Ever since my days as a real estate agent, I have not been a fan of the local board. Forgive my prejudice, but I always felt that the “leaders” were agents that were more interested in getting attention than selling real estate.

Perhaps it was when June, the lady who worked the desk was more helpful to a FSBO looking to purchase CAR forms for the sale of his home than helping me. Last I heard she is still working there. She must be 102 years old by now!

I thought how absurd that this jerk was even allowed into what I thought was my “association”.

Robbie over at Rain City rants about his “challenges” with the MLS here.

While Trulia mentions a couple of Brokers that Mike & I reference in the last interview.

It seems these guys are letting FSBOs to post their homes for sale on their site:

Some major real estate brokers such as ZipRealty and Catalist Homes are allowing for-sale-by-owner (FSBO) homeowners to post their home sale on the brokers’ highly trafficked Web sites. Many more brokers would like to do the same – so what’s stopping them? MLS rules of course!

I dug up a couple old press releases that I did for Mike and I when we were partners:

Man, I need to go on diet! that was a long time ago.

Get ready to have your head spin.

Mike Work was my partner when I sold real estate. He is not happy unless he teeters on the edge of the industry. He was a pioneer of flat fee listings locally in Manhattan Beach, California and Nationally.

He is not a maverick however. He is very aware of a brokers fiduciary obligations (his sister was a CAR Attorney). Everything he does is out of his obligation towards his clients. But he pulls down the veil off what is generally accepted as marketing in real estate.

Funny enough, you may find your self agreeing with him more often than not.

Of course, I offer my ideas and find myself countering Mike and agreeing with him at various points in the interview. 

We cover:

• How the Real Estate industry is splintering into new models.
• How most Brokerages do not profit from commissions.
• Do you get $30,000 for less than 40 hours of work?
• The Bastardization of the word SERVICE.
• How the Industry creates & churns low end producers.
• What do you and a 7 Eleven Slurpy have in common?
• How you are helping fsbos to market heir houses without an agent.
• Is there a correlation between the Real Estate & Travel industry?
• Who does the MLS belong to, the Realtors or the Consumer?
• Mike says that you have a fiduciary duty to an open MLS (no forced opt-in), and how I believe paradoxically that will hurt sales rather than helping it.

Enjoy! Get the interview here.

Mike can be contacted at:
Mike Work
Marquis Financial and Real Estate
310 849 6802
mpworker at gmail.com