The requirement for a business to continue to evolve is fundamental. If one does not allow the business model to change with the times, the business could begin to sink into a downward spiral that resembles a planet approaching a black hole -- the demiss is so catastrophic, and so out of control of management, there seems to be nothing which can be done to reverse the course. Our US automakers are now approaching such a precarious position and only time will tell whether they can correct course.
Such a demise seems to be in the cards for the future of the "traditional" Real Estate Brokerages. (In Des Moines real estate, a more traditional-style brokerage (where I used to work) while a Internet-age brokerage might be like RE/MAX Real Estate Concepts (where I am now employed). Some brokerages seem to be so intent on protecting their turf (i.e. their listing inventory), that they lose site of the fact that the world is changing to a new business model -- one of open information sharing. Buyer's will just shun those companies that try to keep the information secret.
Such listings can, and do sell, but as a REALTOR, I have to confess that I've done a 180 on the concept of monopoly control being in the best interest of the consumer. I can argue either side of the debate, but the reality is that I had to face the fact that the "Open Access" side is the more defensible argument.
Open Access to listings is winning and the Internet is changing everything. I haven't looked up a phone number in the Yellow Pages for at least months, if not years -- even longer for the white pages. If I can't find the number online, I just don't call! Now and then, I run across a business that doesn't have a website, or even a brochure. If you don't have one or the other, how can you say that you're really "in business"? How much more so for the Listing that is not readily available to the buying public, online!
The listing is to Real Estate as software is to the physical computer -- we didn't begin to garner the true benefits of the computer until we had access to inexpensive, easy to use software. First it was MicroSoft Windows, soon it will be Linux (Europe gets it better than the U.S., with their much higher use of Linux). The Open Software Foundation and GNU continue to grab market share and I love it! I bought the whole suite of Open Office 2.0 for $6.95! Legally! And, it's awesome -- seldom, if ever, crashes; does nearly everything I could ever want -- and it's free!
That's just how the Real Estate world is evolving. People want free and open access to listing information. We can no longer retreat to the old business school of "Competition is a sin" ala John D. Rockefeller, of Standard Oil Company fame -- efficiency of access to information for the consumer's benefit is what will drive business in the Internet age. Sure, big business will continue to enjoy the benefit of economies of scale. However, when they try to hoard the information unto themselves, it backfires.
Because of this trend, the listing shall continue to evolve as my primary RE sales focus (see my blog about Proper Pricing and Presentation Prevents Pitifully Poor Performance to help them sell quickly!) Once you have the listing, get that listing info out there for the public to see! If you're a seller, you want to engage the services of an agent who will get that job done. Forget the monopoly, that era has come and is nearly gone!
The true value of a REALTOR taking your listing today is that they post it for the whole Universe to see that your property is for sale!
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