Byron Lazine and Nicole White are two agents in Connecticut who give us their thoughts on the week’s news every Friday in “The Real Word,” a weekly video column on Inman.
Last week, Mike DelPrete penned an opinion piece on Inman about how Zillow’s decision to hire agents is a megatrend people in the industry shouldn’t ignore.
“The industry is moving so slow you can look around and think nothing is changing (or get caught up in the hype and think everything is changing),” he wrote. “That’s why now — more than ever before — is the time to stay informed, understand the scope of change, and react appropriately.”
Since Zillow’s news broke out, agents have been urging others to shift their attention from what Zillow is doing and focus on building their own brand and bringing more value to clients instead. Byron and Nicole weighed in on each approach. They also talked about agent efficiency, schedule flexibility and the possible pros and cons of regular agent paychecks.
To sum it up, Byron said: “Here’s one statement I’m willing to make — the individual 1099 agent is dead. That game is over, folks.” If you’re not a part of a team or an employee model, according to Byron, “you will not be able to make a living in this industry.”
More this week: Byron and Nicole talked about changes to inbound moves. It’s no surprise that COVID-19 has changed everything — and that includes where people are moving to. The episode covered some top inbound states for COVID-impacted moves, based on a study released by United Van Lines.
Marketeer of the week
Ryan Serhant is the Marketeer once again, this time for the branding around his new brokerage. According to The Real Deal, Serhant “will focus on selling New York City properties through the global referral network he has cultivated through his real estate course and a suite of marketing divisions.”
Want to nominate a “marketeer of the week”? Drop your thoughts in the comments section below, or shoot us an email.
