Revealrealestate
The key to cutting a great deal in Central America is getting hold of objective market information to determine fair value. Trouble is, in Central America investors can't draw on industry databases like the Multiple Listing Service. There's no equivalent to zillow.com or trulia.com and information from real estate agents and developers is prone to exaggeration and hype.
This is where http://www.revealrealestate.com comes into play - a free service that aggregates real estate prices from developments in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Belize and puts them online. For each development, the site provides location information via google maps and a set of charts that compare real estate prices with the median for the country as a whole. Savvy buyers will also want to know how far a development is along with its master plan and its proximity to services. So http://www.revealrealestate.com tracks whether the community amenities are completed or still in planning phase and provides an estimate of driving time to the nearest town and international airport.
The objective is to cast some light into the darkness of the real estate market in Central America. In doing so, investors will make more informed real estate decisions and be able to negotiate better deals with sellers and agents. Until now this data has been beyond the reach of the average buyer or seller in Central America. The good news is that with this data now online, investors can do much of their homework without ever setting foot on a plane or getting in a car.
Trust may become the watchword for the real estate industry in US in 2009. But in Central America the clarion call is still for more transparency.
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
