Prudential and RealtyTrac Expand Alliance

Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, Inc., the integrated real estate brokerage franchise and relocation

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services business of Newark, New Jersey-based ""Prudential Financial, Inc."":http://www.prudential.com/view/page/public?h=1, and Irvine, California-based ""RealtyTrac"":http://www.realtytrac.com/, an online real estate marketplace, recently announced an expansion of their business relationship.

The expanded alliance will allow RealtyTrac's comprehensive national foreclosure data to be more powerfully integrated into Prudential's national property listing Web site.

Consumers using the site will now be able to easily search through more than 2 million default, auction, and REO properties in the United States contained in RealtyTrac's daily-updated database.

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""Distressed properties represent a sizable portion of the current market and will continue to do so for some time,"" said Earl Lee, president of Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services. ""We want to be sure our customers have the latest foreclosure information and, while working with Prudential Real Estate sales professionals, make the best property decisions.""

According to RealtyTrac, a record 2.8 million homes across the nation received a foreclosure notice in 2009, a 21 percent jump from 2008 and a 120 increase from 2007. And as mortgage loans reset during the next 12 to 18 months, RealtyTrac said foreclosures could continue increasing.

Rick Sharga, SVP of RealtyTrac, said his company strives to make the foreclosure-buying process easier and more convenient for real estate consumers.

""We've recently enhanced our foreclosure data to help consumers identify the best bank-owned bargains and short-sale opportunities, and we're excited to share these powerful new features with consumers using the Prudential Web site,"" Sharga said.

The expanded Prudential-RealtyTrac alliance will also allow Prudential Real Estate Network brokers, sales professionals, and employees to take advantage of the RealtyTrac Professional program, a proven online marketing channel designed to help real estate professionals generate new leads and new business opportunities from the red-hot foreclosure market.