Google's gig in real estate quietly moving ahead

A post on Google's Blog today discussing features the search giant is incorporating into real estate searches hints that the search company may be planning more. (Also, remember the big deals it signed with Realogy a month ago?)

The title, "Homes, not just homepages," depicts how the Google search works -- search for San Diego real estate and we'll show you actual homes, not just the search results associated with broker sites and listings aggregators. Click on search results and the company has incorporated them into a Google Map (suspiciously looking more like Trulia.)

Google takes an industry-friendly approach: "We don't charge for photos or offer 'featured listings'…We don't sell houses, deal with agents' compensation, or charge for leads. Our business is helping people find the information they're looking for -- when you have it, we send them directly to you."

That brings up a question: If Google listings uploads are free and the company is not charging to send traffic to the broker Web site, then wouldn't it make more sense for brokers to use the free listings service rather than pay for pay-per-click ads in real estate search results? Kind of sweetens the pot even more for listings to go there.

Google also points to a new discussion group about real estate where people can discuss problems or ideas they have for better functionality.

Could this be Google's big year in real estate?

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