Bold, varied perspectives and quotable fridge magnet material — these are a few of the criteria that unearth the top comments featured on Inman News every Friday. Here are the gems of the week that caught our attention, listed in no particular order.
Karen Schlosser · Commented on ‘My friend is a Realtor’: 7 killer comebacks | Inman
I hope my friends and family choose to work with me, the professional agent, not just because I’m a friend or family member.
If someone else turns their head, so be it. No one owes me the business, I have to earn every piece.
Dean Soukeras · Commented on 5 marketing miracles you can steal from Donald Trump | Inman
As polarizing as a figure Trump is, regardless of what you think of him, he is a showman and he gets attention. He says and does things that would ruin other people’s careers, so I’d be careful following his lead.
However, being unafraid to put yourself out there, share your message and aim high is something we can all learn from.
Kenneth Jenny · Commented on Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices goes global with 10 different languages | Inman
The issue of serving the global real estate community is not about translating website data — it is about serving varied cultures in the local offices.
It’s one thing to present listings to a global audience of buyers in their language and quite another thing when the buyer shows up in a real estate office that lacks agents who know that language fluently and can serve the diverse cultural differences of the same global buyer.
Today more than ever, global is truly local and without a seamless connection from language of choice to an agent with the culture of choice, the promise of serving a global community on any portal or website will fall flat.
Brian Talley · Commented on NAR bans Zillow Group from 2016 events
It is too little too late.
But I’d rather be reading this news as opposed to the same old story of how agents need to just accept the fact that Zillow is here to stay and send them your listings.
Zillow competes with NAR members and they have taken loads of traffic from member websites. That has cost NAR members millions and arguably billions.
NAR failed us with their partnership with Realtor.com, who also takes boat loads of traffic from member websites and has taken millions and maybe billions from our members. NAR shot the membership in the proverbial foot and now we have to settle for a prosthetic via the Broker Public Portal, which is a gift from the broker community rather than from NAR. Ugh, the whole thing makes me want to throw up.
I’m not involved at NAR – not sure if I would want to be given this history. But if this article is an indication that NAR finally has leadership that will fight for their members – then that is something that gets my attention. For some reason I have a feeling that may be too good to be true. I’m hoping this isn’t just another catchy article title.
Sherri Campo Elliott · Commented on How do you measure up to the average Realtor education? | Inman
I see some college graduates who cannot do real estate and they are brokers! I do not think the degree matters.
I think we need more upfront education to get into real estate. Maybe a year of classes and mentorship? Working under an expeienced Realtor as an apprentice for a year before they are fully licensed. Similar to the appraiser.
Let’s start placing more value on our own education and not just a college degree. It does not matter what they learned in college, that only shows they had a desire to learn or got a degree in partying!
Let’s teach them real estate as a trade. Then our profession will become a better profession.
I started college and decided to go to work full-time instead. Never got my degree. I have been a Realtor 18 years. I have a ton of designations: CRS, CLHMS, CIPS, CDPE, CNHS, GRI, SFR, and more — I love real estate and the education of real estate. I do not need a college degree to do this if I learn the information about real estate and I can run circles around most of the brokers who have their college degrees, if you put us to the test on contracts, and probably even production.
SO when I hear that we need to change this to make sure they have a degree it really upsets me. Some people cannot afford college, and would excel in real Estate. Let’s help those and not punish them.
I am ALL for MORE EDUCATION and higher test scores! ALso getting rid of in Texas allowing the college hours to be applied toward the broker license! They need the education too!!
Larry Milligan · Commented on Court order crops damages claim in Zillow-Move trial | Inman
Excellent and informative article. Too bad NAR isn’t suing Move, or maybe the membership should sue NAR, for squandering its largest online asset and selling its membership down the river. IMHO.
Pamela Mehl · Commented on Court order crops damages claim in Zillow-Move trial | Inman
Information is power and we listing brokers let ours become available to everyone without a fee. Who does that? I remember the sales pitch in the mid-nineties from the data aggregators at our Board meetings, hosted by NAR, telling us how the MLS online was going to mean big bucks because all those consumers would rush to call us…how all this free information would make us invaluable.
Now Inman tells us weekly about virtual showings and avatar agents which, according to the latest pitches, are only going to make the Realtor even more valuable and “remaining at the center of transactions.” Whatever.
Next in the dismal reduction of Realtor importance: Buyers will simply find a house online and use a title company to draw up contracts and close it for minimal fees. I know because I used to own a title company.
First, list or die. Second, figure on doing something else within 5-10 years. And regarding the first, now that Realtor.com allows FSBOs to list on it, I’m not so sure about THAT. Some companies are “listing” FSBOs for $99 on Realtor.com and that is a travesty.
Please spare me the big speeches about “value added services” to remain competitive. Like promising to buy their house in 30 days if you don’t sell it? No, thanks.
Larry Milligan, no one listened to Cassandra of Troy either……….
Charlie Disharoon · Commented on Trash talked behind your back? 7 ways for Realtors to deal | Inman
Take the high ground. Kill them with kindness. Your clients and prospects will note the difference and come your way. Real estate karma has a way of fixing things.
Jim Towner · Commented on ‘My friend is a Realtor’: 7 killer comebacks | Inman
Interesting problem, especially when we are first introduced to the business we are directed to create our list of friends so we can prospect them. Then the next thing we need to learn is to how to overcome the work that other agents have done in soliciting their friends to work with them. Wonderful.
Is it any wonder we do not get the respect we all desire. Of course, the “I’m Working With My Friend” in most cases is a stall or a tool that buyers learn or try to use to fend off any perceived entanglement with an agent.
We all know that there are many and varied reasons why a prospect would employ this tactic, but for us to learn and use defriending tactics makes me really wonder. Well, actually I don’t wonder.
We seem to operate from the concept of scarcity rather than abundance, so this friend of another is really just one of those scarce commodities, a live buyer or seller, and lord knows we don’t want them to get away.
I like to compliment prospects for their loyalty who tell me they are working with their friend and tell them hope I have such quality friends….and in the meantime is there anything I do to help? Amazing how kindness and respect will open up new relationships…and new friends…Yours.