RPR – Like Watchin’ Deer in the Headlights

Since the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) first unveiled the REALTORS® Property Resource (RPR) at NAR’s Convention in San Diego this past week, I have been intently following and participating in the online conversation so that I can fully understand the breadth of this behemoth.  My conclusion thus far – - – This WILL change everything!  From how individual REALTORS® in the field do business to how local Association’s and MLS‘s operate to how the consumer perceives us.  Trust me; this is the biggest thing to happen to our industry in last twenty-five years.  Nothing even comes close.  What is amazing to me is that most REALTOR® (my guess is 90%) haven’t even heard of the RPR yet.  Mention the RPR and it’s like watchin’ deer in the headlights.  Most have no clue.

Why is that?  Why the indifference?  My guess is that our industry is so focused on pulling itself out of the economic malaise of the past sixteen months that this game-changer has gone unnoticed.  In addition, even though it has been introduced, you can’t get your hands on it yet.  (NOTE: The official release date of RPR is sometime in April of 2010.)  It’s all talk and talk is cheap.  Most REALTORS’® attitudes mirror a line from one of my favorite movies, Jerry Maguire: ”Show me the money!”  Not literally; but figuratively.  They want NAR to, “Show me the product!”.

In case you don’t want to watch the 90 minute NAR webinar or read the press release or read the hundreds of real estate blogs that are covering this important endeavor, here is a condensed synopsis for you.  I’ve added my own thoughts and musings after each bullet point to give you my take and to make you think.  If you think that I’m too far “out there”, feel free to ignore the commentary sections.  I won’t be offended.  WARNING – even though this is condensed, it’s still a bit lengthy: Read more of this post

The Abridged Version of the Stimulus Package

 

Gimmie, Gimmie, Gimmie!

Image Courtesy of Flickr

If you’re like me, you’ve had it up to here (place hand over head exactly 1’7″) with all the talk about the “stimulus package.”  There was a House version, a Senate version, a Republican version, a Democratic version, the Auto manufacturers’ version, the State Governor’s version, the Sesame Street version, etc. etc.  If you want to read the entire piece of legislation that finally got signed by President Obama known as “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009″more power to you.  Most people though just want to know how it impacts them in their personal and professional lives.  Because you are reading a real estate related blog, I will assume that you have interest in just the portions of this legislation dealing with real estate so I will limit my review to those provisions.  Grab a cup of coffee – - – here we go!

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