Listing Bits

Policy may not be sexy, but without standards around how we format real estate data and build technology systems, we simply can’t share data or integrate the tools we need to do our jobs well. Sam DeBord serves as CEO of the Real Estate Standards Organization, the trade group responsible for developing the open standards that drive efficiency and streamline technology for the industry. His resume includes a wide range of leadership positions in the real estate space, including President’s Liaison for MLS and Data Management at NAR and VP of Government Affairs with Washington Realtors. Sam is also the VP of Strategic Growth for Coldwell Banker Danforth in Seattle and writes for REALTOR Magazine, Inman News and the Swanepoel Trends Report.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Sam describes RESO’s role in the real estate industry, explaining how the standards set by his organization provide certainty for developers and support data shares and tech integrations. He shares the progress RESO has made in the last year, discussing what they have done to streamline compliance certifications and initiate the proposed Listing Exchange Access Policy. Listen in for Sam’s insight on the constraints of the current market (and the new tech that’s emerged as a result) and find out how he thinks about the kerfuffle surrounding the most recent mergers and acquisitions in the real estate space. What’s Discussed:   What RESO does to create efficiencies and streamline tech for the real estate industry RESO’s evolution to an independent trade organization and how it relies on thousands of volunteer SMEs to build its Workgroups RESO’s recent work to streamline its compliance certifications and create a new development guide for vendors How RESO standards provide certainty for developers and support data shares and integrations Why Sam is a proponent of creating a single policy for how data is used and displayed (and how that would help brokers) RESO’s work with the broker community and CMLS to draft the proposed Listing Exchange Access Policy The progress RESO has made in just the last year to align industry trade organizations, brokers and MLSs around common goals How RESO standards helped facilitate the NorCal MLS Alliance Sam’s take on how the artificial constraints of the current market impact agents and the tech facilitating the trend to buy homes sight unseen How Sam thinks about the most recent mergers and acquisitions in the real estate space Why proptech companies need to recognize our cultural preference to work with an agent The potential problems associated with a broker-member of an MLS being paid by that MLS for a technology service Connect with Sam: Real Estate Standards Organization Email sam[at]reso[dot]org Sam on Twitter   Resources:   RESO Workgroups RESO Web API Tools & Software RESO’s Broker Advisory Workgroup RESO Certification 2020 RESO Certification Updates Andy Woolley CMLS NAR NAR’s MLS Technology & Emerging Issues Advisory Board Summary of NAR’s 2021 MLS Policy Changes CMLS’s Participant Data Access Policy LeadingRE The Realty Alliance CMLS’s CCP Implementation Guide RESO Compliance Guide NorCal MLS Alliance Zillow Economist Jeff Tucker on Industry Relations EP059 CoStar Zillow’s Acquisition of ShowingTime Greg on Twitter RESO’s Unique Organizational Identifier (UOI) Victor Lund at WAV Group RESO Remix RESO’s 2021 Fall Conference Our Sponsor: Cloud CMA

Video marketing is a powerful way for agents, brokers and real estate companies to reach consumers. But how do we get the most mileage out of our videos? How do we maximize the marketing value of the content we create?   Christian Sterner is the Cofounder and CEO of WellcomeMat, the premier platform for managing your real estate video. Christian’s team facilitates successful video marketing campaigns for agents, brokers and companies who are committed to video as a long-term marketing strategy, helping clients leverage video content to generate traffic and engagement on their domain. Christian has been playing in the technology and marketing space since 2000, and he has led WellcomeMat since its inception in 2006.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Christian explains how WellcomeMat maximizes reach for every video in a user’s library and helps them make educated decisions about what videos to create. He offers insight around what kind of content really moves the needle for real estate professionals, sharing his take on the pros and cons of producing humorous or provocative video content. Listen in to understand how WellcomeMat is working to facilitate visual search for the real estate industry and learn how drone automation can be used to create killer listing videos and accelerate the adoption of video marketing among brokers and agents.   What’s Discussed:     WellcomeMat’s mission to make video the most valuable thing agents and brokers can do to market themselves and their properties What makes WellcomeMat the best way to maximize reach for every video in your library How WellcomeMat accepts content from any service (and allows users to switch providers at will) What WellcomeMat does to help users make educated decisions about what videos to create How WellcomeMat increases site visits by an order of magnitude over using YouTube alone Why listing videos are best for pushing top line revenue The value in producing evergreen content like neighborhood tours, agent profiles, etc. WellcomeMat’s referral database of 5,000 video production companies Christian’s take on producing provocative and/or humorous video content The MLS rules around branded and unbranded content + how WellcomeMat offers tools to remove branding for MLS compliance WellcomeMat’s work to facilitate visual search for the real estate industry How drone automation facilitates the production of quality video at scale for the real estate space   Connect with Christian:   WellcomeMat Christian on Twitter christian [at] wellcomemat [dot] com   Resources:   RE/MAX Trulia 8z Booj CBRE Revaluate Homebot ZAVI Homes TED For Sale by Owner LeadingRE Luxury Portfolio Halstead Semonin Realtors Wistia Tim Smith Group on YouTube Smith Group’s ‘Teach Me How to Duffy’ Marketing Video Gracenote Shazam Cole’s Drone Video Amazon’s Ring Always Home Cam Skydio eWebinar

What can technology vendors do to better connect with the agents and brokers we hope to serve? And what can we learn from the perspective of a computer engineer turned REALTOR about how to approach real estate professionals and what kind of tech solutions they need? Georgia Purpura is Managing Broker at Urban Nest Realty, a mid-size independent brokerage out of Las Vegas, Nevada, where she specializes in helping agents grow their business. She is also very involved in the local association, most recently serving as Chair of the MLS. Georgia has been a licensed agent for 12 years, acting as broker for Keller-Williams Southwest before joining Urban Nest in 2018. Prior to real estate, she earned her degree in business and information technology and spent eight years working as a computer engineer. On this episode of Listing Bits, Georgia discusses how her background in IT has served her well in real estate, explaining how she evaluates technology solutions and what vendors can do to market their software more effectively. She offers advice for vendors and brokers on creating a business model that mitigates agent churn, challenging us to focus on producers rather than subscribers—casting a deeper net as opposed to a wider one. Listen in for Georgia’s insight on how modern agents learn about technology tools (and how that’s evolved over the years) and get her take on the top technology needs in the real estate space.  What’s Discussed:   Georgia’s background in computer engineering and how that tech experience has served her well in real estate How Georgia learned about tech tools early in her career from sales meetings and through the local association How modern agents learn about tech tools through word-of-mouth on social media Georgia’s advice for vendors around marketing to top producers who can create influence for you Why vendors should lead with the problem they’re solving for in pitching agents and brokers How Georgia evaluates tech based on its potential to shorten the sales cycle and save time or money Georgia’s criticism of how brokers have gone about increasing profitability by having the biggest army (rather than the best) How real estate brokerages and software vendors can build a business model that mitigates agent churn The top technology needs Georgia sees in the real estate space --Integration among tech solutions (strategic alliances) --Agent retention and engagement tool for brokers   Connect with Georgia:   Urban Nest Realty  Resources: David J. Tina Top Producer Inman News Realtor.com Realtor Magazine Vendor Alley Rob Hahn Joe Versus the Volcano   Our Sponsor:    Cloud CMA

Owning a second home can be an enriching experience, allowing us to make priceless memories with friends and family. But many can’t afford to buy a vacation home, nor does it make much sense to leave a house sitting empty for ten-plus months, even if you can afford it. So, what if you could buy a share of a second home and enjoy true ownership for a fraction of the cost and hassle?   ***MAKE SURE YOU CONSULT WITH A CPA.  THIS PODCAST AND ITS CONTENT ARE NOT INTENDED TO GIVE TAX/INVESTMENT ADVICE ON LOSS/GAIN OF PASSIVE INCOME*****   Austin Allison is the Cofounder and CEO of Pacaso, a startup designed to make the dream of second homeownership a reality for more people. The platform allows up to eight people to buy a share of a vacation home for much less—in a way that is seamless, hassle-free, and without risk. Austin’s first venture was Dotloop, the real estate transaction management solution he built in 2008 and sold to Zillow in 2015.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Austin introduces us to the benefits of co-owning a second home through Pacaso over the DIY model, explaining what differentiates a Pacaso from a resort or hotel timeshare. He describes how the platform’s scheduling feature works and why it can actually be better to own a property with people you don’t know versus friends and family. Listen in for Austin’s insight on how his company makes money and learn how you might use Pacaso as a second home buyer, seller or real estate agent.   What’s Discussed:    How Austin’s frustration with creating and signing documents as an agent inspired the creation of Dotloop How Pacaso’s mission around second home ownership inspired the company name The broad range of people Pacaso serves and the potential market for second homes in the US and Europe What differentiates a Pacaso from a resort or hotel timeshare --True ownership vs. rights to use --Single-family home --Easy to resell Why Pacaso prohibits short-term rental activity in its properties How Pacaso’s scheduling feature allows users to reserve dates in a way that corresponds with their ownership level How Pacaso makes money through a markup on the real estate and asset management fees What happens if a Pacaso home increases in value The benefits of owning a home with people you don’t know through Pacaso over the DIY model The potential tax benefits of owning a second home with Pacaso How the Pacaso process works for buyers, sellers, and real estate agents Connect with Austin:  Pacaso Austin on LinkedIn   Resources: Dotloop California Association of Realtors’ Partnership with zipLogix The a16z Podcast The a16z Podcast on Joint Home Ownership Sponsor: Cloud CMA

It’s easier to gain a seller’s trust when you have the data to back you up. But where can agents and brokers go for real-time buyer data? And how do we turn those numbers into actionable insights to earn new business? Ashley Terrell is the Executive Vice President of Partnerships at Buyside, a real estate tech platform that helps real estate professionals leverage intelligent buyer data to capture seller leads, win more listings and close more transaction sides in-house. Prior to joining Buyside, Ashley served as the Director of Account Management and Director of Strategic Growth at Constellation Software and the Director of Account Management and Product Marketing at Real Estate Digital. On this episode of Listing Bits, Ashley explains how Buyside partners with other vendors to procure data and provide its users with seamless product integration. She offers insight around the current buyer landscape, sharing her take on why there’s such a boom in real estate right now. Listen in for Ashley’s insight on the resources available to help agents use the Buyside tools and learn how to leverage buyer data to win your next listing presentation.   What’s Discussed:  Ashley’s background in tech and how she was introduced to the real estate tech space How Buyside serves as a seller lead gen tool and helps agents win listing presentations How Buyside procures data from vendors like Zillow, ShowingTime, etc. Buyside’s focus on seamless product integration to create the best possible user experience Ashley’s insight around the current buyer landscape in real estate Ashley’s take on why there’s such a boom in real estate right now How agents and brokers can leverage buyer data in a listing presentation --Help seller price home --Marketing strategy --Pool of buyers How Buyside serves large brokerages vs. small brokerages and large teams The value proposition for Buyside in a buyer’s market Ashley’s commitment to building out resources that help agents use the Buyside tools   Connect with Ashley: Buyside Ashley on LinkedIn Resources: Market Leader Sharper Agent Real Living John Hensley John Heithaus on Listing Bits EP061 Charles Williams ShowingTime RealScout Cloud CMA Inman News ‘Existing Home Sales Skyrocket Amid Pandemic, Inventory Down’ in Inman News ShowingTime’s June 2020 Showing Index Results Buyside Help Center   Sponsor: Cloud CMA

The five most stressful life events include the death of a loved one, divorce, major illness or injury, job loss, and moving. But a new proptech platform is working to take relocation off the list with a tool that makes the experience of moving less stressful, less expensive, and more efficient.   John Heithaus is a serial entrepreneur and venture investor with 30-plus years of experience in strategic marketing, corporate strategy, and product development. He has co-founded or served as a founding executive of four real estate startups, generating nearly $100M in successful exits. One of John’s current projects is OK Move Me, a proptech tool that offers consumers a one-stop resource for planning, moving, and settling into a new place.   On this episode of Listing Bits, John explains how OK Move Me works, walking us through the four phases of the moving process and describing the site’s interactive task lists for each. He discusses how the vendors promoted on the platform are vetted and share what the team is doing to provide an outstanding customer experience. Listen in for insight into how OK Move Me generates revenue and find out why the site is looking to partner with traditional real estate agents and brokers.   What’s Discussed:    John’s unique background in real estate, proptech investing and the music business What inspired John’s return to building an online marketplace for moving + relocation services OK Move Me’s four phases of the moving process and associated interactive task lists --Planning --Moving --Move-in --Settling in How OK Move Me serves as a referral organization rather than a direct service provider OK Move Me’s affiliate agreements with vendors on the site What makes OK Move Me users a coveted cohort How OK Move Me vendors are vetted and held to a high standard The potential for OK Move Me to partner with traditional real estate agents and brokers How OK Move Me is promoting the site through social media ads and content marketing OK Move Me’s alliance with moving company brands that focus on customer experience OK Move Me’s Reddit approach to procuring user feedback   Connect with John: OK Move Me My OK Move Me   Resources: Buyside Rock and Roll Fantasy Camp SuperStar Factory Productions Pure Music Nashville Artisanship Music Moving.com Best Places to Live Jonathan Miller Sharma Packers and Movers Edwin Tichenor Relocation.com Move.com Updater Moove Guru The Knot Relocation Stress Syndrome Broker Public Portal MILLIE Indeed ZipRecruiter Monster AARP Wirecutter Honey Opendoor’s Deal with Realtor.com Zillow’s Partnership with DR Horton SIRVA Sponsor: Cloud CMA Live

Who’s ready to get geeky about MLS? Collaborations among MLS organizations are usually about sharing data. But MLS Aligned takes collaboration to another level, promoting dialogue among their in-house technology teams and putting the tech tools they have developed to work in each other’s markets. Matt Consalvo is the CEO at Arizona Regional MLS, Chris Carrillo is the CEO of Wisconsin’s Metro MLS, and Brad Bjelke is the CEO at UtahRealEstate.com. Together, with a few other MLS organizations are principles at MLS Aligned, a collaboration of five forward-thinking MLS organizations that are coming together to change the industry. On this episode of Listing Bits, Matt, Chris, and Brad share the MLS Aligned origin story and discuss how their in-house tech teams benefit from the ability to share best practices. They introduce us to the MLS Aligned API, describing how it is designed to follow RESO standards while providing additional fields and features for vendors, brokers, and other MLSs. Listen in to understand how MLS Aligned might support smaller MLSs with fewer resources and learn about the organization’s mission to provide high-quality products with a local focus. What’s Discussed:  How MLS Aligned grew out of a conversation among MLS CEOs and CTOs How the tech teams of MLS Aligned members benefit from the ability to share best practices Examples of MLS Aligned collaborations where tech has been plugged into other markets The Market Initiative partnership between ARMLS and Metro MLS Why the MLS Aligned API is designed to avoid data replication How the MLS Aligned API follows RESO standards while providing additional fields + features How vendors are using the MLS Aligned API How MLSs might collaborate to adapt to moving trends prompted by the pandemic What differentiates MLS Aligned from other MLS collaborations (e.g.: MLS Grid, MLS Roundtable, etc.) --Collaboration among MLSs with in-house technology teams --Mission to deliver a high-quality product with a local focus How MLS Aligned might serve as a lifeboat for smaller MLSs with fewer resources The focus on inclusivity at MLS Aligned Why the principals at MLS Aligned are committed to building success before they start selling Resources: ARMLS Metro MLS UtahRealEstate.com Monsoon Tax Records System MLS Grid Jim Harrison ARMLS & Metro MLS Market Initiative The Marquette Airbnb Study of Milwaukee STRs Sam DeBord at RESO CMLS MLS Roundtable Kurt von Wasmuth Dave Wetzel   Connect with Matt, Chris & Brad:  MLS Aligned Email info@mlsaligned.com   Sponsor: Cloud CMA Live

Most real estate agents look down on rentals, preferring to work solely with clients looking to buy in the next three to six months. What they don’t realize is that there are $12B in leasing commissions available to those agents who are willing to work with renters. And they’re missing out on the opportunity to build relationships with the homebuyers of tomorrow. But how do you find out what rentals are available in your market—when only a small percentage are listed on the MLS?   Ishay Grinberg [pronounced ee-shy] is the Founder and President of Rental Beast, the MLS for rentals. The platform helps tenants and landlords navigate the rental experience and levels the playing field for agents and brokers, giving them access to a comprehensive database of rental listings. Ishay has 20-plus years of experience in the real estate industry, working as an agent and managing broker for firms in New York City and Boston before creating Rental Beast.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Ishay introduces us to the Rental Beast platform and describes the opportunity available to real estate agents who are open to working with renters. He explains how the platform facilitates a fully virtualized transaction that is driven by the agent, exploring what the sales side of our industry can learn about virtualization from rentals. Listen in for Ishay’s insight on integrating Rental Beast with existing MLSs and learn how the platform helps agents earn more by generating transactions on the rental side.   What’s Discussed:    Why Ishay describes Rental Beast as the MLS for rentals The 50 unique data points Rental Beast collects for each property Ishay’s experience in the NYC market where there is no MLS The $12B in leasing commissions available to agents who are willing to work with renters How working with renters helps agents build relationships with the homebuyers of tomorrow What JCHS research reveals about the growing affluence of renters in the US How Rental Beast facilitates a fully virtualized transaction driven by the agent How agents can leverage Rental Beast’s AVM for rentals What the sales side of real estate can learn about virtualization from the rental industry --Streamline and digitize the closing process --Touchless showings Reading the local market to decide whether to hold or flip an investment property Rental Beast’s vision for embedding themselves in the MLS universe via integration The positive results brokers are seeing from the use of Rental Beast   Resources: RESO Harvard’s JCHS Research FBS Invitation Homes MRED MRED’s Partnership with Rental Beast Connect with Ishay: Rental Beast Sponsor: Cloud CMA Live

While we may not be able to predict exactly how the current health crisis will impact organized real estate moving forward, most of us would agree that change is in the air. The kind of change that could transform the way we do business altogether. So, how is the Coronavirus changing the way we think about the spaces where we live and work? And how might this new perspective lead to foundational shifts in our industry? Jessie Beaudoin is the Founder and CEO of CallAction, a lead engagement automation platform that helps real estate agents capture, track, and respond to leads from online and offline marketing channels. He has 35 years of experience in real estate, working as a mortgage broker for nearly two decades before his interest in efficiency and scale led him to the technology space. Now, Jessie is on a mission to help businesses do more in less time through intelligent sales and marketing automation. On this episode of Listing Bits, Jessie discusses the foundational shifts in real estate that may come from the Coronavirus pandemic, exploring how the crisis is changing the way we define ‘home’ and why the efficiencies of working remotely might shift the way we do business moving forward. He offers insight into why we lean on technology in moments of crisis and how the virus could impact the housing market in the months ahead. Listen in to understand what mainstream adoption of virtual showings means for real estate agents and get Jessie’s advice on what YOU can do to step up as a leader for your clients and your family in this challenging time. What’s Discussed:  Jessie’s background in real estate and segue into the technology space How the Coronavirus is giving us a newfound appreciation of what home means How the efficiency of working remotely might change commercial real estate Why we leverage technology in moments of crisis The positive foundational shifts that may come from the COVID-19 pandemic -  Appreciate being together, hyper-focused during appointments -  Written + verbal communication more clear, poignant and thoughtful How mainstream adoption of virtual and self-showings could impact agents Jessie’s insight around how the virus might affect the housing market The innovations that emerged in the last recession Jessie’s advice for agents on navigating the current health crisis      -  Leverage overcommunication and connection      -  Depend on technology to scale efforts      -  Step up as a leader for clients and family How CallAction allows agents to scale their communication via automation Resources: Zoom Real Estate for Millennials vs. Baby Boomers Gary Vaynerchuk’s Keynote at Inman Connect 2016 Connect with Jessie:  CallAction Call (323) 741-2255 Jessie’s Blog Jessie on LinkedIn

Out of 565 Multiple Listing Services nationwide, 82 serve less than 100 brokers and agents. Unsurprisingly, this means that the nation’s 20 largest Multiple Listing Services serve over 50 percent of the nation’s total MLS subscribers. These statistics didn’t exist a year ago, but thanks to the Real Estate Almanac, the disparity is clear. Now that we understand the scale of the issue, how can we make changes to better serve agents, brokers, and their clients? Clint Skutchan is the vice president of T3 Sixty’s association and MLS division. T3 Sixty is an industry-leading management consultancy and research company that focuses on residential real estate brokerage. Clint has over a decade of experience in the real estate industry and previously served as CEO of a realtor association in Colorado. He established an independent consulting company in 2014. In 2018, he joined T3 Sixty. On this episode of Listing Bits, Clint discusses T3 Sixty’s latest undertaking: Real Estate Almanac. He explains where the idea for a comprehensive list of MLSs and associations came from and talks about some of the surprises that came out of that list. Listen in for Clint’s insight on the future of the Real Estate Almanac and how the data it consolidates will impact the industry, and the nation as a whole.  What’s Discussed:  How Clint got involved in T3 Sixty What the Real Estate Almanac is and what it says about the industry Why T3 Sixty put the latest MLS and association list together What issues MLSs and associations are facing nationwide Whether Clint thinks NAR membership will stagnate, drop, or continue increasing How the list of MLSs and associations has shrunken in five years Why MLSs choose not to consolidate How smaller MLSs might tackle some of the issues they face What’s next for the Real Estate Almanac Resources: T3 Sixty Real Estate Almanac Top Associations/MLS Connect with Clint: Follow Clint on Twitter Follow Clint on LinkedIn