I just came back from Inman Connect in SF and after sitting through a little of “hear it direct” I totally understand why so many conference attendees spend their time in the lobby instead of in sessions.
I spent some of the session responding to emails that were coming directly from my clients. I rarely hear it directly I mostly read it. I would just love to get a room full of buyers and have some agents up on the stage. I would also like to see some software for rating buyers and sellers. Most of mine would rate very high but that is because I won’t work with everyone and anyone.
Ah well I guess the customer is always right unless of course the customers are real estate agents in which case the customer is never right. Tech companies launch products for the industry that no one needs or wants by telling those of us who work directly with consumers what we are doing wrong. What they don’t know is that consumers complain to agents about some of these products more than they complain about the agents that the products are supposed to replace or misplace or reduce or something.
I have ideas for a session that would keep Connect attendees in the room. One idea is a panel of agents and some consumers so that vendors and technology providers can hear directly what is wrong with the web sites and technology we currently have and how broken it all is.
There was also a lot of noise from big real estate franchises and brokerages who seem to believe they are the center of the real estate universe and that their agents who are all independent contractors and self employed do not run businesses and for some reason need a brokerage because they are a brand and a business. Realtor Associations also believe they are the center of the real estate universe and they also get their money from real estate agents. Us lowly independent contractors who sell real estate.
Lets face it no one makes any money in the real estate industry until a real estate agent sells something and it actually closes.
Now I understand that it is delusional thinking that has kept the brokerages going, but still don’t understand why agents need brokerages but I do understand why brokerages need agents since it is the agents who actually sell real estate and bring in the clients and the money.
Many of the technology companies and others who attend the Inman Connect conferences don’t think much of real estate agents or sales people in general yet numerous attempts were made to get into this agents wallet and capture some dollars.
Always nice to hear about video and how video and mobile are big for real estate agents but I missed it because I was in the lobby.
Did I enjoy my time at Connect? Yes I enjoyed it immensely. I came back with notes and ideas and maybe a whole new understanding of what my role in the real estate industry is.
from the 46th floor
See you in New York in January 2014.