Some of the good things:
- Provides greater listing exposure to millions of consumers.
- The addition of tax records, school ratings, and other information to listings is good for consumers and makes the agents’ jobs easier.
- Levels the playing field for newer agents and agents without many listings.
- Gives consumer access to FSBOs, foreclosures, and other non-agent-represented properties, painting a fuller picture of the available market.
- Creates a new, broadly reaching, the advertising platform for agents to advertise their skills.
Some of the bad things :
- A high percentage of their “available” listings are actually sold or off the market. This confuses and upsets consumers and makes agents look bad.
- The sites’ property valuations are often way off, making agents’ jobs harder.
- Promotes non-listing agents alongside listings that aren’t theirs, tricking consumers into believing they know the property.
- Sells to any agent, regardless of experience, the title of “Premier” or “Pro”.
- The “leads” generated for subscribing agents are low quality, non-responsive, and a waste of time.
- The cost of being a subscribing agent is too high for what you get.