# Can I use Google Maps Street View to find a specific house? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 4, 2010, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-google-maps-street-view-to-find-a-specific-house/531296 "2010-03-04T17:07:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-google-maps-street-view-to-find-a-specific-house/531296/21 "2010-03-07T04:59:27Z")
Some time back, Google had the option that you could “move” the pointer when you entered an exact street number address into the site and update the result that everyone saw. I actually repositioned the pointer for my house, which originally was about two houses shy. Nowadays, Google has my whole neighborhood nailed nicely. My city and county is one of those that has property lines visible at the closest zoom levels and I presume they’ve incorporated the county property database to get the mapping pretty much exactly right. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-google-maps-street-view-to-find-a-specific-house/531296/22 "2010-03-07T05:48:25Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Used the lat/long thing provided above and got right to my doorstep. > BUT, they have my house number wrong on Google Maps. > I may try later using Bing, but as I truly dislike Micro$loth, I may have to hold my nose to do so. One of the features found in Bing is “birds eye view” which uses aircraft photo mapping. It’s nice to have another alternate when looking for different time lines of images. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-google-maps-street-view-to-find-a-specific-house/531296/23 "2010-03-07T10:53:35Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > One of the features found in Bing is “birds eye view” which uses aircraft photo mapping. It’s nice to have another alternate when looking for different time lines of images. I’m sure you knew this already, but the higher zoom levels on Google Maps/Google Earth are also from aircraft. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-google-maps-street-view-to-find-a-specific-house/531296/24 "2010-03-07T15:18:59Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I’m sure you knew this already, but the higher zoom levels on Google Maps/Google Earth are also from aircraft. The bird’s eye view in Bing is an angled view rather than straight down. You can also click EWNS on the compass rose in upper left to change the view and click on the magnifying glass below to zoom in. Click on Aerial and then Select Bird’s Eye if it is available. You can identify cars and see people walking around. [Orlando City Hall](http://www.bing.com/maps/Default.aspx?encType=1&v=2&ss=ypid.YN184x161395262&style=r&mkt=en-us&FORM=LLDP) ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-google-maps-street-view-to-find-a-specific-house/531296/25 "2010-03-07T16:42:11Z")
Google just introduced “Aerial” photos which are like Bing’s Bird’s Eye View. So far only a few locations have been published, San Jose, San Diego, and Portland. [The Googleplex](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=mountain+view,+ca&sll=37.339386,-121.894956&sspn=0.552471,1.005249&g=San+Jose,+CA&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Mountain+View,+Santa+Clara,+California&ll=37.42152,-122.08393&spn=0.003049,0.003927&t=y&z=18) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-google-maps-street-view-to-find-a-specific-house/531296/26 "2010-03-09T09:28:29Z")
My house on Google is dead on accurate, even though it keeps me from zooming in too far. It used to be off by a couple blocks. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-google-maps-street-view-to-find-a-specific-house/531296/27 "2010-03-09T15:06:03Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > Google just introduced “Aerial” photos which are like Bing’s Bird’s Eye View. So far only a few locations have been published, San Jose, San Diego, and Portland. > > [The Googleplex](http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=mountain+view,+ca&sll=37.339386,-121.894956&sspn=0.552471,1.005249&g=San+Jose,+CA&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Mountain+View,+Santa+Clara,+California&ll=37.42152,-122.08393&spn=0.003049,0.003927&t=y&z=18) So much for having sex in the back yard or on the roof. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-use-google-maps-street-view-to-find-a-specific-house/531296.md?page=1)