Real Estate, Zillow, Obama, and You!

If you are in any way involved in real estate, you have got to know this: Zillow just got the listing for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Not the National Association of Realtors. Not Trulia. Not Realtor.com. Not RedFin. Not you. But, if you scramble you can have a voice. If you don’t, expect your history to be written for you. Know this #AskObamaHousing. Follow this #AskObamaHousing. Post to this #AskObamaHousing. (Truth serum: the White House isn’t officially on the market)

Zillow’s CEO, Spencer Rascoff, is holding the moderator microphone for President Obama at Wednesday’s event, “Zillow Presents: A Better Bargain for Responsible Homeowners: President Obama Answers your Questions.”

Don’t worry if you love Obama or think he’s the devil spawn. Don’t think about whether you revere Zillow as the innovative technology company from where we can faintly hear the sound of the bugle playing real estate Taps or hate them for the very same reason. All of this is not relevant right now because you only have two days to be heard.

As part of Barack Obama’s attempt to get the housing issue conversation started and his ongoing attempt to head straight to the eyeballs and eardrums of Americans, the president will make an appearance on a virtual roundtable on Zillow on Wednesday, August 7th at 10 a.m. left coast time (1 p.m. ET).

Here is what you need to know. The questions President Obama answers need to be the ones you ask. I know you’re busy and that’s great and it makes me happy and proud but you gotta do this.

1. Submit your comments or questions below. I’m creating a video to send in so you can type below and I’ll include your stuff.
2. Submit questions on Vine, Instagram video, Twitter or Facebook using the hashtag #AskObamaHousing.
3. At a minimum, post on your own social media using the #AskObamaHousing hashtag or go to mine @beckisaltzman or www.facebook.com/ArousingTheBuyCurious  and I’ll do it for you.

Just be heard! Or at least know what your clients will hear.

Then, tune in to the live-streaming event at Zillow.com/WhiteHouse, Yahoo.com or at the White House site at www.wh.gov/a-better-bargain at 1 p.m. ET or 10 a.m. PT.

Prior to the Wednesday gig, if you want to really get in touch with your industry, listen to what Obama says Tuesday, August 6th, at his speech in Phoenix on housing policy as part of a series on the economy.

Real estate is really and truly at a crossroads. Many are saying that real estate portals like Zillow and Trulia have finally created the reason for real estate pros to go the way of travel agents. Beyond that are the crowdfunding sites that are waiting to slice off their own chunk of the real estate pie. The market is has returned to a new kind of insanity.

Please don’t be too busy to be heard (or at least to listen). Trust us, your clients are listening. What questions would you ask Obama about housing? Share with us in the comments below.