Essays & Analysis
Writing
Thinking on real estate, incentives, and the industry’s blind spots — published here and independently at Realtor Gone Rogue.
From the blog
NWMLS First Look, Explained: What Your Agent Gains and What You Can't Verify
Washington's new First Look status hides days on market and price history for 21 days. How it works, who it really helps, and the one cost you can never measure.
What Your Washington Real Estate Agent Owes You
Washington agents aren't fiduciaries — they owe you five specific statutory duties. Here's the list, what limited dual agency does to it, and the two boxes you'll be asked to initial.
How to choose a buyer's agent in Clark County, WA
A working process for hiring a buyer's agent in Clark County: who to interview, the seven questions that separate judgment from paperwork, the red flags, and how to compare three agents on one page.
How to choose a listing agent in Clark County, WA
A working process for hiring a listing agent in Clark County: what a real pricing analysis contains, the seven questions to ask at the listing appointment, the seller-side red flags, and how to score three agents against each other.
Clark County Property Taxes, Explained: 2026 Rates by City
Clark County homeowners pay $6.75–$10.18 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2026 — roughly 0.7–1%. Rates by city, the two 1% caps, and why bills differ.
What's Changed About Hiring a Buyer Agent in Clark County, WA
The NAR Settlement reshaped buyer agency nationwide. Here's what actually changed for homebuyers in Clark County, WA — where our RMLS market felt the full impact.
New Construction in Clark County, WA: What Buyers Need to Know Before Signing a Builder Contract
Before you sign a builder contract in Clark County, WA, here's what most new construction buyers don't find out until it's too late — from registration cards to escalation clauses.
Moving to Vancouver, WA from Portland: A Practical Guide
Thinking about crossing the river? Here's what Portland buyers actually need to know about living in Vancouver, WA — taxes, commute math, neighborhoods, and the I-5 bridge reality.
From the newsletter
View on Substack →Better and Cheaper Should Have Worked
Nine months into a better business model, and the market can't tell....
MLS Maximus
Maximal public duty, not maximal institutional power. A proposal for the MLS to finally choose the role it already plays...
The MLS Is Not a Public Utility. That's the Problem.
The MLS doesn’t get to choose whether it serves the public — only whether it serves it well, or gets replaced. A rejoinder to Industry Relations — and the setup for a proposal....
The Outlier
The docket says Zillow v. MRED. The testimony kept pointing at Compass....
Halftime In Chicago
Day One reflections on the Zillow v. MRED hearing....
Spoken Plainly: What the Zillow-MRED Hearing Is and Isn't
Part Two. Even the experts are fuzzy on what this hearing decides. Here's the clearest version I could build....
Zillow Bought Me a Plane Ticket
Zillow is flying me to the MRED hearing. Here's the full disclosure — and why this case matters far beyond Chicago....
Seller ‘Choice’
The real battle over private listings isn't happening in courtrooms. It's happening at your dining room table....
NAR Is Out of Its League
NAR finally responded to the Chicagoland blackout. The problem is that no one who matters has to listen....
The Kingmaker
How Compass is subtly building a national MLS in their own likeness....
For Commissions to Decrease, Compensation Must Increase
A paradox and a proposal to reduce commissions while assuring reasonable professional compensation....
The Faustian Bargain
On Rob Hahn's proposal, Compass's commitments, and what we risk trading away....
How I'm Using AI to Build My Business (And What It's Doing to My Brain)
AI Is Making Me Better. It's Also Making Me a Little Crazy....
What Kind of Housing Marketplace Does the Public Deserve?
The MLS debate has been about what the industry needs. What about the consumer?...
It’s Not Really About Marketing. It’s About Data.
A response to Rob Hahn’s “Do Less, MLS.”...
The Pre-Market Arms Race
Everyone's Building Their Own MLS. We Already Have One....
The $30,000 Commission I Didn't Take
Sometime in late-March 2024....
If We Were Building This From Scratch
The buyer agent compensation model was never redesigned. Here’s what it would look like if we started over....
Why the Buyer Agent Commission Model Was Never Defended on Merit
The inherited compensation structure that avoided scrutiny for decades — and can't anymore...
The Real Estate Industry Has an Incentives Problem
Most of what frustrates consumers and professionals alike isn’t caused by bad actors—it’s caused by misaligned incentives baked into the system itself....
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