After disappearing for a time after the launch of the initial test last December, real estate listings are back in mobile Google search results in some markets.
Just like the initial test, listings appear under sponsored search results, and they include a full property detail page, links to request a tour, contact an agent and, in some markets, a map of all available listings. The launch markets include many of the same many major cities, including Miami, New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Austin, San Francisco and Los Angeles.
The listing displays are still powered by HouseCanary’s ComeHome.com platform. However, in the California test markets, listings are provided directly from California Regional MLS (CRMLS) while listings nationwide brokered by an agent affiliated with an eXp World Holdings’ brand, are being provided directly by eXp.
A spokesperson for HouseCanary confirmed to HousingWire that this is just a continuation of the pilot program the company launched with Google late last year.
eXp Realty CEO Leo Pareja told HousingWire that the integration is an expansion of his firm’s previously announced syndication agreement with ComeHome.com to premarket the firm’s coming soon listings.
“As soon as we worked out the coming soon listings, we pivoted to make sure they had all of our listings,” Pareja said.
Pareja added that they eventually hope to see this pilot program go nationwide.
“I believe Gemini is going to be one of the winners of the LLM race and making sure our data is on Google seems like the responsible thing for visibility and transparency,” Pareja said. “While other companies are focused on exclusivity and walled gardens, we are focused on transparency and maximum exposure for our clients.”
CRMLS did not wish to comment on the pilot program or its relationship with HouseCanary and Google.
As real estate listing portals, including Zillow, Redfin and Realtor.com, have begun launching application integrations within LLMs like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, many in the housing industry have questioned if this usage falls within MLS data usage and IDX feed rules. In turn, this has opened a discussion surrounding both the modernization of MLS rules and listing data control.
