Reality TV

reality
reality

 I am not sure how to say this .. . I don’t want to disappoint anyone but about those reality TV shows where people go house hunting or flip houses.  Trust me when I tell you that those shows are not reality and they can warp your ideas about what house hunting is like.House hunting isn’t the same for everyone and some folks need to look at a ton of houses and other people only a few.  When working with a real estate agent each is a little different and I am more different than most. (no it isn’t Friday)

When sellers watch these shows they actually get some good ideas like that they should clean up their homes and stage them before they put them on the market so I guess it is alright if home sellers watch the shows except for the parts where there are open houses.  Couple are not going to flock to your 400 square foot condo on a hot Sunday afternoon all dressed up in suites and be greeted by a real estate agent who looks like model. . . sorry to disappoint.    

Some of your neighbors will show up and the agent holding the open will try to talk them into selling their houses too and some buyers will come through who have not yet met with a lender and can only afford a place in the 50K range once they clear up the bankruptcy and get caught up on the back child support.

. . .after reading what I just wrote I get why people like reality tv shows they are an escape from reality and maybe the way the world should be but isn’t.  

OK lets compromise . . I won’t roll my eyes when you mention that you are a fan of a house hunting show if you stop telling me about it. 

Augmented reality

The latest version of the mobile app for our MLS (multiple listing service)  now has “HomeSpotter” which is augmented reality.  The app is just for realtors at this point but there will be a consumer version in the near future.

Home buyers can put the app in their iPhone or android type phone and point the camera in any direction and the homes on the market that are nearby that are on the market will show up on the screen.   

I took the screen print from my iPad while I was at CoCoMSP on 4th street near Sibley in downtown St. Paul.  I pointed the camera North and it shows that  5 properties at 168 6th street, also known as Airye condominiums and it shows some office space available at 401 Robert Street North.  

The little round circle in the lower left corner shows which direction the device is pointing and the yellow dots show real estate for sale or rent.  

homespotter
homespotter

It seems to be fairly accurate.  The data is coming from our MLS which is a reliable source.  Sadly an app is only as good as the data that it uses.