(Newswire.net — January 1, 2015) Port Moody, BC — New Canadians looking for a home in Coquitlam, BC in 2015 have access for the first time to a Mandarin language version of a web site that offers an advanced Real Estate search technology focusing on schools and their associated catchment areas.
A visitor can browse and choose from a list of schools, see the exact school catchment areas associated with the chosen schools, and see information on all available homes for sale in those catchment areas.
Visitors can toggle between Mandarin and English versions of the web site with one click; they simply select the symbol representing the Canadian or the Chinese (PRC) flag.
The initial version of the site was recently launched in English by John Grasty, a Licensed Realtor with Prudential Sterling Realty. John and his colleague Ivy Yang, also of Prudential Sterling Realty, had planned the addition of the Mandarin language capability from the outset.
“Coquitlam is one of the few cities in BC where the ratio of single homes is actually increasing,” said Grasty. “This is one of many features of the city that makes it an attractive destination for New Canadians. Ivy and I agreed that any web site wanting to provide real value to home seekers must be in both languages.”
Ms. Yang, who speaks fluent Mandarin, added “Many New Canadians place education at the very top of their priority list so schools and school catchment areas figure strongly into their thinking when they are looking for a new home.”
The web site can be seen at www.coquitlam-homes.com.
“We set out to relieve a major headache for all home-seekers looking to buy in Coquitlam,” said Grasty, “but one that can be especially confusing for New Canadians. This is even more of a challenge when they have children of different ages who will attend different schools, and they have to be very confident that they meet all the necessary requirements.”
Grasty and Yang say they just wanted to make it as convenient as possible for someone to perform their research. “House hunting can be a chore; we wanted to make it quick and easy to get the most useful information for a family into the hands of those looking for a home in Coquitlam. We aimed to take some of the stress out of the process” said Grasty.
Web site visitors can narrow-down their search results using filters such as price range, lot size, and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms in a property.
The School Catchment Area map-search can be found at: www.coquitlam-homes.com/catchmentmap
The site is the first of its kind in Coquitlam to combine mapping technology, school catchment area geo-targeting and Google Street view capability.
“Google Street View adds a whole new dimension to their research,” said Grasty. “In seconds our search can take them from a chosen school to a specific house … and they can see the details of the house and photos of the interior and exterior. But then having Google Street View built-in means they can go far beyond this, to view the school, the neighbourhood, the street, as well as see the home in context of the neighbourhood.”
About John Grasty, of Prudential Sterling Realty Ltd
John Grasty has lived in the Tri-City area since 1989. He has served on various civic committees for Coquitlam and Port Moody, and also served two terms as president of the Tri-City Arts Council. A tireless homeowner advocate, he has served on the national advisory council for Canadians for Properly Built Homes and is a past president of Consumer Advocacy and Support for Homeowners Society. A popular media commentator on issues affecting homeowners, John has appeared on television and radio shows, and he has represented homeowners on a variety of panels, at stakeholder round-tables and government meetings.