Mar. 25, 2008 - A snippet from a conversation with Jeff Turner in early 2007

We have not reached the tipping point yet?

Ahhh...we have reached many points of tipping...

The (real estate) industry has about five main bullet points to address, and have already chosen how to address those to a large extent and over a period of say 15 years.  Their chosen course in each disappoints me, obviously.  Some are more problematic for me than others. Are these courses reversible?  More importantly, should I care if they are not reversed or moved forward differently?  Give me a sec.  I have to go ask Jesus.

1) Broker survival-compensation models (becoming landlords of cowboys.  The cowboys is my issue more than the fee structure.  Starting our own company was a huge eye opener though.  I see it...I get it...but I don't care much about the big picture of broker compensation...just the impact on consumers of the cowboys that structure creates.

2) Buyer Agency and all that goes with (disclosure of and negotiation of the Buyer Agent Fee i.e. Redfin.  I may negotiate at full price or more or less...but I never say the buyer agent fee is none of the buyers business...as "the industry" does.  That is why Redfin is the one and only and hated for it.  The buyer agent fee is not supposed to be any of the buyer's damn business LOL.  A huge host of injustices in the everyday market place lies herein...so it is my main focus.  It is also where the consumer's intelligence is highly insulted.

3) Consumer's disgust at the control and arrogance factor (you HAVE TO pay this and you HAVE TO use us and you HAVE TO...just because the industry has gotten away with way too much for way too long, is no excuse for this stance.  Be happy that you "made hay while the sun shined" and move in a new direction people.

4) Realtor.com is a monopoly, and by definition of monopoly, unchallengedly stagnant. Enter Zillow as the response.  You really have to admire Dalton for his Fearless Leader stance...ask yourself, why is Dalton defending Realtor value against Redfin?  Why wasn't it the CEO of another Brokerage.  Where is Dalton vs. Kelman not a match?  He has taken on that role...very wise man....defender of the Realtor.

5) Self Governed Trade Association The Big Kahuna has not met it's obligations that go with privelege.  It did forever...until...all agents stopped representing only sellers.  Their response to the change was to "pretend" change...not "good enough"  The world is rebelling...including the DOJ  And well they should.  Self governance to the point of Courts deferring back to the Realtor Organization, comes with HUGE public policy responsibility.  They blew it...badly...and have given no sign of doing anything but staying that course.  If the Realtor organization only looks out for the Realtor and not the consumer, then they need to be dismantled and have less power.  They were given huge power because all was seller oriented.  Agent wants exactly what seller consumer wants...motivation of agent same as motivation for seller consumer, so large power and self governance given them.  Buyer consumer gaining rights...Realtor Organization not responding in consumer protection fashion...time to take it down to size and no longer defer to their "judgment" and control.

Has there ever before in history been an intervention by government into the affairs of the Realtor Organization?  Why now?  The BIG answer...not the small excuse they found to do so.

Oh, and Jesus says in response to my question at the beginning: "Whatever You Do For the LEAST of My Brethren, You Do Unto Me".  So that leaves me at point #2 where you "found" me :) 

Apr. 13, 2008 - RE: A snippet from a conversation with Jeff Turner in early 2007

OK, I have to disagree on many levels with Jeff. Letting the buyer try and negotiate the commission of a buyers agent, means the agreement with the seller that the listing agent negotiated is worthless. The Buyer doesn't pay it so of course they may after they find a home say lower it so I can pick up more savings. This in no way fits a normal pattern of business. That would be like walking into a car dealership and saying now that we got the price low lets take the $1000 sales commission and just lower the price another $1000.

This destroys the profession and that will lead the public to foolishly buying online with litle or no representation or it will bring in big companies who will be the walmart of transactions and then the public will be monopolized likt they are with the drug companies. Held captive by insurance and drug companies.

Zillow isn't defending the realtor, they are scraping the info from MLS's and Realtors so they can take traffic from individual agents and then sell them back spots to reach the clients they took away with the agents information. These solutions your talking about will lead the public into a much worse situation then they are in. What is next shall we renegotiate the doctors fees until no one will practice medicine. Why don't we renegotiate the politicians fees and the teachers. It's hard enough to make a living so quality people who are experts and helping their clients can thrive. I think you are way off.