Seattle Housing Buzz

Add John L. Scott Real Estate to the list of real estate companies (Zillow, Coldwell Banker, Trulia) developing applications or enhancing features specifically for Apple’s iPhone.

With its latest mobile release, JLS took heed of iPhone’s popularity. According to Pat Giles, VP of Marketing, “The iPhone represents over 50% of all smart phone web traffic and its growth is outpacing other devices by a significant margin. We felt it was important to tap into the iPhone user and provide a fluid online experience that maximizes the phone’s seemingly limitless capabilities.”

New Features for iPhone on JohnLScott.com:

• WebApp: instead of creating an application that must be downloaded and updated, JohnLScott.com automatically detects the iPhone and provides specific enhanced features to those users.
• Geo Location*: GPS technology automatically pinpoints your location and then displays real time real estate information as you go. Click one button and see all nearby homes for sale and open houses; you may also locate the nearest John L. Scott office.
• Touch Gestures: use your fingers to slide from one photo to the next.
• Orientation Change: rotate your iPhone for landscape (wider) view of information and photos.

* Compatible with iPhone OS 3.0 or greater

Other changes to the mobile application, applicable to other smart phones, include:

• Larger Photos: Click on the individual thumbnails to reveal larger images that allow you to get a better view of the home.
• Orientation Change: For smart phones that support this functionality the screen automatically adjusts itself when the device is rotated.
• Property Tracker: Now you can sign into your Property Tracker account, view saved favorites and saved searches, save new favorites, as well as see your Online Agent’s contact information (if applicable).
• Agent Search: This search tool allows you to easily look up John L. Scott agent contact information while on the go; one click to call or email.
• Additional Search Fields: Square footage and acreage have been added to the existing search fields which include address, radius, price, and numbers of bedrooms/bathrooms.

Tags: iPhone, iPhone real estate, John L Scott, Trulia, Zillow

So you’re out about town looking at homes, or not, and you come across a house for sale that strikes your interest. You like to know more about it, like the price and how many bedrooms it has and maybe view a few photos, but darn it, the flyer box is empty and you really don’t want to call the listing agent. If you’re like most, you jot down the address or listing number and wait till you’re home to check out the listing online.

Or, you can pull out your web-enabled mobile phone to view the listing online right there and then.

I looked at websites of technologically forward real estate companies in Seattle to compare the ease of conducting a property search (depth and ease of locating the address and MLS# search options) and the display of the information including viewable sized photos as well as the number of pages and clicks that are needed to view the property information. Here’s my unscientific test results using my Treo 755 w/Palm OS, ranked from worst to best.

6. Redfin

Redfin’s site is not optimized for mobile browsing and viewing the website on my phone shows an awkwardly chopped-up display in order to be viewable in a mobile browser. I made several attempts to search for listings but kept getting an error stating the page was too large to display, then a JavaScript error. Redfin’s site was the only one to return a JavaScript error. If I’m on the road I’m not going to mess with trying to view listing info on Redfin.

After loading the necessary JavaScript, it didn’t help much. The maps didn’t load and I got other errors indicating data could not be displayed. Though, I did come across a comment from one of their program managers on the Redfin forum indicating a mobile version is in the works.

Verdict: Ranks last since I couldn’t successfully conduct a property search on my phone, however results may be different with other mobile operating systems and/or browsers.

5. Re/Max

The Re/Max site had the most limited search features which made it more difficult to narrow down to a specific property, but it did include an MLS# search that was just one click from the home page. An address search option is available but was four convoluted clicks away.

And, like the other company websites, it had a very chopped-up display. However, once you got past all that and viewed the actual listing info, they provided all of the listing details on a single page. This is great since you don’t need to wait for additional pages to resolve. But, I was only able to view one photo; clicking on the next photo button didn’t do anything but reload the page.

Verdict: Probably the best display of listing information, but it requires a convoluted four clicks to access the address search feature and trouble viewing photos.

4. Coldwell Banker Bain

CB Bain does not offer a mobile version, either, and their website is displayed in a chopped-up format. Their pages are large which takes quite a bit of time to fully download, plus I also received a page too large to display error.

The site offered an MLS# search on the home page with the address search feature two clicks away, which is a bit much considering how long it takes for each page to display. The initial listing page provided basic info and required one additional click to get detailed info and viewable sized photos. However, once the pages resolved, it was pretty easy to read and navigate through. The address search was a bit awkward with the city field showing up in between the house number and street fields.

Verdict: It simply took far too long to access and download the listing information.

3. John L. Scott

As with all of the sites above, the John L. Scott website is not mobile optimized, formats the site awkwardly and is slow to resolve. It offers a couple of search options on the home page including an MLS # search, but the address search was two clicks away.

The initial listing page provided basic property information and a single photo. Though, additional information and thumbnails were another click away. Unfortunately, I was not able to view the other images in a decent viewable size.

Verdict: Results were similar to CB Bain (developed by the same tech firm) with the lack of viewing other photos offset by a faster download time.

2. Windermere

Windermere does not offer a mobile optimized website and the site displayed in the choppy format as well.

Fortunately, the Windermere site provides an address and MLS# search option on the home page, which made it very simple and considerably faster to access the listing information. However, detailed info and photos were on multiple pages requiring additional clicks and wait time. The listing page shows one viewable photo with a link to the photo gallery that only display thumbnails.

Verdict: Windermere offers the most accessible search feature for non-mobile site, but viewing listing information necessitated navigating multiple pages and only had thumbnail photos.

1. John L. Scott Mobile

John L. Scott is the only company to offer a mobile optimized website which can be accessed at m.johnlscott.com.

The site is basic, just a home search application that’s stripped of unnecessary options which makes loading and navigation faster and more user friendly. The home page defaults to an MLS# or John L. Scott property code search option with an address search option one click away.

If you have the MLS#, the mobile application displays all of the listing information on a one page with a single photo. Unfortunately, the site does not provide additional photos.

If you enter an address, the application returns all of the listings at that address (e.g. condos) as well as all available properties within a 1-mile radius. This is a great feature when you’re out looking at properties and you want to see what’s available near the one you’re at.

Verdict: The only mobile-optimized site, so by default, ranks first. Though, the experience is diminished by the omission of viewing multiple photos.

Tags: , CB Bain, Coldwell Banker, John L Scott, mobile website, Redfin, Remax, Windermere

This Labor Day weekend, the Ashworth Cottages at Green Lake took huge price reductions, ranging from $70,000 to $150,000 on few remaining homes. Ashworth Cottages is a newly completed development of 20 Craftsman-style detached and semi-detached 5-Star Built Green homes that are LEED Platinum certified.

MLS #28117831, 8015-B Densmore Ave N
Priced reduced $70,000 to $529,950 on 8/30/08
(total of $140,000 decrease since 7/08/08)

MLS #28149204, 8010 Ashworth Ave N
Priced reduced $80,000 to $789,950 on 8/30/08

MLS #28107563, 8021 Densmore Ave N
Priced reduced $150,000 to $649,950 on 8/30/08

Elsewhere in North Seattle, I’ve noticed a few significant, cumulative price reductions recently. Here’s a sampling that I’ve come across that have been reduced around $90,000 to $250,000 since they were originally listed. Those currently in pre-foreclosure have had the biggest drops.

MLS #28124184, 5810 56th Ave NE
Original List Price: $1,000,000 listed on 5/8/07
Current List Price: $750,000, now in pre-foreclosure

MLS #28124738, 9734 Sand Point Way NE
Original List Price: $800,000 listed on 7/17/08 (yes, 2008)
Current List Price: $550,000, now in pre-foreclosure

MLS #28123987, 827 NW 65th St
Original List Price: $588,000 listed on 8/30/07
Current List Price: $419,000, now in pre-foreclosure

MLS #28118563, 3718 NE 70th St
Original List Price: $950,000 listed on 2/1/08
Current List Price: $859,900

MLS #28015462, 10741 19th Ave NE
Original List Price: $839,900 listed on 1/25/08
Current List Price: $739,000

MLS #28096595, 10745 19th Ave NE
Original List Price: $845,000 listed on 9/27/07
Current List Price: $757,000

Tags: Price reduction, Seattle Homes For Sale

The NWMLS Board of Directors recently approved a revision to its data display policies that will take effect July 3, 2008. The change is not overwhelming but is significant in that additional, pertinent information will be made publicly available, namely the listing price history and the cumulative days on market (CDOM). I know Redfin is feverishly working to incorporate the new info. No word from the major companies (Windermere, CB Bain, John L Scott), however, they do not currently publish all available data as it is.

Tags: NWMLS

Buyers, sellers and real estate enthusiasts can now receive up-to-date sold property information via email. John L. Scott Real Estate, the first company to publish sold property data, has added a sold email feature.

Users can now easily keep track of Seattle’s housing activity. Whether you’re a buyer or seller you can sign-up to receive notification when a property has closed and at what price it sold for. Since the information comes directly from the NWMLS it’s the most up-to-date available.

To utilize the feature, sign up for a John L Scott’s Property Tracker account and create a search using the Interactive Map search option.

Related:
Improved search information on John L Scott
Neighborhood Wizard search feature

Tags: John L Scott, Seattle Real Estate

John L. Scott has also launched an enhancement to its interactive mapping tool on www.JohnLScott.com. Now, visitors to John L. Scott’s website can view sold home information right along side homes for sale (see below). John L. Scott originally launched comparable sold property information in 2006 which appeared on its own mapping interface, but with this latest enhancement, consumers can view all homes for sale as well as those that recently sold on one interactive map.

Sold properties will now show along side active properties; solds in red and actives in blue.

In addition to the map, a list option is available:

By default, the sold listings are included in the search results. Users can remove the sold listings by unchecking the “Show Sold Properties” box:

In fact, I would suggest unchecking the box before viewing the listings in the Gallery view otherwise the solds will be included:

Tags: Home Search, John L Scott, Sold Data

Soon home buyers will be able to view home search listings right on their computer desktop. John L. Scott Real Estate is launching a Desktop Delivery tool that’ll enable home buyers access to the most up-to-date home search results. Users who download the gadget will receive new listings that meet their home search criteria on their desktop. The tool updates every two hours and works only with Vista.

According to Lennox Scott, John L. Scott’s CEO, “Visitors can download a gadget for any (and every) saved search, enabling them to have the most current, relevant home search information right on their desktop. Scott said “It’s like having a miniature slide show of your favorite homes for sale right at your finger tips.”

In the past six months, John L Scott has seen a 14% increase in its Property Tracker home search accounts. With over 100,000 accounts, the company notes that home buyers want to receive new listings as soon as they hit the market. The desktop tool provides a simple and immediate means of delivering the information to home buyers.

John L. Scott Real Estate has been an industry technology leader introducing many innovative internet tools and features for buyers and sellers, including high-definition and bird’s eye view images, the neighborhood wizard mapping tool and sold comparable data.

Tags: Home Search, John L Scott

Today, John L. Scott Real Estate launched an new search feature allowing users to pinpoint searches to a specific neighborhood or even a city block. The new feature is called the “Neighborhood Wizard” and works by allowing users to use a polygon tool to draw their own search parameters.

Based on Microsoft’s polygon tool technology, John L. Scott is the first real estate company to utilize this feature.

John L. Scott was the first real estate company to incorporate Microsoft’s Virtual Earth technology and provide sold listing data directly to the public, leading the real estate industry as one of the most forward thinking, innovative companies.

Using the new search feature

1. Start by visiting John L. Scott’s redesigned home page and click on a state:

2. Using the mouse, hover the rectangular box over the desired area to zoom to that location:

3. Above the map search screen the new “Neighborhood Wizard” button appears (You can also recenter or zoom into a specific area). Upon clicking the button, the mouse will change to a crosshairs (”+”) and instructions will appear:

4. Close Up of the “Neighborhood Wizard” button:

5. Click on a starting point and drag the mouse to begin drawing the desired search area. Click on the mouse to add a new point and continue:

6. To complete the drawing area, return and click on the point of origin (the blue dot) or click on the “Done” button”:

7. The results will automatically appear on the map when the shape is complete. You can also use the zoom in / out and scrolling options.

8. You can also refine your search future by utilizing filters on the left side of the map:

Then, view listing information by clicking on the “View property details” link.
This is a great way to narrow a search to a specific neighborhood, block or condo building, thus only showing the available properties you’re interested in.

Tags: John L Scott

Just taking a little poll to see if anyone uses Realtor.com to search for properties.

Thanks.