Indianapolis Metropolitan Board of REALTORS®, (MIBOR) Rules Google is a “Scraper Site”
From *deep* in the WTF?!? files comes this insanity…
Paula Henry reports on Agent Genius that her local board has issued a “cease and desist” letter for her website because — get this — things like property listing addresses are indexed on her site by Google.
You can’t make up things this arcane and ignorant.
Paula’s broker commented on the piece saying, “The NAR has supported this ruling”.
As another commenter says — The 1970’s called. They want their MLS rules back.
Realtor.com of course, appears to be exempt from this ruling, which does nothing but hurt the agents and their clients. Of course, the NAR doesn’t “have control” over Realtor.com, this despite the verbiage strewn across the banner of the site that loudly proclaims Realtor.com is the “Official Site of the National Association of REALTORS®”.
Whatever.
I just love that our trade organization, whose stated Mission & Vision is “to help its members become more profitable and successful”, supports such an asinine ruling.
NAR says ForSaleByOwner.com Press Release Misleading
Earlier today I posted here about a press release issued by ForSaleByOwner.com.
The reaction across the “RE.Net” was swift. People were understandably upset that the “Official Site of the NAR” would allow listings of unrepresented sellers.
I struggled from the beginning with some of the claims made by Greg Healy, Vice President of Operations at ForSaleByOwner.com, particularly his claim that “The DOJ-NAR settlement benefited consumers by giving them access to Realtor.com without the expensive cost of a commission fee.”
In an official news brief from the NAR, they call the press release “misleading” and the connection made by Greg Healy to the DOJ/NAR settlement “erroneous”.
The NAR needs to be “politically correct”.
I don’t.
I don’t call what Greg Healy said “misleading and erroneous”.
In my book, Healy’s statements are deceptive, and flat out lies.
Back in July, U.S. News & World Report sponsored an “on-line debate” between myself and Greg Healy. During the course of that debate, I gained a lot of respect for Healy.
Today, that respect has vanished.
ForSaleByOwner.com is his business, and he’s free to run it how he sees fit. If issuing deceptive press releases containing patently false statements is how ForSaleByOwner.com choses to run their business, that’s their decision.
I can’t understand why anyone would chose to do business with a company that demonstrates that kind of ethics, but maybe that’s just me.
From the WTF files: Realtor.com “Partners” with ForSaleByOwner.com?
From a ForSaleByOwner press release (my emphasis):
ForSaleByOwner.com Becomes First to Provide New Access to Realtor.com
NEW YORK–ForSaleByOwner.com today announced that it has become the nation’s first “by owner” real estate website to enable home sellers to advertise their home on Realtor.com without appearing on a local Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This new direct access to Realtor.com follows the May 2008 settlement between the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Association of Realtors.
“The DOJ-NAR settlement benefited consumers by giving them access to Realtor.com without the expensive cost of a commission fee,” said Greg Healy, Vice President of Operations at ForSaleByOwner.com. “We’re proud to be the first to offer this new consumer-friendly access to Realtor.com. In today’s challenging housing market, sellers need cost-saving ways to sell their homes.”
“Our typical home seller saves nearly $13,000 in commission and this new access to Realtor.com will help even more people sell their home without using the services of a real estate agent,” added Healy.
Realtor.com is a popular real estate website that attracts nearly five million monthly visits. The new Realtor.com Showcase Listing service from ForSaleByOwner.com will allow sellers to have their homes marketed on Realtor.com, and interested buyers will be able to directly contact these sellers.
I must have completely misinterpreted the DOJ/NAR settlement. I just re-read most of the settlement and still don’t see where this applies.
I’m scratching my head in confusion here. The “Official Site of the National Association of Realtors” is now teaming up with a FSBO site to help people buy and sell homes without the help of a Realtor.
WTF?
UPDATE #1:
Michael Wurzer opines on FBS blog about the claim that this came about as a result of the DOJ/NAR settlement. He makes very valid points. But it still leaves many questions unanswered. So a “broker affiliate” with FSBO.com is involved. Why the “Official Site of the NAR” allows a broker to enter non-MLS listings for an unrepresented seller to appear — with contacts going directly to the seller — is beyond me. Are they that hard up for more enhanced listings fees?
UPDATE #2:
Scott Bruner, CEO of the Virginia Association of Realtors, emailed Laurie Janik, NAR General Counsel, about this matter. Here is Ms. Janick’s response (more details at VARBuzz):
Please reassure your members that there are no unlisted properties on Realtor.com.
We still cannot figure out the basis for the outrageous claims being made by ForSaleByOwner.com in this press release. No relationship exists between that entity and Realtor.com. Listings displayed on Realtor.com continue to be provided by the MLSs, and contrary to the headline, there is NO “agent free access to Realtor.com”.
Realtor.com Adds Home Valuation. Apparently Blows It.
Dustin Luther on 4Realz.net has an analysis of Realtor.com’s “Home Values” — the latest in Automated Valuations for home prices.
Looks like they pooched it.
Pooched: adj. (slang) made unusable; broken; buggered (British)
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Blanche Evans Hammers the “Benefits” of Realtor.com
Blanch Evans, the Senior Editor of Realty Times, unloaded on the new “benefits” Realtor.com is offering agents.
And I for one, think her opinion is spot on.
Wow, now we get a whopping FOUR photos for free! Puhlease.
Evans ends her editorial with:
Realtor.com isn’t bringing any game. They need to come up with something better than four free photos, and quick.
No doubt… an upcoming revamped interface on R.com may be good for consumers. But as the “Official site of the National Association of Realtors” is seems like there should be something of value for ….. Realtors…….
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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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The Great Debates: Realtor.com: Friend or Foe
Head on over to Real Estate Politics and watch Brian Wilson of Zolve take on mega-producer Russell Shaw in the first “Great Debate”.
It’s all about varying aspects of Realtor.com. From two decidedly different points of view.
Interesting stuff.
And if you haven’t already done so, please vote in our poll to the right “Are Enhanced Listings” on Realtor.com worth the cost?”
Move.com Does Good
Obviously I’m not a big fan of Realtor.com. But Move.com (the “parent” of realtor.com) has done a very good thing to help out those displaced by the horrible fires in southern California.
A lengthy (and growing) list of temporary housing in the San Diego / Los Angeles area is posted at Move.com.
There are also links to additional housing resources.
Here is a map showing locations of temporary housing. Click on the map for more details.
Nice work Move.com!
H/T to Dustin Luther
Realtor.com vs Cyberhomes.com
Jim Duncan has an excellent post up today comparing Cyberhomes to Realtor.com.
There is no comparison in my opinion.
Realtor.com best get it in gear, quickly, if they plan on staying the top dog. Or whatever dog it is they are trying to be…
There is a fundamental concept that Realtor.com/Move/the NAR don’t seem to have grasped yet. Jim sums that concept up in one sentence:
It’s been said before - consumers want all the information, they want it now and they want it for free.