Welcome to the fifth installment of an annual tradition around here: the Seven Most Interesting People in Real Estate, the 2020 Pandemic Edition. This was a weird year, to say the least, and it isn’t over as I start this post. You know that word that was so popular all through 2020? “Unprecedented?” Yeah, unprecedented … Read more
It’s that time of year again. Chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Jack Frost nipping at your nose. And Rob making ridiculous predictions sure to be wrong about the year to come. Welcome to the predictions for the Year After the Pandemic. Let’s all raise a glass and forget that 2020 ever happened, and move … Read more
I’m actually a bit busy with critical research and writing, but thought I’d take a moment out to write something fun and lighthearted about real estate. Then I read this in Inman: “DOJ-NAR settlement will effectively squash 2 consumer antitrust suits.” The author contends that the recent DOJ-NAR settlement is a wonderful thing, as it … Read more
A couple of nights ago, I saw this news come across my feeds… but it was Sunday evening, and I needed to think about this a bit. The headline alone should give us all an idea of what’s what: CoStar Group Agrees to Acquire Homesnap, a Digital Residential Real Estate Solutions Provider Used by 300,000 … Read more
[Quick disclosure: While I admire and respect Jack Ryan, CEO of REX, and count him as one of my friends, I have no business relationship with REX, apart from using them for a home purchase. I have spoken to REX prior to writing this post to make sure that I do not violate any confidentiality … Read more
The mystery that is RE/MAX continues. Except that with Q3 results, it’s fair to conclude that whatever RE/MAX is doing just isn’t working. It pains me to write that, because as I’ve long observed, RE/MAX has some of the best people in the business led by one of the really good guys in the industry, … Read more
Q3 was by all measures a bangin’ quarter, as my wife Sunny might say, for most of the companies in residential real estate. I already wrote about Zillow’s amazing Q3 results, and I thought I would tackle the three major brokerage companies (sorry, Fathom, I’ll get to you as well eventually) that are publicly traded. … Read more
First, an apology: I meant to get this post up soon after the earnings call, but… um… I’ve been distracted by the goings on in our country. I’m sure I’m not the only one. But while that is the reason, it remains merely an excuse, and for that, I am sorry. Perhaps by the time … Read more
A couple of weeks ago, Judge Andrea Wood of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division issued a memorandum opinion denying the defendants’ motion to dismiss in the all-important case of Moehrl v. NAR. You can find the opinion here. As many of you know, I’ve been interested in … Read more