Here are the first three comments from the post I put up last night at BloodhoundBlog.com...
- Broker Bryant January 28th, 2007 8:23 am
Love the post Jeff, It’s the intangibles that I bring to a transaction that are valuable. Solving problems and keeping folks focused on the end result is what I do best. With out a calming force in the transaction the smallest little bump in the road can derail the entire transaction. It’s my job to keep it on track.
- Brian Brady January 28th, 2007 9:06 am
I can wash, dry, and iron my clothes, too.
When I want it done right, I go to Solana Beach Dry Cleaners. They do it faster and with greater effectiveness.
- Jeff Turner January 28th, 2007 9:12 am
BB, the FACT that many real estate agents don’t is what is driving the notions of disintermediation. I’m not sure disintermediation is possible in real estate, not by strict definition. “The elimination of an intermediary in a transaction between two parties.”
I see the word used when “transparency” is what they are describing. I see it used when what they are describing is a change to a different kind of middle man with a different kind of value proposition. John Battelle has a popular piece directed at the media. http://adage.com/article?article_id=46255
He starts, “Those who fear disintermediation should in fact be afraid of irrelevance — disintermediation is just another way of saying that you’ve become irrelevant to your customers. It doesn’t mean there isn’t a customer, or middlemen of some sort who service that customer, or that the core proposition of your business has disappeared.”
The real issue is value. How is it defined? How is it delivered? I have a hard time believing there won’t always be a middleman in real estate transaction.
Battelle also wrote, “the truth is, the products that are threatened by disintermediation are not imperiled because of technology; they are imperiled because they are based on models that offer less value to the customer than competing alternatives. In example after example, the middleman isn’t being cut out. He’s simply being replaced by a better one.”
Jeff Turner aka respres
Great post on Bloodhound! I've read it and hope you let me use it in my next class.
Jeff,
I left a comment on Bloodhound but wanted to leave one here also. I recently had a transaction with your agent's evil twin. I maintain tight control over my transactions but this one almost got away from me. My point is that if I found this person almost impossible to deal with what was his client thinking.. not only about him but all agents.
We need to remember that most people want to use an agent in their real estate dealings. They don't have the time or the experience to deal with all the myriad details involved in closing a real estate transaction. The key is they want a competent agent..... to steal from Brian Brady.. I can clean my house but it makes more sense to pay someone $10 per hour to do it while I work on something more profitable. Our job is to make sure that their transaction closes in a timely manner with few , if any distractions. The job of a good agent is to solve problems not make them. We all need to keep that in focus.
At least three times this month agents have said to me, "I just wrote down what the buyer told me", isn't that my job? Or I'm just the messenger and the seller is thinking this way, isn't that my job?"
We don't get paid the big bucks to be order takers and sit around with our thumbs up our butts watching people shoot themselves in the foot.
Hubba....
Hold my spot, I'll catch up shortly :)
ARDELL!!! We don't always agree on terminology [tipping point], but I think we're on the same page or in the same book most of the time. In this case, I couldn't say it any better. "We don't get paid the big bucks to be order takers and sit around with our thumbs up our butts watching people shoot themselves in the foot." The same is true for every business. If we did everything our clients told us at RealEstateShows.com we'd have a mish mash of features that would be impossible to work with and completely ruin the intuitive feel of the Shows. Contrary to popular opinion, the client is not right if they are wrong!
TLW [SVW]... we'll wait.
Hubba...
I just tried to leave a comment on the Blood Hound Blog but they are having trouble with their server right now. I will go back later and do my thing :)
For now I will go ahead and comment here. Your article on Blood Hound reminded me of why I write checks to professionals.
I pay these people for the information and the service they provide to me. The few times that I have attempted to take things into my own hands all I managed to do was make the problem worse. Such as getting a toilet snake stuck in my plumbing. Or, falling off a ten foot later in my attempt to fix a broken light fixture. Then there was the time I set my car's motor on fire :)
My point here is that the same holds true for Real Estate. I can study a book on how to fix that light fixture. However, the book does not tell me not to cross the black and red wires :) Taking matters into your own hands and not using a Professional is not the best way to get the job done. If someone is selling a house they need US. Without us they are going to cross those wires :)
This is a free comment. For more comments you will have to contact your Local Comment Association. LOL...
Yah. I might be reaching on that one. Wink. Wink.
Hubba...
"TLW [SVW]... the real question is this. What is that worth?"...
Okay. Looks like I missed your point. I am not altogether surprised by that. You're a flippin genius and I am NOT :)
However, I am really good at what I do. I give 'em their money's worth and then some. I go the extra mile and then some. I help them and then some. I guide them and then some. Do I need to continue with that? SVW. I give more value than they know what to do with :) In our market it looks like our Seller's are getting two bucks for their buck :)
How many agents do you know that would give away an entire commission check just to make sure everyone involved in a deal walked away HAPPY? Yah. We've done that a couple of times :)
Okay. I better stop being serious I don't want to make ya nervous. LOL...
TLW...ROAR!
Brian, thank you!
Sharon, good analogy. Are his services worth less in the first scenario?
TLW [SVW]... how many do I know? Well if I count you and BB as one and add that to my previous total... one.
The only time I am good at Math is when I'm shopping :)
I hire people to do the Math for me. LOL...
TLW...ROAR!