific address in the search box to get the listings to show. You cannot just cruise to a neighborhood you are interested in. It would be great if Google managed this the same way they do photos, as a check box off the More... button.

GBMax

This is great. Google Maps is just growing and growing, and i wouldn't be suprised if 3 years down the line, it decided to become a property retailer itself. Because they have the means of advertising already.

an2an

This and the other online tools like Redfin and Zillow are putting real estate agents out of business. Natural progression.

bms

@xxdesmus: Yeah, this isn't new. I've used this as late as last November.

vinylkemist

They've been doing this for at least the past 6 months. I worked for a real estate company last year and we were providing feedback to Google regarding this functionality.

xxdesmus

Just tried this. It's awful. At first it seemed great when I searched in a single zipcode, but when I expanded it to Washington, DC it said there were 1000 listings but almost none of them showed up on the map, no matter what zoom level. (Like nothing for sale in half of the entire city.)

And if you do something like switch between map and text view it forgets your search criteria, and you have to reenter. Does not nearly compare to the search or mapping functionality of Redfin, or even Zillow. The irony is half the time I use Google maps to pinpoint the location of properties because I like Google Maps so much, but this service sucks.

person_x

They've done this for a while, it just wasn't as easy to get to.

milrtime83

GBMax--You can do just that. It's the way I've been using the real estate search for a long time. (I can't remember when I first noticed it though. Some time last year?)

Go to the area you want to find houses in, just by zooming in. No address required. Then click on My Maps and then Google Real Estate Search. It'll show you the houses for sale on the section of map you were looking at with the price, bedrooms, etc. that you specified.

wuzzled

Not only does it map Real Estate it also now maps prostitutes in your neightbourhood! SFW link.

[www.gofrostfire.com]

lind777

[www.housing123.com] for those Canadian users looking for MLS listings.

I'm looking for houses right now and this site has been golden. It appears to be on a one day delay, but it's a great resource to map out locations.

Hope this helps someone out there.

fishlips20

It should be noted that not all listings in your local real estate multilisting database will show up on the Google Map. In fact, by the looks of my quick local search is only a very small percentage. If you really want to see all the houses available in a certain area, talk to an agent.

Equis

@GBMax: You can just put in the city name or the zip code.

HeartBurnKid

I don't even see "real estate" on the drop down menu.

ralyce

MLS'es (Multiple Listing Services, which Realtors have access and you probably do not) are very protective of their data. I doubt they are going to let Google have all of their listings anytime soon, so Google will have to settle for getting listing data third-hand at best.

reachjer

Mapping the real estate items ten at a time is a pain in the neck. How do I map *all* the items in my list?

PhilHut

@Equis: Agreed, call a Realtor. If you want to know what your house or neighbors house is worth just ask! A good agent will blow your mind with data and personal experiences. Much better than these websites.

BTW - If you need a good agent in your area I would love interview them for you! ;)

anthonylitz

Just bought a house in RI. At first I was excited when I discovered this, but soon realized almost every listing in the area I was looking at was no longer active. Zillow, by the way, is far more informative, with info on house and lot features, as well as past sale prices.

mrakins

Am I the only one concerned that Google contacted Lifehacker to update their summary? OMG! Google really is watching the entire interwebs!!

Lazarus