MSN HomeAdvisor Adds Apartments and Home Improvement Areas

REDMOND, Wash., Feb. 16, 1999 — The MSN
™HomeAdvisor
™
online real estate service, the award-winning guide to finding homes and loans on the Web, today announced it has added apartments and home improvements to its already extensive range of home-related resources and services. SpringStreet, formerly known as AllApartments.com, and ImproveNet, the Web’s most comprehensive database of home improvement resources, join several leading content providers already on the site. These new renter and home owner areas are available on HomeAdvisor beginning today.

Visitors to both the Apartments & Rentals and Home Improvement sections will have direct access to apartment listings, searchable by city or town, and the most comprehensive database of home improvement contractors and resources on the Internet. Each section will also link directly to financial planning tools throughout HomeAdvisor and to resources throughout the MSN network of Internet services, giving consumers an unprecedented array of time-saving features right at their fingertips.

“These important new content areas enhance the value of HomeAdvisor and will attract even more consumers to the real estate listings and loan offerings on our site,”
said Ian Morris, group product manager of MSN HomeAdvisor.
“The dramatic growth of MSN has brought consumers to HomeAdvisor who crave all types of information related to the home buying process. We’re excited to bring apartments and home improvement resources to both our new and existing customers.”

SpringStreet, the most comprehensive and user-friendly apartment locator service on the Internet, and ImproveNet, already recognized as the Web’s pre-eminent home improvement hub, are just the latest companies to join the industry-leading HomeAdvisor lineup of content providers. HomeAdvisor already has relationships with such leading providers such as Inman Decision Support, School Match, CrimeCheck and Claritas Inc.

“HomeAdvisor has a strong commitment to home buyers to empower them with the information they need to find, finance, own and remodel their dream home,”
said Hunter Madsen, senior vice president of marketing at ImproveNet.
“We’re proud to join a select group of companies that provide information, directories and resources to HomeAdvisor, making it by far the best destination for home buyers, owners, remodelers and renters on the Web.”

“With its Rent vs. Buy calculator and detailed neighborhood information covering schools, crime and demographics, HomeAdvisor is already an incredible resource for renters,”
said John Helm, CEO of SpringStreet.
“By adding apartment listings from across the country, HomeAdvisor has created the ultimate resource for anyone looking for a home or apartment. We’re excited about the added visibility and new customers that will result from this relationship with MSN HomeAdvisor.”

About MSN HomeAdvisor

HomeAdvisor is the Internet’s most complete guide for finding homes and loans, combining Microsoft® technology with services and expertise from some of the most trusted names in the real estate industry. It empowers consumers through every step of the home-buying process and is the first Internet site to fully integrate content and services such as neighborhood,

crime and school statistics with homes, loans, editorial content and expert advice. HomeAdvisor has received numerous industry accolades, including the Inman Innovator Award as best residential real estate site, PC Magazine’s Top 100 Web site and Yahoo! Internet Life’s Best of the Best award. Part of the MSN network of Internet services, HomeAdvisor launched in July 1998 and is free on the World Wide Web at http://homeadvisor.MSN.com/ (connect-time charges may apply).

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day.

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Microsoft, MSN and HomeAdvisor are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

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