Comments on: On Google’s Latest Real Estate Foray: Implications & Speculations

By: Todd Carpenter

Todd Carpenter — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 20:47:57 +0000

For the record, my comment, included in your post is my personal opinion. It was copied from Twitter where I specifically state that my personal Twitter account is a place where I state my personal opinions. That particular tweet was and is my personal opinion. In my opinion, competition is a good thing. Even if the competition is flawed.

My tweets are not necessarily the opinion of The National Association of REALTORS® or Realtor.com.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:12:39 +0000

Social comments and analytics for this post…

This post was mentioned on Twitter by robhahn: New Notorious: http://bit.ly/7nbtVK On Google’s Latest Real Estate Forays, WHEE!…

By: Top 10 real estate posts of the day for 11/23/2009 : Tempe real esatate and free home search

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:46:13 +0000

[...] On Google’s latest real estate foray: Implications & speculations – Google’s next step in world dominance. But here we go again… Is Google a scraper for real [...]

By: derecshuler

derecshuler — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 04:13:03 +0000

This is the evolution of technology and as Realtors we need to either adjust our value proposition or get out of the way.

I may have missed this in your article but doesn't ListHub also syndicate to Google? I don't like Realtor.com charging hundreds of dollars a year for more prominently feature your listings and would be interesting to see how Google can mashup some data. As we move along, it'll be interesting to see how they monetize this.

By: derecshuler

derecshuler — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 02:13:03 +0000

By: Josh Ferris

Josh Ferris — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:19:06 +0000

I love this idea but it will, no doubt, favor the top listing agents versus buyer agents. All that really means is buyer agents need to convey their value better so buyers insist on having them instead of using them by happenstance.

Similarly, Trulia and Zillow (and everyone else) have been put on notice: build a remarkable brand or fall to the wayside when Google makes the big move that turns everything upside down. Zillow's branching out into mortgages and their zestimates have gone a long way to establishing what they're all about. Trulia I'm not so sure — community with Trulia Voices?

I hate to be coy about it but time will tell… probably sooner than later based on recent events.

By: Louis Cammarosano

Louis Cammarosano — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:53:32 +0000

what google giveth, google taketh away.

Companies like trulia or zillow spend little or no money on google ad words,yet get tons of FREE traffic from showing up high in the google natural search results .

Now Google will organize and display listings making searches for listings on those sites, perhaps redundant and irrelevant.(in your scenario 2, Rob)

Having lived off the free ride google gave them, perhaps they will expire from an act of Google.

(in all fairness, Zillow had plenty of natural traffic from the buzz created from their Zestimate fad before posting listings and engaging in optimizing their site for google)

By: Ken Brand

Ken Brand — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:15:32 +0000

Thanks for sharing the in's, out's and what if's. The more I read about these new search/broadcast developments, the more I think (as you've shared) platform providers (MLS, IDZ, Truzilla, RPR, Realtor.com, etc) are in a fight for their lives. Well, they've always been, but today, when the sun rises, anyone of them might find themselves nuked.

I also believe, that for the individual real estate agent or agency, these Star Wars will ultimately (theoretically/hopefully) yield better tools for marketing listings and managing the real estate transaction. The winners will be listing agents/agencies/brokerages and the consumer. In the future, assuming detailed property information is ubiquitous, brokers/agents will have to use content/savvy/local knowledge/price/service and specialized expertise as their website magnets. That wouldn't be all bad.

Over time, real estate agents who work primarily with buyers, will find it harder and harder to attract clients (for all the reasons that Buyers Agency - We Work With Buyers Only agencies didn't work)

It's more important than ever to be a Listing Dominatrix. She who controls the listing-inventory, dominates her local real estate market.

No matter who wins the platform war, if I have no listings, eventually, I'll become invisible and irrelevant.

Thanks for keeping us posted Rob.

Thanks for keeping us posted Rob.
PS: I thought was an interesting take on how Google could enhance their current RE offerings: http://www.bloodhoundrealty.com/BloodhoundBlog/...

By: GertieCranker

GertieCranker — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:58:54 +0000

I think your approach to this issue says it all: where the consumers go, there goes the agent and–ultimately–the broker. I'd even go a step further and say that the other stakeholder who should be shaking in its boots is the MLS. There's no MLS in the Google equation. The question becomes, how much do agents REALLY value the business rules, fines, and additional charges, and the cumbersome structures associated with it all? How deep is the loyalty to “Realtor” (which I note you don't even capitalize)? I think we'll find out the answer to these questions in fairly short order.

By: Sue Adler

Sue Adler — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:22:41 +0000

Hey Rob,
I didnt react when you showed me this at my office today because I was preoccupied w/ other things but now that I've had a chance to look at it, I'm really thrilled about this! I think its great for both buyers and sellers because the consumer is getting to the proper source and getting the info they want, ( it seems from your examples anywyay) instead of some random agent who has indexable idx.

As far as the lead being sold to the agent by the company, that would depend on the company the agent is with. Our company ( Keller Williams) has a “my listings, my leads” policy, so this is not an issue for the agent. Hey- this whole google thing may turn out to be be a great recruiting opportunity for us!

I think Trulia, Zillow and Realtor.com could possibly suffer most from this if it takes off, and agents ( like me) who spend alot of money for featured home spots, featured ads, etc… may find that its not as worthwhile if the google listings pop up first in the google search engines.

Will be interesting to see how it all unfolds.