Real estate is local. This is a phrase that’s heard all the time. Understanding “local” is a big part of getting marketing right whether your message/conversation is online or offline. Maps are excellent tools to understand what “local” is. Adding a layer of relevant data on top of geographic data can be the starting point for developing powerful insights into what changes may lie ahead, what audiences you might want to serve more aggressively with your real estate internet marketing, where you might find those audiences and so on. I’ve dug through the archives of this blog to find past posts about maps and data, for all of you new readers (and old readers who might have missed something previously).

• WSJ and USAToday map the economy (this is an historical post, combine this information with your current understanding)
• New York Fed Mortgage Maps is kept current for some more recent real estate information.
• Hotpads has a real estate foreclosure map of the US. This post shows you how to access it.
• A mashup of all sorts of data from sources like the Census, FBI, etc. displayed on a map.
• Topographic maps with Wikipedia and Panoramio overlays in your hand with Google Earth for the iPhone. This is a how-to article for some basic ways to market real estate on the iPhone or iPod Touch.
• Real Estate Connect in 2009 will be focusing on “global” so why not start by understanding how social networking and media sites are used differently by a global audience? Understand the services used by your audience via mapping.

[This post is an example of a “forgotten in the archives” post as discussed in “Help Your New Readers Find Your Best Old Posts.”]