Either Housevalues or LendingTree would be the worst buyers. Let's hope we stay independently Active Rain or sell out and keep the same management with no changes to the system.
Thanks for the links. They are thought provoking regarding the future of AR. I agree with Karen - Google would probably be the best new owner if AR has to be sold.
I'm new to Active Rain and I must say, if sold I would greatly miss the sharing of information. For example, the poll link used in this post. I would have never been aware or such technology with our AR.
I'll join the consensus and vote House Values or Lending Tree would be the worst.
It is understood the cost of Active Rain has to be paid at some point. I would rather pay my own way, than be at the mercy of one of these online companies.
So glad you posted this poll. I thought about doing one with a different twist. I've been out reading lots of the buzz on blogsphere. Can I vote twice, no 7 times? None of the above, but Google would be best, why didn't they wait for Google ? I've had lots of thoughts on this the last few days. I haven't come to any conclusions except to get my own outside blog going and not in name only.
Not that I didn't think they would eventually sell. Anyone who has been for along time, should have known that was in the future. But, move ? Please.......................
An annual subscription fee would be preferable to being taken over by any of these entities. The independent thoughts on AR would undoubtedly be 'filtered' if some corporate giant took over.
I love ActiveRain as much as the next guy... but they developed it to make money. I have wondered why the heck it has not been sold. The time table in Inman article and the PDF in The Official ActiveRain Blog's Regarding Today's Inman News Article show why it has been sooooooo long without it selling. Will you pay $660 for a membership? Isn't that what it would break out to at $33 million with 50,000 members? Will members 50,000, 49,999 and 49,998 cough up their $660? Greg Swan at Bloodhound blog said there are really only 500 of us.... "actual content generating user base..." " The day-to-day traffic on the site — the actual content-generating user base — is maybe 500 people."
I disagree that ActiveRain would necessarily change under new ownership... but I am not going to debate it. Thanks again for the comments and vote.
Any really heinous company out there I did not include?
Maureen - loved the poll ideas - I obvously don't know housevalues? I voted Lending Tree but agree Google's the only one that looks like a post so it means - get your outside blog going or be prepared to be very sad probably sooner rather than later.
I LOVE active rain too, but it was developed to make them big money. I think the number of people who would pay very much money is very small. If you are going to pay $660, should you be developing something you own.
Cyndee you don't know HouseValues.com? I don't know if their commercials are even on TV anymore but their jingle is stuck in my brain... I think they sold zip codes to real estate agents and then when people would go to their website and ask for the value of their home the agent would get an email with the contact info for people who did not want to talk to a real estate agent, they just wanted a value on their home. Some agents were successful with HouseValues.com I understand but I remember others saying all the people they got as leads were FSBOS or people who had no intention of selling. I think when the AVMs rolled out their lead generation model became obsolete... but they gave agents free websites (HouseValues.com websites)... and they call saying they have buyers who want to buy in your zip code...
Ginger I agree with $600 buy a blog... or part of a blog...
Eric aren't we already on their mailing list?
Why with 15 comments and 68 clicks are there only 11 votes? excerse your right to vote!!!!
Lending Tree. I received one from Lending Tree once....I didn't know Mickey Mouse was in the market to buy a home? Just because someone is living a breathing.....doesn't mean they are ready to buy and sell. If that were the case folks, walk into your office on Monday, open up the white pages and start with the "A's".
Monika: The way I thought I set this poll up you should not be able to vote more than once unless you use separate computers. Maybe PollDaddy is less than 100% accurate.
MF I believe you are right that we will not like whomever it is sold to.
There is a post Mary from a fella about us buying it. I know he commented on MF's blog but I can not find him now.
If we are all going to buy it... all 50,000 of us would make it $660 each but maybe AR would give us a discount?
Greg Swan (Swann? Bloodhound Blog) says only 500 of us are active so would that mean $66,000 for each of us? Is it worth that much to you?
John Lockwood had a post I enjoyed not about buying AR but about a real estate revolution and that one was priced at $10. I think the post disappeared though...
Chad do you think a BIG company like Google or Yahoo would be bad? I have no idea if AR would have any appeal (value) to a hugoid company like those.
Who owns Facebook and MySpace? Are those still privately owned or have they become part of a bigger company? I know I should probably know that... or maybe not.
I think we should pay per blog. That would make people think and cut down on the crap as membership is growing. How about 5 free posts a week and then $1 each blog post from there on out capping at 10 posts for points still a week?
Quality would increase, making the site even more search engine friendly and AR could make some dineiro!
It seems I'm part of the 44% that selected LendingTree. I guess they really must be making a bad impression all around.
Renee - I like your idea about paying per blog after a certain point. The only drawback is that certain individuals have great input. Hopefully 5 free won't curtail their contributions.
Tchaka: Some of the best only post less than 5 per week! I would be happy to pay around $20 a month if I post 10 per week! Also, I was one of those that voted against LT :)
Maureen: Thanks for going over there and doing it. I thought of it after my post over there! The problem with making a pay for play (as you call it) makes it even MORE ripe for someone big to buy it! My solutions are just band aid solutions for the creators of AR. Hopefully it could generate enough positive cash flow for them to hold for awhile!
Tchaka: It kind of surprises me how well Lending Tree is doing in the poll. Or not doing.
Renee: And I don't think someone buying it is a bad thing... If that would make it a better value I think AR should do it... The good writing would go up... the scammers would go down (or would they just do new scams?) How about if we could also use our points to Pay to Play? Some of us who are point heavy could choose to cash in points, making it more competitive in our markets? Write my 6th post in the week and give up 200 points? Balance things out between the new and the old? Or is that a bad idea?
Maureen - I voted for LendingTree to be the worse. If AR sells out, I think they are smart enough to sell to someone that would be the most beneficial to us.
Note to Monika - only in Chicago you can vote more than once...lol
Maureen: BUENO idea and I Don't mean to take over your post! NICE NICE NICE idea! Keep the current point system for 10 posts a week. You can choose to deduct points for over 5 posts OR pay for posts for over 5 posts. I also thought about a "rollover system" like ATT/Cingular wireless. Give 20 credits a month and allow them to be rolled over.
Many people have signed up but don't understand blogging and some day the lightbulb may hit. This will help them become a point player and even out the field!
I would be paying on average something like $10 a month, unless I choose to have points deducted.
Is our time so worthless that we spend so much of it on Active Rain just because it is free? NO! Clearly we see value in investing lots of time here, so why not reinforce that view with a small fee?
OK, I concede that a fee might keep some new members from joining, so perhaps a free introductory period would make sense.
Sorry, I am off-topic on who the worst buyer would be.....
Rolando the Realtor wrote : "Clearly we see value in investing lots of time here, so why not reinforce that view with a small fee?" how about putting a meter on it?
According to the Bloodhound Blog only 500 of us are investing much time here... I think he said 500 more stop by about once a month... I think Free probably does appeal to new members, or those who have not yet been bitten by the bug. An introductory period would be a good thing.
Renee I have always been opposed to a membership fee so I don't really understand why I like the idea of paying to post but I do. In addition to ad revenue... I think AR needs to generate $, obviously they do or money they get for syndication...
I would not be paying much a month. There is only one month I posted over 40 posts. I have posted some entries directly to a group too for no points too. Being able to use points to pay would help those who are newer who whine about points being unfair.
Yes I do think a Google or Yahoo would be bad. The focus would become on advertising, banners, pop up boxes , basically anything to make a dime. Thats my opinion though.
As far as my space and the like, they have become havens for spammers and kids. I find Myspace more annoying. I am bombarded daily with people wanting to join me and 99% are nothing more than sex ads. Though I like to think I am good looking, my ego just is not that bid to think all these offers are legit. Yahoo is not much better but less flattering. I'm bombarded with ads for "Discounted Viagra for Real Estate Professionals", As if I needed it??????
I like Activerain the way it is. Why not, it gives me value and is free. I am not one to pay to belong to many things, but IF the time came to Pay to be a member of Activerain, I would pay the subscription fee.
I did vote other this time. I did not relize I could put a comment in other. My oter is "stay the way we are" Great Topic!!!!
I am wondering if Poll Daddy is recording the votes.... I only see one other and I think it was there before Chad's vote... and it is for All of the Above.
Lending Tree is in the lead as the WORST company...
hmmmm I don't think of Google itself having banners, pop ups, etc. I am not sure if I think of Yahoo that way either well maybe banner ads but I can block them out.
I don't think there is anything wrong with ActiveRain the way it is but I don't think Matt & the boys built it for a hobby. It was to make a profit. Fastest way to make a profit is to sell it. We don't want them to sell it this weekend. A few weeks ago we did not want ads on it (are we used to those now?) I don't understand syndication as a money maker ....
Wow, Maureen--I've been in a time warp. All of this going on and I knew nothing about it. Rip Van Winkle, I am. Thank you for posting this info and visiting my blog. REciprocal blog linking is cool (hint:-).
PS: I gave you a high 5. Lending Tree irks me the most. However, I have a sneaking suspicion that if we got to look deep within company structures--there would be some borderline monopoly and possibly anti-trust issues. I am not an attorney; however, my instinct is right up there with professional profilers (other than the 10billion times I have been wrong.)
You gotta subsribe to the Official ActiveRain blog to keep up, Suzi. Do you know that Caleb is leaving? That bothers me waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay more than ActiveRain trying to sell to Move Inc. Lending Tree or or just about anyone. Thanks for the comment.
I didn't vote. I have no opinions on any of the above. I like AR the way it is, with the exception of Caleb. I agree, Maureen, that bothers me much more than anything else! He was the rock. But then I am from NE and do not like change.
Should WE try to buy Active Rain ? If Active Rain is for sale, lets buy it ! <<< Google either of those two phrases and you will find my blogs regarding who I think should buy Active Rain. If the AR Community owned it maybe we could have some control over what happens to our futures.
Folks, I hate to pump my blogs on someone elses blog and if I am breaking some rule, just let me know and I will delete accordingly.
Do you think the 50,339 members are willing to pay $660 each? If they joined but did not blog once do you think we can count on them? Do they see the value of ActiveRain? If they have a profile without a photo do you think they'll write the check for $660? Or do the 500 "stoopid" members need to pay $60,000? each? Do I even have those numbers right?
Maureen, is stoopid spelled with two 'o' or three'o' ? He He He. I guess it depends on how stoooopid someone is. I read that blog, it was great.
Thank you ever so much for choosing to include the links to myblogs! SO VERY KIND AND GRACIOUS. I think it is up to each member to buy the amount of shares that befits them. How to structure the purchase would require some research for sure. And certainly many members would not participate. But I think there is an opportunity here that is worth looking into. I just posted the following on another blog >>> "I just think there is so much opportunity here and how unfortunate that almost no one here is even considering this as something they/we (AR Community) should be thinking about. And considering how bad NAR, MOVE, and REALTOR.com have managed things for us as real estate professionals, I seek and search for the emergence of a new organization that will truely have our best interests in mind. Wishful thinking I guess."
I think AR could emerge to be so much more than just a blog site.
Maureen, I am "keeping up" with all the hoopla:) I don't like change but have been around long enough to expect it. And usually change ends up being a good thing. I, for one, never expected the founders to continue this site for "free". I was hoping that they would come up with a good way to make money and not lose the ambiance of this site. I still am hoping that will happen. Although, after reading the wildly diverse posts and comments on everything, both here and out of the Rain, I am doubtful that anything will appease everyone.
The problem with "someone else" buying AR is the platform would definitely be changing. People will stop posting for awhile to wait and see.
The biggest "pull" of AR, right now, is the Community, whether for good or bad, it's like a pulsating energy and I think that may become lost under different owners.
I don't believe my PollDaddy poll is working. I am sorely disappointed, it only shows one Other vote and a few poeople have commented about voting other. Darn widget.
Dwight I am pretty sure stoopid is spelled with two o's but I could be wrong.
Are you brokering the shares of AR for Matt, Jonathan etc.? Do they want to sell shares? I know there have always been investors in AR.
I know Cendant but I am not sure who Interactive Corp is.
Fred I know how you voted. I voted for Move in the spirit of "OH ICK....." about what could have happened. I am not a fan of Move Inc. but if my poll would let me vote more than once there are others up there I would vote against as well. Pitch it to the Crusaders? You mean ActiveRain? Their blogs are so much superior to ActiveRain though aren't they? Are you still blogging on an RT blog? If so have you seen a jump in the Google traffic since the new urls?
Teri, wow thanks a comment and unearned traffic via BlogRush what more could I ask for!
Karen I think the community is pretty loyal and if the AR guys structure it that they stay on to run it (at least for awhile) that is good enough for me. I think reading over the lawsuit that is how it is structured. Or I can be outta here if it changes and is no longer fun and useful. For me there's no reason to worry over any of it until it happens. I have enjoyed most but not all of my experience on ActiveRain.
Maureen - Got this off the Cendant site (Actually REALOGY.com) (edited to avoid copyright)
CENDANT:
NRT Incorporated is the largest owner/operator of residential real estate brokerages in the USA.
Realogy's franchise brands Coldwell Banker (R), ERA (R), and Southeby's Int'l Realty (R), and Century 21 (R).
Local brands, The Corcoran Group (R), and Citi Habitats, and commercial Coldwell Banker Commercial (R).
NRT At A Glance
The largest operator of residential real estate brokerages
Nearly 1,000 company owned offices with
The12th largest corporate-owned commercial real estate brokerage in the nation
$193 billion in gross, 2006
300 acquisitions since 1997
For some reason I also thought they used to own a lot of C21 also. Does anyone else know? Upon revisiting the site, Yes the are big with C21, 8,400 franchisees.
They also own, Wyndam Hospitality, Avis/Budget Rental Cars, and TravelPort (buy tickets).
So in my opinion, a large real estate operator like this would conceivably consider a purchase. Ya just never know. Interactive corp is similar, I will look them up later.
INTERACTIVE CORP (IAC) Oh welll, while I am it - NOTE IN THE LIST - LENDING TREE & REALESTATE.COM. IAC owns and operates the following.
Ask.com
Chemistry.com
Citysearch
CollegeHumor
Cornerstone Brands, Inc.
Domania
Entertainment Publications
Evite
GetSmart
Gifts.com
HomeLoanCenter.com
HSN
iNest
Interval International
LendingTree
Match.com
Pronto.com
RealEstate.com
ReserveAmerica
ServiceMagic
Shoebuy.com
Ticketmaster
udate.com
All that being said, I would not want them to purchase AR either. Totally corporate style, as agents we are just regarded as surfs and peasant labor. :-)
Dwight do me a favor edit your comment to break the links please. I am not sure if we have "no follow tags" in our comments anymore but I don't really want links to Realogy, Coldwell Banker, ERA etc. on my entry.
I am not a legal expert but I think T-e-c-h-C-r-u-n-c-h is skirting the edges here. Do they have the right to use the word REALTOR(C)? And secondly, their headline is wrong !! AR is not REALTORS(C). And FWIW neither is MOVE !!
Joanne: Please break the link to the Techcrunch piece. Thank you. I on the other hand saw that last week when it was published because I read what is going on outside ActiveRain and don't have to rely on "tech" people to keep me infomed.
Is it Realtors suing Realtors? Is ActiveRain Realtors? I don't think it is. Matt's not a REALTOR but I think Jonathan is. ActiveRain is not a member of NAR. I saw a funny headline saying Michael Arrington (the fella who wrote the TechCrunch thing) should stick to his knitting. I did not stop to read that yesterday and have no idea who wrote it but I will go find it.
You might want to Google ActiveRain and Active Rain for the period from September 27 to present to get all of what is out there about this Most of it is a couple of people who don't like NAR or ActiveRain stirring up trouble. And somone who knew AR was on the market whining about whether he would have been kicked off AR because he is not a Realtor.
Dwight Can't anyone write "Realtor"? You just can't use it incorrectly in a url, whether or not you are one. Or the name of a blog or website incorrectly or wrongly in a slogan...
That's what NAR went after RealtorGenius another Realtor bashing site over recently. It's protecting the trademark. They send out a form letter saying stop using it. You can find members of NAR carping in blogs about NAR wasting their dues by sending out a form letter enforcing the trademark. Wow I thnk we should all have a say in how that 41 cents stamp was used....
doing the channels. Do it when you have time, if you've read Jonathans (?) post on the channels you can see why it helps Google search engines. It's a shame it sends out updates.
Maureen McCabe - Central Ohio real estate — Search for Central Ohio Homes 
Dwight do me a favor edit your comment to break the links please. I am not sure if we have "no follow tags" in our comments anymore but I don't really want links to Realogy, Coldwell Banker, ERA etc. on my entry. 
IMHO, they're all bad ideas- Google is probably the only one that doesn't make me shudder. lol