[Photo credit: PBS]
If anyone thought things would change when professional optimist David Lereah, the National Association of Realtors' spokesmodel/chief economist stepped aside earlier this year, they were mistaken. Lawrence Yun is Lereah's replacement, and he's jumped in with both feet, blaming the worries about the housing market on unfavorable attention in the media. Via the Inman Blog:
To a great extent, we can thank steady media coverage of the real estate market 'correction' for unfounded consumer concern Blame the media. We're sure Paris Hilton feels the same way. Why does the NAR call these guys "economists" anyway? They're more like weather men: chance of showers later today, followed by sublimely lovely warm breezes possibly by Sunday. Maybe.Yun goes to the mat in another commentary citing a recent study by the Consumer Federation of America (hilarious PDF here) claiming a favorable rating from 79% of consumers who had used a realtor recently. Begging the question of who did what to the remaining 21%. Working from the NAR playbook, Mr. Yun fails to mention that the closing paragraphs of the study include the words:Taken as a whole, these survey data suggest that consumers value the services provided... views are positive in part because of their lack of awareness of specific industry practices that could harm their interestsHe goes on to refer to the CBS/Frontline piece on Redfin as an informercial, and in closing not only reasserts the NAR position that listings content is the private intellectual property of the realtor but also cites the American way of free enterprise. Just to make sure the coffin was nailed shut.
· Don't call it a correction, call it "buying opportunities" [Inman Blog]
· The Wrong Correction [Realtor Magazine Online]
· The Consumer's Choice [Real Estate Insights]
· Housing/Real Estate [Consumer federation of America]
· Most Consumers View Real Estate Industry and Services Favorably but Understand Them Poorly and Object to Specific Practices (PDF) [Consumer Federation of America]
· 60 Billion Dollars [Curbed SF]