MLS Insights Archives

MLS Wins Mobile, or Fails the Agent

If you have been to a real estate conference in the past three years, you may have heard a session about mobile technology. Those strange phones that every person in America carries with them everywhere they go is also a computer. Only a few hundred million people know this secret today. MOBILE IS A CORE MLS SERVICE Sorry for shouting and pardon my sarcasm. Today’s MLS providers are failing to support agents (and consumers) with a mobile solution. This is not an opinion. It is a fact. We have surveyed agents everywhere in America, and at best, MLSs get a [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:07-07:00April 6th, 2012|Main category, MLS Insights|1 Comment

Does the Conflicted and Cynical Consumer even need an agent anymore?
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Does the Conflicted and Cynical Consumer even need an agent anymore?

Main category, MLS Insights

Does the Conflicted and Cynical Consumer even need an agent anymore?

I had a fascinating conversation with a friend of mine who was describing her hellacious experience purchasing and ultimately foreclosing on a home. Since we, at WAV Group, solidly believe that we do not listen to consumers enough, I thought it would be fun to share her story, word for word, uncut, to help all of us understand what, at least one consumer, is thinking these days. Sobering words….I hope it inspires every one who reads this to think about ways we can “make it up” to those consumers that we let down… Enjoy….. I don’t know a lot about [...]

By Marilyn Wilson|2018-05-03T21:25:07-07:00April 4th, 2012|Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off

AFIRE’s 2012 Conference Heats Up – Marilyn Wilson to speak

We know you’ve been to your share of boring real estate conferences, filled with lackluster speakers tackling the same topics you’ve heard a dozen times before. Breakout sessions, if available, offer the same-old, same-old. That’s not what AFIRE is all about. We’re just 9 weeks from the opening of our AFIRE conference, Courageous Leadership, in Scottsdale, Arizona...and we can’t wait! As a member of the AFIRE Advisory Board, I can't wait to share all of the exciting news about this year's event! AFIRE is a dynamic event created by women who are leaders in our industry. It's been created for [...]

By Marilyn Wilson|2018-05-03T21:25:07-07:00April 2nd, 2012|AFIRE, Broker-Agent Information, How to Make Strategic Planning Really Work in your MLS, Main category, Marketing, MLS Insights|Comments Off

Mike Audet Speaks at Realcomp’s Tools of the Trade Expo

WAV Group partner, Mike Audet, spoke last week at Realcomp’s “Tools of the Trade Expo” in Dearborn, Michigan at the beautiful Michael Guido Theater complex, in the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center. Mike gave an Industry Update to the Brokers on numerous topics from Syndication and Shifts in Real Estate Technology to Data Licensing Opportunities. This event could well be the model for other MLSs to follow in providing great outreach support to the members. From the keynote address by BravoTV’s Jeffery Lewis, star of “Flipping Out” and presentations including […]

By THE WAV GROUP|2018-05-03T21:25:08-07:00March 26th, 2012|Broker Technology Research, Broker-Agent Information, Clients, Main category, MLS Insights, Our Services|Comments Off

Reticence of luxury and second home market to join regional MLSs
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Reticence of luxury and second home market to join regional MLSs

Main category, MLS Insights

Reticence of luxury and second home market to join regional MLSs

We are lucky enough to work with brokers and MLSs around the country. It provides us with a unique perspective to notice trends that may not be readily apparent any other way. Here’s just one of the trends I have noticed in our work over the years. While many parts of the country have been successful in joining together to create highly successful and productive regional MLSs, there is one weakness I have observed again and again. Many times a luxury or second home market close to a larger metropolitan region will join the regional effort. I’m not going to [...]

By Marilyn Wilson|2018-05-03T21:25:08-07:00March 23rd, 2012|Main category, MLS Insights|2 Comments

Free WAV Webinar on Technology Adoption Keys and New “Free” Service for MLSs/Association

Real estate technology is changing in dramatic ways today at both the MLS and broker levels as we have detailed in recent white papers, “The Shift in Real Estate Technology” and “Real Estate Technology – Keys to Adoption”. MLSs and Associations now have more opportunities than ever to offer their members technologies that make their business lives easier and more efficient. A number of these new models for introducing the right software today are a win/win for both the vendors and the customers as they rely on “value selling” and often allow revenue to be realized on both the vendor [...]

By THE WAV GROUP|2018-05-03T21:25:08-07:00March 20th, 2012|Broker-Agent Information, Main category, MLS Insights, Technology Evaluation|Comments Off

LPS automates court cases

I guess that if you are a technology company that has been spending a lot of time in court rooms, you may as well make the best of it, and fix the court system while you are there. Just kidding. In all seriousness, LPS and CoreLogic have largely escaped all damages for thier role in supporting the bad decisions of lenders. That is a good thing. But LPS did just land a huge deal in their courthouse management systems. They were awarded the contract for managing documents on 425,000 court cases that roll through the Palm Beach County Clerk & Comptroller’s office each year. [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:09-07:00March 15th, 2012|Main category, MLS Insights, Press Releases|Comments Off

Best Days to Reach Agents

There is an old pubic relations myth that indicates that the best day for issuing PR is on Tuesday. This opinion is likely formed from the days when media was printed on paper or broadcast on TV. Tuesday is not the top day anymore. For today’s MLS, Association, or any other company that supports real estate agents, communication is very important. The timing of that communication is also very important. Despite the nay-sayers that preach “REALTORS don’t read,” we have learned that they do. They read a lot. In fact, the problem with communicating to real estate professionals may not be [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:10-07:00March 13th, 2012|Main category, Marketing, MLS Insights|Comments Off

Figuring Out The Non-Dues Revenue Equation

As membership numbers have declined, many MLSs and Associations are feeling more and more pressure to reduce their dependence on dues based revenues. At the same time, the cost of running an MLS is increasing. Members are more demanding for the scope of services they expect while they expect the pace of improvements and enhancements to keep up with the ever-increasing speed of technology innovations available today. Third, members are under increasing pressure to offer better service and information to their customers, putting even more pressure on the MLS to deliver comprehensive, accurate data and seamlessly integrate to third party [...]

By Marilyn Wilson|2018-05-03T21:25:10-07:00March 8th, 2012|Main category, Marketing, MLS Insights, Press Releases, Product Management, Strategic Planning|Comments Off

Scenic Coast – America’s First Hybrid MLS

Established in 1969 in slumbering Morro Bay, California, Scenic Coast Association of REALTORS (SCAOR) has established an amazing MLS Offering – Two MLS memberships for the price of one. This new solution is called the MLS Hybrid, and may be the first of it’s kind in the nation. SCAOR participates in the Central Coast MLS (CCRMLS). I have not reviewed their governance, but CCRMLS behaves like a data share among 7 Associations serving 2500 agents offering Rapattoni MLS, Realist Tax, Listhub, and REALTORS Property Resource (RPR is offered in some but not all AORs in CCRMLS). On February 10th, 2012, [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:10-07:00March 8th, 2012|Main category, MLS Insights, Strategic Planning|3 Comments

A Brief Quiz: What Type of Executive Are You?

When you are confronted with potential change to your organization, do you believe you are a “big picture” thinker or a wall builder? True leaders understand how resisting necessary change is never the right option. What type of leader are you? I recently had a conversation with an MLS/Association executive that made me realize how strong some of our leaders are, as well as how short sighted others are. This particular MLS executive who oversees a fairly good-sized organization with over 5,000 members brought up the issue of sharing data with another MLS. It really wasn’t the specific reason we [...]

By THE WAV GROUP|2018-05-03T21:25:10-07:00March 8th, 2012|How to Make Strategic Planning Really Work in your MLS, Main category, MLS Insights, Strategic Planning|1 Comment

NAR Will Face Its Greatest Foes

Our industry, and every industry faces foes. Some foes that challenge industries are ideological, some economical, some ethical, and some natural. Certainly, the real estate industry faces each of these foes today. Who will be the leader that guides the people, the agents, the brokers, the association executives, the mls executives? Remember this leadership statement? “Let every nation know… that WE shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” More than any political speech, this was the voice of a committed leader. In [...]

By Victor Lund|2018-05-03T21:25:11-07:00March 8th, 2012|Broker-Agent Information, Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off