As a fledgling Blogger, I would be remiss if I didn't add my thoughts about Zillow.com and the possible ramifications for our profession.
After trudging thorough many lines of information about this upstart, I am reminded of a discussion, held in the boardroom of my previous company a mere ten years ago. I recall the many jokes and stabs taken at another fellow and his company. Most of the assembled wisdom at the time never gaved them a chance at succeeding.
After Jeff Bezos lauched Amazon.com my group put him on tight credit review but agreed to work with him (until he folded was the prevalent view) and we began to ship him our product.
"He doesn't know what he is doing" "He's not really a book person" "Why would bookstores want to order online?" were some of the chorus that I heard around the executive suites.
It's useless to tell you with the rest of the story let's just say that a few years later my old company was going through hoops to sell to Amazon; We did everything that we could to court their business. With special terms they commanded a huge market segment .Jeff was the darling of the publishing and online world. In the meanwhile we downsized, laid off hundreds of good people closed plants and shifted management over and over. After a decade of record profits the company's newest manager's (a bevy of MBA's) declared "victory" and have tried diligently to sell the business which not too many suitors now want.
This may not be the best of analogies but it is one that I lived through. I guess I have been vindicated since that day in the early nineties when I heard the disparaging talk about a new competitor and a new way of doing business. I didn't belive it then (since I cashed out in time and started my real estate business) and I don't believe it now. Be not afraid, just be aware.
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