Today Inman News takes a look back at where they began, and opens up a conversation on where they Industry is headed into the future.
In 1996, Inman News called on the industry to create a more transparent real estate transaction. Specifically, we encouraged real estate leaders to fully leverage the Internet by putting the entire multiple listing service on the Web, open up other data sources, digitize the transaction, and add visual images like pictures and virtual tours to listings.
We spent more than a decade pounding on this message and reporting on the reaction, the progress, the controversy, the legal actions, the innovation, the fear and the hope. The job is not done, but substantial progress has been made. When it comes to placing home listings on the Web, the last couple of years look a lot like the fall of the Berlin Wall.
With the current housing slump and a broken Wall Street, Inman seems to recognize a certain helpless feeling many in the industry have – but Inman also recognizes that many changes are in store for the real estate industry and see an opportunity for you to join the conversation in shaping the future of what our industry will look like.
It was interesting to me to hear Joel Burslem, Future of Real Estate Marketing, and Inman News talk about this yesterday. There is a passion in this mission to find a productive outcome to the mess in our housing industries as well as the overall economy, and while addressing today’s headlines, to really get into solutions, help agents get involved, educate on the future, and to help create a sense of hopeful optimism amongst professionals.
Inman named five topics from regulation to practice as the framework and specific ways to communicate your point of view, ideas, and goals. We’ve always been about constructive conversation at AG- it’s one thing to rant and moan, but being depressed is never an answer. I encourage you to get involved in any conversation about this industry that is constructive.
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Consumerism, Geo-mapping columnist
Marketing columnist
I think that one of the things that was sort of temporarily forgotten during the boom market was a commitment to the future of the industry. I think that now is the perfect time to address these types of issues in an attempt to carve out a more positive future for our profession.
We’ve also set up a few groups in the Community Section where the discussion can be ongoing. We’ve got one each for, “The Agent of the Future,” “The Brokerage of the Future,” “the Future of the MLS,” and “the Future of Real Estate Lending.”
If anyone has a burning topic on their mind, please open it up for discussion in the Community section.
Some of this is a little confusing to me. As I look back over the last few years I have evolved and I see signs that the industry has changed too. I am not sure that we get to set the direction. I am not even sure if what we say about the future matters. I approach the whole thing like a scientist. Always collecting data, experimenting and innovating. I prefer to run my business lean and mean and be ready to turn on a dime.
I was excited to see Inman’s new venture and looking forward to the information that results. They’re on point and right on time.
I’m looking forward to hearing about and participating in the discussion.
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May I request the numbers for tomorrow’s lottery winners while we’re predicting the future? Now that would help me predict the future of my business!
