Comments on: Open Letter To Yahoo!, Google, Trulia, and Zillow, Encouraging Data Standards http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/ Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:45:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: BUZZYEAH by Andrew Meyer » Brian at Trulia Clears Things Up http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/comment-page-1/#comment-7220 BUZZYEAH by Andrew Meyer » Brian at Trulia Clears Things Up Fri, 25 Jan 2008 03:00:20 +0000 http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/#comment-7220 [...] more about the push for industry-wide standardized data feeds over on the GeekEstate blog here and [...] [...] more about the push for industry-wide standardized data feeds over on the GeekEstate blog here and [...]

]]> By: Deep thoughts & a shameless plug | Rain City Guide | A Seattle Real Estate Blog... http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/comment-page-1/#comment-6125 Deep thoughts & a shameless plug | Rain City Guide | A Seattle Real Estate Blog... Sat, 05 Jan 2008 21:32:40 +0000 http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/#comment-6125 [...] I need to write an Open Letter to NWMLS brokers, agents and vendors, similar to what Michael & David Harris have done to toward the [...] [...] I need to write an Open Letter to NWMLS brokers, agents and vendors, similar to what Michael & David Harris have done to toward the [...]

]]> By: Michael Price http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/comment-page-1/#comment-5987 Michael Price Thu, 03 Jan 2008 18:38:17 +0000 http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/#comment-5987 Pete Flint of Trulia, David G of Zillow and Steve Shultz of Yahoo real estate have responded to the open letter over at Michael Wurzer's blog (FBS). http://www.flexmls.com/blog/?p=287 Glad to see the spirit of cooperation off to a good start. MP Pete Flint of Trulia, David G of Zillow and Steve Shultz of Yahoo real estate have responded to the open letter over at Michael Wurzer’s blog (FBS). http://www.flexmls.com/blog/?p=287

Glad to see the spirit of cooperation off to a good start.

MP

]]> By: Kurtis Holsapple http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/comment-page-1/#comment-5975 Kurtis Holsapple Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:37:55 +0000 http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/#comment-5975 I would love for this to happen. I really think that it has to happen at the MLS level for it to be adopted as well, considering the amount of closed door business practice there is in the real estate business today. It's going to be an uphill battle. Companies like Prudential that block their email servers from working with other real estate mail servers (Keller Williams) makes me think that some companies really don't want open standards at all. If they can get the advantage any way possible, they will. Best of luck to you and know that <a href="http://www.plugmylisting.com" rel="nofollow">PlugMyListing.com</a> will follow whatever standards are adopted. I would love for this to happen. I really think that it has to happen at the MLS level for it to be adopted as well, considering the amount of closed door business practice there is in the real estate business today. It’s going to be an uphill battle.

Companies like Prudential that block their email servers from working with other real estate mail servers (Keller Williams) makes me think that some companies really don’t want open standards at all. If they can get the advantage any way possible, they will. Best of luck to you and know that PlugMyListing.com will follow whatever standards are adopted.

]]> By: Spencer Rascoff http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/comment-page-1/#comment-5974 Spencer Rascoff Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:37:32 +0000 http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/#comment-5974 Great idea. We hear you at Zillow. In my prior career in online travel at Hotwire.com, I was on the board of directors of an organization called the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA). HEDNA's primary goal was to improve technological connectivity between hotel companies and their online distribution partners though the creation of common standards. The hard work that HEDNA did to standardize connectivity in the travel industry has saved hundreds of companies tens of millions of dollars, and has immeasurably benefited consumers as well. While I'm the first to point out the MANY differences between travel and real estate, the issue of connectivity challenges is one thing that we have in common. Zillow agrees that this is something that we can help fix, together. Great idea. We hear you at Zillow.

In my prior career in online travel at Hotwire.com, I was on the board of directors of an organization called the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA). HEDNA’s primary goal was to improve technological connectivity between hotel companies and their online distribution partners though the creation of common standards. The hard work that HEDNA did to standardize connectivity in the travel industry has saved hundreds of companies tens of millions of dollars, and has immeasurably benefited consumers as well. While I’m the first to point out the MANY differences between travel and real estate, the issue of connectivity challenges is one thing that we have in common. Zillow agrees that this is something that we can help fix, together.

]]> By: David Harris http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/comment-page-1/#comment-5951 David Harris Thu, 03 Jan 2008 05:56:13 +0000 http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/#comment-5951 Michael, thanks for commenting (and for signing up for some of the RETS workgroups!). As far as the slow progress is concerned and what is different now, I guess the easiest way to put it is "nothing drives innovation like competition". With the liquidity of listing data that exists today, many MLS's are seeing a vast array of feature rich, innovative solutions appear in their marketplace that depend on their data, but not on their software. So how long will it be before these external systems become the "primary systems"? Successful evolution and implementation of the RETS standard will ensure that the MLS remain in a central quality control role but still allow niche 3rd party service providers to address their market effectively. Michael, thanks for commenting (and for signing up for some of the RETS workgroups!). As far as the slow progress is concerned and what is different now, I guess the easiest way to put it is “nothing drives innovation like competition”.

With the liquidity of listing data that exists today, many MLS’s are seeing a vast array of feature rich, innovative solutions appear in their marketplace that depend on their data, but not on their software. So how long will it be before these external systems become the “primary systems”?

Successful evolution and implementation of the RETS standard will ensure that the MLS remain in a central quality control role but still allow niche 3rd party service providers to address their market effectively.

]]> By: Michael Price http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/comment-page-1/#comment-5941 Michael Price Thu, 03 Jan 2008 03:11:11 +0000 http://www.geekestateblog.com/open-letter-to-yahoo-google-trulia-and-zillow-encouraging-data-standards/#comment-5941 “Adopting standards is the key for real estate agents, brokers, multiple listing services and service providers to take advantage of business-to-business opportunities on the Web,” he said. “If you wish to participate in Internet commerce, you must be XML-ready.” That is a quote from 2000 Inman article (http://www.inman.com/inmannews.aspx?id=18123) by Doug Greenwood, one of the early architects of XML schemas for real estate data. I can remember working with Doug a year or two before that in an attempt to bring together enough participants to establish a listing standard. It seems so long ago. Matt Kelly might remember more than I do about it, he was there too. :) I'm hopeful that the new efforts can finally show some progress toward an end that seems to be taking a painfully long time to reach. I'm not being a naysayer, I've just been away from the issue for a while. I am curious as to what the reasons are for the slow progress to this point and how they can be avoided going forward. “Adopting standards is the key for real estate agents, brokers, multiple listing services and service providers to take advantage of business-to-business opportunities on the Web,” he said. “If you wish to participate in Internet commerce, you must be XML-ready.”

That is a quote from 2000 Inman article (http://www.inman.com/inmannews.aspx?id=18123) by Doug Greenwood, one of the early architects of XML schemas for real estate data. I can remember working with Doug a year or two before that in an attempt to bring together enough participants to establish a listing standard. It seems so long ago. Matt Kelly might remember more than I do about it, he was there too. :)

I’m hopeful that the new efforts can finally show some progress toward an end that seems to be taking a painfully long time to reach. I’m not being a naysayer, I’ve just been away from the issue for a while. I am curious as to what the reasons are for the slow progress to this point and how they can be avoided going forward.

]]>