Trulia appointed its newest chief economist to join the ranks of top housing voices, tapping a candidate from within this time.
Ralph McLaughlin, former housing economist for Trulia, was promoted to chief economist, effective immediately.
In this new role, McLaughlin will lead Trulia's housing economics research team and provide house hunters with key insights about the economy, housing trends, and public policy.
"As an economist and long-time house hunter, I understand what buyers, sellers, and renters actually care about and what they need to know to successfully navigate today's polarized housing market,” said McLaughlin.
“Under my leadership, Trulia will continue to explore the growing divide between the Costly Coasts in the booming West and Northeast markets versus the Bargain Belt in the sluggish South and Midwest markets. It's a trend that has important ramifications for the U.S. economy and housing policy,” he continued.
McLaughlin replaces Selma Hepp, who was named Trulia’s chief economist back in June 2015. Hepp filled the position of long-time Trulia veteran Jed Kolko, who announced he would be leaving the company back in February after three and a half years in the position.
Before joining Trulia in 2014, McLaughlin was an assistant professor of urban and regional planning at San Jose State University, where he was the director of the real estate development program.
He has also worked as an assistant professor in urban and regional planning at the University of South Australia.
"Having a dedicated research team at Trulia is part of our commitment to making it easy and enjoyable to find a home. With Ralph's expertise, we have shed light on how the real estate market has changed in the last few years, focusing on key consumer issues like affordability," said Paul Levine, President of Trulia.
