Introducing the new Paragon Connect fully responsive, listing maintenance module.Built for agents in the office and on the go. One system, with one seamless experience
Technology that empowers real estate agents to say “Yes, I can, wherever I am!”
Paragon Connect offers full listing maintenance from any device. Now agents can enter, edit and enhance their listings right from their phones. With this new capability, agents can:
• Enter a full listing manually or auto-populate from public records
• Use the quick find to edit any field
• Use the geocode drop pin to change the property location
• Show required fields only with alert error logic
• Use a full image editor to:
->Upload reorder and enter captions for photos
->Select brightness
->Flip, crop, and rotate
->Edit photo history with the option to undo changes
->Leverage the list price analysis feature- Enter a potential price to see how many active buyers’
searches match before choosing or editing the listing price.
Here’s a quick video on how it works: ▶️
Give your members the advantage they need. If you would like to know more information or schedule a demo, click here.
Your friends at Black Knight
Can we get another 50 Bob?
HAR PRESIDENT & CEO BOB HALE RECOGNIZED FOR 50 YEARS OF SERVICE, INCLUDING 35 AS CEO
“Hale is credited with making HAR, with its more than 46,000 members, one of the most innovative real estate associations in the United States and a household brand throughout Greater Houston. He spearheaded the 1997 launch of HAR.com, which draws an estimated 8 million visitors each month. As an example of the regard that Hale has earned in the industry, at a recent national conference, he was referred to as the “godfather” of real estate.”
Sure Bob has gotten a lot of credit for recognizing the power of the internet and making a big bet on HAR.com, and winning that bet BIG time. But what I don’t think many understand and what I think is even more important is Bob’s ability to connect with people and connecting others. I’m sure there must be hundreds of stories-ideas-companies-relationships started with the phrase, ” I was talking with Bob Hale…”
National Treasure.
Black Knight’s New Paragon Connect
My thanks to Black Knight for sponsoring Vendor Alley this month. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Black Night’s NEW Paragon Connect. I asked Black Knight to write a welcome post about their NEW Paragon Connect, which I put below:
“We built the new Paragon Connect to give agents the power to work from anywhere, whether the office or on the go.
The NEW Paragon Connect empowers real estate agents to say “yes, I can, wherever I am!”
“I will do it or send it later” equals lost opportunities and leads. Your MLS system should work for them wherever they are, and it should look and feel the same no matter the device.
The new Paragon Connect sets the standard for responsive design. Just because something fits on one page doesn’t make it truly responsive. That’s why every module, and every page has been meticulously designed to work on the smallest devices to the largest. We invested heavily in the future of our new MLS platform! Paragon Connect is built from the ground up using a lightning-fast API, reusable React components, and the latest in responsive UI/UX design standards.
We also didn’t skimp on features. The features agents see on their desktop, are the same on their mobile device. What they start on a desktop, they can finish from their phone. Agents need and should have full functionality no matter the device.
We would love to share more with you about Paragon Connect.
Give your members the advantage they need. If you would like to know more information or schedule a demo, click here.”
I think the strategy of really committing to a great mobile experience is smart.
My thanks again to Black Knight.
How is working from home destroying commercial real estate? Will remote work completely take over in the future? What will become of office spaces? Rob and Greg analyze the impact of the pandemic on the way we work and how it is destroying commercial real estate. They also delve into why working in person might be better for company culture and discuss the positive impact of working face-to-face with colleagues. Don’t miss it!
Watch us on YouTube!
Connect with Rob and Greg:
This podcast is produced by Two Brothers Creative 2023.
RentSpree
My thanks to RentSpree for sponsoring Vendor Alley this month. RentSpree is a great solution for real estate agents looking to expand their business. They also have great resources for MLS organizations. Recently they did a new case study co-authored with Bright MLS.
Bright MLS has been one of the earliest advocates for rentals. This mindset and some of the related initiatives resulted in rental listings on the Bright MLS system increasing by nearly 11 percent in 2022.
Given the current economic environment, going into the second half of 2023, Bright expects the number of rental listings on their system to further increase this year, cementing a trend.
“Rising mortgage rates and high home prices have made it more challenging for would-be homebuyers, particularly first-timers,” Richard McDonald, VP of Business Development & Strategic Partnerships at Bright MLS. “As a result, we saw rental listings on our system jump significantly as demand for rental housing increased. With mortgage rates remaining elevated and home prices showing no signs of coming down, expect the number of rental listings across the Bright footprint to continue to increase in 2023.”
Please click here for the full case study.
My thanks again to Michael and his team at RentSpree for sponsoring Vendor Alley this month.
RIP Lorne Wallace
“A chartered accountant by trade, and the third generation of his family to be involved in real estate, Lorne founded Lone Wolf in 1989. Through a combination of passion, innovation, and sheer will, Lorne grew the company into the leading software provider for the residential real estate industry in North America. His vision for Lone Wolf guides us to this day.”
Lorne was a force of nature. He was an incredibly shrewd and talented businessman. Anyone who has been in this businesss long enough has a few “Lorne stories”, I have a couple myself. While our paths never crossed once W+R Studios was acquired by Lorne’s company, Lone Wolf (he had already left the business and board), I can see everyday the impact he made in people’s live. My greatest sympathies to his family and friends.
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 comes 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:
Connect with Greg Fischer:
Connect with Andy Woolley:
Resources:
Greg’s Twitter Thread on Your Listing, Your Lead
Our Sponsor:
How do MLS execs and association staff foster innovation? What would happen if MLS decided to leave NAR? Rob and Greg delve into the complex politics behind the relationship between NAR and MLS. They explore what the consequences would be if MLS decided to part ways with NAR. Rob shares his perspective on why MLS would have benefited from taking the vendor route instead of staying with NAR, while Greg raises concerns that the MLS may be apprehensive towards change.
Special shoutout to Cole Robertson and his latest Dungeons and Dragons supplement book!
Watch Us on YouTube!
Connect with Rob and Greg
RentSpree
My thanks to RentSpree for sponsoring this month of Vendor Alley. I think real estate agents need to look at serving their customers thru the lens of “housing”, not just for purchase but both long-term and short-term rental. RentSpree does a great job of helping agents make this transition. Having other means of income will help agents survive in any market.
My thanks again to RentSpree.
“Good, then we will fight in the shade”
I was talking with an MLS Exec the other day, he told me that they had to call the police because a member was upset at a recent change they made to their MLS system and made threats about what he was going to do when he came to the MLS office. In this day and age with what happens in schools I don’t blame them for calling the police.
I heard another story about an MLS/Assn how a member organized a “march on the association offices”, in this case, the MLS was accused of making too many changes in a short time. Yikes! They even started a Facebook group. Imagine that, a Facebook group, I wonder what name they gave the Facebook group? “Hands off our MLS system!”, “Back to the MLS Books!”, or maybe “You’re doing too much, STOP!”
Of course, you have to plan. These changes have to be thoughtful. But no matter what members will complain that “we didn’t have enough time”, “we weren’t notified”, “it’s not the right time of year” or “we wanted more training”. That is always going to happen, no matter if it’s 3 months or 3 years. To me, those are table stakes that any organization has to deal with when they move forward.
Along with all the drama on social media, MLS staff, and execs are berated with emails, phone calls, and name-calling. You really can’t blame any MLS exec who doesn’t do much and keeps the status quo. I mean it is the safe thing to do if you want to keep your job.
But there are others that press forward, who know the risks, but know the rewards as well, and press on. Because if we aren’t growing, we are dying. You don’t want to “change for change’s sake” but we have to try new things if we want to progress. We all need to fight to move our organizations and the industry forward.
That’s leadership.
So when presented with a new idea you want implemented, or a decision you need to make that should have been made long ago, don’t be discouraged. Remember what the Spartans said when the Persians told them if they fought they would unleash enough arrows that would “black out the sun.”
“Good,” the Spartans said, “then we will fight in the shade.”
