Sure, it’s not easy being the new kid on the block. First of all, everyone else seems to know a lot more than you do about pretty much everything. And finding your own way can be really tough. Just ask any new REALTOR®. Getting a real estate career started under the best circumstances is not for the faint of heart. There are all of those regulations, trying to find clients, and then the awesome responsibility of all that money hanging in the balance between a client’s dreams and the harsh market realities.

Market challenges being what they are, we decided to find out from a few of our own new kids on the block – REALTORS® with fewer than three years’ experience under their belts – what it’s like being fresh on the scene of Virginia’s real estate profession.

With hundreds of fair-weather agents hanging up their spurs, we honestly expected to hear a lot about how hard life can be and maybe a little of what starvation feels like. So, imagine our surprise when five hearty souls gathered around a breakfast table recently to talk about their short experience in Virginia real estate, and nary a complaint was heard. In fact, these whippersnappers seem to have a few insights into carving out a successful real estate career that we think could help more than a few old-timers.

The latest to join the REALTOR® ranks are combining tried-and-true, traditional tactics with novel twists that come from having a fresh perspective on the business.

So, grab your own plate of scrambled eggs or bowl of oatmeal and see what these newbies had to say. We bet you’ll be surprised, too…

First things first: why did you become a REALTOR®?Is this your first career…or second, third or fourth?

Karen Newins, ABR, William E. Wood & Associates, Chesapeake I became a REALTOR® because I have a friend who is probably one of the top agents from our area. I had been in the medical fi eld for 15 years. It seemed like real estate would be a good fit for me, and my friend really encouraged me to get into it.

Karen Carpenter, 1st Choice GMAC Real Estate, Staunton My mom has been a REALTOR® for two decades, and I thought it would be a great way to subsidize my family income. I got my license in June 2007.

Bonnie Field, Real Estate III Crossroads, Charlottesville I retired from the medical field after 35 years. So I was looking for something I could do for myself. After working with patients for that length of time…working with people all the time, this is a good way to continue doing that in a different way.

Curtis Butterworth, Parr & Abernathy, Hopewell This is my third career. I practiced law for 19 years and then began to preach ten years ago. I am assistant pastor at Joy Fellowship Church in Hopewell. I received my real estate license in May 2006 and established a team, TheButterworthTeam, with my son, Brandon.

Willam Kimsey, GRI, ABR, ERA Kline & May Realty, Harrisonburg I became a REALTOR® in the spring of 2006. I had been interested in real estate for more than 10 years. Real estate is about helping buyers and sellers come together in a transaction that, ideally, allows both sides to get what they want by helping each other. In negotiation language this is called a win-win outcome.

My background as a teacher and trainer in communication and conflict resolution has prepared me well to serve as a VAR ethics instructor and a communication consultant for REALTORS® and brokers. In addition to completing my GRI and ABR, I am now working towards a broker’s license.

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At today’s MLS Forum, Michael Wurzer, of FBS (FlexML) characterizes the future of MLS as a “Perfect Storm” — with three storm fronts that are potentially shaping this future: Broker Consolidation, Web 2.0, and NAR vs DOJ.

(1) Broker Consolidation: Brokers are growing and consolidating, which is causing MLS’s to grow. Some MLS’s are consolidating, some are sharing data.

(2) Web 2.0: Key components of this movement include:

• universal accessibility of information
• open access to technology
• consumer choice and particpation
• independence, freedom and respect

Some companies that are involved (in varying degrees) in the Web 2.0 world are zillow, redfin, craigslist, google, point2, trulia, yahoo, and roost.

(3) NAR vs. DOJ: The basic accusation is that NAR is anti-consumer. Since NAR is Realtors, the syllogism is that Realtors are anti-consumer (fees are too high). Lawsuits create a status quo — no changes are made to make sure that the lawsuit isn’t complicated. This vacuum of innovation is being filled by many of Web 2.0 companies.

Is It Too Late?

Will the web run over the MLS? According to Michael, no. We define the web . . . and yet, at the same time, the web defines us. So . . . as Michael says, “The Future Is Now. ” We are defining our future today, by our decisions and actions — and the foundations are just being built. Some of the current trends include . . .

• Standards: Standards are being defined (in real estate and other areas) to provide broad and deep definitions. The Real Estate Transaction Standard (RETS) is defining a listing in these ways, to allow for data portability. Data portability provides power and choice.
• Syndication: Entering the data (listings) into one location, which then sends out out to many different web sites. RETS has created a syndication work group to try to standardize syndication. This standard will ideally be used by MLS vendors

Thinking Points . . .

Licensing Our Syndicated Data

What happens to the real estate content we provide to third parties via syndication? From Google’s terms of use, when content is submitted to Google, the submitting party is granting Google a “…worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, and otherwise use, with or without attribution such Content on Google services.” However, it goes on to state that the “…license terminates when such Content is deleted from the Google service to which you originally submitted.” We need to consider developing standard ways to license our data. (ex. Creative Commons) Standards are just now being developed for all that matters. We have the opportunity to participate in that process.

MLS is More Than Technology

The MLS is essentially a social network, with (strangely), competitors cooperating. It is, to some extent, a representative democracy. This cooperation allows an aggregation of data. Without this cooperation, listings will not all be in one place. Thus, the question (again) is who is serving consumers? The aggregation of listings (via the MLS) is a service to consumers.

Moving Forward

• IDX is a fantastic tool, but it lacks the standardization and full features necessary for moving forward. Perhaps IDX needs to be revisited, within the Web 2.0 context.
• How should we cooperate on the web?
• Which parts of the listing we want to share?
• Are listings are advertising, or information?
• Who are the members of the MLS?
• Should the consumer be a “member” of the MLS? What if they agreed to our terms of use?

As leaders in the industry, we need to determine whether these trends, questions and ideas are just noise, or whether they are an indication of a major industry change on the horizon. The future is being formed right now . . . the question is who will determine this future.
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Some of Michael’s recommended readings:

• Only The Paranoid Survive
• Cluetrain Manifesto
• Code 2.0
• The Summer of 1787

Looking for more insights from Michael Wurzer? Check out his blog: http://www.flexmls.com/blog.