Comment of the Day
From NAR Looking at Blogs part 2:
I think it is time for NAR to take 3 steps back and decide to butt out, as they have shown time and again they do not understand technology. They in many respects do not even understand the consumer, the perpetually sunny outlook they have on the markets makes us all look like idiots. At times I am embarrassed by their actions.
When you are with them please pass these thoughts on to them, as from the view I have they seem to be oblivious to the disent among their own membership.
James sums up my thoughts (and many others I’ve talked to) rather well….
NAR and Blogging - via Active Rain. And More…
There is an interesting discussion thread happening on the NAR and Blogging. The public post is here.
This post was written by what appears to be a Realtor state representative on the NAR’s Professional Standards Committee. So far, 57 81 ActiveRainer’s have commented on her post.
From the post:
… I personally was very worried that NAR and or Big Broker would indeed look at blogging and the liability it generated.
I sit on NAR’s Professional Standards Committee and I know that this issue is slated to come back up in November. I can’t help but wonder in what form.
This week I’ve seen 2 posts referencing concern about big brother (NAR) looking at Blogs. One was Bryant Tutus Ride the Blogging Wave (ed note: this is a “Member’s Only” post) and the other Brain Brady’s Blogger be afraid of Big Bad Broker or (Bank). Both of these posts were featured as they should have been.
This is a pretty important issue for Bloggers and next month I think we’ll see some sort of policy come forth from NAR.
This writer seems to have her head screwed on straight. She posted this to her own blog about an NAR PS Committee meeting in June — where the discussion on real estate blogs was tabled until November.
Then we tabled the Internet-related issues…blogs to name a few until November. The sub committee will be be looking at Article 12 to see if we need a broader more encompassing ethical direction guiding all forms of communication. They will also be looking at
1. A clearer definition of communications
2. REALTOR making anonymous comments on other REALTORS Blogs
3. REALTORS responsibility for monitoring/editing their own Blogs
4. REALTORS responsibility for Blogs run by licensees affiliated with them
5. Disclosure of time lag (hours or days) in posting comments to Blogs. Must the fact that a Blog is not run in “live time” be disclosed?
6. Posting unfavorable/unflattering (but truthful) comments to Blogs
I can’t wait till November to see what the sub committee comes back with. It should be very interesting and being a blogger I have very mixed feelings about some of this.
Let’s hope NAR doesn’t hand down a bunch of Draconian rules they expect real estate bloggers to follow.
“Must the fact that a Blog is not run in “live time” be disclosed?” Huh?? Sure, some chose to moderate comments. But many more do not. Such a statement shows a basic lack of understanding about blogging in general — which helps confirms the authors statement:
One thing I learned while in DC is that there are many-many people who have no clue what blogging is and surprisingly people in important positions who do not see any merit in blogging and will not encourage their sales associates to blog!
Wow. And these are the people in a position to “rule” about how you run your business…
Frightening.
But even more frightening is the statement, “Posting unfavorable/unflattering (but truthful) comments to Blogs” (my emphasis)
That the NAR is even thinking about censoring/outlawing/moderating/regulating TRUTHFUL comments should scare the bejeepers out of everyone….
The First Email
Spurred I’m sure from today’s post on the Inman News Blog, the first email to NARWisdom has been received:
Aren’t you afraid you are going to get slapped for using “NAR” in a domain name?
Well, we know they randomly slap some folks for using “realtor” in a domain name (and I stress randomly. More on that later…).
I’m not a lawyer, but if the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has a problem with this domain name, they best also have issue with the National Association of Rocketry, Nucleic Acids Research, NAR-anon, the hip-hop group NaR, and/or the Merrill Lynch S&P midcap 400 index fund that trades on the Amex under the symbol NAR…
In short, I neither care nor am worried.
This Week On the NAR
Here is just a sampling of posts made this week across the RE.net…
From Calculated Risk - Another Month, Another NAR Revision
The comedians at the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revised down their forecast today for existing home sales in 2007 again. (Editor’s note: These folks pull no punches)
From Paper Economy - The Boston Globe’s New Bubble?
It appears that yesterday, The Boston Globe finally completed the National Association of Realtors (NAR) training course titled “how to become a willing shill for the real estate industry in… 90 days or less!”. (Editor’s note: Nice dissection of the frightening combination of the mainstream media and the NAR)
From Dalton’s AZ Homes - Do the NAR Trademark Police Watch The Bachelor?
Being forced to pay to belong to an organization that doesn’t seem to have much clue what its membership wants looks wrong, feels wrong, is wrong. The argument for change is that changes can occur from working within the system. But I don’t think volunteering for a sub-committee for the Phoenix Association of Realtors is going to give me much sway over Lawrence Yun’s incoherent, naive spin. (Editor’s note: may be the first entrant into the NAR Wisdom Hall of Fame)
From National Realty News - Improvement in Mortgage Market Bodes Well for Housing in 2008 Says NAR
Lawrence Yun, NAR senior economist, notes that widening credit availability will help turn around home sales. (Editor’s note: Ahem… see quote about Yun above)
From The site formally known as RealtorGenius - NAR Just Says “NO” to real**genius.com
Apparently the use of the word Re***or in any fashion can be shunned for almost any reason- especially trademark violations. NAR has contacted us and asked us to formally end the use of this domain & I would assume any variation of the word ***ltor even though I am a member. (Editor’s note: this was probably my tipping point…)
From Bloodhound Blog - Realtor.com Pencil Sharpener
They have a pattern of doing outrageous things to Realtors with their prices - this isn’t new. It is despicable. (Editor’s note: A must visit, if just for the photo.)
From Ramblings of a Real Estate Madman - NAR’s E-Pro Designation is Worthless
The National Association of Realtors have been issuing a designation for Realtors called E-Pro and it’s a total joke. (Editor’s note: You too can be an “e-Pro” for only $359.)
From AgentGenius.com - Is it Time to Throw More Money Away?
I’d love to hear what others think on Realtor.com and the NAR. Does it work for you? Give me the numbers, please. (Editor’s note: Me too…)
If you know of a NAR post that should be mentioned on NAR Wisdom, please contact us!
Stoopid Commercial #1
Here’s one of the things that annoys me about the NAR.
They spend my dues producing crap like this…
UPDATE: A concerned reader pointed out that posting the actual video here might be a violation of the realtor.com Terms of Service, so I have elected to remove the video clip from this site. It’s not worth the battle when the clip is available directly from the NAR on realtor.com.
You can view it here from the Public side of realtor.com
Welcome to NAR Wisdom!
Here lies a little spot on the Internet to share thoughts, opinions rants and raves on the National Association of Realtors…
More to follow soon…