Real estate tech tips: Aerial views and mapping tools

As commercial real estate brokers we are expected to see every property we market and have a good understanding of the surrounding neighbors. Prospective buyer or tenants do not want to hear that we have either not seen the property, do not know what the major cross streets are or where the nearest subway is. We are often asked about exposure, light and air and what is directly behind or on either side of the building. Depending on the type of brokerage you are performing, it is not a reality that you can make it to every piece of property you work on and answer these questions efficiently. The exception is the exclusive you may be marketing in which case it is the broker's obligation to visit the site and walk the neighborhood. Otherwise, you are performing a disservice to your client and any prospective buyers you may be working with. If you or your firm work on volume and open listings, which is pretty much 90% of the industry, there are websites which provide aerial views of the property and surrounding neighborhood. Sites such as http://local.live.com , http://maps.google.com/, and http://www.mapquest.com. These free services allow you to type in the street address and view an aerial of the property, its cross streets and overall neighborhood. Also featured are nearby services, landmarks and transportation, information that may be relevant to your property. Email directions with ease to your clients PC, PDA and cell using their distinct mapping features. There are corporate versions available for these services with added bells and whistles which are worth exploring further. For those of you familiar with these services, it is pretty hard to imagine what life was like without them. For those that have not yet tried them, I can pretty much guarantee that it will help boost your overall confidence in the listing you may be trying to sell. Sound like a pro, stop napping and start mapping. Send comments and suggestions to [email protected] Laurence Ross is a senior executive broker at Besen & Associates and the co-founder of PropertyRover.com, New York, N.Y.