Who do you think will win: Zillow, Trulia, or ????

[John Rooster]

It is my belief that in the next few years a nationwide multipurpose real estate website will evolve to become a major player in real estate sales. At first augmenting, but eventually displacing local Multiple Listing Service websites. I see this service site enjoying kind of a natural monopoly similar to Facebook, Google, Amazon or Linkedin. Currently I know of two such candidates that exist for this role, Zillow and Trulia, both are publicly traded companies. There are probably other players in this arena I don't know about. I expect one will become the Facebook of Real Estate, and that the others will become the myspaces and etoys of Real Estate. I do not use either site much myself since I use a local Denver Realtor site.

My question is for those that have used Zillow and Trulia a good deal, (or brand x I don't know about). Is one site stronger, better, more useful, more reliable, etc.. than the other? My question relates to my desire to make a stock purchase of one of these companies (yes, I know that I am allowed to purchase more than one).

[Pat L.]

@John Rooster

I don't use either for valid REI info but if you want to make money in stocks this is the area my BIL is touting...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-09/pot-shares-rally-21-to-1-700-as-speculators-see-green.html

Nothing like buying (when) HIGH & mellowing out for profits before they go up in 'smoke' like most penny stocks have in the past....& you can say you bought it but didn't inhale...:)

BUT given the low initial investment it could generate surprising results....