Where Real Estate Gets Its Dirt

…on the MLS’ shoulders.

Rumors of the demise of the MLS have been utterly wrong.

Sam DeBord contributing for Inman News

“There’s currently a brokerage alliance hoping to form its own listing database platform, in an attempt to circumvent local MLSs’ control. The movement is being hailed as a blow to MLSs, but the idea itself seems less than revolutionary. There are successful MLSs in a number of locations that are already owned and run by brokerages, outside of Realtor organizations. A greater alliance of brokers creating a large association is nothing more than MLS consolidation, whether or not the ownership or administration changes. The intimation that this spells irrelevance for the MLS is frankly backward. The simplest explanation seems to be that these brokers value all of the inherent powers and structure of an MLS system; they just want to make the rules themselves.”

Nailed it.

Is WestsideRentals.com a scam?

lgsANMFcWSKJtD3q4MzR3k9PQtpnfKnMJd0EejKTgjgSomeone I work with is looking to rent a home. They pulled up a rental listing on their trusty realtor.com iPhone app. Right area, right price range, perfect. So they give the company (WestsideRentals) a call. The person on the other end of the call said that in order to get anymore information or see the home they needed to buy a membership to their company.

Really?

My question is this, is this common practice nowadays with rental listings? Does realtor.com (or any of the other portals) allow this “pay to see more” type of rental listings?

Agent Caffeine Interview

I’ll be joining Kelly Mitchell today on her Agent Caffeine show. The show will be broadcast live today at 6PM PT.

http://agentcaffeine.com/live

Kelly has titled the show “The Death of the MLS”. Which is news to me, I didn’t even know it was sick.

Join us if you can live. I’m a bit grumpy today so I’m not sure how this is going to go. But I’m sure that the interview will be available to listen to later.

Why Real Estate Agents Are Important, Now and Forever

Spencer Rascoff, CEO Zillow

Cloud Streams

Cloud Streams GW&R takes the field with Cloud Streams

Brian Boero, 1000watt

“This is why last week’s launch of Cloud Streams, the new listing alert and collaboration app from W&R Studios, the makers of Cloud CMA, is significant. They have taken something important and improved upon it. A lot. As a result, agents that set up clients with alerts and “Streams” (what W&R calls the collaboration space) look like heroes, not knuckleheads.

Agents can set up clients to receive email alerts, but also SMS alerts. The emails are responsive, so they look great on a mobile device. The design is clean and attractive. Calls to action are strong.”

We recently launched Cloud Streams locally with CRMLS. So far feedback has been fantastic. If any MLS Execs would like a demo while out at NAR Midyear or GoTo Meeting please reach out to Katie or I.

greg at wrstudios dot com
katie at wrstudios dot com

FBS – “Everything is Personal” videos

FBS just released two videos about their company and clients.

I gotta say they knocked these out of the park. So well done. Check them out for yourself.

John Walsh out at Dataquick

Word on the street is that John Walsh has left Dataquick. This just weeks after the acquisition by CoreLogic was finalized. From what I hear, this is not the way CoreLogic wanted it to go down. Typically these transitions have C-level execs stay on for a couple of years to help with the transition.

In fact I recently received an email co-sent by John Walsh and Ben Graboske just a couple weeks ago stating…

“In the coming months we will reach out to you with integration updates and introduce other solutions available to you; including new products, expanded technology, enhanced business services and more. Please let us know if we can answer any questions about the acquisition. Together, we look forward to serving you for many years to come.”

“…many years to come” eh?

The deal was being scrutinized by many, and turned out to be a big win for RealtyTrac which gained national coverage and recently launched a file licensing business for sales deed mortgage and tax data along with the hiring of Brian Mushaney. Brian is a heavyweight in this industry. I had a chance to work with him for a short time on a consulting project. This deal immediately puts Realty Trac at the big boys table.

Developing….

LARSON SKINNER PLLC

Screen Shot 2014-04-09 at 8.33.43 AMLARSON/SOBOTKA PLLC CHANGES NAME TO “LARSON SKINNER PLLC”

“Mitch has taken an increasing role in leading our firm and advising our clients.” He leads the firm’s counseling of the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) and works with Larson to advise the Council of Multiple Listing Services, along with dozens of other industry clients.”

Great to see good things happen to good people.

Congrats to Mitch and Brian!

DOORSTEPS SWIPE

SWIPEI got a chance to preview and now playing around with a fun app called SWIPE, created by Michele Serro’s team at DOORSTEPS. DOORSTEPS was was acquired by MOVE last year.

The premise is easy, you are presented with a single property photo and the street address. If you like the home you swipe the photo the left in you “PASS” on the home, or swipe to the right to “SAVE” a home. It also aggregates statistics about your preferences. Like I said, easy peasy.

It reminds me of the old website “Hot or Not”, and I’m told mimics a new popular app, Tinder (which for martial reasons I have chosen not to install on my phone). : )

The design is exquisite. Too me it functions basically as a triage for choosing homes.

If I had one quibble it would be that I would rather have the price, beds, and bath on the main screen. I found myself tapping on every photo for more detail. One photo and an address were not enough for me to give a decision to “Pass” on the house or “Save” it for later. Having said that I fear adding too much to the screen might make the app less fun.

I love the fact MOVE is releasing stuff like this. More please! Real estate needs to be more fun. Great job Michele!

Looking for a new gig?

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SentriLock- Account Manager

Move Inc., Industry Relations

Mobile Real Apps, Account Executive, Enterprise Broker Accounts.

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