A tiny Toronto-based startup has just launched HomeZilla.ca, a map-based directory of schools, grocery stores, restaurants etc., aimed at participating in home-seekers’ online research. It follows hot on the quiet launch of Zoocasa.com by giant media company Rogers Communications. While HomeZilla concentrates on services, Zoocasa actually incorporates listings of homes for sale — which have always been the tightly-controlled advantage of Realtor.ca, the Multiple Listings Service near-monopoly of the Canadian Real Estate Association. Rogers isn’t saying how they’re obtaining their (limited) listings, but it follows similar unsuccessful attempts by Canwest Publishing’s Househunting.ca and Bell Ventures’ RealEstatePlus.ca. The former spent months convincing local real estate boards to participate voluntarily, with limited results; the latter obtained a broker’s licence and then published all listings, but stopped in the face of a lawsuit — and ultimately sold its URL and technology to Torstar Corp., which has left it dormant. Canadian home-seekers continue to await a single, attractive online destination.

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