Hi Don - congratulations on opening your own brokerage! I am an internet newbie (3 weeks) when it comes to blogging, search engine mechanics, etc. Yet, since I have started answering and asking questions on Trulia, as well as the little bit of blogging I've done - I am impressed with the results! My name on google has taken quite a jump - as far as long term effectiveness, time will tell as to where I'll land with general real estate searches.

Thanks for your question! We're always looking for good testimonials of Trulia Pro. We've published a few on our blog http://www.truliablog.com/2008/07/01/trulia-pro-success-stor… and there are others elsewhere http://activerain.com/blogsview/739711/Trulia-Pro-Wow-This.

However, the metrics on our site show that realtors who use Trulia Pro get 4-7 times more visitors to their site from Trulia and can receive ten of thousands of views for their local spotlight advertisement. One of the things that helps lower the barrier for Trulia Pro is that the contract is month to month and only $39/month. You can try the product out and see if you like it!

Good luck and let us know what you think!

Don - I share your disappointment with Trulia and would add Zillow and CraigsList. Even the multiple, somewhat obscure syndicated sites supported by ListingWidget have provided no solid leads recently. We continue to hear how the net savvy buyers utilize the internet to begin searching homes months before calling a Realtor or responding to traditional marketing but this activity doesn't seem to be leading to real connections in this current market. I'm sure there is a strategy out there that can be successful but I'm not innovative enough to figure it out. JohnLScott.com has done a great job with their website in my opinion. Windermere is pushing Google analytics but who really cares that someone in Rhode Island has viewed your photo gallery? The industry has got to get some good minds together and really figure this thing out before someone else does. Thank you for your candid comments and honesty. This sweeps across company lines.

Don

Thank you Jeanmarie!

I was with John L. Scott Realty in an office with 159 agents on Canyon Rd. in Puyallup, 40 miles or so South of Seattle. I got my Broker license while there but NEVER did get any activity with the site that the company provided for me. - I was getting good hits on my own sites however, and I now have opened my own Brokerage and get contacts every week from my websites... but always looking for more quality leads and yes I agree it is a small enough investment if it works in our favor.

As a new Broker, the NWMLS has allowed me my own IDX feed and so I have a fellow coming over today to go over a new website with that search function... I hope it will be a good thing. I am also a webmaster and have built over 100 commercial websites, but I do not develop IDX and sub-contract out all database work. If we can get the web working for us I believe we will have all the business we can handle, its just important to not get scammed or taken for a ride in the process. - I paid $3,490 to a company 9 months ago that just took it and never gave me one lead, details at http://www.reexpert.us about that.... and I also trusted AT&T Yellowpages and signed a one year contract with them about 10 months ago for $350 a month... NO ONE LEAD. So, since I can build webs I put up http://www.att-yellowpages.us in an effort to warn others. - Guess you can say that I am now just a bit gun shy, but I am a risk taker.

Kind regards,
-Don

Donald J. Leske II - Designated Broker
BCI PROPERTIES, LLC
P.O. Box 44065, Tacoma WA 98448
Ph: 253.241.6695
Fax: 253.536.1236 http://www.HomesandProperties.com - Buy/Sell Homes-Land http://www.RealHomes.us - Foreclosure-Repo info. http://www.bci-properties.com - rentals http://www.BCIwire.com - webs

Hi Don,
Well I am not sure, except that I have a pending listing coming from being on Trulia. I used to have a very nice website with a IDX search capabilities, but nobody ever used it to search for a home. John L. Scott, has more money than I do for all the bells and whistles. So I stumbled into Trulia, and what I think does make it different is the ability to create the blogs and discussions such as this...It also has better placement for the google search engines..So long and short of it, time will tell, but the investment is a heck of a lot less!