SAN FRANCISCO, September 20, 2011 – Trulia today announced the appointment of Dr. Jed Kolko as chief economist. As the chief economist of Trulia, Jed will lead the company’s housing research and provide insight on market trends and public policy. He will also advise the development of Trulia Estimates and create new derivatives of Trulia’s data to help more consumers make smarter decisions about where they want to live.
“Being a housing expert with a keen understanding of what matters most to consumers when it comes to buying a home, Jed brings a unique perspective of where the market is today and where it is headed tomorrow. At Trulia, he will analyze our proprietary search and listing data in order to help us shed light on how the future of real estate will evolve – from where people want to live to the type of homes that they want to live in, all the way down to the neighborhood amenities that are most important to them and their families,” said Pete Flint, CEO and co-founder of Trulia. “Today, there are more than enough economists looking at the housing market with a short-term lens and I think we can all agree that most have not been able to predict when a recovery will happen, nor have they been successful in creating policies to will foster a long-term recovery. Moving away from this way of thinking, we believe Jed’s long-term point of view on housing issues is exactly what consumers need to help them understand the health of the economy in the long run rather than another short-term crystal ball prediction about the real estate market.”
Chief Economist Jed Kolko added, “Having watched Trulia over the years, I have been very impressed with their growth as a company and their impact on consumers. I am thrilled to now be a part of their team. Given the current state of the housing market, consumers need to understand which trends really matter for where they live now and where they want to live in the future. In this new role, I am eager to help Trulia be the objective and trustworthy place to go for smarter tools and deeper insights on housing.”
Jed spent the past five years at the Public Policy Institute of California as associate director of research and research fellow. In this role, he published policy studies and academic articles on economic development, land use and housing policy, advised policymakers and business groups, and testified at public hearings. Previously, he was vice president and research director of Forrester Research’s market-research practice focusing on consumer technology adoption and demand. He has also worked at the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (now known as the Federal Housing Finance Agency), the World Bank, and the Progressive Policy Institute. Jed earned his Ph.D in Economics and his A.B. in Social Studies from Harvard University.
ABOUT TRULIA, INC.
Trulia is the fastest growing online real estate resource, empowering buyers, seller and renters with smarter tools to help them find the right home. Trulia gives you the inside scoop to find you find the best place to live. Our smart and personalized real estate search experience brings together vital local information, community insights, market data and national listings all in one place. Trulia is headquartered in downtown San Francisco and is backed by Accel Partners and Sequoia Capital.
