Zillow Protects Broker Data

WAV Group supports brokers and MLSs in constructing data licensing agreements with users of data records that belong to the broker. When a company like Zillow ingests broker data, likeZILLOW340x230 all recipients, they must adhere to the data license agreement which typically requires that you cannot allow the data to be used by a third party. The blog McMansionHell.com is learning the hard way that using data from Zillow without proper authority is a copyright violation that Zillow will pursue. Not only will Zillow pursue the violation, but they may be contractually bound to pursue the violation. The media around the case is [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:22:44-07:00June 28th, 2017|Main category|Comments Off on Zillow Protects Broker Data
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Don’t Miss Out!

We are officially midway through 2017, now is a great time to sit back and reflect on the year so far and to begin preparing your organization for the inevitable evolutions we will experience throughout coming months and into 2018. Do you sometimes feel like your Board of Directors and key staff could benefit from a WAV Group overview of what is happening in the real estate industry today? Could your organization benefit from an information resource like WAV Group to characterize the rapid change in our industry?     Would you like an informed review of how similar MLS [...]

By |2018-11-08T04:03:09-08:00June 21st, 2017|WAVes of Change|Comments Off on Don’t Miss Out!
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Google Local Guides Are Great For Real Estate

  If you remember the rage about FourSquare years ago, its coming back again. But this time, Google is leading the way to create local experts and Google Maps is the platform. So set up your account on Google Local Guides and get going! If you participate a lot, (hit 50 reviews), you will be highlighted as a top reviewer on Google Maps for Apple’s iOS and Android. Why?   Well, that is only something that you can answer. Like so many other social media strategies, it needs to be something that you enjoy doing. Also, consider this – Google Maps is [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:22:45-07:00June 13th, 2017|Main category, Marketing|Comments Off on Google Local Guides Are Great For Real Estate
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Big Data Can Drive Bigger Broker Margins

WAV Group spends a lot of time consulting with brokers on how to re-margin their business. We published a paper in 2013 called Harvesting Business From Broker Data.  That paper characterized the methods that we developed with a number of brokers to harvest business from across the enterprise of title, mortgage, residential, relocation, insurance, commercial, and property management businesses. It has worked very well for many brokers to recapture repeat transactions and new business though cross sell. In many ways, the rethinking that went into the thesis around harvesting business across the enterprise was the first intellectual break from the [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:22:46-07:00June 9th, 2017|Broker Technology Research, Broker-Agent Information, Strategic Planning|Comments Off on Big Data Can Drive Bigger Broker Margins
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Can Luxury Real Estate Learn From Luxury Clothing?

Customer experience is the cornerstone of luxury purchases. Buying luxury yachts, jewelry, clothing, cars, restaurants……you name it – its always different. Now lets look at the other side of the coin. Have you noticed that retail in your downtown area is dying? Have you noticed that malls are struggling? Macy’s, Target, Walmart, Gap, Nike and so many other retailers are struggling. The silent voices are the small, non-chain merchants, commonly known as the mom and pop retailers. When is the last time you went into an independent toy store? The consumer has gone online, and Amazon is the category killer. [...]

By |2018-08-11T03:11:33-07:00June 6th, 2017|Main category|Comments Off on Can Luxury Real Estate Learn From Luxury Clothing?
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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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Merle Whitehead – Follow The Leader Series

Our Follow The Leader Series is an effort to write about the best ideas and best practices of great leaders in our industry who are raising the bar.  In this episode, I am grateful to share the inspirational story of Merle Whitehead, a gentleman who grew America’s 9th largest real estate firm, Realty USA. The intention is to share some background on centers of excellence in real estate that others can be inspired by. Early Career Start Merle Whitehead calls the Buffalo, NY area of Western New York his home. He started his career selling clothing on commission and came [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:22:55-07:00February 15th, 2017|Main category|Comments Off on Merle Whitehead – Follow The Leader Series
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Broker Public Portal Inks Deal to Become Homesnap

●     Homesnap will be a national MLS consumer search portal ●     Portal will adhere to Fair Display Guidelines   ROCKVILLE, MD, January 19, 2017 -- Broker Public Portal, LLC and Homesnap, Inc. have executed final agreements to create the National Broker Portal, LLC, a joint venture that is equally owned by the two companies. The parties agreed that the best path to success would be served by forming a mutual partnership with Homesnap providing technology, brand and operational expertise to the new company, rather than composing a vendor agreement. The National Association of REALTORS modified their model MLS policy [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:22:57-07:00January 19th, 2017|Broker Technology Research, MLS Insights, Press Releases|Comments Off on Broker Public Portal Inks Deal to Become Homesnap
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NYC Party Next Week – Hamilton

Every year a bunch of us industry road warriors get together while we are in NYC to have an late night off campus party. This year, we will be meeting up at Tonic West. And as usual, John Heithaus has pulled together some of the best NYC musicians who will be playing a few sets of good old rock and roll along with some features from the hit musical Hamilton. Because it is a private underground event, only a few people have tickets. If you want to come reach out to your friends at one of the following companies: Realtor.com, [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:22:57-07:00January 11th, 2017|Main category|Comments Off on NYC Party Next Week – Hamilton
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Should Brokers Do REALTOR Background Checks

Too often, brokers and managers get caught up in recruiting goals that they skip some basic best practices – Background Checks, Customer Satisfaction Checks, etc. Perhaps agents should be checking out the backgrounds of their broker too. Before the New Year, Todd Kohlhepp, a real estate broker was linked to 7 murders and a kidnapping. Todd was the broker in charge of TKA Real Estate. Inman news reported that the guy had spent 14 years in jail for kidnapping a 14-year-old girl. Of course – his agent ratings on popular listing syndication websites gave glowing reviews. (The agent has been [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:22:58-07:00January 4th, 2017|Broker Technology Research, Main category|Comments Off on Should Brokers Do REALTOR Background Checks
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Companies Are Not Designed to Merge

WAV Group has participated and observed the mass amounts of merger activity that has hit a high pitch in 2016. It is happening at all levels of our industry – agents merging into teams, brokers merging into mega brokers, Association of REALTORS® mergers, and MLS mergers. Based upon our work schedule for Q1 of 2017, this trend does not seem to have any ebb in sight. WAV Group will facilitate more M&A activity in Q1 than any other quarter in our firm’s history. Company founders and Boards of Directors are often not open-minded about mergers. The first reaction to a [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:22:59-07:00January 3rd, 2017|Main category|Comments Off on Companies Are Not Designed to Merge
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Time For Brokers To Clean Up Online Profiles

Real Estate Agent and Brokerage Profiles Online are a mess. Specifically, agent and broker profiles on the broker website, Zillow, Realtor.com, and Homes.com are naturally in disarray at this time of year. With transaction volume low during December, it is a very good time to clean everything up. Most brokerages audited by WAV Group consulting average 10% inaccuracy, which reduces lead generation and undermines a firm’s online reputation. Start With Data Collection It is a relatively easy task to collect the data necessary to update profiles. Start with your offices. “Offices have identities,” says Marilyn Wilson, partner with WAV Group. “When [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:01-07:00December 1st, 2016|Broker Technology Research|Comments Off on Time For Brokers To Clean Up Online Profiles
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