July 16, 2008

What you need is a neighborpedia.

Say what?

That’s right, a neighborpedia. Coined by Localism, the ActiveRain Real Estate Network’s freshman essay into the neighborhood blogosphere, the term connotes that exclusive, pop-culture competence we’ve come to expect of sites like StreetAdvisor, Yelp, and even Wikipedia (suspect sometimes, I know, but pretty reliable).

The site functions as a blog, searchable by neighborhood. We’re talking comprehensive, here: type in just about any neighborhood name in the U.S., and you’ll likely find an entry. That isn’t to say, however, that the entry will boast content — “Central District, Seattle” turns up a CD-dedicated page, but zero info. It even lacks a serviceable map: the search pulls up a pic of North America. Specific, right? Type in Seattle’s hipster ‘hood — “Capitol Hill, Seattle,” that is — and you’ll get a handful of posts. Nothing neighborpedia-worthy, really, and nothing new, either. Just some real estate adverts. Worth noting, of course, is that the site is maintained by realtors, all members of the ActiveRain network. Adverts, pay, I suppose.

But what of the claim of being a “neighborpedia”? Fishy, right? I’d love to see Localism grow; having a comprehensive look at a neighborhood can be uber-helpful in making a home purchase decision. For now, however, I suppose neighborhood blogs (CD News, the Miller Park Neighborhood Association blog, Capitol Hill Seattle, and Sweet Digs, to name a few) remain the go-tos for local news and info. Check out the other neighborhood-specific blogs and sites in the sidebar.

Next on my Localism look-up list: Plymouth, MN, and Naperville, IL. Maybe it’s their sweet ‘hood factor that’s sent them to the top of the CNNMoney.com Best Places to Live list that Rick mentioned yesterday.

Via Seattle Bubble.