Letters to the Editor

Re: 'Best of luck, Homestore' (Jan. 15)

Dear Editor:

"Hate" is the operative word here, because its seems (Dirk) Knudsen does hate us – at least today.

While most brokers are celebrating the MSN deal and recognize the added value to their listings with this relationship, Knudsen's first comments are in regards to the alleged illegality of our content distribution deal.

Secondly, in regards to the unfair pricing, I'm very familiar with our sales organization and can tell you first hand that any product that we offered for $250,000-plus would never be discounted to $1,000. Now, over the last two years we have gone through significant product and pricing changes, but nothing relatively close to this.

Lastly, in regards to LendingTree having ads served on MSN, brokers should be aware that click-through rates range dramatically. Even on the best of days the specific ad types that will rotate around our content will garner 1 percent-2 percent click-through rates. As LendingTree's brand grows you won't see any dramatic increase in these click-through rates. Content is king and consumers searching for properties do just that–ads are secondary. If anyone can convince MSN to suppress LendingTree advertising, by all means please do so and then call all the other major portals for us.

In summation, I was surprised this article ran due to the allegations it makes and the pure anger with which it was written. I'm not sure what Knudsen is referring to when he states: "LendingTree is executing a business plan...and has the support of everyone in their organization" while "Homestore is not and does not have the support that some observers clearly feel they have." Our organization is 100 percent behind our efforts and we do represent the best interest of the Realtors. I'm confident that the readership and brokers, alike, know that as we continue to increase our distribution partners there is direct value delivered to our Realtor customers and our shareholders.

Raj Chauhan
Homestore Inc.
Westlake Village, Calif.

Re: 'The 'caste-away' equalizer' (Jan. 15)

Dear Editor:

As a Realtor and a Democrat, I was very disappointed by this story. Either I missed the point or your story was way off the mark. Calling the Democrats "the party of the disenfranchised, the immigrants, the laborer and the tenant" is insensitive (at best).

Where's the data to support the notion that "extending home ownership to minorities and immigrants creates a new collection of responsible, conservative suburban gentry"? Do tenants who are Democrats automatically become Republicans once they buy property? (Perhaps it was a typo...Did you mean to say "fiscally conservative"?)

If I wanted a political op-ed piece I'd look elsewhere.

Steve Skinner
Realtor
Half Moon Bay, Calif.

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