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What REALTOR.com Should Be! Part 1

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Home Point Real Estate DRE # 01492725

What REALTOR.com Should Be! Part 1

We often complain about REALTOR.com. I know I do. We do not like the way our name is used to promote just another search site. We don't like the way it has become just another profit center for the NAR. We don't like the fact that even as a REALTOR we need to pay to get any exposure on our most priced asset, our name!

But let's go beyond what we do not like. Let's talk about what REALTOR.com should be. In order to define what it should be we have to decide what it should accomplish. Here is what I would like to see it accomplish:

  1. An accurate and easy to use National MLS.

  2. A place where people will go to not only find homes but to get information on Real Estate and Local Communities.

  3. A place where all REALTORS can get exposure and interact with the public.

  4. A place that would encourage membership by all agents in the NAR.

  5. A community of people, both REALTORS, the public, and others in the Real Estate Industry were we can interact and work together.

  6. A place where REALTORS can promote themselves to the public.

  7. A place where buyers and sellers can review REALTORS and Real Estate Companies.

These are the seven that come to my mind. Now there may be others ideas out there about what it should accomplish. Some might say that some places (like ActiveRain) already do lots of this, but I think it can be done better by REALTORS and for REALTORS; and consequently serve the public better. I also suspect it could still be a profit center for NAR.

Please give me your thoughts and ideas and stay tuned for Part 2.

 

Gene Riemenschneider is the Broker and Owner of Home Point Real Estate in Brentwood CA. Serving the East Contra Costa County Communities of Brentwood, Antioch, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pittsburg, and beyond. For Buying, Selling or Investing call 925-260-4321.

Comments (10)

William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Realtor.com needs a bit of a re-vamp also, but it has the ground work to be tops especially when they get the information before any other website out there.

Jul 21, 2014 10:01 AM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Gene, All real estate is local and real estate driven web sites need to reflect that. Your list is pretty close to what AR offers!

Jul 21, 2014 01:04 PM
Cheryl Johnson
Highland Park, CA

Yes.  Especially a national MLS....

I certainly don't plan to work outside my local neighborhood, but there are many times when a client needs to learn about what is available in a different state  .....

Jul 21, 2014 10:05 PM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

William - The only thing I would keep is the name.  It needs to be redone from the ground up.

Wanda - The public wants one site they can go to.  But I will only work local.  Yes in part it will resemble a AR.

Cheryl - It is what the public wants.

Jul 22, 2014 02:40 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Gene - I would say the AR is a little broader that what I see on Realtor.com. 

Jul 22, 2014 06:20 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Grant - It is now.  I would like to change that.

Jul 22, 2014 07:23 AM
Mary Stewart
Keller Williams Atlantic Partners/Southside - Jacksonville, FL

Grant,

I agree with you that there is room for improvements.  It could be good, or it could be great! It is not great yet!

Jul 22, 2014 12:50 PM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Mary - There is always room for improvement.

Jul 23, 2014 02:24 AM
Charles Stallions
Charles Stallions Real Estate Services - Pensacola, FL
850-476-4494 - Pensacola, Pace or Gulf Breeze, Fl.

What it should be IMHO is put back into the hands of NAR not the current owners whose name escapes me but they also manage the sites of CB, ERA and C21. The past president of Realtor.com sold us a bill of goods and now has moved on to Zillow. If we don't change Realtor.com into a national search engine for the folks we as Realtors will cease to exist look at the new ads being run by zillow, if that is not a brokerage model then what is. 

Jul 27, 2014 01:50 AM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Charles I believe we have been sold out by our own association and if we do not take it back we are doomed. 

Jul 27, 2014 08:40 AM