MSN HomeAdvisor Expands Relationship With ImproveNet

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 13, 1999 — MSN TM HomeAdvisor TM online real estate service, the most comprehensive guide to finding homes and loans on the Internet, today announced a new multi year agreement with ImproveNet Inc., the most comprehensive home improvement resource on the Web, that will expand home improvement information and resources on HomeAdvisor for years to come. The deepening relationship includes broad-based advertising for ImproveNet’s content and directories throughout HomeAdvisor and other areas of the MSN network of Internet services. The agreement also includes an investment in ImproveNet, designed to solidify HomeAdvisor as the consumer’s first choice for all home-related information online. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

HomeAdvisor was the first national real estate site to include home improvement resources for consumers when it added targeted content, resources and directories from ImproveNet and Sears, Roebuck and Co. nearly a year ago. Today, HomeAdvisor features a wealth of award-winning content for homebuyers and owners, including resources from ImproveNet, Sears, FurnitureFind.com, ApartmentGuide.com, Claritas Inc., SchoolMatch and CrimeCheck.

“We are creating the definitive resource for everything about the home, and ImproveNet has demonstrated that they are an important part of that consumer offering,”
said Bryan Mistele, product unit manager for MSN HomeAdvisor.
“ImproveNet represents the very best home improvement resource available today, and we are glad to be tightening our relationship with them to even further delight our customers.”

ImproveNet offers customers of HomeAdvisor access to thousands of top contractors nationwide, as well as tips and sample projects for everything from room additions to remodeling to landscaping to basic plumbing. As part of the new agreement, ImproveNet’s content will be more deeply integrated throughout HomeAdvisor.

“HomeAdvisor’s deep industry relationships, award-winning content and growing customer base have created enormous value for consumers and MSN,”
said Brad Chase, senior vice president, Consumer Group, Microsoft.
“We will continue to aggressively invest in new relationships that strengthen the site for consumers while creating more opportunities for our partners.”

The industry leadership and popularity of HomeAdvisor among its customers has already led to numerous industry and consumer accolades, including a recent
“Top 100 Web Sites for 2000”
designation from Yahoo! Internet Life magazine. The site is also producing more customer leads for many of its real estate partners than any other site. A recent representative survey of RE/MAX brokers nationwide showed that HomeAdvisor sent 11 times more leads to RE/MAX offices than its nearest competitor, Realtor.com.

About MSN HomeAdvisor

MSN 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. Winner of the Inman Innovator Award as the best residential real estate site, HomeAdvisor is a PC Magazine Top 100 Web site, a Yahoo! Internet Life Best of the Best winner, and a Family PC Web site of the Month. 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 MSN

MSN is the network of Internet services from Microsoft that helps people better organize the Web around what’s important to them. The MSN network of MSN services, located on the Web at MSN.com TM ( http://MSN.com/ ), helps people easily stay in touch with friends and colleagues, make smart and secure purchasing decisions, and get more done. MSN offers award-winning e-mail functionality; personal communications services; wireless services information; customizable access to news; popular sites for personal finance, travel, automotive services, shopping and more; an online community; a Web search engine and directories; and top-rated Internet access.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software – any time, any place and on any device.

Note to editors: If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft Web page at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/ on Microsoft’s corporate information pages.

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