IDX Rules Continue to Become More Broker-Friendly

Way to go, MLS Policy Committee for staying on a continued path to overhaul the IDX rules to make them work harder for brokers! As you may recall, back at NAR National, there were great strides made to evolve IDX rules to encourage data standardization, broker marketing in multiple MLS markets and an increased focus on data accuracy. I am proud to say that WAV Group, along with the Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, brought forth just about all of the topics that were approved at this meeting, just like the NAR National meeting. These positive initiatives continued [...]

Time to Market

Shaping an idea or a strategy takes time. More importantly, it takes a well-structured catalyst that “just makes sense.” WAV Group has had the opportunity to work with some pretty fantastic visionaries on the future of real estate – powerful market makers that rethink things many times to carefully construct strategies for the greater good. The outreach with peers and competitors only drives the momentum and refines the structure. It is impressive and inspired. But these things take time to develop correctly. Upstream and the Broker Public Portal are the outcroppings of this industry-wide thinking. We are blessed to be [...]

No HATERS in Real Estate Please!

After just coming back from the NAR Mid-Year meetings I harken back to one of our greatest spiritual leaders of all time – The Dalai Lama. He has an amazing quote that I feel bears repeating – “We can let the circumstances of our lives harden us so that we become increasing resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us and make us kinder. You have always the choice.” For those of you that are following the latest real estate news, NAR Mid-Year was a very exciting meeting. There were great strides taken with the Broker Public Portal [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:44-07:00May 22nd, 2015|Main category, MLS Insights|7 Comments

What Brokers Can Learn From KOA

KOA means Kampgrounds of America. I did not know that. They are the largest franchisor of campgrounds in the world. For years, many of their campgrounds advertised themselves as the 'Best KOA in America.' Sound familiar? Real estate brokers and agents constantly promote themselves as the #1 this or that. But what is really important to the consumer? Bill Hendricks, CEO of KOA spoke in San Luis Obispo, RE Technology's hometown, this week. He is an executive in residence at Cal Poly, our local university. He took the bold move of asking consumers to rate their campgrounds. He delivered the [...]

Project Upstream Revealed

For a few years now, industry leaders have been working together to address data problems, producing almost two years ago a solution concept called “Upstream.” Not long after that, the WAV Group was asked to consult on the technical side of the development of the project. Our non-disclosure agreement has prevented us from saying much about it. However, now we are very pleased to be allowed finally to share some information about the concept. In an announcement this week, UpstreamRE, LLC, the standalone company that will direct the effort, announced that it is deep into serious negotiations with the National [...]

Midyear Recap: CMLS Brings It to the Table

CMLS is an acronym for the Council of MLS. It is an organization that allows MLSs to share best practices in their pursuit of delighting the brokers and agents that subscribe to MLS services. A few years ago, they began the successful practice of having a primer conference the Tuesday before the NAR Midyear Legislative meetings. This year’s meetings were held at the City Club of Washington D.C. with 130 in attendance. Diamond sponsors for the event included MLS vendors Black Knight Financial and CoreLogic. They were joined by Homes.com, realtor.com, Zillow.com, and Trulia.com, all of whom overtly recognize and [...]

Prevention vs. Reaction

Written by: WAV Group guest contributor Lee Goldstein Recently a friend asked me to review some personal safety apps. Just to be clear, a personal safety app is an app that loads on to your smart phone and allows you to alert a handful of people, that you pre-defined, that you are in trouble.; or when you are overdue from an appointment. Additionally, some of these apps will also alert a call center that will then call the police. Finally, a variation on these concepts are wearable devices that do the same thing but are instead worn on your person. [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:45-07:00May 8th, 2015|Main category|0 Comments

Rapattoni is First MLS System Offering Integration with ListTrac Nationwide

New Tracking Tool Shows Where Real Estate Agents Get Their Most Leads San Diego – May 8, 2015 – ListTrac, known as the “Google Analytics for real estate listings,” today announced that Rapattoni Corporation (Rapattoni), a leader in providing software and services for real estate associations and MLS organizations, is the first MLS system provider to offer ListTrac integration nationally for MLS customers who subscribe to the ListTrac analytics service. The move allows real estate agents and brokers using participating MLS systems powered by Rapattoni to track consumer engagement and measure online performance for properties listed across the Internet. With 100-plus MLS [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:45-07:00May 8th, 2015|Broker-Agent Information, MLS Insights|0 Comments

Broker Public Portal Elects First Board of Managers

Arroyo Grande, CA – April 28th, 2015 – A nationwide group of leading Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) and real estate brokerage firms supporting the creation of a national property search portal have elected their first board of managers. The initiative, known as the Broker Public Portal, was launched in January and includes a cross section of participants from 37 MLSs and 39 real estate brokerages representing the interests of 826,000 agents. WAV Group project consultant, Victor Lund explains that MLSs have long provided regional consumer facing property search websites. In December of 2014, a group of likeminded MLSs and real [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:45-07:00April 29th, 2015|Main category, Press Releases|0 Comments

Major Changes In Real Estate

Behold, changes are taking place in real estate. We are seeing significant efforts like Project Upstream, RPR AMP, Broker Public Portal, Fair Display Guidelines, and RESO mandates that are shaping the future of our industry. It makes you wonder what is driving this explosive cocktail of industry wide initiatives. At the heart of many of these developments are brokers. When they survey the world around them, they rue the existence of poor data management and profit taking by others. Poor Data Management I believe that it was MRIS CEO, David Charron who coined the term Overlapping Market Disorder. He was [...]

Are You International?

Sophisticated real estate companies in metropolitan areas do a lot of international business, or at least aim to do international business. To facilitate international business they belong to networks like Christies, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, Luxury Real Estate, or international franchise organizations. International is also a significant strategic development initiative for brokerage firms with strong relocation departments. The trigger to securing inbound referrals from abroad is relationship building. If you are not reaching out to international corporations with locations in your area, or taking trips to develop referral relationships with feeder markets, you are not likely to [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:46-07:00April 27th, 2015|Main category, Marketing, Strategic Planning|0 Comments

What should we look for at NAR Midyear?

Real estate’s annual May pilgrimage begins in a couple of weeks. Its formal name is “REALTORS® Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo,” but I’ve never met anyone outside of NAR that doesn’t call it NAR Midyear. Even the url for the location on realtor.org labels it “midyear” (http://www.realtor.org/midyear.nsf). For several days – this year May 11-16 – local associations as well as state and regional associations leadership descend on Washington D.C. It’s a time largely filled with policy meetings, committee confabs and a full-court press for face-to-face meetings with legislative reps. Tucked in the middle of all this is a trade [...]

By |2018-05-03T21:23:46-07:00April 23rd, 2015|Our Services|1 Comment