Now that consumers have control, the curtain doesn't cut the mustard.
How about some bookmark love? ::
Jim over at The Real Estate Tomato wrote a compelling blog that it the depth of its spirit challenges the Real Estate Industry. Why does it? It challenges the foundation on which most Realtors business models work.
The internet - more than ever, has paved the way for consumers, buyers and sellers to be in control of their Real Estate buying and selling experience.
There is an increased pressure for agents to adapt to doing business in a new way with free flow of information. Welcome to the Internet, Real Esate Industry, the rest of the world of commerce has been waiting for you.
Some agents are struggling to adjust, and they are losing. Some have gone so far as to denounce various websites insisting that information in consumer hands is a bad thing.
Unfortunately this mentality is based on an old construct. The idea is centered on information being a commodity in the Real Estate industry; instead of homes. The big signal that an agent doesn't get it, is that they want to tempt you with to work with them in exchange for the special information that comes from the MLS.
The old philosophy is to hide the information behind the curtain with the Real Estate Agent's professionalism and expertise.
Professional Dummy
I have better things to do than to sell you stats like "Days on Market" or "Comps" in exchange for your personal information. I'd much rather have a relationship with a client, and enable them to find that information themselves.
I assert that a Real Estate Agent's expertise and professionalism should be visible in their service and knowledge of the housing market and inventory. Their expertise should never be based on a carrot and stick ploy to drip feed clients MLS information.
The internet - more than ever, has paved the way for consumers, buyers and sellers to be in control of their Real Estate buying and selling experience.
There is an increased pressure for agents to adapt to doing business in a new way with free flow of information. Welcome to the Internet, Real Esate Industry, the rest of the world of commerce has been waiting for you.
Some agents are struggling to adjust, and they are losing. Some have gone so far as to denounce various websites insisting that information in consumer hands is a bad thing.
Unfortunately this mentality is based on an old construct. The idea is centered on information being a commodity in the Real Estate industry; instead of homes. The big signal that an agent doesn't get it, is that they want to tempt you with to work with them in exchange for the special information that comes from the MLS.
The old philosophy is to hide the information behind the curtain with the Real Estate Agent's professionalism and expertise.
Professional DummyI have better things to do than to sell you stats like "Days on Market" or "Comps" in exchange for your personal information. I'd much rather have a relationship with a client, and enable them to find that information themselves.
I assert that a Real Estate Agent's expertise and professionalism should be visible in their service and knowledge of the housing market and inventory. Their expertise should never be based on a carrot and stick ploy to drip feed clients MLS information.
Tags:
You forget that the MLS is not just for Buyers but for Sellers too. What benefit is it to Sellers to have the "Days on Market" stats visible to the general public? There is other "confidential information" that Sellers may not want disclosed. The MLS does not exist for a Buyers convenience or for areal estate portal site to scrape for free content.
Posted by
Marlow |
12:45 PM
Why on God's green earth is suddenly the MLS supposed to be a free and public tool? Licensed real estate professionals who post listings there work for the sellers. The information ultimately benefits both buyers and sellers, but it's there for the sellers. The listing side of real estate is the business side of the transaction and will stay that way.
Those in the general public who consist of agent haters or the "do it yourself" types would probably just rather have all the addresses and confidential data they can get, then knock on doors and get sellers to negotiate directly with them. No need for any agent! A lot of direct sales I see involve a skipped home inspection. Never a great move for any buyer.
Allowing the MLS to be in the public domain serves no great purpose. I am not hoarding information or threatened by market changes. Again, licensed agents serve a purpose and if defiant buyers want to think and act otherwise, it's probably to their detriment.
I agree with Marlow that the MLS is not merely a buyer convenience. Those who think should get real.
You can find medical information online too. That doesn't mean we should all take it upon ourselves to assume we can correctly diagnose what may ail us.
Naysayers can shake their finger at me that I must be in the dark ages. To the contrary: I am very successful and worlds ahead of most agents in terms of innovative marketing and technology. And I feel very passionately about the role the MLS serves and should serve.
Posted by
San Diego Agent |
2:32 PM
Part of my point here is that MLS data is not Agent's product to sell, nor does it comprise their expertise. I don't want clients that are just using me to get to the MLS, do you?
Posted by
Rory |
2:39 PM