I can’t agree with that given that shortly everyone will be able to upload directly into Google. I like many others believe that Google real estate will be a huge success here in Australia given the huge success it enjoys already as the numero uno search engine.

Given the traffic it already generates it would become the number one property portal very quickly.

Cheers

The Australian version of Google has certainly had real estate as a search option.
It was populated by R.E.View listings i.e. Only R.E.View listings were on it.
It has not been available for a couple of months and was ‘flukey’ at the time i.e. The R.E. search option was sometimes there and sometimes not. (My guess is they were probably ‘crawling’ R.E.View and testing it out).

With such ‘invisible’ placement, Google real estate will certainly not be viable for Aus agents. A pity given Google rates higher than realestate.com.au for real estate searches.

Sal

Craig,

I assume you mean the US (or even the UK) Google Base whereby some Australian Agents including the Harcourts group has uploaded their proeprties too. Google are doing real estate in Australia that is nearly 100% certain now. If like other countries they do it as part of their Google Base the traffic will be driven not by google base but the integration of properties directly into normal google search and google maps.

So properties uploaded to Google Base in either the US or UK version are not being treated to this exposure. Australian users have no way of actually seeing these properties unless they happen to chance upon Google Base which is unlikely. There could be 200,000 listings on the US version it would not make a difference. Until those properties are exposed to Australians the result will always be the same.

I would seriously think that the agents whom subscribe to the theory of hiding addresses to be listed as soon to be extinct. The one thing that the internet demands is an oversupply of information and in the quickest possible time. We have learnt first hand that consumers will bite you hard for holding back vital information as all this does is force them into contacting the agent to get the address.

The internet is a brilliant exponent of the KISS theory that being Keep It Simple Stupid!

There is no doubt HubOnline upload to Domain, I’m just skeptical they would be happy to do this at no cost to the client.

But as Robert points out, as soon as Google launches a product in Australia which is geared towards agents REA will have no choice but to adjust their business model to provide grater value.

Imagine if Google added a real estate button on their homepage which when selected provided the user with a drop down of search criteria for property. When a user entered their search criteria, Google scanned the Google.Base feed and results were made up of properties fed to Google by agents. Property results would link to agent’s websites rather than real estate portals.

This would crush the real estate portals who for so long have been the middle man between agents and buyers!

Robert,

Even though a large number of people search via the address, There is a bit of a dilemma amongst agents about including the address of the property online.

I’ve spoken with a number of agents who don’t want to include the address of the property, simply because they feel that other agents are going to door knock their signs & undermine their listings.

Yet, we have a huge number of consumers who search by address on Google.

With a well optimised company website, I’d have thought that the property address would be absolutely critical to help drive traffic to an agent’s company website. Or at the very least help to by-pass some of your competitors listings on the major portals.

I see nothing wrong with competitors offering bulk uploads to competitors given that this is business not a kindergarten. Very shortly you will be able to upload directly into Google so again it make sense for REA to offer this facility too.

Their business model thrives on the agents being successful so one would suggest that anything that a portal can do in the best interests of their client is also self serving for their business model.

Where the major concerns at present are is that it is being suggested (with strong argument) that approximately 20 per cent of real estate agancies around Australia won’t get through the global financial crisis. If this eventuates each property portal will experience declines and despite their magic traffic wands which produce amazing traffic monthly increases it will be inevitable that they will experience declines. Everything else is in decline!

Google will be an instant hit which would explain why the property portals are looking at rapid consumer care implementation and REA would be most mindful given that they are at the very bottom of the polls.

Given that this is just speculation it will be interesting to see what they come up with – which will be a complete about turn given they have a new CEO. If there is a significant move to Google there is a very strong liklihood that their current models will struggle to survive.

A large proportion of people search properties on Google by address and that is where they find the REA and Domain links – so there is a pretty strong clue