Rain City Guide

ShackPrices Gets an Upgrade

Dustin on 12 23, 2005

It looks like ShackPrices just had their first major update.

ShackPrices is a Seattle-based outfit that focuses on helping sellers value (or “appraise”) their homes.

The new layout is clean and very straightforward. If you’re a King County resident curious to find out what homes in your area are selling for, then using their site will be a breeze. In addition, they have some nice goodies like a direct link from each home to King County Records (and bus stops!).

For what they are trying to do (provide information for home sellers), they do it really well… But it seems pretty obvious that ShackPrices will need to expand into helping home buyers at some point. The obvious missing ingredient is real-time MLS data.

With that in mind, I think the hardest part for them will be creating something that is not easily duplicable. Their interface is easy to use, but at it’s current state, a similar functionality is available to King County residents through Redfin. (and even more data is available without the mapping interface through Property Shark). In addition, Redfin is a few steps ahead in that they already have the infrastructure to display MLS data and to incorporate user/agent data.

About the Author: Dustin Luther

• Author's website: http://www.raincityguide.com/
• More posts by Dustin
• email the author

As the founder of Seattle's Rain City Real Estate Guide, I love to talk, discuss and implement social media strategies that drives business in real estate. In following this passion, I founded 4realz.net Social Media Strategy and regularly speak about social media strategy to real estate audiences. You can connect with me on LinkedIn, become a fan on Facebook and follow me on twitter at @tyr.