Domania.com
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Domania was an internet search engine that allowed users to search through 28 million Comparables or "sold home prices" dating back to 1987 at no cost. As of Nov 2008, this function is no longer working, and email addressed to the email contacts listed on the site, bounces.
"Comparables" are vital to a person's understanding of the value of their home, especially using the sales comparison approach. It is often this information that is used by Real estate agents and other mortgage and financial professionals to arrive at a valuation of a property.
Previous to Domania's arrival on the Internet, this information was only available through a town's Registrar of Deeds office, or through signing up with a real estate agent.
Real estate agents generally try to find 4 or 5 comparables to get the best indicator of the value of a property.
Domania was the outgrowth of a company called "INPHO" in 1989 by Steven Kropper and Fran Rivkin in Cambridge, MA. The original concept was phone and fax based. In 1999, @Ventures, a CMGI company provided venture capital for their transformation into an Internet brand and company. In 2002 Domania's assets were acquired by Primedia, a New York based publishing firm. In 2004, the unit was acquired by Charlotte-based LendingTree, LCC, itself owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp.