CEO and Founder of NationalBLS, the Buyer Listing Service. I believe that increasing transaction volume in real estate works in everyone's favor, buyers, sellers and agents. NationalBLS opens up the buy side of the market to promote greater transaction volume.
NAR is simply confirming how corrupt American Politics have become. "Lobbying" amounts to nothing more than "bribery" and now the spoils will go to he who bribes the most.
Teresa, great post. I find it equally interesting to look at all the products left behind. Why do I still carry keys for example? The one thing I love about the tech industry is that it is incredibly hard for any company / special interest group / lobbyist etc to control. If we look at so many industries (telco, auto, finance, education etc) we see large mature incumbent companies or unions spending fortunes trying to prevent competition or maintain some historic position. Unfortunately many succeed in doing this and the consumer loses out. I write a check to pay someone and it takes a few "days" to clear, really? I would rather work with the anxiety of trying to keep up with innovation than the frustration of knowing that some self interest group somewhere is deliberately holding back competition. The good news is that innovation itself will likely make that harder and harder to do.
I think we are steadily letting housing go and rightly so. In truth, I don't think we have any choice in the matter. It is a multi trillion $ market and even if the Government had the will it would not have the $ to hold it up. The money the Gov pumps into housing is merely slowing down the fall in the market, it prevents panic but will not change the direction. I am encouraged to hear America is now committing to building infrastructure.(roads, railways etc) This sort of program will create jobs which I think is the answer to the housing issue and may actually give some benefit to the next generation who will be picking up the check.
