Dirk Knudsen

You know I was at Inman back in these days. Wolfff was there and he was a smug prick. I took issue with Homestores cavalier use of our listings without any compensation and he basically put me off as if I should kiss his ass. Then we had to watch "Home Movie" which was I must admit an entertaining look at how some wacky Americans live. However I later confronted him in front of about 4,000 people as to how it was that he was able to commit all this time and money to making this movie...and I asked him who's money had paid for it??? He was unable to give me a clear answer and again played the non-chalant boyish CEO that he wasn't. The guy is a moron. Look at the original rise to power he had. Look back before Homestore. Where was he? Who brought him to this position of power? How was Grubb and Ellis or their former employee involved? Where are they now and how did those two make an exclusive deal with NAR or did they?? This deal still smells and I think there are some bodies buried out there that have yet to be unearthed. This will be an interesting one. I wish you guys at Inman would go back into his past and follow the footprints and who he was with in those days... there has to be more to the story and I bet we don't know the half of it. Good story. Good result. I hope he changes his life after this. Best wishes; Dirk

That guys was such a waste of space.... I mean we all knew it. People are who they appear to be. I remember being at Inman in that era in San Francisco and a jubilant Stuart Wolff showed us all his masterpiece "Home Movie" and even though that was cool I took him on in front of all the agents in the room. "Who paid for the film?" and we went a couple rounds about other things that they were doing at Homestore. He thought we should all bow before him... I thought "Who the hell does this guy think he is?" I mean really? We gave and continue to give all our MLS data to an entity we do not own or take direct benefit from. Our names are still not on those listings in the Data Feed and all I ever get is a load of BS as to why. Tell me this. Why if we have the Data as Realtors have we not empowered NAR to run their own site?? Why does someone else have to be involved?? That whole deal dating way back to the contract that was first signed by NAR has been a sordid affair. Wolff was merely a stupid pawn in a much bigger game that the average hard working agent has been completely run over in. Wolff=Crook. What we had was a Wolff in Wolves clothing and the average broker was too stupid to see that! Wake up people and think for yourselves. Have a nice Vacation Stuart. You can always pursue a film career when you get out!! ;) regards; Dirk in Portland

I have to tell you that many times the anger is not displaced but perfectly placed. The Bank refuses to negotiate, refuses to modify, and basically plays a game with the owner to see how miserable they can make their lives. Realize that the lender has hired a call center in India or Indian. Their are 300 cubicles. Call center agents are laughing and throwing paper air planes. At the water cooler they laugh about different ways they have flustered or confused the homeowner. They joke about some of the cases and how stupid people are. Documents are "lost" even though they have been sent in multiple times. Agents on the 4th or 5th call from the homeowner tell them "I am sorry you have been dealing with the wrong person....". Then they offer a new number which is the agent three cubes over who waits smiling. The game starts all over. So when Bill and Suzy Homeowner can not sell their home, are upside down, and are being foreclosed out on a loan that their Countrywide et. al. rep had them lie about their monthly income on a "Fast and Easy" loan application.....can you blame them?? Right or Wrong....illegal or not; based upon what I have seen the actions are somewhat justified. The bank is basically made whole through government intervention. The Bank execs are on hiatus in Cabo and Bill and Suzy not only lost their home...but owned stock in the bank through their 401K and guess what...that is gone too. Banks are lucky more folks don;t damage their homes. I have seen this several times. We had a gentlemen here in Portland that let three very big hogs go inside the home and they got so hungry they ate the sheet rock, the walls, and the cabinets. It was shocking but quietly I think a pretty large crowd of folks were saying...."Great job! You showed them". In the world where it is becoming more and more the Haves Versus the Have-nots these types of deeds are becoming almost heroic. Maybe if a stock holder in the bank or an actual Board Member took a 5 minute phone call with each owner they would inject humanity back into the equation and stop this nonsense. But they won't and so we will see a continued movement towards an anarchical system and process where disgruntled home-owners will be revered for their Robin-hood like actions. And Marcie is right. This is the least damaging outlet for society. Otherwise we will see far worse crimes leveled and their will be human lives involved. I think myself like many seasoned professionals hoped that the Obama experience would be more hands on, more personal, more on point and more caring. Unfortunately nothing could be further from the truth and all we are left with are colorful images on a poster of the man who has so far put form over substance. For me I have seen both sides. I am here for my homeowners and on this one I am with them. Screw the banks. They are reaping the bitter harvest from a crop they have sewn and if anybody thinks it is anything but US against Them they are living in a false vision of the world that was not too long ago true but in today's America is not. God bless the disgruntled home owner and all those who have lost, are about to, or will loose their home. Let your conscience be your guide. How's that for venting?? Dirk Knudsen Portland, Oregon