Redfin Pulls the Plug on the Scouting Report

Before reading this article, we highly recommend you read Jay Thompson's first and second posts about the Redfin "Scouting Report."

For those that have been following the saga of the Redfin “Scouting Report” for the past several days, you should read the latest post on the Redfin blog, Requiem for a Dream.

Redfin pulled the plug.

You can read the post for all the reasons why.

As I said here in my two previous posts on the subject, I don’t have a problem with displaying agent sales data. But that data has to be accurate.

And it wasn’t.

That’s not all (or even mostly) Redfin’s fault. Any given MLS is a database where data entry is conducted by real estate agents. And it’s rife with errors. Yes, that is a telling message, and sooner or later, something needs to be done to improve data integrity in the MLS. Preferably sooner.

In many ways I applaud Redfin for trying. Sure, they should have (in my humble opinion) more carefully vetted their systems and reporting. Yes, it had issues. An no, I don’t think a “competing” real estate brokerage is the right place to display sales data on all agents. That belongs with a “neutral third party” such as an Association, or MLS.

I’m sure some agents are dancing in the aisles right now.

Don’t dance too long or hard folks. I can guarantee you that this won’t be the last incarnation of a “Scouting Report”. Someone, somewhere, probably pretty damn soon, is going to try again. And they’ll keep trying until they get it right.

It’s only a matter of time.

To view the original post, visit the Phoenix Real Estate Guy blog.