About Marilyn Wilson

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So far Marilyn Wilson has created 544 blog entries.

Secrets of MLS Customer Satisfaction

Trends are a numbers game. The bigger the data set, the better the answers.  That is exactly what the WAV Group Customer Experience Index (CXI) is producing — great answers.  WAV Group has fielded hundreds of surveys over the last two plus decades. As consultants, we have been able to, over the years, garner insights from previous surveys that help inform current clients. However, what the industry was missing was the ability to stack results side-by-side and understand true areas of strength and opportunity, not just in local markets, but for MLS organizations nationally.  But data is only as good [...]

By |2025-03-16T05:40:07-07:00January 11th, 2023|Associations, MLS, MLS Insights, Strategic Planning, WAV Group Research|Comments Off on Secrets of MLS Customer Satisfaction

2023 REACH Applications Now Open

CHICAGO (December 6, 2022) – Second Century Ventures, the strategic investment arm of the National Association of Realtors®, opened applications today for the 2023 U.S. REACH and REACH Commercial technology growth programs. SCV, the most active global venture fund in real estate technology, operates the award-winning REACH program across North and South America, Europe, Australia and Asia-Pacific.  

By |2025-03-16T05:39:19-07:00December 6th, 2022|Announcements, Press Releases, Real Estate Technology|Comments Off on 2023 REACH Applications Now Open

CMLS Announces New Directors for 2023

The Council of MLS has come so far in the past few years under the leadership of Denee Evans.  Congrats to our MLS friends and colleagues who dedicate themselves to work hard to create more progressive action and cohesiveness in the MLS industry. I look forward to the leadership of Jim Yockel as Chair. Jim cares deeply about the MLS industry. His dedication to helping MLS learn how to continually improve the relevance of the service they provide to their brokerages is unparalleled. I am certain that Jim, along with Dionna, Nicole, John and Matt will continue to lead CMLS into a direction that will drive home the value of the MLS, even in the softer market we are entering.

By |2022-12-01T13:06:00-08:00December 1st, 2022|Associations, MLS, MLS Insights, Press Releases|Comments Off on CMLS Announces New Directors for 2023

Connecting Your Technology to Your Members’ Current Pain Points

What is the most important technology, outside the MLS listing database, that you offer to your customers?  The answer is — it depends.  What is important to your customers is having the right technology solution to solve the challenge they are facing right now, and that changes.

By |2025-03-16T05:35:38-07:00November 21st, 2022|Associations, MLS, MLS Insights, Technology|Comments Off on Connecting Your Technology to Your Members’ Current Pain Points

Restb.ai brings photo intelligence to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board

The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) signed Restb.ai as its partner for AI powered computer vision technology and data. We love to see MLSs pushing the envelope to continue to reduce friction in the listing set-up process, all the while helping their members deliver more robust online marketing to their prospects and clients.

By |2022-11-10T10:35:08-08:00November 10th, 2022|Announcements, Artificial Intelligence, Photography, Real Estate Technology, Technology|Comments Off on Restb.ai brings photo intelligence to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board

Do Your Subscribers Know What Direction You are Headed?

In the WAV Group Customer Experience Index survey launched this year, we measure subscriber perceptions of where the organization is headed. While most participating MLSs are perceived to be moving more in the right direction than the wrong, there is room to drive home a more clear-cut understanding of the key priorities of the MLS. We find two overall culprits for subscribers who don’t believe their MLS is moving in the right direction. So let’s take a look at the two main hurdles I have seen MLSs struggle with over the years. 

By |2025-03-16T05:34:43-07:00October 28th, 2022|MLS, MLS Insights|Comments Off on Do Your Subscribers Know What Direction You are Headed?

What is the most valuable service buyer agents provide?

One encouraging finding from the study was the high percentage of overall buyer satisfaction with the value provided by their agent. 88% of respondents thought that their agent earned the commission that they received on the home purchase. This is good news for an industry that has seen many “industry disruptors” enter the marketplace over the last several decades.

By |2025-03-16T05:33:52-07:00October 26th, 2022|Broker-Agent Information, Research, Suveys and Research, WAV Group Research|Comments Off on What is the most valuable service buyer agents provide?

New Study Reveals Increased Transparency Leads to Increased Value

WAV Group’s new Buyer Agent Commission Study reveals many insights from buyers about their awareness, understanding and appreciation of how commissions work when buying a home.

By |2025-03-16T05:32:42-07:00October 12th, 2022|Reports, Research, Suveys and Research, Whitepaper|Comments Off on New Study Reveals Increased Transparency Leads to Increased Value

California Legislature Approved 4 New Bills to Support Building Millions of Units of Affordable Housing in Commercial Corridors

California, like many states, suffers from a lack of affordable housing. According to the California Department of Finance, the median price of a single-family home in May 2022 in California was $898,980, up a significant 1.6% over the previous month and an increase of nearly 10% over the same time last year. AB 2097, amounts to a statewide boost to residential and commercial development near public transit. The bill prohibits local municipalities from imposing any minimum car parking requirements for projects located within a half mile of metro, bus, or other transportation centers. AB 2221, incentivizes ADU(Accessible Dwelling Unit) construction by clarifying rules around “granny flats”. Under existing law, developers are allowed to add the units only to existing multifamily buildings. AB 2221 extends that allowance to proposed projects. It also clarifies local agencies’ timelines for approving ADU, or accessory dwelling units, projects and raises certain height limits, and other changes.

By |2025-03-16T05:31:43-07:00September 1st, 2022|Bills and Policies, Industry Observations, News|Comments Off on California Legislature Approved 4 New Bills to Support Building Millions of Units of Affordable Housing in Commercial Corridors

MLS Leaders: Pay Attention to These 3 Key Measurements

There is a saying that goes, “The squeaky wheel gets the oil.” From a repair perspective, that is a good rule to follow, but far too often organizations let the “squeaky wheel” drive important strategic decisions that affect the future direction of the MLS or association. I have seen this happen many times first-hand while creating hundreds of strategic plans for organizations over the years and as an advisor for the Louisiana's broker-owned MLS, Greater Southern MLS. While customer feedback and interviews play an important role in understanding your challenges, as leaders on the board of directors, or in the executive offices, it is crucial that you temper what you hear with real numbers. WAV Group’s Customer Experience Index (CXI) is the first industry wide standard collecting and comparing numbers for MLSs across markets.

By |2025-03-16T05:29:40-07:00August 31st, 2022|Associations, MLS, MLS Insights, Strategic Planning|Comments Off on MLS Leaders: Pay Attention to These 3 Key Measurements

Five Easy Steps to Turn a Disgruntled Subscriber into a Raving Fan

From WAV Group’s over 20 years of fielding MLS and association customer satisfaction surveys, and from the launch of our new program the WAV Group Customer Experience Index, we have learned a lot about how to use survey results to turn a disgruntled subscriber into a raving fan. Here is a time-tested process that sometimes takes your worst critic and turns them into your most loyal supporter.

By |2025-03-16T05:28:34-07:00August 25th, 2022|Associations, MLS, MLS Insights, Strategic Planning, Uncategorized|Comments Off on Five Easy Steps to Turn a Disgruntled Subscriber into a Raving Fan

Greater Southern MLS proves that training promotion CAN move the needle on engagement and satisfaction.

When we launched the WAV Group Customer Experience Index for MLS late last year, we were excited by all the insights and trends we knew this valuable program would uncover. We have learned that participation in training has a major impact on overall subscriber satisfaction. Analysis revealed that those that attend MLS training registered higher satisfaction across the board.

By |2025-03-16T05:27:27-07:00August 24th, 2022|MLS, MLS Insights|Comments Off on Greater Southern MLS proves that training promotion CAN move the needle on engagement and satisfaction.