Comments on: Roost Reveals the Brokers in its Nest

By: Geoff at Del Mar Homes

Geoff at Del Mar Homes — Sat, 16 May 2009 05:46:34 +0000

Your post reminds me of trouble that another popular real estate webmaster got his clients into. Here's the scoop on that Google Penalized Link Network. This can get expensive in more ways than one.

By: Mike Pannell ( Dallas Realtor)

Mike Pannell ( Dallas Realtor) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 23:48:08 +0000

You want the traffic to come to brokers website. That is the way it is suppose to be

By: Hawaii Life

Hawaii Life — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:39:21 +0000

interesting concept…now if only the detail pages didn’t take you off to the broker’s website : )

By: retrove.com

retrove.com — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 18:41:19 +0000

@Terry & Joel – there has been discussion regarding the business model and “possible” cost of going the roost route – http://agentgenius.com/?p=907 comment #3 – replacing figures from that post with what Terry has indicated at .30 ppc the cost may not pencil out for brokers since the example based it at .10

I agree that the model is not much different than what everyone else is doing and the main differences are search interface. The real issue is the pressure that local MLS may receive from other members who are not on the roost platform and how the roost business model will change if the MLS boards pull the idx feeds from the participating brokers?

Personally, I don’t think the roost model is very different than the old Homegain Buyerlink model… except Homegain already has significant traffic.

By: …just like selling girl scout cookies

…just like selling girl scout cookies — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 01:32:59 +0000

[...] Joel Burslem pointed out Roost.com’s announcement of partner brokers. The article got me thinking [...]

By: Michael Rahmn

Michael Rahmn — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:17:03 +0000

… that was meant as a compliment to Roost, not as a criticism of others. I love all the competition in interface design — the rising tide floats all boats…

By: Michael Rahmn

Michael Rahmn — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:12:55 +0000

How is this model really any different than HomePages (from HouseValues) or the Yahoo/Pru deal (or hundreds of others on a smaller scale)?

Other than a difference in how they charge for the traffic, they do basically the same thing: Get a feed from an MLS using a local broker permission then send traffic to an agent (or broker) and switch out the URL to maintain compliance with the IDX rules.

There is no *new* controversy here. As far as I can see the key difference is this team has good experience building something usable.

By: Ann Cummings

Ann Cummings — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:11:03 +0000

I’m thinking that since so many brokers are still stuck back in broker-centric mode, that they just aren’t going to be liking Roost’s purported model of sending traffic to agent’s sites versus only to broker’s sites. On the other hand, maybe Roost will help drag those brokers still trying to control the world into the here and now, and help them realize that if their agents do well, they in turn will, too.

Hmmm, I wonder………

By: Kyle Else

Kyle Else — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 23:46:12 +0000

I wonder if they would allow discount broker models to provide feeds. (ie: Redfin, BuySide Realty, Help-U-Sell)

By: Ron Ares

Ron Ares — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 22:55:28 +0000

The terms of participating with Roost during the public beta are covered under non-disclosure. Well, at least I know Advanced Real Estate Services' agreement is.