The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!

Rob and Greg dive into the latest developments in the real estate industry, including Andrea’s move to Real Estate News, Anne Marie’s push for MLS independence, and ongoing debates around realtor commissions and compliance. They also examine a new lawsuit challenging enforcement of buyer representation agreements and revisit the idea of sub-agency as a potential solution to persistent steering problems.

Key Takeaways

• Andrea at Real Estate News: Andrea joins Real Estate News, raising hopes for stronger investigative journalism in the industry.

• MLS Independence: Anne Marie’s upcoming retirement sparks discussion on MLS separation from associations and questions of ownership structure.

• Realtor Commissions Rising: Despite reforms, commissions are reportedly up, prompting concerns over steering and transparency.

• ZEA v. NAR Lawsuit: A self-represented broker challenges MLSs and NAR over lack of enforcement of buyer agreements, potentially opening the door for class action.

• Compliance Issues: Evidence suggests weak enforcement of mandatory buyer agreements and ongoing loopholes in rules.

• Return to Sub-Agency? Rob argues a shift back to sub-agency could simplify compensation and cooperation while reducing steering conflicts.

• Future Uncertainty: Regulatory or legislative changes may be required to address systemic problems that lawsuits alone cannot solve.

 

Links

Real Estate News Article

 

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

 

Watch us on YouTube

 

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

 

The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!

Rob and Greg dive into the shakeup at Opendoor after CEO Carrie Wheeler’s resignation. They break down the role activist investors and meme stock energy played, and debate whether iBuying still has a future. The conversation turns into advice for Opendoor’s new leadership, touching on strategy, agent relations, and branding.

Key Takeaways

• Carrie Wheeler resigns as Opendoor CEO amid activist investor pressure and retail investor hype.

• Debate over whether iBuying is viable long-term, given seller expectations and buyer demands for turnkey homes.

• Criticism that Opendoor and Zillow acted like house flippers instead of true market makers.

• Suggested strategies for Opendoor:

  • Sell homes “as is” rather than renovating.

  • Continue offering full buyer agent compensation.

  • Build out an exclusive “coming soon” marketplace for discounted listings.

  • Rebrand messaging closer to “we buy ugly houses” but focused on hassle-free transactions.

  • Explore seller financing to simplify closings and create new revenue streams.

 

Links

Cloud CMA iBuyer Connect

Revisiting Opendoor: So many words

The Quik Fix

 

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

 

Watch us on YouTube

 

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!

Rob and Greg welcome Coleton Boyer from OnTuesday.com for a spirited debate on whether AI will truly disrupt the real estate industry. They explore AI’s potential to improve lead generation, client service, and agent efficiency, while questioning if these benefits will actually level the playing field or further concentrate market share among top agents. The conversation touches on ethics, the human element in client relationships, and how AI could reshape industry business models and pricing structures.

Key Takeaways

• AI in Real Estate: Potential for personalized marketing at scale, faster client responses, and improved efficiency.

• Lead Generation: AI could enable unique, data-driven outreach, though ethics and authenticity are debated.

• Client Service: Tools can parse documents instantly, freeing agents to focus on relationships and strategy.

• Democratization vs. Consolidation: Debate over whether AI empowers new agents or strengthens established ones.

• Business Model Impact: Shift from “butts in seats” to usage-based or outcome-based pricing likely.

• Industry Stickiness: Despite technological changes, the human connection and trust factor remain central to real estate.

 

Links:

ontuesday.com

 

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

 

Watch us on YouTube

 

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

 

The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!

In this episode, Rob and Greg recap Inman Connect San Diego, discuss the current state of the real estate industry, and explore the hype and utility of AI in real estate. They cover industry gossip, shifting executive roles, macroeconomic forecasts, and heated disagreements on whether AI truly enhances the client experience.

Key Takeaways

• Inman Connect Recap Greg shares his experience from Inman Connect, including a pre-party at his studio and the CEO Connect session.

• NAR Membership Projections Kevin Sears (NAR President) revealed current membership is ~65,000 above projections at 1.4M; however, NAR is budgeting for 1.2M members in 2026.

• Agent Churn Annual agent churn is approximately 20%, meaning roughly all members cycle every five years.

• CoStar vs. Zillow Lawsuit The buzz at CEO Connect centered around CoStar suing Zillow over image copyrights. Rob believes CoStar has a solid strategy involving strategic acquisitions to bolster legal claims.

• Executive Moves Chris Heller moved his team to eXp; York Baur (formerly of MoxiWorks) joined Lone Wolf—highlighting industry consolidation and competition.

• AI in Real Estate Greg sees promise in AI for marketing content, lead gen, and operations. Rob remains skeptical of AI’s impact on client experience, arguing that service still relies on human interaction.

• AI Assistants and the Future The debate intensifies around whether AI chat or voice assistants can enhance service or erode trust in agent relationships.

• Generational Divide on Service Rob emphasizes trust and high-touch service; Greg counters that efficiency and new client expectations may shift norms.

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

 

Watch us on YouTube

 

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!

In this episode, Rob and Greg dive into Zillow’s legal strategy in its defense against Compass's lawsuit, focusing on Zillow’s surprising claim that it only facilitates a “single-digit” percentage of real estate transactions. They debate the strategic implications of this position—especially how it could undermine Zillow’s perception of power in the industry—and analyze the broader impact on listing presentations, MLS relationships, and competitors like Compass and Homes.com. They also preview the upcoming Inman Connect in San Diego and discuss potential industry sentiment and attendance given the market’s current challenges.

  Key Takeaways

• Zillow's Legal Strategy: Zillow argues it is not a monopoly, claiming it only facilitates a single-digit percentage of home transactions.

• Strategic Risk: Rob questions why Zillow would make this claim, suggesting it weakens their perceived power and brand strength in the industry.

• Agent Sales Impact: The claim could hurt Zillow's Premier Agent business by giving competitors a compelling narrative (“why pay for single-digit exposure?”).

• Compass Lawsuit Context: The lawsuit stems from Compass’s perception that Zillow’s policies harmed their three-phase marketing strategy and listing exposure.

• MLS Relationships: Rob and Greg wonder how MLSs might reevaluate their relationships with Zillow after this shift in positioning.

• eXp-Zillow Data Feed Deal: Rob questions why eXp is sending direct data feeds to Zillow when MLS feeds already exist.

• Inman Connect Preview: Greg expects a smaller, more introspective crowd due to market conditions. He plans to gather MLS sentiment on the ground.

• Industry Power Perception: Rob contends Zillow is still the most powerful entity in organized real estate—more than NAR post-clear cooperation—making its current legal stance all the more surprising.

 

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

 

Watch us on YouTube

 

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

 

 

The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!

In this episode, Rob and Greg cover recent legal decisions, MLS policy shifts, and major moves by real estate portals. They discuss the dismissal of Homie’s lawsuit against NAR and large brokerages, examine NWMLS’s new referral fee disclosure rule, and analyze the implications of Realtor.com acquiring Zenlist. The episode also reviews Homes.com’s latest seller-focused marketing campaign and raises questions about portal strategy and industry alignment.

Key Takeaways

• Homie v. NAR Lawsuit Dismissed – The case brought by Homie against NAR and the big brokerages was dismissed. Rob and Greg discuss why the case failed and how omitting local MLSs may have weakened it.

• NWMLS Referral Fee Disclosure Policy – Northwest MLS now requires disclosure of referral fees. Rob questions the consumer impact, while Greg views it as a proactive move by the MLS.

• Realtor.com Acquires Zenlist – Realtor.com purchased Zenlist. Greg sees it as a positive sign for the startup space; Rob speculates on strategic motives if MLS access becomes disrupted.

• Homes.com Seller Marketing Campaign – Homes.com sent direct mail brochures to sellers urging paid listing promotion. Industry response was mixed, and Greg shares internal feedback on the campaign.

• Portal Strategy and Industry Perception – Final thoughts include discussion on how portals are messaging to agents and the public, and whether CoStar’s anti-Zillow positioning is effective.

 

Links

Inman Connect Proptech Pre-party hosted by Giant Steps and Tuesday   Inman Article   Video of Agent you liked the mailer https://x.com/scheibrealest8/status/1938078384958943712?s=46   Video from agent who thought the mailer was "odd and disgusting"   From Vendor Alley: The Homes.com Super Bowl Ad I would run

 

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

 

Watch us on YouTube

 

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!

In this episode of Industry Relations, Rob and Greg tackle the thorny question of who should have access to real estate listing data. Prompted by a Wired article about college students using Zillow to assess classmates’ wealth, Rob argues that the real estate industry should move some listing details—like interior photos and price history—behind a broker-consumer relationship. Greg pushes back, defending the value of open data and the impossibility of cleanly separating legitimate buyers from “random voyeurs.” The conversation dives deep into VOW rules, privacy, and what it means to be a consumer in 2025.

Key Takeaways

• Prompt for the Episode – A Wired article reveals that young people are using Zillow to snoop on classmates’ family wealth, raising privacy questions.

• Rob’s Proposal – Rob suggests moving data like days on market, interior photos, and price change history to the VOW feed instead of IDX.

• VOW vs. IDX – They revisit the 2006 DOJ/NAR settlement that created Virtual Office Websites and debate whether its definitions still work in 2025.

• Who Is a “Legitimate” Consumer? – Rob proposes that anyone willing to speak to an agent qualifies, while Greg argues that even dreamers browsing for years could be future buyers.

• Advertising vs. Research Data – They attempt to draw a distinction between marketing information meant to attract interest and data meant to inform a buyer’s decision.

• Barriers and Incentives – Greg warns that placing obstacles in front of consumers—even just requiring a lead form—might diminish site traffic and engagement.

• Portals and Traffic Obsession – Discussion of how Zillow, Realtor.com, and Homes.com measure success by traffic volume, and why reducing public data might not align with their incentives.

• Consumer Privacy vs. Industry Benefit – Rob argues that the industry has no obligation to serve voyeurs, while Greg questions whether we can—or should—attempt to limit access.

• A Potential VOW Framework – The episode closes with a thought experiment: Should consumers need to name an agent (or form a relationship) before accessing detailed listing info?

 

Links

Wired Article 

SNL Zillow Skit Reference

Inman Connect Proptech Pre-Party 

 

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

 

Watch us on YouTube

 

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!

Overview In this episode of Industry Relations, Rob and Greg unpack the lawsuit Compass filed against Zillow over its ZLAS (Zillow Listing Agreement Standard) policy. They debate the strength of Compass’s legal claims, the language cited in the complaint, and what the alleged behind-the-scenes meetings reveal about Zillow’s influence in the real estate industry. Rob argues that Zillow is exercising monopoly power—even if it’s not illegal—while Greg pushes back on whether that power is absolute or harmful.

Key Takeaways

• Compass Lawsuit Against Zillow – Compass has sued Zillow over ZLAS, and Rob and Greg break down what the complaint says, especially around alleged comments from Zillow executives.

• Redfin’s Role in the Lawsuit – The lawsuit describes a phone call between Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman and Compass’s Robert Reffkin, which raises questions about Redfin’s alignment or neutrality.

• Allegations from the Zillow Meeting – The complaint claims Zillow executives said they would “not allow” Compass to have listings that aren’t on Zillow. Rob questions how MLSs will interpret that language.

• Zillow’s Relationship to MLSs – Rob and Greg debate whether Zillow is stepping into a policy-making role that could create long-term tension with MLSs.

• Monopoly vs. Illegal Monopoly – Rob insists Zillow is a monopoly in terms of influence, while Greg questions whether that matters if they haven’t broken any laws.

• Private Listing Networks as Leverage – Rob suggests that large brokerages should consider creating private listing networks to provoke offers or concessions from Zillow.

• MLS and NAR Dynamics – The conversation revisits the lack of MLS policy leadership from NAR and whether groups like CMLS can step up in its place.

• Consumer Perception of Real Estate – Greg ends by cautioning that all this infighting could be harmful to public trust, as evidenced by critical reader comments in mainstream news outlets.

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

 

Watch us on YouTube

 

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

The Industry Relations Podcast is now available on your favorite podcast player!

Overview In this special episode of Industry Relations, Rob and Greg take a break from real estate to talk about one of their shared passions: music. They explore the most transformative artists and bands across genres from the 70s through today. Their conversation dives deep into the cultural impact of acts like Nirvana, Depeche Mode, NWA, and Metallica, and whether artists like Kanye West, Jay-Z, or Eminem changed the landscape or simply excelled within it.

Key Takeaways

• What Makes an Artist Transformative – Rob and Greg define “transformative” as artists who changed culture or shifted their genre’s direction.

• Rock, Pop, and Hair Metal – From The Police and Joy Division to Motley Crue and Metallica, they debate which bands truly left a mark.

• New Wave and Synth Pop – A back-and-forth on whether bands like Depeche Mode, Erasure, and Eurythmics defined the New Wave era.

• The Rise of Hip-Hop – Analysis of Public Enemy, NWA, and Biggie’s role in changing rap’s tone—from political to gangsta to materialistic.

• Female Singers and Torch Artists – Greg shares his appreciation for female vocalists, from Tori Amos and Natalie Merchant to Billie Holiday and Aretha Franklin.

• Jazz, EDM, and Modern Music – A look at how genres like jazz and electronica evolved—and why Rob thinks music hasn’t really changed since the 2000s.

• Cultural Identity and Music in High School – Reflections on how music once defined high school social groups and why today’s digital world may be missing that connection.

 

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

 

Watch us on YouTube

 

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios

 

In this episode of Industry Relations, Rob and Greg reflect on a recent panel discussion hosted by the Orange County Association of REALTORS®. They discuss the incentives that drive agent and broker behavior, the value and vulnerabilities of the MLS in a post-settlement world, and the broader structural changes facing the real estate industry. The first half of the conversation also includes a candid exchange on trades as a career path and the shifting economic landscape for young adults.

Key Takeaways

 

• MLS Incentive Structures – A deep dive into how policy changes have affected the incentive for brokers to remain in the MLS, especially with the decline of enforceable compensation.

• Broker Power and Consolidation – Why the largest brokerages may now have more incentive to operate independently of the MLS and what that means for smaller firms.

• Agent-Level Impact – Rob and Greg question whether large-scale policy debates truly affect everyday agents and argue that most industry drama doesn’t change the work agents do.

• Panel Highlights – Reflections on a live panel with James Dwiggins and Ed Zorn, including audience reactions and a question: “What would you do if you ran NAR?”

• Compensation and Enforcement Post-Settlement – Analysis of how buyer-agent compensation continues through informal agreements and social norms, despite changes to MLS rules.

• Trades and Career Advice – A wide-ranging discussion on whether young people should consider skilled trades as an alternative to traditional college paths.

Connect with Rob and Greg

Rob’s Website 

Greg’s Website 

Watch us on YouTube!

Our Sponsors:

Cotality 

Notorious VIP

The Giant Steps Job Board 

 

Production and Editing Services by Sunbound Studios