Current national TV ad run by NAR, featuring supposed buyers telling consumers: “when you have a family it’s always a good time to buy”, “didn’t make sense for us to spend the same amount of money renting something when we could own it”, “prices are favorable”, etc.
Duration : 0:0:31
Collier Swecker video blogs about the lack of representation and professionalism displayed by many foreclosure listing real estate agents in the Birmingham AL market. While some actually represent the best interest of their client (the bank), most don’t do a good job representing anyone and just process the listing paperwork, take 3 photos of the property and sit back and hope that some other real estate agent brings a contract. The banks generally select their listing agents not on the basis of success or quality, but rather on who does the most BPOs at $25 a pop and fills out the most applications online with the banks and their default management companies. As Realtors, we are held to a high degree of professionalism and should do our very best for our client even if the client is not checking up on our efforts. The banks may be too busy to check on the marketing efforts of these foreclosure listing agents but if they really looked at what was going on they would find that many of these agents are not putting in the time nor the resources to market the properties properly nor are their listing agents even trying to work with buyers that call the signs wanting to see the home. When the foreclosure real estate agents that are slacking do not do their job, it affects every other agent in the Birmingham Real Estate market and sends the perception that all real estate agents are lazy and they don’t care about the public. The lenders that are sending these listings to the agents discussed here need to reevaluate and really look at distributing these listings to Birmingham area Realtors who are having great success in selling real estate while maintaining a strong marketing presence with an absolute focus of providing an excellent customer experience each and every day! If you have an opinion on this topic or want to leave me a comment you can email me at Collier@MegaAgentRealEstate.com
Duration : 0:3:32
The great thing about social media is you can do it anywhere! Joe Spake has discovered this as he has established himself as one of the most progressive real estate agents in the Greater Memphis, TN Metro Area. Joe gives us his take on social media and RPR from the NAR conference in San Diego.
Duration : 0:6:34
Petition:
We feel that REALTOR.com has not been responsive to the needs of REALTORS and that the current relationship between NAR and Move,Inc. (as currently constituted) is not in our interest as REALTORS for the following reasons:
1) Move, Inc. has a long standing pattern of raising fees on REALTORS and charging them exhorbitant fees in comparison with the costs of developing a national real estate listings site. Fees (which yet again are expected to be raised in 2009) are out of line with what other national listing aggregator websites cost their shareholders. Why should we be paying many multiples of what companies like Trulia and Zillow are costing THEIR shareholders for aggregating real estate listings on their sites?
2)After being provided ALL of our listings and photos, they have stripped off all but four, unless REALTORS pay them an annual “enhancement” fee. This effectively takes our clients and holds them hostage until we pay their “fee”. Much of this fee goes right back into “Sales expenses” which are Move,Inc.’s marketing to REALTORS that they MUST have their service. This adds HUGE costs to what is needed for a national website and is NOT acceptable.
3) In a world where many websites offer REALTORS social networking opportunities to connect REALTORS to potential clients, REALTOR.com has been sorely lacking in developing these types of programs.
4) The 2007 10K (released Feb 28, 2008) from Move, Inc. shows STAGGERING General and Administrative Expenses of over Million and Sales expenses of over 8 Million..these expenses are RIDICULOUS given their online properties and a development expense of Million. While we realize that this includes Top Producer and other assets of Move, Inc., that actually makes the ratio of development / Sales, General and Administrative Expense even MORE out of line. We are tired of having NAR tell US to pay for THEIR inefficiency.
We are not against paying for what WE receive. If you want to charge us for “enhancing OUR contact information” then fine. But don’t hold our CLIENTS and CUSTOMERS hostage. That is unconscionable. Many of them don’t know what you are doing to us and if they did, they would find it incredibly offensive.
More importantly, because the National Association of Realtors leased the rights to our web presence to third parties, they put themselves in the position of defending REALTOR.com’s inefficiencies and deficiencies to the general membership for their own financial gain.
We call on NAR to take steps to BUY BACK Realtor.com from Move, Inc. or to buy a controlling interest in Move, Inc. to provide a national listings site for REALTORS at a price that is REASONABLE and RATIONAL. With the current stock price so low, a controlling interest can be purchased at a reasonable price and other assets like TopProducer can be spun off to repay (partially) the investment. This is a strategy that makes SENSE.
Until NAR SERIOUSLY takes up this issue and hears our concerns, we vow to raise awareness, talk to the press, let our clients know what you are up to, and most importantly, we will NOT continue to pay higher and higher fees to cover Move, Inc.s inefficiencies and largess.
We do not do this out of spite. We do this to protect OUR good name and our industry. It only makes sense with Move, Inc’s stock price this low to take these actions. We call on you to address these concerns completely, totally, and immediately.
After you have added your name to this petition an e-mail will be sent to the given address to confirm your signature. Please make sure that your e-mail address is correct or you will not receive this e-mail and your name will not be counted.
http://www.takebackourr.com/the-petition/
Duration : 0:2:50
We want to hear your story — and the story of your home buyers who have taken advantage of the tax credit to purchase their first home.
So REALTORS® get out your video cameras! We are looking for a three-minute video (or less) to make the case in your own words why we need to expand and extend the Home Buyer Tax Credit.
Duration : 0:1:49
Inman TV talks about the benefit that realtors will enjoy as a result of Realtor.com’s recent announcement about providing free blogs.
Duration : 0:3:9
National Association of Realtors wants to restrict discount broker’s use of real estate listings. See the policy here: http://www.realtor.org/mempolweb.nsf/pages/ILDPolicy
Department of Justice Sues NAR:
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/press_releases/2005/211008.htm
Duration : 0:2:12
Celebrity Real Estate Agent Aaron Auxier discusses differences between Realtors and Agents. Also explains designations such as ABR, GRI, CRS, and e-PRO and what they mean to potential clients looking to buy and/or sell. When choosing a real estate professional, it is important to choose someone who you not only click with but also someone who has proven experience and dedication to their craft. Aaron specializes in the Las Vegas luxury real estate market and has been featured on/in CBS News, Fortune, NBC News, ABC News, Wall Street Journal, FOX News, Travel Channel, CNBC, and more for his knowledge and experience.
Duration : 0:3:49