blog.mattgoyer.com

For when I get that new condo…

Dr Seuss Taxidermy

Create your own shelving

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My second Audiovox 5600 just stopped working. I have Ben’s old phone but I don’t have my contacts so don’t expect me to call you until my new Q arrives.

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Speaking of hiring (and now that you just got your bonus from Microsoft it’s time to think about jumping ship), Redfin, is hosting Startupalooza in our lobby (308 Occidental Ave S) next Thursday (September 28, 5:30-8pm). It won’t be just us though, the following companies will be looking to hire you: Exbiblio, Blue Dot, Mercent, Bag Borrow or Steal, Farecast, Mpire and Gridnetworks.

"You could spend days surfing around the Web looking for great Seattle start-ups, or you could just come down to Pioneer Square," said Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman. "In twenty minutes, you’ll get a sense of the people and the culture at seven of Seattle’s most promising new businesses. Even if you’re not looking for a job, it’s a great way to keep up with Seattle’s start-up scene. Everyone’s invited."

Beer, pizza, startups, good times!

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The Seattle Times’ article Where’d The Whiz Kids Go? - Seattle could become the new Detroit looks at the drop off in computer science graduates and how it’s affecting Seattle:

In fact, right now a UW student with a bachelor’s degree in computer science can expect to make $75,000 in his or her first year. Top students are also being routinely lured with $20,000 signing bonuses — something not seen since the late 1990s.

Here’s a crazy statistic:

Among the 33,000 Microsofties working in Puget Sound, at least 11,000 are foreign-born.

There’s also a bunch of quotes from Glenn at Redfin:

“Google’s taken a money-is-no-object approach to hiring,” says Glenn Kelman, chief executive of Redfin, a Seattle startup that allows people to buy and sell homes online. “It’s really skewed the playing field.”

This is bad news for the tech companies because it’s hard to get talent, but good for us workers because we can easily move between jobs and receive higher salaries.

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We found this random video on the web today. From the Redfin blog:

At first we thought this was a secret test by our beloved Marketing department trying out our first TV spot. But then it dawned on us that Eric Heller and Glenn Kelman are on vacation. This is for real.

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We’re in today’s Investor Business Daily, Beyond Search: Tools For Buying, Selling Homes Expand Online:

Posting your home’s sale listing online is so 2004. Checking your agent’s blog for new listings is so 2005. In 2006, buyers and sellers are using sophisticated, interactive tools on real estate Web sites.

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I definitely want to blog about Redfin but unlike Media Center I’m not planning on starting a redfin.mattgoyer.com. I’m also not going to post a lot about Redfin on Urbnlivn unless relevant to the condo, new construction scene. So until Glenn gives me the keys to the Redfin blog I’ll just blog about Redfin here.

First link is to John Cook’s blog, Real estate on KUOW. I haven’t listened to it, but John blogs:

In minute 37, Redfin Chief Executive Glenn Kelman calls in to say that the Redfin service was inspired by Freakonomics and says it plans to refund about $10 million to $20 million in commissions next year. In minute 43, a caller says real estate agents “don’t do a whole lot for what they make.”

Wow, that’s going to be a lot of money refunded. I know that I’m kicking myself for not using Redfin when I bought my condo back in Febuary, but they (I guess we) had only been doing the online offer thing for a few weeks and until recently I didn’t realize you could use Redfin to buy any listing (new construction, outside of Seattle, etc.). I know that I will use Redfin to purchase my next condo though (and sell my place at the Meritage).

John also blogs about a Red Herring article, Real Estate’s Web Wake-up :

Redfin says sales have been doubling every month since March and the company doesn’t expect to see a slowdown in the business. “There aren’t many large markets left for Internet companies,” says CEO Glenn Kelman. “This is the final frontier for e-commerce.” In more ways than one: Mr. Kelman claims he’s received death threats from real estate agents incensed over Redfin’s cut-rate business practices.

And someone left an interesting comment on his blog, Online real estate survivors:

I’m a REALTOR in the Pacific Northwest with the ability to pull the volume that Redfin has sold. According to NWMLS data Redfin has only sold 75 residential, 20 condo listings, 1 vacant land listing and 1 multi family properties in the last six months. While this would be put an individual agent in the top 1% of agents in the Seattle metro area this is a very small number at the firm level. What is interesting to me is the amount of press that Redfin gets because of its commission rebate model, however for a company that is about to enter its 3rd year and with the venture backing and executive board it would seem that their results are dismal.

Glenn really is the best person to respond to a comment like this, so I certainly won’t comment on the numbers and research, but I will point out that Redfin has only been pursuing the online buying and selling since the beginning of 2006 so while the company and a www.redfin.com website have been around for three years the current business model is much newer.

This also isn’t the first comment on John’s Venture Blog complaining about the amount of attention Redfin receives; Redfin receives attention because consumers are starting to realize that 6% commissions aren’t set in stone.

Update: John comments on why he thinks Redfin get so much attention:

I have heard from other readers — including real estate agents — who wonder why Redfin gets so much attention. I think there are a few reasons for this: a potentially disruptive model in a big market, a perception by many home buyers that real estate agents are overpaid, venture capital from Paul Allen, Madrona and others, a colorful CEO who is not afraid to take his message to the press, reaction from real estate agents, a business model that many consumers can quickly grasp, etc.

From my perspective, these are good elements for a story. That’s probably part of the reason why The New York Times story on Redfin was one of the most e-mailed and caused such a stir.

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I’m looking for a funky messenger bag for busing/walking to work since my new notebook doesn’t fit in my old super slim bag. My notebook is 14″ long.. Here are some sites I’ve found. My preference is to find one made from a funky material, especially old mylar/kevlar sails (I worry that something made from dacron would get dirty?). And I’m not actually going to bike with it so I prefer something cool than functional :).

• Alchemy Goods - Seattle company, made from old inner tubes
• Posh yachting
• Love Life Bags
• Nauti Gear
• EverQuest - Made from American Cup’s sails, Mount Everest tents, Soyuz parachutes
• Chrome Bags
• Reload bags - They have a Seattle store on Pike street.
• Bagaboo - Custom maker in Hungary
• Cocotte - Canadian company
• Freitag - European company
• SF Bags
• Crumpler - Whacked website - Sold at REI
• Timbuk2 - The most popular ones
• re:modern recycled bag

If you have any suggestions, let me know.

Update: Great resource on bags: http://www.squidoo.com/laptopbag

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It’s now been one week at Redfin. Here’s a quick and short list of what comes to mind:

• It’s scary, intimidating and humbling to start a new job. There is a reason why I don’t take up new sports.
• Free pop/soda
• Free snacks like Cliff Bars
• There’s a fancy coffee machine but I don’t drink coffee
• Free lunch Monday, Wednesday, Friday, every time from a different restaurant. I love this.
• I work in a cube though most people are in offices (doubled though). Being in a cube is fine for me. I’m not a coder so I don’t need peace and quite, instead, being able to over hear everyone’s conversations is important. I did order a pair of headphones though.
• It takes about 15 minutes to bike to work (and then five to eight minutes more to get dressed), 20 minutes to take the bus (#14), 30 minutes to walk
• Things move at a much faster pace here. We ship a new version of the site very often.
• My manager took a short notice vacation and so I’ll be learning a lot being the only product manager around for a week
• The hours can be long. Yesterday was 12+ hours. But everyone here works hard and is passionate
• DIY-culture
• We have very passionate customers. Keep sending us feedback!
• If you’re a friend of mine in Seattle and looking for a house/condo, let me know. I spend a lot of time on our web site and I’m getting bored of looking at Capitol Hill condos.
• I wasn’t able to escape Sharepoint though I really miss Product Studio (Bugzilla isn’t very user friendly)
• At Microsoft it took me months to bring in personal items to decorate my office. Meanwhile, here I’ve brought in a calendar and my Aeron chair
• It’s a small company. I get to work directly with the CTO and CEO. That sure never happened at Microsoft :).
• Most everyone I talk to about my new job has already heard of Redfin

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Busy weekend!

After sneaking away early Friday I had dry land practice for the J24 Districts, the I rushed over to check out Hump 2. We even made the Stranger’s blog, HUMP 2 Storms Seattle!, or, at least my ass did.

Then Saturday and Sunday I had two days of racing:

upwind trim Hosted on Zooomr

And yet another picture of my ass…

mark rounding Hosted on Zooomr

Sunday afternoon the wind died so I spent the afternoon on the motorboat relaxing and then went to Daniel’s (by boat of course) with Kristi.

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