Richard,
Judging by the way you posed your question, you must be new at real estate. If you are only in this business for instant money and monetary gratification, then you are in the wrong business. Real Estate is a RELATIONSHIP business. Yes, you will spend a lot of time with people who don't purchase. If you learn how to qualify buyers before you start showing them property, you will save yourself a lot of "wasted time" as you call it. What I mean by "qualifying a buyer" is not so much grilling them on their financials (you need to refer them to a lender for that) but you need to ask questions about their motivation and readiness to buy.
What you have to understand about a platform like Trulia is that this is Social Networking. You build your credibility as a professional by answering questions, submitting articles on your blog, being a member of sites like Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, etc, and networking.
You might not get direct leads from this platform, but the fact that you are active here, and helping consumers, will ultimately go a long way for you business. Share your knowledge and expertise, and you will be amazed at what you will receive, tenfold.
~Michelle Fradella, Broker
Pinnacle Real Estate Services
http://www.prchomes.com
http://www.pinnacleservice4u.com - Fri Sep 26 2008, 19:05