Interestingly, too, tools like WolframAlpha and other data aggregates well help expose the SM phonies out there, and I think damn near everyone but they is looking forward to it.

Now, what Amy said (above) is true, I think. Once the RE market started to decline, a disproportionate number of Realtors left as soon as their next cycle of dues to their MLS/NAR/state boards were due. Most of these were agents who were very new to the industry, lured by the promise of commission checks falling from the sky. Once these people realized that the job is a lot of WORK (and hard work, at that), they ran faster than Usain Bolt with his hair on fire.

I am not in the least bit anti-Realtor. I used to be one, many of my friends and family members are either Realtors, or connected to the industry in some other way. Traversing the slippery contract negotiation slope is beyond the abilities of most consumers, so it behooves them to hire an agent to work for them.

I hope that tools like WA, Aardvark … and whatever else happens to come down the pike really do separate the wheat from the chaff. There are good — no, GREAT — Realtors out there whose livelihoods depend on it.

I really like the idea of the “other means” becoming less viable.

Dave

When I ran the MLS in Boise, most really good agents and brokers advised me they would be willing to pay 3 or 4 times what they pay for MLS services for two reasons. 1) They could have access to more quality tools like the ones you listed above 2) the financial barrier to entry would be higher so in theory there would be less agents and brokers out there providing mediocre service.