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Blue Collar AgentsBlue Collar AgentsA blog about discount real estate brokers and agents. Articles
What is the NAR up to?
2007-05-22 22:51:00 I will do a proper analysis of this at a later time, but I thought this was just too important not to put up right now. This just in from Glen Roberts at Inman News… A National Association of Realtors advisory group is moving ahead with plans for a national real estate data repository that would include ...
Bob Dylan, Indian Chiefs and Lesley Stahl?s Body
2007-05-22 06:57:00 Embarrasing Editor’s Note: I have just been informed that Lesley Stahl is indeed spelled Lesley, not Leslie…making the change in the title now… where is Kris Berg when I need her… In a (long) moment of ridiculous insanity I decided to read the 150 pages of comments on the CBS News Website about last Sunday’s 60 Minutes story. That ... More About: Body , Indian , Bob Dylan , Redfin
Full Text of 60 Minutes Response to the NAR
2007-05-22 05:14:00 Below is the full response from Richard Bonin, the Producer of 60 Minute s , to the NAR’s accusations of inaccuracies in the segment “Chipping Away at Realtors’ 6 Percent“: Steve: I received your e-mail last night, and I’m sorry that you and your colleagues at the National Association of Realtors feel our report was one-sided. I respectfully disagree. ... More About: Redfin , Text , Full
CBS adds Editors Note after letter from the NAR
2007-05-19 02:10:00 In response to a letter from the NAR, CBS has added an Editors Note to its 60 Minutes online transcript. Here it is: (CBS) Editor?s Note: After our broadcast we heard from Steven Cook, a Vice President of the National Association of Realtors. In his letter he said, “All real estate commissions are negotiable and the average is 5.1 ... More About: Letter , Redfin
Friday Fun from The Home Depot
2007-05-18 23:08:00 Today’s Frida y Fun is only related to real estate in the sense that it takes place in a Home Depot. Watch as a group called “Improv Everywhere” invades one of their home improvement warehouses: More About: Home Depot
It aint just about Redfin
2007-05-18 20:52:00 Since last Sunday’s 60 Minutes piece, the blogs have lit up with chatter about Redfin . There have been lovers, haters, and everything in between. However, I think its time we recognize that there are many more players than just Redfin in this fight against anti-consumer practices. I want to take a moment to highlight other ...
The NAR response
2007-05-17 15:38:00 The backlash from the 60 minutes piece is nothing less than exhilarating. The following is from the NAR website, along with some comments: Here are some examples of the misinformation: Error: The six percent commission is “sacrosanct.” Fact: All commissions are negotiable. The average commission rate is not 6 percent, but 5.1 percent, according to Real Trends. ... More About: Commissions , Fees , Response
What Can The Real Estate Industry Learn From Detroit?
2007-05-16 22:29:00 Reading Marlow Harris’ latest whining about Redfin brought to mind another industry that had trouble recognizing and adapting to a changing business landscape: the U.S. auto industry. In the ’50’s and ’60’s, Detroit was on a roll. The Big Three manufacturers had crowded out most of the domestic competition and were selling cars hand over fist. In this ... More About: Estate , Real Estate , Industry , Real
The NAR is not used to getting ignored
2007-05-15 06:24:00 Pat Combs, President of the NAR, is dissappointed that He was ignored by 60 Minutes this last Sunday. The NAR isn’t used to being ignored. They are used to wining and dining powerful Washington politicians, State Legislators, and America’s Elite. Apparantly Leslie Stahl is a tougher nut to crack. Here is Pat’s letter to due (over)paying members: Dear ... More About: Redfin
The Redfin Party
2007-05-14 22:18:00 John Cook, a Seattle PI blogger has posted a video of the Redfin 60 Minutes party - check it out. More About: Party , Part
A Night to Remember at Redfin
2007-05-14 06:59:00 There are very few times in your life where you feel that you are a part of something very special. Tonight was one of those nights. All of Redfin ’s employees gathered at our Pioneer Square Office to watch the West Coast showing of 60 Minutes. Since it was Mother’s Day we decided to make it a ... More About: Real Estate , Night
Friday Fun from The NAR (and Bernice)
2007-05-12 02:31:00 The NAR “Operation Tip Off” was such good fun the first time around, I thought I would throw it up for round 2… Bottom line is that we don?t expect that the segment will make REALTORS happy but it could have been much, much worse. Be glad that it?s Mother?s Day and the show will probably ... More About: Friday , Nice , Frida
A taste of 60 Minutes
2007-05-11 23:44:00 A preview of the upcoming 60 Minute s story on online real estate brokers can now be found on the CBS Website. It looks like they got a great shot of my former office mate Fadi doin (thats slang, not a typo Kris ~ wink, wink) his real estate thing. More About: Real Estate , Redfin , Taste
The NAR, Top Producer, and your Database
2007-05-11 05:12:00 Matthew Hardy, the owner(?) of Real Estate Success Tools, has made some interesting comments today about what happens to the databases of Real Estate Agents who use Top Prod ucer. Over at Inman Blog Matthew made this comment: Gee. I wonder if the show will highlight the almost incestuous relationship between Homestore (now Move.com) and the NAR ... More About: Database , Taba , Base
Redfin to appear on 60 minutes, the NAR gets nervous
2007-05-11 00:26:00 When I first interviewed at Redfin in December, film crews from the news magazine 60 Minutes were at our Seattle Headquarters. After 5 months of preparation, the 60 Minutes episode regarding competition, commissions, and technology in real estate will finally air this Sunday. In preparation for the episode the NAR has sent out a press release tip off to ... More About: Real Estate , Commissions , Fees , Gets
The Carnival of Real Estate
2007-05-08 02:28:00 The Carnival this week is over at the OC Register Blog. The winner is an interesting post about why agents shouldn’t put their photos on their business cards. Not exactly in depth journalism, but some fun insights nonetheless. More About: Estate , Real Estate , State , Real
Is it time to outlaw dual agency?
2007-05-07 02:41:00 I have done one dual agency deal since I have been a real estate agent. After that deal, I swore to myself that I would never do another dual agency deal again… and I haven’t. As time has progressed and I have begun to see the multitudes of problems with dual agency, my stance has ... More About: Agency , Time , Commissions , Fees , Outlaw
Friday Fun from Zillow
2007-05-05 02:03:00 Ever wonder what Zillow employees do on their free time? More About: Friday , Frida
I can?t believe what I found on Realtor.org
2007-05-03 04:38:00 While researching a future post on the history of the 6% commission, I ran into an interesting “list” on Real tor .org. The list was written by David Cocks from a company called CompensationMaster. Check it out: Compensation 10 questions to consider when calculating commission splits 1. Which associates are most likely to look for greener pastures with the competition? ... More About: Real Estate , Commissions , Fees
Carnival of Real Estate
2007-05-01 01:03:00 Check out the Carnival of Real Estate this week over at Transparent Real Estate . Congrats to our very own Mike Ognek for making the list with his post Open Market 2.0. There are also a number of other great posts this week - so get over there and take a look! More About: State
(Late) Friday Fun
2007-04-28 07:13:00 For Frida y Fun this week (I have got to think of a better name then Friday Fun - Its kinda lame. Suggestions welcome.) I thought I would post a photo from Redfin’s favorite Pixel Pusher, Savan Kong. Savan calls this look “The Majestic:” THE MAJESTIC. The outfit to end all outfits THE MAJESTIC is the top of the line ... More About: Late
Open Market v2.0
2007-04-27 18:08:00 It is evident, even if only inside the industry, the way the real estate market has traditionally functioned is changing. There are myriad types of models, great and varied technology platforms, differing ideals, economic pressures, and lets admit, a cadre of ?the old corps? fighting to maintain market share and margins. The funny ... More About: Real Estate , Market , Open , Commissions , Fees
Are Your Clients This Easy To Impress?
2007-04-27 12:14:00 I get a kick out of this Assist2Sell press release: ?We met Ron Darling months before the transaction when he showed us some properties following our initial call after seeing his phone number on the Assist-2-Sell sign,? said Jamie Hanson. ?He was very personable and made such an impression on us that six months later when ... More About: Real Estate , Clients , Easy , Impress , Client
Ouch? Not a Cozy way to Start in Boston
2007-04-26 18:28:00 Territory Real Estate , A Boston discount broker, has launched their site simultaneously with Redfin’s Boston launch… and there was definitely no cozy, “lets be colleagues against the big bad 6 percenters.” Here’s what Territory had to say about Redfin: “Even though our online component is similar to Redfin?s, we are fundamentally different,? co-founder Terry Sanford explains. ... More About: Cozy , Cool Tech , Start
Redfin gets New Logo, Launches Boston
2007-04-26 08:26:00 Redfin was abuzz this week with agents in town from SoCal, San Fran, and Boston . The engineers had their heads to the grindstone preparing for the release of perhaps the most daring Redfin version to date. The new site features: The Launch of Redfin into the land of Baked Beans, Cheers, and Tea Parties. A New Offer Wizard that is more Consumer Friendly ... More About: Cool Tech , Redfin , Gets
The Death of Mass Media (as related to real estate)
2007-04-21 19:54:00 Americans are becoming more and more avoidant of traditional marketing media. Newspaper readership is down from 58.6% in 1998 to 49.9% in 2006, the rise of the DVR is diminishing returns on television commercials, and we all witnessed the turbulent transition of the ad driven AOL. Many marketers are struggling to find ... More About: Media , Estate , Real Estate , Death , State
Friday fun from Trulia
2007-04-21 02:01:00 I thought this was some good fun for a Frida y afternoon. More About: Real Estate
Is Century 21 Targeting Ads at Discounters?
2007-04-20 06:00:00 Century 21 has recently launched a new ad campaign called “The Gold Standard.” The ads feature Century 21 agents, or at least actors and actresses playing Century 21 Agents, explaining why they are the gold standard of the real estate industry. At least two of the ads seem particularly geared toward making a stand against ... More About: Real Estate , Cent , Target , Count , Counters
Marketing with Greed
2007-04-19 21:19:00 I just got this in my email box this morning. Is anyone looking out for the consumer on this one? (Names deleted to protect the guilty) $20k Price Drop & 5% SOC!* McKee’s Beach Community Waterfront $450,000 2 level view bungalow style home just steps away from Puget Sound! Beach rights included and easy access to the waterfront. Enjoy ... More About: Marketing , Greed , Reed , Mark
Keith from Housing Panic Responds
More articles from this author:2007-04-19 02:00:00 After a few back and forth emails with Keith , I feel that I have gotten a little better sense about who he is and why his blog Housing Panic is the way it is. Keith asked me not to post his emails on this blog, and I respect that… so I won’t. On the other ... More About: Pond , Sing 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
