Now making a smart decision is made easier with the introduction of HomeHunter and CarHunter, two new web sites jointly introduced by Mercury Center, the online edition of the San Jose Mercury News, and Hot CoCo, the web site of the Contra Costa Newspapers. The sites can be accessed through www.mercurycenter.com and www.hotcoco.com.

"Anyone who enjoys a hefty, information-packed Sunday newspaper can see the value newspapers bring to web-based content: Comprehensive local news, extensive classified advertisements, and listings not only from the newspaper but from Realtors® as well," said Bob Ryan, Director of Mercury Center. "Both HomeHunter and CarHunter draw on award-winning editorial information and the numerous classifieds of their parent newspapers - enabling consumers to take advantage of data specific to their area."

"Readers get the best of both worlds with CarHunter and HomeHunter - the newspapers' huge database of homes and cars for sale along with the speed-of-light searching capability of a computer," said Morgan Cartwright, Contra Costa Times new media manager. "Add to that many unique features such as mortgage calculators, community profiles and the Kelley Blue Book auto pricing data and you've got two web sites that definitely will help buyers make smarter choices."

HomeHunter

HomeHunter provides a variety of features to help make discovering and buying that dream home easier.

Emphasis on local real estate news, classifieds, and Realtor listings is complemented by features such as "Community Info," which provides information specific to 75+ Bay Area neighborhoods. "Community Info" includes helpful home buying information on school districts, family activities, average household income and more. "Local Agents" profiles local real estate professionals, while help from other service providers such as inspectors, movers, contractors and others is only a click away in "Shops and Services." "Cool Tools" provides a suite of mortgage calculators to aid home hunters with financial calculations.

The "Find a Home" feature makes it easy to find a dream home. Users can specify a number of characteristics, including price range, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, location and property type; "Find a Home" automatically finds all appropriate listings matching consumers' preferences and presents them with photos and details of homes. Homes can be noted in a "My Picks" folder that tracks properties users are especially interested in.

CarHunter

Like HomeHunter, CarHunter's specialty is in providing relevant local news and classifieds. CarHunter includes help for consumers interested in new or used cars, from Acuras to Volvos.

Those shopping for new autos will find a "Dealer Locator" - complete with door-to-door directions. Consumers can search newspaper ads for used autos - and even submit private-party ads by email for placement in the newspapers and online. "Reviews" provide the latest picks and pans from top auto writers; "Blue Book" provides the latest pricing on new cars and the trade-in value of vehicles from Kelley Blue Book. "Shops and Services" links to handy auto professionals, such as auto insurers, auto repair and services, and inspection stations. "Quick Search" matches auto buyers with their automobile of choice. The HomeHunter and CarHunter sites from the Mercury News and Contra Costa Newspapers are among a series of HomeHunter and CarHunter sites on the Knight Ridder Real Cities Network (www.realcities.com). Others include Philadelphia, Miami, Charlotte, NC and Fort Wayne, IN. Together, they demonstrate the power and reach of Knight Ridder online classifieds.

Knight Ridder New Media, located in San Jose, Calif. is a division of Knight Ridder. Knight Ridder is the nation's second largest newspaper publisher, with products in print and online. The company publishes 32 daily newspapers in 28 U.S. markets, reaching 9.3 million readers daily and 12.9 million on Sunday and maintains 39 Web sites. Knight Ridder is headquartered in Miami, Florida. Its New Media division is based in San Jose, CA.

Contra Costa Newspapers, Inc., headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, is the parent company of the daily Contra Costa Newspapers in Walnut Creek, Valley Times in Pleasanton and its San Ramon Valley edition in Danville, West County Times in Richmond, and Ledger Dispatch in Antioch. The group also publishes The Sunday Times and six weeklies throughout its market.

The San Jose Mercury News, known internationally as the newspaper of Silicon Valley, has received wide recognition for its award-winning journalism, particularly for its high technology news and analysis. The Mercury News has won two Pulitzer Prizes and maintains 13 bureau offices, including the first permanent post-war American bureau in Vietnam. It offers a range of products beyond the flagship newspaper, including the Mercury News' pioneering online edition, Mercury Center, and the Spanish-language weekly Nuevo Mundo. Founded in 1851, the Mercury News is a Knight Ridder company.

HomeHunter and CarHunter are trademarks of Knight Ridder New Media.

Contacts:

Marilyn Ritchie The Mercury News / Mercury Center (408) 920-5014 mritchie@sjmercury.com

Pamela Center Contra Costa Newspapers / Hot CoCo (510) 952-2641