Pass the Grey Poupon Please

The Tainted Love of  Trulia's Voices

I am sure all of you have heard of Trulia. But have you heard of another part of the website called Trulia Voices?

Voices allows questions to be asked and answered by consumers and agents a like. It seemed like a great idea in the beginning and I have seen some great questions asked by the public. On the flip side, real estate agents and mortgage brokers have given some detailed responses.

But my question is: Is Trulia Voices now Tainted?

Here are a couple of problems I see happening to a good idea:

1) Responses can be rated by giving a "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" : anyone can rate a response, but it seems as of late that great answers are being given bad reviews, while those with short and lacking responses are getting rave reviews.

Trulia will not allow me to rate my own posts. So I tested out the system. I created a second account and kept my information fairly neutral. With this new account I would now be able to rate all my posts with a "thumbs up". I didn't do it, but I discovered how easy it is to be anonymous and how easy it would be to discredit your competition. The system can be used for the wrong reasons and manipulated.

2) Anyone can answer a Question : I keep seeing agents from other parts of the country commenting on questions in Minnesota. One question referenced Park Avenue in Minneapolis, with an agent from God knows where (not from MN) asking for more information on the property.

If you are not licensed in the State of the Question, don't answer it. (kinda like here on the Q & A section of Active Rain)

3) Answers and Questions can be down right Ridiculous : I got a chuckle out of this one I saw for St Paul.

Q: Is St. Paul as cold as Minneapolis in the winter time?

A: Actually, Minneapolis is significantly colder. This is due to the people there who are very snobbish and standoffish. The people in St. Paul, however, are so warm, caring, and intelligent that it is typically fifteen degrees warmer in St. Paul! (Except in summer when many St. Paulites, who are much richer and smarter than Minneapolitans, leave the city for their lake homes, thus making St. Paul cooler than Minneapolis in the summer. (posted by Duh GetaClue)

The person who answered has been voted as the "Best Answer".

I am sure I could bring up other concerns, like the relevance of who has answered the most questions, but is there really a point? Oh, yes, there is. Trulia Voices, in my opinion, is tainted. It is NO Active Rain.