Where Real Estate Gets Its Dirt

Sam DeBord is RESO’s new CEO

Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) Names Sam DeBord as CEO

Sam DeBord

“DeBord is well-known in the real estate industry and serves as a leader for MLS, REALTOR®, technology, and brokerage organizations. His passion for technology and industry collaboration is expected to energize RESO efforts to more rapidly drive adoption and utilization of standards, providing efficiency throughout the real estate industry. 
“RESO has become vital to shaping the future of our real estate industry,” said DeBord. “I’m thrilled with the opportunity to accelerate the value that we deliver to professionals and consumers through technology innovation. We know that standards adoption is critical to this progress. Our members represent the best technology minds in real estate, and it’s an honor to work with them to move the industry forward.”

RESO

This is a great day for Organized Real Estate. I have to give Art Carter (RESO Chair) and the RESO board of directors a lot of kudos for really stepping up and pursuing a great candidate like Sam.

And mucho mucho respect to Sam DeBord for making this big step in his career. Sam has always contributed his time and energy to moving the industry forward and this is just another example of his commitment and leadership. We all need to step up and and give Sam and RESO our full support.

Marilyn Wilson asks a great question

Marilyn Wilson on the WAV Group Blog…

Why are MLSs making it SO hard to innovate?

“We have made it REALLY hard for the smart 16 year old in her garage to build the next big thing for a brokerage. Frankly, even well-established tech companies have major challenges working with more than 600 organizations. Refer to my commonapp article for more on that topic.

Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of a tech start-up. They have built something interesting. They find a broker that wants to try it out. The broker says go to the MLS and apply for a data license. They are not aware of the differences between an IDX, VOW or Back Office Feed. Most don’t even know what an IDX, VOW or Back Office feed IS! They don’t know that IDX feeds can include actives, actives, pendings and solds or just actives and solds. They have no clue what a non-disclosure state is, what that means and how it affects their product in those states. They don’t know what a “RESO” is or the benefits of using a feed that is RESO Data Dictionary compliant. They may know how to leverage API’s, but don’t know the difference between a RESO Web API and one offered by another group.

The start-up diligently follows the advice of the broker. They set out on a path to get a data feed.

Here’s what happens…or more accurately what DOESN’T happen, on most MLS websites. We make it REALLY difficult for someone new to the industry to figure out how to get that data feed the broker has asked the start-up to go after.”

This whole post is so damn good. Go read it now.

RESO 2018 is a wrap!


I had a great time in Milwaukee this year with everyone (although I think it could be one day shorter). One of the fun things I did was being a game show announcer on Bill Gaul’s panel. Participating on the game show (left to right) in the photo above, Kejii Ikuta of RMLS, Greg Moore of RMLS, Srinivas Mankala CTO of Builders Update, Bill Gaul CEO of Builders Update, and Melissa King of MFRMLS.

I also moderated a panel featuring Steve Byrd of Carolina Multiple Listing Services, Rebecca Jensen, CEO of MRED, and Art Carter, CEO of CRMLS. While I didn’t get all the answers I was looking for I think it helped shine a light on some of the core issues we face to get things going.

Thanks to Jeremy and his team for putting together another great conference!

Bridge Interactive announces updated features in new “Parity Plus” API

Bridge Interactive announces updates to modern real estate API

“ParityPlus is a significant release because it combines what many MLSs value about the older industry standard, RETS – customization, most notably – with the speed, familiarity and scalability of a modern Web API. The net effect will be to increase the ease with which real estate data is distributed, secured, shared and built upon.

For MLSs, that means Bridge API now will enable them to build custom data feeds and more tightly define what information is conveyed to specific data recipients. It will also add functionality that gives them more control and fewer limitations.

At the very least this seems to catch Bridge (Zillow) up with other industry offerings, most notably of CoreLogic and FBS. But they have also few other cool options. I’m told there are new features in the API specifically meant to help with data replication.

MFRMLS matches RESO standard on its native MLS system

MFRMLS Removes Non-Standard Data in Native MLS

“Very few people understand the difference between the data that is in the Native database of an MLS and the data that is shipped out of an MLS.

The Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) has created a Data Dictionary of fields and field enumerations for data being shared with brokers and technology providers. The Native data in the MLS – the data that the broker’s agent enters into the MLS system is custom to every MLS. Not anymore!

My Florida Regional MLS (MFRMLS) is among the first MLSs in the country to adopt the same RESO language in their Native MLS. Here’s why this is important.

Good article from Victor. I think this is a great example of leadership shown by Merri Jo and the rest of the MFRMLS staff.

RESO honors top innovators and volunteers

RESO Innovation Winners, Top Volunteers Honored at Spring Tech Summit

RESO (Real Estate Standards Organization) honored more than two dozen of its members and leaders last week in Denver at its sold-out real estate tech summit. The conference attracted more than 275 real estate technology leaders from real estate brokerages, Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) and technology firms. Outstanding volunteers honored received personally engraved wooden cases with classic games (pictured) in tribute to the tech summit’s theme: “It’s Game On for Data Standards.”

Shawn Whitaker of MLS Data Tools based in Boise, Idaho and Robert Humphreys of Predicted Property based in British Columbia, Canada, were the Innovation winners. They were flown in to present their breakthrough ideas that leverage artificial intelligence and automation at the summit, built on top of a standardized RESO data set that was provided to them by Austin Board of REALTORS®, CoreLogic, and RESO.

I had a chance to moderate a panel on OUIDs, which was a lot of fun (believe it or not). One of the best things about the event is the mix of people. You get the standard conference crowd mixed in with the tech guys and gals working on the intricacies of data. They are such a cool group of passionate people, with a wide range of interests. I got in to several really interesting conversations. Zillow hosted a great party the last night too. It’s easy to see why this event gets sold out.

Next stop Milwaukee!

Get ready for RESO Spring Tech Summit!

RESO Spring Tech Summit Examines Data Standards Impact, Innovation WinnersMeeting Also Set to Discuss Next Generation of Standards to Streamline Industry

“This year’s RESO Tech Summit is packed with Case Studies presented by companies who have demonstrated that RESO data standards are helping improve our industry and the bottom line for real estate brokerages and software developers in precise, measurable dollars,” said Jeremy Crawford, CEO of RESO. RESO is an independent non-profit with more than 750 active members, including NAR, multiple-listing services, real estate associations, brokerages and industry technology providers.

Case Studies will cover:

The implementation of RESO’s Organizational Unique ID (OUID) with representatives discussing the benefits to Homes.com, ShowingTime, and T3.
How TRIBUS migrated to the RESO Data Dictionary, which reinvigorated its IDX platform and underlying product.
A look at the real-world implementation of RESO’s Universal Property Identification (UPI) by Austin Brokerage Jovio.
A discussion on the real-world implementation of RESO Data Dictionary standards through different paths, including leaders of California Regional MLS (CRMLS) and New England Real Estate Network (NEREN).

Jeremy is doing a great job at RESO and their conferences keep getting better and better. Have you registered yet?

“NAR’s Goldberg kills AMP…”

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 data repository and allow developers of systems like Matrix, FlexMLS, Paragon, Stratus, Rapattoni, Navica and others focus on the front-end software development.”

Victor does a good job in this post summarizing, at a very high level, what’s going on with all the initiatives and his thoughts on AMP. I don’t agree with some of his assumptions (especially the Upstream propaganda toward the end) but its a good overview.

New RESO leadership announced

Happy New Year Everyone!

I’m a bit late on this one but it deserves announcement.

RESO Elects 2018 Officers and Directors

“RALEIGH, N.C., Dec. 20, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Real Estate Standards Organization, or RESO, announced today the results of its Board of Directors election and appointments of directors, as well as its 2018 Officers.

“Testament to the growing success and influence of RESO, this Board election attracted the largest number of candidates ever to vie for open RESO board seats in the history of our organization,” said Art Carter, Chair of the RESO Board and CEO, California Regional MLS or CRMLS.

“A remarkable 17 highly respected and involved industry leaders ran for just five Director openings, and each of them were extremely well qualified. With those elected, we are ensured a bright future for RESO as well as growing implementation of RESO standards throughout the real estate industry.”

2018 Officers elected to the Executive Board include:

Art Carter, CEO, California Regional MLS or CRMLS, Chair – re-elected
Michael Wurzer, President & CEO, FBS, Creators of Flexmls, Vice Chair – elected
Richard Renton, CEO, Triad MLS, Treasurer – re-elected
Tim Dain, President, Mid America Regional Information Systems Inc. (MARIS), Secretary – elected”

There are a bunch of other elected to various positions, you can read about them if you follow the link. Congrats to everyone!

See you at RESO next week

Looking forward to joining everyone in San Diego next week. Katie and I will be there along with…wait for it…Dan Woolley!

I’ll be hosting a panel on Wednesday morning (10/18/2017 10:05AM), named “RESO in the REAL World – Advantages and Benefits Being Realized”

I’ll be joined by

Colette Stevenson, CEO, MLS of Hilton Head Island, Inc.
Troy McCasland, CEO of AgentSquared
Tom Weiss-Lehman, Product Manager, Redfin Corporation
Chris Freeman, CTO, WolfNet

Should be fun. See you there!

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