How to Scrape Trulia: Using Code and No Code Approaches

This article outlines a few methods to scrape Trulia. This could effectively export housing data from Trulia to Excel or other formats for easier access and use.

There are three methods to scrape Trulia:

  1. Scraping Trulia in Python or JavaScript
  2. Using the ScrapeHero Cloud, Trulia Scraper, a no-code tool

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Build a Trulia Scraper in Python/JavaScript

In this section, we will guide you on how to scrape Trulia using either Python or JavaScript. We will utilize the browser automation framework called Playwright to emulate browser behavior in our code.

One of the key advantages of this approach is its ability to bypass common blocks often put in place to prevent scraping. However, familiarity with the Playwright API is necessary to use it effectively.

You could also use Python Requests, LXML, or Beautiful Soup to build a Trulia Scraper without using a browser or a browser automation library. But bypassing the anti-scraping mechanisms put in place can be challenging and is beyond the scope of this article.

Here are the steps to scrape Trulia data using Playwright:

Step 1: Choose either Python or JavaScript as your programming language.

Step2: Install Playwright for your preferred language:

Step 3: Write your code to emulate browser behavior and extract the desired data from Trulia using the Playwright API. You can use the code provided below:

This code shows how to scrape Trulia using the Playwright library in Python and JavaScript.
The corresponding scripts have two main functions, namely:

  1. run function: This function takes a Playwright instance as an input and performs the scraping process. The function launches a Chromium browser instance, navigates to Trulia, fills in a search query, clicks the search button, and waits for the results to be displayed on the page.
    The extract_data function is then called to extract the listing details and store the data in a Data.json file.
  2. extract_data function: This function takes a Playwright page object as input and returns a list of dictionaries containing restaurant details. The details include each restaurant’s title, review count, rating, address, and phone.

Finally, the main function uses the async_playwright context manager to execute the run function. A JSON file containing the listings of the Trulia script you just executed would be created.

Step 4: Run your code and collect the scraped data from Trulia.

Using No-Code Trulia Scraper by ScrapeHero Cloud

The Trulia Scraper by ScrapeHero Cloud is a convenient method for scraping data from Trulia. It provides an easy, no-code method for scraping data, making it accessible for individuals with limited technical skills.

This section will guide you through the steps to set up and use the scraper.

  1. Sign up or log in to your ScrapeHero Cloud account.
  2. Go to the Trulia Scraper by ScrapeHero Cloud in the marketplace.
  3. Add the scraper to your account. (Don’t forget to verify your email if you haven’t already.)
    Note: The ScrapeHero Cloud’s Trulia Scraper falls under the premium scrapers category that does not include a free tier. To access this scraper, the user should be subscribed to a paid plan.
  4. You need to add the search results URL for a business or place to start the scraper. If it’s just a single query, enter it in the field provided and choose the number of pages to scrape.
    For instance, if you have to scrape all the listings from Atlanta, copy the URL:to scrape trulia, first input desired locationcopy the search results URL to scrape trulia using ScrapeHero Cloud
  5. To scrape results for multiple queries, switch to Advance Mode, and in the Input tab, add the search results URL to the SearchQuery field and save the settings.
  6. To start the scraper, click on the Gather Data button.
  7. The scraper will start fetching data for your queries, and you can track its progress under the Jobs tab.
  8. Once finished, you can view or download the data from the same.
  9. You can also export the real estate data into an Excel spreadsheet from here. Click on the Download Data, select “Excel,” and open the downloaded file using Microsoft Excel.

Uses cases of Trulia Data

If you’re unsure as to why you should scrape Trulia, here are a few use cases where this data would be helpful:

You can scrape data from Trulia for in-depth analysis of property prices, historical trends, and local features. This empowers investors to target profitable areas, manage risks, and optimize their return on investment.

Smart Home-Buying

Use data to guide potential homeowners in comparing property prices, analyzing value trends, and evaluating amenities. This facilitates cost-effective and lifestyle-compatible buying decisions.

Professional Edge for Agents

Trulia data assists real estate professionals in understanding market averages, buyer preferences, and sales history. Agents can better match properties with buyers and set competitive listing prices.

Proactive Development Strategies

Builders can identify trending property features and preferences in targeted locations using Trulia data. For instance, if energy-efficient homes are in demand, developers can include such features in new projects.

Data-Driven Urban Policies

Policy-makers and planners can make informed decisions on zoning and housing policies based on real estate data from Trulia. If there’s a shortage of affordable housing, strategic initiatives can be devised to encourage the development of cost-effective housing options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Trulia scraping refers to extracting real estate data from the real estate listings available on Trulia.com. This process allows for systematically collecting housing data displayed on this prominent real estate platform.

To extract data from Trulia, you can either manually build a scraper using Python, JavaScript, etc., or you can use a pre-built scraper like the Trulia Scraper from ScrapeHero Cloud

No, Trulia does not have an API that you can use to gather publicly available data on their website, but you can use a Trulia Scraper to do the same.

Legality depends on the legal jurisdiction, i.e., laws specific to the country and the locality. Gathering or scraping publicly available information is not illegal.
Generally, Web scraping is legal if you are scraping publicly available data.
Please refer to our Legal Page to learn more about the legality of web scraping.

Legal information

Posted in:   Featured, Real Estate Insights, ScrapeHero Cloud, Tutorials, Web Scraping Tutorials

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