There recently has been an issues that surfaces time to time in different MLS and Realtor® association boards across the nation. There once was a time where the source of all Santa Cruz real estate information came to consumers from Realtors®. We had notebooks with the information and there was a lot of networking of who had what for sale. That evolved to the books that were published weekly and we eagerly awaited the publication of these so we could see what might be available for our buyer clients. That was in the 80’s and 90s, then fast forward to my first website in the late 90’s. I was cutting edge and then things evolved to displaying our listings on the internet.
As Microsoft continued its’ forced domination through its enforced browser integration with Internet Explorer in software, it tried to throttle and maintain control of the search experience. As the internet continued to grow and the amount of information became immense, it became apparent that Microsoft was not doing a good job providing relevant facts to searches. Therein became an opportunity which Google famously exploited. This is not a bad thing, they built a product that was and still is superior to any other search engine.
So as consumers are more and more focused on getting their information from the web instead of real estate magazines or newpapers, search engines are filling the need for their request. It is really very simple, Google has built a better mousetrap and we as agents allow our listings to be found on the web. We, at least all technology forward agents I know of, have no problems having their listing displayed and found on the web. It gives our customer a broader marketplace to attract buyers. It gives buyers a chance to see all of what is out there that might meet their needs.
By Google or Yahoo indexing what is available for a consumer, they can find the homes we are listing or advertising to sell. What these browsers do it make it possible to get the information quickly to those looking for the information. They are COMPLETELY different from scraper sites which steal or change the information for their purposes. When agent listings are displayed, they are per what the agent has submitted for display. So if someone in another office in the Santa Cruz Association of Realtors ( SCAOR) or any other board has a listing, that I am a participating member of, I can display their listing on my site. My Propertyinsantacruz.com has many nice display features consumers like, so the agents get their properties displayed in a wide variety of manners in many more modes to attract a buyer. I do not change or alter the information any more than Google does. These listings are indexed and are found more easily so a broader range of customers is able to view them.
My site merely displays the information the agent has consented to be displayed. The MIBOR board and the NAR have got it wrong in their labels. The bell has been rung on search technology and you can’t unring the bell. Customers and agents want their information displayed as broadly as possible. As the number of agents move into this medium, and I still find agents without sites, the web is our new yellow pages and holding back one’s listing from being found is so counter productive to our customers.
So what that board and the NAR has to realize is there is a difference, and they are once again behind the technology curve in what consumers want. As I commented in AgentGenius technology is something as Realtors®, or should I say NAR leadership has always been a few steps behind over the last 2 decades.
We as agents do what we do best, which is helping customers buy and sell homes. Allowing us to use the best technology to serve our customers is in the best interest of all.Look around and see if anyone is harmed or served and I bet you find the vast majority of agent and public opinion will be that Google and Yahoo provide valuable services with the most relevant data indexed and displayed on the first page in most cases.
Posted by: Gregg Camp
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