The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) created a campaign called HowRealtorsHelp.ca to help educate home buyers and sellers on the benefits of using a Realtor. It is an interesting use of flash and video in an interactive format. Check it out.
Thanks to Joel for pointing it out.
9/1/2010 at 12:55 pm
“The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) created a campaign called HowRealtorsHelp.ca”
If they have to justify the realtor job, having to explain why realtors are so valuable then this means that likely we don’t need realtors.
See any other jobs out there that have to explain to the public why they exist and how great they are? No, they are there because people actually need a painter, builder, tax-accountant ect.. However they don’t really need realtors anymore. All searching and filtering can be done online and i don’t see myself paying some realtor a commission for just doing some paperwork (when needing a lawyer/notary anyways). Once the MLS competitor sites come out you can also do your research online (how much do houses in the neigbourhood go for, history of prices on the asset from prior transactions,…). Great to hear that google and some other big ones will do this and it’ll bring down the MLS/realtor monopoly. The paperwork for the sale can be done by someone making 25$ an hour, instead of a realtor.
9/4/2010 at 7:23 am
Response to “Gork”: It always amazes me how folks come out to bash REALTORS®. Obviously there is an axe to grind, and I can only assume that GORK works for one of the “Private Sales” companies. I mean, who else would spend their time and energy to attack another persons profession, unless they have something to gain by doing so.
But GORK raises an interesting point: MLS® competitor sites: We already HAVE them, they are called “Private Sales Sites”… and sellers DO have a choice. But what GORK is asking for is to be able to use the MLS® for free. The MLS® is established, funded and maintained by REALTORS®, and the information therein is checked for accuracy to maintain integrity, especially things like SOLD prices. Try and do that with a private sales site. For more on this subject, read my post at
http://bokauffmann.com/2010/posting-private-sales-on-the-mls-be-careful-what-you-wish-for/
Its kind of like a private car seller complaining that “Car Dealers have big car lots to display their products. Why can’t I put my private sale on THEIR LOT for free?’
As I said, sellers DO have a choice, but to complain that the private sales option is not as effective as listing with a REALTOR® reminds of the old saying of “Wanting to have your cake and eat it too”.