Where Do You Rank as a Power Broker?
Notice: It is time to submit your information to RIS Media if you want to be included in the Power Broker Survey. Submission deadline is February 22, 2022.
Side is Growing and Looking for Great Brokers in 17 States
Side, Inc. is expanding to 17 states this year - much of it is underway. WAV Group met with Side to understand more about their go to market strategy and understand how they operate in the markets they enter.
Two Mega-MLSs Connect on Common Data Platform
MARIS and NorthstarMLS understand that data is one of the most coveted resources on the planet. Today, data is the water in real estate’s ecosystem. Without water, there would be no life, just as data is essential to making real estate markets function. These two mega-MLSs are working to provide agents friction-free access to data. And that ultimately benefits consumers. How? MARIS and NorthstarMLS are working together, using NorthstarMLS’s Common Data Platform, to make real estate markets in the Greater Midwest work better by unifying the marketplace around shared listing data. This effort removes the toll gate that currently forces [...]
Corporate Home Buyers Pose an Immediate Threat to Home Ownership
Broker Public Portal Chairman, Alon Chaver, has written an excellent overview of how Corporate Home Buyers pose an immediate threat to home ownership which is having a ripple effect across the industry.
Former HomeSeekers CEO, John Giaimo launches New Venture
In the early 90s, John Giaimo founded HomeSeekers and took the company public. Since then, Giaimo has been an active real estate entrepreneur launching Realty Times, Realty Times TV, cable and satellite TV shows, and numerous other ventures. I was able to catch up with John to learn a bit more about his new venture, BringitHomeCommunities.com.
Maine Listings – Building Stronger Broker Partnerships with Fast and Easy Agent Onboarding
Maine Listings, one of the 6 statewide MLSs in America, now recognized they could make it easier for their brokers to onboard and transfer agents. They built a self-service portal to make it simple for brokers to add agents to their roster.
CMA to Listing Agreement to MLS to Commission Check
Cloud CMA now integrated with Lone Wolf Transactions including zipForms and TransactionDesk - check it out.
MoxiWorks to Compliment Zap?
Not sure if MoxiWorks will replace Zap or not, but it is pretty clear that Moxi has some powerful traction. What is being done in Canada is not likely to have much bearing on what is done here in America – but it is a signal.
Brokers Need to Revisit VOW Websites
From 2009 to 2013, WAV Group spent a significant portion of our brokerage consulting on explaining what a Virtual Office Website (VOW) is and how it is different from an Internet Data Exchange (IDX) website. Now VOW websites are being discussed again in brokerage meetings and for good reason. Digital paper only brokers have been able to build spectacularly successful businesses that leverage IDX to develop referrals that take a 30% bite out of agent commissions. Brokers who care about the income of their agents should review this carefully.
Lone Wolf launches Digital Title Orders
Lone Wolf has extended the functionality of their marketplace to include the functionality of ordering title within the forms application. This saves a step for real estate professionals and makes the home purchase process more streamlined for the consumer.
Real Estate Agent Eligible for PPP Loans Until March 31st
The second wave of federal loan funding to small businesses includes $250 Billion earmarked to small businesses. As of right now, about $128 Billion of that money is still available. Last week, the federal government extended the benefit to independent contractors including real estate agents.
Pay Attention to Home Ownership Division Launched at Inside Real Estate
I connected with Ned Stringham from Inside Real Estate by phone to learn more about the announcement of their Home Ownership Division and was excited by what I learned.