San Diego real estate firm ARG made waves with this video below, called “the video that rocked the industry.” This agency believes in removing data from syndication websites. But is it a good idea?

Watching this video, the manager from ARG San Diego makes many good points about why sites like Zillow and Trulia may be bad for listing agents and their agencies.

The main made in the video is that these websites, built using the MLS (multiple listing service) feed, is a platform for other real estate agents to profit off of other agent’s hard work. Any agent can advertise on Zillow and will show up as a suggested agent when you search the site, even if they are not related to the property in question.

While this appears bad to other agents who put in the hard work to list, photograph, and publicize the property, is it a good idea for their customers, the real estate buyers and sellers?

That answer is a resounding NO.

While the speaker, San Diego real estate veteran Jim Abbot, sounds like he is out to do good in the industry, in reality he is more concerned about protecting profits and fending off new competition.

Sites like Zillow, Trulia, RedFin, and Realtor.com are successful because the provide fast, quality information to prospective buyers. Few would ever buy a property sight unseen based on an internet listing, and would instead hire a quality real estate agent to help them through the transaction.

Sorry Jim, we see right through your profiteering goals. The good old days of clients having to use you as their only source of information are over. Get with the times and put your client’s needs first.