Yun to the Slaughterhouse: Not this time…

NAR Chief Economists are frequently blog fodder. I’ve done it, and almost every other real estate blogger that touches on national real estate news has done it. The bubble blogs regularly eviscerate NAR economists and forecasts.

It’s time to move past the previous NAR econ disaster David Lereah. He’s gone (thankfully) and Lawrence Yun has moved into the top spot.

And dare I say it, but Dr. Yun does seem to be coming out with a dose of reality regarding housing, and the piles of real estate statistics the NAR generates. One just has to read many of his “Economists Commentaries” to see he does inject reality into many of his musings on the state of the housing market.

The latest from Yun is in a USA Today article, “Experts, consumers share home market views”. (H/T to Jim Duncan via one of his clients)

In this article Yun states things like:

Consumers need to find out what is going on at the local level and not necessarily take national headline numbers as a point of reference. Sellers tend to be more stubborn in facing the reality of the market, so people who really need to sell need to come down on prices, given the high inventory and seller competition.

And:

2008 is a year of clean-up. Afterwards, better conditions.

It’s honest, real and I find it refreshing.

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Center for Realtor Technology Rolls Out “Realtor Confidential”

Those propeller heads (and I use that term with the utmost respect) at the Center for Realtor Technology have rolled out Realtor Confidential - a nifty video heavy website that promises to be chocked full of interesting real estate technology stuff.

From the “About” page:

About REALTOR® Confidential:

This new online video series, created by CRT, in conjunction with NAR’s Information Central and Public Affairs divisions, is designed to educate our membership about technology-related topics and investigate how NAR can best use Web-based technology to communicate with members.

In the first season, we follow 2007 NAR President Pat V. Combs, as she and her staff implement new technologies. The viewing audience will see what works for Pat and her staff, what doesn’t, and why — and apply many of those insights to their own businesses.

Throughout the season, the series also will include supplemental episodes that explore specific technology topics of interest to REALTORS®. Following the CRT mission, we will share the knowledge we gain in the production process with members and the real estate community.

New episodes will debut once each month, and we’ll be posting other great content along the way, so stay tuned!

Go ahead, give it a whirl!

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The Zebra Teaches History On Realtor Mag Blog

Daniel Rothamel, a man I consider a friend and one who is commonly referred to simply as “The Zebra” is penning a series of posts on Realtor Magazines blog, Speaking of Real Estate.

Daniel’s first post there is “Shouldn’t We All Know More REALTOR® History?” And of course in usual Zebra fashion, it is very well done.

Daniel tells the story of how this gig came about on his own blog, RealEstateZebra.com.

Nice work Daniel! (now that said, if you read NARWisdom, you would have known about the existence of the Realtor Magazine blog!  )

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More New Blogs and Whatnot

NAR announces new member-based email distribution service

“MARION, Iowa USA — The NAR is responding to member’s requests for better communication between the operations of the organization and the member body.  The NAR has started its response by establishing an electronic newsletter distribution service.

In an online statement today, NAR president Mark Bundick invites members to…”

Mark Bundick? Wait a second…

Oh! This is the National Association of Rocketry, not the National Association of Realtors. My bad! ;)

Silliness aside, I found another new “organizational” blog. This one from Realtor.com — Realtor.com Report.

Looks like it spooled up on March 24. Five posts in the first two days, but only two since March 25. A posting frequency rivaled only by this very blog (I’ll try to do better, I promise).

Speaking of Realtor.com, I just got off the phone with them after receiving a courtesy call. Seems when I left Century 21 and started my own brokerage, I somehow forgot about having listings on Realtor.com (perhaps because nothing has ever come from having listings there. But I digress).

After spending countless minutes trying to convince them I did not want to pay for: 1) enhanced listings; 2) banner ads on their site; 3) Featured Homes; 4) Company Showcase; 5) Featured Company status; or 6) a “print solution”, I managed to get the paperwork required to get our brokerages listings for “free”.

Fortunately the agreement is only 7 pages of single-spaced text.

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