Listing Bits

In this episode of Listing Bits, Greg Robertson sits down with Ben Kinney, CEO and co-founder of Place, to talk about Place's acquisition of Remine, how Ben built his PropTech empire from the ground up, and what's next for the platform. Ben shares his personal journey from growing up in rural Washington to building a half-billion-dollar business, and lays out his vision for supporting agents, MLSs, and consumers through technology, services, and long-term stability. Key Takeaways Place Acquires Remine – Ben shares why his team bought Remine out of bankruptcy, what they plan to do with the platform, and how MLSs can expect immediate support. A Business Built for Agents – Place focuses on helping top teams across brokerages run more profitable and efficient businesses without trying to replace brokers or compete with their models. Three Keys to Product Adoption – Ben breaks down his framework for driving usage: show users how, show them why, and show them others who've succeeded. From CRM to Services – Place provides agents with everything from CRMs and marketing tools to bookkeeping, HR, title services, and even AI-powered handwritten notes. CCP and Cooperation – Ben shares his views on Clear Cooperation and listing exclusivity, emphasizing transparency, consumer benefit, and the importance of cooperation. Long-Term Vision – Ben discusses Place's public company aspirations, upcoming acquisitions, and consumer-focused services like moving support—all while keeping control of the business. Links Place.com https://place.com Active Rain https://activerain.com Mom's “No Bake” Cookie recipe 1 stick of butter 2 c sugar 1/4 c cocoa powder 1/2 c milk 3 c oatmeal 1/2 c crunchy peanut butter 1 tsp vanilla Stir butter, sugar, cocoa, milk in saucepan until boil. Boil at low for 2 mins. Remove from heat and add in oatmeal, peanut butter, vanilla.   WAV Group Interview: Meet Ben Kinney and Chris Suarez of Place – new owners of Remine - https://www.wavgroup.com/2025/04/22/meet-ben-kinney-and-chris-suarez-of-place-new-owners-of-remine/ Our Sponsors Trackxi – Real Estate's #1 Deal Tracking Software Giant Steps Job Board – Where ORE gets hired Production and editing services by: Sunbound Studios

In this episode of Listing Bits, Greg Robertson is joined by Megan McFarlane from New Mexico MLS and Jeff Allen from CubiCasa to discuss the growing importance of floor plans in real estate listings. They dive into why New Mexico MLS has taken the bold step of requiring floor plans on every listing, how technology like CubiCasa is making this easier, and the industry-wide momentum pushing for more complete and transparent listing content.   Key Takeaways • New Mexico MLS's Bold Move: Why they made floor plans mandatory and how it enhances listing accuracy and consumer experience. • The Tech That's Changing the Game: How CubiCasa and other solutions make floor plans more accessible for agents and MLSs. • Overcoming Pushback: Addressing concerns about liability, data privacy, and adoption challenges. • Consumer Demand is Clear: NAR research shows floor plans are the #1 most requested listing feature. • Global Trends in Real Estate: Why countries like Finland and Australia have already made floor plans standard—and why the U.S. is catching up. • The Future of MLS Compliance: How MLSs are using AI and automation to enforce floor plan requirements.   Links & Resources New Mexico MLS to require floor plans on all listings https://www.vendoralley.com/2025/01/16/new-mexico-mls-to-require-floorpans-on-all-listings/ MLS Floor Plan Requirement Programs: FAQ 2025 https://www.cubi.casa/mls-floor-plan-requirements-2025/ CMLS Presentation Clip https://www.instagram.com/reel/DE2yYaMPzme/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== Our Sponsors Trackxi – Real Estate's #1 Deal Tracking Software Giant Steps Job Board – Where Proptech gets hired   Production and editing services by: Sunbound Studios

Episode Summary: In this episode, Greg Robertson talks with Kevin McCarthy, co-founder and CEO of Real Geeks, about his journey from a small-town tech enthusiast to creating a leading real estate technology company. Kevin shares insights into Real Geeks' origins, its evolution, and how its all-in-one platform empowers real estate agents. The conversation touches on the early challenges of building a tech company, the role of SEO in the early internet era, and how AI is shaping the future of real estate technology.   Key Topics Discussed: 1. The Birth of Real Geeks • How Kevin's move to Hawaii led to a partnership with Jeff Manson, Real Geeks' co-founder. • The transition from building a single real estate website to creating a scalable product for agents. 2. The Real Geeks Platform • Combining IDX websites with a CRM for seamless lead generation and management. • The importance of fast, user-friendly software and SEO optimization. 3. AI Innovations • Introduction of “SEO Fast Track,” an AI-powered website builder. • The future of CRMs: AI taking over repetitive tasks to let agents focus on client relationships. 4. The Journey of Growth • Challenges of starting in Hawaii and expanding operations to Dallas, TX. • Navigating the sale of Real Geeks to Fidelity National Financial while preserving its mission. 5. Advice for Entrepreneurs • Building a profitable, self-funded business in challenging markets. • The value of focusing on user experience and sustainable growth.   Quotable Highlights: • “Fast software is good software. Even milliseconds matter when it comes to user experience.” • “AI will make CRMs fade into the background, automating tasks agents hate so they can focus on building relationships.” • “Real Geeks is more than just software; it's a tool that powers the livelihood of real estate agents.”   Reach Out: LinkedIn for Kevin McCarthy Real Geeks - Tools Tailored to Your Ambitions   Our Sponsors Trackxi – Real Estate's #1 Deal Tracking Software Giant Steps Job Board – Where Proptech gets hired   Production and editing services by: Sunbound Studios  

Overview: Greg Robertson sits down with Carlos Grass and Paul Hethmon, co-founders of Amplify, to discuss their innovative “front-endless” MLS backend platform. This episode highlights Amplify's unique approach to creating a flexible, adaptable MLS backend designed to empower MLSs with greater control and cutting-edge technology. Key Takeaways: 1. Amplify's Mission and Flexibility: • Amplify offers a decoupled backend solution that allows MLSs to use multiple frontends, enabling greater customization, data control, and integration with new technologies. 2. Innovative Technology Integration: • The platform features advanced capabilities like natural language processing and machine learning, allowing users to search MLS data through voice or natural language, while also automating content creation such as audio descriptions and marketing videos. 3. Real-Time Changes and Responsiveness: • Amplify's backend allows MLSs to make updates and add fields in real-time, drastically improving adaptability and response time compared to traditional MLS systems. 4. A New Vision for MLS Accessibility: • Amplify enables MLSs to extend data access to a broader network, including appraisers, attorneys, and financial institutions, fostering a more collaborative ecosystem. Reach Out:  Carlos Grass, Co-Founder of Amplify and CEO of Stratus Data Systems Paul Hethmon, Co-Founder of Amplify Visit Amplify at ampsystems.us Download Amplify's new White Paper: Adapting to the post DOJ ruling Our Sponsors Trackxi – Real Estate's #1 Deal Tracking Software Giant Steps Job Board – Where Proptech gets hired Production and editing services by: Sunbound Studios

Overview: In this episode, Greg Robertson chats with Austin Allison, CEO of Pacaso, about his entrepreneurial journey in real estate, starting with Dotloop and transitioning to his current venture, Pacaso. The discussion covers lessons learned from his early career, how Pacaso is revolutionizing second home ownership, and insights into raising capital through innovative approaches like Regulation A.   Key Takeaways: 1. Austin's Journey in Real Estate: • Austin Allison started his real estate career early, getting his license at 18. His early experiences selling homes during college inspired him to create Dotloop, which he later sold to Zillow. • The entrepreneurial lessons from Dotloop, including navigating challenging markets and working with large real estate brands like Keller Williams, set the foundation for his future ventures. 2. The Birth of Pacaso: • After selling Dotloop, Austin co-founded Pacaso, a platform aimed at democratizing second home ownership by enabling people to co-own luxury homes. The idea stemmed from his own experience of buying a second home and realizing most vacation homes sit unused for much of the year. • Pacaso allows people to purchase a share of a vacation home, creating more efficient and accessible ways to own luxury properties. 3. The Challenges of Scaling a Startup: • Pacaso had rapid growth, especially during the early days of the pandemic when people sought second homes, but faced new challenges in 2023 due to rising interest rates and a cooling real estate market. • The company has refocused on profitability and expanding its market presence globally, with operations in the U.S., Europe, and Mexico. 4. Innovative Fundraising through Regulation A: • Pacaso recently explored raising capital through Regulation A, a public fundraising method that allows retail investors to buy into private companies. This method democratizes access to investment opportunities typically reserved for institutional investors. • Austin believes this approach aligns with Pacaso's mission of making second home ownership more accessible and also raises brand awareness by turning investors into advocates. 5. Future of Pacaso and Second Home Ownership: • Pacaso aims to continue expanding its product offerings and entering new markets. While the current focus is on high-net-worth individuals, Austin envisions future opportunities to lower the entry point for ownership, making the Pacaso model more accessible to a broader audience. • Austin emphasizes the long-term potential of Pacaso and the importance of scaling the business carefully to meet the demands of a large, untapped market.   Reach Out:  Austin on LInkedIN   Find out more about Pacaso • Learn more about Pacaso: Pacaso.com • Explore Regulation A investment opportunities with Pacaso.   Our Sponsors Trackxi - Real Estate's #1 Deal Tracking Software Giant Steps Job Board - Where Proptech gets hired   Production and editing services by: Sunbound Studios  

I sat down with a long-time friend and former business partner, Maggie Etheridge. Maggie was one of my co-founders at IRIS, a real estate software company we started back in 1992. She is a second-generation real estate agent. Maggie's mom, Martie, was the inspiration for starting a software company focused on real estate and is likely the reason I have a career today.   This episode began from a series of texts between Maggie and me about her thoughts on NAR, the lawsuits, exclusive listings, and what the pundits are getting wrong. It was a great conversation and a huge reality check for me, making me rethink some of my previous assumptions. It was a discussion that could have gone on for hours; somehow, I think we'll have to have her on as a guest again.   Reach Out:  Maggie's website Maggie's Insta Greg's website Our Sponsors Trackxi - Real Estate's #1 Deal Tracking Software Giant Steps Job Board - Where Proptech gets hired Production and editing services by: Sunbound Studios

Listing Bits is back with a great guest, Kevin Shtofman, Global Head of Innovation at Cherre. Cherre is a global real estate data management platform. Kevin is from Texas and comes from a very entrepreneurial family that owned retail stores selling western wear, including honest-to-goodness cowboy boots! Yee-haw! Kevin talks about his journey from Wall Street back to Dallas and Cherre. It's a great conversation where we dive into the breadth of real estate data available now, housing affordability, real estate myths, and the changing vendor landscape. Kevin is a super smart guy, and I found this conversation very insightful—I know you will too. Reach Out:  Kevin on LinkedIn Greg's website   Find out more about Cheere Cherre.com - Follow your Data   Our Sponsors Trackxi - Real Estate's #1 Deal Tracking Software Giant Steps Job Board - Where Proptech gets hired   Production and editing services by: Sunbound Studios  

Dan Fortin was one of my favorite people I met working at Lone Wolf. He came over from the Instanet acquisition and has had a front-row seat to see big changes in the industry. From Lone Wolf acquiring 8 companies, 5 of them in less than 9 months, to the challenges of being a forms company during COVID when everyone wanted a specific form, and they wanted it NOW! Sounds familiar, eh? We discuss Dan's background, the lessons he's learned over the 10 years, and how taking a data-driven approach to making decisions has helped him during his career. We also get to talk about Lone Wolf's recent announcement on its newest platform, Foundation, and the tremendous amount of work that took. We also delve into product, design, and what the future holds for Lone Wolf. For more about Lone Wolf Foundation please visit here. To connect with Dan check out his LinkedIn profile.    

What do Willie Nelson and keeping real estate agents safe have in common?  You will have to listen to this great conversation with Tether RE founder Scott Martin to find out. Did you know that in 2020 60,000 real estate agents reported being victims of assault, sexual abuse, robbery or were murdered in the US?  In 2023 over 75,000 real estate agents reported being victim of a crime.  And there are a ton of more incidents that go unreported. In this wide ranging conversation with Scott Martin, a serial entrepreneur, we talk about where the idea came from, and the journey that got Scott here.  Trust me, it's a wild ride! Join us for fun and entertaining conversation.   Reach Out: Connect with Scott Check out Tether RE Our Sponsor: Trackxi – Real Estate's #1 Deal Tracker Production and editing services by: Sunbound Studios

I hope you enjoy this great conversation with the co-founders of HŌM, Jeff Zakrzewski and Nhan Vo. In a wide ranging conversation we discuss their orgin story.  Where they came up for the idea of their app and the struggles of going to market with a real estate software solution. If you are new vendor getting in to the space, an MLS exec, or franchisor professional its worth a listen.  HŌM is a well designed app that is doing a lot of interesting things with data and collaboration with some great people behind it. Join us!   Find out more about the HŌM experience homagent.com | myhom.ai   Reach Out: Connect with Jeff Connect with Vo   Our Sponsor: Trackxi - Real Estate's #1 Deal Tracker   Production and editing services by: Sunbound Studios

"Hotel California", is one of the phrases people attribute to the organized real estate industry, "you can can check-out any time you like, but you can never leave". Kelly Robinson is an industry pioneer in that she co-founded a software company, Realty Plus Online, that created one of the first web-based MLS systems. In my conversation with Kelly we talked about the old days, her journey, and what brings her back to organized real estate game. It's a fun conversation between old friends and talks about the challenges of the MLS vendor business.

The verdict against NAR in the Sitzer lawsuit has organized real estate up in arms. But Michael Lissack thinks the decision is the best thing to happen to the industry in 100 years. In fact, he sees the trade association as a criminal enterprise with little value beyond MLS access. Michael is Managing Broker for The Virtual Realty Group, a 100% commission brokerage that operates in 12 states.  On this episode of Listing Bits, Michael joins Greg to discuss the real issue behind the lawsuits against NAR and describe what he would do to make buyer's agent commission negotiable. Michael explains why it's necessary to decouple the MLS from NAR membership and how that would likely lead to bankruptcy for the trade association. Listen in for Michael's provocative take on why associations don't deserve a way forward in a world where MLS access is open to anyone with a real estate license.   What's Discussed:   The real issue behind the lawsuits against NAR and several real estate brokerages What Michael would do to make buyer's agent commission negotiable Why the DOJ takes issue with mandatory membership in NAR for MLS access How decoupling the MLS from NAR would impact everyday REALTORS What decoupling the MLS from NAR membership would do to the trade association (and what NAR might do to demonstrate its value and rebuild) What it would take to decouple local, state and NAR membership Why Michael believes a real estate license should be the only requirement for MLS access Running MLSs as not-for-profit organizations vs. for-profit entities Greg's thoughts on providing a way forward for associations by compensating them for the work of building the MLS Why bankruptcy might be apt for associations who don't provide value beyond MLS access   Connect with Michael Lissack: Michael.Travel Michael on LinkedIn   Resources: Sitzer v. NAR Michael's LinkedIn Post   Our Sponsors: Trackxi

In 2020 Ben knew they needed to make a change.  So he went to the Black Knight board and made a pitch, “give me the resources to build a modern MLS system”.  To his surprise, they said yes. Now, 3 years later, that dream has been realized. His dream was a mobile-first MLS platform that understands the history of how MLS platforms operate but offers a modern user experience. That's exactly what Ben Graboske and Lucie Fortier are working on, and their new product, Paragon Connect, is ready for its close up. Ben is President of Data & Analytics and Lucie is Executive Vice President of MLS Solutions at Intercontinental Exchange or ICE, the financial services firm that bought Black Knight in September 2023. On this episode of Listing Bits, Ben and Lucie join Greg to discuss ICE's history of digitizing complex transactions and explain why its acquisition of Black Knight makes sense. Lucie shares her motivation for joining the team at Intercontinental Exchange, and Ben describes how ICE's resources benefit his department in the development of Paragon Connect. Listen in to understand what differentiates Paragon Connect from other MLS vendors and learn how it simplifies the agent experience by providing an entire MLS platform on both a responsive and native app.   What's Discussed:     ICE's history of digitizing complicated transactions and why its acquisition of Black Knight makes sense How being an MLS vendor supports ICE's vision for making mortgages easier Lucie's journey to joining the ICE team and how technology drives her career decisions What features differentiate Paragon Connect from other MLS vendors Why Ben's team decided not to change Paragon's name (despite offering an entirely new experience) How Paragon Connect provides an entire MLS platform in a native app experience The talented team of designers behind Paragon Connect How Ben's team benefits from ICE's data assets and information security Lucie's approach to transitioning existing users to Paragon Connect How Paragon is introducing a consumer app in Q1 of 2024 Why the rules around marketing to members need to change in an MLS system-of-choice model What makes Paragon Connect ‘the MLS platform of the future'   Connect with Ben Graboske & Lucie Fortier: Intercontinental Exchange Ben on LinkedIn Lucie on LinkedIn Email lucie.fortier@bkfs.com    Resources: ICE Acquisition of Black Knight Paragon Connect Demo Damien Huze on Listing Bits EP85 Paragon Connect on Vendor Alley   Our Sponsors: Trackxi  

Listing Bits EP085: A Less, But Better Approach to Real Estate Software Design – with Damien Huze of Lone Wolf Technologies   Among Dieter Rams' Ten Principles of Design is the idea that good design is as little design as possible.   Less, but better.   And Damien Huze believes that the next evolution of real estate software will apply this concept, offering fewer high-quality apps that work together in a fluid system.   Damien is Senior Design Manager and Principal Designer at Lone Wolf Technologies, a software company working to build an end-to-end solution for real estate.   Damien served as Chief Design Officer at W+R studios before the Lone Wolf acquisition, and he is responsible for the design of Cloud CMA, one of the most popular apps in real estate.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Damien explains how making design a priority benefits companies building web-based apps and why he defines design as a skill aimed at problem-solving.   Damien describes how Lone Wolf is working to combine the tools of proptech into a single streamlined experience and shares his team's user-centric approach to the problem of simplifying real estate.   Listen in for insight on the power of relentless focus and learn about Damien's vision for designing real estate software that delivers more with less.     What's Discussed:   What Damien learned from growing up with creative parents who immigrated to the US How making design a priority benefits companies building web-based apps (and why so few do it) How Damien thinks about design as a skill aimed at problem-solving What Lone Wolf is doing to bring several real estate apps together in a single end-to-end solution Why Damien believes the next evolution in real estate software is ‘less but better' Lone Wolf's upcoming announcement at the T3 Technology Summit What it means for good software to have an opinion vs. being too flexible or customizable How Damien's team brings a user-centric, design thinking approach to simplifying real estate  Greg and Damien's take on the advantage of simple tools that get the job done The well-designed product that's had the biggest impact on Damien's life Why relentless focus boosts productivity and how Damien applies that tenet to design   Connect with Damien Huze: Lone Wolf Technologies Damien on X Damien on LinkedIn   Resources: Dieter Rams' 10 Principles of Good Design T3 Technology Summit Starlink FaceTime on Apple TV Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson    Our Sponsors: Trackxi

In 2021, Vijay Gopalswamy's real estate business was growing like gangbusters. And at one point, he had 32 active transactions.   Which meant Vijay was spending every morning with his team, going over each transaction and asking, ‘Did you send this? Did you follow up with that? Did this contract get signed?'   But when he looked at the “transaction management” software on the market, Vijay realized that it was built for brokerages, not agents.   So, he set out to solve his own problem.   Vijay is Cofounder and CEO of Trackxi, a deal tracking software platform that helps agents visualize the next step in each transaction and provides full transparency for the consumer.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Vijay discusses his successful career in mechanical engineering and explains how he became an accidental real estate agent.   Vijay describes what differentiates Trackxi from other transaction management solutions and how it serves teams, transaction coordinators and new agents.   Listen in for insight around the visual nature of Trackxi's tracking system and find out how the app can help you demonstrate your value prop with clients and grow your real estate business!   What's Discussed:     How Vijay moved to the US to pursue his Master's in mechanical engineering Vijay's successful 20-year career in engineering, finance and sales with Daimler How Vijay became an accidental real estate agent How the challenge of managing 32 open transactions inspired Vijay to build Trackxi The advantage of a dedicated app that does one or two things well Why Trackxi is a deal tracking software platform (vs. transaction management tool) What differentiates Trackxi from other transaction management tools  How Trackxi serves teams, transaction coordinators and new agents How Trackxi's tracking system provides transparency around the agent's value  How Trackxi's visual dashboard delivers a State of the Union of an agent's business What to expect from Trackxi's hands-on onboarding process   Connect with Vijay Gopalswamy:   Trackxi Email vijay@trackxi.com  Vijay on LinkedIn   Resources:   Trackxi Review in Inman The Close Picks for Best Transaction Management Software for 2023   Our Sponsors:   Trackxi

MLSs and associations face an issue Nick Gough refers to as RDR, an acronym for REALTORS don't read.    So, what can these organizations do to communicate more effectively with the members they serve?    Nick is Founder and CEO at NoteRouter, the all-in-one email and texting platform designed to help organized real estate achieve record-high member engagement.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Nick shares his experience in leadership of associations and MLSs, explaining how it drove him to build NoteRouter.   Nick describes how NoteRouter helps users write content that connects with REALTORS individually and discusses why the presentation of your message matters as much as the value you provide.   Listen in for Nick's insight on leveraging influencer marketing to reach more REALTORS and learn how to humanize your outreach by focusing on the real pains your members face.   What's Discussed:     Why Nick dropped out of college and became a real estate agent at 18 Nick's experience in leadership of associations and MLSs and how it drove him to build NoteRouter How NoteRouter solves the problem of member engagement  Using email and text outreach to help associations and MLSs connect with the people they serve How NoteRouter helps users write content that connects with REALTORS individually Why presentation matters just as much as the value you provide NoteRouter's expertise in outbound communication through email service and telecom providers Why NoteRouter is designed around the principle of permission-based marketing Why it's crucial for MLSs and associations to learn influencer marketing The relationship between email open rates and subject lines The benefit of humanizing your outreach and focusing on real pains members face How the latest MLS outage impacted Nick and the team at NoteRouter   Connect with Nick Gough: NoteRouter Nick on LinkedIn Email nick@noterouter.com    Resources: Seth Godin The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcom Gladwell   Our Sponsor: Cloud CMA for Brokers

Teams are the future of real estate. And one proptech vendor is capitalizing on this trend by helping team leaders run an effective business. What's more, most of the teams on his platform double their business every year—even in the current market. Brian Charlesworth is Founder and CEO of Sisu, an end-to-end real estate platform for teams that streamlines the transaction process, bringing all REALTORS, vendors and clients together. On this episode of Listing Bits, Brian shares his background in technology and explains how helping his wife build her real estate team inspired the creation of Sisu. Brian discusses the coaching Sisu offers to help team leaders scale their business and describes how the platform changes the culture of a real estate team.  Listen in to understand how the Sisu client portal works like a ‘pizza tracker' and get Brian's advice for other proptech vendors on building for real estate teams.   What's Discussed:   Sisu's function as an end-to-end real estate platform for teams How Brian's commitment to help his wife build her real estate team inspired the creation of Sisu The coaching Sisu offers to help team leaders run an effective business Why Brian believes teams are the future of real estate What proptech vendors should consider in building for teams Using the Sisu dashboard to track a team's progress (e.g.: sales, potential revenue, etc.) How Sisu integrates with CRMs and other platforms to streamline and automate real estate transactions How Sisu changes the culture of a real estate team Why most teams on Sisu double their business every year—even in the current market How the Sisu client portal works like a ‘pizza tracker' What Sisu is doing to make sure clients work with the same real estate professionals for years to come Brian's advice to proptech vendors on understanding how agents think What real estate companies can do to solve for agent retention   Connect with Brian Charlesworth: Sisu Brian on Instagram   Resources: Sisu Mastery Side PLACE   Our Sponsor:  Cloud CMA for Brokers

Two years ago, NAR policy was updated to give brokers and agents attribution rights, meaning they get to decide how they appear in listings.   But Homes.com employs a ‘your listing, your lead' model, displaying the listing agent's contact information.   So, does this comply with NAR's attribution policy? And what else do we need to think about as companies like Zillow and Homes.com switch to IDX?   On this episode of Listing Bits, Michael Wurzer, CEO of real estate software company FBS, Greg Fischer, Owner of indie brokerage West + Main, and Andy Woolley, VP of Industry Development at Homes.com, join us to consider how ‘your listing, your lead' jives with NAR's IDX attribution policy.   Andy explains how ‘your listing, your lead' differs from the referral model used on other sites, and Greg asks what is changing at Homes.com now that it's a participant in the MLS.   Listen in for Michael's insight on the repercussions on policy that come with mixing different use cases for data feeds and find out why it's important for MLSs to develop a standard way for national portals like Homes.com to license data.   What's Discussed:     How NAR IDX policy changed to give brokers and agents attribution rights Whether Homes.com's ‘your listing, your lead' model complies with NAR's attribution policy Why most brokers aren't using the ‘attribution source' field in RESO's data dictionary Homes.com's decision to display the listing agent's contact information Why Homes.com made the switch from its original MLS feeds to IDX What is changing at Homes.com now that it's a participant in the MLS vs. a media publisher The potential repercussions on policy that come with mixing use cases for data feeds What differentiates Homes.com's ‘your listing, your lead' from the referral model used on other sites How Homes.com allows buyer's agents to protect their relationships on the site How showing a listing agent on a lead placard compares to seeing their name on a yard sign The challenge Homes.com faces when it comes to agent responsiveness Why it's crucial for MLSs to create a standard way for national portals to license data   Connect with Michael Wurzer:   Michael at FBS Michael on Twitter   Connect with Greg Fischer:   West + Main Greg on Twitter   Connect with Andy Woolley:   Homes.com Andy on Twitter   Resources:   Greg's Twitter Thread on Your Listing, Your Lead NAR's IDX Policy RESO Data Dictionary Homesnap Pro   Our Sponsor:   Cloud CMA for Brokers

Lauren Martin began her career in the fashion industry to be among powerful women.   But when she transitioned to proptech, she realized that real estate is the true pinnacle of girl power. And yet, women are not always represented in leadership.   So, when she landed her current role as Senior Account Director of Partnerships at RentSpree, Lauren approached her CEO about creating RENEW, the Real Estate Network for Empowered Women, an initiative that seeks to connect and champion female professionals across all sectors of the industry nationwide.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Lauren shares her journey from the fashion industry to proptech, describing how what she learned in fashion translates to real estate.   Lauren discusses her role at RentSpree, explaining how the platform partners with MLSs and other proptech companies to streamline the rental process—in a way that serves real estate agents and renters.   Listen in for insight on what inspired Lauren to build RENEW and learn how you can get involved in her initiative to elevate women in real estate!   What's Discussed:     How Lauren was poached from a catering company to work in sales at Remine What Lauren learned in the fashion industry that translates to real estate and proptech Lauren's insight on approaching uncomfortable conversations with humor Lauren's experiences working with MLS professionals who champion each other How RentSpree partners with MLSs and proptech companies to streamline the rental process The revenue sharing model at RentSpree and how MLSs benefit from it How REALTORS benefit from building relationships with renters early in their housing journey Lauren's role handling both MLS and proptech partnerships at RentSpree Lauren's best travel hacks for real estate professionals What inspired Lauren to start the RENEW initiative to elevate women in real estate   Connect with Lauren:   RentSpree Lauren on LinkedIn Email laurenm@rentspree.com RENEW Initiative The RENEW Podcast by RentSpree   Resources: Remine Project Runway Vendor Alley SentriLock Rent the Runway Teresa King Kinney & Liz Sturrock on The RENEW Podcast EP001 Betsy Hanson of Markt on Listing Bits EP078   Our Sponsor: Cloud CMA for Brokers

From a vendor's perspective, small MLSs are the most challenging to work with. And that's no surprise, seeing as how they have fewer resources than the big players in the space.   So, how do we support MLSs with fewer than 400 members in keeping up with NAR rules, for example? Is there a way MLSs might share marketing, support and compliance services in a way that makes the market work better for all involved?   Betsy Hanson is General Manager and General Counsel at Markt, a multi-MLS service organization focused on pooling resources and expertise to serve MLSs, brokers and agents.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Betsy shares her journey from executive assistant at a small association to her current role at Markt, describing how she avoids the attorney's reputation as the Department of No.   Betsy offers her take on what organized real estate is missing about the life and times of an ordinary REALTOR, why the average agent doesn't understand the lawsuits facing the industry, and how those lawsuits might change the way we do things moving forward.   Listen in to understand how Markt works as an MLS back-office provider and learn how Betsy and her team are uniquely positioned to help MLSs of all sizes with local market delivery.   What's Discussed:     Betsy's journey from executive assistant at a small association to General Counsel at Markt What differentiates the role of executive assistant from that of chief of staff How Betsy avoids the attorney's reputation as the Department of No Betsy's experience teaching English in China between undergrad and law school What organized real estate is missing about the life and times of an ordinary REALTOR Why the average REALTOR-on-the-street doesn't know about the lawsuits facing the industry How public perception of REALTORS remains positive despite lawsuits around compensation Betsy's predictions re: how the lawsuits facing organized real estate might play out How Markt began as a way for MLSs to pool support resources and create efficiencies Markt's potential to solve the challenge small MLSs face in keeping up with NAR rules   Connect with Betsy: Markt Email betsy@themarkt.com   Resources: Notorious ROB Industry Relations Podcast Turn On by 1000watt   Our Sponsor:   Cloud CMA for Brokers

Most showing management software aggregates data. But how useful is it to get a report at the end of the month?   What if the data was presented in a way that helped agents answer seller questions in real time and make informed choices based on the numbers?   Wes Hartman is CEO of Showingly, a showing management solution that uses data and analytics to guide better decision-making.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Wes walks us through the key metrics Showingly looks at to drive pricing decisions and marketing strategy for a property.   Wes explains how Showingly is aggregating showing, offer and closed data to determine the best day and time to list a home and explores what simple things a seller can adjust to secure more showings.   Listen in to understand how the desire for choice might impact the future of showing management software and find out if Showingly's approach is right for your brokerage or MLS.   What's Discussed:     Wes' background as an aspiring fighter pilot, professional cyclist, real estate agent and tech vendor How Showingly's use of data to guide decision-making differentiates it from other showing management solutions The key metrics Showingly looks at to drive pricing decisions and marketing strategy for a property What Wes' team is doing to get honest feedback on a property (and why that's such a challenge) How Showingly uses showing, offer and closed data to determine the best day and time to list a home How sellers might adjust pricing and Open House hours to get more showings Wes' take on the future of showing management software Showing Hub's solution to the demand for choice in showing management software Why Wes is focused on building relationships with brokerages, MLSs and other showing management providers How Wes thinks about MLSs building their own showing solutions and why competition drives innovation   Connect with Wes: Showingly Email wes@showingly.com   Resources: ShowingTime Showing Hub TourZazz   Our Sponsor: Cloud CMA for Brokers

A solid fan base is what makes a rock band successful, and it's no different for real estate professionals.   But most of us focus on the individual transaction and miss an opportunity to build long-term relationships with our existing clients and turn them into raving fans.   And that means missed opportunities for referrals and repeat business.   Rivers Pearce is CMO of Milestones, a homeowner management platform that helps agents and lenders turn single transactions into forever clients.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Rivers shares his background as a touring musician and transition to proptech, discussing how he built the lead generation department at BoomTown.   Rivers explains why agents should market themselves as a trusted advisor for all things home and explores how real estate professionals benefit from referring business to home service professionals and other local businesses.   Listen in for Rivers' insight on nurturing relationships with your existing database and learn how Milestones can help you provide the kind of value that turns one-off clients into lifelong fans!   What's Discussed:     Rivers' background as a touring musician and how he transitioned to proptech How the skills Rivers developed as a performer translate to real estate and proptech Rivers' experience in building the lead gen department at BoomTown How the way proptech supports real estate agents with lead gen has evolved over time How Rivers thinks about using sphere of influence vs. portal aggregation to generate business The opportunity to build relationships with homeowners that most REALTORS miss Why agents should market themselves as a trusted advisor for all things home The benefit of referring business to home service professionals and other local businesses How Milestones functions as a homeowner management platform for agents How Milestones creates a custom maintenance plan for homeowners How Milestones helps REALTORS nurture relationships with their existing database   Connect with Rivers:   Milestones Rivers on LinkedIn Rivers on Twitter Rivers on Instagram Email rivers@milestones.ai or ashley@milestones.ai for a 3-month free trial   Resources:   BoomTown Mark Davison on Listing Bits EP042 Curaytor CallAction Agent Legend Drew Meyers of Geek Estate Tom Ferry   Our Sponsor:   Cloud CMA for Brokers

Listing Bits is back! If your role in real estate involves sales demos or any kind of training, you're likely familiar with the frustration of delivering the same webinar over and over again.   Or worse, preparing a webinar that is either poorly attended or no one shows up.   But what if you could do 100 or even 1,000 webinars a month—without getting in front of a camera?   Melissa Kwan is Cofounder and CEO of eWebinar, a platform that saves people from repeatedly delivering the same webinar by turning videos into automated, interactive webinars.   Prior to eWebinar, Melissa founded and successfully exited the real estate tech startup Spacio, a check-in app for open houses.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Melissa shares her journey as a proptech entrepreneur, describing how she developed her mad sales skills and why she was ready for a new challenge after Spacio.   Melissa discusses how her experience with onboarding and training for Spacio inspired the creation of eWebinar and explains what differentiates the platform from Zoom, YouTube videos and webinar replays.   Listen in for insight around Melissa's intentional approach to life and learn how your real estate business might leverage eWebinar to get your time back and spend it on things you enjoy!   What's Discussed:     The initial idea for Spacio and how it evolved into a check-in app for open houses How Melissa developed her hustle and sales ability out of necessity Melissa's successful exit from Spacio after 4 years of running the business The real estate leadership dinner that launched Melissa's career as an entrepreneur What differentiates eWebinar from YouTube, Zoom and webinar replays How Melissa's experience with training for Spacio inspired the creation of eWebinar How brokerages and real estate teams are using eWebinar to qualify leads The benefit of using eWebinar in terms of video quality and availability of content eWebinar's use cases for sales demos, onboarding and training How Melissa runs eWebinar to reflect her work less, enjoy more philosophy of life   Connect with Melissa:   eWebinar Melissa on LinkedIn ProfitLed Podcast   Resources:   Spacio Inman Connect Greg's Post on Melissa in Vendor Alley Pocket SAP HomeSpotter The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss   Our Sponsor:   Cloud CMA for Brokers

  NAR's MLS Policy Statement 8.6 goes into effect on September 1, 2022.   So, what tools are available to make the implementation of the new One Data Source Policy easier for MLSs?   Katie Smithson is Director of MLS Relations at Zillow Group, where she leads the team building their MLS data licensing and distribution platform, Bridge Interactive. Prior to joining Zillow, she spent eight years with W+R Studios as Director of Enterprise Sales and Director of MLS Services.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Katie walks us through Policy Statement 8.6, explaining what problems the mandate does solve and why it's a problem to provide vendors and brokers with data in a single feed.   Katie discusses the Bridge platform's current functionality and describes the new feature her team is developing to help MLSs implement 8.6, the One Data Source Solution.   Listen in to understand how MLSs can use Bridge to auto-approve certain vendor agreements and find out if the One Data Source Solution is right for you.   What's Discussed:     How MLS Policy Statement 8.6 requires that MLSs offer participants data in a single feed The security issue with leaving it up to brokers and vendors to know what data can be used in a VOW, IDX or back-office feed What problems the new One Data Source Policy does solve How the Bridge platform alleviates pain points around data distribution for MLSs What differentiates the Bridge platform from CoreLogic's Trestle How Katie thinks about asking MLS boards to give Zillow their data (and pay for the service) How Bridge gives MLSs a simple way to combine existing data feeds for members The benefit of adding field-specific tags to MLS metadata via the Bridge One Data Source Solution How MLSs can use Bridge to auto-approve certain vendors or certain types of data access agreements Connect with Katie: Bridge Interactive Katie on Twitter Katie on LinkedIn Email: katiesm [at] zillowgroup [dot] com Resources: MLS Policy Statement 8.6 CMLS Implementation Guide—One Data Source Policy 8.6 Lone Wolf Technologies Trestle by CoreLogic Marilyn Wilson's TSA Pre-Check Concept Inman Connect Las Vegas 2022   Our Sponsor:   Cloud CMA for Brokers

What if it was easy for an MLS to raise money to develop the data services it needs and run the software its customers use? Colette Stevenson is CEO of REsides, the premier MLS in South Carolina. Formerly known as Hilton Head MLS, REsides serves REALTORS who represent properties in both South Carolina and Georgia, maintaining the most dependable and powerful data in the marketplace.  On this episode of Listing Bits, Colette shares the story of the rebrand from Hilton Head MLS to REsides, explaining what differentiates her team's vision from that of the average MLS. Colette describes how REsides is developing a new business model to address the challenge of raising capital for software development and discusses why she's open to collaborating with MLSs anywhere in the US. Listen in to understand Colette's disciplined way of thinking about potential changes to cooperation and compensation—and learn how REsides is empowering agents and brokers with data in a way that keeps the industry at the center of the real estate transaction. What's Discussed:   How Colette's background in the ticketing industry informs her work at REsides What REsides is doing to keep the industry at the center of the real estate transaction The story of the rebrand from Hilton Head MLS to REsides What differentiates REsides' vision from that of the average MLS (and how being small benefits Colette's team) Where buyers in the Hilton Head market come from and why Colette is open to collaborating with MLSs anywhere in the US How REsides is developing a new business model to address the challenge of raising capital for software development Colette's take on what keeps MLSs from making bold moves (and how REsides is overcoming it) Colette's disciplined way of thinking about potential changes to cooperation and compensation REsides' mission to empower agents and brokers with data Connect with Colette: REsides Colette on LinkedIn Resources:  ‘Atlanta's No. 1 Broker Bought Homes for Big Investors From 600 Miles Away' in The Wall Street Journal Our Sponsor: Cloud CMA for Brokers

Approximately 8 million appraisals were conducted in the US last year. By contrast, there are only 40,000 active real estate appraisers. So, it's no surprise that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are exploring appraisal modernization initiatives like the desktop appraisal option.   But to make these alternatives to the traditional appraisal work, we need data in the form of an accurate floor plan. And we need it at scale.   Jeff Allen is EVP of Innovation Labs Clear Capital, a leading property valuation tech company, and President of CubiCasa, an easy-to-use app for automating the creation of real estate floor plans. On this episode of Listing Bits, Jeff explains how the barrier to entry to become an appraiser has sparked a total transformation of the industry.   He discusses his work helping GSEs test alternatives to the traditional appraisal, describing why floor plans are an essential part of ‘bringing the house to the appraiser' and how he discovered the CubiCasa technology that automates the process. Listen in for Jeff's insight on the copyright dispute over real estate floor plans and learn how to support the creative partnerships necessary for CubiCasa to scale.   What's Discussed:     How Clear Capital serves large financial institutions in the realm of property valuation How the barrier to entry to become an appraiser has sparked a total transformation of the industry Jeff's work helping GSEs test alternatives to the full traditional appraisal Why floor plans are essential in ‘bringing the house to the appraiser' How Jeff discovered the CubiCasa tech for automating floor plans and how it works The creative partnerships necessary for CubiCasa to achieve scale (e.g.: real estate photographers) How the desktop appraisal option supports CubiCasa's efforts to scale The other major appraisal modernization initiatives coming from Fannie and Freddie Jeff's take on the current copyright dispute over real estate floor plans   Connect with Jeff:   CubiCasa  Email: jeff [at] cubicasa [dot] com Jeff on LinkedIn Clear Capital   Resources:   10K Research and Marketing Appraisal Subcommittee Dodd-Frank Desktop Appraisals Vendor Alley FloPlan App Greg's Post on FloPlan Copyright Dispute Over Real Estate Floor Plans Designworks Homes v. Columbia House of Brokers Realty CMLS's Amicus Brief on the Floor Plan Copyright Dispute NAR's Amicus Brief on the Floor Plan Copyright Dispute   Our Sponsor:   Cloud CMA for Brokers

We're baaaaaack!     I spend a lot of time at conferences explaining why MLSs, brokers, and franchisors should let the ‘professionals' build their technology. And yet, there are real reasons why these stakeholders might want to design their own. So, when is it appropriate for an MLS to create its own tech stack rather than relying on a vendor? And what does the development process look like? Faith Geronimo and Colleen Yasuhara are the CEO and COO, respectively, of Hawaii Information Service (HIS), the MLS provider for the islands of Hawaii and Kauai. On this episode of Listing Bits, Faith and Colleen explore HIS's history of building its own technology and explain their decision to spend the last four years creating a new MLS system. Faith and Colleen discuss the transition from their initial system, REsearch, to the new HIMLS, describing HIS's partnership with software developer MEV and their experience working with a team of Ukrainian developers. Listen in to understand why the Russia-Ukraine conflict hasn't disrupted the development process and learn how HIS leveraged research and user testing to inform the design of HIMLS. What's Discussed:   HIS's role as MLS provider for the islands of Hawaii and Kauai HIS's history of building its own technology How Faith & Colleen's decision to build a new system on their own was influenced by their ability to integrate public records and MLS data Faith's take on why Hawaii needs 3 MLS providers What Faith & Colleen learned in their research on MLS systems and how it informed the design of HIMLS How the pandemic influenced the development process and allowed for rigorous user acceptance testing The timeline for the transition from REsearch to HIMLS from 2018 to present HIS's partnership with MEV and how they built the portal and web API together before tackling the MLS Faith & Colleen's experience working with developers in the Ukraine and why they flew the team to Hawaii early in the process How Ukrainian developers continue to work on HIMLS despite the Russian invasion and how they're handling the conflict Connect with Faith & Colleen: The Story of HIMLS Hawaii Information Service Hawaii Information Service on YouTube Faith on LinkedIn Colleen on LinkedIn Resources: HIMLS Update on YouTube Inman Connect New York CMLS Conferences Craig Pennington Paragon Matrix Realist RESO Web API MEV Alex Natskovich   Our Sponsor: Cloud Agent Suite

When Zillow announced its intention to acquire ShowingTime in February of 2021, a slew of companies jumped into the showing solutions space. But Instashowing had already been in business for two years, and despite the fierce competition, its young founder believes that his startup has an edge. William Schoeffler is the Founder of Instashowing, a software company out of Bend, Oregon, that offers the premiere showing solution for forward-thinking real estate professionals. On this episode of Listing Bits, William shares the experience with an agent that inspired him to build Instashowing and describes the suite of listing agent tools his team is developing. William explains how he raised $4M on the heels of Zillow's acquisition of ShowingTime, discussing the expectation to grow that comes with that kind of an investment and the advantages Instashowing has over its many competitors. Listen in to understand the challenge of supporting several showing solutions in a single market and learn how William is forming a syndicate to allow MLSs to invest in Instashowing. What's Discussed:   The experience with a real estate agent that inspired William to build Instashowing How William raised $4M from industry giants Pete Flint and Greg Schwartz The wave of competitors in the showing solutions space after Zillow's acquisition of ShowingTime Why Instashowing started selling to agents and brokers (not MLSs) when it launched in 2019 The advantages Instashowing has over its competitors How Instashowing's success in a given market hinges on full integration with its MLS Why William believes the industry will return to a single showing solution product in each market The suite of listing agent tools Instashowing is developing The expanding vision and expectation to grow that comes with a $4M investment Why William is not planning on adding a call center to the Instashowing offerings How William is forming a syndicate to allow MLSs to invest in Instashowing Connect with William: Instashowing William on LinkedIn   Resources: Instashowing's $4M Raise Zillow's Acquisition of ShowingTime Tomo Offerpad BrokerBay Homesnap Showings MLS Aligned SentriLock CRMLS Glide   Our Sponsor: Cloud CMA for Brokers

Ask the average consumer what they know about the MLS, and you're likely to hear about their favorite Major League Soccer team. But CMLS wants to change that, and the organization is on a mission to educate the general public around the benefits of working with a real estate professional and listing a home on the MLS.   Katie Smithson is the Director of Enterprise Sales at Lone Wolf Technologies, and she serves on the Board of Directors for both the Council of Multiple Listing Services and Real Estate Standards Organization. On this episode of Listing Bits, Katie shares CMLS's new In the Know Campaign, describing how the initiative seeks to convey the importance of the MLS to consumers. Katie explains why CMLS partnered with 1000watt to develop assets for In the Know and how agents and brokers can use the campaign's digital content to share the CMLS message with consumers. Listen in to understand how Lone Wolf is integrating In the Know content into Cloud CMA and find out how other vendors can get involved in educating consumers on the value of the MLS. What's Discussed:     How CMLS's Making the Market Work Campaign communicated the value of the MLS to its members CMLS's partnership with 1000watt to develop assets for the new In the Know Campaign How the In the Know Campaign conveys the importance of the MLS to consumers Why In the Know is not specific to a particular MLS system but advocates for the industry as a whole CMLS's hope that brokers and agents will share the campaign's message with consumers Why exclusive listings are not a good look for organized real estate in light of Fair Housing legislation How listing on the MLS gives sellers the best exposure in a given market How In the Know assets are designed for brokers, agents and vendors to put to use How the Lone Wolf Technologies team is integrating In the Know content into Cloud CMA Live Katie's insight around how other vendors might get involved with the In the Know Campaign Connect with Katie: Email ksmithson [at] lwolf [dot] com Resources: CMLS's In the Know Campaign CMLS RESO CMLS's Making the Market Work Campaign 1000watt NAR MLS Clear Cooperation Policy The Fair Housing Act   Our Sponsor:  Cloud CMA for Brokers

Prior to 2003, Supra had a monopoly on the lockbox market. But NAR membership wanted choice, so the trade association invested in its first outside tech company, SentriLock. Today, a similar market dominance exists in showing service solutions, and SentriLock is stepping in once again to compete with the dominant player in the space. Scott Fisher and Devin Beck are the CEO and Director of Revenue of SentriLock, the first and only combined lockbox, showing service and experience management solutions for real estate. On this episode of Listing Bits, Scott and Devin explain why SentriLock is expanding into the showing service space and how proptech consolidation accelerated industry interest in their new offering.   Scott and Devin share SentriLock’s approach to entering a new market with a dominant player, describing how their partnership with NAR and commitment to customer service differentiate them from the competition. Listen in for insight around the unique features of the SentriKey Showing Service and learn how you can benefit from their lockbox offering, showing service or combination thereof.   What’s Discussed:     How Scott’s telecom background led him to the lockbox space Devin’s efforts to diversify SentriLock’s portfolio of offerings What inspired the partnership between NAR and Scott’s team Why SentriLock is expanding into the showing service space SentriLock’s approach to entering a market with a dominant player How Zillow’s acquisition of ShowingTime accelerated interest in SentriLock’s new offering How SentriLock’s lockbox and showing solutions are designed to stand alone yet work together Why consolidation causes uncertainty in the MLS community Why NAR is unlikely to sell SentriLock How Scott sees their commitment to take care of the member first as SentriLock’s secret weapon The features that differentiate SentriLock’s showing solution How competition among vendors brings value to the industry Connect with Scott & Devin: SentriLock Scott on LinkedIn Devin on LinkedIn Resources: The Story Behind SentriKey Showing Service Supra CoStar’s Acquisition of Homes.com REALTORS Relief Foundation REALTORS Political Action Committee   Our Sponsor: Cloud CMA for Brokers  

At present, MLS data access is unnecessarily complex. And brokers are calling for a more efficient system with a single set of rules around how the data can be used. In response, the CMLS Data Access Concepts Workgroup drafted the Listing Exchange and Access Policy or LEAP. But does the new policy really solve these problems? Could it be improved in a way that recognizes the changing landscape of the real estate industry?   Sam DeBord is the CEO of the Real Estate Standards Organization, the trade group responsible for developing standards for the industry, and he writes for publications including REALTOR Magazine and Inman News. Michael Wurzer is the CEO of FBS, the leading innovator of MLS technology and one of the most respected real estate software brands, and he covers industry issues on the FBS Company Blog. Both Sam and Michael are active participants in the LEAP debate on Twitter and have written long-form posts on the topic.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Sam shares the goals of the proposed Listing Exchange and Access Policy, describing how it seeks to simplify the rules and make access to MLS data more efficient. Michael discusses his concerns around the draft policy, explaining why licensing should be a part of LEAP and what a usage-based pricing model might look like. Listen in for Sam’s speed limit versus toll road analogy for the issues at play and hear both sides of the debate on whether LEAP solves the fundamental problems brokers face in using MLS data.   What’s Discussed:     LEAP’s goal to simplify the rules and make access to MLS data more efficient Why Michael sees a problem with how LEAP treats IDX, VOW and Back Office the same Michael’s argument that the value of aggregated MLS data as a whole is greater than the sum of its parts Why Michael believes that licensing and pricing should be a part of LEAP How the definition of a Participant is evolving and why Michael thinks LEAP should address the shift Sam’s concerns around using policy to penalize companies who are using data well Sam’s speed limit vs. toll road analogy for the issues at play in LEAP Michael’s point that portals would be worth dramatically less without MLS data The potential to charge licensing fees for MLS data based on usage (with free low-usage plans available) Sam’s view that MLSs should make local decisions about pricing rather than NAR policy   Connect with Sam:   Real Estate Standards Organization Sam’s Website Sam on Twitter   Connect with Michael:   Michael’s Blog on FBS Michael on Twitter   Resources:   Michael’s First LEAP Post: Look Before You LEAP Michael’s Second LEAP Post: MLS Content Is Uniquely Valuable, License It Accordingly Michael’s Third LEAP Post: A Picture Is Worth More Than… Sam’s Post: LEAP Forward -- Six Questions to Answer on Broker’s MLS Data Rob Hahn’s Blog on LEAP Vendor Alley LeadingRE The Realty Alliance CMLS Draft of the Listing Exchange and Access Policy (LEAP) Victor Lund on Twitter FloPlan by FBS   Our Sponsor:   Cloud CMA for Brokers

Policy may not be sexy, but without standards around how we format real estate data and build technology systems, we simply can’t share data or integrate the tools we need to do our jobs well. Sam DeBord serves as CEO of the Real Estate Standards Organization, the trade group responsible for developing the open standards that drive efficiency and streamline technology for the industry. His resume includes a wide range of leadership positions in the real estate space, including President’s Liaison for MLS and Data Management at NAR and VP of Government Affairs with Washington Realtors. Sam is also the VP of Strategic Growth for Coldwell Banker Danforth in Seattle and writes for REALTOR Magazine, Inman News and the Swanepoel Trends Report.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Sam describes RESO’s role in the real estate industry, explaining how the standards set by his organization provide certainty for developers and support data shares and tech integrations. He shares the progress RESO has made in the last year, discussing what they have done to streamline compliance certifications and initiate the proposed Listing Exchange Access Policy. Listen in for Sam’s insight on the constraints of the current market (and the new tech that’s emerged as a result) and find out how he thinks about the kerfuffle surrounding the most recent mergers and acquisitions in the real estate space. What’s Discussed:   What RESO does to create efficiencies and streamline tech for the real estate industry RESO’s evolution to an independent trade organization and how it relies on thousands of volunteer SMEs to build its Workgroups RESO’s recent work to streamline its compliance certifications and create a new development guide for vendors How RESO standards provide certainty for developers and support data shares and integrations Why Sam is a proponent of creating a single policy for how data is used and displayed (and how that would help brokers) RESO’s work with the broker community and CMLS to draft the proposed Listing Exchange Access Policy The progress RESO has made in just the last year to align industry trade organizations, brokers and MLSs around common goals How RESO standards helped facilitate the NorCal MLS Alliance Sam’s take on how the artificial constraints of the current market impact agents and the tech facilitating the trend to buy homes sight unseen How Sam thinks about the most recent mergers and acquisitions in the real estate space Why proptech companies need to recognize our cultural preference to work with an agent The potential problems associated with a broker-member of an MLS being paid by that MLS for a technology service Connect with Sam: Real Estate Standards Organization Email sam[at]reso[dot]org Sam on Twitter   Resources:   RESO Workgroups RESO Web API Tools & Software RESO’s Broker Advisory Workgroup RESO Certification 2020 RESO Certification Updates Andy Woolley CMLS NAR NAR’s MLS Technology & Emerging Issues Advisory Board Summary of NAR’s 2021 MLS Policy Changes CMLS’s Participant Data Access Policy LeadingRE The Realty Alliance CMLS’s CCP Implementation Guide RESO Compliance Guide NorCal MLS Alliance Zillow Economist Jeff Tucker on Industry Relations EP059 CoStar Zillow’s Acquisition of ShowingTime Greg on Twitter RESO’s Unique Organizational Identifier (UOI) Victor Lund at WAV Group RESO Remix RESO’s 2021 Fall Conference Our Sponsor: Cloud CMA

Video marketing is a powerful way for agents, brokers and real estate companies to reach consumers. But how do we get the most mileage out of our videos? How do we maximize the marketing value of the content we create?   Christian Sterner is the Cofounder and CEO of WellcomeMat, the premier platform for managing your real estate video. Christian’s team facilitates successful video marketing campaigns for agents, brokers and companies who are committed to video as a long-term marketing strategy, helping clients leverage video content to generate traffic and engagement on their domain. Christian has been playing in the technology and marketing space since 2000, and he has led WellcomeMat since its inception in 2006.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Christian explains how WellcomeMat maximizes reach for every video in a user’s library and helps them make educated decisions about what videos to create. He offers insight around what kind of content really moves the needle for real estate professionals, sharing his take on the pros and cons of producing humorous or provocative video content. Listen in to understand how WellcomeMat is working to facilitate visual search for the real estate industry and learn how drone automation can be used to create killer listing videos and accelerate the adoption of video marketing among brokers and agents.   What’s Discussed:     WellcomeMat’s mission to make video the most valuable thing agents and brokers can do to market themselves and their properties What makes WellcomeMat the best way to maximize reach for every video in your library How WellcomeMat accepts content from any service (and allows users to switch providers at will) What WellcomeMat does to help users make educated decisions about what videos to create How WellcomeMat increases site visits by an order of magnitude over using YouTube alone Why listing videos are best for pushing top line revenue The value in producing evergreen content like neighborhood tours, agent profiles, etc. WellcomeMat’s referral database of 5,000 video production companies Christian’s take on producing provocative and/or humorous video content The MLS rules around branded and unbranded content + how WellcomeMat offers tools to remove branding for MLS compliance WellcomeMat’s work to facilitate visual search for the real estate industry How drone automation facilitates the production of quality video at scale for the real estate space   Connect with Christian:   WellcomeMat Christian on Twitter christian [at] wellcomemat [dot] com   Resources:   RE/MAX Trulia 8z Booj CBRE Revaluate Homebot ZAVI Homes TED For Sale by Owner LeadingRE Luxury Portfolio Halstead Semonin Realtors Wistia Tim Smith Group on YouTube Smith Group’s ‘Teach Me How to Duffy’ Marketing Video Gracenote Shazam Cole’s Drone Video Amazon’s Ring Always Home Cam Skydio eWebinar

What can technology vendors do to better connect with the agents and brokers we hope to serve? And what can we learn from the perspective of a computer engineer turned REALTOR about how to approach real estate professionals and what kind of tech solutions they need? Georgia Purpura is Managing Broker at Urban Nest Realty, a mid-size independent brokerage out of Las Vegas, Nevada, where she specializes in helping agents grow their business. She is also very involved in the local association, most recently serving as Chair of the MLS. Georgia has been a licensed agent for 12 years, acting as broker for Keller-Williams Southwest before joining Urban Nest in 2018. Prior to real estate, she earned her degree in business and information technology and spent eight years working as a computer engineer. On this episode of Listing Bits, Georgia discusses how her background in IT has served her well in real estate, explaining how she evaluates technology solutions and what vendors can do to market their software more effectively. She offers advice for vendors and brokers on creating a business model that mitigates agent churn, challenging us to focus on producers rather than subscribers—casting a deeper net as opposed to a wider one. Listen in for Georgia’s insight on how modern agents learn about technology tools (and how that’s evolved over the years) and get her take on the top technology needs in the real estate space.  What’s Discussed:   Georgia’s background in computer engineering and how that tech experience has served her well in real estate How Georgia learned about tech tools early in her career from sales meetings and through the local association How modern agents learn about tech tools through word-of-mouth on social media Georgia’s advice for vendors around marketing to top producers who can create influence for you Why vendors should lead with the problem they’re solving for in pitching agents and brokers How Georgia evaluates tech based on its potential to shorten the sales cycle and save time or money Georgia’s criticism of how brokers have gone about increasing profitability by having the biggest army (rather than the best) How real estate brokerages and software vendors can build a business model that mitigates agent churn The top technology needs Georgia sees in the real estate space --Integration among tech solutions (strategic alliances) --Agent retention and engagement tool for brokers   Connect with Georgia:   Urban Nest Realty  Resources: David J. Tina Top Producer Inman News Realtor.com Realtor Magazine Vendor Alley Rob Hahn Joe Versus the Volcano   Our Sponsor:    Cloud CMA

Owning a second home can be an enriching experience, allowing us to make priceless memories with friends and family. But many can’t afford to buy a vacation home, nor does it make much sense to leave a house sitting empty for ten-plus months, even if you can afford it. So, what if you could buy a share of a second home and enjoy true ownership for a fraction of the cost and hassle?   ***MAKE SURE YOU CONSULT WITH A CPA.  THIS PODCAST AND ITS CONTENT ARE NOT INTENDED TO GIVE TAX/INVESTMENT ADVICE ON LOSS/GAIN OF PASSIVE INCOME*****   Austin Allison is the Cofounder and CEO of Pacaso, a startup designed to make the dream of second homeownership a reality for more people. The platform allows up to eight people to buy a share of a vacation home for much less—in a way that is seamless, hassle-free, and without risk. Austin’s first venture was Dotloop, the real estate transaction management solution he built in 2008 and sold to Zillow in 2015.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Austin introduces us to the benefits of co-owning a second home through Pacaso over the DIY model, explaining what differentiates a Pacaso from a resort or hotel timeshare. He describes how the platform’s scheduling feature works and why it can actually be better to own a property with people you don’t know versus friends and family. Listen in for Austin’s insight on how his company makes money and learn how you might use Pacaso as a second home buyer, seller or real estate agent.   What’s Discussed:    How Austin’s frustration with creating and signing documents as an agent inspired the creation of Dotloop How Pacaso’s mission around second home ownership inspired the company name The broad range of people Pacaso serves and the potential market for second homes in the US and Europe What differentiates a Pacaso from a resort or hotel timeshare --True ownership vs. rights to use --Single-family home --Easy to resell Why Pacaso prohibits short-term rental activity in its properties How Pacaso’s scheduling feature allows users to reserve dates in a way that corresponds with their ownership level How Pacaso makes money through a markup on the real estate and asset management fees What happens if a Pacaso home increases in value The benefits of owning a home with people you don’t know through Pacaso over the DIY model The potential tax benefits of owning a second home with Pacaso How the Pacaso process works for buyers, sellers, and real estate agents Connect with Austin:  Pacaso Austin on LinkedIn   Resources: Dotloop California Association of Realtors’ Partnership with zipLogix The a16z Podcast The a16z Podcast on Joint Home Ownership Sponsor: Cloud CMA

It’s easier to gain a seller’s trust when you have the data to back you up. But where can agents and brokers go for real-time buyer data? And how do we turn those numbers into actionable insights to earn new business? Ashley Terrell is the Executive Vice President of Partnerships at Buyside, a real estate tech platform that helps real estate professionals leverage intelligent buyer data to capture seller leads, win more listings and close more transaction sides in-house. Prior to joining Buyside, Ashley served as the Director of Account Management and Director of Strategic Growth at Constellation Software and the Director of Account Management and Product Marketing at Real Estate Digital. On this episode of Listing Bits, Ashley explains how Buyside partners with other vendors to procure data and provide its users with seamless product integration. She offers insight around the current buyer landscape, sharing her take on why there’s such a boom in real estate right now. Listen in for Ashley’s insight on the resources available to help agents use the Buyside tools and learn how to leverage buyer data to win your next listing presentation.   What’s Discussed:  Ashley’s background in tech and how she was introduced to the real estate tech space How Buyside serves as a seller lead gen tool and helps agents win listing presentations How Buyside procures data from vendors like Zillow, ShowingTime, etc. Buyside’s focus on seamless product integration to create the best possible user experience Ashley’s insight around the current buyer landscape in real estate Ashley’s take on why there’s such a boom in real estate right now How agents and brokers can leverage buyer data in a listing presentation --Help seller price home --Marketing strategy --Pool of buyers How Buyside serves large brokerages vs. small brokerages and large teams The value proposition for Buyside in a buyer’s market Ashley’s commitment to building out resources that help agents use the Buyside tools   Connect with Ashley: Buyside Ashley on LinkedIn Resources: Market Leader Sharper Agent Real Living John Hensley John Heithaus on Listing Bits EP061 Charles Williams ShowingTime RealScout Cloud CMA Inman News ‘Existing Home Sales Skyrocket Amid Pandemic, Inventory Down’ in Inman News ShowingTime’s June 2020 Showing Index Results Buyside Help Center   Sponsor: Cloud CMA

The five most stressful life events include the death of a loved one, divorce, major illness or injury, job loss, and moving. But a new proptech platform is working to take relocation off the list with a tool that makes the experience of moving less stressful, less expensive, and more efficient.   John Heithaus is a serial entrepreneur and venture investor with 30-plus years of experience in strategic marketing, corporate strategy, and product development. He has co-founded or served as a founding executive of four real estate startups, generating nearly $100M in successful exits. One of John’s current projects is OK Move Me, a proptech tool that offers consumers a one-stop resource for planning, moving, and settling into a new place.   On this episode of Listing Bits, John explains how OK Move Me works, walking us through the four phases of the moving process and describing the site’s interactive task lists for each. He discusses how the vendors promoted on the platform are vetted and share what the team is doing to provide an outstanding customer experience. Listen in for insight into how OK Move Me generates revenue and find out why the site is looking to partner with traditional real estate agents and brokers.   What’s Discussed:    John’s unique background in real estate, proptech investing and the music business What inspired John’s return to building an online marketplace for moving + relocation services OK Move Me’s four phases of the moving process and associated interactive task lists --Planning --Moving --Move-in --Settling in How OK Move Me serves as a referral organization rather than a direct service provider OK Move Me’s affiliate agreements with vendors on the site What makes OK Move Me users a coveted cohort How OK Move Me vendors are vetted and held to a high standard The potential for OK Move Me to partner with traditional real estate agents and brokers How OK Move Me is promoting the site through social media ads and content marketing OK Move Me’s alliance with moving company brands that focus on customer experience OK Move Me’s Reddit approach to procuring user feedback   Connect with John: OK Move Me My OK Move Me   Resources: Buyside Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp SuperStar Factory Productions Pure Music Nashville Artisanship Music Moving.com Best Places to Live Jonathan Miller Sharma Packers and Movers Edwin Tichenor Relocation.com Move.com Updater Moove Guru The Knot Relocation Stress Syndrome Broker Public Portal MILLIE Indeed ZipRecruiter Monster AARP Wirecutter Honey Opendoor’s Deal with Realtor.com Zillow’s Partnership with DR Horton SIRVA Sponsor: Cloud CMA Live

Who’s ready to get geeky about MLS? Collaborations among MLS organizations are usually about sharing data. But MLS Aligned takes collaboration to another level, promoting dialogue among their in-house technology teams and putting the tech tools they have developed to work in each other’s markets. Matt Consalvo is the CEO at Arizona Regional MLS, Chris Carrillo is the CEO of Wisconsin’s Metro MLS, and Brad Bjelke is the CEO at UtahRealEstate.com. Together, with a few other MLS organizations are principles at MLS Aligned, a collaboration of five forward-thinking MLS organizations that are coming together to change the industry. On this episode of Listing Bits, Matt, Chris, and Brad share the MLS Aligned origin story and discuss how their in-house tech teams benefit from the ability to share best practices. They introduce us to the MLS Aligned API, describing how it is designed to follow RESO standards while providing additional fields and features for vendors, brokers, and other MLSs. Listen in to understand how MLS Aligned might support smaller MLSs with fewer resources and learn about the organization’s mission to provide high-quality products with a local focus. What’s Discussed:  How MLS Aligned grew out of a conversation among MLS CEOs and CTOs How the tech teams of MLS Aligned members benefit from the ability to share best practices Examples of MLS Aligned collaborations where tech has been plugged into other markets The Market Initiative partnership between ARMLS and Metro MLS Why the MLS Aligned API is designed to avoid data replication How the MLS Aligned API follows RESO standards while providing additional fields + features How vendors are using the MLS Aligned API How MLSs might collaborate to adapt to moving trends prompted by the pandemic What differentiates MLS Aligned from other MLS collaborations (e.g.: MLS Grid, MLS Roundtable, etc.) --Collaboration among MLSs with in-house technology teams --Mission to deliver a high-quality product with a local focus How MLS Aligned might serve as a lifeboat for smaller MLSs with fewer resources The focus on inclusivity at MLS Aligned Why the principals at MLS Aligned are committed to building success before they start selling Resources: ARMLS Metro MLS UtahRealEstate.com Monsoon Tax Records System MLS Grid Jim Harrison ARMLS & Metro MLS Market Initiative The Marquette Airbnb Study of Milwaukee STRs Sam DeBord at RESO CMLS MLS Roundtable Kurt von Wasmuth Dave Wetzel   Connect with Matt, Chris & Brad:  MLS Aligned Email info@mlsaligned.com   Sponsor: Cloud CMA Live

Most real estate agents look down on rentals, preferring to work solely with clients looking to buy in the next three to six months. What they don’t realize is that there are $12B in leasing commissions available to those agents who are willing to work with renters. And they’re missing out on the opportunity to build relationships with the homebuyers of tomorrow. But how do you find out what rentals are available in your market—when only a small percentage are listed on the MLS?   Ishay Grinberg [pronounced ee-shy] is the Founder and President of Rental Beast, the MLS for rentals. The platform helps tenants and landlords navigate the rental experience and levels the playing field for agents and brokers, giving them access to a comprehensive database of rental listings. Ishay has 20-plus years of experience in the real estate industry, working as an agent and managing broker for firms in New York City and Boston before creating Rental Beast.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Ishay introduces us to the Rental Beast platform and describes the opportunity available to real estate agents who are open to working with renters. He explains how the platform facilitates a fully virtualized transaction that is driven by the agent, exploring what the sales side of our industry can learn about virtualization from rentals. Listen in for Ishay’s insight on integrating Rental Beast with existing MLSs and learn how the platform helps agents earn more by generating transactions on the rental side.   What’s Discussed:    Why Ishay describes Rental Beast as the MLS for rentals The 50 unique data points Rental Beast collects for each property Ishay’s experience in the NYC market where there is no MLS The $12B in leasing commissions available to agents who are willing to work with renters How working with renters helps agents build relationships with the homebuyers of tomorrow What JCHS research reveals about the growing affluence of renters in the US How Rental Beast facilitates a fully virtualized transaction driven by the agent How agents can leverage Rental Beast’s AVM for rentals What the sales side of real estate can learn about virtualization from the rental industry --Streamline and digitize the closing process --Touchless showings Reading the local market to decide whether to hold or flip an investment property Rental Beast’s vision for embedding themselves in the MLS universe via integration The positive results brokers are seeing from the use of Rental Beast   Resources: RESO Harvard’s JCHS Research FBS Invitation Homes MRED MRED’s Partnership with Rental Beast Connect with Ishay: Rental Beast Sponsor: Cloud CMA Live

While we may not be able to predict exactly how the current health crisis will impact organized real estate moving forward, most of us would agree that change is in the air. The kind of change that could transform the way we do business altogether. So, how is the Coronavirus changing the way we think about the spaces where we live and work? And how might this new perspective lead to foundational shifts in our industry? Jessie Beaudoin is the Founder and CEO of CallAction, a lead engagement automation platform that helps real estate agents capture, track, and respond to leads from online and offline marketing channels. He has 35 years of experience in real estate, working as a mortgage broker for nearly two decades before his interest in efficiency and scale led him to the technology space. Now, Jessie is on a mission to help businesses do more in less time through intelligent sales and marketing automation. On this episode of Listing Bits, Jessie discusses the foundational shifts in real estate that may come from the Coronavirus pandemic, exploring how the crisis is changing the way we define ‘home’ and why the efficiencies of working remotely might shift the way we do business moving forward. He offers insight into why we lean on technology in moments of crisis and how the virus could impact the housing market in the months ahead. Listen in to understand what mainstream adoption of virtual showings means for real estate agents and get Jessie’s advice on what YOU can do to step up as a leader for your clients and your family in this challenging time. What’s Discussed:  Jessie’s background in real estate and segue into the technology space How the Coronavirus is giving us a newfound appreciation of what home means How the efficiency of working remotely might change commercial real estate Why we leverage technology in moments of crisis The positive foundational shifts that may come from the COVID-19 pandemic -  Appreciate being together, hyper-focused during appointments -  Written + verbal communication more clear, poignant and thoughtful How mainstream adoption of virtual and self-showings could impact agents Jessie’s insight around how the virus might affect the housing market The innovations that emerged in the last recession Jessie’s advice for agents on navigating the current health crisis      -  Leverage overcommunication and connection      -  Depend on technology to scale efforts      -  Step up as a leader for clients and family How CallAction allows agents to scale their communication via automation Resources: Zoom Real Estate for Millennials vs. Baby Boomers Gary Vaynerchuk’s Keynote at Inman Connect 2016 Connect with Jessie:  CallAction Call (323) 741-2255 Jessie’s Blog Jessie on LinkedIn

Out of 565 Multiple Listing Services nationwide, 82 serve less than 100 brokers and agents. Unsurprisingly, this means that the nation’s 20 largest Multiple Listing Services serve over 50 percent of the nation’s total MLS subscribers. These statistics didn’t exist a year ago, but thanks to the Real Estate Almanac, the disparity is clear. Now that we understand the scale of the issue, how can we make changes to better serve agents, brokers, and their clients? Clint Skutchan is the vice president of T3 Sixty’s association and MLS division. T3 Sixty is an industry-leading management consultancy and research company that focuses on residential real estate brokerage. Clint has over a decade of experience in the real estate industry and previously served as CEO of a realtor association in Colorado. He established an independent consulting company in 2014. In 2018, he joined T3 Sixty. On this episode of Listing Bits, Clint discusses T3 Sixty’s latest undertaking: Real Estate Almanac. He explains where the idea for a comprehensive list of MLSs and associations came from and talks about some of the surprises that came out of that list. Listen in for Clint’s insight on the future of the Real Estate Almanac and how the data it consolidates will impact the industry, and the nation as a whole.  What’s Discussed:  How Clint got involved in T3 Sixty What the Real Estate Almanac is and what it says about the industry Why T3 Sixty put the latest MLS and association list together What issues MLSs and associations are facing nationwide Whether Clint thinks NAR membership will stagnate, drop, or continue increasing How the list of MLSs and associations has shrunken in five years Why MLSs choose not to consolidate How smaller MLSs might tackle some of the issues they face What’s next for the Real Estate Almanac Resources: T3 Sixty Real Estate Almanac Top Associations/MLS Connect with Clint: Follow Clint on Twitter Follow Clint on LinkedIn

According to research conducted by Freddie Mac, there are 83 million mortgage-ready renters in the US! But most grossly overestimate how much they need for a down payment and very few know about the low down payment programs available to low and moderate-income home buyers. How much could a real estate business grow simply by making down payment assistance part of its business development strategy? Rob Chrane is the CEO of Down Payment Resource, a platform that aggregates down payment assistance program data and connects homebuyers with down payment assistance. Rob has more than 30 years of experience as a top-producing Realtor and mortgage broker, and he has been recognized as a HousingWire Vanguard for his leadership in the housing economy.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Rob discusses who down payment assistance is designed to help and why some agents and lenders are reluctant to incorporate these programs into their workflow. We also discuss the evolution of Proptech as well as the pros and cons of the fractional ownership model. Listen in for insight around how Down Payment Resource shares its data with MLSs, lending companies, and individual agents and LOs—and learn about the massive opportunity available to real estate players with access to down payment assistance tools.   What’s Discussed:  How Rob connects homebuyers with down payment assistance What inspired Rob to create Down Payment Resource Who down payment assistance programs are designed to help Why agents and lenders are reluctant to use these programs How Down Payment Resource gets its data to industry players MLSs and Associations Enterprise solutions for lenders Down Payment Connect (individual agents, LOs) How Down Payment Resource makes money via a subscription model How Rob thinks about the Proptech fractional ownership model How DPR’s data shows up for MLS clients vs. individual agents   Resources: Urban Land Institute Freddie Mac Housing & Economic Research Cloud CMA MGIC Divvy Shelley Specchio   Connect with Rob:  Down Payment Resource Down Payment Connect

Many agents might view Opendoor as a competitor, yet another tech platform out to eliminate their jobs. But what if you could leverage the iBuyer as a partner to build your real estate business? Shannon Fitzpatrick leads a team of 45 agents at Movoto Real Estate in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, and Tyler Hixson serves as the Director of Real Estate Partnerships and Strategy at Opendoor. In this episode of Listing Bits, Tyler and Shannon explain how agents can leverage Opendoor as a tool to grow their business, bringing cash offers to prospects and tying multiple transactions together. Shannon speaks to the value of going into a listing presentation with an Opendoor offer, describing how it allows him to do what’s best for the seller, and Tyler discusses why agents can get a stronger offer from the platform by articulating the property’s unique features. Listen in for insight into the misconceptions agents have about Opendoor and learn how to work WITH the iBuyer to serve your clients and generate more leads. What’s Discussed:  How Shannon uses Opendoor to bring a cash offer to prospects Leveraging Opendoor to tie multiple transactions together The value of going into a listing presentation with an Opendoor offer Opendoor’s offer valuation process and associated service fees How Opendoor passes its vendor discounts on to sellers How Opendoor can serve as a powerful lead gen tool for agents Why agents can get a stronger offer from Opendoor than sellers How Opendoor works directly with agents through closing How Shannon uses Opendoor as a recruiting tool at his brokerage The advantage to sellers of working with an agent AND Opendoor The misconceptions agents have about the Opendoor platform Quality of offer + fees Think it’s out to eliminate agents Opendoor’s plans to expand to serve all customers, home types Resources: W+R Studios Cloud CMA Opendoor/CloudCMA   Connect with Tyler:  Opendoor’s Agent Partner Program   Connect with Shannon: Movoto Shannon’s Website Shannon on Zillow  

When you move fast, you break things.  Mark and the rest of  Remine’s co-founders are definitely shaking things up in the MLS space.  This conversation was recorded at the CMLS Conference in Salt Lake City on October 17th before their recent attempt to launch a new listing portal and Zillow’s decision to cut off access to their Zestimate API   As Mark says, in this wide ranging conversation, Remine’s attitude is to “go big or go home.” In February 2019, Remine raised $30M in private equity to grow its real estate data and analytics platform. A month later, the company announced a painful reduction in force as they shifted focus from upselling agents to partnering with the MLS. So, what prompted Remine’s pivot to an enterprise model? And how are they making the transition from predictive analytics to a next-level MLS system?  Mark Schacknies is the Cofounder and CEO of Remine, a software company that delivers real estate intelligence to more than 825,000 realtors in 40-plus MLS markets. On this episode of Listing Bits, Mark shares the Remine origin story, discussing how the founders started out as competing agents but came together around a shared fondness for data-driven strategies. Mark speaks to Remine’s pivot from predictive analytics tool to full MLS system, describing what inspired their transition to an enterprise model and how they are addressing their lack of experience in the realm of MLS conversion. Listen in for insight around how Remine’s philosophy differs from legacy incumbents like CoreLogic and learn what success looks like for Mark’s team on their journey to an IPO.   What’s Discussed:    How the founders of Remine started out as competitors Leveraging tech to transform real estate from within How the MLS governs the world’s most important asset class Why Redfin is at the top of Mark’s list of consumer portals Balancing privacy with data to empower decision-making What inspired Remine’s pivot to a full MLS platform What a day-in-the-life of Mark Schacknies looks like How Remine is addressing a lack of experience in MLS conversion The difference in philosophy between Remine and CoreLogic How Remine’s UI gives control to MLSs re: business rules What success looks like for Remine + the IPO timeline Resources:   CMLS 2019 The Third Wave: An Entrepreneur’s Vision of the Future by Alvin Toffler Cloud CMA Joe Kazzoun Connect with Mark:   Remine Mark on LinkedIn  

You can ask Alexa to turn on the lights, show you the forecast, remind you what’s on your calendar today, or give you the score of the Astros game. And now, voice assistants are expanding to the real estate industry, allowing agents to open their business information and even access the MLS—with the sound of their voice alone!   Miguel and Ami Berger are the creators of Voiceter Pro, the conversational search platform that brings real estate and consumers together via conversations with voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home. On this episode of Listing Bits, brought to you live from the 2019 RESO Fall Conference, Miguel and Ami share their mission to provide customized voice technology to the real estate space, affording voice access to websites, MLSs and associations.   Miguel and Ami explain how they came to create the company and describe their vision for Voiceter 2.0, offering insight around potential features and applications that could be added to the platform. Listen in to understand why the Voiceter technology is system agnostic, how industry standards make it easier for small teams to innovate, and what applications Voiceter might facilitate beyond the real estate vertical. What’s Discussed:  Voiceter’s mission to provide voice to the real estate industry How Voiceter affords voice access to MLSs and associations The potential for Voiceter customization by MLS and agent How Miguel and Ami came to create Voiceter Pro Miguel’s vision around potential features for Voiceter Pro Why the Voiceter Pro team has decided to be system agnostic How the consumer search works and what info it provides Voiceter Pro’s intention to integrate with other vendors, APIs How industry standards support developers like Voiceter Pro Potential voice applications beyond the real estate vertical How Voiceter Pro brands to the agent, broker or association   Resources: Ami’s Voiceter Pro Presentation at RESO RESO 2019 Fall Conference FBS CoreLogic Trestle Samsung Bixby Adam Cheyer The BBC’s Beeb Cloud CMA Developers Page ShowingTime   Connect with Miguel & Ami: Voiceter Pro Voiceter on Vimeo Voiceter on Twitter Voiceter on Facebook Ami on LinkedIn Miguel on LinkedIn  

Michael Wurzer is 100% confident of one thing: The MLS creates value in the real estate market that doesn’t exist in any other way. No one else has created enough trust to generate that same level of cooperation among competitors. And rather than being a scourge to brokers, Michael argues that the MLS powers the market. That unique value prop is the reason why he believes current trends will prove the value of the MLS—not kill it.   Michael is the CEO of FBS, the leading innovator of MLS technology. He has 22 years at the helm of this highly-respected real estate software brand which was named one of Forbes2019 Small Giant companies. On this episode of Listing Bits, Michael addresses the trend toward off-market listings, sharing his take on why it’s not a threat to the MLS. He weighs in on the potential creation of a ‘vendors association’ that would afford prescreened developers access to real estate data.   Michael also discusses the likelihood of consolidation in the MLS vendor space, tech adoption in the employee versus independent contractor models, and the importance of data in light of high agent churn. Listen in for insight around the value of integration among real estate tech vendors and learn Michael’s take on the role of the MLS in creating choice for its members.   What’s Discussed:    How standards are key in making software easier to build The trend toward off-market listings and its impact on the MLS The idea that pocket listings are a kind of DIY-Upstream The resilience of the MLS community and its unique value prop The creation of a ‘vendor’s association’ to prescreen developers Why ShowingTime’s acquisitions of CSS is a holy shit moment The likelihood of consolidation in the MLS vendor space Tech adoption in employee vs. independent contractor models The importance of data in light of high agent churn Why SaaS marketing techniques don’t work in real estate The value of integration among vendors and with the MLS The role the MLS plays in creating choice for its members   Resources:   Pocket Listings on Industry Relations EP037 Inman Panel on the MLS & iBuyers Michael’s ‘Death of MLS?’ Blog Post Andy Woolley at Homes.com Swanepoel Trends Report ShowingTime’s Acquisition of CSS Lone Wolf Technologies Software is Eating Real Estate on Industry Relations EP029 Cloud CMA Developers Page BombBomb Curaytor   Connect with Michael:   FBS Flexmls Michael on LinkedIn  

“These combinations are fragile. You’re pulling 43 associations together. You’re pulling all these different boards together. You’re pulling all these different things together … so, I suppose you could look at blowing it up and go, ‘Why the hell did you do that?’ [The consolidation of MLSs] was a big deal and was very, very expensive. It really was, both in time and energy and everything involved. But you could also look at it this way: It’s something that had to be done. It really, really did. So, you can take your pain now or later.” Brian Donnellan is the interim CEO of Bright MLS, a consolidation of nine forward-thinking MLSs in the Mid-Atlantic region that serves 85K real estate professionals and facilitates approximately 250K annual transactions valued at more than $70B. Brian has 13 years of industry experience, serving as CFO and COO of MRIS prior to the merger. On this episode of Listing Bits, Brian shares the challenges of merging different personalities and cultures and explains how the Bright consolidation gave others the courage to follow suit. Brian also offers insight around the power of relationships in the real estate industry, the factors that influence growing agent attrition, and the value of building a product that helps brokers and agents make better decisions. Listen in to understand why Bright MLS is bringing on new staff from outside the industry and learn how the team’s commitment allowed them to endure criticism during the consolidation and get to a place they can be proud of! **A quick note, due to a microphone issue the sound quality of this isn't that great.**   What’s Discussed:    Brian’s background in information systems and public policy How we underestimate the relationship aspect of real estate Brian’s insight on the factors that influence agent attrition How building a better product supports agent production The challenge of merging the cultures of MRIS + TREND MLS The distinction among members, customers and subscribers The rocky start to the process of consolidating Bright MLS How the Bright team endured the criticism on social media The value of bringing in new staff from outside the industry Brian’s pride in Bright’s progress and vision of the future   Resources:   Inman Connect Teaching Strategies Homesnap Tom Phillips David Charron Frank Major Chris Finnegan Mike DelGaudio   Connect with Brian:   Bright MLS Brian on LinkedIn