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News Story

How a Google portal might work in the UK

Friday 4th December 2009

How exactly would a Google property portal work in the UK?

The first thing to note is that if it follows the Australian and US models, it would be powered by Google Maps, not the normal Google search engine.

In other words, users would not go into Google and type in ‘properties for sale in Milton Keynes’.

Instead, they would use Google Maps, where their search requirements would be defined as a map. On this, a number of pinpoints would represent individual property details. A click on each would take the user straight through to the agent’s own website.

Because it is not the usual Google search, agents should be aware that their properties would not be automatically ‘scraped’ by a search engine and added to the site.

Instead, the Google property site would take all its properties from Google Base, which is what updates the maps.

Agents would therefore have to make sure their properties were on Google Base.

So it looks as though the message from the paid-for property portals to agents will be that properties listed on their websites will automatically feed through to Google.

However, according to Andy Stevenson, who has been involved in beta testing in Australia, this will not be the only route.

Individual agents would be able to manually upload their properties on to Google Base, or integrate their own websites, or use a very simple piece of software.

In Australia, he says, agents have been very enthusiastic about populating Google Base with their properties.

His own firm, RealPress, is working on a plug-in that will cost around £20 which he says will be very easy to operate. He says that anyone with a basic knowledge of word-processing would be able to update listings in an agent’s office which would automatically feed to Google Base.

Stevenson is planning to launch the new Wordpress plug-in in the New Year, which is when he expects Google to launch.

No doubt plenty of other software companies will be following suit with similar products.

However, Stevenson does say that because Google Maps are not as familiar to users as the Google search engine, the challenge to Google will be to get consumer traffic.

“It may be that they use the Google search engine and build in links,” he says. “The one thing you know with Google is that when they launch, everything has been properly thought through, tried and tested. They leave nothing to chance.”

http://realpress.net/

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Posted By Simon on Saturday 5th December 2009 10:32:08

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Totaaly agree with the comments. Its clear Ray has a serious issue with Rightmove (is it because they are essential to generating business?). They may have been assisted by agents but you have to agree that Globrix, Findaproperty, Primelocation and Propertyfinder all had the same opportunity and failed to make a difference. I don't expect to run my business for free and can live with £100 per week for the main supplier to my business. The more detail that we find out about Google the more worrying it gets and i beleive we will look back with great regret.

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Posted By Benson on Friday 4th December 2009 21:12:47

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dont go bashing them so quickly, they may have a point (regardless of whether they work for them or not)... how are google going to verify that an agent is actually an "agent"? Do they have reps on the road in the US that verify it? is there a team that is going to make sure it doesn't get spammed? I read an article about bogus companies listing properties then selling agents leads - I think we need more information, and more importantly leads and instructions, before cancelling the Direct Debit.

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Posted By Gary on Friday 4th December 2009 17:45:21

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There he is again the same old pro lines from Aceofspades.Change your name mate we've all seen your hand and it's got Ritemove all over it.Oops did I spell that wrong!

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Posted By AceofSpades on Friday 4th December 2009 15:47:11

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Ray, whatever your thoughts, the public absolutely LOVE Righmove. End of story. This is because it is a fantastic service for buyers and tenants that is extremely user friendly. It is a privilege and an opportunity to have the RM logo alonside yours when promoting yourself to the public. Yes, you are advertising them, but it works both ways. you are gaining consumer confidence by associating yourselves with RM. Also, a RM search for properties in outer mongolia could return a property listed by an agent that the propsective buyer has never even heard of....genereating business for you that was never ever there.

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Posted By Ray Evans of Sheringham - 35 years in the Business on Friday 4th December 2009 12:20:53

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The only reason that 'Rightmove' is top of the tree is because we all ADVERTISE their name on everything (press, details, letterheads etc) - for free! If all NFOPP agents subscribed to and actually advertised their very own portal, 'Propertylive', within a few months it would become well known and used. the added advantage is that private sales or lettings would NEVER appear on the site.

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Posted By ManchesterAgent on Friday 4th December 2009 11:59:14

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My understanding is that in some parts of the states then Google Portal is accepting private sale listings, so maybe its not a good thing.

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Posted By Charlie Wright on Friday 4th December 2009 10:40:51

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If you want to see how its ALREADY working, go to google.com/maps (which will take you to the US site) then use the filter beside the search box to select "Real Estate Search", that will start displaying US properties, then simply drag your way across the map to the UK and you'll see all the existing properties already there, although they are mostly a test selection.
And remember, thebu2iness.com will be providing a completely free uploading service to Google along with its existing free portal upload service

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Editorial Contact Details - Rosalind Renshaw | rosalind.renshaw@estateagenttoday.co.uk | 01252 843 566.