How to Use Google Street View to Pick the Right Block

Still searching the old fashioned way?

Just because we’re living with fantastic online tools in the Internet age doesn’t mean everyone is using the Net to make searching for a new home easy.

Take for example the experience I encounter often from customers inquiring about an apartment for rent or property for sale in Brooklyn neighborhoods.

Its happened to us so often that we came up with a nickname describing this disappointing, recurring experience.

Introducing the Five Step Shuffle

Here’s how it usually begins and ends when a customer wants to view a listing they’ve contacted us about.

One, I get a call or an email from a customer about the listing

Two, we discuss by phone what the listing offers and where it’s located

Three, they express interest and discuss arranging an appointment to view

Four, I confirm appointment, give address, cross streets and directions

Five, they arrive for the appointment to view the listing, only to find they’re no longer interested.  Why?

They didn’t like the block where the apartment or property is located and decided it wasn’t where they wanted to live.

Who could blame them.  Even agents know when a block is an obstacle in making a sale or arranging a rental, regardless how attractive the property or apartment is that’s being offered.

But if you notice from the bold blue text in the five step shuffle, the customer had the information to research if the block the listing is on was suitable.

When a customer fails to do their due diligence in researching locations to view, an important relationship fails to launch with that agent.  Just using Mapquest or HopStop for travel directions around Brooklyn isn’t enough.

Because of the amount of time an appointment takes and the level of inconvenience it produces for a property owner, an agent is more inclined to show apartments and properties to customers familiar with the neighborhood and location where a listing is.

Let me help you be a better customer in your home search

I’ve prepared a short video below that will explain in a few steps how you can leverage the power of Google Maps to view locations before you agree to schedule an appointment with an agent.

Google’s Street View will give you an on the ground view of the look and feel of a block you’re going to see an apartment or property on long before you schedule an appointment.  You’ll be able to see…

• the care neighbors put into their homes
• how uniform the properties appear on the block
• types of properties found on the block
• parking conditions for your car
• and what the four corners of the block contain

The moment you use this approach, your home search experience will definitely…

1. improve your working relationship with agents
2. have new listings suggested
3. shorten your home search time on the market

Let us know how your home search has gone after using this block shopping technique.

We’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below, especially if you’re searching for your new place on Craigslist or Backpage.

If this article has been helpful to you, please share it with others on Facebook or Twitter, or anywhere else you hang out on the Internet.

pssst! just click the play button to start the video

How To Use Google Street View to Pick the Right Block to Live On