Google "My Maps" Proves Useful in House Shopping

After looking at a dozen or more houses in a short time, the memory of what I've seen often blurs together. Google's "My Maps" feature helped me to keep the locations and vitals of houses in perspective. I've heard complaints from many consumers that the various MLS Web sites are antiquated, and buggy. In my experience, they are black holes that suck Time and provide little organizational value.

The dream is a system that has all the listings available, bundled with criteria search and annotation. Google Base strives for that, but falls short in the completeness of listings. Several properties that showed up in my Re/Max Actris "Gateway" were nowhere to be found in Google Base. Zillow is trying to fill the gap with a house-valuation approach, but their details are spotty as well.

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Google My Maps provides a workable solution until someone has done the golden mash-up. I searched in my realty-provided gateway, selected addresses, and then added them to My Maps. Using Google Map search, I search for an address or a business, click on the desired result on the map, and then Add to My Maps". I can choose the saved map or create new one. The UI switches to the My Maps tab, and a word balloon highlights the newly added location. On the balloon, I click edit, and can paste in descriptions, prices, and photos. I can give the location markers symbols.

A nice feature to add to this interface would be numbering the locations listed, so that a quick glance from list to map could match them up. Lacking that, I used the symbols available (camper, cup, river, push pin) to distinguish houses.

Glad He Relocated

I sat down to lunch with "Sam", who moved from New York City to Austin a few years ago, and is happy with his relocation. Sam is an easygoing guy who greets people with a smile and a tap on the shoulder. He keeps an electronic picture frame on his desk, with revolving pictures of his family.

Monte: What were some of the milestones that you passed in getting established in your new town of Austin?

Sam: I was flying back and forth a lot between Austin and New York, managing a sales territory for a New York company. I had one foot in both places -- two apartments and all. A turning point for me was during one stint in New York, when I found myself thinking, "I wish I were back in Austin." When I was in New York, I would hear coworkers say, "I can't believe you are moving there." They held a lot of stereotypes about Texas. I asked one guy what the basis of his opinions, and it was a trip he'd made 20 years ago -- to Houston! I found myself defending Austin, and then I knew I had developed an attachment to the town.

Breaking up with my girlfriend in New York was a big step toward settling here. Before that happened, I couldn't date here, and you see so many attractive women.

Monte: Yeah, you have to train yourself, like swatting a dog with a newspaper. "No!"

Sam: [Laughs.] I lucked out, in that I met another single guy my age. He was relatively new in town, and we just explored the social scene together. I did not buy a house here until later, when I got married.

Monte: So your turning points were more emotional than logistical?

Sam: Yes. I traveled here for my New York job, so I had work, health care, and lots of local contacts. I was not facing the same situations as you. Right away, I found a really great apartment downtown, and I just loved it there. The rent was a little over half what I paid in New York, and I loved the neighborhood. I met a young, vibrant and urbane crowd right away. You are going to feel a lot better when you change neighborhoods.