Blogging About Listings is Part of My Job

In a bumbling stroke of unbridled stupidity that spits in the face of not only the U.S. Constitution, but free speech and common sense in general, the NWMLS here in Washington has revised its rules regarding blogging. Sellers and/or their agents can now explicitly prohibit blogging by other agents, simply by checking a box on the listing form. That means that prolific and talented bloggers, like myself, are no longer allowed to write glowing reviews of exceptional properties for publication on their respective websites. At least, not without written permission from both the Seller and Listing Agent.

Well, you might say, that’s not that big a deal, is it? Wouldn’t most Sellers want to give you permission? Why wouldn’t somebody want you to post glowing reviews about their home or listing on as many sites as possible? Why wouldn’t they want to allow gifted, well-spoken writers to publish on consumer favorites like ActiveRain or Trulia, or to regional heavy-hitters like realestate.bellingham.net or TheRealEstateNovelist.com?  It seems absurd, but the fact is that lately, getting Seller permission to post blogs (even when I’ve offered them editorial oversight) is the exception, rather than the rule. I find this to be utterly ridiculous and exasperatingly mind-boggling.

I’ve been scratching my head lately trying to figure out why these Sellers won’t let me give them free press, and I’ve come up with a few theories:

1. They’re out-of-touch 19th-Century ignorant hillbillies who still believe that you have to spend money to make money.

2. They’ve bought into their Listing Agent’s assessment that it is unnecessary to allow outside advertising on the grounds that it might “pollute, dilute or distort the message”

3. Their Listing Agent has opted not to convey my offer to the Seller due to a combination of incompetence, jealousy and fear. The Listing agent:

• fails to understand the potential marketing benefits of an outside blog (33%)
• or, they DO understand the benefits and want to monopolize the potential for themselves (33%)
• or, they are simply afraid of looking like a deer in headlights (33%) when the Seller asks them to justify their 3% fee for an outdated, ineffective and expensive marketing plan when confronted with my FREE MARKETING MATERIAL that I’ve offered simply out of the kindness of my heart

Agents: I hate to rain on anybody’s parade here, but print media is outdated, ineffective and overpriced; open houses are pointless; and it’s pretty much common knowledge at this point that online presence is the only thing that really matters, hence the growing power of blogging! If this sounds like headline news to you, you should probably pack up your book of listings, rotary phone and your abacus, because there is a retirement party in your near-future.

Sellers: If your agent hasn’t managed (or tried) to convince you that allowing blogging is a good, or better yet necessary idea, then your agent is an incompetent buffoon who has failed to grasp the strikingly obvious fact that the game has changed, and that the train left the station without them. Do them a favor and send them out to pasture before they waste any more of your time or money. I could go on, but I’ve run out of metaphors after that fantastic hat-trick.

Well written, honest blog articles benefit everyone in the real estate food-chain.

1. Obviously, Sellers and their Listing Agents benefit from all the exposure they can get. Even a negative review can provide insights and remedies that could ultimately lead to a sale. Personally, I try to stick to properties that I like, rather than spend my time muck-raking, though there are certainly some listings out there that could use a heavy dose of Reality splashed in their faces… Either way, attention is attention, and if that’s not what you’re looking for, you probably shouldn’t have your house on the market in the first place.

2. Blog posts benefit the agent who writes them, helping to drum up positive attention and Buyer activity. More Buyers = more sales. Good for everybody, right?

3. Perhaps most importantly, quality posts about quality properties serve to educate the public about what the market looks like, be it in regard to a specific listing, its neighborhood, or an entire city. Educated consumers are the backbone of a healthy economy.

As a Buyer’s Agent and writer, I consider it a challenging and exciting privilege to produce valuable, accurate and entertaining articles that benefit our business as a whole. My articles about specific listings have produced quantifiable results and increased consumer interest. While I will accept a reasonable amount of friendly oversight from the Sellers whose homes I write about, I would be much more comfortable doing so as a matter of mutual respect, rather than as a matter of law. I think it is time for all of us to wake up and smell the coffee, and accept the fact that we all need to work together if we’re going to thrive in this business.

I also think it is cool that my metaphor cup hath been replenished…

UPDATE: Based on some comments this post received on Active Rain, I’ve decided to clarify a few points

While I certainly understand the reluctance on the part of Sellers and their agents to allow or tolerate negative or disrespectful posts by bloggers, I strongly disagree with the idea that we are to be censored as a matter of law. As a licensed professional, it is part of my job to be informed of the inventory in my market. It naturally follows that I would disseminate that information to consumers and potential clients via my websites, e-mails and printed media. As I mentioned, I focus on positive posts and am more than willing to allow editorial oversight from any Sellers who might otherwise feel reluctant. These days, MLS listings exist in the public domain, distributed via IDX feeds by hundreds of websites across the globe. The idea that we, as agents, should be be prohibited from having or sharing our opinions is absurd. to the contrary, it is one of our primary responsibilities.

As for the fear of competition on the part of listing agents…

1. If they’re afraid of competition they are playing the wrong game.

2. If they are unable to effectively string words together into coherent sentences on behalf of their clients, perhaps they should consider a line of work better suited to middle school drop-outs…or call me and ask for some help.

3. Presumably, they have signed contracts with Sellers guaranteeing them a paycheck when the property sells, so it would behoove them to encourage the blogging community to post articles that might expedite a sale. I am, in effect, doing part of their job for them. They should thank me.

The bottom line is that well-written articles provide unparalleled marketing power for the listings they advertise. It is a tremendous and short-sighted disservice for any Listing Agent to do anything but encourage such help for their Sellers, regardless of who did the writing. I’m pretty sure the Code of Ethics has something to say about agents doing everything possible in the service of their clients. Those who hide their inadequacies are the ones at whom we should be wagging our collective fingers.

Thanks for reading! Please leave comments or suggestions below, e-mail me at rob.leroy@exprealty.com, or call me at 206.883.6668 …and yes, you CAN hire me as your real estate agent!

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