DMP is also offering web developers the opportunity to use its ParcelStream™ application programming interface (API) in their web applications for a free trial.
Online real estate applications gain sophistication with parcel-level data
Imagery enabled mapping tools like Microsoft® Virtual Earth™ and Google Maps™ allow prospective property buyers to click on a map and see a satellite or aerial view of a piece of property. As the online real estate market matures, many sites are adding additional layers of information.
"In the early stages of online buying and selling, consumers were content to get a basic aerial map showing the general location of the property. But as the market matures, consumers want more detailed information," Jim Skurzynski, president and founder of DMP, said.
Skurzynski added that this parcel-level data allows buyers to see neighboring property values, the specific features of the lot (e.g. size and depth), determine how close it is to major roads and whether it is adjacent to any public land or open space areas.
Innovative real estate sites have begun layering this parcel data, available from county governments, over digital imagery and road maps to give users a more complete picture of properties. However, parcel data is not readily available from some counties and can be difficult to acquire and maintain. Because DMP is able to deploy these complex data sets via ParcelStream™, a web service, DMP customers are able to incorporate parcel information from hundreds of counties into their applications without having to invest in research, acquisition, normalization, aggregation and maintenance.
Redfin's expanded parcel data gives users advantage
With the incorporation of ParcelStream™, Redfin.com offers parcel data to customers in Boston and Washington, D.C. for the first time and increases its coverage in California and Washington state. Further, Redfin now can leverage the value of parcel data without the hassle of sourcing, processing and maintaining the data in-house.
"With the addition of ParcelStream™ to Redfin.com's maps, home buyers have access to even more information about a listing by actually being able to see a property's boundaries," said Bryan Selner, director of product management at Redfin. "By teaming up with Digital Map Products for affordable and scalable parcel data, the development team is freed up to focus on adding new features and improving the online experience for buyers and sellers."
Digital Map Products offers free trial of ParcelStream™ API
In order to help its potential customers understand the immense value of parcel-level geocoded data, Digital Map Products is offering web developers the opportunity to use its ParcelStream™ API in their web applications for a free trial. This simple API allows real estate sites to instantly display parcel lines, geocode addresses to tie parcel data to an accurate and precise location, and provide interactivity to parcel data. It also allows users to query by assessor parcel number (APN), federal information processing standard (FIPS) or street address to pinpoint the exact location of the property.
"This offer allows sites using Microsoft® Virtual Earth™ or Google Maps™ to insert a small amount of code and instantly see the advantage of adding parcel-level data," Skurzynski noted. "Digital Map Products is offering this fully functional trial so that developers can see how quickly and easily they can parcel-enable their websites to provide their customers more property information and a heightened user experience."
Information about ParcelStream™ is available at www.parcelstream.com. The ParcelStream™ API trial is available at http://trial.parcelstream.com/.
About Redfin
Redfin ( www.redfin.com) is the real estate industry's first online brokerage, currently available in the Washington, D.C. area, including Central Maryland and Northern Virginia, Greater Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, Greater Seattle and Southern California, including Los Angeles, Orange County, the Inland Empire and San Diego. By combining maps, listings, tax records and analytics, Redfin has become one of the most popular brokerage sites. Customers who use Redfin.com to buy or sell properties earn a refund of most of the commission traditionally due their broker, and get full support in paperwork, offer presentation, negotiations and closing. Redfin has one of the highest customer satisfaction rates in the industry, and is the only brokerage with a 100-percent-customer-satisfaction guarantee. To give the Redfin service a try, visit www.redfin.com; to keep track of our daring exploits via our blog, go to blog.redfin.com.
About Digital Map Products
Digital Map Products, Inc. was the first provider of subscription web applications that embed Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology to enhance workflow productivity. Based in Santa Ana, California, the company's SaaS products serve more than 350 customers, representing about 150,000 registered users. Its ParcelStream™ web application is powering national real estate websites with millions of hits per month. Products include online applications such as LandVisionTM for the research, acquisition and management of land assets, CityGISTM and CommunityViewTM for government and ParcelStreamTM for web developers. To learn more, visit http://www.digitalmapproducts.com.
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