Trulia, the online marketplace for buying and selling homes, has added a service that allows users to search specifically for real estate agents by location, name and company.
The search engine returns a list of local agents with pictures, recommendations and other information. This new update comes after Trulia announced a program to partner with such real estate companies as RE/MAX and Realty ONE Group. These companies provide rosters of agents to Trulia, but each profile depends on the individual agent to create and update. This addition is supposed to provide a comprehensive platform for both users and companies instead of depending solely on personal recommendations.
Trulia spokesperson Korina Buhler tells me that, according to company surveys, more than half of the site’s users are looking to find an agent when they visit Trulia. She says the Find an Agent search is also meant to help users research agents, because 66 percent of buyers only interview one agent before choosing, according to statistics from the National Association of Realtors.
Competitors Zillow and Redfin also have agent reviews and listings, but Trulia representatives said they are working on making their directory more detailed than others. Agent profiles are concentrated on building an online reputation, with sections for user recommendations, previous selling history, questions and available properties.
Other tech developments we’ve seen from Trulia this year include Trulia Suggest, a personalized real estate recommendation engine, and a redesigned iPad app. The Find an Agent search is also available on Trulia’s mobile app and the mobile web.