How did we get from "agressive disintermediation,"
to "puleeeeeessse pay me to place your listings on the web?" The answer is "intelligence." Realtors were smart enough to know that real estate is a local business. The national aggregators centralized their business model. The national aggregators preached content as the key to success. Realtors knew that it was the "intelligent use of the content," that added value.

The national aggregators use old industrial age management styles that are ill designed to keep up with today's pace of change. Realtors use decentralized styles to keep up with change, i.e., competitive intelligence teams, brain trusts, round table discussions, and a myriad of forums and intranets.

Newspapers are local (decentralized). The aggregators, Realtor.com, HomeAdvisor, and Homeseekers are National (centralized).

The true architecture of the internet is one of decentralization. The centralized national aggregators are about to get voted off the island.