Newsroom

Point2, Local Matters team up on Facebook app

Companies seek to capitalize on popular social network

Inman News 

Point2 Technologies Inc., which offers online tools for real estate professionals, and media technology company Local Matters Inc. on Wednesday announced an agreement in operating Point2's Facebook Neighborhoods application.

The application for Facebook, a social networking site with about 70 million active users, draws from Point2's database of international neighborhoods. About 800,000 Facebook users have installed the application, to date. The application allows Facebook users to view who lives in their area and post or view information about local events or issues of interest. Real estate brokers and agents who use Point2 Agent Web site and property listing syndication tools can post property listings information for free on Facebook or choose to purchase enhanced property ads at the site.

Facebook is the sixth most-trafficked Web site on the planet, according to metrics company comScore, and over 20,000 applications have been built for the Facebook platform.

Point2's neighborhoods database forms the foundation for the company's real estate search portal, at Point2Homes.com.

"The deal incorporates a perpetual, revenue share and cooperation structure that enables both companies to capitalize on the application's future growth," according to the announcement, and Point2 will continue to syndicate property listings information and enable advertising bookings by its members into Facebook Neighborhoods under the terms of the deal. Local Matters will handle ongoing development and marketing efforts for the application, the announcement states.

"We view this as a long term strategic partnership that leverages the synergies of two complementary organizations," said Perry Evans, founder and CEO for Local Matters, in a statement. "We're excited to partner with Point2 to capitalize on a very unique opportunity to connect one of the world's largest social networks to a range of community centered local content and services."

And Saul Klein, Point2 Technologies CEO, said in a statement, "With social networks redefining marketing, Local Matters' deep knowledge and focus in local publishing and advertising will enable both our organizations to fully expand and capitalize on the application's unique position on Facebook."

U.S. firm acquires Point2 application

The StarPhoenix 

A Facebook application developed by a Saskatoon company has been acquired by a U.S. online media publisher.

The deal involving Point2 Technologies Inc.'s Facebook Neighborhoods application will allow the company to maintain and develop the application's database while Local Matters Inc. will assume marketing and development efforts for the program.

The application draws on Point2's database that forms the basis for the Point2 Homes real estate search portal.

"We cannot think of a more strategically viable partnership and path to continue to develop Neighborhoods for Facebook, optimize its benefits for our members and tap its revenue potential than with Local Matters," said Saul Klein, Point 2's CEO, in a company release.

Given the rising popularity of marketing through social networks, Klein believes the partnership will allow both groups to capitalize on the application's position on Facebook.

The strengths of the two companies complement each other, said Perry Evans, CEO of Denver, Colo.-based Local Matters. In the release, Evans said his company, which offers consumers a means to search for local content both online and through voice-based directory assistance, is excited to connect to one of the world's largest social networks.

"Events that occur in your neighbourhood are extremely important to consumers, which makes Neighborhoods one of the most substantial and useful applications on Facebook, even in its early stages of adoption," he said.

No financial details of the acquisition were released.

Point2 launched the application in July 2007. More than 800,000 Facebook users have installed the application.

Facebook "Neighborhoods" app sold

I didn't realize that Saskatoon was a hotbed of software development, but that's where a Facebook real estate application was developed by Point2 Technologies.

Point2, a 100-person company that also has offices in Vancouver, B.C., is a big player in the real estate software industry, producing software for syndicating listings.

That platform was the basis for "Neighborhoods," an application that lets users learn about nearby users and learn about and share information about community events. (Sounds a little like Zillow's community tools; I wonder if the folks there are going to widgetize their stuff for social networks?)

Today Point2 announced that it's selling the "Neighborhood" application to Denver-based media publishing company Local Matters.

The unusual deal is actually more of a partnership, since Point2 will continue to power the application for Local Matters, which will handle the marketing. Financial details weren't disclosed.

Online Home Listings Provider Local Matters Buys Point2’s Facebook App

By David Kaplan

Local search marketer Local Matters has acquired online real estate listings syndicator Point2 Technologies’ Facebook app. Financial terms were not released. Point2 had been hoping to get attention for its “Neighborhoods for Facebook” app, which it released last summer. Point2 claims that 800,000 Facebook users have downloaded the app, which is aimed at prospective apartment renters and home buyers. Local Matters plans to build more services around the Facebook app and will continue to develop it.

Point2 Technologies Software Application for Facebook Acquired by Local Matters

Companies build an alliance of combined strength to capitalize on the emerging local-social market

Saskatoon, SK and Denver, CO, May 27, 2008 – Point2 Technologies Inc. (“Point2”), the real estate industry’s largest independent provider of website and listing syndication software for real estate professionals, and Local Matters, Inc. (“Local Matters”), a media technology solutions provider and specialized online media publisher, today announced an Agreement of Sale and Cooperation for Point2’s Facebook Neighborhoods application.

The deal incorporates a perpetual, revenue share and cooperation structure that enables both companies to capitalize on the application’s future growth.

Local Matters will assume the ongoing development and marketing efforts for the application, drawing on Point2 for maintenance and development of the Neighborhoods database upon which the application is based.

“We view this as a long term strategic partnership that leverages the synergies of two complementary organizations,” said Perry Evans, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Local Matters. “Events that occur in your neighborhood are extremely important to consumers, which makes Neighborhoods one of the most substantial and useful applications on Facebook, even in its early stages of adoption. We’re excited to partner with Point2 to capitalize on a very unique opportunity to connect one of the world’s largest social networks to a range of community centered local content and services.”

Point2 launched Neighborhoods for Facebook in July 2007. To date, 800,000 Facebook users have installed the application. Facebook boasts over 70 million active users and is the 6th most trafficked website in the world today, according to comScore.

The Neighborhoods application for Facebook draws on Point2’s proprietary and dynamically updated international neighborhoods database that forms the foundation for the Point2 Homes (www.Point2Homes.com) consumer real estate search portal.

“We cannot think of a more strategically viable partnership and path to continue to develop Neighborhoods for Facebook, optimize its benefits for our members and tap its revenue potential than with Local Matters,” said Saul Klein, Point2 Technologies Chief Executive Officer. “With social networks redefining marketing, Local Matters’ deep knowledge and focus in local publishing and advertising will enable both our organizations to fully expand and capitalize on the application’s unique position on Facebook.”

Under the deal, Point2 will continue to syndicate listings and enable advertising bookings by its members into Facebook Neighborhoods.

Further details about the transaction have not been disclosed.

Neighborhoods for Facebook enables consumers to find out who lives in their area, stay up to date on, or post information about local events and issues of interest to their community. Real estate brokers and agents who use the Point2 Agent website and listing syndication solution can also automatically post listings for free on Facebook, as well as purchase enhanced placement on the site in a highly targeted, hyper-local manner.


About Local Matters
Local Matters, Inc. is a media technology solutions provider and specialized online media publisher focused on the local search industry. It offers solutions that enable consumers to search for local content both online and through voice-based directory assistance. Local Matters owns and operates a network of thousands of locally oriented websites featuring content directed at consumers seeking extensive information about specific local shopping or planning activities. Local Matters delivers its media technology solutions to 22 Yellow Pages publishers in 14 countries, and 26 directory assistance service providers in 12 countries. More information can be obtained at www.localmatters.com.

About Point2 Technologies Inc.
Point2 Technologies develops and markets web-based software solutions for the real estate and heavy equipment industries. In real estate, Point2 is the largest independent provider of website and listing syndication software for real estate professionals, with over 185,000 brokers and agents subscribing to the Point2 Agent platform, in 100 countries. Point2’s real estate user base continues to grow by over 1200 additional members each week. Point2 also owns and operates the real estate consumer search portal, Point2 Homes (www.Point2Homes.com).

In the heavy equipment industry, Point2 is a leading provider of e-commerce solutions, powers Caterpillar Inc.’s global heavy equipment dealer network and owns and operates www.UsedIron.com, one of the largest used equipment venues online.

Founded in 1996, Point2 Technologies is privately held and employs a staff of 100 at its headquarters in Saskatoon, SK and its Vancouver, BC offices. More information can be obtained at www.Point2.com.

Point2® is a trademark of Point2 Technologies Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

Media Contact

Roger Noujeim
Vice President of Public Relations
Point2 Technologies Inc.
Toll Free: 1-888-955-7900 (U.S. and Canada)
Tel. 1-604-675-9393 Ext. 224
rnoujeim@point2.com
 

Point2 and RealtyTrac Enter Marketing Partnership

RISMEDIA

Point2 Technologies Inc. (”Point2″), one of the industry’s largest independent providers of website and listing syndication software for real estate professionals, and RealtyTrac Inc., a leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, announced a marketing partnership agreement that aims to extend both organizations’ market reach and exposure while establishing new revenue streams at the same time.

According to the two companies, Under the deal, Point2 will integrate access to RealtyTrac foreclosure listings, on www.Point2Homes.com. The integration will enable the site’s growing community of nearly 1.2 million unique monthly visitors to access and research the latest foreclosure and bank-owned properties in the United States, as well as related market data, through a simple subscription process.

“With interest in foreclosures unabated, our partnership with the industry’s leading provider of pre-foreclosure and bank-owned properties makes the consumer experience on Point2 Homes that much more valuable and comprehensive and it creates a new lead generation channel we can potentially leverage to drive more business to Point2 members,” said Saul Klein, Point2 Technologies chief executive officer.

“We’re extremely excited to partner with Point2 to integrate RealtyTrac foreclosure properties on Point2 Homes,” said Rick Sharga, vice president of marketing at RealtyTrac. “Point2 Homes has and continues to grow at a solid pace, mainly due to the appeal of its unique, rich and detailed listings online consumers seek today. This partnership will enable RealtyTrac to provide foreclosure data to Point2’s growing audience and thereby help us continue to carry out our mission of making foreclosure data more conveniently accessible to more people.”

Each month, says the company, 1.2 million unique visitors research real estate on Point2 Homes, which is reflected in 11 million page views, and 1,500 new listings are posted to the site daily by brokers and agents, augmented with up to 36 photos, property details, neighborhood information and virtual tours.

With U.S. foreclosure activity up 112% in the first quarter of 2008, foreclosure properties are becoming a more sizeable segment of the overall real estate market, generating more interest from buyers, investors and real estate professionals who want to tap into this previously hidden market.

The companies say that this announcement reflects part of a larger plan for cooperation between Point2 and RealtyTrac.

Syndication & Your Business

RISMEDIA

Today, the word “syndication” is used in the real estate industry to express the distribution of listing information to various websites and/or Web portals.

While it was once thought that exposing a listing in one spot on the Internet and driving consumers to that spot (the early theory for Realtor.com) was the best way to market a listing on the Internet, in today’s Internet environment, this no longer makes any sense. Why? Because a real estate listing is a marketing asset owned by the listing broker, and, in addition to the direct economic benefit of having a listing, it provides other, less tangible benefits, including increased brand awareness and the ability to attract new buyers and sellers.

On the Internet today, distribution trumps destination as content moves to where users go, and users go to many different sites-Yahoo!, Google and Craigslist, for example.

Remember, a listing is a marketing asset. It is important to note that not all listings sell and, consequently, commission dollars are not earned on every listing. However, costs are incurred for every listing. Part of the value proposition in the taking of a listing, and the advertising and marketing of that listing, is the marketing and brand benefit the brokerage derives. Multiple sites result in maximum exposure.

Having to enter listing data at multiple Internet locations is time consuming, and more companies today are providing a “single point of entry” and then distributing the content to various websites for brokers. One of these syndication companies is Point2 Technologies (http://Point2.com), which currently syndicates to 29 partners.

The various websites to which Point2 customers can syndicate their listings not only gives the broker (and agents) greater branding and exposure, but it also generates leads. These leads are then seamlessly passed back to the members.

Additionally, when a listing broker advertises their listing or listings on syndication partner websites, the listing exposure is tracked. As a result, the listing broker can see which syndication partners provide advertising and marketing value to the listing broker. The listing broker can use this information in a variety of ways, including providing feedback to sellers as to the traffic the listing generated.

Saul Klein is a Realtor and nationally recognized speaker and consultant. He is CEO of InternetCrusade as well as Point2 Technologies.

Point2 Technologies and RealtyTrac Enter Marketing Partnership

Deal Provides 1.2 Million Monthly Visitors on www.Point2Homes.com with Access to RealtyTrac Foreclosure Listings

Saskatoon, SK and Irvine, CA, May 15, 2008 – Point2 Technologies Inc. (“Point2”), the industry’s largest independent provider of website and listing syndication software for real estate professionals, and RealtyTrac Inc. (www.realtytrac.com), the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, today announced a marketing partnership agreement that aims to extend both organizations’ market reach and exposure while establishing new revenue streams at the same time.

Under the deal, Point2 will integrate access to RealtyTrac foreclosure listings, on www.Point2Homes.com. The integration will enable the site’s growing community of nearly 1.2 million unique monthly visitors to access and research the latest foreclosure and bank-owned properties in the United States, as well as related market data, through a simple subscription process.

“With interest in foreclosures unabated, our partnership with the industry’s leading provider of pre-foreclosure and bank-owned properties makes the consumer experience on Point2 Homes that much more valuable and comprehensive and it creates a new lead generation channel we can potentially leverage to drive more business to Point2 members,” said Saul Klein, Point2 Technologies Chief Executive Officer.

“We’re extremely excited to partner with Point2 to integrate RealtyTrac foreclosure properties on Point2 Homes,” said Rick Sharga, vice president of marketing at RealtyTrac. “Point2 Homes has and continues to grow at a solid pace, mainly due to the appeal of its unique, rich and detailed listings online consumers seek today. This partnership will enable RealtyTrac to provide foreclosure data to Point2’s growing audience and thereby help us continue to carry out our mission of making foreclosure data more conveniently accessible to more people.”

Each month, 1.2 million unique visitors research real estate on Point2 Homes, which is reflected in 11 million page views, and 1500 new listings are posted to the site daily by brokers and agents, augmented with up to 36 photos, property details, neighborhood information and virtual tours.

With U.S. foreclosure activity up 112 percent in the first quarter of 2008, foreclosure properties are becoming a more sizeable segment of the overall real estate market, generating more interest from buyers, investors and real estate professionals who want to tap this previously hidden market.

Today’s announcement reflects part of a larger plan for cooperation between Point2 and RealtyTrac.

About RealtyTrac Inc.
Ranked as the third largest real estate site by MediaMetrix and No. 53 on Inc. magazine’s 2006 Inc. 500 list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies, RealtyTrac Inc. (www.realtytrac.com), is the leading online marketplace for foreclosure properties, providing all the resources that home seekers, investors and real estate agents need to locate, evaluate and buy properties below market value.

Founded in 1996, RealtyTrac publishes the largest and most comprehensive national database of pre-foreclosure, foreclosure, For Sale By Owner, resale and new construction properties, with more than 1 million properties across the country, property reports, productivity tools and extensive professional resources. RealtyTrac hosts nearly 3 million unique visitors monthly and has been chosen to supply foreclosure data to MSN Real Estate, Yahoo! Real Estate and The Wall Street Journal’s Real Estate Journal. For more information, visit www.realtytrac.com.

About Point2 Technologies Inc.
Point2 Technologies develops and markets web-based software solutions for the real estate and heavy equipment industries. In real estate, Point2 is the largest independent provider of website and listing syndication software for real estate professionals, with over 185,000 brokers and agents subscribing to the Point2 platform, in more than 100 countries. Point2’s real estate user base continues to grow by over 1000 additional members each week. Point2 also owns and operates the real estate consumer search portal, Point2 Homes.

In the heavy equipment industry, Point2 is one of the largest providers of e-commerce solutions, powers Caterpillar Inc.’s global heavy equipment dealer network and owns and operates UsedIron.com, one of the largest used equipment venues online.

Founded in 1996, Point2 Technologies is privately held and employs a staff of 100 at its headquarters in Saskatoon, SK and its Vancouver, BC offices. More information can be obtained at www.Point2.com.

Point2® is a trademark of Point2 Technologies Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

Media contacts:

RealtyTrac
Michelle Sabolich
Atomic Public Relations
Tel. 1-415-402-0230
michelle.sabolich@atomicpr.com

Point2 Technologies
Roger Noujeim
Vice President of Public Relations
Point2 Technologies Inc.
Toll Free: 1-888-955-7900 (U.S. and Canada)
rnoujeim@point2.com