[photopress:sl.jpg,thumb,alignright]The Seller’s Agent aka the Listing Agent, can’t be “the girlfriend” calling the “easy servicer” the “slut”.  Not anymore, anyway.  So the agent responses to my previous article are incorrect and Redfin CAN, yes CAN “write it up”, if the agent who showed the property was THE listing AGENT.  Not the listing company (here in WA), but the one and only listing agent.  That’s why they need to ask the buyer what the NAME of the agent was who showed them the house. If it was anyone except THE listing agent, and they write it up, then…yes…slut.

Used to be the Listing Agent could be, as Jonathan Dalton put it, the “beginning (of) the chain of procuring cause”, but not any longer.  That is a Traditional Agent concept that can no longer be true, and is a leftover from the time when all agents represented the seller.  Some leftovers are good, like yesterday’s meatballs.  But THIS leftover is green and stinkin’.  Why?  Because the buyer has the right to separate and equal representation.  Whether it’s Redfin or me or any agent that writes it up after the listing agent shows it to the buyer, is irrelevant.  NO BUYER can be EXPECTED to use the Seller’s Agent, ever.  So ANY time a listing agent shows the property to a buyer, they do so with the understanding that the buyer does NOT ever have to agree to Dual Agency.  Kind of “show at your own risk”.  If you show a buyer your listing, you ALWAYS do it as the Seller’s Agent and NEVER as the Buyer’s Agent and you can’t force the buyer to be dually represented OR unrepresented.  So tough luck on the Seller’s Agent.  In States where EVERY agent in the Company would be a Dual Agent of a company listing…then tough luck on all of you (as in CA).

So score one for Redfin here.  Traditional agents just have to suck up that their rules are WRONG on this one.  The listing agent should never have to be warned that the buyer who sees his listing may not use him to “write it up”, as the buyer must always have the option to hire an agent to represent him, that is not the seller’s agent, even after they see the house.

The tricky part aka the slut part, is when a buyer runs around town with an agent to find just the right house and THEN goes to Redfin.  That is the part where Redfin must, by policy, either refuse to write it OR listen to the buyer’s story and decide based on other factors.  If the buyer is just trying to save money, then no.  The buyer can’t “use” the first agent to narrow down his search and find “the” house, and then run to Redfin just to save money.  That is where “see no evil; hear no evil; turn a blind eye to the facts…doesn’t cut it.  Technical correction, the buyer can do whatever he damn well pleases, as there are no “rules” for consumers who are not in contract.  The rule is there for Redfin, not the buyer.  Redfin is the one who can end up not getting paid, or just be “the slut” if they do happen to get paid.  The buyer is not subject to MLS “rules”, only members are subject to these rules.

We really do need role plays and have workshops as training courses.  So, here’s a question.  Would ARDELL be “a slut” under the right circumstances and “get in bed” with another agent’s buyer client.  YES, under the right circumstances.  Say the buyer didn’t trust their agent.  Caught him lying.  Caught him being in cahoots with the seller’s agent to “get the price up” or hid some facts.  Say the buyer came to me and said, we still want to buy the house that we saw with “our” agent, but we just cannot work with him.  Yes, then ARDELL or Redfin or Lar or any agent could step in with the understanding that they might not get paid.  But the consumer needs them to step in and take that chance.

That is why Redfin needs to ask the buyer HOW they saw the house and WHO they saw it with and WHY they aren’t buying it with the agent who showed them the house.  If it is the Listing Agent (by name), that is OK, contrary to Traditional Agent popular belief.  If it is anyone else, then the chain of events was pretty much completed by the time they made it over to Redfin, and Redfin needs to get the story and refuse to write it if the reason the buyer is there is just to save money.

Truth is, if Redfin does not do this, and they give the buyer 2/3rds of the commission, then Redfin would be liable to pay the REAL agent who was the procuring cause, the money they paid to the buyer. While this looks clear as mud, it is true transparency.  If you want transparency…we got it…but don’t expect it to be simple stuff.  Real estate is not simple stuff.  Transparency in all things real estate, may give you a monstrous headache.

Alternative business models who think like “real people” are GREAT!  But they have to also understand real estate, and the obligations to other MLS participants.  Listing agents need to get on the stick with changes in agency, and stop relying on outdated common practice issues.

The only time the listing agent can represent both sides of their listing sold, is when both the seller and the buyer give their informed and written consent to do so.  Most states require that that “decision” of the consumer be ratified at time of contract.  So if they agreed in advance to Dual Agency by seeing the house with the listing agent or signing a Buyer Agency Agreement, they still have the right to change their mind when it is time to write the contract.  I like to call this “the Mary Beth Whitehead” provision of agency law.

Procuring Cause guidelines need to change to reflect this and should never award a “buyer agent fee” to a seller’s agent, if and when the buyer chooses his own representation.

In fact Procuring Cause needs to change to allow a buyer to switch agents whenever they feel uncomfortable in the process, for any reason, by splitting the fee proportionately.  A consumer can fire their lawyer halfway through a case; so a buyer should be able to fire an agent halfway into “the deal”.  A consumer can fire their doctor the day of the operation and hire a better surgeon.  Likewise, a buyer should be able to fire their agent at any time they feel an “upgrade” is needed.  Procuring Cause is a great thing.  But PC needs to be updated to reflect the buyers right to pick and switch and do whatever they feel they need to do.  Current practice of PC is TOTALLY Agent-Centric.  Time for a change.  Not time to “eradicate” it.  Just time for it to reflect the buyer’s right to make their own informed choices.

[photopress:decision_1.gif,thumb,alignright]I just realized that the very BEST line in Glenn Kelman’s post of yesterday, was somehow edited out.  (By Glenn I think, or html error code)

Glenn said, “You say ‘discounter’ the way high-school boys say ‘SLUT’.” (you being the industry, and not ARDELL singlely.)  I would correct Glenn on that, to the way high-school GIRLS say ‘SLUT’.  More specifically, the way THE girlfriend of the boy that just got serviced by the slut, would say it.  (boys on the other hand may say it in gleeful anticipation)

The question of the day is, does Redfin apply adequate checks and balances, as a member of the MLS, to insure that the consumer did not get to Redfin, “on another member’s back”? i.e…abuse of privelege.

“Traditional” MLS members understand this duty, that goes with privelege.  They understand that membership is not just about paying your quarterly dues “for data access”, the same way that some understand that getting a driver’s license comes with duties and responsibilities to other drivers on the road.

Do “online brokerages” understand their obligations to other members in this regard?  Do they understand that the MLS is NOT merely and simply a “data source”?  “Ignorance may be bliss”, but ignorant MEMBERS may, in fact, be “sluts” as in, “I didn’t know he had a girlfriend when I…”.  Did you even ASK first, is the question of the day?  Did you know you were SUPPOSED to ask first?, is the second question of the day.

Are you (Redfin) “a slut”?  It depends on HOW the consumer gets to their decision to buy THIS house online, via Redfin.

Let’s use your example of Amazon.com for a minute.  Say someone goes to Borders and spends three hours in their store looking through books, dirtying Border’s inventory with their sticky fingers while drinking a Mocha and spilling some in the books.  After perusing the inventory available there, live and in person, they write down all the books they want to buy.  Then they go home and order it online from Amazon.com.  Some would say “so what”?!  I say that’s different than my wanting anything written on Frank Sinatra, going to Amazon.com and searching on that site and buying on that site.  Using the site to decide what to purchase, and then purchasing FROM that SAME site, is online shopping.  Going into a competitor’s store to decide what to buy before ordering on line, is ethically and morally an abuse of the competitor’s resources.  Applied to real estate, this is called “procuring cause – the chain of events that led the consumer to the decision to purchase THIS house today.”

There is an ethical issue regarding “Being IN the MLS”.  “IN the MLS” comes with a list of responsibilities and duties that come with the privelege of being a member.  One is that you do not use and abuse other members.  This key point is one that I think ONLINE services most abuse, are ignorant of, and ignore entirely to the dismay of “we old school members”.

If someone calls me and says they want to buy X house, I do not pull out contracts to fill out, as we (perhaps erroneously) believe Redfin would do.  The definition of their business model, suggests they would in fact “be a slut” in this regard.  I hope that is not the case.

Here is what the industry expects of Redfin, and what other members would do, and understand they should do, if someone simply wants a member to “write up” a house they have not themselves shown.  I would need to know HOW they KNOW they want to buy THAT house?  It is an unwritten rule in this business (and to some extent, a written rule) to not “climb into bed” with a buyer who was led to their purchase decision, by another agent member of the MLS.  Any agent worth their weight in INTEGRITY POINTS, would NEVER write an offer on a property that THEY had never seen and the buyer HAD SEEN, without first getting the full and complete story.

How did you see it?  Did the agent showing it to you understand that you would not be buying it through them, at the time they showed it to you?  Did the agent show it to you more than once?  Did you call the agent or email the agent with many questions leading you to your decision to purchase this house?

In other words, I would be expected to ask if they “have a girlfriend” before “servicing their immediate needs”.

What was that agent’s name?  You don’t ask the consumer if that agent was THE listing agent, as they might not understand the subtle difference between A  listing agent and “THE” listing agent.  The agent writing needs to check that by name of agent.  Does Redfin DO that?  Do they even know they need to DO that?  We think not.  We do not think this is part of Redfin’s Agent Training for each and every new agent hired.  Maybe we are wrong.  Maybe Redfin is not ” a slut”.  But their business model suggests to us that they will service other agent’s clients, without regard to the “rules of play”.

I, for one, think they don’t “get” this part of being a Member of the MLS.  I would love to either be corrected in that regard, or be someone who promotes a Redfin change in policy in that regard.  Either way…all are better served as a a result. 

If you don’t want to be called a slut, then don’t be one, AND make it clear on your website that you REFUSE to BE one.  Make it clear that you will not be turning a blind eye to whom the buyer may have used to reach their decision to purchase.

How much you charge is irrelevant to the “slut” issue, everyone knows that a prostitute is about money…a slut isn’t.

[photopress:glenn_1_2.jpg,thumb,alignright](This Article is Posted By Glenn Kelman, CEO of Redfin) 

Just kidding! But I did want to start by acknowledging that Redfin hasn’t always been the darling of Rain City Guide, so we’re especially grateful that you would allow us to post here as part of the Yankee Real Estate Blog Swap. We’re real estate agents like you, and we’re online entrepreneurs too, so we have plenty to talk about (Meanwhile, Rain City Guide’s Ardell has seized controls of the Redfin blog, and begun broadcasting her pirate signal to Redfin’s dazed subscribers). 

Here’s our top-eleven list of what you should know about Redfin:

 1.       What surprised me most since joining Redfin: that Zillow didn’t do what we’re doing, real estate e-commerce. What a relief! It’s less profitable and more difficult than ads, but it’s more satisfying for us, and more fun.

 2.       What the second-biggest surprise was: that I would like the real estate part of the job, not just the web part. It’s nice to look up from your computer and see someone buying her first house. Moments like that have been schlockified by the real estate industry unto death, but they’re still nice. That half our office is filled with real estate agents makes the place more lively than if it were just the typical software nerd cave, which is what I’m used to.  

3.       The best part of my day: reading your blogs, when really I have plenty of other stuff I should be doing too. You’re funny and insightful. Calling me a jackass just convinces me you’re telling the truth.

 4.       What I like best about the real estate industry: it’s filled with whackos, misfits and entrepreneurs. Our kind of people. 

5.       What I dislike about the real estate industry: all the bull-shitake. It hurts our industry more than we realize. 

6.       The only thing you do that drives us crazy: calling Redfin a discounter. We’re not a discount brokerage, any more than Amazon.com is Half-Price Books. Online service can be different and even better in some ways than traditional service, not just less than “full service.” It seems like one of those intentional digs, like Republicans saying “the Democrat party” or Democrats calling the vice-president “Dick.” 

7.       What’s scariest about the inner workings of Redfin: losing money, even if it’s less than we planned. Our real estate operation throws off profits, but not enough to pay our engineers. This is why the holiday party was hosted at my house again this year…  

8.       What perception is most inaccurate: that Redfin is arrogant. Actually, we have a self-esteem problem. Every time we meet someone who compliments our site, we end up tearfully promising to make it better. Last week, I started wearing this messed-up rubber night-guard because I fret so much in my sleep about how we could improve Redfin.com… 

9.       What shows that we listen: you guilt-tripped us into free home tours, even though it hasn’t helped sales, even though I still feel that when you sign up to sell a house, you should be clear about whether you’re willing to show it. But why argue? Ardell convinced us to do it. It may not seem like we’re listening, but we always are.

10.     How I feel about being in the papers: excited yes, but also sort of appalled. I hate to hear my voice on the answering machine. Before testifying to Congress, I thought I was going to puke. I often get depressed after being interviewed by journalists about Redfin-related controversy, for the same reason that nobody likes a pro athlete’s airing a grudge on TV, rather than working it out privately. It’s just that we can’t seem to work it out any other way, with brokers, with the MLS, with the real estate commissioners and law-makers. And we can’t allow our customers to be intimidated either. 

11.     What is most important for people to know about Redfin: even though we’ve made plenty of mistakes, we make the world stop for our customers. No matter what you think of Redfin, a company with that as its core value can’t be all bad for real estate…

OK, that’s it, back to work! Thank you very much for allowing me to post here, and to everyone who contributes to this amazing blog.

Be sure to vist all the Yankee Blog Swappers:  Transparent Real Estate’s Pat Kitano vs. Zillow Blog’s Drew Meyers  RSS Pieces’ Mary McKnight vs. Future of Real Estate Marketing’s Joel Burslem   St. Paul Real Estate Blog’s Teresa Boardman vs. Phoenix Real Estate Guy’s Jay Thompson  3 Ocean Real Estate’s Kevin Boer vs. SLC Real Estate’s Nigel Swaby Issaquah Undressed’s Larry Cragun vs. Maury Properties’ Andrew Maury Chicago Home Weblog’s Geno Petro vs. NY Houses 4 Sales’ Christine Forgione Phoenix Arizona Real Estate Blog’s Jonathan Dalton vs. Real Estate Snippets’ Bonnie EricksonThe boys of Sellsius vs. Real Estate Tomato’s Jim Cronin  ML Podcast’s Michael Price vs. FamousAgents.com’s Elise Wright  My Tech Opinion’s Reggie Nicolay vs. Ubertor’s Steve JaggerRedfin’s Glenn Kelman vs. Rain City Guide’s Ardell DellaLoggiaCondoDomain’s Anthony Longo vs. miOaklandCounty’s Maureen Francis The San Diego Home Blog’s Kris Berg vs. Urban Dig’s Noah Rosenblatt The Property Monger’s Jon Ernest vs. XBroker’s Jeff Corbett Realty Blogging’s Richard Nacht vs. The Mortgage Reports’ Dan Green Christian Real Estate Network’s Justin Smith vs. Wanna Network’s Tony Senna  Sacramento Voice’s Gena Riede vs. Max Sell’s Brad Nix     For an overview of the event and all its participants, please visit www.YankeeBlogSwap.com.       

[photopress:meme.jpg,thumb,alignright]When the Power Came Back on, I found that I had been Memed – as in Tag You’re It, by the Blogosphere during my brief hiatus from the Cyberworld. 

Basically it is a challenge to “come clean” about five things people may not know about you.  Given I’ve been blabbering the bloody Blogosphere with thousands and thousands of words this year, it’s hard to believe there ISN’T something I haven’t shared, but I gave it my best shot.  I purposely mis-spelled meme on my blog, so the podcast would say it right.  Now if I could just train “robot-girl” to say AR-DELL instead of Ardle. 

I’m supposed to Meme five other people.  I was going to Meme CJ and Derek, but they jumped the gun and memed themselves.  So I will point all roads back to here, breaking the chain, and ask that:

DUSTIN, GALEN, ROBBIE, RUSS and CRAIG write a post here on Rain City Guide, revealing five things we may not know about them.  I further ask that they NOT Meme 5 other people.  It would be nice if they could do that today or tomorrow, before the Yankee Blog Swap on Tuesday, so that we can stop this tiny tangent of “the meme craze” before the next Blogging-Event begins.

Much of the Seattle Area was without power for at least a short time, and some parts longer, since the storm on Thursday night.  I have clients with trees on their houses and cars.  Most of the Eastside is without power still, including my hometown of Kirkland.  I heard tell that Redmond was back up as of this morning.

I am desperately trying to reach Dustin!! and am at a remote source posting this, so will keep it brief. 

Apologies for not responding to Jay’s request, but have my hands full with three offers and no power.  That’s all for now.  Am at my sister’s in Seattle who has power to take A SHOWER!! and am wading through my 218 emails using webmail aarrgghh!!

Doing the best I can…if power is not back by Blog Swap Day, I may have to write it not only ON the Redfin blogsite but AT REDFIN!!! who hopefully has power.

[photopress:blogswap.jpg,full,alignright] Hey!  Hold on there!  LOL

When I “signed up for this Blogswap it said Suzy Q or someone or other from Redfin, was looking for a “challenger”.  How’d it get to Glenn Kelman vs. ARDELL?  Oh, well.  Russ is sparring with me for “practice”, so I think I can handle it.

Looks like everyone is pretty fairly matched so far.  We’ve got Pat vs. Drew.  Mary vs. Joel.  Teresa vs. Jay.  Kevin vs. Nigel.  Larry! vs. Andrew.  Geno!! vs. Christine.  Jonathan vs. Bonnie (that’s a cute one…I LIKE it!). Joe AND Rudy? vs. Cronin?…yeah, that sounds about right.  Mike vs. Elise.  Reggie vs. Steve? hmmm. Longo vs. Francis.  All looks in order there in terms of “weight category”.

But c’mon.  Say this like an announcer: “In this corrr-ner in the RED trunks, weighing in at CEO of Redfin, GLEEEENNNNN KEL-man!!“  Cheers, Boos, et.c…  “aaannnndd in THIS CORNER, going for the TITLE against the CHAMP…we have ARDELL of RainCityGuide.com” Say WA?. 

What are the freakin’ RULES for this thing anyway?  Can we be working on it before the 19th?  Do I stick to my “no preparation, stream of consciousness, “in my brain out my mouth” style?

Keep the comments coming at me, Russ.  It’s great training.  Maybe Craig can come out with his big stick and help me out here too.  A few days of taking on Russ and Craig and I’ll be READY!!

And where’s Greg?  Marlow? Kris?  Rojas? Noah?  Todd?  Is Jon-Boy moderating again?  Maybe the whole gang’s not here because of that “Yankee” thing.  I thought it was only for “Yankees”.  Why is it a “Yankee Blog Swap”. 

I need more info before we get to December 19th…who’s got “The Rules”.

Fed holds key interest rate at 5.25%

Can someone report on rates today please, by commenting to this post?  I hear they are the lowest since 1/1/06, is that true?

Can some of you email me for consideration as an RCG contributor?  We REALLY, REALLY NEED a couple of mortgage background RCG Contributors. Email me off site at Ardell@SoundRealty.biz

Thanks…running to show a couple of properties…will check when I return. 

[photopress:gorilla.jpg,thumb,alignright]Take a really close look at that Gorilla protecting the baby in his hand. 

The Gorilla could be NAR, with the baby representative of every Realtor in the Country.  The Gorilla could be the MLS system, with the baby representative of each and every one of its members.  The Gorilla could be a MEGA Broker, with the baby representative of the agents who work there.

But when is the baby representative of the Average Joe Consumer?  Where is the consumer “group” working as hard for the consumer, as each of those mentioned above, works hard for the real estate practitioner? 

Theoretically it is each state, and the licensing and agency laws of each state..  Clearly State Laws and Regulatory Boards are as big as that Gorilla, but how much do they really keep up with the changes in the industry enough, to propel the consumer to new heights?  Does the State really fight hard for the consumer in these changeing times?  Obviously not.  Which is why the “Consumer’s 100 lb. Gorilla” of the moment, is the Department of Justice and their suit against the National Association of Realtors. 

Redfin, Zillow, Zip Realty, For Sale by Owner in the MLS companies, these all represent the newer “alternative” business models who represent the Balance of Power for the Consumer.  They represent the Checks and Balances needed, to offer TRUE competition in the market place, from the consumer’s standpoint.  As an industry, we should not be playing “my gorilla can beat your gorilla”.  We should not be hoping the consumer gorilla’s fail, nor should we be doing anything to assist in their failure.  We should actually be HELPING the consumer gorilla get bigger and bigger, by meeting them in the middle.  Clearly there is room for at least 20% of the marketplace to be pulling toward the consumer’s side of this equation, isn’t there?

Why?  Why should “Traditional Brokers” HELP the Alternative Business Models to succeed?  Because WE NEED them, now more than ever, all of us.  The consumer needs them.  The industry needs them.  We need a whole lot more flavors of Kool-Aid out there.  Those of us who support alternative business models, are not “Realtor-Enemies”, as some call us.  We simply are acknowledging, what the DOJ is acknowledging.  We can NO LONGER PRETEND that “price-fixing” and “boycotting” doesn’t exist in this industry, by refusing to discuss the topic and sticking our heads in the proverbial sand.

I don’t know the total answer.  But I think that maybe every MEGA Broker should have a “Nordstrom’s and Nordstrom’s Rack” equivalent.  To some extent they do, by having the Premier Homes sub-section of the company, for Elite Homes.  Maybe it’s time to take that a step further, with the “Elite Homes” being the full commission, full service division of the company, and each should also have a “Discount Division” that offers break out plans and fees.  Maybe the Elite Division only has agents with at least three years of experience, and the Discount Division has the newbies…I like that.  More transparency there…isn’t there?

Brand new agent equals 1/2 the cost…something like that.  The same way some choose to go to a Dental School at a discount, or Hairdresser School at a discount.  Traditional companies can separate the newbies into a discounted service for the consumer who doesn’t want or need so much experience and cost.  Or better yet…let’s not use number of YEARS in the business, but number of closed transactions.  First ever transaction for agent equals lowest price.  Elite division equals 100 transactions or more at top dollar.  I like that better.

Someone with 10 years could have 15 sales…someone with two years could have 80 sales…so number of sales is my vote. Give the consumer a discount for using a newer agent, the same way you get a discount for using the hairdresser who has only touched a few heads with a scissor.

Instead of fighting the alternative models, every Traditional Company could EMULATE some of the great things about these companies, so that we all meet somewhere in the middle.

[photopress:odd_duck.jpg,thumb,alignright]I totally get, after 16 years, that I am an “Odd Duck” when it comes to this topic.  I truly have never gotten why agents seem to feel that Real Estate is an overly-competitive industry, relative to other fields of endeavor.

I rarely run into a competiton factor.  So I’d like to suggest to those who do, that maybe they are creating that scenario somehow, as in “What you resist, persists.”  Maybe you invite the issue of competition into your discussion with consumers, more than I do.  I’m not sure why I don’t run into competition as often as others seem to, but maybe by starting a “thread” on this topic, I can help some others deal with “fear of competition”.  In many ways, those who dislike/fear the new alternative business models, do that because they feel somehow it will impact them, when that is not at all the case, as I see it anyway.

Where do you all run into competition?  Seller calls me, for instance.  Wants to talk to me about selling their house.  I go to their house and talk about their house and how we (they and I) will sell their house.  That’s all.  Where does the topic go to some “competition” issue?  It doesn’t for me.  Are you, the agent, bringing the issue of “other agents” into the conversation you are having with the owner of the house?  And if so, why are you doing that?  If someone wants to talk to ten other agents before and after talking with me, that’s their business and not mine.  Usually they just hire me.  Once in a blue moon they don’t hire me and more often I say “Thanks but no thanks”, but mostly we, the seller and I, just get cracking at the work to be done to get the house ready for sale.  Where does this whole “competition” thing start and why?

Next example, buyer calls me and is considering hiring me as their Buyer’s Agent.  We meet and I decide if I want to work with them and they decide if they want to work with me.  That usually takes one meeting, sometimes two.  Once in a while I refuse to meet with them, but not very often.  One last week wanted a complete list of every transaction I did this year including all of my clients’ phone numbers!  That was a “thanks but no thanks” and I cancelled our first meeting.  But that is rare.  If my “competitors” are willing to hand over all of their clients’ phone numbers to a complete stranger at first contact…oh well!!  No skin off my nose, as they say.

Once a client is my client…that’s pretty much that.  Had a guy call me Saturday morning on his way out to ski, wanted to buy something he saw up in Whatcom County.  We talked for three minutes and I took care of it.  There we go.  Contract about signed around while he was off having fun.  Where’s my competitor there?  I have clients call me from all over the place like that.  We’re in Florida and saw a…  Hi, do you remember me, I want to sell now.  I get calls like this all the time.  How does a “competitor” make it into your conversation with people?

Again, I know I’m the odd duck on most issues regarding our industry…my thoughts on blogging included!!  I’m the  odd duck in that photo trying to figure out what everyone’s squabbling about up on that log 🙂  I’d love to hear from agents who think this is a competitive business.  Is this just perception and fear?  Or is it truly a reality in your every day life?  And if it is your reality and not mine, why is that? Even when I’m training and coaching agents…we don’t talk about “the competition”.  Rarely comes up.  Is it insecurity?  Is it just that I’m dense and SHOULD be talking about “the competition”.  I truly don’t get all of the chatter about all of the competition. Hundreds of people buy homes every month, probably thousands every month.  You only work with 2-5 in a month.  Sounds like damned good odds to me?  Where am I “off”on this?