Overview of Real Estate confronts Reality (1997)

The “Confronts” series was born with the publishing of Real Estate confronts Reality. This was the first “trend” book in about a decade and quickly became a widely acclaimed guide to change and the future. Since then few books, if any, have enjoyed such a large impact on the real estate industry.

As its title indicates, the book challenged the various hard realities that were impacting or on the verge of impacting the real estate industry. For the first time a book proclaimed that “Traditional real estate was dead,” and that the industry needed to get their act together if they wanted to prevent outsiders taking over their industry. A lot has happened during the last seven years and many of the predictions, scenarios and trends outlined have indeed materialized, and in some small way this 220-page book contributed to preparing the industry for the 21st century.

This book is SOLD OUT and no longer in print.

Comments by Industry Leaders

Real Estate Confronts Reality justifies its title. It focuses on the reality of the real estate world - both present and future - and pulls no punches in doing so.

John D Snodgrass,
Former Vice Chairman, President & COO, HFS, Inc.

The authors of Real Estate Confronts Reality - who really know the business - tackle the big issues… For any real estate professional who's planning to thrive into the nest millennium, this insightful book is a must read.

Dave Liniger,
Chairman and Co-founder, RE/MAX International, Inc.

The authors of this book are astute observers and analysts of the real estate profession… This book affords real estate professionals a rare opportunity to look to the future, plan for it and capitalize on it.

Chandler Barton,
Chairman, NRT, Inc.

Real Estate Confronts Reality explains what the real estate world of tomorrow will be like in an era of technological triumphs and cyberspace challenges.

John M Peckham III
CEO, Real Estate Cyberspace Society

 

As the owner of a relatively small, full service real estate company in a highly competitive market, I need every edge I can get… My thanks to Dooley, Swanepoel and Abelson for providing me with a guide into the 21st century.

Pete Ogden,
President, Ogden the Real Estate Company, Milwaukee.

Real Estate Confronts Reality will be required reading for all of our 75 real estate instructors and all of our real estate brokerage course students.

Hugo C.A "Skip" Weber,
Director of Education, Polley Associates.

There is nothing in real estate that cannot be recorded, transcribed, databased, transmitted and distributed electronically.
Allen Sabbag,

Formerly President, Better Homes & Gardens.

There will certainly be successful brokers who will never touch a computer and totally avoid the Web - but their numbers will decline each year.

Peter Miller,
Consultant and Manager, America Online (AOL) Real Estate Desk.

To be a web surfer is like being a pilot. You have to log hours to do both before you understand how it works. If you don't, you will crash.

Gary Buda,
Former SVP, Better Homes & Garden Real Estate Services.

Get rid of bricks and sticks, get rid of overhead - it's time to change.

Bob Pittman,
Former CEO of Century 21.

For some time now, real estate practitioners have been overly concerned with control and ownership of property data. Real estate practitioners were falsely informed that whoever controlled the data controlled the market. What they need control over is the transaction and all its components. Real estate practitioners are not going to disappear, but they are going to have to change.

Jim Sherry,
Former CEO, Interealty.