I'm really not

Lately there have been a lot of discussions about Social Media Gurus, Real Estate Mavens and other assorted Influential People. I have seen lists and lists, and while there is some agreement in who should be included, it appears there is more discord when it actually comes to the choice.
I was speaking with @joespake, and we decided that the word Guru is hugely overused. We propose that these people be called Real Estate Jedi, since they are really leading the vanguard of change in a firmly established Empire.
Now- how to choose this list of Jedi? I suggested on twitter that a small fee would weed out the riff-raff and less serious, and maybe buy me a Big Mac meal as side benefit. We had a few takers:

• @andykaufman wants his money in escrow until he sees his name in print
• @tomallen1965 is willing to extend me $2 credit to his Cort stores
• @billlublin wants to be in the top 5- will pay cash. Cash is good.
• @rerockstar thought $5 would get him the Number One spot- think again. This isn’t REO.
• @mattdollinger confused the hell out of me by talking about financing the $2 over 30 years

And @jsheehan200, @propertynut, @CatherineGrison, @agent21 and @aPlaceOnTheLake weighed in on the discussion. @mayaREguru took exception to the dismissal of the word guru, and offered me $10 by DM to be left off. They win spots (except Maya- I bought pizza with the payoff) just because they engaged me and each other. Actually, “just” isn’t a good modifier. Engagement is what it is all about- in real estate, in social media and in life.
I think the big #fail of the other lists is that no one was asked if they wanted to be included. Being included means mentoring a bunch of neophytes whose stats aren’t great, who may pull you down in the rankings of some programs, and who likely will pester you with questions like, “What does RT mean?” “I need to spend HOW much time blogging?” and “Hashtag?”
So- this is what I am suggesting. I already have the first few for my list. Who else wants to be included?
Criteria:
• You have time to help new users
• You believe that various avenues of social media are actually valuable to Real Estate and business as part of a complete marketing program
• You are online and you tweet more than 20 times a week outside of DM (that’s only 4 a day, for crying out loud, with weekends off- correct me if I am wrong, @mattdollinger)
• You don’t score more than 30 on TwitBlock (www.twitblock.org) or you have a good reason for it, Britney
• You promise to not refer to yourself as a visionary, guru, illuminati, or demigod, recognizing that Jedi will do.
Add your name below and let’s see what we come up with.
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@heyamaretto gives you your chace to be on the Coolest of all Real Estate lists

Never forget the power of entrenched interests. While the new guys are focused on innovation and extention, the old guys typically spend all their time protecting what they have. Till it is gone.

The battle between the online real estate services (Zillow, Trulia, blogs) and the MLS systems took another turn in Washington state recently. The old dogs found a nifty little loophole to force the new guys to adapt, or get fined thousands of dollars.

If this sticks, expect it to be replicated across the country rather quickly. The MLS systems hate when you take their cheese and are fighting back.

Starting this week (Oct. 1), the Northwest Multiple Listing Service is introducing new real estate blogging guidelines that will let homeowners decide if they don’t want other agents to write about their homes. That means they’re no longer in danger (well, in as much danger) of someone trashing their property online or writing snarky comments about how their lovely abode is much overpriced.

If agents break the rule, they’ll be fined by the NWMLS — perhaps thousands of dollars. (There is a grace period for them to get their blogs in order, though).

Perhaps more interesting is that sellers can also choose not to have an automatic valuation (think Zillow) placed next to their property online, which saves them from the embarrassing situation of having that value differ dramatically from the listing price. Seems like this could really affect Redfin, the Seattle online real estate brokerage that has very active communityforums. via Pudget Sound Business Journal

Here is my question to the folks in Washington State that run Northwest Multiple Listing Services. What is to stop me, a non Realtor and entreprenuer, from coming in and posting all this information and providing links to real estate agents? I may end up so far ahead competitively than you and your defense will have failed.

This is my biggest gripe, the MLS system’s failed to do what agents needed. That is why the market place came up with alternatives. They failed so badly their competitors can give away what they charge thousands of dollars for and still make money.

Yet the MLS folks know that to protect their paychecks and their power they need to erect defensive walls to punish their members. Yes, the folks who elect to join their organization will be the ones to be punished. Because, MLS folks, the market is much quicker than you are and much, much craftier than you ever will be.

You had your chance to protect your monopoly, and you FAILED. Once the fox is in the hen house all you do is fight a rearguard action sacrificing your soldiers (members?) to protect what you already know is lost.

 

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Tom Royce is right on the mark with this post.

Web surfers in the U.S. are spending about three times as much of their time on the Web on social networking and blog sites like Facebook and Twitter as they did a year ago, according to a new report from The Nielsen Co.

The time spent by Americans on social networking went from 6 percent of all time last August on the Internet to about 17 percent last month, the report shows.

Advertising spending on social networking sites and blogs more than doubled despite the recession, going from about $49 million in August 2008 to about $108 million in August 2009

Ad spending on entertainment blogs and social networking sites grew the most, up 812 percent, with travel sites showing the second highest rate of growth at 364 percent. Spending on business-to-business sites grew 184 percent to $1.9 billion at a time when such spending fell by 8 percent elsewhere on the Internet.

News?