Brass Tacks: What To Do About Marginal REALTORS?

My recent post on Zillow and the winds of war led to some predictable responses. The automated bot-scripts posted about how Zillow sucks, the leads are terrible, and how Spencer’s gonna eat your baby, etc. etc., even though my post had nothing to do with any of that. The principal objection of those who actually … Read more

What’s the Value of Agent-to-Agent Relationships?

  Heard a story the other night from a friend who is a REALTOR(R), while talking about the hot hot seller’s market we’re in now in many places around the country. (As an aside, doesn’t this mean that early 2013 is not a great time to buy?) Apparently, she had a house on the market … Read more

What's the Value of Agent-to-Agent Relationships?

  Heard a story the other night from a friend who is a REALTOR(R), while talking about the hot hot seller’s market we’re in now in many places around the country. (As an aside, doesn’t this mean that early 2013 is not a great time to buy?) Apparently, she had a house on the market … Read more

They Deserve Better

Above is the video I shared at Xplode San Antonio today, which was part of the Texas Association of REALTORS conference. This wasn’t a video we had made available to the public, but after my experience today, and a conversation with one of the attendees, we at HearItDirect decided this message needs to get out. … Read more

From the Annals of Wired Straits: More on Relationships

Ah, the horse ain’t quite dead yet, Matt Dollinger. Nor is the discussion a moot point. I testify, cuz at the September dinner of the Wired Straits Social Club (kinda like a Houston-based Lucky Strikes, which I started in NYC), we discussed this issue at some length. And got something out of it. I figured … Read more

If Real Estate Is Not a Relationship Business, What Business Is It?

  Over at Inman Next, Chris Smith stirs the cauldron up with a post entitled, “It Is No Longer A Relationship Business – Here’s Why“: Where I disagree is in the stance that I want to have a relationship with my Realtor. I don’t. In fact, I can’t even imagine it. My argument is that … Read more

Should Social Media Be Taught to Everyone?

I was reading some Facebook status updates — signifying that obviously, I’m not a total social media moron who hates all things social — when I came across an interesting little comment: The post that Eric Bryant and Maya were talking about is this one by Jeremy Blanton. His conclusion: I think in the case … Read more

Have You Seen Me? The Role of the Broker in Contemporary Real Estate

One of the most insightful set of comments I’ve ever read on this here blog (remember, I usually learn more from writing this blog than I ever “teach”) is to my last post about technology-loving agents. As it happens frequently around these here parts, at the same time I was being enlightened by you, the … Read more