Hate trolling through property listings? You can now whip out your smartphone and use an augmented-reality app to see what's on the market.
Junaio is a free AR app for iPhone 3GS and Android devices that overlays real-estate information on camera views. Users point their phones at a building, street, or neighborhood and relevant data such as monthly rent, photos, and contact details pop up.
Junaio can highlight properties within a radius of several miles. Map views and list views are also available.
Junaio is linked to real-estate search engines HotPads, which lists housing for sale and for rent, and Rofo, which specializes in commercial space for small businesses and entrepreneurs.
The app was launched last November for non-real-estate functions by German AR software developer Metaio, whose AR Lego displays show what completed kits look like in 3D.
The app can also display AR data like sightseeing, dining, and entertainment information. Junaio is one of a growing list of apps, including Yelp, that can create AR overlays by making use of the iPhone 3GS' built-in compass.
Is Junaio useful? When it comes to dense urban environments like Manhattan where there's little room for advertising a property, it could be. If you're in a less crowded residential area, though, I think old-fashioned "for sale" signs are far more convenient.