David Charron Named To CMLS Hall of Fame

“David Charron is an icon in the real estate industry and MLS community. He championed some of the most significant innovations during the past 20 years, represented the industry as a key- note at countless events, and contributed to dozens of prominent publications,” said Brad Bjelke, CEO of UtahRealEstate.com. “He exemplifies everything the finest MLS executives strive to be and has mentored dozens more to achieve great objectives. I am honored to be counted among those he has helped bring up as new leadership.”

Congrats David, well deserved. Loved how CMLS did this. Great moment. #cmls2020

Looking forward to seeing all my friends later today!

Much gratitude to Denee, the CMLS board of directors, and Kelly, Betsy, and the rest of the CMLS staff for all the hard work they are putting into this. #CMLS2020

BLACK KNIGHT’S INDUSTRY-LEADING PARAGON MLS PLATFORM NOW AVAILABLE TO RMLS MEMBERS

“We are pleased to offer Paragon as a system of choice for RMLS members as we continually look for solutions that add value and help them successfully grow their business,” said Kurt von Wasmuth, president and CEO, RMLS. “With our in-house MLS system and the option to use Paragon, our members will have access to the latest technology and features that will provide even more opportunities to showcase their services.”

Extra credit to Kurt for following my style guide (“Speaking MLS“) on using the term “system of choice” instead of “front end of choice” in this situation.

“Members of RMLS who choose to use Paragon will also have direct, integrated access to the MLS Tax Suite, powered by CRS Data, an industry-leading provider of property information. The MLS Tax Suite delivers comprehensive and current tax data, home improvement values and detailed maps. The integration between MLS Tax Suite and Paragon provides users with a streamlined way to search for a wealth of critical property-related information.”

Sounds like it’s Christmas in September for RMLS members.

The key to this is how members are exposed to the different options available in MLS search. If System of Choice or Front End of Choice solutions are ever to get any real traction members need to know they have choices.

Katie and I did a webinar recently on this, called “How to Effectively Implement a Front End of Choice” that is worth a watch.

New England MLS rebrands as ‘wicked smart’

“And while other companies may change their name as they rebrand, MLS PIN is so well-known throughout New England and the nation, by preserving our name we keep the confidence, trust, reputation and heritage we have built,” Condon continued. “Our new and innovative rebrand better reflects who we are by showcasing our culture and our ‘get the job done right’ attitude while also delivering a better technology and service experience.”

The new logo is distinctive, and it’s smart (maybe even wicked smart) they kept their name.

“Our people make us a different kind of technology company. With the rebranding, you can say ‘we are coming out of our shell,’” Lindberg said in a statement.
The new website underscores the MLS’s philosophy: “Wicked excellent service, accurate data, an MLS that listens, personalized care and a focus on community.”

I’m a sucker for this kind of cheeky fun with marketing. We need more fun in our lives right now.

I also like their product pages. For instance, the Cloud CMA product page is easily accessible from the main homepage, a simple layout, and leverages all the video training content that W+R Studios put together for Cloud CMA. I’d like to see more MLS organizations leverage the content their vendors create.

Opendoor recently announced a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (or SPAC) Social Capital, a venture fund headed by rockstar VC Chamath Palihapitiya. This partnership puts the pioneering iBuyer on the same playing field with Zillow. And the battle between the two will be epic.

On this episode of Industry Relations, Rob and Greg are discussing what the competition between Opendoor and Zillow means for consumers, real estate agents, and the industry in general. Rob explains Zillow’s advantages in terms of customer acquisition and monetizing seller leads, and Greg describes Opendoor’s leverage when it comes to operational excellence (otherwise known as ‘eating BPS for breakfast’).

Rob and Greg go on to consider how Opendoor might catch up with Zillow when it comes to lead flow, either through an additional acquisition or by working with the industry. Listen in for insight around how this battle of the market-makers will make it easier to buy and sell houses and lower transaction costs—and how that will impact the real estate industry as a whole.

What’s Discussed: 

The benefits of a merger between Social Capital and Opendoor

What competition between Opendoor and Zillow means for consumers

Zillow’s advantage in terms of consumer audience and monetizing seller leads

Opendoor’s advantage when it comes to operational excellence

Rob’s prediction that Social Capital might also acquire either Redfin or Realtor.com

How Opendoor might work with the industry to generate lead flow

How competition between Opendoor and Zillow is likely to impact real estate as a whole

–Easier to buy and sell houses (mobility)

–Much lower transaction costs

How MLSs might change if transactions double while commissions are cut in half

Greg’s take on why it’s a great time to be a real estate agent

Connect with Rob and Greg:

Rob’s Website

Greg’s Website

Email gregrobertson@gmail.com

Resources:

‘Yelp: Nearly 16,000 Restaurants Have Permanently Closed Due to COVID’ in QSR

Social Capital

The Social Dilemma

Opendoor’s Merger with Social Capital

Rob’s 2014 Blog Post on Opendoor

iBuyer Connect

Stratechery’s Interview with Rich Barton

Social Capital’s 2019 Investor Letter

SimilarWeb

Opendoor’s September 2020 Investor Presentation

Rob’s Thought Experiment on Real Estate Agents & Productivity

The Art of the CMA by Greg Robertson

Our Sponsors:

Cloud Agent Suite

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