[njtosd]

Read on, my friend. Later in the article you will find the following paragraph:

“The goal is to change the perception of the company — for now, the company has no plans to reduce the commission rebates it offers to buyers. Although ZipRealty advertises itself as willing to offer commission discounts to sellers, those discounts are negotiated on a case-by-case basis.”

Again, as I mentioned in my earlier post – the article indicates that the goal is to change the perception of the company. They have announced no plans to change their actual business model.

I think the more interesting data is that Redfin has not gone public and has not received any financing since 2007. That either means that they (a) aren’t successful enough to attract additional financing, or (b) they don’t need it.

[njtosd]

Read on, my friend. Later in the article you will find the following paragraph:

“The goal is to change the perception of the company — for now, the company has no plans to reduce the commission rebates it offers to buyers. Although ZipRealty advertises itself as willing to offer commission discounts to sellers, those discounts are negotiated on a case-by-case basis.”

Again, as I mentioned in my earlier post – the article indicates that the goal is to change the perception of the company. They have announced no plans to change their actual business model.

I think the more interesting data is that Redfin has not gone public and has not received any financing since 2007. That either means that they (a) aren’t successful enough to attract additional financing, or (b) they don’t need it.

[njtosd]

[quote=sdrealtor]
Read here the sad tale of ZIPRealty which is exiting markets and moving away from the discount model.

http://www.inman.com/news/2011/01/10/ziprealty-shutter-offices-in-11-markets%5B/quote%5D

I don’t see anything in the article saying that they are moving away from the discount model. They are planning on reducing the emphasis on discounting as a PR move, but that’s all that I see in the text of the article. Plus, when there is a new business model, only the best start ups succeed. Failure of at least a few is assumed (i.e. Beta Max vs. VCR). I’m not convinced discount brokers are the wave of the future, but I don’t think one business contraction proves a failure of the basic strategy.

[njtosd]

[quote=sdrealtor]
Read here the sad tale of ZIPRealty which is exiting markets and moving away from the discount model.

http://www.inman.com/news/2011/01/10/ziprealty-shutter-offices-in-11-markets%5B/quote%5D

I don’t see anything in the article saying that they are moving away from the discount model. They are planning on reducing the emphasis on discounting as a PR move, but that’s all that I see in the text of the article. Plus, when there is a new business model, only the best start ups succeed. Failure of at least a few is assumed (i.e. Beta Max vs. VCR). I’m not convinced discount brokers are the wave of the future, but I don’t think one business contraction proves a failure of the basic strategy.

[njtosd]

[quote=sdrealtor]
Read here the sad tale of ZIPRealty which is exiting markets and moving away from the discount model.

http://www.inman.com/news/2011/01/10/ziprealty-shutter-offices-in-11-markets%5B/quote%5D

I don’t see anything in the article saying that they are moving away from the discount model. They are planning on reducing the emphasis on discounting as a PR move, but that’s all that I see in the text of the article. Plus, when there is a new business model, only the best start ups succeed. Failure of at least a few is assumed (i.e. Beta Max vs. VCR). I’m not convinced discount brokers are the wave of the future, but I don’t think one business contraction proves a failure of the basic strategy.

[njtosd]

[quote=sdrealtor]
Read here the sad tale of ZIPRealty which is exiting markets and moving away from the discount model.

http://www.inman.com/news/2011/01/10/ziprealty-shutter-offices-in-11-markets%5B/quote%5D

I don’t see anything in the article saying that they are moving away from the discount model. They are planning on reducing the emphasis on discounting as a PR move, but that’s all that I see in the text of the article. Plus, when there is a new business model, only the best start ups succeed. Failure of at least a few is assumed (i.e. Beta Max vs. VCR). I’m not convinced discount brokers are the wave of the future, but I don’t think one business contraction proves a failure of the basic strategy.

[njtosd]

[quote=sdrealtor]
Read here the sad tale of ZIPRealty which is exiting markets and moving away from the discount model.

http://www.inman.com/news/2011/01/10/ziprealty-shutter-offices-in-11-markets%5B/quote%5D

I don’t see anything in the article saying that they are moving away from the discount model. They are planning on reducing the emphasis on discounting as a PR move, but that’s all that I see in the text of the article. Plus, when there is a new business model, only the best start ups succeed. Failure of at least a few is assumed (i.e. Beta Max vs. VCR). I’m not convinced discount brokers are the wave of the future, but I don’t think one business contraction proves a failure of the basic strategy.

[njtosd]

[quote=briansd1]

If we force fat people to pay proportionately more for their health care, maybe people would make adjustments to their eating habits.[/quote]

Do you mean they should pay more for the care, or for the insurance?

[njtosd]

[quote=briansd1]

If we force fat people to pay proportionately more for their health care, maybe people would make adjustments to their eating habits.[/quote]

Do you mean they should pay more for the care, or for the insurance?

[njtosd]

[quote=briansd1]

If we force fat people to pay proportionately more for their health care, maybe people would make adjustments to their eating habits.[/quote]

Do you mean they should pay more for the care, or for the insurance?

[njtosd]

[quote=briansd1]

If we force fat people to pay proportionately more for their health care, maybe people would make adjustments to their eating habits.[/quote]

Do you mean they should pay more for the care, or for the insurance?

[njtosd]

[quote=briansd1]

If we force fat people to pay proportionately more for their health care, maybe people would make adjustments to their eating habits.[/quote]

Do you mean they should pay more for the care, or for the insurance?

[njtosd]

For what it’s worth – we left San Diego about three years ago after the company my husband worked for closed. He took a great job in PA (just over the border from NJ) and we looked forward to lower home prices, living in something other than a tract home and some of the “sanity” that you are talking about. We both grew up in the midwest (Chicago and Michigan) and thought we knew what we were getting into.

As you can see from my username, we’d love to move back . . . The beautiful fall color is great . . . until they want $5000 (this was the average estimate) for “fall yard clean up,” i.e. leaf removal. The area is beautiful and strewn with boulders, which make great landscape features – on the other hand, the terrain makes running water pipes and sewers difficult, so you are left with well water and septic. Because of the terrain, a large portion of the electrical system is above ground, so during bad weather you frequently lose the electricity necessary for the well pump, which eliminates all use of your plumbing, drinking water, etc.
More importantly, my kids’ elementary school was built before the one that I attended in the 60s – 70s and hasn’t seen too many upgrade – but inexplicably gets very high marks. The per student cost is 50% higher than our old school district (DMUSD) at the elementary level and 100% higher at the high school level – but the results aren’t as good (based on comparisons of state rankings based on standardized tests). The kids aren’t allowed to go outside for recess if the temperature goes below 32 degrees – which means for 4 or 5 months of the school year. The beautiful roads that wind through the forest are the same ones that the children travel on in the school bus on icy winter days. Most of the little towns have volunteer fire departments and EMS – and the volunteer EMS people will be traveling those same icy roads if they (heaven forbid) ever need to take you to the hospital. (The closest hospital is 30 minutes away assuming no weather issues and no traffic.)

The worst part is this: most people who live here haven’t ever lived anywhere else, but swear it’s “the best.” They are convinced that no changes are necessary.

San Diego is expensive. It has a lot more advertisements for plastic surgery, tiny parking spaces, astronomical home prices and a laundry list of other issues. On the other hand, the infrastructure is relatively new, there is an acceptance of new and different ideas and there is a healthy emphasis on education. And you can open your windows most days of the year. Before you move to Minnesota (or wherever) take a look at the total package.

[njtosd]

For what it’s worth – we left San Diego about three years ago after the company my husband worked for closed. He took a great job in PA (just over the border from NJ) and we looked forward to lower home prices, living in something other than a tract home and some of the “sanity” that you are talking about. We both grew up in the midwest (Chicago and Michigan) and thought we knew what we were getting into.

As you can see from my username, we’d love to move back . . . The beautiful fall color is great . . . until they want $5000 (this was the average estimate) for “fall yard clean up,” i.e. leaf removal. The area is beautiful and strewn with boulders, which make great landscape features – on the other hand, the terrain makes running water pipes and sewers difficult, so you are left with well water and septic. Because of the terrain, a large portion of the electrical system is above ground, so during bad weather you frequently lose the electricity necessary for the well pump, which eliminates all use of your plumbing, drinking water, etc.
More importantly, my kids’ elementary school was built before the one that I attended in the 60s – 70s and hasn’t seen too many upgrade – but inexplicably gets very high marks. The per student cost is 50% higher than our old school district (DMUSD) at the elementary level and 100% higher at the high school level – but the results aren’t as good (based on comparisons of state rankings based on standardized tests). The kids aren’t allowed to go outside for recess if the temperature goes below 32 degrees – which means for 4 or 5 months of the school year. The beautiful roads that wind through the forest are the same ones that the children travel on in the school bus on icy winter days. Most of the little towns have volunteer fire departments and EMS – and the volunteer EMS people will be traveling those same icy roads if they (heaven forbid) ever need to take you to the hospital. (The closest hospital is 30 minutes away assuming no weather issues and no traffic.)

The worst part is this: most people who live here haven’t ever lived anywhere else, but swear it’s “the best.” They are convinced that no changes are necessary.

San Diego is expensive. It has a lot more advertisements for plastic surgery, tiny parking spaces, astronomical home prices and a laundry list of other issues. On the other hand, the infrastructure is relatively new, there is an acceptance of new and different ideas and there is a healthy emphasis on education. And you can open your windows most days of the year. Before you move to Minnesota (or wherever) take a look at the total package.

[njtosd]

For what it’s worth – we left San Diego about three years ago after the company my husband worked for closed. He took a great job in PA (just over the border from NJ) and we looked forward to lower home prices, living in something other than a tract home and some of the “sanity” that you are talking about. We both grew up in the midwest (Chicago and Michigan) and thought we knew what we were getting into.

As you can see from my username, we’d love to move back . . . The beautiful fall color is great . . . until they want $5000 (this was the average estimate) for “fall yard clean up,” i.e. leaf removal. The area is beautiful and strewn with boulders, which make great landscape features – on the other hand, the terrain makes running water pipes and sewers difficult, so you are left with well water and septic. Because of the terrain, a large portion of the electrical system is above ground, so during bad weather you frequently lose the electricity necessary for the well pump, which eliminates all use of your plumbing, drinking water, etc.
More importantly, my kids’ elementary school was built before the one that I attended in the 60s – 70s and hasn’t seen too many upgrade – but inexplicably gets very high marks. The per student cost is 50% higher than our old school district (DMUSD) at the elementary level and 100% higher at the high school level – but the results aren’t as good (based on comparisons of state rankings based on standardized tests). The kids aren’t allowed to go outside for recess if the temperature goes below 32 degrees – which means for 4 or 5 months of the school year. The beautiful roads that wind through the forest are the same ones that the children travel on in the school bus on icy winter days. Most of the little towns have volunteer fire departments and EMS – and the volunteer EMS people will be traveling those same icy roads if they (heaven forbid) ever need to take you to the hospital. (The closest hospital is 30 minutes away assuming no weather issues and no traffic.)

The worst part is this: most people who live here haven’t ever lived anywhere else, but swear it’s “the best.” They are convinced that no changes are necessary.

San Diego is expensive. It has a lot more advertisements for plastic surgery, tiny parking spaces, astronomical home prices and a laundry list of other issues. On the other hand, the infrastructure is relatively new, there is an acceptance of new and different ideas and there is a healthy emphasis on education. And you can open your windows most days of the year. Before you move to Minnesota (or wherever) take a look at the total package.

[Author]

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