“In December 2023, Zillow filed suit against ARMLS and MetroMLS, claiming both MLSs violated antitrust laws when they planned to disable their integrations with ShowingTime in favor of MLS Aligned’s Aligned Showings platform. ARMLS shuttered its integration with ShowingTime on Dec. 27, with MLS Inc. following suit in February 2024.
Zillow questioned the timing of ARMLS and Metro MLS’ decision, claiming it was an attempt to give MLS Aligned “a monopoly” in the MLSs’ respective regions.”
Marian Mcpherson, Inman News
I’m a little biased but Zillow declaring Aligned Showings, a brand new showing service, which effectively added another choice for MLS organizations to choose from now had a “monopoly” has to be one of the most “WTAF” moments in real estate history. Never mind the fact that Zillow was basically strong-arming MLS organizations into integrating ShowingTime on their MLS systems by default.
Great to see leaders at ARMLS and MetroMLS having the courage to fight against this nonsense.
If anything Zillow should look at the recent ruling where a federal judge ruled that Google engaged in illegal practices to preserve its search engine monopoly.
But hey, I’m not a lawyer or giving any legal advice.
Seller’s Agent asking for an update from the Buyer’s Agent about their counter offer. I’m told that these types of comms are coming from agents in the last seven days (since they removed the buyer’s agent compensation field).
“Our members expect cutting-edge technology that effortlessly syncs with their mobile devices and other systems,” noted ORRA CEO Cliff Long. “After a thorough and lengthy evaluation by our volunteer REALTOR® leadership and members, we discovered that SentriLock is not only user-friendly, but also boasts top-tier security features, safeguarding both property access information and the agent showing the property. Given that our consumers trust us with their homes, it’s important we provide the highest level of security possible.”
SentriLock
Nice win. I’m hearing this could equate to over 35,000 lockboxes, Yowza!
“While other industries rely on integrated software tools to manage their work, real estate professionals still spend much of their time shuffling between disjointed MLS data repositories, search portals, and various other point solutions,” says Peter Hébert, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Lux Capital, who will be joining Perchwell’s board of directors. “Perchwell is setting the new industry standard by bringing all that tooling into a complete and modern software platform. Agents nationwide have come to trust Perchwell to provide an indispensable competitive advantage in today’s dynamic real estate market.”
Perchwell
Seems impressive in this real estate market. Hopefully this optimism will spill over in to other companies looking for funding.
Just love the smile of Eric Stegemann’s face after his company, Tribus, winning the Inman Innovator Award for “Most Innovative Client Experience Solution“. Well done!
Today, I’m thrilled to share a story that’s close to my heart.
Years ago, I added a job board to Vendor Alley, not knowing just how impactful it would become. From day one, it was a place where connections were made, careers were launched, and opportunities were seized. Nothing brought me more joy than hearing from someone who landed their dream job or found the perfect candidate through the platform. It was these success stories that warmed my heart and motivated me to keep it going. This community is so welcoming and vibrant it’s often dubbed “Hotel California” – you can check anytime you like, but you can never leave!
Why Rebrand?
Over time, it became clear that our job board had outgrown its initial purpose. What started as a small addition to Vendor Alley evolved and I have decided I want to put more resources towards it. We reached a pivotal moment where we needed to step back and think bigger. It wasn’t just about Vendor Alley anymore; it was about creating something that could better serve both job seekers and employers across the industry.
That’s why I’m beyond excited to introduce you to the Giant Steps Job Board, a subsidiary of Giant Steps Advisors. This isn’t just a fresh look; it’s a complete transformation designed to meet the dynamic needs of our community and beyond.
The Journey to Giant Steps
Our new name, Giant Steps Job Board, reflects the bold moves we all make in our careers. Every job change, every new hire, is a significant step forward, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
The decision to rebrand came from a place of growth and the desire to provide a dedicated, industry-wide resource. It was time to create a platform that could stand on its own, serving the real estate community with the full attention and innovation it deserves.
Pricing Structure
We want to ensure our pricing is straightforward and offers value for every budget. Here’s a breakdown of our job posting plans:
Join Us on This New Journey
The Giant Steps Job Board is live and ready for you to explore. Here are three things you can do for me.
Notify your HR manager or anyone that’s in charge of hiring that the first job posting is free by emailing FreePost@GiantStepsJobBoard.com.
As always, your feedback is invaluable. Let us know what you think and how we can continue to improve. Together, we’ll keep pushing the boundaries and setting new benchmarks.
Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey. Here’s to giant steps and even greater achievements!
Dan Fortin was one of my favorite people I met working at Lone Wolf. He came over from the Instanet acquisition and has had a front-row seat to see big changes in the industry. From Lone Wolf acquiring 8 companies, 5 of them in less than 9 months, to the challenges of being a forms company during COVID when everyone wanted a specific form, and they wanted it NOW! Sounds familiar, eh?
We discuss Dan’s background, the lessons he’s learned over the 10 years, and how taking a data-driven approach to making decisions has helped him during his career.
We also get to talk about Lone Wolf’s recent announcement on its newest platform, Foundation, and the tremendous amount of work that took. We also delve into product, design, and what the future holds for Lone Wolf.
For more about Lone Wolf Foundation please visit here.
To connect with Dan check out his LinkedIn profile.
I just learned via an email that MRI Software, a private equity firm a privately held company, is putting a bid in to buy REcolorado. Here’s the excerpt from the email’s “Official Statement”.
“MRI Software, the parent company of CTM eContracts, has submitted an Indication of Interest (IOI) for the purchase of REColorado.
We decided to take this action after learning of the potential sale of REColorado, when it was reported publicly.
Many of you are already familiar with MRI Software, but for those who are not, here is some background: MRI provides the CTM eContracts to nearly 40,000 subscribers in Colorado. The software was first introduced in 2003. MRI, a U.S.-based leader in real estate technology, has been in business since 1971. You can learn more more about MRI and about our open-and-connected approach to software integrations here.”
Just to catch everyone up, it was first reported that a single person, Joseph Burks, was buying the MLS organization. Under the name of MAZL, LLC. From my research Joesph Burks is, “one of the largest shareholders in the early creation of CTM eContracts, a widely used contract software for real estate transactions.’ was a large shareholder in CTM eContracts, which was sold to MRI Software in 2019.
Denver Metro Associaiton of REALTORS (DMAR) wrote an “FAQ” on their blog back in June 30th stating,
“MAZL is not a private equity firm, nor is a private equity firm a funding partner in the proposed sale.”
DMAR
Now it appears that a private equity firm has offered to purchase REcolorado MLS. Rob and I went over in detail on our Industry Relations podcast how a private equity firm might approach running an MLS organization.
***THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED AT 7:57AM 7/25/24. MRI Software is not a private equity firm, but a privately held company. I also clarified information regarding Joesph Burks (previous) ownership stake in CTM eContracts.***
