[Trawling for On-Line Real Estate Data]

AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT of real estate and related economic and demographic data now resides on-line. Not all raw data is information, however, just like not all forms of ocean life are a ready-to-eat fisherman's platter.

Before one dives into the vast information-ocean on-line, one should realize that most of this ocean is only inches deep. In fact, often one may only bring up an old boot or tire. Still, if one navigates to the right spots and uses the right gear, a few keepers can be landed.

The type of information you will find runs the gamut. Most can be found in the free fishing grounds open to the public (e.g., The Web, The Internet, etc.). Other information can be found in the private reserves (e.g., BBSs, AOL, CServe, etc.), where you will pay to get in. Here you can pull up organized, problem-specific information such as comparable real estate sales or customized, demographic or industry- or company-specific financial data, etc.

Out on the open on-line seas, despite the fact you will see scattered, meaningless flyers, brochures, and junk mail floating by, there are still a few spots where you can land desirable bounty.

To save you some time, I've included a treasure map of useful and informative on-line real estate and related sites where you may want to cast your nets.

[Fishing Rod]

Information SuperDriveway SM

Obviously, we think the best on-line locations are Property Valuation Advisor's Information SuperDriveway SM, and PVA's other on-line site, Property Valuation Monitor SM.The Information SuperDriveway SM recently was awarded the Int'l Real Estate Directory's "Excellent Gold Star" rating for a real estate-related Web site by this web-rating service.

What can you find in PVA's SuperDriveway SM? Stacks of user-friendly, real estate news, information and other features to keep you both amused and informed. For amusement you will find the "World's Greatest Quotes", "A Timeline of Firsts in Real Estate", "Population Info" since the beginning of time, "C-o-o-l Web Sites" and "Worst Web Sites". Also, as you travel through the Driveway SM, you may find yourself tripping over a bicycle strewn in the Driveway SM and taking a fall, but we promise, it won't hurt.

On the more serious side, you will find a series of reviews of "Free Real Estate Publications", "Great Real Estate Publications", back issues of Property Valuation Monitor SM (PVM), a direct link to the current issue of PVM SM, as well as direct links to the Web's "Best Commercial and Residential Real Estate Web Sites".

Other real estate Web sites you may want to visit, while you are on the Web, include the following:

[Talking Computer]

Commercial Real Estate Sites

Residential RE Sites

Entertaining RE Sites

We are excited about the Information SuperDriveway SM and PVM SM on-line. I hope you will stop by and take a look around. The Information SuperDriveway SM is located at: http://www.shore.net/~straub/pva.htm. PVM SM is located at: http://www.shore.net/~straub/pvm.htm. See you on the Web.

The author, Stephen Traub, ASA, is Chief Commercial Appraiser for Property Valuation Advisors, Newburyport, MA. He is a certified general appraiser in NH, ME and MA. He can be reached at (508) 462-4347 or:

By e-mail at: [Mailbox] straub@shore.net.

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