www.GoogleEarth.com (real estate, house, subdivision)

[TNNative]

THIS is definitely a free program you should download if you're curious about areas to live. The satelitte pictures may be a little dated, but it will help you see an overview of the area you are interested in immediately. This was awesome to look at New Orleans after Katrina, or to look at other countries.

To give you an even more insight on how well it works, yesterday I was trying to get in touch with my son who had gone swimming with a friend athe the friend's grandparents house...When he wasn't answering his cell, I knew it must be on manner-mode. I didn't know the name of the grandparents but I knew the general area the house was in but couldn't remember the name of the street. I just went to Google Earth and scanned that area until I could see the house with a pool. It told me the name of the street, and through that I found out the grandparents name by a real estate tax record search.

It is a good tool...and it keeps my kids thinking I can find them ANYWHERE
Yep...I shoulda been a PI.

[daniellefort]

Yes but unfortuneately, not all the roads show up. We found our property we just bought in TN but the rest of the roads in the subdivision for access to our property didn't show up. It still shows it as a huge grassy field which it still is only there's roads now paved throughout. But i agree, it is a great tool and fun to play with.

[Father John]

Originally Posted by daniellefort

Yes but unfortuneately, not all the roads show up. We found our property we just bought in TN but the rest of the roads in the subdivision for access to our property didn't show up. It still shows it as a huge grassy field which it still is only there's roads now paved throughout. But i agree, it is a great tool and fun to play with.

Sometimes you have to zoom in very close to see the roads. Few show from a distance; the closer you get, the more roads show. Some zoomed images get so close you can see cars and trucks on the roads.

Google does need to update the images at least once a month, though, if this is to be an effective tool.

[alleycat]

It was fun when that first came out zooming around to where others lived and worked.

Here I am: 220 Great Circle Road Nashville TN

[daniellefort]

Originally Posted by Father John

Sometimes you have to zoom in very close to see the roads. Few show from a distance; the closer you get, the more roads show. Some zoomed images get so close you can see cars and trucks on the roads.

Google does need to update the images at least once a month, though, if this is to be an effective tool.

Right. i zoomed in so close, i could count the leaves on the trees though and the roads still didn't appear. There's another web site out there i believe it's with the nasa satellite. I was able to zoom in on my brother in laws cars in his yard. I can't remember the site name but it too was quite fun to play with.

[hiknapster]

Google Earth still shows my husband's old boat parked in my MIL's backyard! I love that site!

[hiknapster]

I just zoomed in on Alleycat's workplace. There he goes! He's sending my plant via Fed Ex! Uh-oh! Here comes the Feds that work next door! They are pushing him down to the ground! They don't realize that it's a trumpet vine!

[jimj]

While google earth is fun you need to remember that the pics are generally a couple of years old. I also wish they would update monthly but not as of yet I guess.

[Sueilp]

if you go to the weather channel and click on the interactive map at the bottom of the page and scrollto the area you want to look at it is very clear infact sometimes it is clearer than googleearth!

[alleycat]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

I just zoomed in on Alleycat's workplace. There he goes! He's sending my plant via Fed Ex! Uh-oh! Here comes the Feds that work next door! They are pushing him down to the ground! They don't realize that it's a trumpet vine!

I just said it was a trumpet vine . . . you're not allergic to poison oak, are you?

;-)