RealTown's RealTalk

Saul says,
No one gets it (I should say few get it)...there is nothing any REALTOR, for
a number of very obvious reasons, can do to stop it. It is the convergence
of consumer use and adaptation of technology and the content and "property"
the consumer owns ....
-------------------

Am I alone in facing the fact that the real estate business, as we have
known it, is headed for a complete overhaul? Remember when Travel Agencies
had cornered the market on computer access to airline tickets? Once the
public could book it themselves on their own computer, soon to follow came
hotels, auto rental and a barrage of other things.

We really need to face the fact that this business is CHANGING. The
consumer is the one who is demanding lower commissions, immediate access to
information and in many cases, the option to do it themselves.

I just don't see this business going in any other direction than to a more
consumer demanded program at a price they are WILLING to pay. We just have
to put our heads together, figure out what the consumer wants and how we can
make a living on their terms.

Personally, I see mammoth offices going by the wayside. Bricks and mortal
offices will be replaced by Virtual Offices as the technology progresses.
If you are not spending $5000 per month for the office, you can spread that
out in savings for your customers. Snail mail will be a thing of the past.
Why spend 41 cents, the cost of stationary and envelopes, when you can send
a nice letter via email? Scan in your contracts and paperwork and keep it
in cyber space instead of having miles of file cabinets.

I see so many ways to take advantage of all of this new technology.
Unfortunately, we must pass on most of our customers who have not
technologically come into the 21st century. They just cost us too much time
and money.

I would be very interested to hear how all of you are changing your
businesses as you need to reduce your costs. We all need to look very hard
in this direction.
--
Deede Wockenfuss

---

I assume it was a typo, but I love it: "Bricks and Mortal offices" the pun
is fabulous...

I want to clarify and support what Saul said above: it is not a matter of
defending against the onslaught of the new technologies, but rather a matter
of learning to use them to advantage (as Deede says) -- and as Saul points
out repeatedly on this and other forums, it is an inevitability, so we have
no choice but to "get it" or disappear into oblivion...

Some very successful Realtors, though, do get it Saul... we see many that
are working avidly with the new media, including TV, the Web, virtual tours,
etc., and gaining advantage over the rest of the rabble. For example, it
seems quite clear that Deede "gets it" -- and I like to think our firm does
as well. Some of the greatest "get it" folks are right here on this list (or
used to be) and the knowledge and leverage this gives them is apparent...

I would like to ask this: does any see this trend as refocusing the industry
more on buyers than on sellers? By this I mean that the web appears to be at
its best in attracting buyers to the firms with the best performing sites...
but not so much at attracting sellers... If my information is correct, I
believe that the most successful firms on the web are the ones that cater to
buyer needs... I have no data for this, just reasoning, logic, and personal
experience.

What say you?

Paul Silver, Esq.
Focus Professionals, Inc.

Paul Silver, Esq. asks: What say you?

Jim Bourgoin answers: I have been working along those same thoughts for the past 5 years and continue to do so.

Jim Bourgoin, CEBA, ABR, ABRM

<<
If the consumer knew that some Realtors believe that they shouldn't share
the listing information, the consumer would not be a haapy camper. When one
of these Realtors takes a listing and doesn't advise their customer that
they will only share the listing information with those that they have to
share it with then in my opinion, that Realtor has committed fraud. I have
a Brother In Law in the industry that believes he shouldn't have to share
his listing information. He's just plain wrong. If we are to survive as an
industry, we have to put the consumer first. I'm afraid way too many
Realtors have forgotten this fact.
>>

OK. I finally had to give up and get into this thread....even though we
are getting ready to paint the office.

Where is it written in law or the Code of Ethics that when we take a
listing we have to do every possible marketing. If your logic applies then
what would your seller think about you not putting their home in every
homes magazine in your area, display ads in every newspaper, on every real
estate web site (including those who expect you to pay), every type of
virtual tour (after all, if you only have 1, the listing won't be on the
site of competing virtual tours)...and on and on. In fact, they could
demand so much marketing that it would take every bit of your commission,
if not more, to pay for the marketing that the sellers think they should be
doing.

Yes, I was taking the argument to the extreme. The point I was making was
that the company and agent control the marketing, not the seller. The
seller can only select the company and agent they want based on the
marketing that they say they will do. That's why a written marketing plan
is important on a listing call. If you don't put something on the
marketing plan and don't do that thing that was not on your marketing plan,
it is not fraud. So, as an example, your brother-in-law takes a listing
(either based on his marketing plan or without a written marketing plan),
the seller can't complain about his not sharing listing information. Now
if he goes on a listing call and says "Your listing will be in the MLS and
on the IDX of every participating broker or agent, as well as every website
my MLS decides to share our data with." and then doesn't share their
information with anyone, the seller would have a right to complain.

As you will notice I didn't make a statement about being for or against
putting our MLS feed on Google base. I want to keep the debate on that
part going, just commenting on the what the logic of saying that we have to
share our information with any one and everyone so the seller won't be
upset with us could lead....and that if they don't mention who they share
the information with is not committing fraud.

Linda Grissette, JIM, GRI, LTG, ePRO Certified
Broker/Associate, Espinoza Real Estate, St. Louis Area
Linda@Grissette.com http://www.FindStCharlesCountyRealEstate.com
Great real estate products, plus training & seminars:
http:www.Grissette.com