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I like the name PROGRESSIVE BROKERAGE better than DISCOUNT BROKERAGE!

By Bobby Bryant

Real Estate Broker/Owner with iBuy Realty: Rethink. Real Estate.

February 27, 2014 11:30 AM

I like the name PROGRESSIVE BROKERAGE better than DISCOUNT BROKERAGE!

My name is Bobby Bryant. I'm the Founder/Owner of iBuy Realty in Houston, Texas. To know me is to know that I'm not a fan of the label "Discount Brokerage" in reference to our Business Method. Why? Because I believe every real estate brokerage firm is "Discount Brokerage" Firm. We all adjust pricing per our clients needs. With that said, anything lower than the standard "FULL FEE" would make you a Discount Brokerage as well. My company, iBuy Realty, gets labled a "Discount Brokerage" because we choose to advertise UPFRONT our fees, etc... So, to define our brand, we choose to label ourselves as a PROGRESSIVE BROKERAGE.

I like the name PROGRESSIVE BROKERAGE better than DISCOUNT BROKERAGE!

PROGRESSIVE defined by Dictionary.com states: favoring or advocating progress, change, improvement, or reform, as opposed to wishing to maintain things as they are.

I like the name PROGRESSIVE BROKERAGE better than DISCOUNT BROKERAGE!

By design, the phrase "Discount Brokerage" has a negative connotation. I get it! You see, I understand human behavior. Having two Masters Degrees in Education, a Bachelors in Vocational Rehabilitation, and a Double Minor in Psychology and Sociology I understand the psyche of people in regards to how they think, feel, and behave. Traditionalist intentionally created this negative label to put anybody that thinks outside the box, in a box by defining them as a Discount Brokerage. This is entertaining to me when I know without doubt that everybody in the real estate industry at one time or another, whatever the frequency, discounts their fee. Which means, that you-are-a-Discount-Brokerage!

I like the name PROGRESSIVE BROKERAGE better than DISCOUNT BROKERAGE!

In the pursuit of seperating ourselves, "iBuy Realty", from the status quo we are going to label ourselves as a PROGRESSIVE REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE FIRM! A Real Estate Brokerage that has changed with the times, with the consumer, and with technology. iBuy Realty understands the influence and power of social media, video, consumers having access to excess information via the internet, and after the recession wanting to be more economical when it comes to purchaing any product or service.

I like the name PROGRESSIVE BROKERAGE better than DISCOUNT BROKERAGE!

Unlike Traditionalist, I can't afford to NOT CHANGE!! iBuy Realty is ahead of the game by doing extensive research on consumer behavior for the past few years as we critique and continue to build the perfect PROGRESSIVE BROKERAGE that's built to last. Statistically, there has been an extreme Generational Shift in purchase power throughout the country when it comes to real estate. Last year, 62% of all buyers where between the ages of 30-32 years old. Almost 100% of all buyers are now looking to the internet to search for homes before hiring a Realtor. Sellers are increasingly becoming more creative by seeking alternative methods to sell their house. MORE and MORE buyers and sellers are asking Realtors to give them a REBATE or DISCOUNT the listing fee. WHY? Because our industry is evolving, people are evolving!

I like the name PROGRESSIVE BROKERAGE better than DISCOUNT BROKERAGE!

My object by writing this blog is NOT to convince you of anything. Actually, I hope you continue to ignore the obvious while iBuy Realty continues to gain momentum! Unfortunately, Zillow.com has a great head start. I just hope they don't decide to become a Brokerage Firm one day. However, do they have to when they have Realtors all over the country paying them for zipcode advertisements? But you know what, indirectly we(Realtors) caused Zillow.com to be found. This company has gone from Consumer Centric to Consumer Direct! As Traditionalist continue to ignore what the consumer wants, companies like Zillow.com and Trulia.com will continue to significantly gain momentum causing our demise. With every fiber of my body, I believe this to eventually become true. Everything I've studied shows it to be inevitable. And you know what, if anything, iBuy Realty becomes the viable solution in the end that allows Realtors to remain to some degree, relevant.