A Taste of Z-Madness

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Momentum Real Estate Group LLC GA BrokersLicense# 277342

Z is, at it's core, a consumer driven website that seeks to pretend to service the real estate community. I am a Premier Agent Without Z

Today, someone inquired as to why I was not a Premier Agent on their website.  I object on principle. 

I will not pay for leads on the listings that I have already invested money in marketing to gain on my own.  But, I decided to explore a little further.

I completed the Z more information box on their website and literally within 45 seconds my phone was ringing. 

It was like the Bat Phone! 

I answered knowing what was going to happen but I went with it.  I told Mr. Sales Rep right up front that I was gathering information to present to someone in support of my opposition to Z.  I guess he had heard that before because he just went right along with me.

I have a "Free Profile" on the site and as it turned out, one of my listings was not showing up under my profile.  He fixed that for me but he did something else that caused a little hub-bub, I'll come back to this.

Next, I inquired about the MINIMUM requirement/commitment that I would need to make to be a "Premier Agent". 

"Pick a zip code, any zip code", he says.

I did.  One that is in my target area.  A middle of the road area, stable market, not high priced, not high demand.

"$184.00 a month for a minimum of six months."  At least that's what I think he said, I started laughing after $184.

Needless to say, I've read enough reviews from agents around the country to know that this would be money down the rat-hole and aside from that, it's just not something I am willing to do. 

Principles, principles.

ANYWAY, back to the thing that happened when he "fixed" my profile so that MY LISTING showed up properly.  Somehow that included made all of the listing for my office show up too. Over 200 listings.

Not sure if that was supposed to work like that and I probably will have to get that sorted out.

As a result of this little change, my phone and email started ringing and dinging in every direction.

Inquiry after inquiry on RENTALS!  Within 2 hours, I had received 3 calls and 2 emails about these various properties.

Would you like to guess at the STATUS OF THESE LISTINGS?

One was "pending", the others were "leased"...MONTHS AGO.  January, February...MONTHS AGO!

WHY DOESN'T THE PUBLIC "GET IT"?

Bad information, out of date information, incorrect information...

And you know what I think the worst part is?

I think that the public believes, at least in part, that WE are responsible for the terrible information.

 

Posted by

55+ Realty Advisor  MyMomentumTea.com Logo 

Jenna Dixon
Associate Broker

55+ Realty Advisor | Accredited Buyer Representative |
Certified Skilled Negotiator

DRA Homes Real Estate
MyMomentumTeam.com

Email: JennaDixon@Outlook.com
Direct: (770) 374-4230


DRA Homes Real Estate
An Affiliate of Maximum One Realty Greater Atlanta
5041 Dallas Highway, Suite 700, Powder Springs, GA 30127
Office Phone: 770-919-8825 ext. 318

 

 

 

Comments (11)

Anna Banana Kruchten CRS, CRB, Phoenix Broker
HomeSmart Real Estate BR030809000 - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Jenna I've had so many people ask me why the info on Z is so off.  They call me about a property they really like and after a time or two of this - they get it.  I always suggest we set up searches on our site for the most correct and up to date info.  The story goes on.  And - just thought I'd let you know  - you are a Premier Agent in my mind!

Jun 16, 2015 09:40 AM
TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.
Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN
Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

Good evening Jenna. I really do not feel that Z gets it. You are right. They are way off.

Jun 16, 2015 10:23 AM
Bruce Walter
Keller Williams Realty Lafayette/West Lafayette, Indiana - West Lafayette, IN

Jenna, it looks like your pre-conceived notions were spot on after your first hand investigation; now AR is inundated with advertising as well!

Jun 16, 2015 10:29 AM
Jenna Dixon
Momentum Real Estate Group LLC - Marietta, GA
55 & Over | New Constructions | Horse Farms

Anna Banana Kruchten - AZ Top Banana of Real Estate! I do the same and offer to set up accurate searches for folks through the MLS.  It's a frustrating game that Z plays and I cannot imagine how pi$$ed I would be if I were actually paying for it.  And thank you for the compliment!

Michael Thornton Z doesn't get it.  The public doesn't get it.  A lot of agents don't get it.  Very frustrating.

Jun 16, 2015 10:34 AM
Jenna Dixon
Momentum Real Estate Group LLC - Marietta, GA
55 & Over | New Constructions | Horse Farms

Bruce Walter I was really astounded at the cost for one zip code in just an "okay" market area.  $184 for what?  A bunch of renters and/or bogus calls and emails from people who are a year away from buying a home.  NO THANKS!

Jun 16, 2015 10:35 AM
Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert
Zion Realty - Gilbert, AZ
Broker/Owner of Zion Realty ZionRealtyAZ.com

Just yesterday I was talking to a friend of mine who has used me as an agent in the past and she was talking about how she was looking at a home on Z. I asked her why in the world she would be doing that instead of just calling me and I can look up any homes for her. She said because it was just quick and convenient to pull up on her Z app and she didn't want to bother me with such a small thing. Of course the home she was looking at had sold months ago even though it was still active on Z. Somehow Z did a good enough job of convincing the general public that they are relevant even though the entire real estate community knows otherwise. 

Jun 17, 2015 01:20 AM
Jenna Dixon
Momentum Real Estate Group LLC - Marietta, GA
55 & Over | New Constructions | Horse Farms

Nicole Doty - Gilbert Real Estate Expert I rarely give much thought to Z but they have come up a lot in the last few weeks and then with all of the "help" they gave me yesterday I couldn't help but wonder at the appeal for either the buyer or seller.  I suppose they have spent enough money on marketing and SEO to garner the attention of the public in spite of their lack of accurate information.  The inaccuracies have been a topic for YEARS and yet they have taken zero action to address the problem.

Jun 17, 2015 03:55 AM
Joe Petrowsky
Mortgage Consultant, Right Trac Financial Group, Inc. NMLS # 2709 - Manchester, CT
Your Mortgage Consultant for Life

I discourage anyone from using Z, as the numbers never make any sense. Now we are all more exposed to the Z marketing, which is unwanted.

 

Jun 17, 2015 06:23 AM
Lou Ludwig
Ludwig & Associates - Boca Raton, FL
Designations Earned CRB, CRS, CIPS, GRI, SRES, TRC

Jenna Dixon . . .  . just say no to Z.

Good luck and success.

Lou Ludwig

Jun 17, 2015 12:58 PM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

"we" are not reponsbile for this non updated information, but agents are.  I find every single flipping time if I scroll down to the bottom of the "active" listing for the where it came from it some agent who is not sending from the MLS but some other source. Click on the link and there sits that same listing live on a postlet or live on their website.  

I'm not advocating them by any means, but they doing to out and get the bad data.  They display what is being sent daily.  No update sent, no update to display.  What is so bad is at this point sellers WANT their listings there. But I will tell you that even with my free account I keep mine current.

Jun 18, 2015 04:57 AM
Jenna Dixon
Momentum Real Estate Group LLC - Marietta, GA
55 & Over | New Constructions | Horse Farms

Tammy Lankford it used to be that we (I am speaking for the Atlanta MLS services) had to syndicate our listings manually to these other sources, now it's done automatically.  But your point is valid, if Z wants to be a valuable tool for the buying public, perhaps they should stop pulling listing information from sources other than MLS services.  Personally, I've never heard of eWebengine and I don't know why they would be pulling data from there.

Jun 19, 2015 01:06 AM

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