Top Real Estate Markets? These Apps Reveal a Lot

Could your next real estate investment be in Raleigh, North Carolina.? Maybe it should be. It landed at the top of the "10 Real Estate Markets to Watch in 2012," a report by Inman News and Onboard Informatics, which helps put together those annual "Best Places" lists.

Based on price appreciation, a growing job market, affordability and low foreclosure activity, 10 metro areas got the nod (here's the full report: http://bit.ly/yTBurD). But what about their apps? The mobile activity can be just as telling. Here's a look at what the top three cities have to offer when it comes to mobile apps.

Raleigh, N.C.

As the top real estate market to watch in 2012, this North Carolina enclave is home to 1.1 million people. It saw single-family median home prices jump 7.3% in the third quarter 2011, compared with the same time a year earlier. And while its $224,300 median home price was higher than the national average, it was still affordable to 73.6% of households earning the area's median income.

And for mobile users, there is plenty to look forward to.

Government?

The city of Raleigh doesn't have an official mobile app yet. But in last year's strategic planning report, the city's IT department noted the need to enable a mobile work force and keep up with technology. In the meantime, the city is working with the SeeClickFix iPhone at http://bit.ly/y9HH27 and Android at http://bit.ly/yNb0QF to respond to reports of pot holes, road debris and other neighborhood blight. North Carolina also just launched a sex offender app, which allows people to search for offenders using GPS or an address.

Transportation?

The city's transportation department offers a mobile-friendly site showing the downtown R Line status plus entertainment options at m.yourhere.com. Also, the 99-cent CAT tracker app for Android lists every bus route - including recent bus position - for riders of the Capital Area Transit bus system. Several other public transportation apps are also available.

Visitors?