Houselogic, the NAR customer facing website announced recently, is their attempt to strike up a relationship with consumers directly. They will provide information that will help consumers manage their households and encourage them to build a relationship with NAR “on behalf of the members”. In combination with realtor.com NAR will have a relationship from the transaction initiation through the home ownership life-cycle.
That all sounds positive, but why is it good for the dues paying realtor®? Well, the content from the site will be available for you to use on your website, newsletters, emails for free– that must be good. Or will it just drive your prospects and clients to the Houselogic site where it originated for more? And the Houselogic site will send anyone interested in a realtor® to the agent search on realtor.com where they can look in the white or yellow pages (you pay for preferred placement) – that’s good isn’t it? Well keep in mind that the millions of relationships have not been built yet. This may change when the value of the site has been established.
Done well, Houselogic will help NAR form deep relationships with the public, including many of your existing clients, prospects and suspects I am sure. How will your national association reasonably and fairly direct them when the consumer needs to hire a realtor®? Might they just sell the lead to the highest bidder? Maybe direct it to a number of agents that pay extra to be considered? Nothing of value is given away for free is it?
I don’t know, just asking…
Don
You would do well to know more about this. You could scan:
http://www.inman.com/buyers-sellers/columnists/roberthahn/houselogic-real-deal
http://narblog1.realtors.org/mvtype/president/2009/11/getting_passionate_about_house.html
or watch the NAR webcast (if you have an hour and a half).
http://webcast.streamlogics.com/audience/index.asp?eventid=35680788Housre
