Online real estate advertiser Homestore is planning some renovations, changing its name to Move Inc. and focusing on consumers, writes InternetNews. It also plans a new vertical search engine called Move.com, which later this year will replace Homestore.com, HomeBuilder.com and RENTNET. Homestore also announced that it has acquired Moving.com, an online provider of consumer moving tools and access to qualified moving services.
Move.com will have three consumer offerings: Realtor.com, Move and Welcome Wagon. The new name unifies the company's strategy of providing a platform for connecting consumers with Realtors, homebuilders, rental property owners and other move-related advertisers before, during and after a move. Move.com is intended to enhance the leadership position of Realtor.com, the consumer website of the National Association of Realtors, by funneling consumer traffic directly into the NAR site.
Moving.com, acquired by Homestore, attracts an audience of approximately 1 million unique users per month from its marketing and over 80 private label traffic sources.
