The question: “Do you have plans for iBuyerSpy.com?”

The answer: No. I have a bunch of them.

1. I have software schemes to do an apples-to-apples comparison of all iBuyer transactions, a guesstimated ROI-per-deal based on real and rationally-imputed numbers. Imagine how helpful that would be to shareholders. This scales/partners nationally: MLS access + local APIs = full disclosure.

2. That by itself is a lead-generation engine, throwing off buyer leads, seller leads and iBuyer-referral leads. (I have lots of ideas for iBuyer-vamipring lead-gen candy-machines.) Lead-gen has never been my happy place, but I am in a partnerful mood generally. 

3. I wrote a bloggish post on LinkedIn earlier today, but in due course, iBuyerSpy.com will have a weblog – because, as we have seen, I have a lot to say about this.

4. This is career-training. Brian Brady and I built the BloodhoundBlog Unchained training conferences to free the grunts-on-the-ground from their slavery to every kind of golden handcuffs. In this effort, we managed to liberate at least two careers – his and mine. Most of the rest of our world lined up neatly under the boots of the realty.bots – and there they wait to be crushed. That seems like a fate to be avoided, so this may turn into more training events. For now, I am too much Paul Revere – or Chicken Little? – blaring about cataclysms to come.

But wait. There’s more…

5. I have a pricing engine – buy side, sell side, effortlessly-fine-tunable predictable-as-life-insurance ROI. Details, details, details: I eliminate all the specious proxy signals that mislead the Zestimetceteras and use the best data to get to the best, most-reliable numbers. I’ve been instantiating a piece of this, to prove the underlying logic, but the software I want will enfold all of everything, with everything priced to everything else, adjusted for influences by the actual impact of the influence, as-seen and as-adjused-for-over-time in that actual spot.

There’s more. Summer is always good to me, and Brian Brady always makes me think it’s raining soup. I am very much a champion of the iBuying idea. I’m not happy with what’s been done so far, but the shell of this egg is barely even cracked.

For now, I’m interested in what’s-now and what’s-next. The ROI question slays me, but I can’t get to it yet. Right now, I want to talk to everyday real estate pros about what is happening, what is going to happen – and where they will fit into this brave new world of retail real estate.

Here’s what matters: Housing is inescapably a brick-and-mortar business. Real estate representation may be in flux, but people who can make housing happen can always make a living.

And: Bless you. Thanks for asking!