Realtor.com Distancing Itself from Real Estate Agents?
Is Realtor.com distancing itself from real estate agents, and if so what does that mean? Could it mean that real estate agents are no longer needed, no longer desirable to work with or just redundant in a high-tech world on the verge of a new housing boom? A recent Inman News report on Move Inc.’s redesign of home listing website Realtor.com suggests that Move is purposely attempting to “downplay ties to NAR”. The site’s new look is reportedly focused on minimizing the appearance of any affiliation with the National Association of Realtors and making it more consumer friendly. While the senior vice president of NAR claims he is “very happy with the result”, many members may not think that they are getting much for the price of their dues if branding backing continues to fade. One real estate agent even commented, “I wouldn’t have a clue this is related to REALTORs”. However, to the average consumer a look at the new Realtor.com design, despite the new logo and lower case spelling of ‘realtor’, might not seem that way. It still appears Realtor-driven in text and though perhaps less colorful, a lot busier with a ton of links. It’s understandable that Move is desperate to keep up with other major listing portals, but those have also been seriously suffering after their reputations and business models have taken a beating in the press. With all their faults home buyers increasingly prefer more local, specialized sites that offer more of what they want. However, whether first time home buyer, seller or investor, quality Realtors still certainly have their place. You might start to look for deals through specialized sites like CT Homes LLC and first look to sell your home fast for cash to an investment firm, but if these don’t work and you don’t want to do any of the work yourself, you might find an agent a great resource.