Customer Reviews

Commissions at Risk: A Real Estate Professional's Guide to Beating Online Competition

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Dr. Dani has done an excellent job of evaluating the Real Estate field from so many angles, that if you are not willing to learn and adapt, you could become one of the future casualties that she outlines in her book. As an IT professional with real world knowledge of real estate investing, Dr. Dani has THOROUGHLY researched each topic, and has provided examples from the perspective of the realtor, lender, appraiser, and several others. If you are introspective, and looking to increase your performance, or just want to stay on top, this is a GREAT book for you to read. I've gone back to sections of the book so many times, that I may need to buy another copy.

I found myself constantly waiting for the meat of the subject. The message that real estate agents are on the way of the horse and buggy was so redundant that I almost tossed it. Although there are occassional good points of interest I felt that I could have spent my time better. An experienced agent will question the experience of this author with the industry and a newbie might be misled without a basis in reality. No question that the industry is becoming dominated by third parties using the Internet to cash in on this mega-bucks industry but, this author seems to believe that you can purchase real estate like an airline ticket without accounting for the various laws regulating the industry on a state level.

The author of Commissions at Risk: A Real Estate Professional's Guide to Beating Online Competition brilliantly combines her expertise in information technology, real estate, and business to create a handbook for anyone interested in buying or selling property. The reader will better understand the impact the Internet has on the industry and be taken, step by step, through the process of strategically planning to successfully compete with it. The book is critical for survival in the ever-changing world of real estate.

Book was obviously authored by someone who hasn't had any practical real estate experience. She purports to advising agents but has no idea as to the value of an agent in a real estate transaction. I was disappointed in the content and would not recommend this book to fellow agents.

Bravo for Danielle Babb's new book, "Commissions at Risk"! Real estate agents have feared the technology revolution for years, but until now they have not been armed with a plan to pro-actively become part of the future of real estate. In her new book Ms. Babb lays out in a methodical manner the who, why, what, where and when of the fundamental technology shift that is taking place today in residential real estate brokerage. She shares with the reader how to embrace the change and use it to increase their market share and closed transactions. Explaining in detail how to get ahead of the competitions learning curve, any agent serious about staying in the business should read this definitive book.

Chapter titles include: Technology and Real Estate, Background of the Process, The Internet---Turning Services into Commodities, Knowing Your Competition, The Future of Real Estate and Technology, So What Can YOU Do About It?, and Investors Creating Markets Ripe for the Picking. Plus a Introduction, References and an Index.

My favorite part of the book talks in-depth about Web Based Versus Web Enabled. Many agents need to start thinking about the shift towards integration. Integration offers a web-based transaction, where all related information is stored and accessed by the principals, lenders, escrow and title companies. The final step includes the electronic signature of the client. This might sound new-age to some in the traditional brokerage industry, but be forewarned , your market share is being taken one percent at a time by new enabled brokerages. A must-read for existing and new agents, brokers and those looking to enter the future of real estate.

Mark Nash
Reviewer

I am semi-retired and been practicing Real Estate for the last year and a half and really enjoy it. I have been looking long and hard for someone who is willing to speak the truth about the Real Estate industry and tell it like it is without trying to be "politically correct". This book by Danielle Babb is the best item I have found so far that meets my requirements and thus I give it a favorable review. I hope to find some others that provide a more complete picture or I'll just have to write one myself. At this time I don't know if this is a threat or promise or both.

REAL ESTATE IS CHANGING: so what else is new? The use of the Internet is changing the way we shop for almost everything. I wouldn't dream of buying anything of value (car, TV, SPA etc.) without first searching the Web for information and downloading printing the spec. sheets. Of course my actual purchase may be made in a retail store where the sales agent is usually totally useless when competing against what I learned previously via the Internet.

All Danielle says in her book is that the housing marketing is following the same path and any agent who wishes to survice in this business had better prepare for the future. It is very hard to not agree with this perception in light of what is happening in many other industries such as autos, books, loans, insurance etc. She does not pretend to have the best answers but rather identifies a number of ares to investigate that may allow future agents to have some "value added".

My only disappointment with this book is that it did not highlight more of the other conditions and shortcomings in the real estate industry such as a complete lack of knowledge about building practices and codes preventing most agents from being able to ensure the purchase of a home without major defects. Many home inspections are pretty thorough but I have yet to meet an agent that will help the buyer fully understand the report.

BOTTOM LINE: This book is a quick read which I highly recommend while trying to determine what your "value add" will be in the upcoming years.