The real estate industry sees its fair share of startups looking to “disrupt” the real estate industry.
That sounds great, but it’s not a strategy.
Discover an exclusive, objective lens into the trends, companies, people, and ideas shaping the future of real estate and the broader built world.
Curated news and commentary. Thesis-driven essays. Sector analysis & product reviews.
A mastermind for real estate tech innovators.
Stay abreast of industry trends and network with other industry doers and entrepreneurs.
A PAID MEMBERSHIP, PRIVATE COMMUNITY.
We build consumer products at the intersection of community, real estate, and travel.
Learn MoreStay a Night, Give a Night
Farm your area with an innovative program to build community and help address our homelessness challenge.
Bryn Kaufman
Posted at 15:05h, 28 MayNot only that, but at this point I would argue nothing can disrupt our industry. Redfin is probably the best example of someone who had a chance, yet they have such a small market share and they continue to move towards being a traditional Broker.
That being said, there are huge opportunities for many innovative start ups, they won’t disrupt, but can get a piece of a very large pie, making it a good profitable business.
B.E. Ward
Posted at 17:16h, 06 JuneI’m curious if you can elaborate why you figure the industry is undisruptable.
Bryn Kaufman
Posted at 20:49h, 06 JuneWell, it would be foolish of me to say “never”, but right now many great companies have tried and have not substantially changed the industry, so it just seems hard to picture this happening any time soon.
B.E. Ward
Posted at 21:19h, 06 JuneHow much do you think that’s because of an inherent part of the RE business, compared to the strength and clout of the industry’s bigger interests?
Drew Meyers
Posted at 22:34h, 06 JuneThe clout of the industry’s biggest interests are indeed part of it. But regardless of whether people like it or not, those interests are a reality that have to be surmounted to change the dynamic.
B.E. Ward
Posted at 09:52h, 07 JuneI totally get it. It’s just interesting to me that the status quo is maintained as much by interests as it is by necessity (if not more).
Bryn Kaufman
Posted at 09:51h, 07 JuneI think it is the nature of this business. With homes so expensive and contracts so complicated, traditional Realtors are not easily replaced. If they were, it would have happened already.
B.E. Ward
Posted at 09:55h, 07 JuneUnderstood.. but, just as in my previous comment, it seems that at least some of the lack of ‘disrupting’ traction comes from concerted (and expensive) efforts to shoot down innovation. I’m pretty new at the industry though, so I’m certainly not claiming to be right about that.. just a perception.