We’ve all heard the rallying cry to drop RETS and move over to the RESO Web API. What’s been less clear is exactly how to go about making that transition. So, what’s step one? How exactly might vendors help make this shift happen?

Rebecca Jensen is the President and CEO at Midwest Real Estate Data, the real estate data aggregator that provides the Chicagoland multiple listing service to more than 45K subscribers. Under Rebecca’s leadership, MRED was named Most Innovative MLS by Inman News. Rebecca also serves as the Board Chair for MLS Grid, a technology company created by MLSs across the country to deliver on the RESO Standards and provide vendors with a single access point for the data of participating MLSs in addition to a unified licensing agreement, standardized business rules and policing processes.

Today, Rebecca explains how the MLS Grid provides both a unified data feed and compliance process. She shares the tech company’s progress in getting the IDX feed and licensing agreements up and running as well as her long-term vision to have all software connect through the platform. Rebecca discusses the cost to vendors to access MLS data through the Grid and walks us through her efforts to facilitate a graceful transition from RETS to Web API. Listen in to understand the opportunity for vendors to test their apps against new systems like MLS Grid and get access to MRED’s step-by-step guide for RESO Web API adoption.

What’s Discussed:

How the MLS Grid serves as a unified platform to deliver RESO standards

How the Grid provides a unified data feed and licensing agreement

MRED’s step-by-step guide for vendors regarding Web API adoption

MLS Grid’s work to finalize VOW and back office licensing agreements

How MLSs set prices for vendors to access their data through MLS Grid

Rebecca’s long-term vision to have all software connect through the Grid

The benefits of the unified compliance process provided by MLS Grid

Rebecca’s insight on the different ways to approach consolidation

Rebecca’s efforts to transition from RETS to Web API gracefully

How long it may take to convert a RETS infrastructure to Web API

The difference between an API and the data dictionary itself

The need for vendors to test their apps against new systems like MLS Grid

Rebecca’s call for vendors and MLSs to plan for Web API adoption

Resources:

REALTORS Conference & Expo

RESO Conference

Mike Wurzer & Andy Woolley on Listing Bits EP035

MLS RoundTable

RealTracs

Homesnap (BPP)

MLS 2020 Agenda

Trestle

Spark API

MLS Aligned

Bridge API

Crossing the Chasm: Marketing and Selling Disruptive Products to Mainstream Customersby Geoffrey A. Moore

Connect with Rebecca Jensen:

MLS Grid

MRED LLC

Rebecca on LinkedIn

ShowingTime  was built to help people buy homes more efficiently by making the process of scheduling a showing much easier. Since it was founded 18 years ago, the company has grown to include a family of technology products that serve MLSs, brokers and agents in the areas of showing management and market statistics.

Mike Lane is the Co-Founder and President of ShowingTime, the most widely used showing management service provider in the market. ShowingTime serves 1M agents and 200 MLSs, scheduling up to 5M showings per month. Mike has been with the company since its inception in 2000, and he continues to head its sales and marketing divisions and serve as the primary contact for MLS clients and large brokers. A former Naval Officer and seasoned athlete, Mike has competed in a number of triathlons, including three IRONMAN races, and he holds an MBA and Master’s in Engineering Management from Northwestern.

Today, Mike explains how ShowingTime facilitates the scheduling of showings by way of its online calendar and call center. He describes the company’s evolution, discussing how they got into market stats as a complement to their core business. Mike covers the ShowingTime Index, explaining how agents might leverage the information and what showing activity reveals about market demand. Listen in for insight on ShowingTime’s business model and learn what the company is doing to reach brokers and agents, remove the hurdles to ordering online, and navigate the complexities of bundling—and unbundling—its products and services.

What’s Discussed:

How ShowingTime facilitates online scheduling of showings

How the ShowingTime call center unburdens brokers/agents

How Mike got into the real estate software business

ShowingTime’s acquisition of 10K Research and RBI MRIS

How agents might leverage the ShowingTime Index

How showing activity reveals demand in the market

Mike’s insight on the predicted turn in the market

ShowingTime’s focus on supporting mobile adoption

ShowingTime’s ability to facilitate reverse prospecting

How ShowingTime serves MLSs, brokers and agents

How to reach brokers and agents via online marketing

Vendor efforts to remove the hurdles to ordering online

The complexities of bundling products/services for REALTORS

Resources:

RESO Conference

Cloud Agent Suite

10K Research

RealEstate Business Intelligence

Greg’s Blog on MarketView

ShowingTime’s Showing Index

Zillow Research

Connect with Mike Lane:

ShowingTime

Mike on LinkedIn

Tim Dain has a reputation for being the ‘mad scientist’ of the MLS world. He is not afraid to challenge established systems and ask WHY things are done a certain way. Tim facilitates innovation by assigning a creative writing piece, commissioning a study or building a spreadsheet—and then implementing the best ideas with a commitment to being of service.

Tim is the President and CEO of MARIS MLS, a multiple listing service out of St. Louis that serves 13 REALTOR associations, 58 counties and more than 13K members. A seasoned MLS executive with a unique resume, Tim spent two years running the Austin Board of REALTORS and four years as Executive Director of SIR/MLS prior to joining MARIS. Tim has a background in information technology, and he has served the real estate industry in multiple roles since 2006.

Today, Tim explains why he is not afraid to disrupt established systems and shares the improvise-adapt-overcome leadership mantra he learned in the Marines. He offers insight around the redesign of the MARIS MLS website in collaboration with 1000watt, describing the skills development video library featured on the site. Tim addresses his work to rebuild the infrastructure at MARIS, offering insight on his essentialist approach to technology tools and his commitment to service over shiny objects. Listen in for Tim’s take on the current plight of the broker and learn about his dedication to facilitating an honest dialogue around industry challenges—and publishing the unscripted answers.

What’s Discussed:

Tim’s reputation as the mad scientist of the MLS world

MARIS’s marketplace approach to the board structure

Why Tim is not afraid to disrupt established systems

Tim’s improvise-adapt-overcome leadership mantra

The redesign of MARIS’s web presence with 1000watt

-Related content to continue learning process

-Video library tied to skills development

Tim’s work to rebuild the infrastructure at MARIS MLS

Negotiating price vs. subsidizing tech for small brokerages

The essentialist approach to MLS technology tools

Tim’s commitment to make basics available at a low cost

Why service should be the Holy Grail of the MLS

AMP’s origins in a thought exercise re: small MLSs

Tim’s view of the consumer as the ‘lion over the hill’

How the MARIS Asks series facilitates an honest dialogue

Resources:

RESO Conference

1000watt

Cloud Agent Suite

Bright MLS

Clareity DASH

Salesforce

Tim’s Infrastructure Spreadsheet

The Buckminster Fuller Institute

Bill Chee’s ‘Lions Over the Hill’

MARIS Asks

Connect with Tim Dain:

MARIS MLS

Tim on LinkedIn

Let’s say you have your heart set on a kitchen with hardwood flooring, natural light and an island. Imagine having the ability to search images on the MLS for those specific features. With advancements in artificial intelligence, it is possible to have software read the images, identify the room type and even recognize the objects in it! There are an infinite number of use cases for the real estate industry and Restb.ai is quickly becoming a leader in the space.

Dominik Pogorzelski is the Vice President of Product and Operations for Restb.ai, a machine learning computer vision company specializing in visual recognition for real estate. The company’s plug-and-play solutions employ AI to automatically tag and classify property photos with industry-specific information. Dominik earned his MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona.

Today, Dominik discusses the societal shift to consume information in a digital way, explaining Restb.ai’s ability to filter images by room, features and amenities. He offers insight around the potential use cases for AI in real estate and the technology’s ability to unlock the data available in images and create value in a number of ways. Dominik describes how the pain points in the online ecosystem differ between Europe and the US, and he addresses the decision to apply Restb.ai’s technology to historical data or active listings. Listen in for insight on how an MLS might establish a partnership with Restb.ai and learn why AI is the next big thing in real estate technology.

What’s Discussed:

Restb.ai’s niche as an AI company playing in the real estate space

Dominik’s path to Barcelona and his role as VP at Restb.ai

Restb.ai’s client base in Europe, Canada and the United States

How Restb.ai’s AI filters images by room, features and amenities

The societal shift to consume digital information in a visual way

The potential applications of AI tech for real estate professionals

AI’s ability to unlock the data available in images and create value

How Restb.ai could automate the compliance review process

The moral obligation AI companies have to the industries they serve

The horizontal players in the space vs. the specialists like Restb.ai

How the online ecosystem in Europe differs from that of the US

-No central source in Europe like US MLS

-Duplicate listings, competitor watermarks

The technical aspects of establishing a partnership with Restb.ai

The decision to apply Restb.ai to active listings vs. historical data

Resources:

RESO Conference

MLSOK

TLCengine

Connect with Dominik Pogorzelski:

Restb.ai

Email: dominik@restb.ai

As real estate professionals spend less and less time in the office and real estate offices host fewer and fewer walk-ins, you might start to question the merit of spending top dollar for office space in a high-rent district. What if you saved that money and reinvested it in agent services? What if you could build a full-service brokerage in the virtual world, conducting business and meeting with colleagues in VR?

Cameron Paine is the Senior Vice President of Industry Relations at eXp Realty, the world’s most successful virtual, full-service brokerage. eXp invests the money saved by having very few offices into the technology that helps its agents stay relevant. In his role as Senior VP, Cameron is responsible for seeking collaboration opportunities with MLSs, Associations, brokerages and technology partners. Camron’s resume includes 15-plus years combined experience as top executive for an MLS and Association, and he has been recognized by Inman Newsas one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate.

Today, Cameron shares eXp’s decision to invest in change rather than fight it. He explains how a progressive MLS facilitates a broker’s ability to do business and offers insight around the innovative joint system between Arizona Regional and Metro MLS. Listen in to understand how eXp helps its agents build wealth by investing in the company and learn how the brokerage is creating a virtual world for its employees and partners!

What’s Discussed:

eXp’s decision to invest in change rather than fight it

How eXp serves as a virtual, full-service brokerage

How eXp agents build wealth by investing in the company

The benefits of running a brokerage without office space

Cameron’s background in MLS and Association leadership

How a progressive MLS facilitates a broker’s ability to do business

The innovative joint system between Arizona Regional and Metro MLS

Greg’s argument for a New Jersey and Palm Beach MLS data share

Cameron’s responsibilities as SVP of Industry Relations at eXp

-Collaborations with other brokerages

-Opportunities with tech vendors

How eXp was designed for agents as a tech-forward brokerage

How eXp has created a virtual world for employees and partners

Resources:

Russ Bergeron

ARMLS|Metro MLS

Connect with Cameron Paine:

eXp Realty

Cameron on LinkedIn