KILLING BROKERAGE--HOW LONG BEFORE ZILLOW SUCCEEDS???

Stephen: That will be interesting indeed! I often wonder about market changes and how a major downturn might affect how these sites work for the public. But then I remember that Zillow came along at the time of our worst recession ever and they appear to have taken the real estate community by storm--Most brokerages were pulled kicking and screaming into the abyss. Agents didn't seem to see it as an expedentiture they couldn't afford--they used it as ad costs. However, now that those "ad costs" have gone sky high just to get your face next to a listing that is not yours--(to get a lead who thinks you are the listing agent and who turns away in anger when they find out you  are NOT) and to realize the damage this can do to your reputation and your standing in your real estate community--well, it is now a very different story. Maybe it is evolution playing into the profession. In order to evolve, one needs to survive AND prosper, not just survive!!

Joe: Sounds to me like you must be paying them a fortune! The only agents whom I have found to be happy with Zillow are those who have fallen into the thrall of the this company and pay, pay, pay (give, give, give) until it finally catches up to them. Your slip of the tongue, where you say "giver" instead of give lets me know that on a subconsious level you do see the light!! All humor aside, thank you for taking the time to read and comment here!

Kathy: Thank you so much for the vote of confidence!...and for the recognition that I know comes from your Weekly Post!!!

Kristin: Thanks--I'm so happy she did that because if there is a story that needs to get out there it is this one!!

Sheila: I agree--but the problem is the individual who goes after leads in this manner will never be able to see the real issue--they do not have the vision it takes to see the end result. They only think about now and what they perceive as an easy way to get business wihout undestanding that it is eroding our (all agents) reputations even further for the buying public!

Beth: This is true---just a few really bad scenarios will create the biggest problems for all of us...There is a reason that the government saw fit to require licensing on the part of all who participate in the, listing and selling of real property! I shudder to think of what the brokerage business will look like in the next few years if we don't get our act together and make demands of the powers that be to recognize what we have seen coming for a decade now! I don't know what form regulations will take but the idea that these large "entities" have insinuated themselves between the states licensing requirements and the buying/selling  public is a high crime and requires immediate attention...IMHO.

Hi Darin and Mary--Thanks so much for the link...This is so important and I have already sent it out o to all my offices here in the Hamptons..We will see if they take it seriously enough to sign....I have signed and one other agent whom I know has as well...

Hi Brandon!

Thanks for signing the petition...i don't know how much it is going to help. I just discovered that Zillow now owns Streeteasy, HREO and RealNet, all of the listing companies that we use here in the Hamptons and Manhattan....We are now absorbed into the giant and have no choice as to whom we can use to  list the porperties that we have diligently pitched and that we spend money on to advertise, do open houses etc....a huge expense! Now Zillow owns ALL the content that we have gathered and they are charging all of us for the use of our own content and the websites that are the avenue to be used by the public to contact us----they own us lock stock and barrel! The other day all of the systems went down and we had nothing for over 24 hours---very scary indeed.