Letters to the Editor

Re: 'NAR crosses swords with DOJ over real estate site' (Oct. 23)

Dear Editor:

Hey, NAR, here's an idea: Why don't you stop whining to the DOJ about fairness, fair play, and who gets to do what, when and where?

Instead, why don't you spend your time pushing the government to require all real estate brokers to carry liability insurance -- like any other reputable profession in the country? Eventually the market, via insurance companies, will dictate which "limited brokerage services" are worth insuring and which are too risky to economically support.

In the meantime, buyers get protected, and this whole thing works itself out. The fed is looking out for the public's welfare, so why don't you sell them on that? We might just get what we want without looking like bunch of crybaby, sour grapes in the eyes of the public.

Jim Doak
John L. Scott Realty
Oregon City, Ore.

Dear Editor:

Given NAR's concerns about the objectivity of the Justice Department's competition and real estate Web site, I checked the consumer education section of NAR's Web site to see how NAR's descriptions of the features of the various real estate brokerage business models compared with those of DOJ. I couldn't find any information at all on any of the real estate brokerage business models on the consumer education section of NAR's site. This is curious since you would think educating home buyers and home sellers about the various types of real estate brokerage business models and their features would be a great fit for NAR.

I think NAR should stop beefing about DOJ's and FTC's efforts to educate consumers about the various real estate business models until it has something superior to offer. NAR has among its membership traditional and minimum-service brokers, EBAs and many other business models. It should appoint task forces, with every segment equally represented, which would be asked to work together to develop objective consumer education materials on the various alternative brokerage models home buyers and sellers might wish to consider.

For even greater balance NAR might also seek input from some of the other real estate brokerage associations and consumer organizations interested in this area. This would give NAR the opportunity to both improve upon DOJ's efforts and answer those critics who accuse NAR of being a shill for large traditional megabrokers.

Bruce Hahn
President
American Homeowners Grassroots Alliance

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