For years, real estate brokerages have positioned their technology stack as a cornerstone of their recruiting and retention story. Every presentation, every brochure, every leadership keynote includes a slide about “our best-in-class tech platform.”
But let’s be honest: most of it’s puffery.
Agents aren’t using these tools. Teams are ignoring them entirely. New agents are overwhelmed. Top producers buy their own. And brokers are left wondering why adoption is low, even though they’re spending a small fortune on software licenses.
WAV Group’s latest Broker Technology Utilization Study—sponsored by Nautilent—helps explain why. For a limited time, use code: “DASHBOARD” for a free download.
More than half of brokers offer seven or more technology products, yet the only ones agents reliably use are those required to get paid (e.g., SkySlope, Dotloop). Most tools are underutilized or completely forgotten. That’s not a technology problem. It’s an integration and training problem.
“More than 70% of brokers use four or more technology providers… yet the average agent still struggles to even log in.”
– WAV Group Broker Technology Utilization Study, 2025
Stop trying to build tech. Start helping agents use it.
The biggest opportunity for brokers today isn’t software development—it’s technology enablement.
Enterprise brokers don’t need to become tech companies. They need to act more like systems integrators. Bring the tools together. Simplify the workflows. Be the first call when an agent hits a roadblock.
And yes—agents and teams will pay for that. Think of it as Technology-as-a-Service (TaaS). The broker becomes the trusted integrator of the tech ecosystem, offering onboarding, support, best practices, AI prompts, even bespoke dashboards for teams.
Centralized dashboards are step one
According to WAV Group’s research, nearly two-thirds of brokers believe that centralizing listing, commission, financial, and market share data would create a measurable competitive advantage. It would also make compliance easier, protect data more effectively, and create a platform for expanding into new markets.
If you’re still relying on a collection of logins and siloed systems, you’re not competing with tech-forward brokerage models—you’re competing with chaos.
The AI moment is here—and agents need help
AI has created a new layer of confusion across the agent population. That’s a good thing—because it’s an invitation for brokers to step in and lead.
Agents aren’t asking for AI theory. They’re asking for tools, use cases, and simple examples they can apply today. Brokers who launch AI enablement programs, bring in vendors, and build structured learning paths will earn trust—and usage.
At WAV Group, we’ve seen brokerages succeed by offering AI onboarding programs, hands-on prompt training, and curated vendor lists. That’s what tech enablement looks like.
Meanwhile, SaaS firms are growing… and we’re not
Let’s compare growth trajectories. According to SaaS Capital’s 2025 Benchmarking Report, private SaaS companies posted a median revenue growth of 25% last year. The fastest-growing firms (top 10%) posted 50–75% growth depending on their ARR.
Now look at real estate brokerage growth. It’s single digits, if that—unless you’re counting agent count instead of revenue. And even then, it’s often flat without M&A activity.
One of the reasons SaaS firms grow faster? Retention. Companies with higher Net Revenue Retention (NRR) grow more consistently year over year.
That’s the mindset shift: your agents are your customers. And delivering better tech performance leads to better agent retention.
Six moves brokers can make now
- Audit your stack.
Identify overlap, unused tools, and what agents really value. Don’t just renew contracts—rethink the whole approach. - Centralize dashboards.
Tie in MLS data, market analytics, commissions, and production tracking into a single, secure interface. - Offer integration-as-a-service.
Teams will pay for custom support. Help them plug in the tools they’re already using. - Train the tech.
Build a real training program. Offer onboarding for every tool. Lean on vendors to co-create content. - Make AI usable.
Launch AI training pods. Share prompts. Focus on workflows (not features). Set the tone as a broker-led initiative. - Monetize tech enablement.
Sell white-glove support packages, dashboard subscriptions, or team-level AI assistants. Don’t give away service without value.
The best brokers aren’t selling software. They’re selling simplicity. They remove friction. They make technology usable. And they’re the first call when an agent wants to get better.
If your brokerage is ready to take the next step in tech enablement—especially in AI—we’d love to help. Contact us below!
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