Comments on: How to Stop getting hosed by REALTOR.com…

By: Natasha

Natasha — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 04:11:34 +0000

R.com $300 listing enhancement was completely worthless for me too. I got no leads from any of my listings for the whole year. I paid for it in 2008 only because one of my sellers asked for it. I canceled it this year as it’s the waste of money.

By: Jennifer Giraldi

Jennifer Giraldi — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 14:34:17 +0000

Great article Eric. I wish you wrote this about 4 years ago when I started with SEO for my real estate business. REALTOR.com is the biggest ripoff and waste of money for REALTORS. I am sure they are hurting right now with the slow economy. They finally quit calling me about a year ago about buying services!

By: Fred Doleac

Fred Doleac — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 04:16:52 +0000

The industry leaders must change their focus to the consumer instead of the Realtor. If they continue on this path, more companies outside the industry will continue to come in and offer other options to brokers and agents. They seem to offer better tools, results and ROI. In the New Hampshire real estate market, very few agents pay for upgraded services as they do not see the value.

By: Dena Davis

Dena Davis — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:00:50 +0000

I just read an inman news article last — the headline was Nar Teams with Move. Inc on database. Apparently they are putting together the some Realtor Property Resource. That would be a database of all property information and history.

Why is NAR strengthening their relationship with MOVE.com ( RDC) You would think that with all the complaints that NAR would be trying to figure out a way to get out of bed with them.

We need to demand more transparency from NAR. When does their contract end? When can it be renegotiated? If we knew the answers to these questions — then we could certainly lobby our own organization just when the timing is right.

Is Nar just oblivious to our needs? Shoot — Trulia does more for Realtors than Realtor dot com.

By: Malok

Malok — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:53:09 +0000

@Matthew – a few responses:
1. Real estate is a business. My spouse and I have been full time in real estate since 1992. Its all about return on investment to generate results. I personally have never known anyone to have ever generated a sale as a result of being on R . com. Do some persons get sales? I’m sure they do. But the money can be much better utilized through other advertising/marketing efforts that have a much higher return on investment.

2. Using lots of “??????????????????” does not impress most persons that are past their teenage years.

3. As far as your stats. Theres an old saying: “There are liars. There are damned liars. And then there are statisticians.”

Lets take a look at just one of your stats: “Realtors who advertise on RDC make 54% More than realtors who dont”

So what? Its a completely meaningless stat. You are trying to infer that it was RDC generating the additional income. In reality, it can be attributed to a lot of things including that those persons were advertising in many other places in addition to RDC that provided results in getting their listings sold.

By: Eric Blackwell

Eric Blackwell — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:34:16 +0000

For the record, I teach REALTORS to MEASURE their results. Of the 120 agents in the office where I work MANY were not receiving ANY return on their investment in R.com. Seriously.

I don’t need your survey or anyone else’s to do that math. Since I am concerned with Louisville pretty much exclusively, can you kindly have the good folks from R.com provide me with the traffic figures for LOUISVILLE locally?

That would really help me convince REALTORS of the need to participate.

Best

Eric

By: Eric Blackwell

Eric Blackwell — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 06:28:17 +0000

Matthew-

As you can see from the other folks that appear to be insiders at R.com, I am happy to post many views. I happen to disagree with yours.

Best;

Eric

By: matthew morris

matthew morris — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:29:02 +0000

i keep reading this – wondering if you will even post me – most likley not – awaiting moderation on a blog?? I think that you should sell houses for free if realtor.com should advertise them for free. Just cause they have the name – that they pay the NAR to use… if they changed thier name – would you pay???????????? If Realtor.com is your competition than I am a firm believer that you hate RDC cause your sellers like it – or you are some start up – trying to get people to use your stuff… have you not seen the NAR 2006 tech survey they spent $1000000 on. Realtors who advertise on RDC make 54% More than realtors who dont. And that should be free???????????????? How much more do the houses showcased on RDC sell for more than the houses not shown there???????????do you even know?????????? read the survey – hit me back

By: matthew morris

matthew morris — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:22:11 +0000

yes, please take your whole $50 per listing and???????????????????????????? buy internet service???????????????? starbucks for a month. realtors aren’t on Realtor.com cause they wait fr thier to pay for thier ads – the ones that area on realtor.com are the ones not waiting for thier broker to control thier destiny.

By: Glenn

Glenn — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:04:31 +0000

Eric – your post was great to explain how r.com works against us.

When it first came out, I thought it was going to be the best thing since sliced bread. However, it never turned out that way.

As my contract came up for renewal each time the price increased, until one time it was expotential in nature. In addition, the local board decided not to transmit our listings to r.com. I was stuck with a nice fat bill and no listings on r.com.

I thought a great r.com would have some method to upload listings from a brokerage/agent that had a contract. Nada – nothing. But sure kept my money – no offer of refund.

BTW – as of today 34.4% of the listings have multiple pictures on the listings.