Hyperlocal tours give movers a better picture of the neighborhood

Urban Compass is a listings site that also connects those moving home with neighborhood specialists while they're viewing properties in the area.

Neighborhood descriptions in estate agent literature don’t always paint the full of picture of the area those moving home might potentially end up living. Aiming to give movers a better idea of the individual areas of New York City, Urban Compass is a listings site that connects them with neighborhood specialists while they’re viewing properties in the area.

Users sign in with their Facebook accounts and can then browse the apartments on offer. The site features cheat sheets that give users the key facts about the neighborhoods they might be interested in – for example, those thinking of moving to Boerum Hill might be put off by the two-train commute into Manhattan, but others might enjoy its mostly 3-bedroom Brownstone buildings and relaxed atmosphere. As well as detailed profiles of each neighborhood and recommendations for similar areas, those arranging a property viewing can also match their schedule with a specialist who lives in the community. This way, movers can get a much better picture of what living in the area is like, not just the property they might move into.

Urban Compass follows startups such as RentMineOnline – the housing referral site that leverages Facebook to connect landlords and tenants – in making moving easier for renters, landlords and buyers. Are there other ways to make the process less stressful?