Real Estate Blog - Real Estate In A Post Zillow World

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Real Estate In A Post Zillow World

In a recent email from NYSAR New York State Association of REALTORS® there was a link to a podcast presentation by Marc David from Onboard LLC a Wall Street based data collector specializing in real estate data. The presentation is titled Real Estate in a post zillow world. It is quite interesting. It is about an hour so get some popcorn.

view presentation here

He starts with the day zillow went on line the real estate industry changed. Homegain's stock tanked. It is about circle of trust, immediate results to queries with no strings attached even if their information is inaccurate that is what the consumer wants. Interlopers from outside the industry came up with it rather than the real estate industry. Lead capture is gross, anti sales is the flow of today. He talks about the importance of social networking on the internet. He didn't mention activerain but we all know they are definitely on to something. He talks about how REALTOR® websites have to be cool and interactive and progressive. No more pictures of your dog and kids.

Some Highlights about the Future of Real Estate

REALTORS® won't own the listings anymore. REALTORS® will own the relationships
Trulio or Google will take over the MLS - MLS only has 4% of homes in the U.S.
96% of homes are not for sale. Going after those will own the future
By 2010 There will be a massive database of every home in the U.S - Finland already has this.
Realtors with individual websites should not go the independent route but co brand with their big company brand broker
Future Realtors will have MBA's
1 desk can house many REALTORS® - REALTORS® will be like the Terminator with portable devices that can do everything do a walk through for a client in Australia
New Paradigm - Best time to get into real estate
Deep understanding and appreciation - Consumer centric value proposition
Mapping, Virtual tours, information data providers, neighborhood demographics
Realtor websites are about the data you - The information you - No personal information
Immediate results to queries
File sharing, text messaging

There is much more he talks about everything from real estate signs of the future to the future consumer and the future Realtor. There should be a Realtor revolution instead of a Dot com revolution. He says to get rid of forms on your website.

Posted by Mitchell Hall - Manhattan Real Estate on 10/04/2006 09:25 PM

Comments (15)

future, realtor, zillow, data, google, new media, mls, real estate, virtual tours

15 Comments on Real Estate In A Post Zillow World

OCT

2006

Very interesting, I'll definetly have to listen to the presentation when I have a little more free time. I don't think the world changed the day Zillow went live, it just woke a lot of people up to the fact that it has been changing. Yes, data collection that lead generators use is "gross", consumers hate it, so its just gonna last until consumers have a better option.

Consumers want instant gratification and data, but I disagree that they don't want the personal side of things also. I think most people realize they are making the biggest purchase of their lives and want someone helping them that they can trust and connect with. Providing that information but also doing so at a personal level helps build this trust and ultimately the business.

Matt I agree with you. He kind of contradicts himself by saying how important social networking is and uses my space as an example. How can you socialize without being personal?

I agree with the person that made the comment. It's just like in mortgages, when they came out with DU. (delegated underwriting) A program that gives an answer, yes or no. You would figure underwriters would die off. And that loan officers would not be around, because the client could plug in their own info. Not correct..... they don't know what info to put in and if it's the correct info.

Well...just like this topic and what the person above me said. People want that personal touch also. Sure, you can be in one state and sell a house in another. But it won't kill real estate. But again, interesting information and thoughts. Keeps people on their toes.

OCT

2006

"No more pictures of your dog and kids."

I've always wondered about the relevance of the above. Seems like the consumer is catching on.

Mitch,

In the near future another google will come along and take a chunk out of their market share. That has no effect on the fact that inspite of these hair brain ideas that some Real Estate companies invent, consumers will always need an experienced Professional...

I`ve been carefully studying Redfn, it`s model is based on alot of "If`s and But`s", and the only person that it would effect is an agent that doesn`t know how to manuever with or without them...

Some of that stuff caused my eyes to pop this morning. I'll have to give that a listen. Thanks, Mitchell, for bringing this to our attention. I am going to pass your post along to my brokers.

Everything we do is ever changing. The people that get left behind are the ones that cant or wont keep up with the change.

Does this remind anyone of the book 1984?

We are definitely in a fast paced, self serving world, but I believe relationships will last a lifetime. Cultivate them and you will remain successful no matter what happens with technology.

When you are going to buy a widget do you care about bob smith who sells the widget or do you care about the widget and how it will work? You want someone who will educate you and advise you and be there to support you as you make the decision on which widget to buy.

Technology has revamped alot of things in our daily lives. But as a real estate professionals we have the power to curb this trend. People will always want to deal with a live person not a computer.

A few of these items should already be the norm in our business. It seems to be that there is beginning to be a split among us as to how our business should be run. Those that are clinging to "the old ways" and refuse to grasp technology, promotion through industry knowledge versus self promotion and web 2.0 will be left behind. Hopefully very soon!

Interesting commentary! Having tried Zillow out when the buzz hit the street on it, they still have an awful long way to go to be as acurate on pricing as the well-trained real estate professional, especially in the market that we're experiencing today!

I agree with the futuristic view - think it'll be there. Agents will own relationships but data will be public. Saavy sellers/buyers will turn more to technology than ever before.

GReat post and lots to think about. I think we have seen remarkable changes in the last year or two, Zillow notwithstanding (don't hear much positive about them). So many people now are using the Internet to search and gather information, and there is a wealth of stuff for them to read. But I agree - agents will always be important for the relationships adn knowedge about the market, and helping consumers wade through the on-line infojungle.

OCT

2006

Wow.

Thank you VERY much for posting this link. I'm going to forward this to several other agents now! Yeah - I kinda' never got that whole dogs & cats thing either... heh!

;-)

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