According to the Financial Times, Google is in talks with estate agents in Britain to launch an online property portal for the UK, similar to one that already exists in Australia. Through that one, agents list properties and show pictures from Google Maps Street View.
FT Douglas & Godon (an estate firm) commercial director Ed Mead as its source, who claims to have spoken with Google about the plans. No comment has been received from Google on the matter.
“It looks very simple. If it stays free, then Google has a massive winner on its hands as it will get the backing from estate agents currently paying for rival sites,” Mead is quoted as saying.
Concern has been expressed as to how such a portal would affect other UK-based real estate web sites, but in Australia, such sites are still getting listings. However, some also think Google getting more heavily involved in real estate listings could have a further effect on newspapers, which are obviously already struggling.
Last month Google to Google maps. Now you can just search for “real estate” or other real estate-related geographical queries and get listings. Listings now have their own “place pages.”
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