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Listing Bits Podcast: The Amazing Annie Ives

April 24th, 2025

🎙️ Listing Bits Episode: The Amazing Annie Ives

Host: Greg Robertson

Guest: Annie Ives, CEO of The MLS™ / VestaPlus

Duration: ~40 min

👋 Episode Summary:

In this episode, Greg sits down with Annie Ives, a true titan in the world of organized real estate. From her early days immigrating from Tunisia to building and reviving one of the most resilient MLS organizations in the country, Annie shares her personal and professional journey with candor, humor, and a hint of rebellion.

They cover everything from her humble beginnings in Los Angeles, to taking down not one but two formidable adversaries (a rogue MLS and the LA Times), and ultimately building a fully-fledged MLS software company from the ground up — all while raising a family and earning her MBA.

🧩 Key Topics Covered:

• Annie’s Origins: Born in Tunisia, moved to LA in 1967 post-Six-Day War

• First Jobs in the U.S.: Nanny, Bank of America check processor

• Finding Her Calling: Started in accounting for CLAW (Combined L.A. Westside MLS) in 1993

• The CLS Uprising: How Annie resurrected CLAW after a broker-led exodus and competition from the breakaway “CLS”

• Publishing Power Move: Took on LA Times and launched Southern California Homes & Estates, which remains a staple in the market

• Building VestaPlus: Tired of relying on vendors, Annie led the charge to build a proprietary MLS platform — now adopted beyond their core market

• Checkmate™: Her team’s AI-driven compliance tool making waves across the MLS industry

• Team Philosophy: Why taking risks, building a strong team, and staying scrappy still matters

📌 Resources & Mentions:

• The MLS™ / VestaPlus:

• Contact Annie: annie.ives@themls.com

• Compliance tool: Checkmate™, powered by VestaPlus

• The MLS Summit Event: Annual event hosted by The MLS™

Listing Bits Podcast: A floor plan with every listing

March 14th, 2025

In this episode of Listing Bits, Greg Robertson is joined by Megan McFarlane from New Mexico MLS and Jeff Allen from CubiCasa to discuss the growing importance of floor plans in real estate listings. They dive into why New Mexico MLS has taken the bold step of requiring floor plans on every listing, how technology like CubiCasa is making this easier, and the industry-wide momentum pushing for more complete and transparent listing content.

Key Takeaways

• New Mexico MLS’s Bold Move: Why they made floor plans mandatory and how it enhances listing accuracy and consumer experience.

• The Tech That’s Changing the Game: How CubiCasa and other solutions make floor plans more accessible for agents and MLSs.

• Overcoming Pushback: Addressing concerns about liability, data privacy, and adoption challenges.

• Consumer Demand is Clear: NAR research shows floor plans are the #1 most requested listing feature.

• Global Trends in Real Estate: Why countries like Finland and Australia have already made floor plans standard—and why the U.S. is catching up.

• The Future of MLS Compliance: How MLSs are using AI and automation to enforce floor plan requirements.

Links & Resources

New Mexico MLS to require floor plans on all listings

MLS Floor Plan Requirement Programs: FAQ 2025

CMLS Presentation Clip

Our Sponsors

Trackxi – Real Estate’s #1 Deal Tracking Software

Giant Steps Job Board – Where Proptech gets hired

Production and editing services by:

Sunbound Studios

Listing Bits Podcast:AI and compliance with Todd Carpenter of Styldod

June 30th, 2025

In this episode of Listing Bits, Greg Robertson sits down with Todd Carpenter, SVP of Industry Relations at Styldod, to talk about the evolution of real estate technology—from mortgage lead gen to photo AI. They dive deep into how Styldod uses artificial intelligence to help agents with virtual staging, automate compliance workflows, and extract property data directly from listing photos. Todd also shares his career journey through early online mortgage startups, NAR, and RE.net culture to where he is today—working on AI-powered tools designed to modernize listing input and photo compliance for MLSs.

Key Takeaways

Career Journey – Todd shares his path from growing up in real estate, to working in mortgage tech, to leading social media strategy at NAR, and now serving at Styldod.
Photo Compliance and Automation – Styldod’s AI can detect and automatically correct issues like branding, people, pets, or license plates in listing photos based on MLS rules.
Data Extraction from Photos – The AI identifies room types, finishes, and furniture to help pre-populate listing details and property descriptions.
AI-Powered Listing Input – Discussion on how AI can assist in streamlining listing input and future MLS integrations without replacing MLS platforms themselves.
Visual Staging and Marketing Add-ons – Styldod enables decluttering, virtual staging, and style customization through a seamless workflow integrated into MLS photo upload processes.
Product and Pricing Models – Overview of different pricing approaches for MLSs, agents, and brokers—either as direct charges or revenue-share options.
Reimagine.AI – Styldod’s consumer-facing product with over 2 million users, offering swipe-based before-and-after image tools.
AI Search and Industry Disruption – Todd and Greg speculate on how on-device AI and generative agents may reshape search, SEO, and real estate monetization in the future

Contact Todd

Email: todd@styldod.com

LinkedIn

Links:

Reimagine

Styldod

Our Sponsors

Trackxi – Real Estate’s #1 Deal Tracking Software

Giant Steps Job Board – Where ORE gets hired

Production and editing services by:

Sunbound Studios

Listing Bits Podcast: Brian Donnellan and the future of cooperation

March 28th, 2025

🎙️ Listing Bits: Brian Donnellan, CEO of Bright MLS

Host: Greg Robertson

Guest: Brian Donnellan, CEO of Bright MLS

Episode Summary:

Greg sits down with Bright MLS CEO Brian Donnellan for a candid conversation about leadership, music, and the shifting dynamics in real estate. They dive into design, the Clear Cooperation Policy, Wall Street’s influence, and why cooperation—not just compensation—is the heart of MLS value.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why Bright MLS invests so heavily in communication and design

• How playing in bands helped Brian lead complex teams

• The real impact of removing compensation from the MLS model

• Brian’s take on Clear Cooperation and private exclusives

• What Wall Street’s growing role means for brokers and MLSs

Our Sponsors

Trackxi – Real Estate’s #1 Deal Tracking Software

Giant Steps Job Board – Where Proptech gets hired

Production and editing services by:

Sunbound Studios

Listing Bits Podcast: Austin Allison, CEO of Pacaso

October 29th, 2024

Overview:

In this episode, Greg Robertson chats with Austin Allison, CEO of Pacaso, about his entrepreneurial journey in real estate, starting with Dotloop and transitioning to his current venture, Pacaso. The discussion covers lessons learned from his early career, how Pacaso is revolutionizing second home ownership, and insights into raising capital through innovative approaches like Regulation A.

Key Takeaways:

1. Austin’s Journey in Real Estate:

• Austin Allison started his real estate career early, getting his license at 18. His early experiences selling homes during college inspired him to create Dotloop, which he later sold to Zillow.

• The entrepreneurial lessons from Dotloop, including navigating challenging markets and working with large real estate brands like Keller Williams, set the foundation for his future ventures.

2. The Birth of Pacaso:

• After selling Dotloop, Austin co-founded Pacaso, a platform aimed at democratizing second home ownership by enabling people to co-own luxury homes. The idea stemmed from his own experience of buying a second home and realizing most vacation homes sit unused for much of the year.

• Pacaso allows people to purchase a share of a vacation home, creating more efficient and accessible ways to own luxury properties.

3. The Challenges of Scaling a Startup:

• Pacaso had rapid growth, especially during the early days of the pandemic when people sought second homes, but faced new challenges in 2023 due to rising interest rates and a cooling real estate market.

• The company has refocused on profitability and expanding its market presence globally, with operations in the U.S., Europe, and Mexico.

4. Innovative Fundraising through Regulation A:

• Pacaso recently explored raising capital through Regulation A, a public fundraising method that allows retail investors to buy into private companies. This method democratizes access to investment opportunities typically reserved for institutional investors.

• Austin believes this approach aligns with Pacaso’s mission of making second home ownership more accessible and also raises brand awareness by turning investors into advocates.

5. Future of Pacaso and Second Home Ownership:

• Pacaso aims to continue expanding its product offerings and entering new markets. While the current focus is on high-net-worth individuals, Austin envisions future opportunities to lower the entry point for ownership, making the Pacaso model more accessible to a broader audience.

• Austin emphasizes the long-term potential of Pacaso and the importance of scaling the business carefully to meet the demands of a large, untapped market.

Reach Out:

Austin on LInkedIN

Find out more about Pacaso

• Learn more about Pacaso: Pacaso.com

• Explore Regulation A investment opportunities with Pacaso.

Our Sponsors

Trackxi – Real Estate’s #1 Deal Tracking Software

Giant Steps Job Board – Where Proptech gets hired

Production and editing services by:

Sunbound Studios

Listing Bits Podcast: Meet Ben Kinney, the new owner of Remine

May 5th, 2025

The latest Listing Bits episode in now available on your favorite podcast player!

In this episode, Greg Robertson sits down with Ben Kinney, CEO and co-founder of Place, to talk about Place’s acquisition of Remine, how Ben built his PropTech empire from the ground up, and what’s next for the platform. Ben shares his personal journey from growing up in rural Washington to building a half-billion-dollar business, and lays out his vision for supporting agents, MLSs, and consumers through technology, services, and long-term stability.

Key Takeaways

Place Acquires Remine – Ben shares why his team bought Remine out of bankruptcy, what they plan to do with the platform, and how MLSs can expect immediate support.
A Business Built for Agents – Place focuses on helping top teams across brokerages run more profitable and efficient businesses without trying to replace brokers or compete with their models.
Three Keys to Product Adoption – Ben breaks down his framework for driving usage: show users how, show them why, and show them others who’ve succeeded.
From CRM to Services – Place provides agents with everything from CRMs and marketing tools to bookkeeping, HR, title services, and even AI-powered handwritten notes.
CCP and Cooperation – Ben shares his views on Clear Cooperation and listing exclusivity, emphasizing transparency, consumer benefit, and the importance of cooperation.
Long-Term Vision – Ben discusses Place’s public company aspirations, upcoming acquisitions, and consumer-focused services like moving support—all while keeping control of the business.

Links

Place.com https://place.com

Active Rain https://activerain.com

Mom’s “No Bake” Cookie recipe

1 stick of butter

2 c sugar

1/4 c cocoa powder

1/2 c milk

3 c oatmeal

1/2 c crunchy peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

Stir butter, sugar, cocoa, milk in saucepan until boil. Boil at low for 2 mins. Remove from heat and add in oatmeal, peanut butter, vanilla.

WAV Group Interview: Meet Ben Kinney and Chris Suarez of Place – new owners of Remine –

Meet Ben Kinney and Chris Suarez of Place – new owners of Remine

Our Sponsors

Trackxi – Real Estate’s #1 Deal Tracking Software

Giant Steps Job Board – Where ORE gets hired

Production and editing services by:

Sunbound Studios

Listing Bits Podcast: Getting rid of the grey with Amy Gorce of REdistribute

November 11th, 2025

This Listing Bits episode is now available on your favorite podcast player!

Overview

Greg Robertson sits down with industry veteran Amy Gorce of REdistribute to clarify what REdistribute actually does, how it differs from display-focused data platforms, and why MLSs should care about the exploding gray-market use of MLS data. Amy breaks down the institutional-buyer use cases, explains how gray-market pipelines emerged, and outlines why MLS participation directly impacts valuation accuracy, AVMs, risk modeling, and overall market health.

Key Takeaways
• REdistribute is not a display vendor. Their data is used solely for institutional-grade analytics, AVMs, risk modeling, and portfolio management—never for consumer-facing listing display.
• Owned by MLSs, built for MLSs. The operating agreement limits eligible purchasers and prevents MLSs or brokers from using the data for competitive display products.
• The gray market is real and accelerating. Companies scrape, partner with brokers, or purchase unclear data sources to fuel AVMs and risk tools—often without MLS compensation. REdistribute is actively converting gray-market users.
• AI is making the problem bigger. Scraping tools, automated ingestion, and LLM training pipelines are proliferating. REdistribute is building an MCP server to support AI-specific use cases in a controlled and compliant way.
• Coverage, not demand, is the bottleneck. Institutional buyers are ready, but MLS participation is still below critical mass (~55–60% coverage). More MLSs joining closes the gap and increases revenue potential.
• Economics vary by use case. AVM licensing generates significantly higher value than simple match-and-append use cases—creating real opportunities for meaningful revenue distribution back to MLSs and brokers.
• Joining is simple. MLSs sign a license agreement and can be onboarded in roughly two weeks, with quarterly revenue distributions.

Links
• The Market Value of Listing Data—and the Cost of the Grey Market – White Paper

Contact

Amy Gorce
Allison Duggins

Sponsors
Trackxi – Real Estate’s #1 Deal Tracking Software

Giant Steps Job Board – Where ORE gets hired

Production and editing services by:
Sunbound Studios

Industry Relations and Listing Bits podcast nominated for Inman Innovator Award

July 16th, 2025

It’s nice to be recognized and it’s double nice to be recognized twice! Many thanks to Inman News for this nomination. Rob and I have been nominated several times, maybe this year is the year!

Live from Toronto with Michael Wurzer, CEO of FBS

October 13th, 2025

Overview

Greg Robertson sits down with Michael Wurzer, CEO of FBS (Flexmls), right after CMLS 2025 in Toronto. They reflect on the state of the MLS industry, FBS’s growth and culture, and how AI, standards, and industry consolidation are shaping the future of organized real estate.

Key Takeaways

FBS growth & longevity
- FBS is now the #2 MLS system vendor with near-100% retention.
- Employee-owned culture drives long-term stability and customer focus.
Industry leadership
- Wurzer has been influential in pushing APIs, RESO standards, and long-term tech adoption.
- Stresses that standards work is critical and shouldn’t be overshadowed by hype around AI.
AI & MCP
- New protocols like MCP let large language models connect directly to MLS APIs.
- This evolution validates years of investment in standards and API development.
Compass/Anywhere merger
- Private listing networks challenge cooperation but face adoption hurdles.
- Consolidation could create distractions; agent adoption remains the biggest barrier.
CMLS 2025 reflections
- Strong broker/MLS dialogue, with Craig Cheatham’s session a highlight.
- Local broker engagement remains the most important success metric for MLSs.
Source MLS revival
- Effort to clearly brand MLS-sourced listings and improve analytics transparency.
- Planned launch at the 2026 RESO/REset conference.
Regionalization & data standardization
- Florida coast example: six MLSs aligned on one entry system, eliminating duplicates.
- Push for more regional cooperation to solve overlapping market disorder.
Vendor vs. MLS-owned tech
- MLSs entering the vendor space still face the same integration and sustainability challenges.
- Wurzer argues FBS, as an employee-owned vendor, shares MLS values and long-term commitment.
Future concerns & opportunities
- Biggest worry: MLSs losing focus on standardizing data formats regionally.
- Supports potential CMLS–RESO merger if it leads to stronger professional staffing and delivery of promised value.

Production and editing services by:

Sunbound Studios

Andy Taylor and Greg Fischer of RetroRate – Assumable loan discovery

September 29th, 2025

Greg Robertson sits down with Andy Taylor and Greg Fischer from RetroRate to discuss assumable loans and their potential to reshape real estate transactions. They explore the history and career paths of both founders, the challenges of discoverability in MLSs, and how RetroRate aims to make assumable loans more visible and accessible for agents, buyers, and sellers.

Key Takeaways

Backgrounds of the founders:
- Andy Taylor: From gaming at EA, to Apple, to Redfin, to startups like Approved and Credit Karma.
- Greg Fischer: From brokerage and realtor.com to innovative consumer tools like Doorsteps and Doorsteps Swipe.
RetroRate’s mission:
- Helps real estate professionals identify and transact on assumable loans.
- Assumable loans can drastically reduce monthly payments compared to current market rates.
Market potential:
- 22–25% of homes on the market have an assumable loan, yet less than 1% are marketed that way.
- Properly marketed assumable loans can increase sale prices and attract more buyers.
Challenges:
- Discoverability in MLSs—fields exist but are often unused or misunderstood.
- Educating agents and consumers on how assumables work.
- Equity gaps require creative solutions (cash, piggyback loans, or policy changes).
Tools & partnerships:
- RetroRate offers an agent-facing platform, MLS integrations, and a Chrome extension (“RetroRate VHS”) to overlay assumable loan info on Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com.
- Engaging with MLSs and realtor organizations to standardize data fields and improve adoption.
Call to action:
- MLSs, brokers, and agents should connect with RetroRate to make assumable loans more visible and usable for clients.

Production and editing services by:

Sunbound Studios