The internet and e-commerce have made life more comfortable in an infinite number of ways. Everything is available online in some form or another, and e-commerce makes our favorite products and services more convenient and accessible. E-commerce has even moved into the real estate space. Platforms like Zillow and Trulia were created to help provide information and data to clients and offer an alternative to working with a traditional real estate agent. While innovation in any industry should be celebrated, it’s important to understand the effect of the introduction of the Zillow group. Here is a look at how the differences of using Trulia versus a traditional realtor to buy or sell a home in Denver, Colorado.
What is Trulia?
Trulia is under the Zillow Group of Companies, along with MSN Real Estate, AOL Real Estate, Hotpads, and MyNewPlace. Established in 2006 in Seattle, Zillow has grown to be a popular real estate website, with its affiliates close behind. Zillow bought Trulia in 2015 for a cool $3.5 billion.
Trulia is a platform that connects interested home buyers to potential sellers and realtors, and it connects renters with rental properties in the United States. Trulia and Zillow offer a similar experience. Still, Trulia does have some differences in their interface compared to Zillow, including an interactive crime map, more in-depth neighborhood information, and a cost breakdown by property.
How Does Trulia Make Money?
Just like Zillow, Trulia makes most of its profit through advertising. Agents can pay to have their listings promoted, and mortgage brokers and other businesses can place ads among the platform. Trulia has been criticized in the past for having too many ads. Clients mentioned that it has interfered with the user experience of the website, but it has since gotten better.
The Differences Between Traditional Realtors and Trulia
Like Zillow, Trulia is a platform that pulls in information from users on the site to provide leads to their realtors that have paid the premium price to keep their contact information at the forefront. Many of these leads are not serious buyers, but they are passed on to realtors to follow up. All the realtors that pay into the premium feature get access to this information, so potential clients can get bombarded by phone calls or emails from numerous realtors because they fight for leads. Compared to a traditional realtor, when you contact them, they are your realtor, no one else. They’re likely one of the few people you will have to deal with during the entire transaction of buying or selling a home in Denver, Colorado.
Trulia has a stand-alone platform, which means the listings they provide and promote are not necessarily the most up to date listings. Many clients have mentioned that they saw a beautiful house they were interested in, only to find out that the property had sold days prior. The level of accuracy on the Trulia website could be significantly improved, as misinformation can be very difficult for potential clients to get past. When you hire a realtor, they have access to the best tools and insider information, so as their client, you will always have the most current information on hand. They are careful about providing estimates and usually have a network of professionals who can assist in getting you concrete numbers based on real factors.
Trulia has had issues with negative customer experiences in the past. Many unhappy clients have brought the amount of misinformation to light through online reviews and forums. Previous users have mentioned that once they gave their information, or paid a fee, they weren’t provided any proprietary information from the site. Many users are upset that the website is not as forthcoming with details as they should be.
A traditional realtor makes their money from buying or selling a house. They don’t get paid through advertising or lead generation. Their livelihood is based on your satisfaction with the service they provide, which motivates them to do the best for you. Their process, strategy, and methods are all based around creating a valuable customer experience for you as the homeowner or prospective buyer.
Trulia’s listings can also be promoted with any agent, not necessarily the listing agent. This is another source of misinformation on the site. When clients want information on a property, the listing agent should know every detail about the home to provide the information quickly to potential buyers. When Trulia advertises a different agent among these properties, it’s more incorrect information for clients. A traditional realtor works in conventional ways - they can connect personally with listing agents in the city you live in. They also have access to the MLS, so they will always have access to the most current details of the home.
The critical differences between Trulia and a real estate agent lie in the accuracy of the information, how revenue plays into customer experience and expertise.
Why is a Traditional Realtor Better?
There are many reasons why a traditional realtor is still the recommended avenue to pursue when buying or selling a home in Denver, Colorado.
Realtors in Denver are well poised in the area. They know the neighborhoods, they know where to look for the style of home their clients want, and they know estimate values of homes in those neighborhoods. When you hire a realtor, you’re also hiring their expertise. You are hiring their resources, their marketing knowledge, tips, and tricks to help your home show the best and sell fast. They can provide helpful advice for first-time homebuyers, and they can be a support through a process that is new.
A realtor can also negotiate a price for you, where using Trulia cannot. What you see is what you get with the platform, but you could get a better deal going through a real estate agent.
Hiring a realtor is an overall better experience than trying to guide yourself through a web resource like Trulia or Zillow. There are significant and common doubts about the accuracy of the information, so why do double the work? Hire a realtor, let them know precisely what you want, and they do all the hard work.
Choosing a local realtor to Denver can also be a benefit in itself. Whether you receive a personal recommendation from family or friends, it’s much easier to find an honest review about someone local than it is to find information on a premium agent on Trulia. Researching the right realtor for you is vital in this process, and you don’t have to choose the first realtor you meet. However, it’s easier to find a realtor that aligns with your goals when you choose local.
While it’s convenient to look at homes online and try to figure things out on your own, if you’re almost ready to buy a home, it’s time to start engaging in research for the best realtor for you.
Save Yourself The Headache
Hiring a traditional realtor versus using a website like Trulia will always be in your best interest. Buying a home in Denver, Colorado, will likely be one of the largest financial purchases of your life, so it’s essential to have access to reputable resources. A traditional real estate agent will be able to provide you with their network of professionals who can help make the process as easy as possible. Realtors have yet to be replaced by an online e-commerce site, and there is a great reason why. They still add immense value to the process of buying or selling a home, and they will always be the top tier professionals in the industry. The benefits of a traditional realtor far outweigh any benefit that using Trulia has.