Realtor.com is announcing a terrific new benefit to NAR members. The company has enhanced the free basic listing required by the NAR.

Instead of just one photo -- you get four! For Freeeeeeeeee!

And, the Showcase listings where agents pay for enhancements are going to be bigger and will include up to 25 photos and Show Me data like comps and solds.

If you're underwhelmed, join the club.

For a tech company, Realtor.com is surprisingly out of touch.

Why should agents be excited about paying Realtor.com for privileges they can get for free elsewhere?

There are other sites like Zillow climbing up Realtor.com's back that offer agents a lot more for free.

Realtor.com is the official website of the National Association of Realtors, a trade organization dedicated to doing everything it can to promote the value of Realtors.

Right now, Realtor.com is king of the hill -- with the most consumer traffic, most comprehensive listings (4.4 million and counting,) most up-to-date listings, and the widest breadth of sold and other data.

But there's a disconnect. The average sales agent made $31,000 in 2007 and has trended down since peaking in 2002. First and second year agents made just over $10,000.

Agents are looking for value right now. On Realtor.com, they don't even get their names on their listing unless they pay enhancement fees.

Other sites are willing to provide all kinds of enhancements ---including agent profiles for free.

Zillow takes listings from feeds and individual. No limit on photos, tours, videos or anything else. They even provide agent profiles for free. It's such a good deal, Zillow has seduced major franchisors Realogy and Keller Williams, along with ZipRealty, Prudential California and dozens of top regionals. In six months, they've added two million listings and counting.

If Realtor.com is supposed to be a member benefit, it's missing the mark, and making the NAR vulnerable. Franchises don't owe the NAR the time of day. They compete with the NAR to provide benefits to agents. And they just trumped the NAR big time with their own member benefit - unlimited listings and enhancements on Zillow!

Zillow isn't the number one real estate destination site yet, but it's got momentum. Realtor.com isn't bringing any game. They need to come up with something better than four free photos, and quick.

Published: May 20, 2008

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