There are some technology companies in real estate who love Cloud Computing. Many of the nations’ most significant websites use it to host their applications, include foursquare. But be aware, there are risks - Imagine the frustration of agent and brokers would express if they tried to login to the MLS or other business critical system, and got a similar message to this.
There is a work group that recommends changes to NAR’s MLS Policy Committee on changes to the policy. This work group recently submitted suggested changes that, if adopted, would enable RSS and other electronic means of syndicating listings to third parties. Brokers and MLSs alike are very concerned about the potential infringements on the copyrights of brokers and MLSs, and the potential for law suits from home sellers. Broker participants are legally liable for the listing content as outlined in the listing contract with the seller. The broker takes on the legal responsibility for the listing through the contact. Moreover, the convents [...]
Press Releases Zillow® Files Registration Statement for Proposed Initial Public Offering SEATTLE, April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – Zillow, Inc., which operates real estate site Zillow.com®, Zillow Mortgage Marketplace, and Zillow Mobile, today announced that it has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a proposed initial public offering of its common stock. The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the offering have not yet been determined. Citi will act as the sole book-running manager for the offering. Allen & Company, Needham & Company, LLC, ThinkEquity LLC and First [...]
I just received a copy of the Report of Recommendations of the IDX Use Work Group of the Multiple Listing Issuse and Policies Committee. I have had a blur of calls from The Realty Alliance, Leading RE, MLSs and Franchises alike today. There are many significant concerns. At the heart of the recommendations is the new rule that IDX listing content may be distributed by RSS or other electronic means (anyway you want) to any third party without any restrictions what so ever. Brokers and Agents still have restraints on the use and display of the data on their own [...]
Here are the top RE Sites combining all properties running under the top brand names.
RE Technology, Inc. released their first Real Estate Technology Buyers Guide today. It is a free and there is no registration requirement, so be sure to take a peek by clicking this link. You can view it on screen or you may download it. The goal of the publication is to allow MLSs and Brokers to schedule trade show meetings with key vendors offering interesting technologies that may be of use to you. Too often, the booth environment does not allow for a useful meeting opportunity. Full Disclosure, WAV Group partners are founders and officers of RE Technology - an information [...]
RPPSI, or REALTOR Party Political Survival Initiative got off on the wrong foot, so far. What NAR is trying to do as an advocate for REALTORS and property owners is admirable, but the execution of the strategy will need to improve if the initiative is to find success. They are getting almost 100% negative feedbackfrom the members on thier website. It breaks my heart to see NAR fail when good guidance in Washington is desperately needed. I learned about #RPPI on Twitter. A nice blog post that summarized the initiatives was found on the Arizona REALTORS blog here. From there I registered [...]
The bills approved by the Capital Markets Subcommittee are: H.R. 1223, the GSE Credit Risk Equitable Treatment Act. The legislation, introduced by Capital Markets Subcommittee Chairman Scott Garrett, helps clarify the risk retention rules required under Section 941 of the Dodd-Frank Act to make clear that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be held to the same standards as any other secondary mortgage market participants. A GSE loan purchase or asset-backed security issuance would not affect the status of the underlying assets. The legislation was unanimously approved with a vote of 34-0. H.R. 1221, the Equity In Government Compensation Act. [...]
WAV Group is releasing this thesis to establish a conversation about how listing syndicaiton can be improved to allow third party websites to continue their effective job as a marketing tool for broker listings. We welcome your comments. To begin downloading the paper with our compliments, please click here
The FDIC is rolling out QRM. It is a new banking rule that requires that a bank must put aside a 5% retention on any loan that does not include a 20% downpayment. I do not have a PHD in Economics, but I can imagine a few implications that may crop up as a result of QRM. If banks must retain 5% as a result of QRM, they will need to make fewer loans either as a result of consumers not being able to put down 20% or as a result of the bank needing to retain the 5%, reducing their [...]
In a letter today, Jeffrey Wheeler announced that he is stepping down from his role of President and Chief Operating Officer of Coldwell Banker United. Over the past five years Mr. Wheeler has successfully managed one of the great brokerages South Carolina, among the best Coldwell Banker franchises in the nation and around the world. Real Trends ranks Coldwell Banker United as the 4Th largest brokerage in America. Although details of the next chapter of Wheeler’s life was not detailed in the letter, you can imagine that he will continue to deliver his brand of inspired leadership [...]
Real Estate agents are mighty in numbers and skilled in communicating thier services to consumers. Eventhough many are critical of REALTORS, they are leaders in many ways - social media being one of them. Today Roost announced that they are planning to extend the same services they provide to real estate agents to other professional ranks. Here is the letter announcing their expansion. I’m very excited today to announce the next generation of Roost.com. We’ve taken everything we’ve learned in the last year of building Social Marketing products for Real Estate brokers and agents and put it into this product. And [...]
