1. Zillow marginally increases the accuracy of their Zestimates. Consumers don't notice or care. They only care that they are able to watch the value of their home decrease on a daily basis.
2. Two top level mortgage executives are indicted for fraud. One of the CEO's indicted has a very strong tan.
3. The top five real estate websites ranked by traffic are: #1 Realtor.com, #2 Zillow moving from #8, #3 RE/MAX holding steady, #4 Yahoo Real Estate up from #7, and #5 Trulia with the biggest increase from the #18 spot.
4. Fox TV creates a new reality television show called "Online Stars Compete for a Shot at Love with Blogging Bertha". Kelly from this video eventually wins.
5. Although the real estate industry continues to stink (lots of real estate brokerages will consolidate or go out of business), and the media will continue to remind everyone how bad the market was, life will go on and the amount of foreclosures really won't be that bad.
6. Towards the end of 2008, Realtor association economists will still be saying that "we miscalculated the severity of the housing crisis, but we believe that the worst is behind us". (They will go on to state the same thing in 2009 as well)
7. Realogy announces a major restructuring.
8. Greg Swann does something really crazy and is temporarily held in custody.
9. Redfin announces a new "fuller service upgrade" option, then is sold a few months later to a major lead generation company, (and soon after assumes the RealEstate.com name) Glenn Kelmann goes on to cure cancer or discover time travel.
10. Out of pity for the real estate industry the DOJ drops all antitrust complaints.
11. Dustin Luther is hired by Curbed as Lockhart's "#2".
12. In the midst of many more mortgage company closings, an obscure mortgage lender emerges and gains huge market share.
13. The stock price of the newly publicly traded arm of InterActive Corp's real estate division starts off the year horribly, and ends just as badly...
14. Shackprices.com Estately continues to be the best home search site on the internet. Large real estate tech companies finally realize it and gobble Galen and his team up in a business partnership/acquisition. Galen forgets his Seattle eco friendly ways and ditches his bicycle in favor of a new Austin Martin used volvo.
15. As all media attention turns to the presidential elections, the government forgets about the mortgage crisis and ends up doing nothing to "help". Everyone breathes a sigh of relief.
16. Warren Buffet buys billions of dollars in under-priced mortgage securities. He single handedly resuscitates the credit markets confidence and turns around the real estate market.
17. As a result of Point2's recent management changes, Point2 drops off of the radar and becomes mostly irrelevant.
18. Joel Burslem gets promoted to Vice-President of Inman News.
19. "ActiveRain Members" are named Time Magazine's Person(s) of the Year. (Shortly after Jeff Turner is named sexiest man alive)
20. ActiveRain surprises the entire industry...
Jonathan Washburn
Posted by 
Tracy
;)
;)
Jonathan - Great predictions - may #20 be not only surprising but sooooooooo profitable for you guys too - WIshing you all the best in 2008!