Cyberhomes.com: Premature Betaculation?

It wasn't so long ago that the test runs of software known as "beta releases" were something mysterious, secretive and stealthy -- small releases of unready code internally at a company, or externally to a circle of well known and forgiving reviewers.

Google exploded that notion with their practice of throwing almost every bit of code they manage into huge, public and lengthy beta releases. Why, Blogger, which I'm using to write and publish this spent just shy of four _years_ in "beta," from the time Google bought Blogger in February, 2003, to December, 2006, when the company finally got around to ripping the faded "beta" label off its popular blogging tool.

But while the rules governing what is and isn't a "beta" release may have changed, there are a few tried and true rules that still apply such as the notion that "thine beta shall not make thyself look clueless." As noted first over at FutureofRealEstateMarketing, the folks over Fidelity National Information Services might have failed on that count with their new site/service: cyberhomes.com.

Now you know a domain like that cost some serious change -- so how come their "beta" release didn't support the Firefox Web browser? Very 1999, if I do say so myself. I'm particularly amused by their assertion (below) that they support "Firefox Version 1.5 and up," but that my computer, running Firefox 2.0.0.1 isn't supported. Hey, I'm just an old English major here, but isn't 2.0 bigger than 1.5? To their credit, Cyberhomes.com seems to have corrected the problem in the last hour or so, but you've got to wonder how a major "oops" like checking for (and supporting) the standard Web browser types (and even some non-standard ones -- Flock? Opera?) slipped through an internal review.

Cyberhomes appears to be another swing at replicating Zillow.com's success at consolidating property and sales information for residential real estate, with one small difference: Cyberhomes is backed by Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. "a leading provider of core financial institution processing, card issuer and transaction processing services, mortgage loan processing and related information products and outsourcing services to financial institutions, retailers, mortgage lenders and real estate professionals." Can you say "information goldmine"? You bet. As the FIS web site points out "nearly 50 percent of all U.S. residential mortgages are processed using FIS software." So if you've ever wondered where all that data you sent off with your mortgage application goes, now you know!

Besides beefing up my home's value by around $30,000 over Zillow's Zestimate (thanks, Cyberhomes!), this new site has, admittedly, a slick UI with easy access to demographic data for my town and a nice expanding menu of comparable sales. Drill down and they've got some pretty darn cool census and market analysis features built in that may make picking a town to live in less a matter of guess work, not to mention cool graphical data on everything from building permits in the area, to average commute time, unemployment rate, price per square foot -- you name it.

According to the the Cyberhomes marketing materials, the site's database includes "more than 100 million property, ownership, sales, and mortgage records, covering more than 85% of the United States population."

But like every other R.E. 2.0 site out there, Cyberhomes is pimping for you to give us the skinny on your own house (and your motivation is....?) To quote: "No one knows the neighborhood like you do, so we give you the power to include the things you know are special about your place, your neighborhood, and your community." According to the site, but providing information on your home, you'll get a better idea of "what it could mean in the context of local market conditions. " Whatever that means.

Conclusion: look past the fact that these guys crapped out on the beta launch and give cyberhomes a try. You might like what you see.