For the last few months we’ve seen a flurry of activity in the real estate space, as Real Estate 2.0 companies line up to take advantage of the iPhone.
The latest company to dive in (after Realtor.com and Trulia, see Trulia Launches iPhone Version) is Terabitz. Today they’ve launched a tool where they build a portable MLS search tool for brokers (presumably tapping into their IDX feeds) who want to build a iPhone ready version of their web site.
In some ways, it’s Roost‘s business model brought to the handset.
And frankly I’m a little surprised they got scooped like that. It only seems natural that mobile search will be the next evolution of real estate search – being tied to desktop seems at odds with the mobile nature of a real world hunt for a home (see House Hunting On The Go).
Ultimately, the killer app here will be one that bridges both worlds. One where I can start my search on line, send it to my phone, plot a route to take me round the neighborhoods, rate the properties while on the road (good/bad) and have it sync back to my desktop on my return for follow up.
We’re not there yet, but I suspect it won’t be long. I think once we see native apps on the iPhone (see Apple Announces iPhone 2.0 Software Beta), we’ll start seeing this as a very real possibility.
Now admittedly, the iPhone is still largely reserved for bleeding edge users (the price tag alone precludes a lot of people from buying one – though my wife definitely has her eyes on mine, as soon as the 3G version is released, she’s claimed it). But Apple’s innovation will surely trickle down.
Just like the iPhone’s radical touch interface changed the way we interact with our phones; I’m guessing the platform will soon radically change the way we search for real estate.
