Brief Thoughts on the 2017 MLS Policy Changes
Greetings from the Land of the Morning Calm! I know I should just be focusing on my Asian vacation/trip, but it’s been too long. Plus, I got a bit of time to hang out at one of these ultra-modern cafes in Apgujeong, one of the hippest parts of Seoul. So I figured I’d opine on […]
Random Musings: FSBO and the MLS, NAR Mandates Syndication, and Googlicious Horror
I’m packing for a two-day road trip, after which I will be in the mountains of North Carolina as opposed to the swamps of Houston for a couple of weeks. But I wanted to share a couple of random semi-amusing thoughts I’ve had in the last couple of days. Maybe you’ll find them amusing as […]
Clarifying My Remarks About Upstream and the MLS at the Zillow MLS Summit
A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak to a group of MLS executives and leadership at the Zillow MLS Summit in Las Vegas. It was a Q&A format with Mitch Robinson from Zillow interviewing me on a number of questions and issues related to Project Upstream and the MLS. The video […]
Inside Baseball Issue: IDX and Internet Display
In doing some research for a couple of assignments, I’ve run across something that’s quite frankly not all that interesting to anybody not in the real estate industry, which falls under the “Inside Baseball” type of stuff. For that matter, this might not be of any interest except to MLS nerds. But that’s what I […]
What If We Let the Consumer Decide on Syndication?
It’s funny. Although I’ve been writing about syndication issues on these pages for oh… five or six years now… looking at all the different angles to that dead horse that won’t die… thanks to a Facebook post I just read, I thought of another new angle. Just goes to show you (well, show me) that […]
On Project Upstream (Part 2): The Path Forward
In Part 1, we discussed why Project Upstream as currently setup is problematic, despite the goals of Upstream being absolutely worth pursuing. In this part, I go more into offering solutions. Had I been involved with Upstream earlier on, this would have been my advice, but then, nobody asked me. 🙂 Basically, my take is that […]
Does the MLS = Listhub Now?
I’m writing this brief post here, as the Facebook group I got this from isn’t exactly the widest-read one out there. But the issue posed is both interesting and important. Basically, the question is whether or not the most important function of the MLS in the minds of brokers is to simplify the sending of […]
Zillow, The Industry, and Reading the Tea Leaves
This is one of those posts I write from time to time to figure out what I think about an issue. For now, that issue is trying to discern the possible direction of the residential real estate industry in the U.S. If you’re an agent and only care about something that will have a direct, […]
On NRT's New HomesForSale.com (Which Most Folks Are Misunderstanding)
 I know some folks think I’m a Realogy homer. Well, given that’s where I got my start in the industry, maybe I’m a little bit guilty of that whole “cut me and I bleed blue” thing. But I think I’m actually calling things as I see them; I’ve been plenty critical of Realogy when they’ve […]
On NRT’s New HomesForSale.com (Which Most Folks Are Misunderstanding)
 I know some folks think I’m a Realogy homer. Well, given that’s where I got my start in the industry, maybe I’m a little bit guilty of that whole “cut me and I bleed blue” thing. But I think I’m actually calling things as I see them; I’ve been plenty critical of Realogy when they’ve […]