Google to list property ....
 

In the UK at least.... (link)

I guess it's too much to ask for something similar to happen here, would be cool though;)

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Canada does appear to lag behind UK on its use of the web

Re: Google to list property ....
 

1. Go to maps.google.com (not maps.google.ca)
2. Click the 'More' button (next to 'Traffic').
3. Select 'Real Estate...'
4. Scroll to desired Canadian location

Tada...Canada is 'with' the times.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

But who will pick up expats from the airport and refund 25% of the fee (an admission that they charge at least 25% too much) to them?

Who will provide them with PMs and tell them great things about the community they are about to move to?

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Its a tough business to make money in, especially when you are starting out, you will often find new agents offering all sorts of deals just to get their foot in the door.

If they are providing a good, professional service, then they can market their services any way they want, if that involves discounts etc., they are no different to every other business out there, that offers discount coupons, sales, etc. Except of course lawyers, who never discount their services :p.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Ooh, it works. Does this explain why realtor.ca (mls.ca as was) is way less comprehensive than it used to be?

There's a house for sale around the corner which is not listed on realtor but shows up on google.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

[QUOTE=Almost Canadian;8144934]But who will pick up expats from the airport and refund 25% of the fee (an admission that they charge at least 25% too much) to them?


i have and do help lots of expats move over. I have never charged them for my services and thus never given them 25% refund for something they didn't pay for. If you are talking about the 25% of the commission i earn when they buy a house. Why would I do that. When i was in the Police in the UK I never gave someone 25% of my pay. Why would i be expected to do it in Canada.

But i must remember to try it. Go to the doctor (who i do not pay for directly) and then for him having the 'privilege' of writing me a prescription i shall ask him for 25 % of his pay:eek:

There are plenty of realtors doing lots of work and have no need to cheapen themselves by offering big discounts, those that do are never in business for long or just do the job as a second job to pay for clothes or vacations. Those that are in business for an income that can feed the kids etc offer quality of service and are keen to get repeat business which sustains them through good and bad economies.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

No shit sherlock

Behave you.
;)

Re: Google to list property ....
 

[QUOTE=Helen Parnell;8145148]As this is directed at the way I do business I will explain why I choose to work this way.

To start with this is not a second job for me, I work to feed the kids too.

I enjoy what I do and I work very very hard ensuring my clients get good quality service and I get lots of referrals and repeat business.

Many Realtors offer deals to their clients and the only difference with me is I offer the discounts up front.

With regards to the 25% cash back I give to buyers, I am able to do this by keeping my over heads low. As I don't have to spend thousands in advertising or other costs, I am able to pass these savings back to my clients, the business model sells itself and is proving to be very successful.

Another thing I never do is criticize the way other Realtors go about their business as this is not professional. At the end of the day people have a choice and many vote with their pockets.

Almost Canadian - I don't charge a penny for the relocation assistance I give to people and I even extend my help to people that are not buying houses.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

[QUOTE=Sam-in-Okotoks;8145369]
i was not directing this to you. i was just responding to 'almost Canadians post'

Note to all realtors. This post is not directed to anyone. If you feel it is directly at you, then it is not.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Wether it was directed at Sam or not it was a 'brutal and unnecessary post.
You do business your way, Sam does business her way. Neither is right, neither is wrong.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Sorry i just think you all just missed my point of the post.

WHY should I give 25% of my pay to some one who used my services.

butch ..... I can not remember what you do, but can i have 25% of your pay please.

Realtors are small time business people, most on average are not the next Donald Trump or Bill Gates. So why do people expect a 25% refund when they are trying to earn a living to feed their kids and pay their college fees.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

People do NOT expect a refund, it is NOT a refund, one of the realtors I use reduces his fees IF he acts for both parties, I DO NOT ask for this he offers it, IF he were to stop offering this I WOULD NOT stop using his services as he is an EXCELLENT realtor who goes ABOVE and BEYOND what I expect.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Obviously you do not expect a refund, but then if you were selling a house then you are the one paying the realtor and is in a position to negotiate. but to quote 'almost canadian'

'But who will pick up expats from the airport and refund 25% of the fee (an admission that they charge at least 25% too much) to them?'

Indicates to me that some are offering a refund. If they are expats getting pick up at the airport and are buying a house then they are not paying in the first place. They are getting paid 25% of someone's pay.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

OK Helen let me explain how the process works in YOUR business.

Generally there are TWO agents
one the listing OR selling agent (they act for the vendor)
two the BUYING agent (they act for the purchaser)

The BUYER PAYS for the house (do you understand that PAYS), the money (usually) goes to a SOLICITOR, they then pay off THE MORTGAGOR, then the LISTING Agent and BUYING Agent (this payment is generally called COMMISSION), any money left is paid to the VENDOR. Notice how the VENDOR at no point parts with any money?

Now the BUYING agent (in the case under discussion) decides to give 25% or their COMMISSION (note COMMISSION NOT PAY) to the BUYER. This is NOT a refund.

PLEASE note that (AFAIK) NO realtor will EVER keep 100% of the commission made (they have to pay the broker, office staff, fuel costs yada yada yada) so COMMISSION will NEVER be the same as PAY. PAY is what you get in YOUR POCKET (OK thats net pay I agree).

ONCE AGAIN I Reiterate
a) The PURCHASER pays the Realtor NOT the VENDOR
b) COMMISSION is NOT the same as PAY
c) just to make it clear to AC even if I agree homes are over priced its 12.5% not 25% :p (the commission usually being split 50/50)

Re: Google to list property ....
 

You are just playing with words.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

I don't see this as necessarily bad for realtors; especially in Canada where the industry is protected from this kind of competition by the government. Stuart has often said that mls is only available to people out of the kindness of realtors hearts; but this misses the point that pretty much everybody now expects to start their property searches on the web. However when they start they are confronted with the truly dreadful mls website so I would hope that this will either force it to become better or simply get shutdown.

Personally I think having a combination of street view, maps, and real estate listings could be a really good offering from google.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

The realtor.ca is being constantly upgraded and street maps etc are coming. Also a link to local demographics so you can get an idea of the income range of your neighbours and ethnic mix.

BUT even though I was told they were coming last week at a meeting with the board, it does take time (don't know why).

Re: Google to list property ....
 

But what makes it crap isn't the lack of information about the colour of the people in the area shown but the cumbersome and slow user interface. A quick fix would be to put it back to the previous version.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

I think their thinking was to change it so that in the long run they can make it better.

I agree I do not know why it should be so slow now.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

My post was tongue in cheek but it does highlight perfectly the difference between the morals of the realtors in Canada. I would respectfully suggest that anyone viewing Sam's post versus Helen's would be able to pick the one to deal with with relative ease.

As most know, I am a lawyer. Having to put up with comments and jokes about lawyers is just part of the job. I have picked people up from the airport as well. Who knows, I may start putting my wife's name on all my posts too:rofl::p

From a seller's perspective, surely this new site will be a very good thing. It will be interesting to see how the purchaser's realtor will get paid in such a situation. If sellers hold their nerve (and refuse to pay the realtor's fees) it could be the begining of the end of realtors. Who would honestly pay a realtor $9,000 to "help them" purchase a $400,000 in Calgary when they can view the details online and view the house themselves (a la England)?

It may generate extra work for lawyers though, in that they will be asked to draft contracts that actually benefit the purchaser rather than the current pro forma contracts that are significantly adverse to their interests.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Probably because they don't have the resources, know-how and money of Google. I think the best mls can do now is to do some kind of deal with Google. This would be better for everyone.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

And how is this a good or positive thing:confused:

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Because it it doing a lot more than the other site. When you move the map around it is doing something AJAXy to dynamically return a list of properties as you scroll. Only probably is, it isn't really well laid out and could do with some optimising. Google's map engine leaves it in the dust.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

If you are a snob or a racist it maybe useful.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Its no different to take a drive around a neighbourhood and looking around, but it saves you the trip. If Im buying a home I want to know about the neighbourhood. When did you become all P-C anyway? You dont assess the makeup of a neighbourhood before investing hundreds of thousands to live there?. Im not going to pretend I wouldnt.

Its just information. If its possible to make it easy to access, then why not do so. More information to base a decision on is usually better than less, simple as that.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

I reckon a lot more people will be interested in that than would admit it.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Iain, I will NEVER claim to be PC, nor will I ever claim not to assess the make-up or 'feel' of a neighbourhood. My point is that income and ethnic mix do NOT necessarily make a good or bad neighbourhood (or a more desirable one)

Example 1: The ethnic and income mixes of Bridlewood/Evergreen are broadly similar to those of Tuscany (communities within Calgary) yet I wouldnt live in one and I doubt AC would live in the other.

Example 2: Taking my last home and my current home there is probably a wider spread of income levels (lower mean) in my current area and certainly a larger skew towards Black (Caribbean and West African) and Asian away from Black (East African), East Indian and White, HOWEVER I prefer this area (even with the sketchy reputation) for a number of OTHER reasons.


Alan I dont doubt for a minute you are correct

Re: Google to list property ....
 

That information is readily available for Toronto, the mls site would just have to link to it; work of a moment.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

I dunno, I always quite fancied Tuscany and, now that a certain someone has moved to downtown, it might be worth another look:p

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Psuf :p

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I don't think it's a worry. Not everyone wants the same thing. Though I agree that it doesn't tell you much about the feel and community sense of a neighbourhood. You need to visit/spend time to get a really good sense of a place.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

LOL, no it isnt a worry to me either. Anyone who doesnt want to live near 'us' cos we earn too little (really????) or we're the wrong ethnicity can go fork them selves with a baseball bat. (or to put it more PC- isnt worth my time anyway)

Re: Google to list property ....
 

Oh man, oh man, why can't realtors accept that you're paid for by either the buyer, the seller or in some cases both. As a buying agent your services are paid for by the buyer, as a selling agent your services are paid for by the seller. Cash comes from the solicitors.

As for deciding to discount by 25% - why not? You're operating a business, right? As a customer do you walk into sears and ask to pay full sticker price if they're offering a discount?

Re: Google to list property ....
 

i think one of the issues for Google to consider before they do the same thing in Canada or the US is that they do get a lot of advertising dollars from Realtors and pissing off or putting realtors out of business would be costly to them...just my 2c.

(and as a realtor myslef - yes I discount ...its my business model - it generates business and to be honest I really can't in all honesty justify the full price fees in expensive market like Mississauga)

Re: Google to list property ....
 

I would assume realtors would just list with google rather than or as well as mls. It's not really a threat to their business in the near term imo.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

What is a discount? The standard fee here seems to be 5% or 4% if the listing agent finds the buyer. Would a discounted rate be 5% on only the first n dollars?

Re: Google to list property ....
 

discount on selling depends on price of property and past business/relationship from the client I normally charge 0.5 -1.5% ( the "norm" is 2.5% ....+ you have to add 2.5% for buying agent)

On buying - I was asked once by a friend to 'introduce' them to a new home site - we split the commission I made 50% as I didn't do too much
I have also given incentives when buying resale ie paying lawyers fees, home inspections , etc etc

Re: Google to list property ....
 

I don't think google will have any great effect on the MLS, the big problem with google or any site like it, is that there is no control over the quality of the content. Most of the properties listed on google in Winnipeg have sold, some many months ago, prospective buyers are going to get very frustrated by this. Google is automatically populated by many different web sites through Google Base, it not regulated in any way.

Remember that the MLS existed long before computers were invented. The MLS is not designed for the consumer, it's main purpose is to provide detailed and accurate information about houses currently for sale, and just as importantly what price houses have actually sold at , for Realtor members. It is vigorously policed and there are fines for providing inaccurate or late information.

Re: Google to list property ....
 

It is this disregard for the needs of consumers that will do for mls. It won't be google.