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Google Gadget

Date:September 18, 2006 | Author:drewmeyers | Category:Real Estate

Interested in tracking the value of your neighborhood? If you have use a personalized Google news page, there is now a Google “Gadget” you can add that delivers the Zindex for a certain area. Amit Chaudhary, a developer who worked with our API, developed the gadget and explains how to add the Zindex gadget to your personalized Google page. Once you add it, you can find the Zindex for a ZIP code of interest to you. I’ve included a screenshot below to show you what it looks like.

Also, we’re seeing some interesting applications with our API. For any developers out there using our API in new ways, please let us know and we will mention it here.

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Responses (8)

0 tweets 0 likes 8 comments

dpk 11:03 AM - Sep 19,2006

Hm, it’d be great if we could shrink it down some. The IFRAME scrollbars make it a little fugly.

But a great first start.
Drew M from Zillow.com 11:10 AM - Sep 19,2006

If you’d like, you can collaborate with Amit on his thread in the showcase section of the API forum- http://www.zillowapi.com/thread.jspa?threadID=14&tstart=0

Thanks for the feedback!
Real Estate Agent 5:03 AM - Oct 10,2006

ZipRealty – NOT A GOOD POLICY TOWARDS OWN AGENTS

If you are a good agent, ZipRealty is NOT the place you’d want to work in. They are becoming famous for keeping agents’ commission after agents leave the company even though the deals might be in Escrow. It is a rip off !! Also, they pay a lower percentage of commission then Windermere and John L Scott. Before commission is split, they refund 20% of the commission to the client, deduct their hefty technology fee, then split it 40/60 where 40% is your commission. It is literally peanuts on condos and townhomes!! if you are considering joining the company, think twice and read the SOP and agent/broker agreement very carefully. If you are like me, you will not like the unfair practice against agents. The one think positive is their mediocre leads..

Sincerely,

Agent
Justic 5:37 PM - Nov 14,2007

NAR has the monopoly on the MLS

The National Association Of Racketeering NAOR

Subject: NAR has the monopoly on the MLS

The bigger question here isn’t if the DOJ is right but, why is NAR allowed to continue its legalize racketeering scheme nationwide? With a total disregard for the consumers.

NAR has the monopoly on the MLS. They created it yes. But over the years they have made it next to impossible for Real Estate Agents NOT to join their “voluntary” Association of Realtors.

When you are licensed in one State – Say Florida for example – you are legally able to sell Real Estate in the entire state.

From the Panhandle to the Keys. However as a realtor you are required to join the National Association of Realtors (NAR) the Florida Association of Realtors (FAR) and what ever Local board you happen to reside in to get the MLS. Not 1but 3 boards!!!!

If you want access to any other MLS in the state you must join each and every Local Board for that area. Example. You live in Miami. You join the Greater Miami dad and the Beaches board. Say you want to sell Real Estate in board (Ft. Lauderdale) Legally you can but you can’t access their MLS unless your Broker belongs to that board and you join as well.

The NAR has now made it mandatory that if you the Broker are a NAR member then all your agents must be too.

Oh they can be exempt but the Broker has to pay a percentage to keep them exempt. And the bill comes right to the Broker. It’s up to the Broker to collect the dues and MLS fees and in turn collect them from their agents.

Voluntary Association? Not really.

And if you ask the average Real Estate Agent why they join the Board – they’ll tell you either my broker said I had tor because I need the MLS. And NAR knows this. $120.00 for the NAR for 2008 $110.00 for the FAR for 2008 and anywhere from $100.00-$500.00 for the local boards. Depending on if you pay monthly for your MLS or one time fee to the Board.

In my opinion it is unfair trade practice and a monopoly of the MLS nationwide by the National Association of Realtors to shut out competition and 1.6 Real Estate Agents from participating unless they join there local MLS….amounts to extortion in my opinion..

The General Public
Justic 3:47 PM - Dec 6,2007

The truth about board of Realtors® owned MLS throughout the country

Antitrust complaint unfair trade practices update to previous complaints.

Shutting off service to your MLS as stated in the letter below and shutting out to prevent non Realtors ( real estate agents) on Realtor owned MLS boards in my opinion is unfair trade practices on a large scale.

When a Realtor list a home is it disclosed to homeowners at the time of listing that all Non Realtors (real estate agents) will not be able to sell or show any homeowners listings unless they join the local board? Of course not, therefore limiting competition in the marketplace by the thousands of potential home sales from real estate agents nationwide with Realtor own MLS boards… I do believe that there are around 1.7 million real estate agents VS 1.3 million Realtors that leaves a Hugh gap for home buyers and home sellers if this information is not disclosed up front.

Now that shutting down Supra display keys attached to Realtor owned MLS boards because of unpaid Realtor Board dues, Not unpaid MLS dues only compounds this problem even further for the consumers who have active listings on the Realtor own MLS boards with the agents that are now shut out from a service that is provided by GE/Supra and in which the dues are not not in default..

Lets look at what I call the poster child state, Georgia

Georgia has two major Non MLS Realtor Boards GMLS and FMLS that do not discriminate between Realtor or Real Estate Agents therefore providing 100% competition for the consumers and has created a fair marketplace with a level playing field for all to enjoy.

Why have I choose not to renew my Realtor dues is a very simple explanation for me, I am shammed to be associated with NAR and to be dragged into the DOJ lawsuits against NAR for all the public to see and judge me as a not trustful Realtor (Anti trust) guilty by association, and to further damage the already scarred reputation of being a Realtor.

Were is NAR ethics here ? Http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&I.e.=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGIH_en__214__214&q=the+doj+vs+nar

So with an estimated Realtor loss of 10% at the Orlando Regional Board of Realtors not renewing next years dues and are paid up MLS dues have had there Supra keys shut off also, what do they tell there listing homeowners clients and Home buyers? When they can not gain access to there listing, or show potential home buyers homes..

This is fair practice!! Sorry I call it unfair trade practices on a large scale and I support The Department Of Justice actions 100% to protect the general public from this unfair trade practice.
diana 9:09 PM - Dec 10,2007

hey
I am a realtor in NJ, and I can’t pay NAR for 2008 dues. I dont know what to do. I am going to school and I already have enough expenses. I dont want to losse my license either because you never know when you are going to have a buyer. need advice… is there any way to avoid this nar fees?
please help, I can pay my local board mls and my supra, but $300 to nar (that is too much!!!) =)
share market tips 10:27 PM - Feb 18,2010

hmmmm – value of my residence is quite ok on ur bar
luggage scales 3:10 PM - Jul 5,2010

i also don’t want to loses my license either because you never know when you are going to have a buyer. need advice…