From our Texas reader: "I read the…peoples' response to your articles on exclusives and co-exclusives. They were listing the benefits. What happened to MLS? Thanks. Still love to read you from Texas, MP, Keller"

Property listed with Town & Country Real Estate.

Does anyone out there want to answer Tex's question? Especially from you guys west of the canal that are so close to the "dreaded" MLS contagion? Or is it truly dreaded? I know after some conversations with realtors east of the canal that they didn't think it was a bad thing after all. Tell us how you feel!

We would also like your takes on some of the new agent training programs and regimes with the larger corporate firms - mandatory, time consuming and expensive, but a requirement nevertheless. What smaller agencies, independently owned, are doing, I am not sure? Training, as well? Is it needed? To what degree? Has the nature of the business changed so in the last few decades that mere talent, drive, and knowledge is simply not enough. One new starter I spoke with said it is harder to get the "job" than to do it. Your takes on this please, from both the corporate giants and the smaller independently owned operations, from management and from staff.

From another reader, Michael D. Jacobs, Private Mortgage Banker with Wells Fargo Private Mortgage Banking in Southampton: "I read your articles with great interest as a real estate and mortgage professional here on the East End. Your insights are always interesting and your knowledge of the market and the people who populate it is very impressive. I have a few observations on your article of 11/7."

Jacobs continued, "Concerning Citi and the designation of Nassau and Suffolk as declining markets - on balance, Citi is not alone. Other banks have joined them in the last week or so. The only methodology banks use to identify these markets is county by county based on comparable recorded sales and other data. Unfortunately, the East End's still relatively healthy market is painted with this broad brush. Inventories are up and homes are spending more time on the market...but sale prices are also up and have continued to be strong through the crisis much of the rest of the country is experiencing. The nature of our marketplace, heavily weighted to second/vacation homes, and its proximity to the still bustling East Coast financial and commercial centers make the East End unique."

Property listed with Town & Country Real Estate.

And as to eco-brokers Jacobs remarked, "Concerning Penelope Moore and her designation as an 'EcoBroker' - I have had the pleasure to work with Penelope on numerous occasions over the years. She is a top producer and, with her embrace of issues surrounding ecologically friendly and energy efficient building, is also a visionary. As a Construction and Renovation Lending Specialist for Wells Fargo Private Mortgage Banking on the East End I recognize "green" construction as the wave of the future...and so does Wells Fargo (please see attached). I am working with the Long Island Builders Institute on establishing the standards for "green" construction on Long Island and have reached out to other organizations, public and private, to discuss and promote the initiative. Congratulations to Penelope for the stand she is taking for our special and fragile environment here on the East End. Keep up the good work and great reporting!!!"

Then, Mr. Jacobs included a release about Wells Fargo and its own interest in green – both kinds - following up on our last week's Realty Takes:

"With oil prices so high, it's time to start considering alternative energy plays such as Wells Fargo one of the few banks Cramer…[New York Magazine columnist, Mad Money on MSNBC James Cramer]...said he's been sticking by in the current period. Wells Fargo, he said, has been investing 'aggressively' in green projects, such as solar and wind farms. It is the largest buyer of renewable energy in the country and is worth owning, according to Cramer. Cramer spoke with the financial institution's CEO John Stumpf and asked him how his company has spent and developed green as a concept of making money for its business. Stumpf said green is important to the bank's shareholders, customers and to society. He said the company is involved with some 'really important projects where we can do well and do good at the same time.' He said Wells Fargo's green efforts have absolutely resonated with younger people, as well as the middle-aged and the elderly."

The piece on Wells Fargo and green then went on to suggest you buy a piece of Wells Fargo, if you're not doing real estate, that is. Hey, wait a minute, I thought this was about real estate! A very strange column and a very strange business.