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A comment on Zillow Said to Be Seeking to Buy Rival Real-Estate Site Trulia.

Re:Zillow Said to Be Seeking to Buy Rival Real-Estate Site T... by graham1776 on Thursday July 24, 2014 @04:22PM (#8081959)
As a real estate broker, I think the major problem isn't Zillow, Trulia, or any other repackager of information. The problem is the MLS. There is still one source/database of legit listings that is bought into by every other broker. Other site (ForSaleByOwner, etc) do not appear legit and nobody trusts a listing put there.

Democratizing the listing information is where disruption needs to happen. What do you think about me as a broker charging a small fee ($100-$200) to post your listing to the MLS, managing in/out calls, but letting the Seller keep the vast majority of the commission and letting a lawyer/broker service to handle the close/escrow process. Selling a home shouldn't be wasted on 15k to a broker who doesn't do anything. (Yes I realize CA has some laws that would make this tricky)

Another idea: How about having homeowners list their properties on a reverse-bidding listing site, where brokers bid for the listing in exchange for the lowest commission? Ideas?

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Zillow Said to Be Seeking to Buy Rival Real-Estate Site T... by rhc2104 on Thursday July 24, 2014 @04:55PM (#8082140)
Redfin is the site that has tried harder to disrupt the space, although it hasn't been as successful.

They still use the traditional model, but with lower commission.

https://www.redfin.com/sell-a-home/how-you-save

http://www.redfin.com/buy-a-home/refund

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Zillow Said to Be Seeking to Buy Rival Real-Estate Site T... by johnsonmkj on Thursday July 24, 2014 @11:47PM (#8083678)
I like where you are thinking with the real estate ideas, but here are my thoughts: As long as we have the concept of buyer's agents, then the system will continue. Real estate agents take any buyer and tell them that their service is free to them. As a seller, that's 2.8% that I don't even have a chance to get away from, which is no good.
[ Parent | on HN ]