Now, go back over to Google Earth and click Add | Image Overlay and select your just-saved PNG file. Import the new transparent Neighborhood Map and resize Now, be sure to save this file as a PNG, which is a file format that includes transparency.Ĥ. The checkerboard area underneath means 'transparent' or 'see-thru.' This will make our map look much better once we put it into Google Earth. In this example I'm removing logos, the legend, everything. Once you've got your neighborhood picture in Paint.NET (or whatever editor) use the Eraser or Magic Wand tool set to low tolerance to select and delete all the whitespace that isn't part of the map. Open your Paint application and paste in the picture of the neighborhood. Use the screenshot tool or press Printscreen to get a screenshot in the clipboard. Edit the Neighborhood map and remove the non-map stuff, leaving the rest transparent. Open the PDF and get it as large as you can on the screen.ģ. Go to your Builder or Realtor's site and get the neighborhood map.

Put a pushpin on the area so you can get back there quickly.Ģ. The imagery is usually a few years old, but if it's an empty lot anyway it shouldn't matter. If you want to visualize your house lot, here's some steps to help make that possible.ġ. Few 'civilians' (read: non-geek) that I've met have used Google Earth, which is a shame. Most folks have used Google Maps or Virtual Earth before, but mostly just for driving directions. (This isn't a house or neighborhood I'm looking at, I've just selected it for demonstration) Seems that this kind of thing could be very useful to a prospective buyer. I wanted to understand how the neighborhood would lay out and where houses would sit, but other than pencil sketches, they couldn't help me. There's no kiosk, no 3D renderings, nada.

I was surprised that the Real Estate folks (at least these) weren't very computer savvy. We were screwing around last weekend looking a houses and found a big empty lot that some folks are building houses on.

Optionally: Google SketchUp (for Part 2).

WinSnap or WindowClippings (or ALT-Printscreen) to do screenshots.

Paint.NET (or any editor that does the PNG format with transparency).

(assumes Windows, but there's comparable tools on any platform)

Satellite 3d view of my house