This is an example of what it means when your product “delights” your customers. h/t: Pomp
What a crazy week
I think this NAR Midyear will go down in the record books as one of the most memorable. For good reasons and bad. First off I want to thank everyone for showing up at the Omni Sunday night. It was a great to see everyone in one place, even though the sole bartender probably needed therapy afterwards (I tried calling to warn them but nobody picked up). And a HUGE thank you to RoomVu for picking up the tab for the first round. RoomVu CEO, Sam Mehrbod, flight got cancelled so he couldn’t make it that evening but I sure he would appreciate if you dropped him a line on LInkedIn. And it was great to have Jeff Young there to give such an heart felt toast to Kristen. Thank you Jeff.
There is so much else to cover but I’m exhausted.
Godspeed everyone.
Omni Lobby Bar – After Party – Update “First round is on us!”
I think with the news of Kristen’s passing is going to make this Sunday night at the Omni even more special.
So be there Sunday night (5/5/23) at the Omni Hotel’s Marquee Lounge. Anywhere from 9 PM to Midnight (last call). And we can raise a glass to Kristen in a place I know she would have loved to be, surrounded by her friends.
BIG UPDATE: The guys at RoomVu has generous offered to pick the tab for the “first round” so the sooner you get there the better opportunity it is to get a free drink! RoomVu is a pioneer in Video Marketing for agents. Sam Mehrbod, the co-founder of RoomVu, will be there so we will all get to thank him personally. Many thanks Sam!
Check out their site to learn more.
1000WATT’s Brand & Marketing Summit
I just wanted to make another plug for 1000WATT’s upcoming Brand & Marketing Summit. As many of you know Brian, Marc and their merry gang of creatives are legit. Having attended many of their other events I can assure you that you are in for a treat. But unlike other events this one feels like they are going to get even more strategic, and even more tactical in their agenda and content. Plus their speaker list is stacked!
Who should go? Well check out the website.
1000WATT
- Executives and marketers in proptech, brokerage, franchising, mortgage, title, MLSs, and associations
- Real estate team leaders
- Solo agents who are eager to build market share
- Brokerage and franchise leaders who want to lead their teams through a time of change with confidence
So buy a few tickets for you and your staff, mark your calendars, book the hotel rooms, buy the plane tickets and put your two stepping boots on and head to Gilleys in Dallas June 25th-June 27th.
No Equal
😢 Sad anniversary
VestaPlus [Sponsor]
My thanks to VestaPlus for sponsoring this month’s Vendor Alley. There are many reasons why you should consider another MLS organization for your technology partner.
The people at VestaPlus have many solutions to choose from including, ShowingsPlus™ where you can:
- Easily request in-person or virtual appointments directly from a listing
- ShowingsPlus™ will lock in the appointment and add it to your showing calendar
- API integrations provide a seamless experience when working with agents from another MLS
- Additional features include auto-confirm, private showings, listing feedback, and more!
- Check out the video below
And their Neighborhood Snapshot™
If you are interested in why MLS organizations should look towards buying tools from other MLS organizations please listen to my Listing Bits podcast with VestaPlus’ VP of sales and marketing, Kelly Robinson. On that podcast where we discuss the benefits of working with another MLS organization as one of your vendors. My thanks again to VestaPlus.
Racial bias case in Baltimore gets settled
Lawsuit Alleging Racial Bias in Home Appraisals Is Settled
“A year earlier, the couple had opened their home to Mr. Lanham, who is white, for an appraisal, and he put the value of their four-bedroom house in Baltimore’s Homeland neighborhood at $472,000. After the couple stripped their home of family photographs and had a white colleague pose as the homeowner, an action known as “whitewashing,” a second appraiser offered a value of $750,000. The couple said that the difference in value — nearly $300,000 higher — came because the second appraiser believed that the home’s owners were white.”
Debra Kamin, New York Times
I remember reading about this a couple years ago. It just makes your blood boil. I hope they took these companies to the cleaners.
Webinar: The Truth about the NAR Settlement
Rob Hahn, my partner in crime at the Industry Relations podcast is hosting a webinar Tuesday, March 26 from 9 – 10:30am PT, this is “must see tv” in my book. So, fire up the flat screen in your conference room and gather round your senior execs. From his announcement:
“It’s been quite a few days. I’ve been getting absolutely hammered with questions from some of you, plus the media, plus investors, plus plus plus. While I’m happy to answer them, and have as much as I could, I thought it time to just hold a webinar and see if I can do it all in one place and one time.
I’ll go over:
- What the Settlement Agreement actually says.
- What it requires of brokers, agents, MLS and Associations.
- What it likely means for you and the industry.
- Possible unexpected consequences.
I’ve done webinars like this a couple of times in the past, and thought they were useful.”
The Notorious ROB
Click this link to register = > The Truth About the NAR Settlement
It’s $399, but $200 cheaper if you are a Notorious VIP subscriber. As Rob says, “If you are not a VIP Subscriber, well… you can do the math.”
Support independent creators in our space. Sign up today!
Tim’s birthday fundraiser for Maui
Tim’s birthday fundraiser for Realtors® Association of Maui Community Foundation, Inc.
“For my birthday this year, I’m asking for donations to Realtors® Association of Maui Community Foundation, Inc. The goal amount might seem ridiculous but I know enough influential REALTORS® and real estate professionals that it’s possible if you decide to donate and share this effort with your network.”
Tim Dain
Let’s do this!
Introducing Giant Steps Advisors
Industry veteran, Greg Robertson, launches Giant Steps Advisors to help entrepreneurs, real estate companies and leaders accelerate their success.
COSTA MESA, FEB. 26 – Greg Robertson announced today the launch of Giant Steps Company, LLC a new company poised to help navigate the new real estate landscape. With a vision centered on innovation, growth, and collaboration, Giant Steps Advisors is set to become the go-to advisor for visionaries ready to take on new challenges.
“Having co-founded my first real estate software company in 1992, I’ve had a front seat to the arc of innovation in the organized real estate industry for the last 30+ years. My goal with Giant Steps is to give back and share those experiences with our clients to help them reach their goals faster,” stated Greg Robertson, Founder & Principal Advisor.
Giant Steps Advisors believes you need to start from the end and work backwards to help you arrive at the best solutions. Whether you are developing a product, a go-to-market strategy, M&A, or planning for the future, thinking about the outcomes of your choices first, will help you arrive at your goals quicker.
Staci Wood, Executive Advisor, has joined Robertson to expand the breadth of expertise. Staci started her career at RE/MAX playing a critical role in the evolution of real estate portals. Staci then moved to one of the largest MLS organizations in the country, REcolorado. While at REColorado Staci was their VP and Chief Product Officer for over 9 years. With this duo of seasoned experts at the helm, Giant Steps Advisors brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to the table.
“I met Staci over 20 years ago. Her broad experience is a perfect addition, and I’m excited she has chosen to join me on this new endeavor,” Robertson said.
For more information about Giant Steps Advisors and its services, visit www.GiantStepsAdvisors.com or Greg@GiantStepsAdvisors.com.
About Giant Steps Advisors
We are here to help entrepreneurs and real estate companies accelerate their journey to success.
Greg Robertson co-founded his first real estate software company in 1992. He is an author of the book, ‘The Art of the CMA’, and publisher of the industry technology blog, “Vendor Alley”. He also publishes two industry podcasts, “Listing Bits”, and is co-host of “Industry Relations”. Greg was the co-founder of W+R Studios, creators of Cloud CMA and the rest of the Cloud Agent Suite. W+R Studios was acquired by Lone Wolf Technologies in December of 2020.
Contact
Greg Robertson
Founder/Principal Advisor
Giant Steps Advisors
