Talk:Realtor.com

Request to update Marketing section
Currently, the Marketing section says: "Elizabeth Banks became a spokesperson for Realtor.com in 2015, appearing in the company's YouTube series targeting millennials buying their first home.  Her first commercial for the company was directed by Fred Savage. Realtor.com's current campaign, "The Home of Home Search", launched in April 2018. The website's advertising campaigns have been recognized by Adweek, the Online Marketing Media and Advertising (OMMA) Awards,  and the Webby Awards for their creativity, use of talent, and digital advertising.

I propose replacing with the following, which correctly describes "Homes for Every Home Buyer" as the current campaign, not "The Home of Home Search":

Elizabeth Banks became a spokesperson for Realtor.com in 2015, appearing in the company's YouTube series targeting millennials buying their first home. Her first commercial for the company was directed by Fred Savage. A subsequent campaign, "The Home of Home Search", launched in April 2018. Realtor.com's current campaign, "Homes for Every Home Buyer" uses the tagline "to each their home". One ad features rapper Big Boi in "Our First Big Boi House", which depicts first-time homebuyers of color and celebrates Black homeownership. The website's advertising campaigns have been recognized by Adweek, the Online Marketing Media and Advertising (OMMA) Awards, and the Webby Awards for their creativity, use of talent, and digital advertising.

Again, my goal here is to make the article more accurate and up to date, based on secondary coverage. Thanks! Inkian Jason (talk) 19:02, 27 June 2022 (UTC)
 * Yes check.svg Done Bowler the Carmine  |  talk  10:04, 22 November 2022 (UTC)
 * Thanks again. Inkian Jason (talk) 15:19, 22 November 2022 (UTC)

Updates re: risk data and UpNest
Finally, I'd like to propose two additional updates to the News Corp era section, both of which are well-documented in news coverage.

1. I propose adding mention of flood and wildfire risk data, per USA Today, NPR, Fortune, and Inman.com. Following is suggested text:


 * In August 2020, Realtor.com launched a digital tool to help people assess the risk of flooding to a home over the course of a 30-year mortgage. In May 2022, Realtor.com added wildfire risk data to the online tool. Both integrations were a result of collaboration with the First Street Foundation, a nonprofit research and technology organization that uses data and technology to predict climate-related risks.

2. I also propose adding mention of the acquisition of UpNext, based on Inman.com and MarketWatch:


 * Move acquired UpNest in June 2022. UpNest connects home sellers and buyers with local agents competing for business. Users who submit leads through the marketplace receive proposals from three to five agents within twelve hours.

I'd like to think these are fairly non-controversial updates which give readers an overview of services offered. User:Chetsford and User:CNMall41 have reviewed similar requests before, if either of you are interested in taking another look at what I've proposed. Thanks! Inkian Jason (talk) 19:18, 27 June 2022 (UTC)
 * I posted this request before seeing this addition to the article. The article's current text is based on UpNest's official website, so I suggest replacing with what I've drafted based on secondary coverage. Thanks again! Inkian Jason (talk) 19:25, 27 June 2022 (UTC)


 * @Inkian Jason Implemented the first change, but not the second since the article already had the UpNest transaction added.  I suggest making a new edit request if more changes are requested. Duke Gilmore (talk) 18:07, 6 December 2022 (UTC)

Updates
On behalf of Move, I'd like to request a few updates to this Wikipedia article. I've outlined three suggestions below, with separate edit request templates for each for easier review.

Unnecessary detail, license numbers
First, I'd like to request a revert of this edit, which added unnecessary detail including specific license numbers and language about kickbacks. This does not seem appropriate, so I would ask editors to return to the previously approved language for Opcity and UpNest.

Thanks in advance for any help here. Inkian Jason (talk) 16:29, 17 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Yes check.svg Done CNMall41 (talk) 20:44, 24 May 2023 (UTC)
 * https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/antitrust-resource-manual-2-antitrust-division-field-offices
 * UpNest and Opcity are licensed real estate brokers. "Horizontal customer allocation is an agreement among competitors at the same level of distribution of a product or service that each will service certain designated customers or classes of customers and will not attempt to compete, or will limit the manner in which they will compete, for the business of customers allocated to a competitor." Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/antitrust-resource-manual-2-antitrust-division-field-offices
 * Identifying UpNest and Opcity as licensed brokerages is important detail because these are "sham" brokerages that organize other brokers into networks on "same level of distribution of a product or service" aided by wire. This is a felony in the US, not a service. You may learn about the reasons here:
 * https://homeopenly.com/guide/Blanket-Referral-Agreements-in-Real-Estate
 * https://homeopenly.com/guide/UpNest-Price-Fixing-Collusion
 * https://homeopenly.com/guide/Realtor-Opcity-Possible-Antitrust-Violations
 * UpNest and Opcity real estate licenses are public record with TREC and CA-DRE:
 * https://www2.dre.ca.gov/PublicASP/pplinfo.asp?License_id=01928572
 * https://www.trec.texas.gov/apps/license-holder-search/?detail_id=1000050191
 * Move, Inc. attempts to bypass RESPA Section 8(a) prohibition against kickbacks with "sham" entities, as referenced here: https://www.inman.com/2022/10/07/referral-fees-from-so-called-paper-brokerages-including-zillow-inflate-commissions-by-15b-a-year-ceo/
 * Identifying these entities as licensed brokerages is integral element to exposing them as a massive real estate scam that violates both, RESPA and Sherman Act concurrently. Litesand (talk) 16:21, 25 May 2023 (UTC)

House Whisperer
I'd like to propose updating the Marketing section with the following sentence, per Ad Age:


 * In 2022, Realtor.com debuted the spokescharacter called the House Whisperer, described by Ad Age as a "cowboy-like hero for homebuyers".

I'd like to think this is a brief, neutral, and non-controversial update in line with similar content which has previously been approved by the editing community.

Inkian Jason (talk) 16:29, 17 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Red information icon with gradient background.svg Not done for now: I see things like this as promotional unless it has received a lot of coverage. It may in the future but right now there is not a lot of coverage in reliable sources about it. CNMall41 (talk) 21:03, 24 May 2023 (UTC)

Chief product officer
Finally, I'd like to request adding mention of Mausam Bhatt as chief product officer (CPO) to the infobox, per the company's website. I should note, this source is already used as an inline citation in the infobox, so this suggestion is essentially to update the listed C-suite personnel.

Thanks for your consideration! Inkian Jason (talk) 16:29, 17 May 2023 (UTC)
 * Yes check.svg Done CNMall41 (talk) 20:48, 24 May 2023 (UTC)

UpNest and Opcity "sham" brokerages
expressed objections to include the following:

Move acquired Opcity, the Austin, Texas-based real estate brokerage TREC License # 9005100, for $210 million in 2018. Opcity, a "paper brokerage" that allocates potential home buyers to third-party "partner agents",

and

UpNest, Inc., a licensed real estate brokerage in California under DRE License # 01928572, to expand its seller strategy. UpNest allocates real estate customers with multiple third-party "partner agents" in their referral network in exchange for 30% kickbacks of their gross commissions earned.

This is a discussion seeks input on subject as to what Opcity and UpNest are and how these things should be described within the article. Litesand (talk) 21:04, 25 May 2023 (UTC)


 * Thanks for the discussion and not the edit war. It would be up to you to propose what you want added and how it should be presented. I am pingning who is the COI editor originally requesting the removal of the license numbers. --CNMall41 (talk) 22:38, 26 May 2023 (UTC)


 * My proposed edit is above. It clarifies two things: UpNest and Opcity are licensed real estate brokers and they operate by taking a cut of the "partner agents" commissions which are part of their respective referral networks. This is a straight forward edit, and license status is notable in this case. License references have been used in certain articles to reference correct professional designations. For instance, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Shapiro_(lawyer) was OJ's lawyer, the Article about him references his State Bar of California license. The detail is relevant here as matter of public disclosure and proper designation of brokers. State laws in both TX and CA require real estate brokers to identify themselves as such. Litesand (talk) 18:00, 28 May 2023 (UTC)
 * There are several pages in which you are attempting to include information about referrals. There are many reasons why I object and stated so in the edit summaries. Your proposed edit above seems to coatrack by implementing information about these companies into one that purchased them. As stated on your talk page, this gives the appearance of WP:RGW and I would be opposed to including it. As far as the mention of Shapiro, there is no mention of his license number in that Wikipedia page. --CNMall41 (talk) 02:18, 31 May 2023 (UTC)

Revert request
Hello! I wanted to wait a few days to see if editors reverted these recent changes, but since the vandalism remains I'd like to submit a revert request. Might you be able to help here? Thanks in advance. Inkian Jason (talk) 16:47, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Done. --CNMall41 (talk) 19:34, 14 July 2023 (UTC)
 * Thank you. Inkian Jason (talk) 14:28, 17 July 2023 (UTC)