The “Google Effect” on the Real Estate Agent, (part 1) - 06/24/07 09:33 AM
Years ago life was very different for real estate agents, listing agents would put a sign in the yard, list the property in the MLS book!, take out a few print ads, talk to some of their peers and eventually your clients house would sell.  Buyers agent would interview a prospective home buyer to discover exactly what they were looking for in a home, pour over the available listings and information, mostly available to agents not consumers, pick 7-10 homes and make an appointment to take the prospect out to view these homes, ultimately ending in an offer if all went … (2 comments)

Real Estate Agent Rating Sites and Systems - 06/21/07 12:13 PM
I don't think anyone will ever build the perfect ranking/rating system for real estate agents, by perfect I mean a system that is all I need to be SURE I chose the best agent. Choosing a good agent will always involve feedback and information from different sources and related to different criteria. Geographic location is important, whether I'm buying or selling a home, I want a local expert. Testimonials are a form of user feedback but as many of you pointed out, it is not hard to "game" the system on most agent referral sites.
That said, I think a simple … (2 comments)

Broker Brand Versus Agent - 06/11/07 09:51 AM
I saw a really nice TV commercial for Coldwell Banker the other day which seemed to imply that if I use them to sell my home, I would be more successful.  They had a "SOLD" sign in all the shots.  So I started to wonder, does it really matter which brokers sign is in my yard or is it simply enough to have a great real estate agent market my home no matter which company they are with?
… (8 comments)

What's The Big Stink About Real Estate Commissions? - 06/07/07 09:58 AM
It kills me to see real estate agents or anyone else for that matter getting beat up about their compensation plan. All this talk about the commission structure being antiquated and in need of revision is insulting. All this talk about how the Internet has changed the game and given the consumer more control over the process, hence agents should be charging less is intriguing but definitely requires closer review, rather than a quick flapping of the lips.To say that ALL agents are worth the full commission would be a lie, but it is also a lie to say that every … (4 comments)