Follow-Up Post on Brass Tacks: What To Do About Marginal Agents?

Happy Friday everyone. I wanted to do this quick follow-up to my Brass Tacks: What To Do About Marginal Agents post from November 20, 2015. Because the comments on that post were… interesting… so I figured we might get some more interesting comments on this one. If you recall, in that original post, I highlighted … Read more

Marginal REALTORS: Five Things an Association Can Do Today

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday; I personally got some really great news the day before Thanksgiving, so I had a truly memorable one myself. I even managed to hold on to that feeling of profound gratitude as the sentiment turned from giving thanks to indulging in exercises in gluttony that would have … Read more

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

The Winds of War: Zillow’s Q3 Earnings Call and the Inevitability of Conflict

By now, if you pay attention to this sort of thing, you’ve seen Zillow’s Q3/2015 earnings report and maybe even listened to the earnings call. And on the financial side of things, ZG appears to have kicked ass once again: Revenue of $176.8 million, up 13% year over year on a pro forma basis. Adjusted … Read more

The Winds of War: Zillow's Q3 Earnings Call and the Inevitability of Conflict

By now, if you pay attention to this sort of thing, you’ve seen Zillow’s Q3/2015 earnings report and maybe even listened to the earnings call. And on the financial side of things, ZG appears to have kicked ass once again: Revenue of $176.8 million, up 13% year over year on a pro forma basis. Adjusted … Read more

Brokerage, Value, Stewardship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnmvrknV_iA I’ve been incredibly busy with client work and with the excitement that is Neighborhood Advocates, so blogging has been light. Who am I kidding — blogging has been nonexistent. But I was at RETSO last week when one of the panel discussions really struck me. Since I also have an upcoming presentation about brokerages, it … Read more

The Impossible Dream or a Glorious Quest?

This “thought” by Steve Murray of RealTrends appeared in his October 31 email newsletter and was posted on his website the next day. State of Unrest Why is there so much angst between Realtor associations, MLSs and brokerage firms? By Steve Murray “The whole is festering with unhappy souls. The French hate the Germans, the Germans hate the Poles. … Read more

In Which I Propose a New Role for the REALTOR Association

I’ve been in the real estate market the last few months. It has been an interesting experience all around to be a straight up consumer, both selling and buying. And I’ll tell you what: it has been absolutely amazing to see the good, the bad, and the ugly of the industry personally from a consumer’s … Read more

Concerning A Challenge for Positive Change, A Few Thoughts

Every once in a while, some thought leader in the real estate industry issues a challenge, a plea, a lamentation about the inability of various parts of the industry to work together. If only we could set aside petty politics, set aside irrational suspicion, and figure out how to work together for mutual benefit, things could … Read more