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Discount brokers are also using social networks to build their customer base. For instance, prospective home buyers and sellers can ask questions about the market through forums hosted by discount online broker Redfin, whether or not they choose to work with the company.
More than 130 people in the Washington region have bought or sold a home through Redfin over the past year. Home buyers search Redfin's Web site for properties they like, make appointments to see the properties with one of the group's field agents, and make bids online, which a Redfin real estate agent then presents to the seller. Redfin then returns two-thirds of the commission to the buyer, an average of $10,000.
For Daniel Q. Kelley, 58, the discount was worth the extra work.
"If you're at all analytical, you've got all the information right there at your fingertips," said Kelley, who, with his wife Susana, has put a bid on an Arlington home through Redfin. "You don't need anyone directing you to this place or that place or that place."
They plan to use the rebate to put money toward their down payment.
But Redfin has its drawbacks. Many buyers want additional help identifying properties. Also, if Redfin judges a prospective buyer's offer to be too low -- generally below about 85 percent of the asking price -- the agent won't present it to the seller.
Andrew Yeow, 33, was originally considering using Redfin, but he was concerned that his offers might not be passed along to the sellers. And back in 2002, he had already done most of his own house-hunting legwork, after using an agent recommended by his brother.
So after running across posts on Redfin linking to the blog of Frank Borges Llosa -- an agent who occasionally sports a "Trust me, I'm a Realtor" shirt, posts YouTube videos on reasons you might not want to buy a home and vents on his blog about "sucky listing agents" -- Yeow decided to go for a full-service agent.
"When I read Frank's stuff, I was really impressed by what he knew," said Yeow, a government health scientist. "I realized he was in Northern Virginia and that sealed the deal."
Since finding Carney's blog, Bobofchak, the Frederick home buyer, has bought two homes using Carney as her agent. And she's recommending him to her friends -- though they, too, may slight her recommendation in favor of finding their own agent online.
