Do you flip houses? Redfin and Zillow are your competitors!

[Jonathan Bowen]

Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff, in a Tweet last night, announced that Zillow will now start flipping houses. This is not a joke. Do you flip houses? Do you buy, rehabilitate and sell properties? If so, Zillow is now your competitor. Does that upset you? If so, here's how you can fight...

Demand that real estate agents and, especially, brokerages you hire do not syndicate your properties to third-party sites like Trulia and Zillow. Trulia, if you're not aware, is now owned by Zillow. Do you work with an agent who uses dotloop? dotloop is also now owned by Zillow so refuse to sign any paperwork using dotloop. Tell your agents and brokers that you will refuse to list your properties with them if they continue to syndicate your properties to Trulia and Zillow. Brokers have the ability to stop syndicating their listings to Trulia and Zillow and other third-party sites with a simple click of a mouse.

My brokerage, Hub Edge Realty, has never syndicated its listings to any third-party sites except Realtor.com, because Hub Edge Realty's MLS, MLS PIN, has a pre-existing agreement with Realtor.com, and MLS PIN Homes, because it's MLS PIN's own search site and is not bedraggled with competitors' advertisements. Third-party sites play fast and loose with your data. I want to control the narrative that is your property and I can't do that when the Zillow Zestimate is used by buyers to negotiate.

Did you know that Redfin has also entered the house flipping business through RedfinNow. Redfin is now your competitor. Do not use Redfin to buy or sell real estate. Simple.

This is serious business... Redfin and Zillow are now your competitors. They are buying houses that you could've bought...