DISQUS

Congrats Brad! This is certainly big news!

Jay, you forgot dogs and cats living together. Mass hysteria!

Gonna get worse before it gets better...

This is a good list Becky. One thing I would add is to participate in local online forums and message boards. I have noticed that in my area, there are many more locals reading and commenting on two local sites than on twitter or linkedin. Networking in these places can benefit a small business as well.

I would say the Pew numbers are a little closer to reality than NAR's IN MY MARKET.

When you spend as much time around the RE.NET as I do, it is hard not to get caught up in the fray over the way we should use technology in our business. At the end of the day, the Internet should be a tool in the toolbox of the overall marketing plan of a real estate professional.

Like Tim said, at some point you are going to have to ask for the business.

I think Taylor nailed it. Sorry Jay. We too have this discussion quite often around our office.

If you call it a lanai here in south Alabama, you'll get slapped.

Congrats Jay and Francy! Not that I could teach you anything about real estate, but if I can be of any help, let me know.

Is it just you and Francy, or did you bring some agents with you? Just curious.

re.net nailed it.

I am a mere pup when it comes to blogging, but I realized after just a couple of posts that I wasn't interested in his pompous drivel. My online life has been considerable less stressful since.

BHB does have one very useful feature. That is the ability to subscribe to individual authors.

I wish Russell and Jay would post more.

Did both buyers sign agency disclosures or buyer agency agreements? There's a big difference in the two here in Alabama. Did the buyer agency disclosure discuss this type situation? Not enough information here to make an educated guess.

I have to agree with Ginger's assessment. And Sam wasn't very smart working with two buyers on the same house.

Nice jorts dude!

Enjoy the vacation!

[THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE]

That is good stuff! Each and every real estate broker and agent makes a conscience decision every day on whether or not they are going to serve their clients or serve themselves. Lowering or doing away with licensing requirements will only dilute service and make our perception with the public worse than it already is.

I guess maybe I am missing something here. Is there any transaction where money changes hands where there is full transparency? Cars? No. Stocks? Maybe some, but I would say not full. Even at Wal-Mart buying groceries or the like, we can't absolutely be sure what we are buying.

I have only been in this business for about eight years, but I have been in the business world for about 20. I have always tried to conduct business with as much transparency as possible, making the goal of both parties to know as much as they wanted to know and answer any and all questions as well as I could. That is a business decision I made back years ago. Fortunately for me, although unfortunately for some consumers, some other real estate practioners choose not to conduct business this way.

Yes, seller and buyer goals oppose each other. But if each party really got what they wanted, the seller would make a million dollars and the buyer would get a free house. No amount of transparency, including full, will not change that. The key is to finding the middle ground where everyone will be satisfied, or at least 95% satisfied.

Sorry to ramble. Enjoy your blog very much.

Now that's funny! It's really a shame too. As you mentioned, having Broker beside your name is probably the most worthwhile effort for a designation you can make. However, I think all of us that have done it would say you learn less achieving broker than working toward any other designation.