Dave Barry sues Realtor associations. He has been suing Realtor associations for years. I don’t know that anyone could say that he sues Realtor associations for a living because he almost always loses. And it is hard to imagine that any lawyer who had a pot to piss in would keep doing the same stupid thing year after year after year – even though it was obvious to any rational person that it could not succeed. If Dave would like to send me a threatening letter or sue me for what I am writing here, this is my contact information. Dave Barry is behind Trust MLS. This is his “Open MLS” program that he tried (and failed) to get on the ballot in California in 2005. Now he is trying it in Maine. A much smaller state where it would require a LOT less money to try and shove this down everyone’s throat. I believe (Dave, please notice I said I BELIEVE, not “IS“‘) Dave to be a charter member of the “What’s Yours Is Mine Club”. This is also sometimes referred to as “something for nothing” or simply “criminal”. I don’t know if it would actually be libel to characterize him as a litigious lunatic, so we won’t do that here. Certainly, the NAR lawyers and the various state association lawyers aren’t going to come out and physically say that. Almost all lawyers (at least in the U.S.) have a “lawyer to lawyer respect” rule that they follow. It just isn’t right to say something unkind or inflammatory about someone who finished law school and was admitted to the bar – not if you finished law school and were admitted to the bar.
The following was reported yesterday on Inman News:
He is also a part of Trust MLS, a group that is supporting the Maine ballot initiative and encourages supporters in other states to pursue similar measures. This group, along with real estate companies Redfin, Catalist Homes and Voyager 360, among others, had offered financial support to the institute, and Trust MLS plans to submit a bid to operate the proposed public Open MLS system.
Yes. Redfin. Yes, that Glenn Kelman.
Glenn Kelman says:
Redfin has not offered financial support to any political organizations, including Dave Barry’s. I have met Dave, I actually appreciate his genuine and flamboyant style and I probably agree with his point of view on many subjects, but Redfin cannot provide financial support to any political organizations when we are not turning a profit.
As a separate point, I respect anyone who stands up for what he believes in, rather than calculating his odds of success, or seeing which way the wind blows. Dave can persist despite losses, because when he loses, he loses nothing. Many of us make compromises that seem acceptable if we win, but which haunt us in defeat.
April 7, 2007 — 7:45 am
Russell Shaw says:
Glenn,
I totally agree that persisting in spite of the apparent odds against winning can be a very admirable trait. I suppose I could have been more specific with regard to what I was protesting. I have no quarrel with anyone who cares to enter the real estate business (at any level) and go after any market segment they think they might be able to capture. I have nothing but disagreement and contempt for those who behave like Mr. Barry. He has spent years endlessly attacking Realtors and Realtor associations. Like your Bill of Rights, his “consumer advocate” veneer is quite thin and very easy for any thinking person to see through. Quite simply, Dave Barry has been attempting to destroy the real estate industry so HE can make lots of money.
There is a Scale of Motivation, it goes highest to lowest:
Duty
Personal Conviction
Personal Gain
Money
There is nothing wrong with making LOTS of money. There is everything wrong with only being money motivated. People who attempt to set themselves up as opinion leaders, on a “we’re-here-to-help-everyone” flow, but who are really money motivated, will ultimately fail. Even if they succeed in making the money, they will wind up failing. Money motivation is not a stable motivation.
April 8, 2007 — 12:19 am
Russell Shaw says:
Here is the latest: http://realtytimes.com/rtapages/20070525_barrynemesis.htm
May 28, 2007 — 2:55 pm