The standard knee-jerk response about pocket listings is to insist that some sellers don't want to be on the open market for personal reasons, and that's fine. In reality, those should be limited to major Hollywood icons who are unsure of how much their star-power...
The FTC and DOJ conducted a workshop this week about the competitiveness in real estate. There hasn't been much press coverage, but Rob has summed up the bulk of it here: [button link="http://www.notorious-rob.com/2018/06/brief-reflections-on-the-doj-ftc-panel/"...
The selling of listings prior to MLS input has happened since the beginning, but in the era of inventory desperation, we're now seeing companies openly advertising 'previews' of their listings before they put them on the MLS. Before long, the MLS will just become the...
Another reason for the industry to commit to full transparency and the auction method of selling homes - our Code of Ethics doesn't help much: Q: I submitted an offer for a buyer client that was near the full listing price and asked the listing broker if any other...
Our San Diego MLS quietly removed our complaint button recently. I'm sure they had heavy volume, but they aren't the realtor police - nobody is. Hat tip to SM for sending this in: VANCOUVER – The province is hoping to make it easier for you to report suspected...
Want to know how serious the National Association of Realtors is about our 'strict Code of Ethics'? They paid for this ad: I love Phil Dunphy when he is playing a realtor on the show Modern Family, but this is different - he is representing the agents on the street...
Marc Davison suggested here that we re-brand the word 'realtor': http://www.inman.com/2017/02/14/the-case-for-killing-the-term-realtor/ He was met with the usual drivel from agents, some of whom mentioned the big difference between a real estate licensee and a Realtor...
For the first time ever, I'm going to file a complaint against another realtor. In this case, the listing agent discounted her commission so her buyer would win, even though my all-cash buyer had a higher offer. It is in the vaunted Realtor Code of Ethics that any...
Zillow and our local MLS provider Sandicor reached the Great Impasse a year or two ago when they couldn't agree on terms under which Sandicor would keep feeding our listings automatically to Zillow. Agents complain all the time about Zillow's inaccuracy, but...
While we are poking holes in the Realtor Code of Ethics, let's don't forget the old 3-10, which is hard to dispute. Agents have a fiduciary duty to do what is best for the client. Listing agents who sell their properties without exposing them to the open market via...
