Should we organize a "FSBO Camp," a real estate unconference for homebuyers & sellers?

IDEA STARTER announced at February meeting of Boston Media Makers: Looking for consumer feedback on FSBOCamp, a potential "unconference" for home buyers & sellers to showcase "Real Estate a la carte." Unlike previous REBarCamps, this event would be Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) rather than B2B (Business-to-Business). A short history of attempts to organize "fee-for-service" real estate providers is evolving on our wiki. Scan the list of speakers and topics from The Consumer Revolution in Real Estate, an event organized sixteen years ago in Boston, April 2-3, 1993, and let us know what you'd like to discuss, learn, present or see "Demo'ed" at an unconference targeted at do-it-yourself home buyers and sellers.

Update on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 11:30AM by RealEstateCafe

FSBOTradeMart: Idea starter> Get owners selling "for sale by owner," vendors & buyers together Think #BarCamp or #FSBOCamp TweetUp to plan?

http://twitter.com/RealEstateCafe/status/4056065237

Comments

[Erlew Rawlins III]

Consumers of real estate services continue to be disadvantaged in the home buying and home selling process. Real estate professionals usually seek to gain financial advantage over advocating for the individual. Large brokerage companies push the need for enhancing commission income without the supporting "service" to earn the fees. When consumers are "trained" and informed better, they should be able to perform no worse than the real estate professional but at a financial benefit. Your idea of a "boot camp" is cleaver and very needed...just provide educational and practical ideas, as well as warnings of how real estate people can entrap consumers.

[Joel Stern]

I second Erle's view. The need for consumer education and networking in this field is so obvious that is requires no comment. However, since the mainstream media are clearly unwilling to educate the public about real estate rpactices, some other venue has to be found. The Intternet is helpful, certainly, but not everyone has ready access to it, especially those who are most vulneable to real estate fraud (minorities, the elderly, recent immigrant, those below the poverty line, etc.). How can we develop outreach to these most at risk?

[RealEstateCafe]

Erle & Joel,

Thanks for your comments. Do either of you have a topic or topics you would be willing to present online, using one of the screen sharing or video conferencing technologies? When we presented a round table debriefing two weeks ago at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School, we had three audiences -- people in the room, several guest presenters on a conference call, and anyone else could join us via a webcast / chat.

Erle, I'd love to see what kind of slide presentation you'd like to present on "Defensive Homebuying." Joel, I'd be willing to edit some of the video we shot last May in DC so other consumers can see how dual agency helped create inflated housing values! Including two blog posts so others can read about your experience:

Double Bubble: How counterfeit buyer agents inflated the housing bubble
http://tinyurl.com/DoubleBubble1

Misleading home buyers: Conflict of Interest? What conflict of interest
http://tinyurl.com/Conflict1

[FSBlOg (Genevieve)]

I think it is a good idea, if executed thoughtfully. As a FSBO seller, I have gotten what I can only describe as Realtor propaganda - many times in the form of articles supposedly on how to sell FSBO but which were really articles on the "dangers" of selling FSBO and why you should use an agent. Owners would have to know that this is NOT that kind of program, it is really to help them - I really like the idea of it being "Consumer-to-Consumer." Anything that can turn around the perception that using an agent is the standard way and reinforce that sellers (and buyers too!) have options (it's your house, after all) I think is a great thing.

[RealEstateCafe]

Genevieve,

Realtor propaganda --LOL! I think you are correct -- Just look at how much money state and national associations spend warning sellers about the dangers of selling FSBO. Wish they had spent a fraction of that warning consumers about the danger of buying in an overvalued housing market.

So, what's the best way to let consumers know that the unconference genuinely seeks to help buyers and sellers maximize their savings by minimizing transaction costs? My goal would be to invite "best of breed" vendors at each step in the house buying and selling process to demonstrate how DIY buyers and sellers can use their product, service, site, etc. to SAVE MONEY!

Do you think buyers and sellers should come to the same event, or should there be separate events, particularly one for FSBOs?

Do you think one event would be information overload, or a good way for consumers to see the full menu of "real estate a la carte"?

Thanks for sharing your perspective, and please invite other buyers and sellers to contribute!

Bill