tl;dr – the National Association of Realtors likes the status quo; Zillow recognize that quality matters.
Browsing Category Public Perception
Why Should you Trust Me?
The question is – “Why should you trust me?” The question was there, but I hadn’t expressed it. I was researching some headphones the other day at what I perceive to be one of the…
Tinder. For Realtors
This is the perception that good Realtors fight every day. I don’t even know what to say, other than, Stop It. What is Tinder? Tinder is an app for iOS (iPhone, iPod Touches, iPads, etc.) and…
Real Estate Licensing in Virginia does not Equate Competence
You know what leads to competence? Practice.
“… the Principles of Real Estate course doesn’t talk about completing a contract“
Because … how often does a real estate agent write a contract, right? 🙂
Note: Principles of Real Estate is the course that all new real estate licensees in the Commonwealth of Virginia must take in order to get licensed.
From the Virginia Association of Realtors’ Commonwealth Magazine –
The only true education (in anything, really) is experience. I’ve talked about this, and sat on committees (for *years* – at both national and state Realtor levels) about “real estate professionalism” … and have since resigned myself to the ineffectiveness of the political system with respect to this issue.
The only reasonable solution is an apprenticeship program.
More hours won’t solve this.
To consumers: caveat emptor as there is no viable nor valid means by which to ascertain a real estate professional’s competence online without asking another competent professional his opinion of another.
NAR’s New Ad: Hit or Miss?
It’s been a while since I’ve written about the National Association of Realtors and their sometimes mis-guided, self-serving ad campaigns* and lamentably, today is one of those days where I feel I need to say, “I’m a Realtor, but I reject their current ad campaign.”
Renters are positive contributors to society, too, and just like homeowners, some are great, some aren’t. Making renters feel bad about themselves is the best way to try to build favor for the Realtor brand. Alienating a segment of the population, many of who do aspire to be homeowners, is, in a word, stupid.
So, thanks, NAR, for the opportunity to defend myself and use you as the object of derision. I’m glad to work with clients who will be homeowners one day, and while I don’t typically work with renters, I do fins myself in the position frequently where I help them find rentals … for a year, as they are in fact, homebuyers on a delayed timeline.
But it’s Family! (or Why to Think Twice About Hiring your Family Realtor)
“I’d love to use you as a realtor, but my brother is a Realtor in another part of the state and to not use him would not make much sense for me. It makes viewing houses a bit more inconvenient, but it’s family!” or “She’s my sister; I have to use her!” “I didn’t need to look for representation; my uncle is a Realtor”
Could you/would you fire your aunt?
Candidly and respectfully, “he’s/she’s family” is one of the worst reasons to hire buyer representation I have heard.
Hiring someone to represent you in what is likely the largest financial transaction you’ll ever make warrants asking some questions other than, “what did you get me for Christmas last year?” (hint: here are quite a few questions to ask if you’re interviewing buyer or seller representation)
Buying and selling a home can be extremely emotional, sometimes volatile, and the process necessitates complete faith, trust and competence.
Lawrence Yun is Right (My take on the NAR’s Revisions)
“From a consumer’s perspective, only the local market information matters and there are no changes to local multiple listing service (MLS) data or local supply-and-demand balance, or to local home prices,†Yun explained. (business insider)
True. Ignore the NAR. Read local real estate analysis.
If you’re looking for insight into and analysis about the Charlottesville area real estate market, start here.