Are Real Estate Agents Dishonest?

A few months ago I spoke to the owner of a start-up company who was completely convinced that consumers do NOT trust their real estate agents to help them find service providers. He believed that agents were not the best group to help a home buyer secure all of the services they need to complete a transaction. He passionately believed that consumers believe that real estate agents are dishonest and do not have the best interest of their clients in mind. For those of you that read the WAV Group blog, you know we are not shy about talking about [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:13-07:00June 14th, 2016|Broker-Agent Information|Comments Off on Are Real Estate Agents Dishonest?

How MLSs Stand To Benefit From Upstream

The pessimist MLSs among you will look upon the title of this article with raised hairs. The lens that we have adopted here is for a single focus. Namely, to search for specific context within the databases of Upstream that may be of value to MLSs. Remember, Upstream does more than manage listings, but it does  start with the MLS destination in mind. The MLS does not need to change their business rules, or modify their data schema. They need only disclose to their brokers what their rules and schema are and accept a broker load as is common among nearly [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:13-07:00June 14th, 2016|Broker Technology Research, Broker-Agent Information, MLS Insights|Comments Off on How MLSs Stand To Benefit From Upstream

Mary Meeker’s 2016 Internet Trends: 3 Takeaways for Real Estate

One of my favorite research rituals is the annual release by Mary Meeker of her Internet Trends Report, the latest of which was issued on June 1. Meeker was catapulted into the financing world spotlight as the lead manager at Morgan Stanley for Netscape’s IPO in 1995. Later that year, she and Chris DePuy at Morgan published The Internet Trends, and it quickly became the definitive digest of the current state of the Internet, as well as discerning big-picture trends. Meeker would go on to serve as a research analyst for another notable Morgan Stanley IPO in 2004: Google. Today, [...]

By |2020-07-10T12:05:21-07:00June 14th, 2016|Broker Technology Research, Reports|Comments Off on Mary Meeker’s 2016 Internet Trends: 3 Takeaways for Real Estate

Broker with 357 Listings Gets No Leads From Trulia Last Week

WAV Group provides brokers with consulting on online marketing. One of our services includes benchmarking the effectiveness of listing syndication strategies. We have been tracking the performance of a real estate broker’s listings dating back to 2006 by publishing channel. As these reports show, Trulia effectiveness has decreased to a remarkable volume of no leads per week on 367 listings. The same report in 2013 showed between 12 and 25 leads per month. It begs the question “If a third party consumer website is not delivering value, should a broker continue to syndicate?” One thing is for sure, we can [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:13-07:00June 14th, 2016|Main category, Marketing|Comments Off on Broker with 357 Listings Gets No Leads From Trulia Last Week

RESO Fielding Survey to Learn how to Make MLS Data Work Better for Brokers

COMPLETE THE SURVEY NOW The Real Estate Standards Organization, RESO, has been hard at work creating consistent data across MLS regions and across the country by creating the RESO Data Dictionary.  To date 1.1 mm agents across the country now have access to RESO Data Dictionary thanks to the hard work of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, The Realty Alliance, NAR, MLS system providers and MLSs across the country. This normalized data built from years of work with technology leaders from around the industry is being used to fuel Upstream, Broker Public Portal (Homesnap) and the AMP program.  [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:13-07:00June 9th, 2016|Broker-Agent Information, Marketing, MLS Insights, Suveys and Research|Comments Off on RESO Fielding Survey to Learn how to Make MLS Data Work Better for Brokers

What happens if Your Tech Leader is Hit by a Bus?

Bob Rosecrans and Michael Koval at Pixces Consulting Group are a little more subtle in addressing this subject in their new White Paper “Real Estate Brokers: Is your CIO future proofing your business?” But the title of the paper’s first chapter really says it all: “I love my CIO but…” What follows in an exceptionally candid and insightful examination of the conversations that Chief Executive Officers or broker-owners must have with their Chief Information Officers – or 0whoever is the Technology leader or point person at their brokerage. As Senior Partners at Pixces – and industry power hitters – Koval [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:14-07:00June 8th, 2016|Main category, Marketing|Comments Off on What happens if Your Tech Leader is Hit by a Bus?

Worried about missing the RESO Web API Mandate on June 30th?

As you probably know MLS Policy requires that every MLS gain certification for the RESO Web API by June 30th, 2016. For those that are do not live, eat, sleep and breathe technology, even the words Web API can be confusing and even a little intimidating! CMLS recognizes the need for all of us to get a better handle of the important goals that putting a Web API in place can solve for MLSs, brokers and technology companies. RE Technology is proud to help CMLS host a webinar in June 14th to help MLSs better understand this important next stage [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:14-07:00June 2nd, 2016|Broker Technology Research, Main category, MLS Insights|Comments Off on Worried about missing the RESO Web API Mandate on June 30th?

Marketing Automation Can Be a Huge Risk

This week I have gotten four open house notifications from a Realtor®. She is a friend of mine that has served in various capacities on the Board of Directors for an MLS 2,000 miles away from where I live. She sends me a monthly snapshot of what is happening in the housing market in her area, along with a note when she lists a new property. That is all good. But recently she caused me to hit the unsubscribe button by spamming me with an open house notification when I was clearly not a candidate to attend or buy. Marketing [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:14-07:00May 27th, 2016|Marketing|Comments Off on Marketing Automation Can Be a Huge Risk

RESO Announces Free Web API Certification, new CMLS Webinar

The Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) Board of Directors voted yesterday that all MLSs currently Data Dictionary Certified – which is the majority of the MLS world – will now be able to get Web API Certified for free. RESO also announced that CMLS will host a soup-to-nuts dive into the RESO Web API Certification process featuring Michael Wurzer, President of FBS, and Rebecca Jensen, President & CEO at Midwest Real Estate Data LLC. According to the CMLS CEO Deene Evans, the webinar is set for Tuesday June 14 at 10am Pacific/1pm Eastern, will be open to everyone and the [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:14-07:00May 27th, 2016|Broker Technology Research, MLS Insights|Comments Off on RESO Announces Free Web API Certification, new CMLS Webinar

What’s Your Loyalty Program?

A loyalty program is such a simple thing to construct, and they work. I buy from Amazon because I get Amazon Prime – free shipping – a loyalty program. I fly with American or United because they give me priority boarding, upgrades, and other perks – a loyalty program. In the latter example, I continue to use American and United even though I am not delighted with their service or price. But the perks have more meaning to me than other options. It is really hard to break free of loyalty programs. For years, we consolidated our hotel preference to [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:14-07:00May 26th, 2016|Marketing|Comments Off on What’s Your Loyalty Program?

WHAT’S THE POST NAR MIDYEAR BUZZ? Join Industry Leaders this Thursday, May 26th and Find Out!

WAVES OF CHANGE QUARTERLY INDUSTRY UPDATE is just around the corner! Reserve your organization’s seat at the table by signing up for the series TODAY! WAV Group Hosts NAR Recap / Industry Update Webinar on Thursday, May 26th Your subscription provides an opportunity for your members to participate in an online recap of NAR Midyear policy issues, announcements and news as well as important industry updates and best practices. Thought-provoking topics to share with your leadership, brokers and staff. HOT TOPICS • CMLS – DMCA November Ruling Update: Clarification Listing Content • How to get Free Web API Certification by [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:14-07:00May 24th, 2016|WAVes of Change|Comments Off on WHAT’S THE POST NAR MIDYEAR BUZZ? Join Industry Leaders this Thursday, May 26th and Find Out!

Risk-Taking is Back and so is Rampant Innovation

My wife woke up this morning to the voice of Alec Baldwin telling her “Wake up Sunshine. Let me tell you something, I’ve been up since the crack of dawn…” before I shout out “off” and silence Alec in midsentence. No, Alec isn’t in our bedroom. Alec’s voice is an alarm option in Alexa, our household’s digital assistant that’s built into both our Amazon Echo and Dot. It’s simply the coolest – and most practical – innovation I’ve seen in decades. Alexa is a vibrant example of the rampant innovation emerging today. Life-changing stuff: self-driving cars, VR immersion technology, drones, [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:14-07:00May 18th, 2016|Broker Technology Research, Broker-Agent Information|Comments Off on Risk-Taking is Back and so is Rampant Innovation