The Insider: Issue 011

Hey there! Thanks again for keeping up with The Insider every week. But, really, this is all about you and what you find helpful, interesting, and inspiring to start your week. So if ever you find yourself with a wild idea for something you want to see here, just drop us a line at [email protected]. Now, let’s get to it!

Last Week This Week

• Do you remember thinking that EXP’s virtual world was kind of... weird? Yeah, us too. Well, we’ve spent a little time hanging out there recently and have found it surprisingly compelling. Guess this is what makes a person like Glenn Sanford what we call a visionary. And he’s in good company: last week Facebook announced “Horizon Workrooms,” which look a lot like EXP World (though they are considerably more complicated). Our working future likely includes “at home,” “at the office,” and an only-just-emerging “elsewhere.”

• The money truck backed up to and unloaded on yet another cash offer/low list fee startup, Reali. The company started as a straight-up discount shop, which has a history of failure (e.g., Purplebricks, Foxtons, etc.), and has added the buy-before-you-sell-using-our-money service only recently. This is another instance of “traditional” commission fees being given up as part of a loss leader strategy (remember last week’s commentary on big mortgage companies getting into low-fee brokerage as a way to capture purchase loan business) that’s becoming increasingly prevalent.

• Do you ever get the feeling you’re being watched? Republican lawmakers called for an investigation into Zillow’s ShowingTime acquisition, the DOJ is putting its fingers on the scale in the REX/NAR lawsuit, and a California judge tossed a lawsuit brought by private listing service Top Agent Network, but in so doing also expressed concerns about the “anti-competitive” nature of NAR’s Clear Cooperation policy.

Have You Heard About This?

A Little Boon for Your Zoom
Over the past year, Zoom has become the meeting room of choice for a lot of us. It’s either amazing technology that keeps us connected to each other or a “Hollywood Squares-like” experience that makes some of us feel trapped in a time warp we can’t look away from. Have no fear as innovators are on the case, as you can see in this Fast Company article that explores three new Zoom apps to help us get more from our experience.

What's Inside

In case you missed it, we launched a new Smart Guide last week, full of insights to help solve the challenge of tech adoption. Check it out here.

A new Three Things podcast drops this week, featuring Curaytor Co-Founder Chris Smith.

Inspiration Point

This Is The Way

In 1981, Apple ran the above full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal as a response to a new competitor exploding on the personal computer scene. This was an interesting reminder that competition isn’t a bad thing. At the end of the day, it can make us much better than we were before. And Apple looks pretty powerful here, doesn’t it? Maybe the real opportunity is in how we welcome it rather than resist.

Most Creative Use of Fries

Kudos to this McDonald’s ad campaign in Norway aimed at cutting down on distracted driving, which has increased as we’ve become, well, more distracted. The campaign puts the famous french fries front and center, showing us that visuals and copy, when used together creatively, are the winning combination.

Quote of the Week

“No one’s going to be bored to death into a sale.”

— Ash Ambirge