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Redfin created a Blog to comment about our Listings!

By Kimberley Bauman

Real Estate Broker/Owner with Sound Advantage Realty

May 17, 2007 10:06 AM

After watching the innacurate 60 Minutes segment regarding real estate I decided to take a look at Redfin.

As far as I'm concerned they are just using a different business model than some of the rest of us and that's okay. However, what I've discovered on Redfin's website is not okay.

Redfin has created a Blog, check it out: http://seattle.redfin.com/blog On this Blog Redfin takes another brokers listings and makes comments about it. In other words, they are taking our listings, marketing them on the internet and at times not making very nice comments. Some of the comments are very sarcastic as an example check this blog: http://seattle.redfin.com/blog/2007/05/wallingford_price_cut_why_both.html

This type of marketing is not okay! It takes others listings and markets them on their website and/or they are publishing negative information about other brokers listings. Either way this needs to be stopped.

Just like any other business, I don't mind if Redfin wants to get in the sandbox and play as long as Redfin plays by the same rules everybody else plays by.

Comments(18)

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John Karadsheh

KOR Properties - Mesa, AZ

ABR, CRS - REALTOR - Mesa, Arizona - Las Sendas

Wow! If that were my listing I would be furious.....As a matter of fact I am furious anyway!!! I am not a lawyer but it sounds like they might be setting themselves up for some sort of liable lawsuit

May 17, 2007 10:12 AM

ARDELL DellaLoggia

Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA

I agree with you on this one. The people who write those blog articles are not employees of Redfin and they are not licensed people or members of the MLS. But I agree that they are doing it under the Redfin umbrella. I expect they could have their own blog that Redfin links to IF they were not associated in any way or paid in any way by Redfin. I believe they are freelance and do get paid by Redfin, though they are not people who work AT Redfin. Last I checked, that was the case.

May 17, 2007 10:12 AM

Stephanie Edwards-Musa

thredUP.com - The Woodlands, TX

knitwit at thred UP

I'm furious and I don't even live near Seattle. This is so sad that they feel the need to do this. I would love to hear what consumers have to say about this. I would sue their A** in a heart beat! Thank you so much for sharing this.

May 17, 2007 10:23 AM

Kimberley Bauman

Sound Advantage Realty - Olympia, WA

Kim Bauman

Interesting enough I checked the roster for Redfin and I could only find one Blog Author listed as a real estate agent with MLS access.

According to the MLS Rules we are not allowed to advertise another brokers listings. From what I understand Redfin is claiming this is not a form of advertisement therefore, they are not in violation of the rules. I take the position if it's on a website, it's definitely advertising and marketing.

Any way you slice it up, it's just wrong!

May 17, 2007 10:26 AM

Stephanie Edwards-Musa

thredUP.com - The Woodlands, TX

knitwit at thred UP

Better yet, I think the listing agents should show the sellers...

May 17, 2007 10:27 AM

Kimberley Bauman

Sound Advantage Realty - Olympia, WA

Kim Bauman

The price decrease or increase is not the point. It is the fact that a broker is advertising/marketing another brokers listings.

Also, that the Blogs can be so negative and sarcastic is not okay. This could really hurt people, not just the people, but depending on the Blog and comments could impact the sale (or not) of a home.

May 17, 2007 10:29 AM

Stephanie Edwards-Musa

thredUP.com - The Woodlands, TX

knitwit at thred UP

I am totally with you Kimberley! This is ridiculous! Worst than a Presidential Election..

May 17, 2007 10:33 AM

Kimberley Bauman

Sound Advantage Realty - Olympia, WA

Kim Bauman

And... I checked the corporate Redfin website. There is a Corporate Blog and a San Francisco Blog. The SF Blog is similar to the Seattle Blog.

May 17, 2007 10:35 AM

William Johnson

Retired - La Jolla, CA

Retired

If I were you, I would be in touch with the Laurie Janik's office with NAR. I think they would want to be appraised of this. In fact I think they would be most grateful to you for calling this out. It could be the news item if a rebuttal show is ever done with a TV station If you can afford to, you might even want to take down your blog so as not to tip anyone with Redfin off about what you have discovered. Then you would have a couple posts with all that you will come to know about what actions might be forthcoming.

Sincerely,

William

May 17, 2007 10:47 AM

Mike Montague

RE/MAX Crosstown Realty Inc - Barrie, ON

"Who Moves You?"

If this Company was doing this or in any way associated with the persons doing this in my town (or even my country), I would be sending links to this site to my board and any other governing Real Estate body asap.

May 17, 2007 10:48 AM

Kimberley Bauman

Sound Advantage Realty - Olympia, WA

Kim Bauman

Complaints are already in process to all of the appropriate authorities.

May 17, 2007 10:50 AM

Stephanie Edwards-Musa

thredUP.com - The Woodlands, TX

knitwit at thred UP

Seriously Kimberley, I agree. So sad.

May 17, 2007 10:51 AM

Nick and Joslyn Solomon

Century 21 Moline Realty - Cambridge, MN

The Solomon Team - Century 21 Moline Realty, Inc.

Oh my goodness - I can't believe it.

I'm in Minnesota, so Redfin isn't a current worry of mine - I have my own "demons" to fight here. But I'm sure at some point they will get here, and either way, this should not be allowed to happen.

Perhaps the sellers only ALLOWED a $1,000 drop in price. Did they stop to consider that? I'm sure they will have their share of sellers who won't lower their price, or only want to lower it $1000.

I've heard a story of a real estate agent whose clients said they would lower it $1,000 every week until it sold. It sold a lot sooner than they expected, and they didn't have to drop the price that much. You never ever know. There are people like me who don't like odd numbers (Yes I'm a little OCD) and are just waiting for that "9" or "7" to go away.

Can't anything be done about this?

May 17, 2007 11:17 AM

Brian Warden

Choices Real Estate - Bosque Farms, NM

Where are they getting other's listings to comment on? If it's through IDX, this must be a violation of the local Board's IDX policies, isn't it? If not it should be. Maybe those in areas affected could agitate at their local board for making this a violation of policy!

May 17, 2007 11:49 AM

Kimberley Bauman

Sound Advantage Realty - Olympia, WA

Kim Bauman

That is so AWESOME!!!

If you haven't checked the link posted by Jason Smith, please do copy and paste it into your URL.

According to that Blog the NWMLS has fined Redfin a substantial amount. Of course, Redfin will be filing an appeal.

May 17, 2007 12:18 PM

Kay Van Kampen

RE/MAX Broker, RE/MAX - Springfield, MO

Realtor®, Springfield Mo Real Estate

What better way to get your name in the public than to blog about it. I bet we don't forget who Redfish is for awhile. Redcrab, redjellyfish, redworm - what ever their name is. Still think their business is a little fishy!!!

May 17, 2007 12:51 PM

ARDELL DellaLoggia

Better Properties Seattle - Kirkland, WA

Finder = Redfin

May 18, 2007 07:21 PM

Shane Petersen

Windermere Real Estate Nortwest, Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattlenulls Green Real Estate Agent

The PR pros at Redfin have created a machine that is way out of check. Ive read about pocket listings previously and now this which must be a violation of NWMLS rules? The problem is I dont think Redfin cares about being fined. Its acceptable PR for them...if there name is in the news good or bad they dont seem to care.....eventually it will catch up. I had an interesting experience with Redfin recently. Read my blog post:

Redfin: The Real Estate Scientists a No-Show!

Jan 07, 2008 02:19 PM