I hate it when well-presented opinions challenge my perceptions. An online article by Richard Reep, an architect with VOA Associates, Inc., spends a thousand words or so praising the virtues of sameness in American architecture! To quote: “Our current urbanized form has become remarkably homogenous…one now experiences a new sense of sameness in the texture and the pace of places….We live in a very standardized America today.” And this is supposed to be good? Mr. Reep comments that this sameness unifies our national experience, enabling businesses that compete for the customer dollar familiarity and efficiency. So now I’m supposed to like the strip malls that Mr. Reep eulogizes? What say you?

Quill Realty recently announced they were withdrawing from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service in order to “offer broker services to sellers who want to avoid the cost of a cooperating broker.” How will Quill compete? By putting its listings on highly trafficked websites such as Zillow, Redfin and Realtor.com. The Quill model is similar to what Surefield launched last November. This is worth watching.