Rob Hahn

Managing Partner of 7DS Associates, and the grand poobah of this here blog. Once called "a revolutionary in a really nice suit", people often wonder what I do for a living because I have the temerity to not talk about my clients and my work for clients. Suffice to say that I do strategy work for some of the largest organizations and companies in real estate, as well as some of the smallest startups and agent teams, but usually only on projects that interest me with big implications for reforming this wonderful, crazy, lovable yet frustrating real estate industry of ours.

Bring the Snark: Ken Harney and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

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My friend Matthew Shadbolt alerted me to this editorial by Ken Harney, a columnist for the Washington Post, that was published on The Real Deal.  Harney believes that the not-yet-fully-formed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can’t get here fast enough, and that the days of wine and roses will soon dawn upon us: The financial reform bill … Read more

Slouching Towards DC, Part 2: A "Balanced" Policy

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In part 1, I laid out some hints of what the Obama Administration has in mind for a new federal housing policy that would “reset the rules of the market” and engage in a “fundamental rethink” not just of the mechanics of housing finance, but of the objectives of housing policy themselves.  The Treasury now … Read more

Slouching Towards DC, Part 2: A “Balanced” Policy

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In part 1, I laid out some hints of what the Obama Administration has in mind for a new federal housing policy that would “reset the rules of the market” and engage in a “fundamental rethink” not just of the mechanics of housing finance, but of the objectives of housing policy themselves.  The Treasury now … Read more

Slouching Towards DC: A New Era in Real Estate?

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There was, apparently, an earthquake in Washington DC not too long ago.  Thankfully, no one was hurt, and no serious property damage occurred as the 3.6 magnitude tremor rolled through.  Mere days later, however, I learned that another tremor — this one not registered on any geological survey — centered around Washington DC occurred.  From … Read more

Three Most Important Tools for Bloggers

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Joel Burslem over at 1000watt has proclaimed July 9, 2010 as the day that the real estate blog died, and given the thoughtfulness and intelligence of the author, it’s difficult to disagree with his conclusion.  Given how Joel defines “real estate blog”, the conclusions he draws are somewhat difficult to escape: For every Phoenix Real Estate … Read more

AgentHarvest: The Start of Something?

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Recently, I ran across a hilarious little parody website called ReallyRottenRealty.com.  The site exposes some of the more compellingly awful business practices of some brokers and agents out there.  Check it out, and be prepared to laugh while grimacing. Turns out, the website is a marketing vehicle for a company called AgentHarvest, based in Dallas, … Read more