The NIREM Blog: Google Tools for Real Estate Professionals

Countless home buyers use Google to browse for real estate information each month. Google offers a full suite of tools for real estate professionals that let you reach prospects in your region at all stages of their home search – while they're looking for properties, checking out locations, and selecting an agent or broker. It's how you reach more sellers, attract more buyers, and sell more homes.

Here's why it pays to use Google to connect to home buyers and sellers:

Google can help generate real estate referrals and leads.
Google has more real estate searches than other search engines combined, and more unique visitors than all real estate specific web sites.
Google is the most-used search engine for researching and purchasing real estate information and services.
The Google Network reaches over 80% of worldwide Internet users.

Google can help you:

Drive leads

Connect and engage with consumers

Save time & money


Here's why it pays to use Google to connect to home buyers and sellers:

Google can help generate real estate referrals and leads. Google has more real estate searches than other search engines combined, and more unique visitors than all real estate specific web sites.¹ Google is the most-used search engine for researching and purchasing real estate information and services.² The Google Network reaches over 80% of worldwide Internet users.

What Google tools should real estate professionals consider?

Google AdWords provides effective, efficient local lead generation. Google AdWords provide the most effective and efficient lead generation for real estate professionals. Google AdWords is the leader in cost-per-click keyword advertising because we offer a measurable, pay-for-performance solution that is 100% accountable. You determine your costs based on your own objectives. You pay only when a prospect clicks on your ad to visit your website. You get real time return on investment (ROI) with conversion tracking data. And you can modify or halt your campaign at any time. Google can target users by location, allowing you to reach home buyers and sellers specifically within your service area(s).
Make your listings more easily searchable on Google and Google Maps Google offers a free service that lets you make your listings easier for home-buyers and real estate agents to find when they look for properties on Google.com. Over 56% of all Internet searches on "real estate" and related terms are conducted on Google and our partner sites, and the majority of those searchers are actively looking for listings or referrals to brokers and agents. You can make sure that people can find your listings by submitting them to Google. By providing your real estate listings to Google, you will broaden your distribution and receive free traffic and leads through natural search results on Google properties. Real estate search results will be displayed on Google Maps, allowing users to immediately zero in on the neighborhoods most attractive to them. By adding your listing information to Google, you can ensure that the right potential buyers will be able to find your properties when they're most actively searching for a home. Create a high performance mapping experience on your own site with the Google Maps API You can also place interactive maps on your own website using the Google Maps API. Display your listings on detailed maps and satellite imagery and give your users a visual, intuitive way to find the property that is right for them. Also, use the Google Maps API to show the location of your office and provide directions to your door. The Google Maps API allows you to display your information with minimal effort.

Fly from space to your listings using Google Earth Give your agents and clients the power of 3D satellite imagery with Google Earth Pro. Exceeding 200 million downloads, Google Earth has redefined the way people interact with real estate and property information. Publish your listings in Google Earth's KML data format to expose them to a new, sophisticated audience. Also, give your company the ability to research and present property information overlaid with school districts, parks, roads and business listings.
List your business where customers are searching via Google Places Over one-third of people looking for real estate information on Google are searching for agents or brokers.⁴ You want your name and address to be displayed when they search. Google Places gives real estate professionals an easy way to submit business listings. Submit multiple locations with a data file and conveniently manage and control listings. Put yourself in front of your customers when they're trying to find you.

Market and sell homes in 3D with Google SketchUp Google SketchUp Pro is a deceptively simple, amazingly powerful tool for creating, presenting, and modifying 3D models. Model your properties in Google SketchUp and give your clients a 3D view. Enhance your website listing by using the animation capability of Google SketchUp Pro. Allow customers to freely explore the home, community and its surroundings in 3D. You can also use Google SketchUp Pro to print to high-resolution devices, place your models in Google Earth, and post them to the 3D Warehouse.
Power your business with Gmail and Google Apps Communicating with colleagues, clients and other agents is essential to every real estate professional. Google offers a package of simple and powerful tools that you can use to communicate and collaborate more effectively, for less. Google Apps includes fully customized email addresses with plenty of storage, instant messaging, sharable calendars, tools for sharing and collaborating on documents and spreadsheets, and even collaborative wikis. What's more, you can access these services and all of your information wherever you are -- at your own desk, on other internet-connected computers, and even while you're on the road with your mobile device. Best of all, there's no special hardware or software required, so you can be up and running with Google Apps with minimal hassles.
Create a Google profile to make it easier for prospects to find you When you've created a business based on your name, you want to be easily discoverable. Creating a Google profile makes it easier for prospects and partners to find you because Google profile results appear at the bottom of U.S. name-query search pages. Your profile can include photos, information about your real estate business, and ways for people to contact you. Turn on the 'Send a message' feature, and anyone with a Google Account can send you a message through your profile, without having your email address revealed to them.
Create a YouTube channel to showcase your listings in a dynamic format Allow your listings to sell themselves and give home buyers the ability to pre-screen potential homes before they contact you by creating a YouTube channel. YouTube actually reaches the specific audiences you are looking to reach: real estate buyers and sellers. Did you know that YouTube viewers are 90% more likely to obtain information about real estate online than the average American?(1) Tap into this audience on YouTube and actively engage with potential home buyers and sellers in this media rich environment. Source: (1) Source: Mediamark Research & Intelligence Fall 2007, Survey of the American Consumer, Base: A 25-54. YouTube user defined as "visited YouTube in last 30 days."