Losing a race with progress

Feb 26th, 2009. The Rocky Mountain News closed its doors after 150 years of operation.

Rather than link to the story, I thought this 45-slide photo gallery of Rocky employees as they gathered to hear the news might serve as a dose of healthy reality to those within our industry who continue to resist change.

Yesterday, after speaking to a small group in Southern California, an agent rose and told the room about his dilemma in Pittsburgh, where MLS rules are preventing him from displaying IDX on his own site. I actually called the Pittsburgh MLS today to learn more.

Got voice mail.

Another agent spoke of her broker, in Chicago, who forbade her and her agent colleagues from having their own IDX display. She asked me what I thought she should do.

I suggested she leave and join the competition.

Driving home I heard an interview with the rapper Fifty Cent. He spoke about selling his Connecticut mansion and how he had to fire his broker because he did not know how to market the property internationally — where Fifty believes his buyer lies.

A gangsta who has a deeper understanding of property sales, marketing and merchandising than a so-called real estate professional.

It’s sickening just thinking about what will happen to those newspaper employees. These people did not resist change. They simply could not keep up, no matter how fast they ran.

In our business, too many are just standing still.

– Davison