Property search site HotPads has launched a feature that lets users identify their favorite places on a map and see nearby real estate listings, the company announced Thursday.
"We’ve always wanted to be able to identify ‘personal’ points of interest, like ‘favorite park’, ‘work’, ‘coffee shop,’ etc. We already offer public points like schools and public transportation, but we wanted to get even more granular," said Paul Gleger, HotPads’ spokesperson.
"Seeing these points in relationship to listings makes the search much more personalized and meaningful."
Once users enter a location to search on the site, they can zoom into the resulting map, and click on the "My Points" icon, a green arrow, to designate an unlimited number of places of interest. The feature shows users nearby listings of for-sale homes, rentals, hotels, foreclosures, and vacation homes.
When users click on a listing, a details page pops up alongside the map that includes a calculation of how far the listing is from users’ "points." The page also lets users get Google Maps directions from the listing to the points without leaving HotPads.
A "lasso" search function launched earlier this year allows users to draw their own search perimeter around their points of interest.
On the top-right section of the map, users can click on "save this search" to save their customized map. Through the lasso search, they can also share their map on Facebook or copy a link to share with their friends. That sharing function will be available specifically through the My Points feature within the next few days, Gleger said.