I just loved the title of the blog post from the 3 Oceans blog: "The Empire Strikes Back." The Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS) -- which we are a member of to get Seattle area listings for our site as well as list our Redfin customer's home for sale -- has fined Redfin $50,000 and to us to cease our in-person property reviews in our popular "Sweet Digs" blog. As Glenn says in the Redfin blog: "The NWMLS deemed our reviews (particularly the harsh ones) as an advertisement." By that MLS'srules you cannot advertise another broker's listing.

 

The MLS rules are something I deal with often. They are a fun set of landmines to navigate that protect the flow and display of information of the data provided to the MLS and to its member's web sites. I can understand the need for a set of rules for display of listings, especially ones similar to "you cannot change another broker's listing information" and "you must show the name of the listing agent and brokerage on each listing details page." Those make sense and protect customers and brokers from false information.

 

The free speech of opinion as "advertisement" though is a bit of a stretch. We must abide by the ruling of the MLS or have our oxygen cut off (the Seattle MLS list of for sale homes), so they've got us by the... well, you get it. As a member broker, we're kind of backed into a corner. We tried and lost.

 

More info on Redfin's Sweet Digs and the NWMLS on:

I sincerely hope someone who is not a member broker of the MLS realizes the customer value of these in-person reviews and commentary. Someone else can carry the torch forward without fear of retribution.

 

Watch 60 Minutes on May 13, 2007!  Redfin's got a piece on it! 

Leslie Stahl has a report about the real estate industry and Redfin is part of the piece.  We're so excited.   From 60's ste:

You can watch an online teaser spot with Leslie that mentions Redfin already.  We loved the sharks quote. 

 

John Cook (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) has a blog post on the piece that talks about the National Association of Realtor's "Operation Tip-Off" document of talking points about the piece.  it's a fun read.

 

Update:  Well, i've now got 1.5 seconds of my Warhol'ian 15 minutes of fame.  I appeared in two quick group shot for a total of under two seconds. 

 

 

 

I've been slacking in my Redfin blogging duties.  We recently launched a substantial upgrade to the entire Redfin site.  We finally released our new logo and brand after nine months to a year in the works. 

 

We also launched our first city beyond the West Coast.  We've now got a "nationwide" ;-) footprint.

 

Some recent news postings on it:

• The Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2007/04/redfin_launches.html
• New England Cable News: http://www.boston.com/partners/worldnow/necn.html?catID=83464&clipid=1388225&autoStart=true&mute=false&continuous=true
• Inman News: http://www.inman.com/hstory.aspx?ID=62986
• The Boston Real Estate blog: http://bostonreb.com/blog/2007/04/25/redfin-hits-boston-real-estate-company-offers-rebates-to-buyers-and-sellers-of-real-estate/
• Seattle Post-Intelligencer: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/313171_redfin26.html
• The Real Estate Bloggers: http://www.therealestatebloggers.com/2007/04/26/redfin-enters-the-boston-market-and-gets-a-new-logo/
• Tacoma News Tribune: http://blogs.thenewstribune.com/realestate/?title=trees_in_bloom_at_redfin&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
• Future of Real Estate Marketing: http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/redfin-gets-a-facelift-and-expands-eastward
• Comeover.com: http://blog.comeover.com/articles/2007/04/26/redfin-gets-cool
• InstaMLS: http://instamls.com/blog/terrible-new-logo-for-redfin/
• Sellsius: http://blog.sellsiusrealestate.com/redfin/glenn-kelman-hangs-himself-in-boston/2007/04/24/
• Urban Ash: http://www.urbanashley.com/2007/04/26/redfinrevamp/

 

After over a year in real estate, you'd think I'd be quicker to pick up on bullsh*t words in a marketing description.

 

"Chancellor Hotel on Union Square is a charming boutique 137 room hotel located in the heart of San Francisco on the Powell Street Cable Car Line."

 

 

Room Service 

From their page:  "Luques Restaurant & Bar, located just off the lobby of the hotel, offers breakfast and lunch, and room service."

Truth:  "Oh, we only serve room service from Wednesday through Saturday."  (actual response when I called to order dinner and what their menu says I realized afterwards.  who the hell does room service at a hotel part of a week?!)

 

There is a control knob that has directions labeled "Warmer" and "Cooler".  An hour or so ago, I turned it to cooler to try to cool the room down (it was 80+ today.)  Nothing happens.   So I call the front desk:

 

Floored.   I've never seen a place even remotely try to pull themselves off as something decent and come off as something this unbelievable and forthrightly misrepresented and lame.

 

Don't stay at the Chancellor Hotel in San Francisco.