NAR’s Goldberg Kills Amp and Powers Up Upstream

We’re starting to see the impact of a new leadership team at the National Association of REALTORS® led by Bob Goldberg, a strategic, yet practical leader that is SERIOUS about making the industry function more effectively.  He also seems to be critically evaluating every investment in technology and making some bold moves to re-focus efforts. NAR announced yesterday that is shutting down development on its Advanced Multilist Platform, or AMP. AMP was under development for a few years at a burn rate of $6 Million per year. The concept behind AMP was solid – consolidate MLS data into a single [...]

By |2018-02-02T09:43:31-08:00February 2nd, 2018|Broker Technology Research, How to Make Strategic Planning Really Work in your MLS, Main category, MLS Insights, Technology|Comments Off on NAR’s Goldberg Kills Amp and Powers Up Upstream
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Hits and Misses from NAR Chicago

Chicago is a baseball town. Even with the Cubs disappointingly not returning to the World Series this year, you can’t escape seeing someone wearing a Cubs or White Sox hat or shirt every day in Chicago, even in November. McCormick Place, home to this year’s REALTORS® Conference & Expo, sits just two-and-a-half miles north of Comiskey Park, where the Sox play – their South Side team. So you get an idea of how far away this convention center is from the heart of downtown. And the proximity to a pro baseball park also gives me the perfect excuse to use [...]

By |2018-07-01T00:07:23-07:00November 7th, 2017|Main category|Comments Off on Hits and Misses from NAR Chicago
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The Industry Has Risen

I had a feeling during the recession that the pillars that held our industry in trust had cracked. The first of two pillars of trust is the National Association of REALTORS® as fully constituted by its local, state, national, and international chapters. The second pillar of trust is the Multiple Listing Service. History has taught us that when you apply pressure to any society or organization it is likely to fracture. No doubt, these industry pillars came under massive scrutiny from their constituents. The real estate brokers who founded these noble entities became conscientious objectors to the organizations and their [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:22:50-07:00May 10th, 2017|Main category, MLS Insights, WAVes of Change|Comments Off on The Industry Has Risen
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NAREE Real Estate Journalism Conference to Draw Journalists and Industry Experts to Denver in June

DENVER–The National Association of Real Estate Editors has opened registration for its 51st Annual Real Estate Journalism Conference in Denver, June 14-17, 2017. NAREE’s conference, which begins Wednesday morning June 14 at the Brown Palace Hotel, will attract scores of journalists from major newspapers and prestigious publications from around the nation and Europe. The conference features newsworthy speakers covering commercial and residential real estate topics, green building, architecture, hotels, mortgage lending, mixed-use development, single-family investing and vacation properties. Insightful speakers will include Douglas Yearley, chief executive officer of Toll Brothers; Marilyn Wilson of the WAV Group; Rohit Anand of KTGY [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:22:53-07:00April 6th, 2017|Main category, Press Releases|Comments Off on NAREE Real Estate Journalism Conference to Draw Journalists and Industry Experts to Denver in June
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WAV Group DMCA Safe-Harbor Alert

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act provides some protection to website owners from tiresome litigation when an image or other copyrighted content is found to be on their website.  Before December 31st 2017, you should electronically register your designated agent. Even if you filed before using the old paper method, you must refile electronically by Dec. 31, 2017 or your DMCA safe-harbor will no longer be in effect. By now, I think that every website owner has gotten some form of letter from Getty Images or other copyright trolls – and this will continue. In fact, now that the Copyright office [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:00-07:00December 6th, 2016|Broker Technology Research, Main category|Comments Off on WAV Group DMCA Safe-Harbor Alert
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Respond to the Threats That may Kill Off Your Business

NAR has launched a new program called the D.A.N.G.E.R. report. The goal of the interactive program is to help every brokerage, MLS and Association think through some fundamental threats and changes that may be coming to our industry.  The program is well put together and brings up some significant issues that may change the game of real estate forever. WAV Group has a suggested path for Brokers, Associations and MLSs to follow to get the most out of this important NAR program. Have your leaders read the entire Danger Survey for all segments of real estate - First and foremost, make [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:38-07:00July 23rd, 2015|Main category, Our Services|1 Comment
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Who Will Install The Giant Rats of Real Estate?

If you visit New York City regularly, you will sometimes encounter a giant inflatable rat on the sidewalk outside businesses experiencing union disputes. Organized labor has also joined in the fight against companies like Airbnb and Uber. Ken Jenny of Trancen often remarks that: “with Airbnb, you have one of the largest hotel companies in the world who does not own a single hotel room. With Uber, you have the largest taxi cab company in the world who does not own a single taxi.” I would add that Facebook has become the largest publisher in the world and they do [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:39-07:00July 10th, 2015|Main category|1 Comment
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RETS Servers and Direct Feeds

The National Association of REALTORS MLS Issues and Policy Committee made a bold move to require RESO data dictionary complainant by Jan 1, 2016, and RESO RESTful web API by June 30, 2016. Further complicating the matters is the groundswell of considerations with third party portals making requests for MLS direct feeds. Data sharing between MLS systems, RETS Update, and system conversions taking place across the industry today deepen the data transport considerations. Wrapping it all together with a lit match could easily lead to mass hysteria. WAV Group took a look at what the largest MLSs in the nation [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:50-07:00February 20th, 2015|Broker Technology Research, Broker-Agent Information, Main category|Comments Off on RETS Servers and Direct Feeds
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There IS hope for the real estate industry!

I had one of the best days I’ve ever had since I’ve been a part of this industry at the NAR conference this year!   I witnessed what I believe to be a historic moment in the real estate industry where MLSs, Associations, Brokers, Franchises and Technology companies ALL came together for the greater good of the industry.   No drama, no conflict, just unity! Hallelujah! Kudo’s to the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World for bringing forth a set of balanced recommendations to the Emerging Issues committee on behalf of large and small brokers around the nation. I am proud [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:54-07:00November 19th, 2014|Main category|1 Comment
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Losing the Convention of Conventions

It was 1986. Inflation was under 2 percent, the Dow Jones closed under 2,000, a gallon of gas was under a buck, Americans were being held hostage in Iran, and it was the year the US bombed Libya. It was also the year of my first NAR Convention, held in New York City at the then new Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. I had convinced my employer at the time, Great Western Savings of Beverly Hills, to let me scout the event for exhibiting, sponsorship and press opportunities, as the bank was ready to grow its lending model nationally. The [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:55-07:00November 19th, 2014|Main category|Comments Off on Losing the Convention of Conventions
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News Corp buys MOVE operators of Realtor.com

And so it goes. Move, the operators of the National Associaton of REALTORS portal called Realtor.com have agreed to sell the company to News Corp in an all-cash deal valued at $950 million. MOVE's board of directors were swift to approve the offer, representing a 36% bump in the value of the company. News Corp owns other real estate assets including The Wall Street Journal ( a popular spot for luxury property advertising) and Australian real estate portal - realestate.com.au (part of the REA Group). REA Group will apparently pay for 20% of MOVE, and News Corp will pay the [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:58-07:00September 30th, 2014|Broker Technology Research, Broker-Agent Information, Main category, MLS Insights, Press Releases|Comments Off on News Corp buys MOVE operators of Realtor.com
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Association Standards – It’s definitely TIME!

Jeremy Conaway, Dale Stinton, and Bob Moline used the Swanepoel Trends report to push the real estate elephant into the spotlight in America. There are simply too many REALTOR® Associations not providing adequate service and support to their members. Today, 1100 of the 1400 REALTOR® Associations in America have fewer than 300 members. Many of these smaller organizations have a difficult time delivering the depth of services and training REALTORS® need to effectively serve the needs of their clients and stay relevant with all of the technology options available to today’s demanding consumers.  At the end of the day, real [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:24:16-07:00February 11th, 2014|Broker-Agent Information, Main category, Our Services|8 Comments
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