Blog This House? You Better Not If You Are A Realtor

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Should Realtors blog about houses? Is blogging the same thing as advertising? A fascinating story evolving in Seattle raises these issues, specifically: Can Realtors publish blogs with comments about houses listed by other Realtors? The answer from the MLS in Seattle appears to be ‘No way.’

From the Seattle P-I: ‘The Northwest Multiple Listing Service has fined Redfin $50,000 and asked the company to stop publishing a popular blog in which the online real estate brokerage posted reviews of Seattle-area homes. ... MLS rules prohibit brokers from advertising another member’s listing without permission.’

This prompted a vigorous debate on the Seattle real estate blog ‘Rain City Guide’:

In defense of Redfin’s blog:
--’This is absurd... The MLS seems to be arguing that any public mention of a listed property by a member is advertising.’
--’If the truth harms the seller, then the seller SHOULD BE HARMED. If it ain’t truth, it’s libel and there are legal recourses for that.’

In defense of the MLS:
--’The reality is that talking about someone else’s listings steals their business. It’s true. If I write posts about the best properties out there, it is likely some people will call me to buy them.’
--’What if a post about your listed property said, ‘This property has now been on the market for 4 months. Come on in and make an offer, now. The Seller is probably getting desparate!’ If you were the Seller, or if you were the agent, how would you feel about a post like this?’
--’It is no one’s inherent right to throw eggs at someone’s house.’

Thoughts? Comments? Don’t be Shy. Email story tips to lalandblog@yahoo.com
Thanks to Manhattan Beach Confidential for this story tip.