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West Palm Beach,#2Consumer Suggestion
Tue, September 05, 2006
To the person who asked about NAR support of House Values; NAR does not endorse (or support) any company unless they pay for that support. They pay by advertising in the magazine or offering "deals" via the Realtor Benefits program. So the "Higher Up" was kind of truthful. If I were you, I would ask the "higher up" why they allowed bottom feeders like House Values (and Reply.com and JustListed.com) to buy floor space at the NAR Annual Convention. Doesn't their presence in the exhibit space mean that NAR has reviewed their programs (or products)and has given tacit approval to them? I know of 2 or 3 people personally who have benefited from House Values. I also know of hundreds who have wasted thousands of dollars each for bogus leads.
Linda
Lebanon,#3Consumer Suggestion
Mon, September 04, 2006
I have also filed my own report about Housevalues on ROR. I have also filed with the WAG and BBB. Housevalues is still insisting that I pay the early cancellation fee. I called to cancel my subscription because of the bogus leads I received.The first thing that Robert told me was that how could Housevalues not be a good thing and that even NAR endorsed them.Maybe NAR needs to hear that. To the gentleman that works at Housevalues and did a rebuttal, many of us agents tried to work the leads. I responded promptly to my leads. Many phone calls to the people with very few answered calls and those that did answer told me they were just looking for their homes value.I can do that for free. everal of the addresses did not even exist and lets not even talk about the bogus names and e-mails. How do you work with a name like Joe Blow? Don't blame us realtors for not being able to make the leads work. Give us good leads with interested buyers or sellers and then we can make it work for us. What you are selling is bogus leads and uninterested buyers or sellers. As to the thousands of satisfied agents I don't believe that. I read the threads on your site and they were from the same handful of agents. All dissatisfied agent threads were removed. Sure maybe a handful can make it work but if you see all the reports here I am betting there are thousands not satisfied.
Chris
newark,#4Author of original report
Mon, September 04, 2006
I contacted the NAR and communicated with a very high up person who states NAR never allowed HouseValues to advertise on the Realtor website or in Real Estate mag. I am caught off guard here because I am certain they did. If anyone can offer some documentation about the "connection" between NAR and HouseValues, please post it so I can forward it to NAR. NAR seems to want to distance themselves from HouseValues. I feel that if we can show our trade organization that HouseValues marketed it "service" as endorsed by or even accepted by NAR, NAR will step in and help us all.
Brian
Selah,#5UPDATE Employee
Sun, September 03, 2006
You may be inclined to discredit my response because I fully disclose that I do work for the company. Before you do, consider the following, I work there because I talk to REAL estate professionals daily, who tell me how HV has changed their lives for the good. The leads DO have an independent test showing that more than 1 in 5 converted to a transaction over 12 months (tested nearly 100,000 at random). Usually, if only one converts, an entire subscription is payed for. Often however; there is an assumption that these sell themselves, which I have NEVER heard HV say. In fact, HV tries very hard to insure that it doesnt sell the subscription to the one in four who wont be in business next month, much less, next year! For the VAST MAJORITY of subscribers, the sytem provides EXCELLENT return on the marketing dollar. How much return do those billboards bring? If not, how do you explain SO many testimonials from these successful agents? As for people who were cancelled, it is interesting to note the complaint doesnt acknowledge that they failed to follow up on their leads, yet blame HV for their lack of success. IF AN AGENT FAUILS TO FOLLOW UP, HV HAS AN OBLIGATION TO SEPARATE THE AGENT FROM IT"S SYSTEM! As an employee, it is refreshing each and every day to talk with and hear from some of the thousands of true professionals who WORK the system and have grown their business greatly because of HV. Regards, Brian