Yes, I’m sort of a map geek.  Even before the whole internet mapping revolution, I could spend hours just skipping from place to place on my atlas.  I think that really kind of explains it all!

But for this week’s installment of online real estate tools, I’m just going to concisely focus on a few of the best internet mapping platforms particularly available for those with a keen interest in real estate.  Feel free to use these resources as sort of a launch pad to explore different ways to use maps on your real estate blog or website…

Google Maps – The granddaddy of them all.  Google Maps are sort of the universal standard, frequently used as a base by other platforms and mashups.  Accurate, easy to use, and most importantly – easy to share.

Yahoo Maps – The current generation of Yahoo Maps is more interactive and intuitive than ever.  Try searching for “real estate” under the find a business section.  Are you on the map?

Platial – Social mapping at its best.  By this, I mean anybody is free to map just about anything they can imagine and share it with the rest of the world.  The practical applications for real estate are limited only by your imagination.

RealBird – RealBird is a mapping service intended exclusively for real estate professionals.  More than just maps alone, this might be a solution you can use.

HousingMaps – This site is sort of an unofficial mashup of Google Maps and craigslist, basically highlighting all things real estate from craigslist clearly by location on top of a Google Map.  This is a really cool tool.

And this is just a start!  If you’ve not already integrated mapping with your web presence, there’s never been a better time to get your feet wet.