Sunday
22Jun2008
Zillow discussions would make a good case study for a Psychology course
Sunday, June 22, 2008 at 06:29PM 
I left Zillow discussions about 7 or 8 months ago because the same people were saying the same things over and over. There was a handful of doomers bullying everyone else, and a couple of cheerleaders hooraying back at them.
I just visited and the same people are there saying the same things. It's the biggest waste of internet space I've seen. Good God, Zillow, kill it!
(photo from grinningplanet.com)
Reader Comments (9)
Amen, Bro, amen.
Thanks for the support Brother Jeff. Don't forget about my worship site where you can worship me and network at the same time, all for a measly $250.00
Discussions can certainly be improved upon. But with a quarter million posts so far and a loyal, vibrant user base, we're obviously not going to be killing it. I would like to see the conversation better serve local pro's and as I've mentioned to you, we've got something in the works for that.
And as usual, another perspective on your post, Mike. It shouldn't surprise you that RE consumers ask the same questions over and over again or that they share the same fears. It shouldn't even surprise you that they're ill-informed. Or opinionated. And it shouldn't surprise agents when consumers treat agents like agents treat vendors.
It's not the negative aspect of the discussion that bothers me. If the main participants were rational people interested in real discussions to further a true understandong of real estate and all the changes taking place, and all the changes which need to take place, I'd love a forum like that. However, it's controled by a handful of people with agendas who use group intimidation to control their agenda.
The only way for rational people to even want to enter the fray is for Zillow moderators to be more active in setting the tone to counter-balance the hold the agenda-seekers have over the discussions. You have allowed the most rude and obnoxious to take over, and most reasonable folk don't have the time or patience to jump in and be a part of it.
David, I've seen this in discussion groups since 1995 -- unless you moderate with a strong objective presence, the big-mouths control it. But, it takes a lot of effort to properly moderate discussions like this and, frankly, I don't think it is important enough to Zillow to moderate properly. It would have to be a priority and it doesn't generate enough revenue, if any, I'm sure, for you guys to expend the effort to turn it into something useful.
But if it's not important to you, then it's not worth my time to participate -- leave it a perverted zoo for those with morbid interests if you think it has value -- I see no value.
"perverted zoo" Come on, Mike. I think thou doest protest too much.
How about some constructive criticism? E-mail me links to 5 recent discussions that you believe should have been moderated and let's discuss them. Good feedback is something I can always use.
David, Iwon't play that game. I started watching the discussions bout a year ago - I participated for about 3 months - over time the agenda seekers ganged up on anyone who proposed objective ideas, and many times it got nasty -- no one from Zillow moderated anything except the most egregious offenses and it gradually ran out all rational discourse until now it's controlled by one mindset -- a small group of westcoast "doomers". If you call that a wide base, then so be it. Have you ever heard of Tennessee, Missisippi, Georgia, Kansas, Minnesota -- they are states outside California and Washington. :)
What you have is a handful of big mouths with a single political viewpoint being obnoxious when other viewpoints are brought up or other parts of the country are represented. Of course you don't see it now, it's dead.
If you would like, I will start a discussion for you to get a picture of what you have, though.
http://www.zillow.com/forum/site/ViewThread.htm?tid=35681
Here's a good place for a moderator to step in and clarify it's not Zillow's policy that agents aren't needed for new construction - if done correctly and guided properly, it could turn into a good discussion about whether agents are helpful or just money-grubbing parasites. The one guy is promoting a form of fraud.
It's discussions that start off like this unattended by a Zillow moderator that set the tone for what many read on Zillow.
Over-all, the tone is anti-agent. I'm fine with that if you are, but I won't be advertising on Zillow as long it goes unmoderated.
There's a townhome development in a small town close to Savannah that was about half-built when people were paying top dollar, but then the other half slowed, then the prices started dropping like a rock -- the ones who bought half-way are now looking at units sell below what they paid -- could a buyer's agent have helped in this situation -- I could have, because I saw the shift and overload of townhomes in an area that is not ready for as many as they built.
That's not to say the same situation exists for this questioner, but it could be and an experienced agent could help him determine the best buy and best conditions.
But try telling that to the anti-agents on Zillow. They've won the war on your site settingthe tone for Zillow. If I was an executive at Zillow, I'd be worried about that tone, because Zillow's future success won't come from these doomers who rent and hate anything that is progressive and succeeds.
Here's a nice little unmoderated piece of a discussion :
"Compare that to anything in the real estate industry. Seriously. There is no comparison. Real estate gets away with everything but murder, and I wouldn't put that itself past consideration for the NAR."
It's this constant drumbeat and blanket dismissal of any positive news as NAR propaganda that sets the tone and prevents intelligent people from joining. And, if you want to know the real negative effect, it's the lowering of intelligent discussion because intelligent people won't be attracted.
That's not just with Zillow -- it's something social media will have to work on, attracting mature, intelligent people.