Todd Carpenter to leave NAR
AGBeat has confirmed that Todd Carpenter, National Association of Realtors’ Director of Digital Engagement has accepted a position at real estate search giant, Trulia. Carpenter is the first to have been in the Digital Engagement role, and as he leaves, it is unclear as to whether or not the position will remain within the trade organization.
Carpenter’s new title will be the Senior Management Industry Engagement and he will be starting toward the end of the month. A Trulia spokesperson told AGBeat that Carpenter “will be an industry voice” and that the company plans on putting him front and center as he engages the real estate industry.
Zillow has recently made several high profile hires including industry leaders Duane Fouts and Bob Bemis alongside blogger/broker Jay Thompson, all hailing from Arizona. Trulia is marching toward their bid for IPO, and more new hires are possible, not only to match their competitor’s pace, but to impress investors with titled talent acquisitions.
NAR CEO, Dale Stinton told AGBeat, “Todd has indicated he would like to move back to Denver for personal reasons and the overall opportunity was excellent for him. We wish Todd the best of luck and look forward to working with him down the road.”
As pieces of the puzzle continue moving, it will be interesting to watch how the talent shifts from association and real estate practices to large real estate media companies during their hiring spree and it is hard to tell how membership will react as talent leaks.
Jonathan Benya
April 12, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Wow, Didn’t see that one coming….
Fred
April 12, 2012 at 1:46 pm
Wow that’s big news in the real estate Social Media front! Congrats to Todd, but I hope NAR doesn’t abandon this position.
Greg Afarian
April 12, 2012 at 1:55 pm
Everyone is selling out? I’ll take a job too, LOL Todd and Jay are great guys I wish them the best of luck. If anyone can help Realtors with knowledge on social media tools and skills its them! Good Luck, Cheers!
Grant Hammond
April 12, 2012 at 2:05 pm
So it ain’t so! I actually spoke with Todd a month ago when I wrote a scathing post about Zillow and the NAR’s lack of a response or direction. Apparently Mr. Carpenter agrees as he now plays for the other team.
Wayne Harriman
April 12, 2012 at 3:42 pm
Is there such a thing as free agency in real estate? It’s beginning to look like it…
Ken Brand
April 12, 2012 at 3:55 pm
Congrats to Todd and all the current and future lobbyist. This is a prime example of the power of the internet and role it plays in building a personal platform, whether it’s leads to employment at a 3rd party syndication site or your local market place. Apparently being a secret agent still sucks, which is as it should be. Rise up or _______?
As for what all the current hiring activity means, it’s nice to see plans and strategies unfurl. The known is easier to navigate. Cheers.
Jim Lee
April 12, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Another one goes over to the dark side. I’m starting to think Trulia and Zillow are out to hire the entire NAR membership to maintain their access to all our listings.
TheRECoach
April 12, 2012 at 4:31 pm
Next Up … Realtor.com?? Who will they snatch up? Is Loni available?
Ira Serkes
April 12, 2012 at 7:02 pm
I’ll follow Todd’s adventures …. and hope that he’ll set up the whiteboard-cam wherever he goes!
Drew Meyers
April 12, 2012 at 9:30 pm
Congrats to Todd on the new role!
And to Ken’s quote
“This is a prime example of the power of the internet and role it plays in building a personal platform”
Yup, and the ones who understand its power have a massive head start on those who don’t.
Matt Case
April 12, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Wow. Tons of shifting in the RE.net and the industry as a whole. Curious to see how it all shakes out, and watch as the strategic plan that Zillow and Trulia are acting on plays out.
Too bad this whole social media thing is just a fad 😉
bill malkasian
April 13, 2012 at 8:13 am
What a tribute to NAR…in the past it was rare for a NAR employee to go into the private real estate sector except for sales. In this case a NAR employee moves to the private sector both for personal reasons but also because he had done a great job within the trade group.
In this changing industry coming out of the recession, movement will occur more often as groups and companies retrench themselves.
Kevin Troll
April 13, 2012 at 10:01 am
best thing ever for NAR and us members. He was a haughty, “mean girl”. He was catty, disrespectful and for one am glad my money from my.dues no longer go to his salary.
He was an absolute horrible representative of NAR, just ask Greg Cooper or well, me, and, ahem, The Indiana Association of Realtors.
Toodles. Look where Lindsay Logan’s career is now. (Speaking of Mean Girls.). He has made the grandest of social media faux paus (disasters) than ANYONE in the industry.
What in the heck was Trulia thinking? But, in the end, I’m ecstatic that he doesn’t speak for, nor represent NAR any longer!
Seth Siegler
May 10, 2012 at 6:31 pm
NICE Scoop!
AgentGenius
May 10, 2012 at 6:32 pm
Thanks, Seth!