“Is your home updated with the most recent security patches?” Will that soon be part of a home buyer’s due diligence? I already ask for utility information (cost, providers, etc) Googling a property address is…
Posts tagged Google
Leave Now – Google
Did you know – Google has a “leave now” option that integrates traffic? Pretty handy, I’d say. When leaving downtown Crozet for the National Ground Intelligence Center up 29 North: But at rush hour, add…
Photosphere and Hyperlapse – Two Interesting Tools
Google have released a new tool that further enables users (us) to help them map the world. Photosphere was just released for the iPhone (it’s been available on Android for a while) and it’s quite remarkable. I’m not sure just how useful it is, but it’s mighty interesting. Photosphere will certainly help me detail for my out of town/country clients, but I don’t know if it’s any better than video, despite the higher resolution.
Curious? This is a photosphere I took of the new Lochlyn Hill neighborhood, currently under construction.
Hyperlapse by Instagram/Facebook is different, exciting – and differently useful. In comparison to the static, 360º images provided by the Photosphere app, Hyperlapse has been described as “a $15,000 Video Setup in Your Hand.” I see great potential for Hyperlapse for telling stories – the stories that make a city, an area, a neighborhood, a street – compelling.
Interesting times, and with the new iPhones being released with seemingly infinitely more powerful processors, I think we’ll be seeing an a lot more Hyperlapses and Photospheres.
An example – Downtown Crozet is in the midst of Streetscaping right now …
I Won’t Know What You’re Thinking Anymore
I won’t know what you (the readers) are thinking anymore – and that sucks. Google’s not sharing keyword information with site owners anymore … and this is huge.
For years I’ve looked at the keywords that have brought visitors to RealCrozetVA and RealCentralVA to discern what questions to answer and what was trending in the minds of my readers and visitors.
I know my business cycles as the keywords shift from “buyers agent in Charlottesville” to “fall foliage in Charlottesville” and “Is Charlottesville the inspiration for Who-ville” (no) and “buying a home in Charlottesville in spring.”
Google’s changing all that. I wondered about this a few weeks ago, but this week brings confirmation.
It appears that Google has cut off keyword data altogether.… This means no more keyword data will be passed to site owners.
If you’re interested in reading a bit more, Moz has a useful post.
What this means is that I (and other site owners) need to accept not knowing search keywords anymore. Such is life.
So … I won’t know what questions you’re asking anymore unless you actively ask me (you know – send me a message or call or text me – 434-242-7140).
While keyword stuffing in an attempt to game Google has been common practice by many (not just in the real estate writing space) for years, I’ve done that only a handful of times – and have stated my intentions every time.
Ultimately, as I don’t have my own Building 43 filled with people smarter than the Googlers, I’m going to keep trying to write about stuff that interests me, answers questions about the Charlottesville real estate market, growth, politics, etc and will continue to try to answer my clients’ questions.
Zillow + Google = Amazing Times Ahead
Google Now + Zillow. Big times ahead …
Almost every buyer with whom I work checks Zillow (and I have to tell them Z doesn’t have a direct MLS feed, so the data isn’t always accurate. They check zestimates in addition to property assessments because they’re looking for an objective valuation.
Fewer Trees = Income Inequality
Fascinating.
Income Inequality as Seen from Space
I’d love to post some photos here about some of the areas in Charlottesville that might match this hypothesis, but won’t so as not to potentially violate fair housing laws.
That said, I’d be curious to know what you might find.
If you’re looking, use Bing Maps rather than Google Maps; Bing is much, much better.
Update 18 July 2012: Mashable has a long story on tree density’s relation to income.