As the popularity of text messaging continues to grow, we’re seeing more ways that entrepreneurs are monetizing it. Take HouseFront, a US start-up that’s currently in beta, that greatly simplifies the process of shopping for a new home. Drive by a house and text in its address to 46873 (spells ‘house’ on a phone’s keypad). A moment later, the complete scoop on the property is returned by SMS, from its estimated worth to the number of bedrooms and baths. Users can also post comments about the homes for others to see, as can a home’s owner. And consumers who are seriously searching for a new home can save each address on the website for later review.
While HouseFront was created to fill a practical need, some visitors have come up with a more entertaining use for the site: texting in celebrity addresses. Posted on HouseFront’s blog are direct links to the homes of Paris Hilton, Bill Gates and Jennifer Anniston, to name a few. That’s bound to generate some buzz for the start-up. But to succeed long term, HouseFront and any similar services may need to assure users right up front that they won’t be harassed by realtors every time they text in the address of a home that interests them.
Spotted by: Bill McMahon
November 6, 2007 at 1:57 pm
[...] Property Info on the Go [...]
November 16, 2007 at 6:57 am
[...] house prices in an area—even by text message, as with HouseFront, which we featured recently in Property Info On The Go—but for renters, such comparative data can be harder to come by. Now, the folks over at [...]
July 25, 2008 at 4:41 pm
[...] Property Info on the Go [...]