Teri Lussier celebrates exuberance with these Bob Fosse choreographed dance scenes set to Sing, sing, sing! by Benny Goodman:
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Category: Disintermediation (page 18 of 43)
Trans-Siberian Orchestra is the most successful of the many attempts to marry classical music to rock, with Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24 being their breakthrough hit:
It ain’t Christmas without the Barenaked Ladies. This is their Christmas medley with Sarah MacLachlan:
Dan Fogelberg died on December 16th of this year. This is Same Auld Lang Syne, the all time best Christmas Eve song ever written:
Technorati Tags: blogging, disintermediation, real estate, real estate marketing, technology
Elaborating on You don’t own me, Aimee Mann and ‘Til Tuesday with Voices carry:
Suzanne Vega, Blood makes noise:
Concrete Blonde covering Leonard Cohen, Everybody knows:
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by Brian Brady
Commercial Real Estate Finance Expert
Structured Debt and Equity
Licensed Real Estate Broker in AL, CA, and FL
There is a formidable conference, next month, that entertains the marriage of technology and real estate. I’ll be sharing the stage with one of the guys who started the whole RE.net, Dustin Luther. Kris Berg, Jim Duncan, Dan Green, and Jay Thompson, all giants in this space, will be contributing to the collective conversation as featured speakers.
Technology and real estate brokerage is an extraordinary marriage that is approaching its 10th or 15th anniversary, amid a misunderstood and sometimes tumultuous relationship. If you attended one on Dustin Luther’s “Relevance on the Internet” seminars, you might remember his history of the courtship. Dustin explained that the tech guys saw the large margins in our businesses as an opportunity to profit off of market inefficiencies. Of course, when they got their heads under the hood they found that the engine runs a little differently than they thought.
Online mortgage lending seemed to be the easiest way to disintermediate my kind. My kind responded with an explosion of product offerings that made the consumers beg for a helping human hand. Today, as the popularity of the 30 year fixed conforming loan is rising, the opportunity to disintermediate, once again, seems imminent. The need to “de-commoditize” your service offering, as a mortgage adviser, is more prevalent now than ever before. The banks and government are conspiring to limit consumer choices and do away with my kind in a cartel-like affront not seen since James Fisk and Jay Gould tried to corner the gold market, in 1869.
Advise and timely execution is all an independent mortgage originator has to offer, right now. Our “wholesale access” to residential real estate capital is dwindling and the information advantage we hoarded is being liberated by the transparency of information technology. Yet the very tool that contributed to our demise, information technology, can be the most important weapon in our arsenal as we fight our way to survival.
Success in this game will be a migration towards the concept of fiduciary from the bonds of functionary. If the consumer values you as Read more
From Teri Lussier, Stevie Wonder’s Superstition:
Paul Simon with Olodum, The Obvious Child:
Dusty Springfield with a potent message to Realtors, You Don’t Own Me:
And just as a reminder, this is the theme song for BloodhoundBlog Unchained:
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I was on Fox Business Network yesterday bitching about all the ways the U.S. government has interfered with the residential real estate market, resulting in both our recent boom and our current bust. The topic itself is not new to me, but it’s not something I’ve addressed in a full-blown philosophical argument. Surely that would be Quixotic, but when did that ever stop me? But: I’ve been very busy, and I’m about to get a whole lot busier. So last night I set that idea and everything else aside to bake some Christmas cookies. It was fun, it made the house smell good, and it actually brought Cameron out of his cave for a while. As soon as I can clear the decks today, I think I’m going to make fudge. Here’s the thing, and I have to remind myself every year: It’s Christmas. I don’t ever not work, but there ought to be room for play in the working day — at least some working days.
Meanwhile, here’s a bunch of stuff I might-could be dealing with, but ain’t:
Kelman had a post on all the crap he was force-fed prior to going on TV. I’m not picking on the man (for a change), this is a segue: I think we’re fools to buy into that crap. First, the mainstream media, to the extent that it clings to its creepy Vaudeville past, is the enemy of truth. Second, weblogging is the best friend the truth has made so far. The conclusion that I draw from these premises is that, even when we are on their turf, we should still behave our way. I hate everything phony, but even allowing for that, I think we damage our own credibility by playing their game their way. There’s no shortage of commercials on TV, but there’s damn little authenticity.
Zillow had a software release this week. How important was it? Important enough to be released eight days before Christmas, when no one is paying attention. What it amounts to, as far as I can discern from the effusive PR-speak in the press release, is smarter routines Read more
I have to agree with the FTC ‘s initial action but for all the wrong reasons. And I don’t agree with them now pursuing the case further. A few days ago a Judge 
dismissed the complaint filed by the FTC against a Detroit area Multiple Listing Service. The position of the FTC was that it was “hurting consumers” for Realcomp to deny brokers using an “exclusive agency listing” the right to be on Realtor.com and other public websites. The brokers who were up against the FTC decided it would be easier to just stop doing it so the judge dismissed the complaint. The FTC officials plan to pursue the case further (making a “Federal case out of it).
From Inman on December 13th:
This policy, which was adopted following the FTC’s complaint against Realcomp and other MLSs, provides an exception that allows MLSs to ban the transmission of listing information if the listed property’s street address or a graphic display of a property’s location is publicly displayed and the seller displays a for-sale-by-owner sign on the property or another sign or notice that indicates that the seller is seeking direct contact from buyers.
Meanwhile, Albert Hepp, a flat-fee broker who serves as president of the American Real Estate Broker Alliance, a national alliance of flat-fee brokers, said he is disappointed with the judge’s decision and NAR’s stance on the issue.
“We are disappointed in the ruling and urge the FTC to appeal,” he said. “Anyone who truly understands the MLS knows that this is a clear-cut case of an MLS hiding the listings of discounters to harm consumer choice. Once again, the NAR has unfortunately chosen to fight competition while claiming to promote it.”
For example, an attachment to the judge’s decision details an agreement by Realcomp and the FTC over a contested “search function policy” adopted in 2003 that defaulted to a search of exclusive-right-to-sell listings and required MLS users to specifically search for exclusive-agency listings to view those properties. That policy was changed in April 2007, and the agreement provides that Realcomp “shall … cease and desist from adopting or enforcing any policy, rule, Read more
I am a total sucker for classic shitkicker music. What makes the songs of Leonard Cohen work, as an example, is that they’re so simple musically that there is all the room in the world for the lyric. We listen to a lot of complicated music, but the stuff I love the best isn’t really music at all, it’s literature, a thoroughly modern take on lyric poetry. If you read Horace or especially Catullus — without your high-brow horned-rims on — you’ll understand Tom Petty like never before.
Change of heart:
With Stevie Nicks, Insider:
Here comes my girl:
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Chris Thile and Bryan Sutton explore the idea of excellence in a 20+ minute improvisational tour de force:
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I joined the Lake Grove Presbyterian Church choir about nine years ago. (Geno, chill. This is a story about excellence, not Bible Boy!) There was an interim director who led about twenty singers. The assumption of the director, and most of the elder hierarchy in a still dying denomination, was (is) that choirs and classical music are essentially passé, that contemporary music, a rock and roll praise band and ‘Jesus is my girlfriend’ anthems are necessary to put people in the pews. Armed with that assumption, the director aspired to mediocrity and almost succeeded; why put effort into something that’s dying?
I was on the search committee to find a permanent director. I had concerns about the person we picked – Wendy Bamonte, a wisp of a thirty-something with a terrific cv in instrumental music, but less so in choral. She was hired, but I took my concerns to the pastor anyway, who took them to Wendy, who called me and said: ‘Let’s talk.’ We did. It turned out she’s every bit as direct as I am, and out of that, um, lively discussion, developed a friendship that I’ve had with her and her husband since.
Wendy isn’t one who accepts conventional wisdom simply because it’s conventional. She had (has) a vision: provided excellence both in the choice of music and its preparation, choirs and classical music aren’t only not dead, but on the cutting edge of the future. No one believed it, of course, but it was nice to have someone passionate about something, as quaint as it seemed.
But she’s been driven from the first year eight years ago. Interested less in genre than in the excellence of the music, we’ve done everything from baroque to gospel. She’ll spend two weeks picking exactly the right music for a twelve week sermon series. She has the personality, drive and tact to get the most in the least amount of time out of unauditioned amateurs. Unlike those who protect themselves from anyone better, she brings in world-class directors for choral workshops. She’s very, very good at what she does, but still takes the time Read more
Lyle Lovett covers Townes Van Zandt on Flying shoes:
Mindy Smith covers Dolly Parton (with Dolly singing back-up!) on Jolene:
Gary Jules makes you forget all about Tears For Fears with his cover of Mad world:
Technorati Tags: blogging, disintermediation, real estate, real estate marketing, technology
There must be fifty ways to come unchained in rock ‘n’ roll. Here are three of them.
1. She’s free of him, whether he likes it or not. It’s Pure Prairie League with Falling in and out of love/Amie. This is one of the most incredible country-rock medleys ever committed to vinyl, but I can’t show you the studio version. The rights police want to make sure that nobody buys any old PPL albums this Christmas. Good thinking.
2. He’s free of her, and he’s not quite dancing in the streets. I’ve know about this version of Bob Dylan’s She’s your lover know, but I had never heard it until tonight. It was recorded at about the same time as Like a rolling stone, when Dylan was convinced he could become a singles act like the Beatles. Here is an abortive studio take. This raw piano version is better, I think, because there’s still room for regret, even if the singer knows he’s better off.
3. Why chain yourself to him when you can chain yourself to me instead? This is Jim Hendrix covering Bob Dylan on Baby can you please crawl out your window? This again was written at the same time, and the Hendrix version is clearly cribbed directly from Dylan’s Columbia single.
None of these are very good as videos, but do make an effort to disabuse yourself of the image of “bloodhounds that kneel.” No such thing.
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Saturday afternoon, about 2:30 I stopped by the Quiznos at Tatum & Thunderbird, it is in a little strip center right by my house. For those who like details, I had a Diet Pepsi and the regular size prime rib cheesesteak sandwich. Right next door to the Quiznos I saw this sign on the door:
I zoomed in so you could read it. Zooming back and stepping back just a bit it looks like this:
I suppose the advantage and the disadvantage of being in shopping center is foot traffic.
by Brian Brady
Commercial Real Estate Finance Expert
Structured Debt and Equity
Licensed Real Estate Broker in AL, CA, and FL
Glenn Kelman appeared on NBC. This time, he wasn’t the smartest kid in the class; he imitated Tom Bodett. Greg points out the “Duh” factor in the most recent Redfin Revelation:
Here’s real justice: Someday, an actual reporter is going turn to Kelman and say, “Glenn, you’re the expert. How do you set up a lease-purchase so the buyer doesn’t get screwed? What’s the best way to do seller financing — a contract-for-deed or a carryback? Under what circumstances should a buyer consider waiving inspections?” Just keep on smiling, Glenn. You’re asking for it, and you’re going to get it.
Here’s the problem (to quote Jeff Brown):
They don’t know what they don’t know (the public).
Kelmann is taking the Bodett approach to selling the Redfin USP. Instead of appearing as the bright boy with a rebel streak, he’s approaching this with a folksy twist. The message he’s sending the consumer is compelling:
“Aw Shucks! You don’t need no high fallutin’ REALTOR to sell your house. Just list it on craigslist.org…and leave the light on fer me. A professional REALTOR is a luxury; who can afford that?”
Right or wrong, dangerous advice or not, that message resonates with folks, who are facing the wrath of Countrywide, when they short sell their home. Why pay for sumthin’ that you don’t really need?
Even more astonishing is the trade union’s endorsement of his message. It’s like the Ritz Carlton endorsing Motel 6. (Hat tip to Jeff Kempe)
Redfin will fail. We all know that you can’t exist by selling widgets below the manufacturing cost of a widget. There are only so many investors who will fall for the internet start-up math before A Wall Street analyst cries foul. Their demise, however, should serve as a case study for how NOT to respond to the Trojan Horse.
Country-rock romance, great covers of great song-writers. Start with Leonard Cohen’s Tonight will be fine covered by Teddy Thompson:
Next, a buried treasure. Bobby Darin was an amazing talent who couldn’t manage to fit in anywhere. This is his cover of Tim Hardin’s If I were a carpenter:
Finally, Glenn Frey and Don Henley bring those incredible Eagles’ harmonies to Tom Waits’ Ol’ 55:
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