Roost.com is the newest entry into real estate search. While Zillow tries to list all properties and Trulia takes in feeds from individual real estate brokers, Roost gets its data by tapping MLS, as does Redfin. Roost also offers paid advertising in the form of a backend hosted directory of real estate sites that can gain natural and paid traffic. This is interesting because in order to comply with MLS rules, advertisers that are paying for placement / clicks cannot send traffic to their own corporate websites, so instead the traffic is sent to a branded directory page built specifically for each advertiser on the Roost.com domain.
From Roost MLS Guidelines: The Roost search engine is composed of a network of broker & agent IDX sites. All MLS searches on Roost provide consumers access to MLS listings on a broker’s IDX site under the compliance guidelines of that local market. The broker has control of their branding, URL and amount of presence.
According to TechCrunch: “We are laser focused on search,” CEO Alex Chang tells me. “We are not doing valuations. We are not creating heat maps. We are doing high-performance search.”
Roost is entering the market at an interesting time and it will be interesting to see what happens in this space as more companies enter with different data sourcing.
Source: TechCrunch
Author: Trace Richardson is the CEO of LeadPress.com, a Mortgage Webite Design that helps loan officers with mortgage marketing.
Roost.com soars above the other national IDX players. Consumers like the simplicity of the
Roost website. Bringing value to both the consumer and the real estate industry is a
winning combination.
David Winans GMAC Real Esate
http://TexasMLS.com
I’m not sure about the winning combination. Eventually all this large sites will run agents out to business.
I'm not sure about the winning combination. Eventually all this large sites will run agents out to business.