Feeding the shark with our own body parts.

Very well put. They are in fact trying to take over the real estate industry 'their own way'. We are all incompetent & not streamlined to their precision. Everything must be online - we will assimilate you!

Alan May This is what happens when greed rules.

First NAR sells us out by selling Realtor.com to News Corp, then pours salt on that wound by selling OUR data to Zillow. Then, stupid, greedy agents looking for a way to beat other agents out for new prospects feed this monster.

It's like Nikita Khrushchev said, "We will destroy you from within." And, that's exactly what's happening to the residential real estate brokerage industry.

I have long lived by the phrase " no competitor  is ever an acceptable vender." I still live by it!

I just got this today from my property manager in another area;

"I hope this email finds you safe and well.  I wanted to give you a quick update about Zillow's advertising.  Effective September 1, 2020, Zillow is moving to a paid advertising platform for landlords to advertise their rentals.  Since Zillow represents over 60% of our traffic and provides us with the most qualified applicants, we felt it was in our client's best interests overall to sign a contract to minimize any vacancy loss on your behalf.  

The cost is minimal, and you would only see it reflected during times of vacancy when we advertise your property for a new renter.  We have negotiated a discounted rate of $1.23 per day, per property so on average we estimate you should see anywhere from $17-$20 billed back to you.  Again, you'd only see this cost reflected when we advertise your home for a new renter."

I told them NO WAY. I do not agree. I'm not paying Zillow anything.

Alan:

I’d say your title is right on target, although I don’t do any feeding myself - never have and won’t. As Pat pointed out, most of the buyers I have talked with (and worked with) prefer Redfin. Of course that does not change what Z apparently has in mind as their mission nor the fact that they are a huge presence in the busine.

Jeff

We certainly helped Zillow by giving them data and some folks even paid them to showcase the data and give it back to them. Always seemed wrong to me

Zillow is all about the quanity not the quality... 

Love the headline and premise Feeding the shark with your own body parts and pocketbook too!! 

I do not think you are misreading that statement. We're going to have to make sure we have the services that will make buyers/sellers take note and use us instead.

Despite what they had treied to say all these years that they were not, many of us knew they were looking to put Realtors out of jobs by what they were doing and saying behind the scenes. 

You sir, are dead on with these comments. Honestly never thought passing data to Z and buying it back was a good model. Glad I'm not an agent but agents are my lifeblood so I'm always worried when these "disruptors" jump in. 

Reading the post on the Ben Kinney zoom meeting of the decline of Activerain posting positioning on google, as zillow/trulia "tweaked" the code, tells me all I need to know.

I used to consistantly position activerain blogs highly, and that came to a quick halt. 

Good morning Alan May,

Your title is right on and you did not misread their message. We offer personal service but they are taking business away from us. Ken Jones is right what happens when "greed" rules. Zillow saw an opportunity to reach out from within to become the dominant mainstream and we played right into their plan!

What Dorie Dillard CRS GRI ABR said. That is the current Z situation in a nutshell. 

Yuck yuck yuck ... my comments about Zillow.  We see their listings with a brokerage or two in our City, and know what they are up to.  Even when they LOSE money on their Fix-n-flips.  A way to take over ALL real estate activity.  Then again... not happy with Realtor.com, either.

Feeding the beast has produced this mindset of, "I'm going to take over the RE world now, thanks for helping you little peasants."

It sucks.  I am not feeding the monster and never will. 

Zillow really made it seem like we needed them when they first came out and now I just wish it would disappear 

YOur article is "RIGHT ON".  I'm sure Alan May that you know Z was originated by the former owners/managers/partners of MS, and MS basicaly runs our computers and software.

Of course they are moving into buying an selling!  It's all about more money for the shareholders, more power for the owners.  I'd like to hear from a seller who took the Zillow route--sold the house and closed--want to know all about the experience, was it worth it?  I can see the younger generations easily checking out Zillow to take care of selling a home. Now buying a home with no formal representation--that sounds scary to me.

That just stinks.  Can't they stasy in their corner?  I'm brought buyers to their listings before.  It was an okay experience, but they didn't fix anything, just disclosed everything.  Argh! 

Great post!  we are all funding our own destruction - Gary Keller has stood on the stage at Family Reunion and Mega Camp and told us all not to use Zillow - to grow our own leads and then he lets them buy big space outside in the concession area - not sure which of them is more cynical.