Online tools can help you stay above the competition

THANKS TO THE INTERNET, buyers of real estate can preview a site before actually visiting it. Increasingly, buyers, brokers, and corporate real estate executives are utilizing web-based mapping applications to obtain the most current and accurate property information. These early adopters are gaining

Online property mapping systems link aerial images and correlating map data on the Internet to form dynamic, customizable property views. Unlike street maps, which are one-dimensional and only show relative locations (not features on the ground), digital aerial maps are interactive. You can customize aerial maps to show the actual features of an area in multiple map layers. These tools are simple to use and provide prospective buyers with an interactive birds'-eye view of neighborhoods and properties in near real-time.

Say you're looking for a site to build a new shopping mall. To make the most informed decision, you would need to know the area's demographics, its environmental conditions, the quality of neighboring areas, access to highways, etc. With modern Internet mapping tools you can make accurate assessments of these disparate factors within minutes. Information about properties nationwide can be searched and viewed at one sitting without site visits, which saves time and money.

Dynamic aerial maps convey 80 percent more information than drawn maps or simple diagrams. Imagine leasing a building near a factory that you didn't see, versus near a park that you did. Industrial and even parking facilities can be seen in their entirety and in relation to features nearby.

Conventional maps and diagrams are cumbersome and inefficient, and waiting for them to be delivered from government agencies or suppliers can take days or weeks. In contrast, Internet mapping applications are easy to obtain. They can be accessed online through subscriptions and for a fraction of the cost spent on ordering aerial photos and associated maps. Dynamic maps can even be integrated with a company's internal database.

For instance, hovering street maps can appear translucently as a mouse is moved over data retrieved from a property information database. Assessors' data, street names, click-able hotel locations, and other information can be directly overlaid on, or displayed next to the online maps. Advanced mapping applications have "map servers" that are able to retrieve, compact, and deliver content to small display units while still allowing comprehensive navigation and interactive viewing. This means that individual maps and aerial images can be displayed not only on your desktop or laptop, but also on a wireless PDA or mobile phone in seconds.

Today, with market conditions for commercial properties favoring sellers, parties looking to buy, invest, or lease need to perform more of their own due diligence, otherwise they risk obtaining sites "as is." Having accurate, up-to-date valuation and property assessment tools is critical for risk analysis. Utilizing online mapping systems significantly reduces your risk while providing the most complete geographic property views available online.

Rob Shanks is president of GlobeXplorer, LLC, a division of Landata Group, Inc., which is part of Stewart Mortgage Information. Mr. Shanks has dedicated his career to expanding and promoting the benefits of spatial technology and associated information. A pioneer in Internet and Intranet-based map and information sharing technology, Shanks has extensive experience leading the development of innovative technology products and services. He has developed state-of-the-art spatial information systems for a wide range of business services in both the public and private sectors. Mr. Shanks can be reached at rshanks@globexplorer.com