Rob Hahn

Managing Partner of 7DS Associates, and the grand poobah of this here blog. Once called "a revolutionary in a really nice suit", people often wonder what I do for a living because I have the temerity to not talk about my clients and my work for clients. Suffice to say that I do strategy work for some of the largest organizations and companies in real estate, as well as some of the smallest startups and agent teams, but usually only on projects that interest me with big implications for reforming this wonderful, crazy, lovable yet frustrating real estate industry of ours.

Zillow Acquired Diverse Solutions: Three Interpretations

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  So Zillow buys up IDX provider, Diverse Solutions. First of all, congratulations to Justin LaJoie and the rest of the team at Diverse Solutions, as well as to Spencer Rascoff and the folks over at Zillow. I don’t know what the real motivations behind the acquisition were, but at a minimum, you can say … Read more

CMLS Reviews New IDX Policy: Thoughts and Takeaways

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I just got finished with the webex presentation put together by CMLS (Council of MLS), an altogether wonderful organization for those people who care about these arcane issues. I’m sure the recording and/or the transcript would be posted by CMLS soon enough. This is just a couple of first impression questions/thoughts. There are three main … Read more

REALTOR Dues to Pay for RPR? (UPDATE: CONFIRMED! Plus More!)

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  As a blogger, rather than a “credentialed journalist” (whatever that means), I have the freedom to just pass on rumors, as long as I label them as such. Well, consider this one of those rumors I have not confirmed yet. [UPDATE] I just got a second person to confirm the rumor. Two people saying … Read more

Franchise IDX Is Dead! Long Live Franchise IDX!

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At first glance, the biggest change in the new IDX Policy to be proposed at NAR Anaheim is that it removes entirely the section allowing Franchise IDX. The entire section is struck. There will be much rejoicing in the anti-Franchise IDX partisans, and much gnashing of teeth in parts of New Jersey, Texas, Colorado, and … Read more

On Turning 40

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There was a time when I thought 40 was the end. I was probably 19 or so, drunk on the peculiar poetry of youth, philosophical in the way that only the semi-mature can be, and caught in the strange shadowlands between the unbounded world-is-your-oyster optimism and the soul-killing despair at the evils of the world. … Read more

It’s All About “Control”: The New IDX Policy Proposal

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Business and travel have really kept me away from the blog, but… since I have a few days at home, I did want to write about the new IDX Policy that will be proposed at NAR Anaheim next month. I’ve managed to obtain a copy of the proposal through my sources (thank you guys, you … Read more

A Few Thoughts On Redfin’s Scouting Report

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I’ve been traveling more or less nonstop for a couple of weeks, and busy as hell in any event, so I kind of missed the controversy around Redfin’s Scouting Report. I’d suggest heading over to Jay Thompson’s blog to get his thoughts on the product, and the various responses from the real estate industry to … Read more