Climbing into bed with the competition

I caught an investigative bug tonight, and I feel a strong need to post this speculation…

  • Fact 1 — Rob over at Your Seattle’ Neighborhood Specialist had some great commentary on Zillow in the months leading up to their beta release
  • Fact 2 — Rob has been silent since the release of Zillow
  • Fact 3 — Marlow Harris also noticed this, so I’m not the only one wondering what happened to Rob
  • Fact 4 — A reader pointed out to me that hourlyagents.com service is no longer available.
  • Fact 5 — Rob used to heavily promote the Hourly Agents site and his blog still has a link to it
  • Fact 6 — The hourly agents site now says “This Domain is For Sale — Please contact info@hourlyagents.com for details. — In the meantime, please join me at Redfin”

So when Marlow asks:

Where are you? Where are all your editorials and opinions? You were writing up a storm before, but now that Zillow has revealed itself, you’re silent.

Did you get that job there, after all? Did you sign some sort of oath of silence?

WHAT DO YOU THINK???”

I think the answer is worse than an oath of silence… I don’t think he’s working for Zillow (those people have definitely woken up to the idea of communicating!), but rather, I think he must have climbed into bed with the competition!

UPDATE 1: I just found out that Redfin started blogging one day before Zillow, but… it slipped past me as they haven’t shared any link love (yet!).

Update 2: Redfin added Rain City Guide to their sidepanel! Thanks you guys! Now all I need is for the HouseValues blog to add a link to Rain City Guide and I’ll have completed a Seattle Real Estate Technology Trifecta! 😉

Update 3: The Trifecta is complete!

10 thoughts on “Climbing into bed with the competition

  1. That is a hoot!

    I just checked with the multiple and Yes, Rob turned in his license at Skyline Properties and is now hanging his shingle at Redfin!

    Marcus Smith has dropped off the roster, Bahn Lee is still there, and they’ve added a third agent, Edward Smith.

    None have any recorded sales yet in 2006.

    And Redfin has not one recorded sale in the entire state of Washington yet for 2006.

    I’ll be watching those statistics very carefully over the next few months to moniter their listings and sales. This should be very interesting to see and offer plenty of financial data to justify my request for $1.25 million dollars of venture capital for my own real estate business and website. 🙂

  2. Dustin –

    How is that for a taste of my own medicine! Great job on the detective work! Since joining Redfin I have been too busy to keep up my blog, but as it turns out I didn’t really need to, I nailed it on the head months ago. Where is my prize? ☺

    As for “Climbing into bed with the competition” wasn’t I still competition at Hourlyagents?

    Once time permits I will start blogging at the Redfin site. Until then, keep up the good work; you have a great site!!!

    Cheers,
    Rob

  3. Thanks Rob,

    It is great to hear from you! I completely understand the lack of time for blogging, except that for me, it seems I’ve had almost the exact opposite problem lately where I seem to have no time for anything else! 😉

    Keep the innovations flowing on Redfin. I’m sure you won’t be surprised to hear that those of us at Rain City Guide will be keeping a watchful eye on your developments!

  4. what is the fiduciary duty of a buyer’s broker? DOes Redfin fulfill its fiduciary duty by letting the buyer do all the legwork and then move in to pass an offer to the seller as a buyer’s broker and never setting foot in the property?

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  6. Interesting comments about real estate sales numbers, from back in February? A few of you know me, I was going to post to Dustin’s surprised news on the main page. But this amazing Seattle Real Estate blog got me reading more. Goes to show Dustin you and your team have done an awesome job! From this quiet real estate agent, who works part time (that’s me). I hope no one shows my numbers, Marlow–please don’t:-) I certainly don’t sell as much real estate as I use to. I tried to give up my seattle real estate site, http://www.Urbantango.com , but I guess all of this amazing stuff about Zillow, Housevalues and redFin got my attention. Dustin, I am really proud of you, I am sure we will stay connected. Best of Luck in CA!

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