Do I think the Z-Devil needs to be neutralized, somehow, some way? Yep!
Will I support anything that gets our data back into OUR hands? Yes ma'am.

Do I think the world needs to be saved? Nope.

Do I think real estate as we know it is doomed? Maybe for some, not for me.
Do I have a crystal ball? Yes, in fact I have 2 of them.  3:)

LOVE Candice A. Donofrio's answer!

I say, if we don't stay ahead of our own industry, we can't complain if smart entrepreneurs take it over. Taking it back is a lot harder than relinquishing our rights to our own busness in the first place. 

As an individual business owner, you have to decide whether you want to give up your own business, one entrepreneur at a time or if you want to stand up and fight for it. 

If you don't want to fight for it, don't bash others who do, as I'm seeing done with this new push that is being made to take the profession back.

Totally YOUR call!

Things change.  We need to adapt or die.

Annette,

Love Candice A. Donofrio answer.  I could not have said it better, and I would add that any savvy agent with a great brand can run circles around Zillow and make a 7 figure income.  A

The real estate business is constantly changing. You do not need to save real estate.

I'm in agreement with Thomas J. Nelson, Realtor,CRS,e-Pro as we both are members of the movement.

I remember the days when buyers HAD to work with an agent to get access to the homes for sale.  Buyers were MUCH more faithful and you had a relationship with that buyer.  I am a firm believer that we should go back to these days (or at least as close as we can).  I am a FIRM believer that IF a listing is on ANY PORTAL or any agent's IDX WEBPAGE the listing agent should be prominently displayed, all contact info should be easy to see and for the THIRD PARTY PORTALS the agent should be shown the respect of getting the lead FOR FREE to thank them for providing the portal with their listing, without which the portals would not be able to exist! 

Yes, I think the industry needs to be saved and needs to wake up and smell what's cooking.  We need to play videos of H. Ross Perot talking about the "big sucking sound" that will be all the jobs going south if NAFTA got approved.  He was laughed at (much as those who believe as I do are) and HE WAS RIGHT!  Listing agents should have 100% control over where their data goes.  First thing I did when I got back in was to pull my listings from the IDX pages and only allow them to go to Realtor.com  now days, I'd pull them from there too!  Once Buyer Hunt's website is up, running and has critical mass, I'll be removing them from the portals too and ONLY backing that horse in the race.

Love Candice A. Donofrio answer and Debe Maxwell, CRS. You are right it is our call!

Step # 1 - follow Fred Griffin advice

Step # 2 - I agree with Candice A. Donofrio 

 Abolish NAR

I think there is too much chicken little crying that the world is ending. I'm all about raising the barriers to entry.

Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 I agree with Candice A. Donofrio 's answer. We also need to take back control of our industry.

The Plan to Save Real Estate with BuyerHunt.com: the how it works and why it works; don't be left behind, the flood is coming and the ark is setting sail.

Make everyone knock on doors daily !!! This will quickly thin out the ranks !

What's to save, need to get ready to adapt to where the consumer wants us to be.

Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 - not sure if I will be around that long... lol! (First I have to save myself!)

I do not think real estate needs saving. We do need better agents. We will continue to see more and more interfernce from the ZTR's of the world, I don't see how we can mae them go away. The public loves them.

Some very interesting answers. Candice, Joe and Fred have some great ideas. We should all give it a bit more thought.

It does not need to be saved YET, but it is coming. Listing agents need to stop putting listings on sites that sell the leads to their listings to other agents. Use the sites where the listing agent gets all the leads.  These sites keep taking, keep pushing and are not shy to say they want to replace us

 When it comes down to the end it will be the ones with the most money that continues.

The big question will the internet bedevils earn enough to keep the investors happy.

As to raising the barriers, all the local boards here and a lot of offices think there is more in numbers!

Caveat emptor....

apps are attempting to take over everything. However fiduciary is missing & only licensing & a ethics driven operation can give fiduciary. Yet Apps beckon to all. Apps remain indifferent as to outcome. They are only true to themselves. Save us from apps that attempt to do Real Estate

Interesting, I just wrote my AR February contest entry that addresses this! If you care what I think, go there, if not, that's ok too.

I have no problem with Real estate as it is. I have considered dropping out of the MLS but I think it's good for it to exist for those who want it Annette Lawrence , Palm Harbor, FL 727-420-4041 

Candice A. Donofrio nailed this one!

I don't think real estate needs to be saved.

I don't know about saved, but fixed.  Get a better handle on the lead gen companies that use false info

The market takes care of itself so natural selection and survival of the fittest will determine the future.

Things are always changing .