My brother, Glenn Kelman

He’s not really my brother, he just sounds like him.  Every single time I read a post written by Glenn Kelman, he reminds me of my older brother Jim.  Jim and I would fight, as all siblings do.  We’d finish the argument and I’d utter an “Aaargh!” or a “Stupid brother!”  Jim would then laugh the most annoying laugh in the history of the world and say, “You always have to have the last word.”  In so saying, Jim would be having the last word.  If I pointed this out, then Jim shook his head, laughed the incredibly vexing laugh again and said, “See!?  You’re having the last word!” when HE WAS ACTUALLY HAVING THE LAST WORD!!!  Good God, it almost drives me over the edge just thinking about it.

That’s how Glenn Kelman responds to blog posts which criticize Redfin’s business model.  Redfin refunds between 1 and 2% of the selling price of a home to the buyer who uses a Redfin agent.  Redfin agents are salaried.  Realtors and real estate agents are usually commissioned sales people. Their brokerage traditionally receives 3% of the selling price of the home, and the salesperson receives a cut of that.  If a traditional agent argues that a Redfin agent is little more than a paper-pusher, Glenn responds calmly, a little imperiously, and as if he is giving great thought to the Redfin dissenter’s argument. 

Then he writes something which seems professional and controlled, but actually validates the criticism provided by the original poster.  Then, the original poster points out the flaw in Kelman’s argument and he does it again…responds rationally but with just enough superiority to really drive someone crazy.

Maybe I’m the only person who feels this way. Judge for yourself…

http://3oceansrealestate.com/blog/redfins-glenn-kelman-just-cant-resist.html

http://www.bloodhoundrealty.com/BloodhoundBlog/?p=1083

http://www.bloodhoundrealty.com/BloodhoundBlog/?p=1085

http://sandiegohomeblog.com/2007/02/08/redfin-revisited/