Large consumer search portals like Google, Yahoo, and AOL have had an interesting, if not mystical strategy toward real estate. Today, AOL made an announcement to become a syndication channel for real estate listings.
Perhaps AOL is going against the grain, or perhaps they finally found a great partner who made it easy for them to get enough quality listings on their site to make it a viable search solution for property. In today’s announcement, AOL Real Estate search will be powered by Move through the ListHub Syndication Network.
No doubt, the strategy for AOL and Move fits. Both companies wants to stay competitive or surpass the 50 Million monthly visitor mark set by the combined Zillow/Yahoo Partnership. I am rather surprised that neither AOL or MOVE have seen significant stock share valuation bumps as a result of the awesome Zillow IPO. It also kinda makes me wonder what the next partnership looks like for search giant, Trulia.
Here is the announcement from the Move Press Release.
AOL REAL ESTATE LAUNCHES NEW SEARCH EXPERIENCE POWERED BY MOVE, INC.
New York, NY – (August 17, 2011) – AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL) today launched a new real estate search experience on AOL Real Estate that is powered by Move, Inc. (NASDAQ:MOVE), the leader in online real estate. The new search experience includes a powerful new search engine delivering homes for sale, foreclosures, new homes, off market, and recently sold properties provided to AOL through Move’s ListHub syndication network.
The AOL Real Estate search experience powered by Move now delivers enhanced tools that enable users to refine their search by multiple criteria including open houses, new listings and price reductions, and connects them directly to real estate agents. Additionally, the new platform now delivers home values search, expanded school and neighborhood content, a mapping experience provided by MapQuest, and more. These capabilities in combination with AOL Real Estate’s real-time news, how-to guides, videos and information platform provide the millions of AOL users with a richer, more complete experience in their search for a home.
“Buying or renting a new home can be a daunting prospect, so we want to provide the best home buying information and service to our users as possible, which is why our partnership with Move, Inc. is so important to us,” said Jay Kirsch, VP and General Manager of AOL Money and Finance. “With its expertise in the listings business, Move, Inc. enables us to provide an unsurpassed hub of data and tools that are pivotal to moving decisions. This is the first of a number of upcoming enhancements to AOL Real Estate that will make the site a singular destination where users can be both inspired and empowered in their search for a new home.”
Real estate professionals can now expand their reach and marketing power when syndicating their listings to AOL via Move’s ListHub syndication network through an exclusive advertising program. Move is offering real estate advertisers access to millions of AOL Real Estate visitors through a special marketing program featuring the Showcase Listing Enhancement treatment. Move’s Showcase Listing Enhancement program includes expanded agent and office information, up to 25 photos, full motion videos, open house alerts, banners, and expanded property descriptions.
“We’re excited to launch the AOL Real Estate search experience powered by our proprietary technology and to deliver an exceptional search experience and accurate data to millions of AOL visitors,” said Move, Inc. Chief Executive Officer, Steve Berkowitz. “Move’s mission is to connect consumers with real estate professionals so they can be successful together in purchasing homes. This is an important milestone for both AOL and Move that can significantly advance our ability to exceed expectations buyers, sellers and real estate professionals have towards us as category leaders.”
In January 2011, Move, Inc. and AOL signed an agreement giving Move exclusive rights to power the AOL Real Estate homes for sale search experience.
About MOVE, Inc.
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