We saw this post on BHB. Since our comments there are censored, we feel obligated to respond to certain comments to that post here. Here’s the post:
Eat their exhaust for only $300. Fifty photos at $300 a pop is $15,000 — America on $500 a day — not counting the vendor sponsorships. Good thing it’s all for charity. Otherwise, it might start to smell…
I found the post humorous and made this first comment, which was not published:
Dustin Luther of RCG posted this comment 2 hours later addressing Good Samaritan Realtors:
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dustin May 16th, 2007 3:13 pmGreg: What in that link makes you say “it’s all for charity”? I’m seeing that they will spread goodwill, but I’m not seeing that they are donating the money they are raising to any specific charity.I feel somewhat bad about saying it on their blog because I don’t want to rain on their parade (especially after John’s first comment), but the idea of proving “free broker services” so that people who are financially marginal can buy a home seems somewhat suspect to me. If the difference between an agent’s fee and no agent fee is going to be the difference between getting a home and not, I’d hope the agent would advice a potential home buyer that they should either lower their expectations a bit (buy a cheaper house) or, if they are already looking to buy the cheapest option on the market, they should probably rent a bit longer until there was some type of nest egg.
My comment to Dustin, also unpublished, was:
Of course, Dustin is entitled to his opinion of the Good Samaritan idea, but Dustin, please read the post before you misjudge it as strictly for a buyer’s benefit. We left it to the individual professional, who could afford to do it, to decide what they would contribute and the criteria of need for their charitable act. Also, it was not limited to agents. (If you check our website forum you will see two distinct Good Samaritan sections—one for agents and a second for other professionals.)
Here is an excerpt explaining:
We leave the door wide open on how and whom you want to help. If you are a professional, let us know how you can help. If you are a person in need, let us know how we can help. We’ll post the stories on Blog Tour USA.
We are serious about this program, despite Greg’s dogged cynicism, as expressed in this excerpted comment:
Sincere charity is as likely to do harm as good — as your remarks indicate.
We guess you ought not count on Bloodhound Realty to perform any charitable acts, since this philosophy seems to prohibit charity on the grounds “someone is gonna get hurt”. As always, Greg has a novel spin on everything, even lending a helping hand (you might get germs).
Update: I added this comment today, which is also not likely to see light on BHB. A new shade of transparency?
Technorati Tags: Good Samaritan realtors, blog tour usa, sellsius
5 Responses to “Cynicism Rains On A Wet Nose”
I figure I might as well be the first to comment… You’re right that I didn’t interpret your ideas as you intended (although I did read them in full) and I’m glad to hear you have a broader view of things. In retrospect, I read “and other real estate related professionals” as “non-Realtor agents” as oppose to handymen, plumbers, stagers, etc. The reality is that when you start talking about the need to “fight negative public perceptions and stereotypes” through acts of kindness, you’ll have to forgive me for not thinking “handymen”, especially when your readership is predominantly real estate agents.
I hear about real estate agents who dedicate a ton of their time to charitable causes within their communities all the time and I’m glad you guys are willing to help publicize and coordinate these activities.
Yes, since most readers here are probably real estate agents and brokers, we certainly appealed to them but clearly opened the door to allow any real estate related professional to contribute to the needy as they saw fit, and were able to–they defined the criteria. We think the vision should be broad enough to include these other professionals
Re: Handymen
To me even a handyman is a professional to someone who can’t fix a leak or repair a broken step. I guess my view of who is a professional is broader than others (see Daniel Webster). Maybe I should have used the word expert, but even that word could be challenged. In any case, the examples were presented, only as illustrations, in the original post. Would I turn away a charitable act because the person wore overalls?
We never presumed to tell anyone how to be a Good Samaritan, certainly we did not suggest to help a buyer buy a house they can’t otherwise afford. We depend on the creativity of the individual and allow them to determine what need they can address and how.
It is just an idea. If it is imperfect, should it be scrapped? For some maybe, but for me, I prefer to think it can be turned into something of value. Think of it as an idea in beta and you may feel more comfortable with it.
Thank you anyway, Dustin for taking the time to comment.
I posted on BHB as well, but was a little surprised to see the post. It never crossed my mind that this would come across as a bad thing.
Shaun,
It is a good thing to help others in need. It is only a bad thing to those who see charity with a cynical eye.
Greg appears to have an ax to grind with me over the Weenie Affair. Understandable. But in fairness to him, his post was not damning of Good Samaritan & it seemed open-minded to the potential good that could come of it. At least it’s for charity, he said.
It was his comments after Dustin’s comment that showed he had flipped on the idea, saying “sincere charity is as likely to do harm as good” (huh?). Which way is it Greg?
But I have come to expect cartwheels from Greg. He once (rightly) said pitching AVM home valuation could have dire consequences to consumers & those that did not speak up were complict in the harm. Now he sports a Zillow ad which pitches “get free instant home valuation” on his blog sidebar. What was that Inman panel he was speaking on before he withdrew? oh yeah, something about Blogging for truth. The truth is GS is a consummate self promoter, and I have absolutely no problem with it. And he is excellent at backflips.
You have my respect and best wishes. Can’t imagine anyone having an axe to grind over the blog disguised as a hot dog stand. I guess people who have convictions, and don’t do back flips run the risk of making the hound howl. Just a little noise, put your fingers in your ears and get back to work. Nice doggie.