More notes from the Counselors of Real Estate mid-year convention.  This time, it’s a round-up of trends for the retail sector. Destination Shopping Shopping hasn’t really changed its model in 100 years.  It’s still treated by too many retailers as a chore and local only experience.  Retailers are looking at ways to attract shoppers with [...]

Once again, the Main Street Fairness Act (S. 734) is kicking its way through Congress.  The law will give states the authority to tax internet sales so that brick and mortar retailers will no longer be penalized for doing the “right thing” all these years.  As an aside, the states should get an estimated $20 [...]

Back in 2000 a company name Zethus tried to disrupt the CRE industry.  Developed by a former lawyer/real estate executive, the company started out as an online discount broker.  The intention was to create a real online marketplace with electronically managed transactions – a real alternative to and competition for the current broker model. Zethus [...]

I’m really tired of most of you taking our data to fill out your site and then letting it sit there.  Maybe you’re under-staffed or underestimated the amount of time it takes to keep up data.  Having seen brokerages deal with that issue, I can sympathize.  But all but the most incompetent broker keeps an [...]

Last week’s post on LoopNet led to some interesting comments/discussion.  Is it a marketplace, marketing platform, data provider,  all of those things or something else?  What these things mean can vary, so I’ll start with my own definitions. Marketplace To me, a marketplace is a collection of buyers and sellers transacting business. While LoopNet can [...]