Where Real Estate Gets Its Dirt

Paragon Connect [Sponsor]

My thanks to Paragon Connect for sponsoring Vendor Alley this month.

Starting this week they will cover the top 10 topics to review when making the decision on an MLS platform for your members.

How to choose the right MLS platform for you


The top 10 “must-haves” when considering a front end for your members 

  1. Simple Competitive Market Analysis (Easy CMA) 

You’re at a party and the question comes up: “Hey, aren’t you a real estate agent? I’m thinking about selling my house.” You reach for your phone, knowing that because you chose the right MLS, you can capitalize on that opportunity before hors d’oeuvres are done. When you use a front-end system that delivers competitive market analysis in the palm of your hand, you’re only ever moments away from showing a potential customer all that you can do for them.

  1. Buyer and seller connection 

Relationships are built on good communication with your buyers and sellers. The right MLS helps buyers find homes they’re interested in, while keeping open lines of communication. And it helps sellers see activity on their listing. The right MLS has a buyer and seller portal for your clients to communicate with you along with push notifications to keep you up to date along the way.

  1. Property watch 

Information is power, and staying on top of pricing trends, competition, and market conditions can help you deliver the best possible experience for buyers and sellers. Of course, real estate agents can’t spend their days watching properties like a hawk – but the right MLS can, helping you get the latest scoop on properties in your area, meeting your clients’ needs, achieving a competitive edge, and representing your sellers efficiently. The right MLS will have the ability to monitor properties no matter where you’re working from, so you can jump on opportunities the minute they arise.  

Looking forward to catching up next time for your next three topics. 

If you’re looking for an MLS that offers these capabilities and much more, discover Paragon Connect.

1000WATT’s Brand & Marketing Summit

I just wanted to make another plug for 1000WATT’s upcoming Brand & Marketing Summit. As many of you know Brian, Marc and their merry gang of creatives are legit. Having attended many of their other events I can assure you that you are in for a treat. But unlike other events this one feels like they are going to get even more strategic, and even more tactical in their agenda and content. Plus their speaker list is stacked!

Who should go? Well check out the website.

  • Executives and marketers in proptech, brokerage, franchising, mortgage, title, MLSs, and associations
  • Real estate team leaders
  • Solo agents who are eager to build market share
  • Brokerage and franchise leaders who want to lead their teams through a time of change with confidence
1000WATT

So buy a few tickets for you and your staff, mark your calendars, book the hotel rooms, buy the plane tickets and put your two stepping boots on and head to Gilleys in Dallas June 25th-June 27th.

Industry Relations Podcast: CoStar Acquires Matterport, The photography wars

How will CoStar’s recent buyout of Matterport affect the industry? In this episode Rob and Greg dive into the recent acquisition of Matterport by CoStar and how Rob and Greg predicted this years ago. How will Zillow respond? And how will other industry giants such as Redfin be affected by this huge announcement?

They also talk about Realtor.com’s CEO, Damian Eales, and his plans to expand the portal’s offerings. But beyond the competition between these portals lies an important conversation about raising the bar in the industry and eliminating low-quality agents for the betterment of consumers. 

And what’s the next battleground in real estate? Buyer rep agreements will be crucial to differentiate between the showdown with good agents and bad agents.

Connect with Rob and Greg: 

Rob’s Website

Greg’s Website

Our Sponsors: 

Notorious VIP

This podcast is produced by Two Brothers Creative 2024.

Lisa Larson joins Percy.ai

PERCY.AI APPOINTS LISA LARSON AS CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER

“In her new capacity, Larson will oversee the Percy Market Intelligence Platform, a proprietary tool that leverages machine learning to provide real-time market insights and pre-mover data to real estate professionals, mortgage loan officers and consumers. Her vision is set to maintain real estate professionals at the forefront of transactions, ensuring they remain central to the home buying process.”

Percy.ai

Congrats Lisa and Charles!

CoStar acquires Matterport (as predicted)

Matterport soars 187% after CoStar to buy company in a $1.6 billion deal

“The transaction, which is expected to be completed during the year, has been unanimously approved by the MTTR board.

“CoStar Group and Matterport have nearly identical mission statements of digitizing the world’s real estate. I look forward to welcoming Matterport to the CoStar Group family and believe that we will be stronger together, in pursuit of our common mission,” said CEO and founder of CoStar (CSGP) Andy Florance, Founder and CEO of CoStar Group

MTTR is headquartered in California and has ~440 employees, with FY revenue of $158 million.”

Sinchita Mitra, Seeking Alpha

Rob and I predicted this on a November 2022 Industry Relations Episode.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend

Top portal rivals show mutual support for buyer agency

“In a LinkedIn post, Zillow Co-founder and CEO Rich Barton drew attention to Eales’ “valuable thoughts” in the Wall Street Journal op-ed, but also reminded the industry that Zillow had previously launched its own effort — “Real Estate Rights for Consumers” — to show support for transparency in the industry and for buyer agency. “

AJ LaTrace, Real Estate News

Shocking. Two companies that sell buyer leads to agents agree that buyer’s agents are important.

No Equal

😢 Sad anniversary

The RESO kids are alright

Yup! I’ve been having major FOMO this week seeing all the posts of the Spring 2024 RESO Conference in Alabama. Even live band comprised of RESO members! But I think this shirt that Dan Troup, new CEO of BPP, is wearing perfectly captures that RESO vibe.

Trackxi chosen for NAR REACH program

Second Century Ventures Announces 8 Companies for 2024 REACH Scale-Up Program

“Companies accepted to the 2024 REACH program are as follows:

  • Chirpyest(link is external): a social commerce marketplace that empowers real estate professionals to earn cash back when they shop and share their curated finds.    
  • Final Offer(link is external): a consumer-facing, agent-driven negotiation platform for residential real estate, delivering clear, real-time offer alerts to all interested parties.
  • Kukun(link is external): a real estate data, analytics and applications platform for homeowners and the industries that serve them.
  • Notable(link is external): simple pay-at-close financing for everything a client needs to prep their home for sale and get the most out of it.
  • Purlin(link is external): AI tools that convert client conversations into transactions by simplifying business dealings among real estate agents and settlement service providers.
  • Scout(link is external): helping agents find and engage homeowners with AI-driven automated personalized email outreach. 
  • Trackxi(link is external): a collaborative deal and task tracker for real estate agents, teams, clients and consumers.
  • Unlock(link is external): helping consumers unlock the power of home equity without interest charges or monthly payments.”
NAR REACH

No small feat. Out of 1000+ companies considered, 100+ applications, Trackxi is among the final 8 companies chosen for this great opportunity. Congrats to Vijay and his team! Good things ahead!

CubiCasa hits 15% milestone of US floor plans

CubiCasa Surpasses Key Milestone with Floor Plans Included on 15% of New Listings in the US

“More than 15% of new listings in the U.S. now include a CubiCasa floor plan, a mark that is more than 700% higher than the 2% mark they recorded just two years ago when the company’s mission was in its infancy. Additionally, the number of CubiCasa scans performed for U.S. real estate customers in 2024 is nearly triple the rate it was during the same period a year ago.”

CubiCasa

700% higher in two years is amazing! I’ve been writing about CubiCasa and floor plans for years now. I think floor plans are the next aerial photos/maps. As Jeff Allen said in the press release.

“Floor plans are the single-best digital asset on a real estate listing because they provide consumers with a clear understanding of whether the home is the right fit for them,”

Jeff Allen, President of Cubicasa

If you add CubiCasa’s success to the Zillow and other portals efforts to “showcase” listings you can see a tipping point coming soon. Congrats to Jeff and his team.

Sponsored By Paragon Connect