When I joined Trulia last fall, I knew it was a cool brand with an even better culture and awesome products, but as I’ve rolled up my sleeves and really dug in, I’m even more blown away by the insightful tools and features Trulia offers both buyers and renters.
With any product, particularly a website as robust as Trulia, some features can sometimes go over-looked, which is why I wanted to share a quick overview of a few of what I think are Trulia’s coolest offerings.
Calculate Your Commute
Let’s face it, no one really likes commuting. Spending hours of your day in the car – or on public transit – is exhausting and it’s no fun. Chances are, anyone who’s looking to relocate cares about what the change will do to their commute. Lucky for them, Trulia has a tool that lets house hunters calculate the commute from a home they’re interested in to any destination, whether that’s work, a child’s daycare, or other facility.
From the property detail page of the home you’re interested in, just input the destination you want to commute to and the calculator will tell you how long it takes to drive, walk, ride a bike, or use public transportation to get there.
Trulia Commute Calculator
Determine the Likelihood of Natural Disasters
Part of what makes Trulia so great are its maps. Trulia has 34 different map layers that all come together to help paint a vivid picture of what it’s like to live in a certain neighborhood. There is a map for crime, schools, commutes, amenities, affordability, demographics, living well, and there’s even a natural hazards map. While not always top-of-mind, understanding the risk of a natural hazard near your future home is super important. Not only does it give you a little peace of mind by showing you the risk of an earthquake, flood, tornado, hurricane, or wild fire in any area you search, it can help determine what kind of insurance you’ll want.
Trulia Hazards Map, showing the likelihood of an earthquake in SF
Weigh Buying vs. Renting
If you’re looking for a new home but unsure if you should buy or rent, Trulia has something that can help, a Rent vs. Buy calculator. Trulia’s Rent vs. Buy calculator compares the total cost of renting with the total cost of buying to help you see what makes the most financial sense for you. This is particularly handy in expensive rental markets like San Francisco.
Trulia Rent vs. Buy calculator
These are just some of my personal favorite Trulia features. But, don’t just take my word for it, go explore all Trulia has to offer and let me know what your favorite feature is in the comments below.
