Musings on the Supply Crisis

The real estate industry has been talking about low supply for a couple of years now, but it seems that some in the mainstream media have finally woken up to the issue. Chris Matthews writing in Fortune thinks that the housing crisis never ended – it just morphed into something else: “America is experiencing a … Read more

What If We Let the Consumer Decide on Syndication?

It’s funny. Although I’ve been writing about syndication issues on these pages for oh… five or six years now… looking at all the different angles to that dead horse that won’t die… thanks to a Facebook post I just read, I thought of another new angle. Just goes to show you (well, show me) that … Read more

Agent Professionalism, Millennials, and Value

Russ Cofano, formerly of Move and the former CEO of Missouri Association of REALTORS, and an all around thoughtful man who knows a lot, has penned an interesting op/ed for Inman. He thinks that the industry’s discussions about agent professionalism is (a) misguided, and (b) won’t matter because Millennial consumers will determine what is and … Read more

How the Agent-Free Future of Real Estate Could Come About

There’s not much that excites the hoi polloi of the real estate industry more than the suggestion of disintermediation: that one day, buyers and sellers would transact business without having to call their local REALTOR and pay the commission. If it’s not one lion over the hill, then it’s another. If it’s not a lion, … Read more

A Quick Question on Upstream & the Local MLS

I am performing a miracle right now. Blogging while flying 30,000 feet in the air. Will wonders never cease! In any event, given the quality of in-flight wifi, I thought I’d keep this as short as possible. Had a fascinating discussion recently with a friend of mine in the MLS business. We got to talking … Read more

Taking the Brokercentric MLS Seriously

It’s been a busy week and a few. First, there was Inman which usually knocks me out of any sort of blog-like activities for a week. Then I moved as soon as I got home. I know some companies offers “concierge” type of services to help someone move with all the changes that entails but … Read more

If I Ruled The World: Insane Strategery for the Real Estate Industry

Yesterday, either Inman News or I broke the news that the California independent contractor case, Bararsani v. Coldwell Banker was settled. (I kinda think I broke it, because the settlement came down on the 13th, and since Inman has actual reporters and such, I’d have thought they’d have sniffed it out between then and the 18th, when my post … Read more

Forecast Calls For Vultures – Bararsani Case Settled

Thanks to reader Aileen Kane (who is one of you — the best informed readers in real estate) I just got word (via a comment on an old post) that the final settlement in Coldwell Banker v. Bararsani case has been ordered by the court. From Law360 (registration required): Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William F. Highberger … Read more

The Myth of the Irreplaceable REALTOR

Over on the Texas Association of REALTORS website, there’s a reprint of an article from the December 2015 issue of REAL Trends entitled “Why technology will never replace REALTORS.” I’ll wait for the cheering to die down a bit. OK. Good? OK, moving on then. Steve Murray, who is one of my heroes in the industry, basically … Read more