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.

Renting vs. Buying — Zillow Wiki Swings and Misses

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In commercial real estate, there is a standard analysis that brokers conduct: the Lease-Buy analysis. It is meant to show the client the financial impact of leasing space vs. buying the building outright. For whatever reason, this is not a standard analysis that residential agents conduct on behalf of their clients. You can find online … Read more

Move Toward Simplicity

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Achtung, der Marketingspezialisten! I’m not sure how many others have picked up on this, but I really think there’s something afoot. The zeitgeist has shifted. There is a palpable and noticeable move towards simplicity, towards manual labor, and away from “high-tech” and complexity. Just in the last few days, I’ve seen two examples of companies … Read more

Washington Post and Assumptions

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Inman News has a very interesting… I guess one would have to call it an Op/Ed or News Analysis on the Washington Post’s story on HUD Secretary Jackson’s last day: An article in last Sunday’s Post deserves credit for attempting to go beyond the allegations of cronyism that forced Jackson to resign, and taking a … Read more

Why not try homesteading instead?

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Courtesy of Zillow’s blog, we hear about the economically depressed city of Youngstown, OH razing thinly populated neighborhoods in order to save on public services costs to the area. There are lots of reasons to do this — abandoned homes can become a base for crime, drugs, and other naughty activities that civilized society frowns … Read more

If Yer Gonna Raise the Bar, Then Raise the Whole Saloon

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Interestingly enough, just after I wrote about the problem of too many real estate agents overall, I found a post by Dave Phillips over at Bloodhound Blog called “Raising the Bar or Bellying Up to It“. It’s insightful and hilarious. Recommended reading for sure. I’m thinking, what’s all this Sam Adams reference? This is no … Read more