Posted on August 28th, 2007 by Jonathan Dalton

It often is said in management that pointing out problems with solutions is all but useless. And maybe my first solution of eliminating the counts for answers and questions made by real estate agents was too extreme to be considered seriously.

So I offer an alternative solution based on what’s taking place in the Trulia Voices section on a daily basis. Success will depend on participation not only by me and by Trulia but by all of you as well.

Step One: Trulia’s given us the ability to rate answers with a thumbs up or thumbs down. Let’s put them to use …

1) Anytime an agent answers a question by providing a mini sales pitch without actually providing any value whatsoever, all of us give the answer an automatic thumbs down.

Case study one: A seller asked today whether the builder will drop the price on his new home because the declining market is forcing him to sell his current home for less. One of the responses:

“Possibly. One of the advantages that I have is that I am a Certified Negotiations Expert … “

Coincidentally, I’m a certified expert on voting procedures in the Roman Senate. Thumbs down!

Case study two: Seller asks how to drive traffic to their home. The response:

“You should contact a real estate professional with market knowledge and a great marketing program. I not only live in N Phx, but have extensive knowledge in the local residential real estate. “

Oh yeah. And if your home is currently listed with a real estate broker, please disregard my blatant ethics violation for trying to solicit your business. Thumbs down!

2) Anytime an agent from out-of-area answers a question clearly directed at agents with local knowledge, all of us give the answer an automatic thumbs down.

Case study: Sunday’s post is all you need to see. Take note of the comment from the person whose question was met with “advice” from all comers across the nation, if you will.

Step Two: Weight the number of answers given by the overall score for the answer.

If an agent provides an answer that ends up with more votes for than against, they get a point. If it’s the opposite, they lose a point. If they have the first answer and it’s given a negative vote, that’s two points off. That will teach agents to think before typing up the sales pitch in hopes the client (and the rest of us) are too dumb to notice.

And to keep evil entities like Athol from voting no for everyone just because, an answer has to have a minimum of three votes total to count either positively or negatively.

Step Three: Keep the pressure on Trulia to make the Trulia Voices section something useful for all involved.

If the point is to build a purposeful community, where there’s useful discourse between real estate professionals and the general public, those agents blatantly chumming for possible leads need to gleaned from the pack.

Of course I’d be happy to get some business from a response in Trulia Voices. But I can’t see where answering questions with links to my great marketing plan is going to be the way it will happen. You have real estate 2.0 clients dealing with a real estate 1.0 mindset, albeit one with a keyboard and a mouse.

Become too heavy with 1.0 thinking and the 2.0 set will find better avenues for their questions. Like my wonderful Dalton’s Arizona Homes Blog.

(thumbs down)

Bollicks.

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Categories: General Real Estate, Marketing, Tips for Sellers, Tips for Buyers, Technology