It's Oh, So Quiet!

Realtor.com®'s new noise indicator enables home shoppers to understand a property's noise level before they visit

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Mar 09, 2020, 09:00 ET

SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- There are many things you can determine from a property listing – a home's size, location, aesthetics, school districts and much more. However, there are some things you simply can't see – such as how noisy or quiet a property may be. Today, realtor.com® introduced a new noise indicator feature that provides reliable sound data down to the property level. Understanding the noise level surrounding a property gives consumers another piece of valuable information they need to make confident buying decisions.

Consumer surveys have found that the most important aspects when considering a new home are price, schools, commute, crime and noise. Realtor.com®'s noise indicator is a first-of-its-kind feature among national real estate search sites providing home shoppers with data at the property level, where others can only do so at a neighborhood level.

"Every home buyer is different. Some people are at home in a bustling city, while others prefer the peace and quiet of a country farmhouse," said Rachel Morley, senior vice president, product management, realtor.com®. "With our new noise indicator, we can provide specific information about whether the property is near a freeway, an airport or a gas station and how that impacts sound levels. This information can help narrow the search and make sure that our users find a home that's perfect for them."

Noise works in two ways. First, each property will be assigned a noise rating—high, medium or low. Users will also be able to drill down into sources of noise near each property and view details on a heat map overlay that displays noise sources. The feature takes into account three sources of noise: traffic, airports and local sources like restaurants, gas stations, sports stadiums, schools and more. These sources are combined to assign each property a rating. Because the new tool can delineate noise levels down to the individual property level, homes in the same neighborhood may have different ratings based on proximity to major roads, hospitals or schools, for example.

Realtor.com® empowers consumers with extensive property listings and accurate information to help home buyers and sellers make confident and informed decisions.

Click here to try the noise indicator; now available for properties across the continental U.S. on iOS, Android, web and mobile web.

About realtor.com^®Realtor.com^® makes buying, selling and living in homes easier and more rewarding for everyone. Realtor.com^® pioneered the world of digital real estate 20 years ago, and today through its website and mobile apps is a trusted source for the information, tools and professional expertise that help people move confidently through every step of their home journey. Using proprietary data science and machine learning technology, realtor.com^® pairs buyers and sellers with local agents in their market, helping take the guesswork out of buying and selling a home. For professionals, realtor.com^® is a trusted provider of consumer connections and branding solutions that help them succeed in today's on-demand world. Realtor.com^® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc. under a perpetual license from the National Association of REALTORS^®. For more information, visit realtor.com^®.