Pacaso raises $75M, goes from launch to unicorn in 5 months.

For one, the team. Former Zillow executives Austin Allison and (CEO and co-founder) Spencer Rascoff came up with the concept of Pacaso after leaving Zillow together about 18 months ago. (Publicly traded Zillow today has a market cap of $32.9 billion.) The company gives people the ability to purchase shares in, and become co-owners of, a second home.

This is such a great idea. What struck me is that it’s not really real estate you are buying (or shares in real estate), what you are buying is the memories, experiences, and traditions you and your family will have at a second home. They are starting at the high end of the market but hope they are able to make this model work with less expensive homes.

I had a great conversation with Austin about Pacaso on my Listing Bits podcast. You can check it out here or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

As the demand for the SentriKey Showing ServiceTM ramps up, industry veteran joins SentriLock

“We are truly pleased to welcome Kerry to the SentriLock team,” says Devin Beck, Director of Revenue at SentriLock and key driver of the showing service business. “Kerry’s unique blend of experience with MLSs and technology solutions fits perfectly with our business profile and strategy for the new showing service.” Kerry will begin workingwith customers and prospects in her new role with SentriLock on March 22, 2021.

Somehow I missed this news but lucky I was able to get it posted on Kerry’s first week. Congrats Kerry and SentriLock!

Take that Client to Dinner: Business Meals Are Deductible in 2021 and 2022

“Business meals at a restaurant are now fully tax deductible — at least for the next two years. To promote increased business spending at restaurants, the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021” directed the IRS to increase the deduction from 50% to 100% of the cost of food and beverages provided by a restaurant.”

Can’t wait.