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ryantate
184
WFG News
February 20, 2015

Why the FTC let Zillow buy Trulia

Federal antitrust regulators say they decided to allow the nation’s most popular real estate search portal to acquire its closest rival because real estate agents have “numerous” ways to market their services, and that there was “insufficient evidence” that the deal would result in higher advertising costs or hurt innovation.…
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ryantate
202
WFG News
February 20, 2015

News Corp. delivers one-two punch to Zillow Group

With Zillow finally swallowing Trulia, the head-to-head portal bout is officially on. News Corp. — owner of realtor.com operator Move Inc. — has thrown the first punches. In a press release on Tuesday emblazoned with an all-caps headline, Move jabbed that “Zillow’s year of the merge will be realtor.com’s year…
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ryantate
159
WFG News
February 19, 2015

What the Zillow-Trulia deal means for broker, agent ads

When Zillow fully absorbs Trulia sometime later this year, brokers and agents will buy one set of ad products that will show up across the two sites — and also on Zillow’s partner sites, as well as its other consumer brands, where applicable. Broker and agent ads will show up across both Zillow…
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ryantate
170
WFG News
February 19, 2015

Homes.com retools ads for buyer’s agents

Homes.com is getting its own version of the “three headed monster,” launching “Local Connect” advertising that offers buyer’s agents the ability to geotarget consumers searching for homes by ZIP code using ads prominently displayed on listing detail pages. The ads — contact forms that list buyer’s agents directly below the…
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ryantate
185
WFG News
February 18, 2015

Zillow ratcheting up marketing spend

Last year Zillow spent $75 million to raise the profile of its brand with consumers. This year, it will spend even more, CEO Spencer Rascoff says. Discussing the company’s acquisition of Trulia on a conference call with investors this morning, Rascoff wouldn’t provide exact numbers on this year’s marketing spend.…
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ryantate
252
WFG News
February 18, 2015

Your cheat sheet to the Zillow-Trulia deal

We awaken today to a world where Trulia is owned by the newly named Zillow Group. Brokers and agents need to make quick sense of what the closing Zillow’s acquisition of Trulia means for the immediate and ongoing future. To help you toward that end, here is a cheat sheet…
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ryantate
182
WFG News
February 17, 2015

Zillow-Trulia merger closes

The long-anticipated merger between the two largest U.S. real estate search portals has finally closed after a six-month review by the Federal Trade Commission. Announced last July, the merger of Zillow and Trulia begins the next chapter of a fierce competitive battle with News Corp. and its Move and realtor.com…
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ryantate
168
WFG News
February 16, 2015

What to expect now that Zillow and Trulia are one?

Imagine a horse race. Two horses, a perfectly toned and young thoroughbred against a 7-year-old nag. No surprises who is winning the race. Then, two things happen: 1. The winning horse surprisingly steers off the track to further bulk up for the race; 2. A new tested and savvy owner…
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ryantate
167
WFG News
February 13, 2015

FTC will not block Zillow-Trulia merger

The Federal Trade Commission has completed its investigation of Zillow’s acquisition of Trulia and will not block the deal, which is expected to close on Tuesday. The decision puts an end to speculation that antitrust regulators might impose conditions on a deal that puts ownership of the two most popular…
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ryantate
175
WFG News
February 11, 2015

Gary Keller on how to think about the portals, the Internet and online leads

Gary Keller, in a 157-minute presentation on the economy, the housing market and the state of the real estate industry, drilled down on portals, the Internet and how to think about these leads. The video below captures that part of his presentation. The post Gary Keller on how to think…
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