“REBNY and its technology vendor Perchwell were the first companies to be certified for implementing full-listing Add/Edit. NYC brokers and their vendors have their own listing interfaces that integrate with REBNY’s Residential Listing Service (RLS).
Companies like RESO members Lofty, RealPlus and RESoft send their brokers’ listings directly into the Add/Edit-equipped RLS. Allowing brokers to use whichever apps or systems work best for them to update RLS data greatly enhances product choice and competition.”
RESO
I’m a bit late to this but, if this can go mainstream it would be huge for the industry.
“If approved by the court, the settlement means Keller Williams will pay substantially less than it could have to resolve Sitzer | Burnett. On Oct. 31, in a historic verdict, a jury found that Keller Williams, RE/MAX, Anywhere, the National Association of Realtors, HomeServices of America and two of its subsidiaries, BHH Affiliates and HSF Affiliates, conspired to inflate broker commission rates paid by homesellers. The jury awarded $1.78 billion in damages to a class of approximately 500,000 Missouri homeowners. If that award stands, it would be trebled by law to more than $5.3 billion.
The deals leave NAR, HomeServices of America and two of its subsidiaries, BHH Affiliates and HSF Affiliates, as the remaining defendants in the case.”
I’ve been thinking about this for the last week and a couple things stand out. I guess you could say it was shrewd of KW to see if the case was won before settling (interesting to think of NAR and BHH/HSF through that lens). Hard to say if the settlement would have been lower if they had settled earlier. But $70M feels about right. BHH/HSF are probably talking longer due to their corporate structure.
That would leave NAR standing alone. People who would know tell me that their case for appeal is pretty strong based on upon the documents being filed by NAR. That may be true, but the genie is out of the bottle. More and more of people I meet and hear I’m “in real estate” ask me about being “over-charged” for commissions. I still think settling (and sooner than later) is the right move.
“The deal was supposed to give holders of Remine common stock 3 cents per share in cash and 61 cents of equity in the new company, according to the complaint. But shareholders were not paid directly; instead, their portion of the merger consideration was contributed to an operating fund of a company called RM Rollover Holdings LLC. Spinetto, Remine’s chief operating officer, secretary and director, was given control of the operating fund after the merger, the complaint says. Spinetto was given a new job post-closing and got a management bonus. The information statement said nothing about how many shares of common stock he owned, how much of his equity was rolled into the new company, his salary post-closing or the amount of his bonus, the complaint says. Schacknies — who served as Remine’s president, CEO, chief financial officer and a director at the time of the sale — resigned from his role as CEO when the acquisition took place and got a severance package at closing, the complaint says.”
“Following Hale’s announcement, the HAR board of directors unanimously approved current HAR Executive Vice President René Galvan to succeed Hale as HAR president and CEO in 2026. Galvan has served as a critical member of HAR’s management team since 1996 when he was hired as Director of Business Development. In 1999, Galvan was recruited away as CEO of the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Lauderdale, but he returned to HAR as EVP two years later and has held that post ever since.
Asked about his accomplishments during his tenure at HAR, Galvan said, “I am most proud of building a team of incredible professionals, keeping focused on our mission of helping members achieve success, and working closely with staff and leadership to improve service to members while keeping a watchful eye on expenses resulting in no dues increase during the past 21 years.”
“This journey has been one that I will cherish for the rest of my life,” said Hale. “I could not think of anyone more qualified and driven than René Galvan to lead HAR through the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the real estate industry.”
HAR.com
What a journey! 52 years in the arena, fighting the good fight, planning, innovating, leading, teaching, and sharing. Bob’s generosity is unmatched and what he has contributed to this industry can’t be overstated. And what a class act announcing René as his successor at the same time as his retirement.
I know he doesn’t retire till February 2026 but I just want to be the first to say thank you Bob.
“Mr. Umansky said that AREA will offer its members a nationwide database of home listings as an alternative, built from the technology he acquired for his own private listings service. That platform, which they’re calling the National Listing Service, is currently live with limited listings at theNLS.com.
“A centralized database with access to the full scope of listings across the country is better for everyone in the industry, and someone just had to do it,” Mr. Umansky said.
Debra Kamin, New York Times
A good question I would ask the two luxury real estate agents/brokers launching this new endeavor is this: “Will this new entity follow (or match) the Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP) guidelines?”
“Expressing gratitude for his journey with MARIS, Price said, “I am immensely proud of the accomplishments we have achieved together at MARIS. It has been an honor to lead such a talented team and I am confident in the bright future that lies ahead for the organization. Cameron has earned a well-deserved reputation as an innovator and I can’t think of anyone better suited than he is to lead MARIS into the future.”
MARIS
Nice quote about Cameron from David. David was always a class act. Also great to see Cameron back on the saddle again. Congrats Cameron and Happy Trails to David.
“Today, Inman announces the honorees for its inaugural class of MLS Reinvented honorees, recognizing the contributions of 22 leaders who are powering the MLS ecosystem forward across America.
“The MLS offers consumers unparalleled benefits” stated Emily Paquette, CEO of Inman. “This recognition underscores the importance of embracing innovation and pushing the boundaries of industry standards. It highlights the dedication and commitment of leaders to drive the MLS into a new era of efficiency and effectiveness, ultimately enhancing the real estate ecosystem.”
INMAN NEWS
Pushes favorably to the “MLS owned” crowd. Great to see Annie Ives and Ross Buck included. Would have liked to see a few more that I know who are making a difference out there (especially in California), but a solid list.
What happens when a real estate giant like Zillow takes legal action against their own clients? Things get a little complicated as Rob and Greg explore the issues of the delicate balance of being a participant, vendor and MLS organization (sometimes all at the same time!)
***Disclaimer – Due to MLS Aligned being a consulting client of Greg, the views expressed on this podcast are Greg’s opinions and DO NOT represent the views of MLS Aligned.***
Rob and Greg discuss the recent Zillow lawsuit against two MLSs, ARMLS and Metro MLS, which alleges control over technology distribution and the practical implications of not being integrated into the MLS member portal and how it affects the functionality of platforms like ShowingTime. Greg gives his own first-hand experiences with MLS system integration and Cloud CMA.
They explore what could be the potential impact on competition and the challenges faced by MLSs in making integration decisions. And can MLS organizations choose who they do business with or not? Mountain? Molehill? Listen to Rob and Greg try and grapple a tricky situation as only they can.
“VESTAPLUS™, a leading provider of MLS software solutions, is pleased to announce the promotion of Rehn Chavez to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). In her new role, Chavez will drive the company’s strategic initiatives, oversee operations, and contribute to the realization of CEO Annie Ives’ vision for VESTAPLUS™.”
It’s that time of year again! T3 Sixty has published their SP200 list for 2024. Each year I like to parse out the list and see how our brothers and sisters made out in the MLS community.
The Mt. Rushmore of MLS Execs (as I previously coined them last year) has not changed but each of their respective positions have slightly improved. Art Carter, CEO of CRMLS, Brian Donnellan, CEO of Bright MLS and Bob Hale, CEO of HAR.
Art and Brian both jumped 7 spots, Bob broke in to the twenties.
Merri Jo Cowen, CEO of Stellar MLS leaps 32 spots to #52 to the fourth highest ranking MLS exec on the list beating Teresa King Kinney of Miami AOR who dropped 5 spots to # 60. Jeremy Crawford of FMLS catapults 48 spots up this year to #54.
John DiMichele of TREBB (the only MLS on this list that doesn’t offer Cloud CMA to its members) falls to #66. ( you know I love you Jon. 😆)
Dionna Hall, CEO of Beaches MLS, glides up to #96 on the list. Rebecca Jensen, CEO of MRED lands at # 99 while Matt Consalvo, CEO of ARMLS, climbs up 10 spots to #100. Gene Millman, CEO of REColorado.com soars to #102 on the list (that’s a leap of 65!) Emily Chenevert, CEO of Austin Board of REALTORS jumps 18 spots up from last year to #124
AnneMarie DeCatsye, CEO of Canopy MLS climbs to #174. Brad Bjelke CEO of UtahRealEstate.com landed at #175.
Stuart White, CEO of Realtracs rockets 56 spots to land at #120. Plus “the mad scientist” Tim Dain was listed at #130 ( a jump of 58 spots)
Erm Grasso, CEO of MLS PIN, and Richard Haggerty , CEO OneKey MLS, debuts on the list at #195 and #198 respectively.
Congratulations everyone!
***Please forgive me if I missed someone or got something wrong. Just DM me and I’ll make the correction.***
