Packages and Enhancements

Agents who use Zillow, Trulia and/or Realtor.com can pay extra products to give themselves more exposure and an edge against their competitors.

Realtor.com offers different options for agents to use enhanced listings to promote themselves even further:

• Showcase Agent, which includes the ability  for agents to add 36 jumbo photos, full motion videos and virtual tours, in addition to open house alerts and links to the agent’s personal website. It also includes a yellow banner on the Search Results Page and custom headlines and property descriptions.
• Standard Office, which includes the office name, logo and contact information with link to office website; a printable brochure, ability to include Internet Remarks if RETS MLS and exposure for up to three additional office listings.
• Animated Sign Rider for Offices, which allows agents to include the graphic and/ or linkable text of their choice on the Search Results Page
• Showcase Company, which is similar to Showcase Agent with the addition of Animated Sign Rider on Search Results Pages

Prices for these listings are based on the circulation of a Realtor.com Marketing System member receives. This is determined by the market location and the number of listings.

Zillow offers a Premier Agent Program to create more exposure for agents, by putting their faces in the “featured homes” section, so they are immediately visible to buyers who are browsing for houses. The program comes in three different levels: silver, gold and platinum, and each offers different levels of exposure. The price of this program varies on the zip code. If you’re considering to join the Premier Agent Program, you must act quickly because they only allow a limited amount of agents per zip code. Matt Dollinger, president and founder of Gearbox Consulting, highly recommends this one.

“Through their partnership with Yahoo! Real Estate, FrontDoor and others your property and marketing will extend to over 100 million potential visitors per month,” he said. “In addition, for a little more you can get a pretty slick Zillow Premier Agent website complete with IDX search capabilities that’s better than 95% of your competition in the marketplace.”

TruliaPro also is designed to create exposure for agents by offering boosting their listings to the top of Trulia’s search results. It comes in three different packages: a three-pack of ad-free featured listings is $39.99 per month, a 10-pack is $69.99 and a 20-pack is $99.99.

Trulia has a point system for Realtors, based on the amount of activity they do on the site. When Realtors reach 3,000 points, they receive a “VIP” status next to their profile, establishing their credibility. The most popular way Realtors gain points is through a discussion forum, where consumers can ask Realtors questions. Realtor Mark McNitt of Bernstein Realty has answered a wide variety of questions, ranging from “Can you tell me who lives in this home?” to “Is there crime in this area?”

“I’ve gotten at least four or five sales from Trulia,” McNitt said. “Not from the company, but from people reading my answers, viewing my profile, seeing the link to my personal website and going back to my website and reading testimonials. It just kind of blends together.”