Register for Wedding Gifts - not Real Estate

I don't know about you, but I log off when someone asks me to register to access information. This is especially true in real estate. Who ever came up with this idea? In the world of Web 2.0 if you are still asking for information to provide information you are a dinosaur.

Today's consumer wants the information now and they want it for free - and personal contact information is now considered currency. Open the doors just like you do at an open house. Let your Web site answer questions about properties just like you do when someone calls your office and asks a question about a listing.

I know, I know - but Ken, the MLS requires registration to display VOW information. It's very clear that these policy issues are our problem (the brokerage industry, the NAR rules and the MLS policies), but when it becomes a problem for the consumer to get free information on properties from broker and agent Web sites - the only true loss is suffered by the real estate brokerage industry. Rest assured, the consumer ultimately will get the information, it will just be from another source and not you, your Web site or your consumer registry.

(Also see the comment thread on this topic at "Hello, my name is 'LetMeIn YourSite'")

--Ken Jenny, TranCen

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