Blogging has Hit the Real-Estate Industry

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of blogs covering real estate and they shine unfiltered lights on their subjects, reporting market gossip, innuendo, facts, opinion, virtually anything.

"Blogs are telling it like it is at the street level," said Brad Inman of Inman News, a large real-estate news service. Inman said real-estate blogging began in the Bay area, took hold in New York and has now spread nationally.

For example, bloggers may expose defects at new developments or buildings such as roof leaks or heating system inadequacies or shoddy workmanship or maintenance. They may warn buyers away from dishonest or incompetent brokers or overpriced new housing. They can let buyers know that a neighborhood may not be safe, that an area floods every spring, or that jets fly directly overhead when the west wind blows.