Redfin down fifty agents
National discount brokerage Redfin operates a “tiny, exclusive partner program” in areas where they do not operate offices and recently announced they have removed 50 partner agents from the program mostly in part to “mixed reviews” from consumers.
Redfin is notorious for asking consumers for feedback on agents through various steps in the real estate transaction and rather than let agents simply hang a license and pay a desk fee, Redfin has been very public about their willingness to let agents go which is a trait we admire and wish was adopted industry-wide.
In Redfin’s announcement of their removing 50 agents from their referral program, they noted that 42 were removed for “mixed reviews” while eight were removed for giving Redfin fake emails for their non-Redfin agents so that when Redfin surveyed their other clients (a standard practice agreed to when becoming a referral partner), they faked the reviews. Redfin claims they have software that can easily detect fakes.
Interestingly, Redfin states they don’t end up accepting 65% of all applicants to the referral program and of those accepted, they “end up asking one in six partner agents to leave the program later.”
Redfin’s announcement could be seen as a PR stunt and recruiting tool by some, while others may see it as a line in the sand as the company stands up for their culture. What do you think about the announcement?
