Are Real Estate Agents Like Wine Retailers?
Filed Under: Industry
CNET’s News.com reports on Real estate’s Net turf war.
Technorati Tags: connectsf, disintermediation
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Galen | Jul 28, 2006 | Reply
Answer: in the next five to ten years, no, real estate agents are not like wine retailers. A plane ticket is a plane ticket and a rental car, for the most part, is a rental car. A house is not a house - there are tons of factors that make one house different from another and there are dozens of reasons deals can go through, buyers and sellers can be ripped off, etc. If there were 1,000 car makers and used cars cost $20,000, you would want an expert to help you buy a car too.
The web will change real estate and cut margins, but not in the same ways that it has changed other industries.
realestatemarketing | Jul 28, 2006 | Reply
I totally agree Galen. But it is interesting to see an outside perspective.
My favorite quote from the coverage on ConnectSF:
“It’s not that the Internet is going to get rid of Realtors, it’s going to get rid of Realtors that don’t use the Internet.”
Chris Dowell | Jul 31, 2006 | Reply
I have seen the real estate industry change alot over the past 20 years. As our commissions go down, lawsuits have gone up. Would buyers and sellers like to work with a professional or stress themselves out and possibly end up in arbitration or court? I’m musch less expensive and will help eliminate the stress. In 20 years, knock on wood, I’ve never have ended up in court in a real estate transaction.