With the advent of applications like Google Maps, various mash-up website strategies have emerged, especially within the Real Estate industry. This is certainly not surprising given that the industry has long echoed the mantra: location, location, location.
Another trend among industry websites has been more of a focus on localism. What is the local neighborhood like, what do the other homes in the neighborhood look like, what other neighborhoods are near-by, are there any walking distance shops and restaurants? These are just a few of the common questions on the minds of today’s online home shopper. This is especially the case if one is relocating to a new and unfamiliar area.
For some time now Real Estate websites have been offering navigation map searches that are populated with listing markers but the element of local neighborhood / subdivision maps populated with localism popups and optional local photos is a relatively new phenomenon and worth watching.