Listing Bits

Listing Bits Episode 91: Tether RE, keeping Agents Safe

What do Willie Nelson and keeping real estate agents safe have in common?  You will have to listen to this great conversation with Tether RE founder Scott Martin to find out. Did you know that in 2020 60,000 real estate agents reported being victims of assault, sexual abuse, robbery or were murdered in the US?  In 2023 over 75,000 real estate agents reported being victim of a crime.  And there are a ton of more incidents that go unreported. In this wide ranging conversation with Scott Ma...

Listing Bits Episode 90: Upgrading Client Engagement with HŌM

I hope you enjoy this great conversation with the co-founders of HŌM, Jeff Zakrzewski and Nhan Vo. In a wide ranging conversation we discuss their orgin story.  Where they came up for the idea of their app and the struggles of going to market with a real estate software solution. If you are new vendor getting in to the space, an MLS exec, or franchisor professional its worth a listen.  HŌM is a well designed app that is doing a lot of interesting things with data and collaboration with...

Listing Bits Episode 89: Kelly Robinson, an MLS pioneer comes back for more

"Hotel California", is one of the phrases people attribute to the organized real estate industry, "you can can check-out any time you like, but you can never leave". Kelly Robinson is an industry pioneer in that she co-founded a software company, Realty Plus Online, that created one of the first web-based MLS systems. In my conversation with Kelly we talked about the old days, her journey, and what brings her back to organized real estate game. It's a fun conversation between old friends and ...

Listing Bits Episode 88: Does NAR Have Value Beyond MLS Access? – with Michael Lissack of The Virtual Realty Group

The verdict against NAR in the Sitzer lawsuit has organized real estate up in arms. But Michael Lissack thinks the decision is the best thing to happen to the industry in 100 years. In fact, he sees the trade association as a criminal enterprise with little value beyond MLS access. Michael is Managing Broker for The Virtual Realty Group, a 100% commission brokerage that operates in 12 states.  On this episode of Listing Bits, Michael joins Greg to discuss the real issue behind the la...

Listing Bits Episode 87: Ben Graboske’s Big Bet

In 2020 Ben knew they needed to make a change.  So he went to the Black Knight board and made a pitch, “give me the resources to build a modern MLS system”.  To his surprise, they said yes. Now, 3 years later, that dream has been realized. His dream was a mobile-first MLS platform that understands the history of how MLS platforms operate but offers a modern user experience. That’s exactly what Ben Graboske and Lucie Fortier are working on, and their new product, Paragon Connect, is read...

Listing Bits Episode 85: A Less, But Better Approach to Real Estate Software Design – with Damien Huze of Lone Wolf Technologies

Listing Bits EP085: A Less, But Better Approach to Real Estate Software Design – with Damien Huze of Lone Wolf Technologies   Among Dieter Rams’ Ten Principles of Design is the idea that good design is as little design as possible.   Less, but better.   And Damien Huze believes that the next evolution of real estate software will apply this concept, offering fewer high-quality apps that work together in a fluid system.   Damien is Senior Design Manager and Principal Designer ...

Listing Bits Episode 86: A Deal Tracker Built for Agents – with Vijay Gopalswamy of Trackxi

In 2021, Vijay Gopalswamy’s real estate business was growing like gangbusters. And at one point, he had 32 active transactions.   Which meant Vijay was spending every morning with his team, going over each transaction and asking, ‘Did you send this? Did you follow up with that? Did this contract get signed?’   But when he looked at the “transaction management” software on the market, Vijay realized that it was built for brokerages, not agents.   So, he set out to solve his own pr...

Listing Bits EP84 - Tom MacLeod

Listing Bits Episode 83: Revolutionizing Member Engagement for MLSs + Associations – with Nick Gough of NoteRouter

MLSs and associations face an issue Nick Gough refers to as RDR, an acronym for REALTORS don’t read.    So, what can these organizations do to communicate more effectively with the members they serve?    Nick is Founder and CEO at NoteRouter, the all-in-one email and texting platform designed to help organized real estate achieve record-high member engagement.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Nick shares his experience in leadership of associations and MLSs, explaining how it d...

Listing Bits EP82 - Jeremy Henley of QuikFix

Listing Bits EP081: Building Proptech for Real Estate Teams – with Brian Charlesworth of Sisu

Teams are the future of real estate. And one proptech vendor is capitalizing on this trend by helping team leaders run an effective business. What’s more, most of the teams on his platform double their business every year—even in the current market. Brian Charlesworth is Founder and CEO of Sisu, an end-to-end real estate platform for teams that streamlines the transaction process, bringing all REALTORS, vendors and clients together. On this episode of Listing Bits, Brian shares his bac...

Listing Bits EP080: Does ‘Your Listing, Your Lead’ Jive with IDX Attribution Policy? – with Michael Wurzer, Greg Fischer & Andy Woolley

Two years ago, NAR policy was updated to give brokers and agents attribution rights, meaning they get to decide how they appear in listings.   But Homes.com employs a ‘your listing, your lead’ model, displaying the listing agent’s contact information.   So, does this comply with NAR’s attribution policy? And what else do we need to think about as companies like Zillow and Homes.com switch to IDX?   On this episode of Listing Bits, Michael Wurzer, CEO of real estate software compa...

Listing Bits Podcast: Elevating Women in Real Estate – with Lauren Martin of RentSpree

Lauren Martin began her career in the fashion industry to be among powerful women.   But when she transitioned to proptech, she realized that real estate is the true pinnacle of girl power. And yet, women are not always represented in leadership.   So, when she landed her current role as Senior Account Director of Partnerships at RentSpree, Lauren approached her CEO about creating RENEW, the Real Estate Network for Empowered Women, an initiative that seeks to connect and champion fem...

LIsting Bits Podcast: Pooling Resources & Expertise Among MLSs – with Betsy Hanson of Markt

From a vendor’s perspective, small MLSs are the most challenging to work with. And that’s no surprise, seeing as how they have fewer resources than the big players in the space.   So, how do we support MLSs with fewer than 400 members in keeping up with NAR rules, for example? Is there a way MLSs might share marketing, support and compliance services in a way that makes the market work better for all involved?   Betsy Hanson is General Manager and General Counsel at Markt, a multi-ML...

Listing Bits Episode 77: Using Showing Data to Guide Decision making with Wes Hartman of Showingly

Most showing management software aggregates data. But how useful is it to get a report at the end of the month?   What if the data was presented in a way that helped agents answer seller questions in real time and make informed choices based on the numbers?   Wes Hartman is CEO of Showingly, a showing management solution that uses data and analytics to guide better decision-making.   On this episode of Listing Bits, Wes walks us through the key metrics Showingly looks at to drive...

Turn Your Clients into Lifelong Fans – with Rivers Pearce of Milestones

A solid fan base is what makes a rock band successful, and it’s no different for real estate professionals.   But most of us focus on the individual transaction and miss an opportunity to build long-term relationships with our existing clients and turn them into raving fans.   And that means missed opportunities for referrals and repeat business.   Rivers Pearce is CMO of Milestones, a homeowner management platform that helps agents and lenders turn single transactions into forever c...

Listing Bits Episode 75: Get Your Time Back with Automated Webinars – with Melissa Kwan of eWebinar

Listing Bits is back! If your role in real estate involves sales demos or any kind of training, you’re likely familiar with the frustration of delivering the same webinar over and over again.   Or worse, preparing a webinar that is either poorly attended or no one shows up.   But what if you could do 100 or even 1,000 webinars a month—without getting in front of a camera?   Melissa Kwan is Cofounder and CEO of eWebinar, a platform that saves people from repeatedly delivering the sa...

Listing Bits Episode 74: Zillow’s One Data Source Solution for MLSs – with Katie Smithson of Bridge Interactive

  NAR’s MLS Policy Statement 8.6 goes into effect on September 1, 2022.   So, what tools are available to make the implementation of the new One Data Source Policy easier for MLSs?   Katie Smithson is Director of MLS Relations at Zillow Group, where she leads the team building their MLS data licensing and distribution platform, Bridge Interactive. Prior to joining Zillow, she spent eight years with W+R Studios as Director of Enterprise Sales and Director of MLS Services.   On this ...

Listing Bits Podcast Episode 73: A New Business Model for the MLS – with Colette Stevenson of REsides

What if it was easy for an MLS to raise money to develop the data services it needs and run the software its customers use? Colette Stevenson is CEO of REsides, the premier MLS in South Carolina. Formerly known as Hilton Head MLS, REsides serves REALTORS who represent properties in both South Carolina and Georgia, maintaining the most dependable and powerful data in the marketplace.  On this episode of Listing Bits, Colette shares the story of the rebrand from Hilton Head MLS to REsides,...

Listing Bits Episode 72: Floor Plan Tech for Desktop Appraisals – with Jeff Allen of CubiCasa

Approximately 8 million appraisals were conducted in the US last year. By contrast, there are only 40,000 active real estate appraisers. So, it's no surprise that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are exploring appraisal modernization initiatives like the desktop appraisal option.   But to make these alternatives to the traditional appraisal work, we need data in the form of an accurate floor plan. And we need it at scale.   Jeff Allen is EVP of Innovation Labs Clear Capital, a leading proper...

Listing Bits EP71

We're baaaaaack!     I spend a lot of time at conferences explaining why MLSs, brokers, and franchisors should let the ‘professionals’ build their technology. And yet, there are real reasons why these stakeholders might want to design their own. So, when is it appropriate for an MLS to create its own tech stack rather than relying on a vendor? And what does the development process look like? Faith Geronimo and Colleen Yasuhara are the CEO and COO, respectively, of Hawaii Information ...

Listing Bits Episode 70: Competing in the Showing Solutions Space – with William Schoeffler

When Zillow announced its intention to acquire ShowingTime in February of 2021, a slew of companies jumped into the showing solutions space. But Instashowing had already been in business for two years, and despite the fierce competition, its young founder believes that his startup has an edge. William Schoeffler is the Founder of Instashowing, a software company out of Bend, Oregon, that offers the premiere showing solution for forward-thinking real estate professionals. On this episode of...

Listing Bits Episode 69: Educating Consumers on the MLS – with Katie Smithson

Ask the average consumer what they know about the MLS, and you’re likely to hear about their favorite Major League Soccer team. But CMLS wants to change that, and the organization is on a mission to educate the general public around the benefits of working with a real estate professional and listing a home on the MLS.   Katie Smithson is the Director of Enterprise Sales at Lone Wolf Technologies, and she serves on the Board of Directors for both the Council of Multiple Listing Services a...

Listing Bits Episode 68: A New Player in Showing Services – with Scott Fisher and Devin Beck

Prior to 2003, Supra had a monopoly on the lockbox market. But NAR membership wanted choice, so the trade association invested in its first outside tech company, SentriLock. Today, a similar market dominance exists in showing service solutions, and SentriLock is stepping in once again to compete with the dominant player in the space. Scott Fisher and Devin Beck are the CEO and Director of Revenue of SentriLock, the first and only combined lockbox, showing service and experience management ...

Listing Bits Episode 67: The Pros and Cons of LEAP – with Sam DeBord & Michael Wurzer

At present, MLS data access is unnecessarily complex. And brokers are calling for a more efficient system with a single set of rules around how the data can be used. In response, the CMLS Data Access Concepts Workgroup drafted the Listing Exchange and Access Policy or LEAP. But does the new policy really solve these problems? Could it be improved in a way that recognizes the changing landscape of the real estate industry?   Sam DeBord is the CEO of the Real Estate Standards Organization...

Listing Bits Episode 66: How Standards Streamline PropTech – with Sam DeBord of RESO

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 ...

Listing Bits Episode: Making Video Marketing Profitable – with Christian Sterner of WellcomeMat

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 st...

Listing Bits Episode 64: An IT Geek Turned Broker’s Take on Tech – with Georgia Purpura of Urban Nest Realty

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...

Listing Bits Episode 63: Making Second Home Ownership Accessible – with Austin Allison of Pacaso

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/INVESTMEN...

Listing Bits Episode 62: How to Win Business with Buyer Data – with Ashley Terrell of Buyside

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 B...

Listing Bits Episode 61: Take the Stress Out of Moving – with John Heithaus of OK Move Me

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 ...

Listing Bits Episode 60: A Next-Level MLS Collaboration – with Matt Consalvo, Chris Carrillo & Brad Bjelke of MLS Aligned

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 organizatio...

Listing Bits Episode 59: How Agents Win by Working with Renters – with Ishay Grinberg

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 ...

Listing Bits Episode 57-Coronavirus Foundational Shifts in Real Estate – with Jessie Beaudoin

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...

Listing Bits Episode 56: The Value of Nationwide MLS and Association Data – with Clint Skutchan

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 pres...

Listing Bits Episode 55: Getting People in Homes with Down Payment Assistance – with Rob Chrane

According to research conducted by Freddie Mac, there are 83 million mortgage-ready renters in the US! But most grossly overestimate how much they need for a down payment and very few know about the low down payment programs available to low and moderate-income home buyers. How much could a real estate business grow simply by making down payment assistance part of its business development strategy? Rob Chrane is the CEO of Down Payment Resource, a platform that aggregates down payment assi...

Listing Bits Episode 54: Opportunities for Agents to Partner with Opendoor – with Shannon Fitzpatrick & Tyler Hixson

Many agents might view Opendoor as a competitor, yet another tech platform out to eliminate their jobs. But what if you could leverage the iBuyer as a partner to build your real estate business? Shannon Fitzpatrick leads a team of 45 agents at Movoto Real Estate in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, and Tyler Hixson serves as the Director of Real Estate Partnerships and Strategy at Opendoor. In this episode of Listing Bits, Tyler and Shannon explain how agents can leverage Opendoor as a tool...

Listing Bits Episode 53: Radical Transparency & the Remine Pivot – with Mark Schacknies

When you move fast, you break things.  Mark and the rest of  Remine’s co-founders are definitely shaking things up in the MLS space.  This conversation was recorded at the CMLS Conference in Salt Lake City on October 17th before their recent attempt to launch a new listing portal and Zillow’s decision to cut off access to their Zestimate API   As Mark says, in this wide ranging conversation, Remine’s attitude is to “go big or go home.” In February 2019, Remine raised $30M in private equit...

Listing Bits Episode 52: Alexa, How Can Voice Assistants Serve Real Estate? – with Miguel & Ami Berger of Voiceter Pro

You can ask Alexa to turn on the lights, show you the forecast, remind you what’s on your calendar today, or give you the score of the Astros game. And now, voice assistants are expanding to the real estate industry, allowing agents to open their business information and even access the MLS—with the sound of their voice alone!   Miguel and Ami Berger are the creators of Voiceter Pro, the conversational search platform that brings real estate and consumers together via conversations with ...

Listing Bits Episode 51: The Unique Value Prop of the MLS – with Michael Wurzer of FBS

Michael Wurzer is 100% confident of one thing: The MLS creates value in the real estate market that doesn’t exist in any other way. No one else has created enough trust to generate that same level of cooperation among competitors. And rather than being a scourge to brokers, Michael argues that the MLS powers the market. That unique value prop is the reason why he believes current trends will prove the value of the MLS—not kill it.   Michael is the CEO of FBS, the leading innovator of MLS...

The Pioneers of MLS Consolidation – with Brian Donnellan of Bright MLS

“These combinations are fragile. You’re pulling 43 associations together. You’re pulling all these different boards together. You’re pulling all these different things together … so, I suppose you could look at blowing it up and go, ‘Why the hell did you do that?’ [The consolidation of MLSs] was a big deal and was very, very expensive. It really was, both in time and energy and everything involved. But you could also look at it this way: It’s something that had to be done. It really, really ...

Listing Bits Episode 49: A Better Way to Follow Up with Prospects – with David Etheredge of SavvyCard

Ever wonder what happened to all the business cards you’ve handed out over the years? Wish there was a better way to engage with prospects beyond simply giving them your contact information and hoping for the best? The SavvyCard platform affords real estate professionals the opportunity to provide immediate value to new leads, sharing information relevant to their initial conversation with the prospect. And most importantly, SavvyCard gives the agent control of the follow-up!   David Eth...

Listing Bits Episode 47: A Fearless Rebrand Around Customer Experience with Merri Jo Cowen of Stellar MLS

“We will never sacrifice service to our existing customers to growth. We just won’t. Our first priority is taking care of our customers.”   Merri Jo Cowen is the CEO of Stellar MLS, the third-largest regional MLS in the US with nearly 60K members in 16 REALTOR Associations throughout Central and Southwest Florida and Puerto Rico. Formerly known as My Florida Regional MLS, the organization’s recent rebrand is inspired by its reputation as the country’s most customer-focused MLS and inte...

A Broker-Owner’s Approach to Leading the MLS with Gene Millman of NNRMLS

Rather than trying to predict the future of real estate and act accordingly, Gene Millman is working to collaborate with brokerages to create the future together. He comes to MLS leadership from a unique perspective, leveraging his experience running a brokerage to find ways to say YES to his members and champion the industry as a whole.   Gene is the CEO of Northern Nevada Regional MLS. With 32 years of experience in the real estate industry, he served as an agent, broker-manager and br...

Mission-Driven to Make Real Estate Better for Consumers with Glenn Kelman of Redfin

Glenn Kelman has always had the ambition to make real estate better for consumers. But it took him a while to realize that he wasn’t the only one who wanted to do that. He came into the game with an US vs. THEM mentality, assuming that all of Redfin’s competitors were villains and snake oil salesmen. To his relief, it turned out that his industry rivals were actually good people. And while that doesn’t make him any less driven, he does concede that this shift in perspective has made him ‘not...

A Collaborative Approach to Web API Adoption with Jon Druse of W+R Studios

“A phone call is worth a thousand emails, and a Slack channel is worth a million conversations.”  RESO’s push for an industry shift from RETS to Web API makes a lot of developers nervous. You can spin your wheels for days trying to figure out how to make the new way to consume MLS data work with your application. But here’s the thing: Somebody else has probably already solved that problem. So, how do we create a platform where developers can team up to move adoption forward? How much does ...

Competing Against iBuyers & National Brands with Eric Stegemann of TRIBUS

In a world where national brands like Zillow and Realtor.com dominate search results, how can individual brokerage websites compete? And how do real estate brokerages stay relevant as the iBuyer market continues to grow? Eric Stegemann believes the firms that adapt and take on alternative options for transacting will be well-placed for the future—and adopting the right real estate tech is a big part of that solution. Eric is the founder and CEO of TRIBUS, a custom brokerage platform vendor...

What Real Estate Can Learn from the Music Business with Marc Davison of 1000watt

The Clash. The Police. Journey. Talking Heads. Some of the most well-known bands in recent history also happen to have some of the most powerful names. Names that describe their music and articulate what separates them from everyone else. Just like those bands, the name of your real estate brand has a job to do. So, why are so many of us afraid to break traditional paradigms? Why is every brokerage Insert-Last-Name Realty? And why are so many logos a roofline? What if you liberated yourself ...

A Carrot AND Stick Approach to Implementing Web API with Art Carter & Josh Darnell

This episode was recorded live at the Clareity/Corelogic MLS Executive Workshop in Scottsdale.  Art and Josh were good sports when I spotted them at the lobby bar at the Scottsdale Plaza.  Also, full disclosure, I think I’ve had at least one drink. So, what’s it going to take to get vendors to transition away from RETS to Web API?RESO is hoping that both a carrot (providing easy-to-use replication tools) and a stick (large MLSs putting a ‘death date’ on RETS feeds) will facilitate the mov...

Building a Real Estate CRM That Plays Well with Others with David Anderson of LionDesk

Is it better to develop an all-in-one CRM? Or focus on relationship-management and work with other vendors to create a flexible package of best-in-class offerings? In the ever-evolving world of real estate tech, LionDesk is choosing integrations, leveraging partnerships with top third-party applications to create a CRM that plays well with others—and allows agents to maintain their independence.   David Anderson is the founder and President of LionDesk, a complete sales and marketing sol...