Want to know what will be on the minds of real estate brokers and agents in a few years’ time? It isn’t often that you get to peek into the future, but I have found a time-travelling peephole: For Jeff Good, president of Good Hospitality Services, the question of who owns customer data — the … Read more
I’ve been thinking a bit about the whole MLS 5.0 issue ever since Saul Klein’s post appeared. The reactions have been interesting. Greg Swann of BHB was somewhat cool to the idea, as evidenced by the title of his blogpost: The “MLS 5.0″ Manifesto: Everyone working in hi-tech real estate must oppose this vicious plan … Read more
So let’s say that some brave soul out there has decided to gamble away his life at the urgings of a certain blogger who works for a certain data company in New York City. To him, I offer my deepest sympathies. But courage! If this works, please do remember to look down upon us peons … Read more
In Part 1 of this series, I put forth the notion that a real estate company built on the law firm model — rainmaking partners + salaried associates + support staff — could work. The main requirement is that there is some sort of a competitive advantage that arises from the structure of the partnership … Read more
Jonathan Washburn (whom I have named J-Dub, without his permission or approval) of ActiveRain and Localism hath sounded a call to arms for NAR to buy out Move, Inc (NASDAQ: MOVE). J-Dub makes some good points (and the commenters on the thread support him) — namely, that Realtors hate Realtor.com, and that Realtor.com has lost … Read more
It must be zeitgeist, a change in the real estate weltanschauung. I wrote a long post back in March of 2008 having a conversation with Mike Farmer on his original Biz 2.0 post on the Bloodhound Blog. He then responded with some additional thoughts. I had a 1500 word draft that wasn’t even halfway finished, … Read more
An exchange with Mike Farmer in the comments section of this post over on Homegain triggered some thinking on my part. The Reader’s Digest version of what went on before: Louis thought there was too much hype about marketing, and not enough attention on the craft of being a realtor. I responded that one reason … Read more
There are times when the profession of marketing becomes a little bit like a romance — well, at least if you’re El Burlador de Sevilla. You try to divine what is going on in the customer’s head, what makes her tick, what you can say or do or highlight or whatever to get her attention, … Read more
Pretty much a perfect summary of the current market. (H/T: Instapundit.com). -rsh