How to find property prices– on the ground

News Category: Industry News

An ‘augmented reality’ iPhone service has been released that gives sold price data for properties.

No ordinary app, the data is made available via a virtual reality application called Layar, which delivers the data to the camera of the mobile phone, overlaying the information on a real view of the world.

Developed by AYR Communications, two versions have been launched, ‘Sold House Price Data 2010’ and a free ‘Average Sold Price Data 2010’.

Using a combination of the mobile phone’s camera, compass and GPS data. the Layar app identifies the location and field of view, and overlays recent sold price data from the Land Registry based on the user’s geographical coordinates.

With both services, users can also switch to Google Map view to access TakeMeThere directions or to ‘List View’ for even easier overview of multiple properties in the location and even direct access to Street View.

Filters can further be applied to base on a wider search radius up to 5km and include property types from detached, semis, terrace or flats.

Users will need to download the free Layar browser from the iPhone App Store or Android marketplace, and then they can explore this year’s sold house price data instantly.

The free service provides updated average sold price data for the postcode sector which typically consists of 15 local sold properties.

Users can upgrade to the paid-for service, which provides updated information for individual residential sold prices throughout 2010, via the in-app purchase facility.
 
Layar browsers are to be pre-installed on iPhone, HTC, LG and Samsung smart phones by the end of the year.

AYR Communications has used Layar for other services, such as finding hospitals, churches, postboxes and discount hotels.

The free Layar augmented reality browser from the Apple App Store is at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/layar-reality-browser/id334404207


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