New realtor.com® tool to deliver home improvement reports

Porch.com, a home improvement network, and realtor.com® announced this week the launch of the “Porch Home & Neighborhood Report,” a free resource for understanding the remodeling and project history of a specific home and its neighborhood.

The research tool will be free to prospective homebuyers searching for homes on realtor.com®. Whenever consumers order a report, realtor.com® sends an email on behalf of an agent advertising with the portal that contains a link to the report on porch.com.

“The Porch Home & Neighborhood Report adds tremendous insight that a prospective buyer or seller can discuss with their Realtor® to help them make the best decision about the purchase or sale of the home,” said Steve Berkowitz, chief executive officer of Move Inc., which operates realtor.com®. “It’s another way to help consumers quickly understand with confidence the various costs associated with a home, which is especially critical in today’s market with multiple offers and homes moving very quickly.”

The Porch Home & Neighborhood Report will include some of the following information:

• Home and project history: remodeling projects, cost, photos, and professionals who worked on the home.
• Neighborhood home improvement insights: a summary of home improvement projects completed throughout the neighborhood as well as details on the types of projects, including the median cost and local professionals (aimed at helping buyers learn about what a project may cost and who they can hire).
• Neighborhood stats: information about other homes in the neighborhood so that buyers can compare the home for sale to others nearby, including its value, size, age, percentage of homes that are owner occupied, and the number of years neighbors have lived in their homes.

The Porch Home Improvement Network gathers its data from city permit departments, materials suppliers, professional associations, and also from professionals and their clients. The Porch Home Improvement Network has more than 1.5 million professionals and 90 million projects in its network.