The end of the Agent?

[Greg K.]

From the rise of the iBuyers, Zillow looking to flip houses, and now Amazon partnering with a behemoth brokerage, is this the beginning of the end?

https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/amazon-real-estate-giant-look-to-disrupt-homebuying-in-charlotte-elsewhere/969773302

[Jay Hinrichs]

Originally posted by @Marc Winter:

If all buyers and sellers were fluent in the practice of real estate, perhaps agents and brokers will end up like buggy whip manufacturers.  But most buyers and sellers are not experienced with the process and market values as a full-time professional and experienced agent.  Most real estate clients and customers need help to close a property.  Let's revisit this topic in the middle of the next market downturn to see who is left standing when all the SHTF.  

Analytics are great, but real estate has always been and still remains a local business, margins and commission rates notwithstanding.

My wife is a top producing resi agent with many first time home buyers.. I listen to her on the phone sometimes and the amount of handholding that goes on.. not just from technical aspects IE the general public has very little working knowledge how real estate works.. but just the emotional hand holding..  IE dealing with inspections.. you leave it to people with no intermediary and transactions volume will plummet..