I certainly hope by now that every single one of you knows about my “Pick5” feature that is published every Thursday.  It’s essentially my own 22-minute real estate TV show, except I don’t have to adhere to any watered-down format for television viewers, or have a writer or director tell me what to do.

Having said that, at least one reader out there isn’t aware of Pick5, and isn’t happy that I have seemingly “cut back” on my level of productivity.

Give a person a computer, and anonymity, and it’s amazing what comes out of their mouth…

I welcome, and encourage, emails from my blog readers.

I’m fully aware that about 99.99% of the people who read TRB will never do business with me, but it’s a numbers game.  I get over 2,000,000 hits per year on this site, and I certainly can’t work with everybody who comes on here.

I do my best to answer every single email that comes my way, even those that are somewhat counter-productive.

Case-in-point – the weekly emails I get from people who have their properties listed with other Realtors but want to know what I think about their pricing or marketing, or those who are working with other buyer agents but want my opinion on a house or condo they’re considering, or a feeling of what a house will sell for in multiple offers.

I answer all those emails, because I just don’t know how to say “no.”

I’m not going to pretend like I have TRB because I’m a Good Samaritan, and that it’s not a forum to attract business, because I am in business to sell real estate.

But man, oh man, this email from Monday shocked the hell out of me:

Dear David:

What happened to your Thursday blog? 

I’ve been reading you for years now, and I got used to your pattern of posting four times per week, usually on Mon/Tues, taking Wednesday off, and then coming back on Thurs/Fri. 

I noticed that you’re down to only Mon/Wed/Fri, and I’m wondering if this is just for the summer, or if this is intended to be permanent?

I think this is a bad move on your part, and it’s lazy.  I suppose now you’re going to neglect your core base of readers, and provide a half-pint to those thirsty readers who need their real estate fix.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.  Shame on you.

I’m probably finished following your blog.  I just haven’t fully decided yet.

J.

As I said at the onset: I reply to every email I receive, and this email is no different.

However, rather than reply to “J” personally, I figured I’d reply to him or her on TRB, just because “J” is that special and deserving…

Dear J, aka “Person I have never met, never spoken to, never done any business with in ten years”

Thank you for emailing me to say that while you read my blogs, for free, every single day, while enjoying them, and that you have done so for years, you feel I am being “lazy.”

I apologize for “cutting back” to only what amounts to 10-12 hours per week of blogging, from about 13-14, in addition to another 20 hours each and every week for upkeep.  I clearly should have consulted you first, even though I didn’t know you existed until Monday.

However, I’d like you to consider that I replaced my Thursday blog with a new feature called “Pick5,” which takes myself and my assistant about 12-15 hours to film, edit, and produce, each and every week.

Yes, I replaced one blog, of 1,600 words, with one video, of 22-minutes.  And I actually increased TRB’s output significantly.

Oh, how could you have missed such a crucial point.  Shame on you.

I’m probably going to die of a broken heart after reading your email.  I just haven’t fully decided yet.

D.

I was under the naive impression that this blog spoke for itself, but just in case it doesn’t: I post new content on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and I produce a video for subscribers (you have to subscribe so I can get around TREB and CREA’s antiquated rules…) every Thursday afternoon, which is emailed directly do you.

I produce more original content than any licensed Realtor in Canada, and I have the best readers and commenters, who post the most informed, educated, and intelligent comments of any real estate website out there.  TRB’s content is truly a collaboration between myself and other real estate enthusiasts.

I apologize if the change in content has upset anybody.

Except for “J.”

If you have no idea what “Pick5” is, then I encourage you to click the link at the top of the page, sign up, and watch the Thursday videos.

Every Thursday, I pick five active MLS listings to review, and I go through the listings with a screen capture so can see what I’m looking at, as well as what I’m doing and saying.

Sometimes the theme is geographic, like reviewing five properties in Cabbagetown, Don Mills, etc.

Sometimes the theme is a common thread, like hard loft condos, houses across from parks, etc.

But I can promise that in addition to learning something about real estate, you will also be entertained!  We always have a sub-theme (two weeks ago was 1980’s music, and this week’s is sharks…), and I like to think the videos are fun, and often nostalgic if you’re from my generation.  If you have memorized every episode of Seinfeld, then you’ll get all my one-liners that I mutter to myself under my breath…

Give it a try, and I welcome your feedback.

Except for “J.”

See you Friday!

David.