Our Top 10 Most-Read Articles of September
Autumn is here, and like the seasons, the real estate market is changing. Are we in a recession or correction? Article #4 on our list of September's most-read articles dives in to this question. September was also Realtor Safety Month, and #10 on our list explores phone apps that can help keep you safe on the job. Speaking of the phone, is it a friend or foe? Check out article #3 to find out. For more of what agents and brokers were reading last month, check out our full list of September's most popular articles below: 1. 22 Ideas for Showing Clients Your AppreciationWhat's an impactful way to show clients your appreciation? (Hint: It's not branded merch!) Jimmy Burgess, CEO of BHHS Beach Properties of Florida, shares 22 unique client appreciation ideas in the video above. Try a few to help establish and maintain warm relationships with your clients and community. 2. Friday Freebie: 7 Real Estate Spreadsheets + Calculator ToolsTo know where you're going, you've got to know where you've been. And when it comes to business, that often means a little number crunching. Fortunately, there are tools that can do that for you. And in this week's Friday Freebie, we're highlighting an entire toolbox—seven spreadsheets and calculators for everything from daily planning, to budget forecasting, to mortgage calculators, and beyond. 3. The Phone: Friend or Foe?Joy Daniels, a real estate agent with Joy Daniels Real Estate Group, Ltd., discusses the importance of making phone calls your strength and being mindful of how you speak to people. 4. Is the Housing Market in a Recession or Correction?At this stage, everybody agrees: The housing market is cooler than it was one or two years ago. Lacking consensus is the best word to describe this market slowdown. What are we witnessing? A market in ominous decline, or one that is shifting to a more reasonable post-pandemic normal? Learn why experts disagree, and what to tell your clients. 5. 11 Ways to Maximize Your Real Estate Listing ExposureTo reach a high level of sales, you must always present your real estate listings in a manner that enhances the home's appeal and decreases its time on the market. Below are some actions you can take to deliver excellence and increase exposure for your listing. 6. Does Your Listing Presentation Nail the One Thing Sellers Need Most?Listing presentations are adapting to share market changes with sellers and what it means to their home sales. But they are missing some of the most critical factors influencing today's real estate market. The biggest change is a decision that sellers must make before listing their homes. So what's missing from your listing presentation? 7. 5 Things Real Estate Photographers Wish Sellers Did—and Did Not—DoHomeJab polled more than 100 professional real estate photographers to get their "rants and raves" for listing shoots. The survey uncovered a series of "best practices" for home sellers – comments, ideas, and suggestions shared almost universally by our photo pros. 8. 4 Top Communication Tips for Your Real Estate ClientsReal estate is a social industry. In this business, strong communication skills can carry you a long way. As an agent, a key strategy for converting leads and streamlining transactions with active buyers and sellers is to prioritize clear, efficient communication with your real estate clients. 9. Checklist: Is Your Website ADA Accessible?Making sure your website meets ADA requirements can do more than protect you from potential liability. An ADA accessible website also offers agents and brokerages market advantages that we detailed in the past. Here are summary checklists that help highlight what you need to know about websites and ADA compliance. 10. 5 Realtor Safety Apps to Help Protect You and Your ClientsBeing a professional real estate agent involves working with new people you do not know, and that alone can be risky business. Fortunately, technology can help. Here are five real estate apps for smartphones that are designed to keep agents safe.

C5 Summary: How RPR Commercial Is Scoring 10s for Its Simplicity
This month's RPR Commercial update is a Q&A style chat with Emily Line, RPR's VP of Member Experience. Emily recently attended the NAR-sponsored C5 Summit. Billed as "3 Days of Commercial Real Estate Networking, Learning, & Deal-Making," the C5 is one of commercial estate's premier events. Held in New York City from August 15-17, the event encouraged leaders, stakeholders and potential partners to engage, build relationships and network with like-minded influential leaders and decision makers in the commercial real estate space. As a guest on the main stage panel for commercial real estate tech, Emily shares her experiences and takeaways from the event, from a uniquely RPR user and commercial practitioner perspective. Q. Hello Emily, thanks for giving us a recap of the C5 show. What was the name of the panel you were on? EL: It was called "New Tools for Getting Deals Done," and it was a great opportunity to represent RPR Commercial. Q. What kind of questions were you asked? EL: After a quick introduction, they hit me with "What keeps you up at night?" Q. Great ice breaker! EL: Right?! So of course I said, "Will my beloved Michigan Wolverines make it back to the playoffs?!" (For the record, Emily is a rabid and die-hard Michigan fan, who travels from Southern California to Michigan for most of the home football games.) My real answer was the number 70. The number 70 keeps me up at night because that is RPR's current Net Promoter Score for commercial users/members who use RPR. Q. Please explain what an NPS is and why 70 is a good number and not average… EL: Exactly. NPS is a proven metric that has transformed the business world and is by far the most effective way to measure satisfaction and loyalty. Brands with high retention are companies with a high NPS score. (For reference, Apple scores a 47 NPS, which is considered very good.) An NPS of 70 means our members love us and thankfully we generate a lot of positive word-of-mouth as a result. So why does this keep me up at night? I never want the score to dip, not even a point! At RPR, we continue to grind in order to keep up with the word-of-mouth and our satisfaction rating. We do not take our foot off the gas when it comes to monitoring the application, documenting training questions that arise, listening to call center concerns, and slotting enhancements. We want RPR users to be productive, efficient and we want to help them close deals. And, of course, we don't want to lose the member lovefest! Q. Spot on! Any other good tech angles covered at C5? EL: This came up: "Is technology going to replace the role of the commercial real estate practitioner in the future?" I see it like this: those who elect not to validate their expertise with data will be left behind because clients are informed and expect support to back the direction. Technology is a validation station in many regards that supports top notch expertise, and serves as a guide for clients to ensure their position. Technology is not a replacement for the professional, but it is a big enchantment. However… Q. I feel a flip side coming on… EL: Right! More of a bonus side, really. Now that I covered the importance of the CRE practitioner's position to remain successful in a world filled with tech and data support, I should also note that CRE practitioners do have a voice to shape the technology. That means participating in usability testing and offering feedback so the tech is easy to use and lessens their pain points. Good technologists lead with their users' needs: the design is straightforward and there shouldn't be too many steps. It's all about simplifying. This way, CRE practitioners can grab the info needed to validate a deal's viability for a client, without investing too much time and effort. Based on my experience with many CRE practitioners, the biggest reason, besides cost, for avoiding tech is that it drains time and causes fatigue when trying to learn how to use technology. When an application is difficult to use, the CRE practitioner simply quits trying. Q. Any questions about RPR Commercial, specifically? EL: Someone asked about "wins" in relation to the RPR platform. I mentioned the book, Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug. It's a great read about human–computer interaction and web usability. The book's premise is that a good software program or website should let users accomplish their intended tasks as easily and directly as possible. Well, I'd say RPR's "W" is that after the redesign and relaunch of our website, 75%-plus of our users think RPR is easy to use, which is a badge of honor to Steve Krug's premise. Our recent refresh of the site stayed hyper-focused on existing strengths and features that were well received when they were discovered in testing. So our lesson learned when we studied commercial users in RPR was the realization that key features were being missed by commercial users because of their location or as a result of having too many steps. For example, when we better incorporated trade area data and mapping layers into the commercial member's journey, we started getting success stories back about winning more clients, and investors reaching out about other areas of the country because of the quick visuals. We even had feedback that EDCs (Economic Development Councils) were asking REALTORS® for economic area reports to aid in community business growth. And, of course, I never get tired of hearing, "RPR is my No. 1 go-to!" Great insight, Emily. Thanks for the feedback and your take on the C5 tech panel. If you haven't tapped into RPR Commercial lately, now's the time. A whole suite of easy-to-use tools and simple property searches will make you a fan, too. If you want to learn even more, try one of our free commercial webinars. Save your seat today! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Milestones Launches Homeownership Hub through InstaMortgage Loan Officers
In a joint press release today, Milestones and InstaMortgage announced that InstaMortgage will be the first mortgage company to launch Milestones Homeownership Hubs to consumers. Like real estate brokers and agents, loan officers are challenged to remain engaged with their clients after the closing. As outlined by Jim Black, Chief Lending Officer at InstaMortgage, Milestones is the first application of its type that serves the consumer thought the integrated support of the real estate agent, mortgage loan officer, and other real estate professionals. Great for Full-Service Brokerages WAV Group has been developing customer-for-life solutions for full service real estate brokerages for many years. Much of the work has been focused around getting systems to integrate so that the firm would know if a customer was a client of other business units. The case is often where the mortgage company does not know that the consumer is a client of the real estate company, insurance, or title. Stage two of these integrations is integrated communications. From the customer perspective, when they buy a home from a brokerage, use their in-house financing, insurance, and title/escrow services, they made the purchase from a one-stop shop. What customers do not understand is that RESPA regulations limit the firm's capacity to unify these services. The Milestones product uniquely resolves this issue and wraps homeownership hubs with the professionals that the consumer relies upon to help with homeownership. Most of all, Milestones provides a valuable service that maintains the connection between the real estate professionals and the customer for life. Homeowners Under Management We all know the data from the National Associaton of REALTORS® that indicates that 95% of consumers would use their agent in a future transaction. The same is likely true of loan officers; they provide good service and the relationship deepens during the transaction – but after the close, these professionals ghost their clients by hooking them up on autoresponders and drip campaigns. The new approach founded by Milestones is to think of clients as homeowners under management. Homeownership starts when the family moves in. There are hundreds of systems that need to be maintained and replaced. Taking care of a home improves its value, and the loan officer and real estate agent who collaborate on helping the homeowner by answering questions and recommending service professionals maintain an active relationship with the customer. Remember, the next transaction normally takes a decade to mature, but referrals from happy customers come regularly from clients when a relationship is maintained. Please see below for the full press release. InstaMortgage is First to Launch Milestones Homeownership Portals for Client Enrichment Launch Follows Series A Investment in Milestones AUSTIN, TX – Sept. 27, 2022 – Milestones (milestones.ai), the all-in-one homeowner portal making it easier for consumers to buy, move, sell, manage and access mortgage services for their home, is pleased to announce their partnership with InstaMortgage, a tech-driven mortgage lender licensed in 27 states. The launch follows a Series A investment made in Milestones, which closed earlier this year. InstaMortgage will help consumers understand the value of their property and all of the financial scenarios for refinancing and home equity borrowing. Milestones is the first technology firm to deliver a homeownership portal similar to consumer offerings in healthcare, personal finance, and education. Milestones monitors the value of your home, provides search for homes for sale, and manages the selling process and the mortgage process. Milestones client portals will be made available to consumers at no cost through InstaMortgage. "The one tool that I have always needed but never had available," says Jim Black, Chief Lending Officer of InstaMortgage. This is another lending solution from InstaMortgage that differentiates the company and provides a radically different mortgage experience for savvy consumers. This partnership is the first of its kind and further solidifies InstaMortgage's position as a technology-driven mortgage company with a specialty in first time home buyers, move up buyers, and trade-in mortgages. "More than ever, it is critical for mortgage companies to identify opportunities for engaging their existing and prospective customers in new, creative ways," says Black. Through Milestones, loan officers will be able to invite clients into web-based homeownership hubs to manage home maintenance, view home value, monitor home sales in their area, search for property, and even identify mortgage refinance, trade-in, or HELOC options. The most significant benefit to consumers is having the support of their loan officer in managing the financial position of homeownership between transactions. "Most loan officers disappear when the ink is dry on the loan," says Dustin Gray, Milestones Founder and CEO. "Having the loan officer available to answer financial questions throughout the homeownership life cycle is critical to driving repeat client business, and providing tools that support recruiting and retaining great loan officers." This video features InstaMortgage Chief Lending Officer Jim Black discussing Milestones: This video features an introduction to Milestones by CEO, Dustin Gray: About Milestones Milestones is a customer-for-life experience platform for buying, selling, and managing home ownership – provided to consumers by professionals in real estate, mortgage, insurance, and title. The integrated and open platform creates private personalized client portals where agents can stay connected, educate, and create value at every stage of the homeowner journey. Learn more at Milestones.ai. About InstaMortgage InstaMortgage aims to provide a radically different mortgage experience to its clients across 27 states. By combining their superior technology with expert advice, excellent customer service, and competitive rates they deliver mortgage options that are tailored to each client's unique financial situation. The company has been named to the Inc 500 list of fastest-growing private companies in America and recognized by multiple industry publications as one of the best places to work. InstaMortgage Inc, NMLS 1035734 For more information, please visit InstaMorgage.com. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

4 Ways Transaction Management Software Can Help Your Agents Improve the Customer Experience
Your brokerage's next big closing -- a $4 million home sale -- is just a week away. The listing agent walks into your office to let you know they just got a call from the seller. Apparently, the seller forgot to tell your agent they will be on vacation next week -- in Aruba. Is this a time to panic? Not if your agents use transaction management software like Form Simplicity from the Florida Realtors. Because your agent uses the transaction management software you provide, she doesn't miss a beat and tells their $4 million client that they can sign remotely. So everyone wins: the seller, their agent, and you, the broker-owner. Serving the customer One thing that the pandemic taught real estate professionals is the value of being able to work effectively with clients remotely. Core to any brokerage's digital ecosystem today is transaction management software. Clients are often stressed out and worried about what is typically the biggest transaction of their lives. Using transaction management software in many ways can reduce or eliminate worry and stress. Four major benefits provided by transaction management software helps your agents deliver an exceptional customer experience to their clients by offering convenience, speed, accessibility, and transparency. 1. Convenience: Does any agent want to hop in their car and drive across town in terrible traffic to get a missing client signature on a document? Or worse, does any agent wish to contact their client to return to the office because of a missing signature? Inconvenience is eliminated when your brokerage uses transaction management software with built-in e-signing. For example, missing signatures and initials are prevented from being overlooked during the original client signing. In addition, today's smart forms inside transaction management software like Form Simplicity won't let you miss a signature or skip a page that requires an initial. These are just a couple of the dozens of ways transaction management software can improve the customer experience through convivence. 2. Speed: Sometimes, a home sale needs speed. Getting documents pulled together quickly, signed, and finalized, in some cases, can be accomplished in a matter of days. With all-cash property purchases commonplace and near an all-time high, the ability to close a deal quickly also has become routine. As a result, your agents can improve the customer experience using transaction management software because it delivers speed. Auto-populated forms mean super-fast document creation as your agent enters a set of data once. For example, they enter the property address and never have to re-enter it. Instead, the multiple places in the documents that require the address are automatically filled in. When clients come to sign, they can breeze through the document, as it will show them exactly where to place their digital signature – which only takes a click. Creating a complete set of contract documents and disclosures can be done faster than ever – all at the touch of a keyboard and the click of a mouse. Clients hate to wait and bringing speed to the transaction is a huge plus. Instantly exporting documents in PDF format and email clients directly makes the transaction that much faster. As a result, it reduces or eliminates wait time, making clients happier. 3. Accessibility: No one really works 24/7/365 – except for your brokerage technology. One of the best benefits of transaction management software for clients is if there is an internet connection, it is always available, anywhere, any time of day or night. Your admin might take a holiday, but your transaction management software won't. Giving clients the ability to access their documents, and review them on their schedules, especially for couples with kids whose schedules do not always match, makes agents look like superheroes – or at least super professional. 4. Transparency: Historically, because of the local nuisances, the acronym-filled language and all the steps involved in selling a home have remained a mystery for most buyers and sellers. But that's changing. The internet gives clients access to more information than ever about buying and selling homes, both good and bad (because no one edits the internet). But this behavior – a desire to become a more intelligent consumer – is rewarded with transaction management software. It elevates the customer experience. Transaction management software allows clients to see all the steps and activity that goes into purchasing or selling a home. This insight adds a new dimension of transparency and helps demystify the process. More importantly, clients see first-hand the value their agent brings to the process when they gain a deeper understanding of all the activity that occurs behind the scenes. Transaction management software pulls back the curtain to improve the customer experience by showing them what's happening. While it may be challenging for some veteran real estate agents to switch from paper to paperless, sharing the benefits of going digital is crucial. Today, there may be no more significant benefit than improving the customer journey. Transaction management software, like Form Simplicity, is designed to help do just that Learn more about the benefits of transaction management software at formsimplicity.com. Tricia Stamper is Director of Technology at Florida Realtors®, which owns and operates Tech Helpline and Form Simplicity.

The Top 5 Benefits of Hyper Local Real Estate Listings
One of the most important roles you and your agents play in each real estate transaction you facilitate is being a trusted expert. Clients expect you to be an expert--not just in the real estate industry, but also your local market and area. They're relying on you to help locate properties that check all their boxes: budget, neighborhood, amenities, lifestyle, and more. There are many ways for your team to demonstrate your local expertise: stellar showings, well-written listing descriptions, customized neighborhood pages on your website, and blog posts featuring local businesses and events. The sky is the limit! But even then, there are still questions you might not be able to answer. How walkable is one neighborhood compared to another? How do schools rank against each other? How does it really "feel" to live not just in a particular neighborhood, but on a particular block? To help your team answer these questions, Constellation1 recently partnered with Local Logic to provide location intelligence tools to our websites customers, allowing them to take what it means to make listings local to the next level and wow homebuyers. What is location intelligence in real estate? Location intelligence is the practice of analyzing geospatial data to uncover insights about a particular place. The technology is used extensively in urban planning, healthcare, higher education, transportation, and real estate, and real estate professionals can use it to add an extra layer of depth and analysis to their listings. How far away are the nearest grocery stores and veterinarians, down to the foot? What are local schools like? How does the place "feel" when you're there? Location intelligence can tell you! Here's how adding location intelligence insights to your listings can help your brokerage or MLS: Improve search engine optimization Constellation1's websites and MLS portals are already search engine optimized to drive visitor traffic, thanks in large part to strategically coded pages featuring information about local neighborhoods, school districts, demographics, and more. Providing location intelligence data further improves SEO by teaching search engines like Google that your listings and content are even more relevant for people searching in your area. Bring in more leads Better SEO means more website traffic and more conversions through saved property searches, newsletter signups, and form submissions. The real estate industry has a challenging road over the next 12 months and beyond, so attracting and converting every lead you can will be all the more important for you and your team. Provide a better search experience When looking for a home, potential homebuyers have a lot of questions. Some of them can't be answered simply by driving around the neighborhood. Location insights that are easy to understand and tailored to the exact location where home seekers are searching means they can find the answers to their questions and listings they're crazy about, not just lukewarm. Sell properties faster The faster a client finds their dream home, the shorter listings are on the market. That translates into faster closes and a steadier stream of commission income. Keep agents and consumers happy Agents want tools that make their jobs easier: more leads, smoother sales, fast closes, and happy clients. Clients want to know they're in good hands, and that starts from the moment they click their first listing. Customer-focused information and superior listing searches backed by the best data in the industry help build trust and loyalty in your team and let clients know you take serving them seriously. Get location intelligence for your websites Ensure your listings stand out from the competition with the most powerful location intelligence tools available today. Current Constellation1 customers can talk to their account representatives. Not a Constellation1 Websites customer yet? Request a callback from our front office team and learn about all the ways our unique broker, agent, and MLS websites will take your business to the next level. To view the original article, visit the Constellation1 blog.

Realtor.com Finds Their Publishing Power
When the operator of realtor.com (Move, Inc.) was acquired by global publishing giant News Corp, there was optimism that the licensee of the REALTOR brand would move closer to Zillow Group in engaging willing consumers who are shopping for property. News Corp is among the top publishers in generating clicks from banner advertising, and housing is one of the top economic segments of the publishing industry. Consumers read an article about the housing market and click through to realtor.com to view properties. Today, most brokerage firms and agents report more lead generation from Zillow Group, but higher quality lead generation from realtor.com. By higher quality, we are referring to consumers who are more likely to buy or sell in the short term. This is a wide generalization of opinion, but it is the industry view. For years, leading portals have followed Redfin's lead at publishing housing insights based upon data—headlines like, "The 10 Most Affordable College Towns for Homebuyers in 2022." Recently, I received (for the first time, I believe) a newsletter from realtor.com called "Our Weekly Best." It is packed full of articles that engage consumers. Brokers Can Follow the Template If you want to compete as a brokerage, you can borrow the playbook of realtor.com to create articles that leverage your local expertise and deliver the most interesting article content for consumers in your area. America's Hottest Real Estate Markets Can Help Homebuyers Save Six Figures – Change this article to {County name or state name} Hottest Real Estate Markets Can Help Homebuyers Save Six Figures The Housing Market Just Took a Miraculous Turn – Change to The Housing Market in {county name or state name} Just Took a Miraculous Turn The 10 Most Affordable College Towns in the US − Change to The 10 Most Affordable Grammar School Areas in {county name or state name} And so on and so forth... How to Develop Community Content Like most marketing done by brokers, you can choose to purchase content for your website and newsletter or crowd source it from your office managers and agents. Alternatively, you can do a blend by purchasing some and internally sourcing others. WAV Group Communications is happy to help you pull this communication strategy together. The trick here is to make sure that consumers are engaging with your content. That is the benefit of following the headlines of realtor.com. They have professional writers who are masters at writing headlines about topics that generate clicks. The problem they have is that they are addressing a national audience. If you localize the content, you will outperform the national site all the time. Consumers are far more interested in what is happening in their county than they are on the national perspective – especially when it impacts the value of their home. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

Keller Williams Releases Expanded Edition of 'Your First Home'
Keller Williams announced the release of an expanded second edition of Your First Home: The Proven Path to Homeownership, a book that serves as a consumer guide to the adventure of home buying. "This book is about buying your first home, and I sincerely want to encourage you to make that leap," said Gary Keller, best-selling author and co-founder and executive chairman, KW. "What's great about owning a home is that it can lay a solid foundation for your financial future while also setting the tone for your personal lifestyle." "This book's goal is to be your trusted guide and help you know what to expect," said Keller. Assembled from hundreds of interviews and in-depth research with real estate agents and consumers, Your First Home is an in-depth guide on the complete process of homeownership. The book was expanded to address new trends and tools to help consumers find, finance and buy a home. Your First Home helps readers: Navigate the real estate buying process, from home search to closing day. Secure a real estate agent to advocate for you. Find a lender you can trust. Secure the lowest interest rate and monthly payments. Identify a home that's right for you. Craft a winning offer. Negotiate with sellers. Settle into homeownership with style. "Real estate agents will tell you that helping first-time home buyers is one of the most satisfying aspects of their work," said Keller. "They know that becoming a homeowner is a huge milestone, and they feel honored to be involved." Your First Home is 280 pages and is available at KellerINK.com, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other online booksellers. The book also serves as a valuable tool that real estate entrepreneurs can leverage to build their business. A previous edition of Your First Home was published in 2008 and has sold more than 50,000 copies to date. The book was written by Keller and Jay Papasan, vice president of strategic content, KW. Keller and Papasan are the bestselling co-authors of The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results, The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, The Millionaire Real Estate Investor, and SHIFT: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times. "I love what I do and feel honored to be able to help people take ownership of their first home," said Keller. "So, good luck on your journey. I hope it's as smooth and enjoyable as it can be, and that you'll be thrilled when you get there—into your first home." For more information and to purchase Your First Home, visit KellerINK.com. Media interviews with Papasan are available.

The Flexible Working Dilemma: What Makes the Perfect Hybrid Model?
Since the easing of the lockdown, we have found ourselves in a new phase of the ever-evolving employment cycle: trying to readjust our office habits after working from home for nearly two years. Some companies have called their employees back to the office full-time; others fully adopted flexible working à la Silicon Valley and reimagined their business culture entirely. However, the majority of firms have gone with a hybrid model, allowing employees to work remotely some days of the week and come into the office on others. We have all heard arguments for and against working from home, and the truth is there is no one way of ensuring employee satisfaction and productivity in a modern workplace. All offices and corporate cultures have their own best practices, which reflect their individual needs and the company's ethos. As long as the needs of the business and clients are diverse, the work model can also be flexible, in order to accommodate ever-changing industries and the external factors that influence them. It is clear many employees enjoyed the greater flexibility that came with the pandemic, and this is an element of work that has been adopted as businesses sought to reintroduce office life and face-to-face contact. The hybrid model is a great way to optimize productivity, in addition to being flexible and forward thinking. As exciting as this is, we are failing to come up with a unified standard for what that hybrid working model will entail across our industries. According to Forbes, 70% of workers prefer remote working, whilst over 65% of workers want opportunities to spend face-to-face time with their colleagues. Business owners and management, therefore, face a conundrum, and many have gone the extra mile to ensure offices are better equipped to offer flexible working within their infrastructure. But how flexible can hybrid working really be? Do we all have the same understanding of what hybrid working means? What does it actually look like in practice? Recent studies show that employees and employers have no interest in going back to the office five days a week. Some companies, especially those in the tech sector, are proposing the reverse of most hybrid model working conditions, such as allowing employees to work from the office only a few weeks per year. It seems the most popular variation is going to the office for two or three days a week and working remotely on the others – which brings a new set of questions: do employees pick and choose which days they come into the office? Or, do we simply have set days when everybody comes in? If the days are pre-determined by the company then the workspace will become a more social environment, which would help employees enjoy the benefits of face-to-face interactions and brainstorming, not to forget morale and team building. It would also give staff an opportunity to book client meetings on those days, which is a vital cog in the global real estate industry, for example. Considering the office would be empty during the rest of the week, it would also cut operational costs. On the other hand, giving employees the responsibility to choose days most suitable to them could have a positive impact on promoting a healthy work-life balance. However, this could present obstacles with effective diary management, as employee schedules would be independent to their colleagues, therefore limiting collaboration time. There are endless options when it comes to the hybrid model, and the truth is a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work. Giant corporations and start-ups have different staff requirements – tech and creative businesses might prefer full flexibility, as much of the work is desk-based while architects may need more time in the office to work on drawings and design plans. If we did all switch to remote working entirely, we could see offices close down across the globe and town centers become ghost towns. There can be structure within hybrid work, as long as we see this shift as an opportunity. The property industry has always been considered more traditional than others, as it requires in-person interactions, and most buyers would prefer to see properties before making a decision. However, the great benefits of technology during the pandemic illustrated a hybrid approach on VR viewings and virtual meetings as well. Companies can maximize the effects of hybrid working by committing to current technological advancements and set a new standard for themselves. Investing in team building, increasing the use of internal organizational tools such as Asana, Teams and Slack and doing research in order to create the best hybrid model for them. Setting rules and boundaries that align with the company culture and the demands of the employees can foster a highly positive work ecosystem. Let's be innovative, bold and explore the most efficient ways of building a new workforce culture. This article by Chris Dietz, LeadingRE President, Global Operations, was originally published by PropertyWeek.

Zillow Adds New Feature to Their Brokerage Website
Even after making the conversion from a third party portal to a brokerage website, Zillow continues to innovate on features that the consumer enjoys. In a recent press release, Zillow announced that consumers will be able to remove listings from their search results that they are not interested in. If you have searched for property recently, you know that getting email notifications on listings that you are not interested in is spammy. Of course, this feature is only available to registered users on the website. This creates another lead generation opportunity for Zillow that will allow them to generate more consumer engagement and boost referral revenue. As a broker, you may want to take a look at this feature and have a discussion with your website developer about including this popular search filter for your clients. Here is the entire press release: A top-requested new Zillow feature lets shoppers hide homes they've ruled out SEATTLE, Sept. 6, 2022 -- Zillow® today announced a new search feature that lets shoppers hide homes they're not interested in, thereby decluttering their screens and saving them time and energy as they search for their dream home. Simply press the "hide home" icon and the listing won’t appear in future search results. Though starting to increase at a moderate rate, the number of homes for sale in the United States is still near record lows, which means finding the perfect house can take some time. Buyers recently surveyed by Zillow say it takes between two and three months to find a home. "Home shopping can be stressful and time-consuming, and this new feature helps buyers reduce the noise and distraction so they can focus on the homes that inspire them," said Jenny Arden, Zillow's chief design officer. "This upgrade was one of the most requested features by our customers, and it gives them a great way to remove the homes from their search results that fit their filter criteria but don't necessarily match their needs or tastes." How it works Now available on the Zillow app, the "hide homes" tool makes the shopping experience faster, simpler and easier by allowing users to press a button on the home listing page that prevents the home from showing up in future search results. Users can also bring back a property if they change their mind. This tool was designed to cut down on search time and will soon improve overall personalization for home shoppers. Eventually, when someone hides a property, it will automatically be removed for that user on all touch points, including home recommendation alerts and emails. "Clicking on homes they've previously viewed but decided against and may have forgotten about during the long search process makes the house hunt process longer and more frustrating," Arden said. "This tool allows our millions of Zillow surfers the ability to 'X out' homes that they know they are not interested in touring or purchasing." The "hide homes" tool is another of a host of newly developed features and tools on the app and website, which also include multi-location search and Homes to Compare, to help shoppers move faster and more confidently during their search and zero in on homes that fit their needs. About Zillow Group Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make it easier to unlock life's next chapter. As the most visited real estate website in the United States, Zillow® and its affiliates offer customers an on-demand experience for selling, buying, renting or financing with transparency and ease. Zillow Group's affiliates and subsidiaries include Zillow®, Zillow Offers®, Zillow Premier Agent®, Zillow Home Loans™, Zillow Closing Services™, Zillow Homes, Inc., Trulia®, Out East®, ShowingTime®, Bridge Interactive®, dotloop®, StreetEasy® and HotPads®. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org).

California Legislature Approved 4 New Bills to Support Building Millions of Units of Affordable Housing in Commercial Corridors
California, like many states, suffers from a lack of affordable housing. According to the California Department of Finance, the median price of a single-family home in May 2022 in California was $898,980, up a significant 1.6% over the previous month and an increase of nearly 10% over the same time last year. AB 2097 amounts to a statewide boost to residential and commercial development near public transit. The bill prohibits local municipalities from imposing any minimum car parking requirements for projects located within a half mile of metro, bus, or other transportation centers. AB 2221 incentivizes ADU (Accessible Dwelling Unit) construction by clarifying rules around "granny flats." Under existing law, developers are allowed to add the units only to existing multifamily buildings. AB 2221 extends that allowance to proposed projects. It also clarifies local agencies' timelines for approving ADU projects, raises certain height limits, and other changes. Smartly, California is turning to the sometimes underutilized commercial space to convert it into residential living space. The bills are incentivizing affordable housing construction in areas not traditionally thought of as residential living spaces. To qualify, 100% of affordable projects must be located in areas currently primarily used for office, retail and parking, and mixed-income projects must be located in "commercial corridors" – local roads typically used for strip malls and parking lots. With the move to more remote workforces post-Covid, more spaces like this have opened up, providing the potential for more residential inventory. AB 2011 and SB 6 are companion bills that incentivize affordable housing construction in commercial areas. Under the AB 2011 bill, a developer can build housing "by right" — which means skipping lengthy and costly local review processes, including the cumbersome California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA — as long as they pay workers union-level wages and offer health care benefits, among other requirements. The legislation is intended to "expand the potential sites where housing can be developed, while directing development away from existing residential neighborhoods — in particular, existing single-family neighborhoods," according to a bill analysis. These four bills come on the back of California's SB 9 bill, signed on January 1, which permits development of up to four residential units on single-family lots across California. Proponents believe it will allow homeowners to ease the state's housing shortage and protect renters from ever-increasing rents in more expensive areas. They say it creates a path for homeowners to establish multi-generational equity, while creating new housing locations for residents normally priced out of the market. Many cities across California, however, are suing over SB 9, stating that it strips zoning authority from local municipalities where it has traditionally been placed. According to California state housing analysts, California must build 2.5 million homes by 2030 to address the current housing shortage. Of those, nearly half – or at least 1 million, authorities say, need to be affordable to low-income households to maintain the state's economy. Opponents to the bill say while the intent is to reduce a significant housing shortfall, it does not provide funding to address the traffic, health, school, safety, or infrastructure needed when additional housing density is delivered. Opponents also believe SB 9 will raise home and land values in urban areas, making it harder for first-time homebuyers. Most importantly, the SB 9 bill does not require the newly created homes or lots to have any affordability covenants, or to be restricted to moderate- or lower-income households, therefore not accomplishing the most important goal of the legislation. The bills are currently in the hands of Governor Gavin Newsom for signature. Programs similar to these bills are also in place in New York. In his 2022 budget, former Governor Andrew Cuomo included measures for adaptive reuse of commercial and hotel properties to create permanent affordable housing. Proposed measures would relax light and air requirements for Class B and C commercial spaces in Midtown (defined here as the area between Ninth and Park avenues from 14th to 60th streets), and for hotels through most of the city, for conversion to either supportive housing or at least 20% affordable housing over the coming five years. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

How Blogging Can Help Real Estate Professionals Grow and Excel
Real estate is competitive, so brokerages and agents need to seize every possible opportunity to stand out. Given that nine in 10 home buyers begin their search on the internet, online presence is key. A cornerstone of successful digital marketing building expertise online is content. There's a lot riding on content, so it's important to have a strategy that works (and that you can stick to). What is content? Why should real estate brokers care? "Content" means any written, visual, or audio resources you create to appeal to your ideal customer online. This could be blog posts, videos, pictures, infographics, social media posts, and even podcasts. Once they're out in the world, these resources are an inbound marketing goldmine, providing answers to your prospects' questions and bringing them to your website, where you can turn them into leads. In this post, we're going to focus on the importance of blogs for real estate agents. What can real estate agents gain from creating engaging blogs? It's difficult to emphasize just how valuable blogs can be. Some of the many business benefits from maintaining a good blog include improving your search engine optimization (SEO), establishing expertise and trust in your market, and enhancing organic lead generation. Let's explore these benefits in greater detail. Content is king. Posting regularly helps send your website rankings soaring. Content is a crucial component of higher SEO rankings. Why? Content fills your site with the keywords your prospects are searching for, like "Homes for sale in [insert where you live]." Once you start ranking for your target keywords, when people search for them, your site will appear on the first page, driving organic traffic. Another important element of SEO is external linking, which is when another site provides a link to your website. For this to happen, you need a sufficient library of relevant, accurate, valuable content that other sources want to cite (think local and regional news outlets, lifestyle bloggers in your city, industry publications, online newsletters, and more). Thoughtful blog posts help homebuyers believe and trust you as their potential agent When you provide answers to your audience's questions, you're doing two things: Cultivating your authority as an experienced real estate professional Building trust This applies to two different audiences, too: Potential customers, who see you're a good partner for their transaction Search engines, which are trying to send searches to the most useful resources. As search engines start to trust your content, more prospects will see it, and your reputation as an expert in your market will grow. Real estate posts help generate vital leads and boost conversions Leads are the backbone of your brokerage, and converting leads to customers is how you keep your business thriving. Blogs give you ample opportunity to generate more leads, then convert them using strategic calls to action to guide your audience towards a property search, home valuation, digital download, or contact form. According to HubSpot, consistent, high-quality, engaging content impacts audience decision-making more than any other technique. Quality blog posts can ultimately have a big impact on whether consumers decide to list with, or buy from, you and your team. Create more original content on your blog with a new automated posting feature One challenge of writing a high-quality blog is finding the time: you not only need to write the post, you need to source high-quality, properly licensed images, promote the post on social media, engage with comments about the post, and then do it all over again. Consistency is key, but that doesn't always fit into agents' busy schedules. Thanks to a brand new Constellation1 Website and Digital Marketing Suite integration, we leverage the information you've input into the MLS, including photos, property details, and property descriptions, to automatically post engaging property listing and closing posts to your website's blog. We'll also post weekly real estate news, information, and advice to keep your audience informed and engaged, so you can experience the benefits we've talked about above. Your team can complement your blog with original posts any time, then promote them on all your social channels if you so choose. Many of our customers have reaped the benefits of automated social media marketing. Now they can add automated blog posts to the mix, and so can you! To view the original article, visit the Constellation1 blog.

NAR Announces New REALTOR Benefits Partnership with Arcadia Publishing
The National Association of Realtors announced Arcadia Publishing as a new partner under NAR's REALTOR Benefits program. Under this agreement, brokers can receive a free, fully branded brokerage promotional publication. "Many of our members run progressive and dynamic businesses, and they strive for their marketing collateral to match their experience and expertise," said Rhonny Barragan, NAR vice president of strategic alliances. "We're excited to announce this partnership with Arcadia Publishing to bring free access to high-quality publications to our broker members and their agents." Arcadia Publishing will work with interested brokerages to create a fully branded "Guide to Buying and Selling Your Home." The guide includes custom information about the brokerage and features best practices on the home buying and selling process, such as advice on financing, moving, home staging and more. Arcadia Publishing manages all aspects of the publication process, including design, printing and delivery. This is done at no cost to NAR members through the inclusion of specific, industry-supported advertising. "The final product is a beautifully designed best practice guide to help consumers achieve their goal of buying or selling a property," said Ray Ingleby, CEO of Arcadia Publishing. "Although digital marketing has revolutionized the media world, we recognize that many Realtors® want to complement their digital initiatives by providing their clients with impressive, quality printed materials." To claim this benefit, NAR members can visit this page and use the promo code NARAP1 when filling out the form.

Is the Organic Lead Machine at Your Brokerage Broken? Fix It with These 4 Simple Tips
In a high interest-rate environment like ours, listings are harder and harder to come by. Brokers and agents can't afford to let leads slip through the cracks. And yet, the organic lead machines at many brokerages are broken, or at the very least, not working as well as they could be. Is your lead generation machine broken? Take this short quiz to find out. Ask yourself the following: Is the number of visits to your website trending down? Are you converting less than 1% of your visitors to leads? Are leads left unactioned once you convert them? Do actioned leads go cold quickly? Did you answer "yes" to any one of these questions? Guess what, it's time to repair your lead machine. A few simple improvements can help you rev back up and keep your funnel full, no matter what the market is doing. Read on to learn how to solve each of these problems. SEO: The Solution to Declining Website Visitors When you check the number of unique site visitors (known as users in the free Google Analytics tool), how does the number trend over time? There will be natural fluctuations in your web traffic, and boosts when you publish new content or go on a marketing blitz. But if your traffic is generally stagnant—or worse, declining—it could be a sign that your site needs some search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is a complex topic, but when it comes to real estate SEO, we've got you covered. You can learn more about the ins and outs of real state website SEO on our dedicated page, read our Ultimate Guide to Real Estate SEO for 2022, or learn three actionable tips to start ranking higher right now. Many brokers don't have the time or expertise to track key metrics like unique visitors, bounce rate, site traffic trends, and more. In fact, most brokerages are guilty of what Craig Rowe, Real Estate Technology Columnist, calls SEO negligence, ignoring SEO and its importance for generating leads. If you fall into this category, working with the right partner can take SEO off your plate and give you time to focus on where you shine—selling real estate. Low Conversion Rate? Tweak Your Website Design If your traffic is good, but your conversion rate is stubbornly low, there may be an issue with your website design. A widely cited statistic attributed to NAR® states that the true conversion rate for online real estate leads is between 0.4% and 1.2%. That means for every 1,000 people who sign up for your newsletter, create an account and save a property search, download your buyer's guide, or subscribe to your blog, only 4 to 12 of them will result in a closing. Remember, buyers and sellers are landing on your page for one reason: they're interested in real estate in your area. If you're letting your expertise shine and providing the right path to conversion, the leads will come. If the path is broken or isn't there, leads will lose their way. Here are three website design elements you can work on to boost conversion by providing trigger points consumers can engage with: Jazz up your homepage and provide a freebie Your homepage is what makes the biggest impression on visitors—it's the first thing they see! Make sure it wows them with a beautiful image, consistent branding, and a clear "path" to the action you want them to take: clicking a listing, searching for property, visiting your blog, etc. You can offer a free home valuation, CMA, or newsletter as a conversion incentive. Most consumers will be willing to part with their information in exchange for such valuable resources. Learn about the five most common problems with real estate websites and how to fix them. Improve your contact page and make sure it works Craig Rowe tells a story where he was trying to contact a large number of agents in a short period. More than half the time, their Contact Me pages were either difficult to find, didn't work, or didn't seem to capture his information. There was no phone number listed or other ways to contact the agent. If a journalist can't get in touch with an agent, how would a consumer be expected to? Your site needs multiple ways for visitors to contact you, whether it's a form visitors fill in, a chatbot, a call button, or various other options. Brighten up your blog and add calls to action Blogs are a huge asset to your website. They help with SEO and are a huge conversion opportunity through calls-to-action (or CTAs). By including CTAs, you encourage visitors to provide their information by offering a newsletter, a market report or CMA, or even an eBook about real estate in your area in exchange. Get creative! Unactioned Leads: Improve and Automate Your Lead Routing You're getting leads through your website. Phew! The inbound arm of your lead machine is working. What about the next piece of the puzzle? Do you know how many of those leads never get a follow-up? Can you identify where the breakdown is in the chain of communication? You can obviously route leads by hand—lots of teams do. But when you are already busy, and time is of the essence (responding within 5 minutes dramatically boosts conversion), smart automation and customized routing with a powerful real estate CRM could be the ticket to helping you track your leads, action them faster, and keep any from slipping through the cracks. Keep Leads Warm with Targeted Nurture Campaigns Not all leads are ready to make a move right away. By some estimates, online real estate leads may need to incubate for anywhere from 6 to 24 months. Two years is a long time to be sitting on a lead, but those are seeds you'd do well to plant now. What are you doing in the meantime? Keeping your leads warm requires regular contact points. These can come in many forms, like a newsletter, recommended properties emails, social media posts, drip campaigns, and more. The idea is to keep you top of mind while providing information that's relevant to wherever your lead is in your sales funnel. Do they need preapproval? Do they need to adjust their property or neighborhood expectations? Do they need to make repairs or curb appeal improvements before they list? If you're the first person they think of when they are ready to act, you'll have another successful conversion under your belt! With the right tools, these lead nurture steps can be automated, too. Watch the Leads Pour in After Making These Simple, But Powerful Fixes If you don't know what's wrong with your lead machine, you won't be able to fix it. Find out where your problems lie (e.g., traffic, conversion, follow-up), identify your gaps, then find the right solution to fill them. Constellation1 helps brokerages look at all these elements together, aggregate our findings, identify gaps, and tailor solutions to brokerages' needs. To view the original article, visit the Constellation1 blog.

RPR Commercial: A Simple and Solid way to Search for Properties
In two recent RPR (Realtors Property Resource) Q&A articles with commercial practitioners, we noticed a theme: simplicity. Here's what Dave Ferro and Stephen J B Davis had to say about NAR's commercial property data platform: RPR really simplifies my search. I go to RPR Commercial to save time and simplify. – Dave Ferro, REALTOR®, Watson Realty Corp. REALTORS®, Gainesville, Florida I use RPR because it's really simple for getting solid info on a particular area. It's just so easy to get super specific data! Right down to the zip code and neighborhood level. – Stephen J B Davis, REALTOR®, SJBD Land and Homes at Keller Williams Bluegrass Successful commercial agents like Dave and Stephen know that RPR Commercial is a one-stop-shop for listings and research. In fact, RPR makes it possible for users to see on-market and off-market properties in one place—no matter which listing partner they use. Strategic listing and data partnerships RPR has worked diligently to bring everything a commercial practitioner needs to one central spot. Streamlining workflows, giving easy access to data and providing useful commercial tools in one hub can certainly work to your advantage and make you more efficient and productive. And having big league data partners goes a long way in making all of the above happen. RPR's partnerships with Biproxi, Brevitas, Crexi, Land Broker MLS, Officespace.com and TotalCommercial.com, to name a few, let you search more than 864K+ active commercial listings. For prospecting, RPR offers 56 million off-market properties around the country, which includes owner info for easy contact opportunities. Plus, strategic data and software integrations with Valuate® for calculating the return on investment, and Esri for rich economic and demographic statistics. Here's how to get started with your simplified search tool… RPR: your simplified commercial search tool First, visit RPR at www.narrpr.com and set the toggle to "Commercial" and begin your property search by entering a specific address, APN, or listing ID in the location field to go directly to the property. If you're searching by multiple APNs or Listing IDs at one time, use a semicolon to separate each. In this case, you'll be taken to search results displaying each property. You may also find that using the Commercial Map Insights found by selecting "Research" from the main navigation is a good way to look for land. Search areas vs. specific addresses You can also search for properties in a general area. To do that, you'll need to make sure that you have the correct "Filters" set. RPR will remember your last filter setting, but it's a good idea to make sure they're still set properly before beginning your search. You can also quickly remove previously set Filters by selecting the More Filters icon (you'll see it in the upper right navigation menu) and then the Reset button. Next, enter a neighborhood, ZIP code, city or other defined geography into the location field. As you type, RPR will auto suggest results, based on the location nearest to you. If you select the name of the auto suggest, your search will automatically be executed. Funnel down your commercial search If you started searching without any filters, or have too many results, you can now narrow down your results by selecting the type / status for your search. For example, drill down by selecting properties that are For Sale or For Lease or Active Under Contract. You can even choose Off Market Public Records. Each status has a corresponding calendar that can be used to set the date parameters that will restrict your search to that exact time period. One helpful tip as you are learning how agents in your market prefer to list properties, is to keep the "Commercial" property checked as this is a catchall property type and can house a mixture of properties that you may be interested in. Select your Price or Lease Price and enter the building or leasable square footage parameters and/or enter the lot size. Note that RPR features a mobile responsive design. This means that the layout will adjust based on screen size. For smaller screens, some search options are moved to the "Filters" area. Select the filters icon to expand the advanced search. You'll immediately see the count of properties matching your criteria. This is a helpful reference that will allow you to better pinpoint the specific properties you're looking for. Pro Tip: RPR has a max number of properties that you can search. Once your search area exceeds 5000 properties, RPR will show a message requesting that you adjust your search filters to narrow down your results. Advanced search filters include distressed actions, land use, and miscellaneous fields such as occupancy type, owner name, year built, time owned, and keyword search. Search Results: List View Now that we've gone over the basics of searching, let's move on to property search results. Choose List View to arrive at your results (the first set of icons in the upper right). To continue narrowing down your results, select the Filters icon and adjust the parameters of your search. You can also sort your results by clicking the Sort By dropdown or one of the column headers. From the List View, you can also save properties by clicking the heart icon (all the way to the right of the column). The property is automatically named after the street address, but you can type a new name if desired. Then select Save and the property will be added to your saved properties. Your Saved properties are listed on the homepage, or you can access them from the top navigation by choosing My Work and My Saved Properties. Printable View If you're looking for a printable view of the search results, select the properties you want by using the corresponding checkboxes and then selecting Print. A window will open allowing you to print Only Selected Properties or All Results. Note: selecting All Results will print the properties currently showing on your screen. If you have a large number of properties to print, make sure to scroll to the bottom of the screen to view all your results. From this results list, you can also create mailing labels or similar data to export into a CSV file, which is great for importing building and owner details into your customer relationship management system. Do that by selecting Mailing Labels from your results and then walking through the onscreen prompts. You can also go straight to creating a report by selecting Create Report. Photo and Map View There are also other options for viewing your results. You can change to a Photo Grid View or to the Map view by selecting those icons (in the upper right). The Photo Grid View gives you a way to view larger photos of the property. And the Map View allows you to further define your areas by drawing them on the map, or by displaying the outlines of geographies such as neighborhoods, ZIP codes, Opportunity Zones and more. (We cover that in more detail in this Commercial Maps article.) And finally, once you've found a property that you want to review further, select it to view the full property details. RPR Commercial: Keep it simple and solid It's no wonder commercial agents are talking about how easy RPR is to use and how the tools and property reports make them look so smart to their clients. The insight you gain from RPR Commercial isn't just a hunch; it's tried, true, hard data that can help you deliver recommendations that get results and ROI. Visit narrpr.com today to learn more. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

RE/MAX Broker Owner Conference Provides Franchisees with Resources to Help Grow Their Businesses Amid a Changing Market
Over 1,100 RE/MAX leaders and guests gathered at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, TN this week for the global real estate franchisor's 2022 RE/MAX Broker Owner Conference (BOC). The three-day event included many BOC staples -- Opening General Session, impactful speakers, networking opportunities, Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Auction, Approved Supplier Marketplace, and a full range of educational sessions focused on brokerage strategies, technology and the overwhelming value of a productive culture. RE/MAX President and CEO Nick Bailey began the Opening General Session by noting the rebalancing of the housing market and the opportunities a slower market creates for brokerages that are able to help agents close more sales in less frenzied conditions. Bailey pointed to the historic resilience of the RE/MAX network during slower economic times, and encouraged attendees to stay focused on supporting their agents with the best tools and resources. "The question for me is not whether people will buy and sell homes," he said. "The question is who are the agents who are going to be helping people buy and sell during this market? Times like these are when RE/MAX shines because of the level of productivity in our network." During the Opening General Session, Bailey also highlighted the new enterprise relationship with Inside Real Estate that will give affiliates in company-owned regions in the U.S. and Canada access to the kvCORE platform – branded "MAX/Tech powered by kvCORE" – at no additional cost. Bailey was joined on stage by Inside Real Estate CEO Joe Skousen and the two outlined why the relationship is such a good fit, with each business leader viewing success as a part of their companies' DNA. Citing another initiative aimed at helping entrepreneurs build their businesses through RE/MAX resources, Bailey recounted details of the recently announced Team Pilot Program. The pilot, designed to incentivize the growth of existing RE/MAX teams, strengthen retention, and – especially – help Broker/Owners recruit teams of six or more licensees, is available for eligible brokers who opt in within the states of California, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey and Texas. The session also featured a live conversation between Amy Lessinger, RE/MAX Senior Vice President, Region Development, and Steve Murray, industry expert and partner, RealTrends Consulting, on mergers, acquisitions and conversions. The climate is ripe for brokerages to use M&A as a growth strategy – and RE/MAX, LLC can help in such transactions, advised Lessinger. "We want to help RE/MAX brokers with their growth strategy, helping them grow exponentially rather than one agent at a time," said Lessinger. "RE/MAX has the strategy and team in place to help match business owners looking to exit or grow at a larger scale." Attendees also had the opportunity to hear from RE/MAX Chairman and Co-Founder Dave Liniger, who offered a fascinating look at how the network's past aligns with its present and future. Although RE/MAX has changed and evolved since its founding nearly 50 years ago, Liniger said, the roots of its success – service, professionalism, productivity – remain as evident and relevant as ever. Keynote speaker Vernice "Flygirl" Armour, America's first Black female combat pilot and celebrated author, discussed strategies for accomplishing goals, encouraging the audience to rev up their businesses and "get gutsy." Bailey ended his remarks thanking the RE/MAX network for their incredible productivity as well as Dave and RE/MAX Vice Chair of the Board and Co-Founder Gail Liniger for the lasting legacy they've built at RE/MAX. "We're a financially strong, profitable company and much of that can be credited to how Dave and Gail started this business." Nodding to the competitive nature of many RE/MAX agents, Bailey joked this company is built on the backs of agents fighting for the listing but lifting each other up along the way. The conference concluded on Tuesday with a notable address from Scott Hamilton, Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion figure skater. RE/MAX Broker/Owners will gather again next year for the 2023 BOC conference in Chicago, August 6-8.

KW Broker Utilizes RPR to Help His Agents Build Skills for the Market Shift
Our usual RPR Success Story Q&As focus on agents, both residential and commercial specialists. However, this time around we were introduced to Randy Vanderpool, a Supervising Broker for Keller Williams Realty Partners, out of Overland Park, Kansas. Randy manages three different market centers and over 1,100 agents in his role with Keller Williams, which is quite an accomplishment in its own right. Not to mention a sales volume over $4B and closing on over 10,000 transactions in 2021. But what drew us to his story is how many agents he manages that are using RPR (Realtors Property Resource) to enhance their business. Randy has 769 (and counting!) agents with RPR accounts, and their 90 day usage metric clocks in at a whopping 70%! With numbers like that, we knew Randy had an interesting story to tell… Q. Hi Randy, thanks for joining us. Your brokerage stats for agents using RPR are fantastic. I'm guessing you know why… We push and promote RPR to all of our agents because it's such a powerful resource. I firmly believe that RPR is the best tool that the NAR (National Association of REALTORS®) has ever given us! Q. We certainly like to hear that! What kind of promotions do you offer to help agents learn RPR? We continually offer classes and educational opportunities. In fact, one of my assistants is a Certified RPR Trainer, which really helps. I'm not one yet, but I teach enough RPR that I should become one soon! Where RPR comes up the most is during a class I teach on real estate market statistics. It's really important for agents of all experience levels to know their local market numbers, but it's especially crucial for newer ones. Think about all the new people who only know an appreciating market. As the market corrects and normalizes, which it's already doing, how will agents handle that? I believe it will soon be a skill based market for real estate agents. You have to know how to price it to get it sold. You have to know about inventory, absorption rates, and days on market, etc. Key market stats. No more put up a sign and take offers. You need skills! You need to be that local economist of choice in your area. And you need to know these things deeper than your competitors. And RPR is one of those main components that can help you do it. The simplicity of RPR makes it so easy. In 10 seconds, I can make a report for a buyer or seller, and the functionality and ease of use is incredible. Q. So you're saying that utilizing RPR housing market trends data is a great way to help agents prepare for the market shift? Absolutely! Our job as REALTORS® is to give clients the facts and information so they can make the decisions. And those facts have to be relevant to their situation and their market. Today's consumer needs that info and RPR provides it for no extra cost! Other resources can contribute too, but they simply don't have the depth and ease of use that RPR provides. I look at it like this: it's opinion versus fact. RPR data is fact. NAR data is fact. Today's consumer, they hear stuff in the news and they think it all applies to them. But 40% isn't here where I live! That's California, Idaho and Florida. Of course, we had appreciation, but not that high. We have to deliver local market data and explain what that data means. It's silly not to use these tools. And I'll repeat myself: skill based agents will be in demand soon due to the market shift. PRO TIP: Want to be like Randy and educate and motivate your agents to use RPR? Check out this article, especially for brokers, on how to do just that: Brokers: Get Your Agents in Front of the Market Shift With RPR Housing Data Q. Agreed. Do you have any memorable RPR "Wow" moment stories to share? I can think of two: as a favor, I represented one of my agents who was purchasing a home. She was being treated very poorly by the listing agent, a male, which I found infuriating. Once I stepped in, that nonsense stopped, but he still tried some different shenanigans. I asked about some of the improvements that had been made to the home, and he rattled off a list of them. After that I pulled up the home in RPR and checked out the historical data of the property. I easily saw that the improvements he mentioned had been made before the current owner even purchased the home. He was trying to pass off those improvements in the asking price! I promptly sent him the report with the historical data, and he quickly changed his tune. So that was interesting. Another was recently when I welcomed a new agent into one of my offices. He was only new to us, as he was a top producer in the area, doing over $58 million, which is quite a bit where we do business. I asked him what RPR reports he runs, and he had no idea about it! I showed him and explained to him how it works, and how it's available to all REALTORS®. He called me the next day and said he's been up all night playing with it and that he was really impressed! Q. Good "Wow" stories, Randy. Any final thoughts? The market shifting is a great reason to get up on RPR. You're going to need to know how to price a property when they're not flying off the shelf. If you're a broker, get your agents going in RPR. Broker: "Get your agents going in RPR" Good advice! Our goal is to help your brokerage and your agents succeed. If you're a broker/owner or team leader, check out the RPR Broker Tools, a collection of benefits that will enhance your branding efforts, agent productivity and bottom line profitability. Register for these free benefits now, plus get all the info you need to get your agents RPR accounts, and get them trained and productive in the platform. The RPR Broker Services team is here to answer all of your questions and get you going in RPR. We encourage you to contact us to learn all about the incredible value that RPR offers your brokerage. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

eXp Realty names Patrick O'Neill as Chief Operating Officer
eXp World Holdings, Inc. has appointed Patrick O'Neill as Chief Operating Officer, eXp Realty. O'Neill will work to enhance end-to-end agent experience, improve operational workflow, and scale eXp operations for new growth as the company continues to expand its global network of agents. O'Neill joins eXp Realty with more than 25 years of experience and a proven track record of building and optimizing high-growth technology businesses. Before joining eXp Realty, he was CTO for Xome, LLC, a subsidiary of the Mr. Cooper Group. Prior to Xome, Patrick was SVP, Product Management for Travel Leaders Group. Earlier in his career, O'Neill was appointed COO of Guestlogix, Inc., and he held several senior positions at Sabre, Inc. and Continental Airlines, Inc. "We are at a turning point in our company's history and are deepening our leadership bench to propel our next phase of growth in realty," said Jason Gesing, CEO of eXp Realty. "Patrick brings excellent experience in operations and technology, the perfect combination to help deliver on our ambitious goals to enhance our technology and agent value proposition." "We continue to build for the future by adding top leadership talent to our organization. Patrick will play an important role in building our strong foundation as a cloud-based real estate company," said Jeff Whiteside, CFO and Chief Collaboration Officer.

Brokers: Get Your Agents in Front of the Market Shift with RPR Housing Data
Sensational headlines about the changing real estate market are causing plenty of uncertainty among consumers. As a broker, you can directly help your agents prepare for the market shift and give them access to tools that can help them succeed. RPR (Realtors Property Resource®) has the perfect solution: new housing market charts and graphs. This collection of data, metrics and statistics is incredibly helpful in explaining local market trends. Your agents can easily share this data with clients and prospects to: Build confidence and clear up confusion by delivering local market data Walk clients and prospects through the key details of monthly inventory, above or below asking prices, days on market, median sold price and more Include in communications, presentations and social media to spark conversations Helpful resources to help your agents communicate the market shift Here are some ways you can help your agents learn about new RPR housing market charts and graphs: Watch this video to learn where the market charts are in RPR Provide this Printable Guide: "How's The Market?" for step-by-step, written instructions Review these articles from the RPR blog: RPR Unveils New Charts and Graphs Know Your Market and Your Numbers Shifting Real Estate Market: How to Create a Video That Clears up Confusion Broker-agent success is in your sights Right now, brokers can help their agents prepare for the market shift by showing their agents how to use RPR's new housing market charts and graphs to clear up confusion and deliver local market expertise. Consumers need this information now more than ever as the market shifts and evolves. Help your agents deliver current, up-to-date housing data to their sphere. Because when agents succeed, brokers succeed. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Reduce Buyer Frustration with Effective Financing Education and Preparation
Money may or may not buy happiness, but you for sure need it to buy a house. For most people that means getting a mortgage. Thirty-five percent of frustrated homebuyers in the WAV Group Homebuyer Frustration Report pointed to the mortgage process being a source of their frustration. One respondent in the study suggested, "There needs to be more workers in the mortgage field to make it run faster." Buyers just want a seamless experience from home search to the closing table. This is one of the reasons more brokerages have started offering ancillary services such as title and mortgage. Financing complications or delays are a constant struggle in any market, and when the market is moving fast and is super competitive, like it has been recently, it can get even more stressful. Here are some important points your team should add to their initial buyer education consultation. Review Their Credit Report Even if there is nothing incorrect or alarming to find on the report, it is quite likely that there is something on their report they could clarify or update which may get them a better score and possibly a better rate on the mortgage. So it is certainly worth the effort. Suggest they do this BEFORE trying to qualify for a mortgage. Get Organized Buyers will need to track down their tax returns, print out paystubs, and if they are self-employed, they will want their profit and loss statements for at least two years. There will likely be delays with the mortgage company processing documents. Do not add to that delay by not having the documents ready to submit and re-submit when requested. Get Pre-Approved Even before they find a house to make an offer on, buyers need to know how much they can afford. The pre-approval letter is an important step in the process, but it is not the end of the road. Buyers need to understand that there is still more work to be done once they find the house they want to buy. Put the Mortgage Company on Speed Dial Once a house is selected, there is an entirely different approval process before the mortgage will be ready to fund. Buyers should be prepared to stay in touch with the lender throughout the process, and the agent should be tracking the process as well. They should proactively check on the status of the mortgage consistently once the offer is made until it is ready to fund on closing day. Even the most prepared of buyers can sometimes get frustrated. As another respondent in the WAV Group Homebuyer Frustration Report said, they wish there were "Clearer financial requirements to close." As a neutral third-party, your agents can act as part counselor and part advisor for homebuyers trying to figure out the mortgage process. Sometimes they will just not understand what the mortgage company is asking for, or why they are asking for it. If your team can explain a term or help them get a document, that can help relieve some of the stress. Get all the insights and data from the WAV Group 2022 Homebuyer Frustration Report to see how you can set your next buyer up for a smoother home buying experience. Download now! To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

Our Top 10 Most-Read Articles of July
Our list of the top 10 most read articles of July really puts the "free" in "freedom" with two Friday Freebies making the list last month at #3 and #6. Meanwhile, our most read article last month explored the mystery of low inventory in a seller's market, while our #2 article offered networking ideas to introverted agents (they do exist!). What else were agents and brokers reading in July? Check out the list below to find out! 1. It's a Sellers Market. So Why Aren't More People Selling Their Home?‍If you're an agent, you've recently heard (and maybe said) this line: It's a seller's market. With housing inventory at a record low and home prices still rising, that conventional wisdom begs the question: If it's a seller's market, why aren't more people selling their homes? 2. The Introverted Real Estate Agent's Guide to NetworkingEverybody thinks that all real estate agents are outgoing, talkative, and lack inhibition (in a good way, of course). While that may be true about some of the population, real estate agents come from all walks of life. One demographic you might be surprised that exists in real estate are introverts—and you'd be surprised at how effective introverts can be at networking. 3. Friday Freebie: Guide to Hosting Open Houses That Get Better OffersThe housing market is cooling in many areas. The good news? It's still a seller's market. The better news? You can still coax multiple, competitive offers from everyday buyers—and it all starts with the open house. In this week's Friday Freebie, we'll show you how with a guide to hosting open houses that get better offers. 4. You're Losing Lead Conversions Because of These MistakesAgents often complain about lead quality, but in reality, they're the ones missing out on conversion opportunities because of simple mistakes. To help you overcome the myth of "trash" leads, gaining a better understanding of online leads—and how to best work them—can help you boost your conversion rates and supercharge your business. Let's review three of the biggest, and most common, mistakes that agents are making that cause them to lose lead conversions. 5. How to Convince FSBOs to Use an AgentThe FSBO. Yeah, you know this acronym inside and out--the challenge is how do you explain to the "for sale by owner" consumer that using a Realtor is more than paying a commission to sell their house? 6. Friday Freebie: Real Estate Call Scripts (That Actually Work)Calling real estate prospects is easy. Knowing what to say? That's a different beast. Take the guesswork out of connecting with leads with this week's Friday Freebie. We're highlighting a guide full of real estate call scripts that tell you exactly what to say—and that offers best practices to increase your chances of having a positive call that converts. 7. How to Answer the Top 3 Questions Clients Have About eSigningOver the last five years, the number of real agents who rarely or never use esignatures dropped in half. Today, more than three out of four agents use esignatures frequently. The question to ask now is: Are all your clients comfortable with esigning? Here are three questions often asked by those who are resistant to signing on the dotted line – without a pen in hand – and how to answer these questions. 8. How the Real Estate Transaction's Weak Link Became Its StrengthFor years, real estate professionals have been able to manage transactions digitally, from start to close, with one exception: the transfer of earnest money. That's not just inconvenient—it's less secure, too, and exposes your clients to the risk of fraud and identity theft. Learn how digital earnest money solutions work, and how they improve the transaction experience for agents, brokerages, and their clients. 9. Future Proof Your Business by Knowing Your Market and Your NumbersAs a Realtor, you need to be informed of any market changes so you can deliver local market expertise that highlights the opportunities of today's real estate market. One way to do that is to keep a constant tab on your market, and the corresponding statistics and data. And RPR provides that knowledge in big, heaping spoonfuls. See how RPR can help you stay up to date and in the know. 10. NFTs in Real Estate: Temporary phase or an enduring fixture?‍Are the crypto world and NFTs sunsetting? Or is what's happening simply a reset shaking out the con artists, scams, and the hyperbole that had run amok? If you ask Joe Jesuele, he will tell you it's the latter. And Joe knows crypto and NFTs.

Success Is a Decision
We have plenty of fog and noise in the housing and mortgage markets. Over the past two weeks, I have consumed research from John Burns Real Estate Consulting, Zelman & Associates and MBS Highway. One perspective repeated by Barry Habib of MBA Highway is "success is a decision." So true! We have the choice to wrap ourselves in the fog and noise in the housing markets, inflation and possible recession, or we can use the current state as an opportunity for a new vision and growth. My listening posts around the United States suggest the resale housing markets are nowhere near the gloom and doom reported in the national media. A few data points: Resales are expected in the 5.4 million range this year – very respectable when compared to our historically best years, albeit short of record-breaking years like 2021. Mortgage originations in 2022 are expected to be $2.4 trillion, the third best performance in 16 years. If you have already reviewed and performed the course corrections as outlined in my March 29th writing, now is the opportunity to plan your growth! We have a new brokerage client planning to grow from 2021 sales volume of $2 billion to $4 billion by year-end 2024. Another new client in the marketing/business development business is focused on revenue growth from $18 million in 2021 to $100 million by year end 2024. Strategic planning starts with a vision. Vision is then shared, refined, and embraced by a leadership team. The shared vision is so powerful as it creates focus, and it is not distracted by fog or noise. Source: Barry Habib presentation 7-15-2022 By way of example, when growing Pacific Union from $2 billion in sales volume in 2009 to $20 billion in 2021, our team did not constrain our vision by our finances. We always took the position that if vision was solid, financing it would not be our most significant challenge. Over the next 18 months, we will see the good will become great! Those slowed by the fog and the noise may lose market share. Now is your opportunity for growth. Success is a decision! Mark McLaughlin serves as CEO of McLaughlin Ventures and M&A Advisory at WAV Group.

Q2 Market Report: How does your market perform compared to national averages?
As market conditions shift across the country, it's important to take stock of how your market measures up. In previous years, the housing market has continued to see fierce competition among buyers who have a relatively low number of choices when it comes to listings. While the competition has settled as we make the transition from a seller's market to a buyer's market, inventory remains low across North America. Crunching the numbers When we compare reports from Q2 of 2022 with those from Q2 of 2021, we see: A 6% decrease in inventory A 4% decrease in new listings A 16% decline in sold listings In fact, the only increase in our numbers from last quarter is in off-market listings, which saw a 43% increase from this time last year. Why are we seeing such a drastic increase in off-market listings? According to Inman, the primary reason for both off-market and withdrawn listings is a too-high asking price. Amidst market factors that include increasing mortgage rates, seasonal slowdowns, and the quantity of new listings, an optimistic asking price is liable to do more harm than good. Part of the bigger picture Your market may or may not be following the trends that we see at the national level. Regardless, your market is contributing to those trends. It's important to understand the current market conditions in order to have an accurate idea of how those conditions will change in the future. It's critical to use the data and information at your brokerage's disposal to understand your market. Equally as critical are the tools at your disposal. Solutions like BrokerMetrics, a data analytics tool, can offer business intelligence that builds on your experience and understanding, helping you generate insight into your market that leads to success. To view the original article, visit the Lone Wolf blog.

LeadingRE Announces 21 New Members in the First Half of 2022
Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LeadingRE), the global network of top independent real estate firms, announced that 21 new members have joined its professional community since the start of the year. The firm now boasts more than 550 members worldwide representing more than 136,000 agents in over 70 different countries. The newest member firms in LeadingRE's network include property businesses from North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia Pacific and Europe. The company also welcomes a new affiliate from Antigua and Barbuda for the first time. Chris Dietz, Executive Vice President, Global Operations at LeadingRE, says, "We are thrilled to significantly expand our global network of real estate businesses this year, welcoming 21 new property companies from across the globe in H1 2022. We strongly believe those in the global real estate sector can learn valuable lessons from one another, no matter which corner of the world they are based. We have seen brokers and experts support fellow members in many ways, from knowledge and experience sharing to referrals and new business leads. We offer international members a platform of training, support and advice, as well as the relevant tools to help grow and evolve their business with the help of our extensive affiliate network." Selected companies in the LeadingRE network are recognized for their expertise and superior knowledge of both local and global markets. All members are vetted, not just for performance, but also for a continued commitment to quality customer experience. "Our networking events draw a truly global audience, and our members consistently introduce clients across borders, which is why we're so thrilled to have the opportunity to grow and work in existing and new international territories this year," says Dietz. Full list of new LeadingRE member firms United States: @properties Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Ind. Capstone Realty, Huntsville, Ala. Dahlquist Realtors, Great Falls, Mont. Houlihan Lawrence Wareck D'Ostilio, Milford, Conn. The Moore Group – A Division of the Litchfield Company, Orangeburg, S.C. Village Real Estate Services, Nashville, Tenn. Asia Pacific Region: Arcadia Consulting, Singapore HOPPLER INC., Philippines INTEREALTOR SDN BHD, Malaysia Canada: Boyes Group Realty Inc. Creativ Realty Lake City Realty LTD. Revel Realty Inc Brokerage Europe: Baumann Estate AG, Switzerland Burnier & Cie SA, Switzerland M.E. Estates – Private Brokerage, Spain Modern, Portugal One Global Property Services (UK) Limited, United Kingdom Latin America and the Caribbean: Caribbean Luxury Villas, Antigua & Barbuda Homes in Paradise By Grace Bay Realty, Turks and Caicos Islands WhereInRio Luxury Real Estate, Brazil

[Podcast] Technology, Sales Skills and Success with Chris Aker of Compass
In this episode of It's Closing Time, Chris Aker, Chief Sales Officer at Compass, sits down with RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli to discuss Compass' growing success, how building their own technology has led to attracting top talent and empowering their agents, and tips for refining overall sales skills.  

EXIT Realty Expands 'My Smart Sign' Geolocation Technology
A staple of the real estate industry, the humble lawn sign, has been transformed into a high-tech lead generation tool now available to all EXIT Realty agents and brokers as a member benefit. EXIT's My Smart Sign uses geolocation technology and text messaging to provide prospective home buyers with photos, pricing and details on all available properties in their area, and to provide agents and brokers with potential clients. My Smart Sign™ works like this: When a prospective buyer texts a My Smart Sign™ code to 85377, within seconds they receive a link with access to information on all available properties on the MLS — not just EXIT listings — in their immediate location. The EXIT associates also receive instant general property inquiry leads, area leads, and leads for specific properties. Because the EXIT's representative is immediately notified, they can quickly connect with interested buyers within seconds. "My Smart Sign™ is a mass marketing, lead generation powerhouse," said Tami Bonnell, Co-Chair of EXIT Realty. "It gives EXIT's agents and brokers a stronger level of control over their own businesses. It also can be a powerful tool for a new real estate professional, helping them quickly generate hundreds of leads and accelerate opportunity volume." EXIT Realty Corp. International, founded in 1996, is known for a focus on customer service, developing women in real estate, and for a unique business model featuring a residual income formula. My Smart Sign™ is an EXIT exclusive and is feasible because EXIT maintains its own text-messaging technology platform, company officials said. EXIT members can also use their My Smart Sign™ vanity code in their print and digital marketing with the message, "For information on properties near you, text [My Smart Sign™ vanity code] to 85377." Real estate leads typically come from word of mouth. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), 68% of home sellers in 2021 reported finding their agent through a referral from a friend or family member, but EXIT is committed to expanding the sources of referrals for the real estate professional. "My Smart Sign™ is changing the game," Bonnell said. "EXIT Realty was built on human potential, and we've always been dedicated to making sure that everyone in the EXIT family is empowered with the tools they need to succeed. Now, we've literally exploded that exponentially with My Smart Sign™." To learn more about EXIT Realty's forward-thinking approach to technology including My Smart Sign™, please read the whitepaper entitled, EXIT Realty's Technology Philosophy: Putting People First.

Douglas Elliman Launches Elliman Showroom
Douglas Elliman Realty announced the launch of Elliman Showroom, a complimentary personal assistant platform that will guide home buyers through a high-touch and streamlined move-in process. Powered by MoveEasy, a portfolio company of Douglas Elliman Inc.'s PropTech investment division, New Valley Ventures, Elliman Showroom combines personal assistant services with a dashboard of recommended vendors to help clients with all their move-in and set-up needs, from utility and internet to insurance and home security options. "Moving into a new home is one of the most exciting parts of the real estate journey, but it can also be overwhelming," said Howard M. Lorber, Executive Chairman, Douglas Elliman. "We created Elliman Showroom to make the experience as seamless and trouble-free as possible for our clients and customers." In addition to connecting in real time with a dedicated personal assistant, residents can use the Elliman Showroom dashboard to find and access a range of home services, exclusive deals and other resources recommended by their Elliman agent, including movers, architects, designers, and contractors. "The best real estate professionals understand that helping a client buy a new home is often when the real work—and joy—of being an agent truly begins," said Scott Durkin, Chief Executive Officer, Douglas Elliman Realty. "Elliman Showroom enables clients to stay in touch with their agents and continue to tap their knowledge, networks, and trusted guidance long after closing. It is just another way we enable our agents to continue to build their businesses." The latest in a series of products the brokerage has developed to help its agents manage client relationships and market properties more effectively, Elliman Showroom demonstrates the company's commitment to people-centered innovation. "Real estate is fundamentally about relationships built on trust and experience," said Dan Sachar, Vice President, Enterprise Innovation, Douglas Elliman Inc., and Managing Director, New Valley Ventures LLC. "Elliman Showroom exemplifies the extent to which digital tools and technologies can make interactions between agents and clients not only more efficient, but also more human." Elliman Showroom will rollout across the brokerage's national regions beginning this month.

Tap into RPR Commercial to Land More Closed Deals
A member of RPR's Industry Relations team recently had an interesting conversation with a Realtor at the Realtors Land Institute National Conference. Stephen J. B. Davis spoke with our RPR rep about how much he loves RPR (Realtors Property Resource) and that he uses it quite frequently for recreational and agricultural land deals. But here's the twist! He utilizes RPR Commercial to get those deals done. Using the commercial mode of RPR to get the ball rolling on recreational and agricultural land projects is a unique approach, for sure. We set out to speak with Stephen one-on-one to hear more about his RPR usage. Hi Stephen, how long have you been a REALTOR® and what area do you specialize in? I got my license towards the end of 2018, so about three and half years. And apart from practicing residential real estate, I also specialize in land. Tell me about how you got started using RPR. Well, I first started using RPR to get up to speed and to be informed about my area. I work in Kentucky, yet I'm not actually from here. And for some people, they simply don't want to work with a non-lifelong resident. So, as a transplant, I use RPR because it's really simple for getting solid info on a particular area. It's just so easy to get super specific data! Right down to the zip code and neighborhood level. I'm not an eighth generation Kentuckian, which is important here, but with RPR, it looks like I've been here for a while. Good point, almost like a relocation specialist learning about neighborhoods through RPR. Exactly. RPR gives me quick reliability for my clients. The market updates, they really make me look smart. What's the tag line, "Wow your clients and close more deals"?! That's me! I love using the tools at my disposal. You don't become excellent on accident! That's an idea I really believe in, and I use RPR to fulfill that. Explain how you use RPR Commercial in your land business? Land wise, I use it for hard data on comps. Land isn't centralized. It's so much more spread out and it's not on Zillow or realtor.com. With RPR access, I'm able to bypass gatekeepers on certain MLSs, ones where there's a paywall, where I don't have access. But I can go on RPR and figure what has sold in the last six months, year, two years. It's a great starting point. It's invaluable. So you use RPR Commercial to check on sales data and comps for land purchases? Well, I first started using RPR to get up to speed and to be informed about my area. I work in Kentucky, yet I'm not actually from here. And for some people, they simply don't want to work with a non-lifelong resident. So, as a transplant, I use RPR because it's really simple for getting solid info on a particular area. It's just so easy to get super specific data! Right down to the zip code and neighborhood level. I'm not an eighth generation Kentuckian, which is important here, but with RPR, it looks like I've been here for a while. What are some of your favorite, "go-to" features of RPR? I mostly use it for sales data, as a way to compare similar properties. I choose property types to see what has sold in the last few years. And then I might double check with another platform to see if it's there as well. Just to verify, I use as many sources and resources as possible. I also use the commercial side for sales records, actually sold, and how does that land use fit for what I'm trying to compare it to. And I use it for all of my listings appointments. Any stories about how you've used RPR to "wow" a client? Sure, all the time I hear clients say, "Oh wow, you have that? Where'd you get that?" But what's even better, is when I "wow" people in my own office! They say, "How do you know so much?" (laughs) I say, "It's from using RPR." I wonder why everyone in my association and MLS aren't using it. You've got to use it! RPR is one of the best things that NAR offers its members. It's fairly simple to use, but you know, I don't tell my clients that. I want them to think that I spent hours finding them this great data. Great advice, Stephen! We love hearing about the creative and resourceful ways our users are applying RPR to their business successes. If you want to see how you can use RPR when it comes to locating and prospecting land, check out our on-demand webinar: Looking for Land in all the Right Places. And remember: you don't become excellent on accident! To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

Our Top 10 Most-Read Articles of June
With mortgage rates rising and signs that the real estate market is declining from its peak, real estate pros are on edge. In fact, last month our #1 article was on the termination of real estate contracts, and #3 was on soaring mortgage rates and home prices. But when the going gets tough, the tough roll up their sleeves and start learning ways to strengthen their business. With that in mind, our monthly top 10 articles list also sports posts about leaving voicemails that gets results from leads (#2), email subject lines that entice leads (#4), and grabbing past clients' attention with an equity update (#10). What else were agents and brokers reading in June? Check out the full list of our most popular articles to find out! 1. Termination of Real Estate Contract by Buyer: A Guide for Agents and BuyersLearning that a client wants to back out of a contract raises many questions and concerns. Termination of real estate contract by a buyer is possible, but it can only be done in certain circumstances to avoid significant consequences. It must also be done properly. Here is what buyers and agents need to know. 2. Friday Freebie: Scripts and Tips for Voicemails that Get ResultsDoes this sound familiar? A new lead comes in, and you do just what all the real estate coaches and experts say to do: you give them a call. But the phone rings, and rings, and rings…until you're sent to voicemail. Time to make the most of it! In this Friday Freebie, we're highlighting a guide full of voicemail scripts and detailed advice for leaving messages that will entice leads to call you back. 3. Mortgage Rates Are Soaring. So Are Home Prices. How?As Americans sour on the economy and the Federal Reserve continues to fight inflation with interest rate hikes, a strange aspect of the housing market is attracting attention: Mortgage rates are increasing – but so are home prices. How is this possible? 4. 30 Real Estate Email Subject Lines that Entice Leads‍Email subject lines are a huge component of successful email campaigns. Subject lines, if done correctly, will entice readers to open your emails, not mark them as spam. Use this list of real estate email subject lines to increase your email open rates. 5. Smartphone Safety: 8 Tips to Protect Your Personal InformationIn today's age of technology, most business is now conducted through your mobile computer--your smartphone. This also means you are vulnerable to digital theft if you do not have the right precautions in place. Here are eight tips to make sure your personal and financial information is locked down. 6. 8 Books That Every Real Estate Agent Should ReadHaving a better perspective of what to focus on is a significant step towards achieving success in real estate. Whether you're a seasoned broker or a novice real estate agent, the eight books listed here are among the must-read for real estate professionals to understand what strategies work when investing and obtain valuable insight into business operations. 7. Rush or Renovate: What's the best advice to give your sellers?The questions for real estate agents today are, "What's the best advice to give your sellers? Is there a way to avoid trying to 'time' the market? Would your seller benefit from a new way to maximize their home sale profits — with a presale renovation that increases their listing price – and not spend a dime out-of-pocket?" Real estate agents can best help their sellers by thinking like a home flipper in today's market. 8. Why Are Floor Plans Gaining New Importance?Should every home listing have a floor plan? Research tells us that floor plans are important to buyers. Buyers want them. Floor plans were ranked No. 3 on a list of the most valuable website features for home buyers, according to NAR. Here's what you need to know. 9. 5 Top Tips for Better Real Estate Photo CompositionReal estate photography follows the same basic compositional rules as other types of photography. It's similar to portraiture, landscapes, and sports in most technical aspects but can differ in composition because of scale and industry requirements. Here are some of the top tips for improving your real estate photography composition. 10. Grab Previous Clients' Attention with the RPR Equity UpdateIn 2021, median existing-home sale prices rose 14.6%. And this year, it looks like home prices will jump another 11%, and 3% in 2023. There are some homeowners out there who might not be aware—or, at least, not fully aware. They know their homes have appreciated, but they're not exactly sure how much. Sometimes they simply need to see that number to nudge them a bit. That's where you and RPR's Equity Update come in!  

[Free Download] Data Security and Privacy Toolkit for Your Business
We all know how important it is to protect our personal data, but do you have a plan in place to protect your client's confidential, personal information? As a fiduciary, you have a responsibility to protect your client's information, such as social security number, bank account information, credit card information, driver's license, and even tax return information. Think of the damage that can occur if your client's information falls into the wrong hands. Therefore, it is important that you and your brokerage have a data security and privacy plan in place. Each state has its own definition of "personal information," so be sure to do your due diligence and check with your state's laws. The National Association of REALTORS® has created a Data Security and Privacy Toolkit that provides you with tips and tools to help you and your business safeguard personal data, information on state laws, and even sample policies. Be proactive instead of reactive—create your own data security and privacy plan for your business! Download the Data Security and Privacy Toolkit To view the original article, visit the SentriLock blog.

2 Tasks that Every Real Estate Marketer Must Review
Attention digital marketers, if you have not accomplished these two tasks, you need to start today! Install Google Analytics 4 This Week! First on your list is to have Google Analytics 4 (GA4) set up on your web assets by July 1, 2022. Why? Google has scheduled Universal Analytics (UA) for deprecation on July 1, 2023, and they do not intend to move any analytics data from your Universal Analytics to GA4. The lack of a migration pathway makes the data models between GA4 and UA so different. So, if you want to compare year-over-year web analytics for next year, you'll need GA4 installed today. Another reason to start gathering GA4 web analytics data is to allow you to grasp the principles of using the tool and the necessary effort to migrate your UA Events. What are the differences between Universal Analytics and Google Analytics? Universal Analytics uses the hits approach to keep track of page views, screen views, and event interactions. A session with many hits will be produced as a result of this technique. UA also employs cookies to capture analytics of individuals throughout their online journey. On the other hand, as a method of collecting consumer engagement, GA4 makes use of interactions as events. To capture engagement from a web app, iOS, and Android smartphones, GA4 includes over 500 distinct activities. Google created GA4 to coexist in a cookieless environment to maintain consumer data privacy. Things to know about GA4 are: In a new GA4 setup configuration, do not utilize the "Collect Universal Analytics events" option. GA4 allows you to rethink naming conventions for custom events and parameters. Enabling "Collect Universal Analytics events" removes any flexibility GA4 offers to build a new naming convention strategy. While you may add your events, GA4 only allows 50 custom dimensions per property. It's essential to take advantage of GA4's recommendations and reconsider event and parameter naming conventions. GA4 enables tracking across multiple devices, including native mobile apps. The data retention duration in GA4 is two months. Change the data retention duration to 14 months in the Admin. Cookies, user identifiers, and advertising identifiers will be maintained for 50 months by GA360. If you don't already have Google Tag Manager (GTM) in place, now is the time to do so. GTM and GA4 give marketers much freedom regarding what, when, where, and how they collect site events into the analytics. If you haven't yet implemented GA4, you should do so as soon as feasible. The next step after installation is to learn everything there is to know about the benefits and improvements of GA4. Unfortunately, the learning curve is steep, and your web analytics reports will change dramatically next year. Are Your UTM Parameters Following the Customer Journey? Another issue that digital marketers should consider is whether their UTM settings are correct. UTM parameters allow marketers to see which digital advertising campaigns bring people to their websites and provide insights on lead conversions. When you use tracking links to collect visitor information, remember that the URL link in an ad might include UTM parameters. This link should consist of tracking variables that reveal the name of the ad source, marketing campaign, and type of consumer action taken. Example: https:/somewebsite.com/?utm_source=Google&utm_mediam=ppc&utm_campaign=just_listed_property Typically, when visitors arrive at a website, they choose to explore other links rather than interact with your lead form. A properly configured UTM parameter will follow people browsing the site. The digital ad links to a client who fills out an inquiry form. This statistic allows you to calculate an exact Return on Advertising Spend (ROAS) when a customer purchases or sells a property. I discovered that most websites' settings do not keep track of the client when they go from page to page on the site. As a result, when the consumer ultimately decides to fill out an inquiry form, marketing has lost sight of the ad source attribution. Worse yet, marketing will not be able to determine their digital campaign's real ROAS. Solving this problem is easy with a little JavaScript and Google Tag Manager (GTM). I've used this on several websites, and the benefits have been fantastic. Additionally, test your website like a customer to see whether the criteria are consistent across the site. If they don't, make changes. You'll be shocked at how many inquiry requests include the first source attribution and provide more information about your ROAS. If you require assistance setting up GA4 or UTM parameters, contact WAV Group. We would be delighted to assist you in understanding how clients interact with your web or mobile assets. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

Broker Platform Innovation Pays Off for Inside Real Estate
As technology companies grow and gain market share in the industry, only some are building for the future with ongoing innovation. The challenge for all of them is to remain innovative in a competitive environment, where the leading brokerage platforms offer many of the same features and functionality. For the longest time, the themes of elegant, front-end design and consumer lead generation was the goal line. Those elements remain relevant today, but the most innovative broker technology firms have emphasized deeper productivity applications for teams and agents, like sophisticated, AI-driven lead follow-up that acts like a 24/7 smart virtual assistant for every single agent. The most innovative tech firms today are tapping into the perennial struggle of our industry – creating the tools to create and maintain customers for life. In 2021, Inside Real Estate launched two significant productivity components to their broker platform, named kvCORE. The first was CORE Present, an integrated CMA and listing presentation solution. CORE Present allows the marketing team of the brokerage to construct on-brand listing presentation templates. The seamless integration to the kvCORE system eliminates the need for agents and teams to sign in to a third-party application to run their CMA and build a listing presentation. The quality of the product earned them a perfect 5-star rating by Inman News. The second product innovation to kvCORE was the release of CORE Home – the first-of-its-kind lifetime homeownership technology that puts the coveted consumer relationship in the hands of brokerages and their agents. Like CORE Present, CORE Home is seamlessly integrated into the platform to empower agents to deliver better service to their clients, over the lifetime of homeownership. What's completely groundbreaking is that the technology is 100% branded to the brokerage and agent, giving them the opportunity to provide value to consumers all throughout their homeownership journey. There are four main components: Current Home, Next Home, Buy and Sell, and Move. With Current Home, clients have a portal containing real-time alerts around home value and detailed market data, and the ability to monitor mortgage and insurance to ensure competitive rates. Next Home is an agent guided search solution. Buy and Sell contains vital transaction related task management, and Move delivers a concierge-type solution for moving, home improvement, and home maintenance. There is no doubt that the demand and need for this technology is fierce. They've rolled out CORE Home to several thousand agents in two major brokerages and have already seen a 30x lift in consumer engagements. The new homeownership technology is available exclusively to Inside Real Estate's kvCORE customers. Aside from these two significant building blocks being added to kvCORE, there were more than 300 additional product additions and enhancements made to other elements of the platform last year. That is a lot of innovation when you are also growing and onboarding new clients at that high of a growth rate. The results of driving innovation have been significant for Inside Real Estate. The company reports that user satisfaction is a perfect 5 out of 5 for 75% of their customers, and a 4.5% overall rating. In four years, Inside Real Estate has grown their brokerage client base to serve 250,000 agents managing 115 million client relationships. Some of their notable clients include eXp Realty, NextHome, Weichert Realtors, Royal LePage, The Keyes Company, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices The Preferred Realty, JPAR Real Estate, Samson Properties, La Rosa Realty, Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate Gary Greene, HER Realtors division of Howard Hanna, among many others. Company employment has grown past the threshold of 250. As we move through a transition year in the real estate market that is expected to cool off the seller's market, we expect platforms like kvCORE to play a more significant role in helping brokerages create efficiencies and helping agents grow their client relationships for maximum repeat and referral business. The effort to find and nurture home buyers has not been a consideration for the past few years. Companies who focus on onboarding buyers into solutions like kvCORE today will be poised to gain market share in a slowing housing market. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

Investing in a Real Estate CRM? Consult These Tips First
It's no secret that a real estate CRM can be a big investment, especially if you're partnering with one of the industry's leading CRM software. We know that partnering with a new CRM is a giant leap. But, performing software-specific due diligence can help you feel confident and excited about the newest addition to your tech stack. Software Shopping 101: How to Analyze a Potential CRM To help make sure that the CRM you choose has all of the features you need to streamline your workflow and drive more success, you should always spend time evaluating the system. One of the most important aspects to focus on is usability. In other words, you can only maximize the returns on your CRM investment if your team is using the system to the fullest. Before making the purchase, you should know which CRM will be the best fit for you and your team. Pro Tip: CRMs are not one-size-fits-all. You'll need to analyze what challenges you're trying to overcome to determine which software will best suit your team. For example, if you are losing too many leads because you're not following up properly, you'll want to shop for a CRM that automates and streamlines lead engagement — allowing your team to follow up quickly and effectively every time. 3 ROI-Boosting Tips for Adopting a New CRM 1. Master Lead Follow-Up If you're not following up with your online leads, you're likely not converting them. According to the CRM + Agent Adoption study from REAL Trends: 92.13% of brokers named follow-up and relationship marketing as the most-used CRM feature. 86.52% of brokers named drip marketing as their most-used CRM feature. 70.79% of brokers named follow-up reminders as their most-used CRM feature. Warming and engaging leads are critical for the long-term success of your CRM. BoomTown's data has revealed that the most successful agents are typically the most responsive agents who provide stellar service to all of their clients. As a result, BoomTown's features improve agent response rates — helping users reach, warm, and convert more leads. 2. Invest Time in Software Training and Agent Support Investing in a CRM does not end once the purchase has been made. If you want to see strong returns from your CRM, you need to continue investing time, energy, and work into the software. When first introduced, your team of agents need to be thoroughly trained to use the CRM. As you continue using the CRM, your agents need continual technical support and additional training sessions to ensure that everyone is familiar and confident with the new system. Further down the line, agents need to be held accountable for using the CRM properly. To see results, the agents on your team should be working with the CRM and integrating it into their daily workflow. Pro Tip: When teaching agents how to use a new system, make sure that you make time for individual training. Ask each agent on your team if they have any questions, or if they are struggling with any aspects of the new system. This allows you to address the specific points of confusion that may be holding your team back. 3. Be Patient Success takes time. When adopting a new CRM, be patient and wait for the results. Once you integrate the CRM into your workflow, you may identify areas of your real estate business that need to be optimized. For example, you may find gaps in the lead warming process and learn that you need additional support. As a result, you may need to create an ISA team or recruit new agents. In these cases, you may need to wait until you've hired and onboarded the new talent to see the whole system work seamlessly. Perfecting the way your CRM works for your business is a work in progress. Give it time, be flexible, and continue monitoring how the software is working for your business. What to Do if Your CRM Isn't Generating Returns If your CRM is not generating returns even after you've followed these three steps, there might be a bigger issue with how your team is using the system. In some cases, your team could be using the wrong system that does not integrate with your business. In this situation, it may be best to re-evaluate your purchase and determine if it's time to switch to a new, more effective platform. Or, your team members may not be using the CRM how they should be. If this is the case, working on agent accountability may be helpful. Your team needs to consistently invest the time and energy into the CRM to achieve a strong ROI. Identify the problem and then seek a solution that will set your business up for success. To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

Despite Layoffs in Headlines, MooveGuru Continues Its Expansion
At a time when the headlines are covered with job loss, it is great to see prop tech companies continue to expand. Today, MooveGuru announced a 20% increase in their head count. The company has seen remarkable growth in the new segment of real estate moving and homeownership services. MooveGuru allows real estate agents to subscribe their clients to a service that provides discounts and concierge services to help consumers move, then follows up regularly with offers to save money on other home ownership services. In addition to the newsletter, consumers gain access to YourHomeHub for searching other services. Please see below for the full press release. MooveGuru Grows Employee Count by 20% Jobs placed in Georgia, Colorado, Illinois, Utah June 21, 2022 — ATLANTA — As massive layoffs cover the headlines in prop tech, MooveGuru continues its expansion, adding 10 more employees representing a 20% growth in staff to support rapid expansion. This growth comes on the heels of last month's announcement of franchise partnerships in 26 additional States. As the real estate industry refocuses toward serving clients, MooveGuru has emerged as the leading provider of support for consumers with services throughout the homeownership lifecycle. "Our service is resonating with real estate brokerages, franchises, and mortgage brokers," said Kathleen Kuhn, President of MooveGuru. "We help deliver concierge services that makes moving less of a hassle then remain engaged with the agent and their client to access commonly used services like painting, lawn care, plumbing, and other household maintenance services. The impact is to support the relationship between real estate professionals and their clients between property transactions." The MooveGuru delivers a home ownership portal called YourHomeHub that allows homeowners to gain access to preferred local services at a discount. The success comes from being local. YourHomeHub, is the first consumer portal that is "Everything Home," meaning it allows homeowners to manage both the financial details and physical elements of their home. Consumers can monitor extensive information about their home and local market conditions, store important documents, generate accurate estimates for home repairs and find a local contractor for over 1,000 different home service categories. Each YourHomeHub is sponsored by local real estate brands, driving top of mind marketing and revenue from consumer purchases. The platform, provided by real estate professionals, gives a powerful homeowner resource to their customers. To learn more about a Your Home Hub Franchise and available territories, please email franchise@yourhomehub.com or visit yourhomehub.com. About MooveGuru MooveGuru Inc. is based in Roswell, GA. In 2016 the company launched a free mover engagement program to real estate agents and brokers with the idea of connecting home buyers and sellers to convenience and savings on moving services. Using just-in-time delivery through artificial intelligence algorithms, MooveGuru Inc. ensures consumers receive agent-branded savings and convenience from national and local retailers and utility connections as they step through the relocation process. Today, more than 2,000 brokerages, 316,000 agents, and millions of homeowners are connected to the MooveGuru and YourHomeHub platforms. Learn more at MooveGuru.com. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

[Podcast] Technology that Empowers with Jonathan Lickstein of LoKation Real Estate
In this episode of It's Closing Time, Jonathan Lickstein sits down with RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli to discuss all things real estate, specifically the unique role that technology has to empower real estate agents and brokers. Jonathan serves as the Managing Broker for LoKation Real Estate, as well as a coach, mentor, and certified instructor. Jonathan brings a passion to helping other Realtors with his expertise, from advancing real estate technology and social media marketing to professional standards and the code of ethics in today’s digital marketplace.  

How Do You Get Your Agents to Fall in Love with the Technology You Provide?
Much like dating, technology adoption is rarely love at first sight. There are predictable stages and steps you can take to encourage the relationship and help your agents get the technology support they need. The first stage is awareness. At this point in the technology cycle, there is no shortage of tools and platforms for agents to choose from, and they know they need technology to be successful. So when it comes to awareness, the focus is simply on letting them know what your brokerage or MLS offers. That may seem easy enough, but simply giving them a list or login to the single-sign-on dashboard filled with app icons is not enough. A short technology onboarding class with an overview of all the technology offerings for your organization is a great place to start with new agents. But don't assume that just because an agent has been a MLS subscriber or member of your brokerage for years that they know about all the tools you offer. Regular marketing of your technology offerings is necessary to cut through the noise and make all your agents aware. High impact product overview videos and regular email reminders highlighting the business benefits of different tools can help. Agents will not be impressed by the features of the technology until they understand the benefits it provides to their business. Lead generation, active client engagement, and past client retention are all popular benefits that agents are often looking to improve. Also consider adding references to other tools in any training you are providing or banner ads in your emails to your agents. The second stage is engagement. At this point, you have piqued their interest in one of the technology solutions you offer and they want to try it. At this critical stage in the falling in love process, you need to support their efforts and try to shorten the learning curve. Most agents get into the business because they are good with people, not apps. Training is the objective here. Sometimes this is just the basics, like which button to press to send a message, but don't overlook training on the various use cases for each technology solution. Just knowing how to use the technology is not enough to cement agent adoption of the tool. They need to understand the bottom line: How is this technology going to make me more money? If they don't see and experience the benefits of the tool early on, then it really does not matter how easy it is to use or how efficiently they interact with it. Does the technology keep them organized so they can make more prospecting calls? Can it create market reports that sellers will want to download from their website in exchange for their email address? Or maybe it can predict which doors in a neighborhood they should knock on that are most likely to sell soon. Whatever the reason is, your training needs to include these implantation steps in order keep the agents engaged. Once they fall in love with the results, they will ultimately love you for providing them these technology offerings. Having great technology to offer to your agents is not enough. If they are not using it, then it is not providing them any value. The new Customer Experience Index for MLSs measures all three stages of technology adoption in your organization, and can help you improve with insights that are working in other markets. It is not too late to join the Customer Experience Index for 2022. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

3 SEO Real Estate Website Strategies
If you're a real estate agent, broker, or technology company, you know that having a website is essential for your business. It gives you a place to showcase your listings and services and allows potential clients to learn more about you and get in touch with you quickly. However, simply having a website isn't enough – you need to ensure that your site is optimized for search engines to attract more visitors. Yes, search engine optimization is still alive and continues to grow as it evolves in providing answers to people's questions. In this blog post, we will discuss three SEO strategies to help improve your website's positioning in search engines and generate more readers and leads! The first is that the search engine's artificial intelligence will play a prominent role in SEO rankings, especially Google's. Most SEO experts focus on Google because of their search and Chrome web browser market shares. In the United States, Google maintains a 92% market share in search and averages around 63% market share of people using Chrome as a web browser. The other major search engines are Bing and Yahoo, which hold a combined market share of around 10%. A search engine's AI focuses on capturing consumer behavior metrics for ranking factors. This means that click-through rate, time people spend on a page, and other overall website metrics influence how the AI prioritizes content. Therefore, when reevaluating SEO strategy, crafting well-organized and quality, engaging content is critical to success. What is essential to the readers of your content is also crucial to the search engine's AI for ranking. This is where custom content on the property search result pages for neighborhoods and listing detail pages can improve SEO. Guidelines for content creation are included in the E-A-T principle. Google defines E-A-T for expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness. An approach that is excellent to use in evaluating the quality of content. A few guidelines to use when developing content with E-A-T in mind are: Does the content contain authentic information, reporting, research, or analysis? Is the content written by an expert demonstrating their knowledge about the subject? Is the content written very well, or is it sloppy? Are the facts in the content easily verifiable? Content writers who follow these simple guidelines achieve the desired results to improve search engine rankings. Additionally, as AI continues to drive rankings, it impacts search results. As a result, it is possible that when submitting a search, a page may be #2, and when performing a subsequent search, the same page may be #5. Therefore, AI will adjust its page ranking based on the events at the time of a search. The second SEO strategy is to focus on optimizing your website with structured data. Most people are familiar with the concept of structured data, even if they don't realize it. Structured data is simply information that is organized in a predefined way. This can include things like open houses, homes for sale, and site structure. By adding structured data to your site, you are essentially providing a map for search engines to follow. This makes it easier for them to index your content and display it in search results. In addition, structured data can also help you improve your click-through rate by making your listings more relevant and user-friendly. However, there is a catch. Don't overuse structured data or resort to black-hat methods. Google just takes advantage of specific structured data, which must be implemented correctly for the content's trustworthiness to be confirmed. As you can see, structured data is an integral part of SEO. If you want your site to be successful, make sure you take advantage of this powerful tool. Lastly, one of the benefits of SEO is that it can help improve the accessibility of a site. Optimizing the website for Google search can also help make it more accessible for people with disabilities who use screen readers and other assistive technologies. According to WCAG 2.1, one of the success criteria for accessibility is that "webpages can be parsed unambiguously by software." This means that screen readers and other assistive technologies should be able to interpret the content on a webpage without any ambiguity. However, many websites are not well-optimized for SEO, so it can be difficult or impossible for these technologies to parse. Therefore, improving the SEO of a website can also help to enhance its accessibility. If you implement these three SEO strategies, you will be well on your way to improving your website's ranking in search engines and generating more leads! The last thing you want to do is to ignore or think SEO is not a practical part of a marketing strategy. What other SEO strategies have you used to improve your website's ranking? Please share your tips with us in the comments below! And if you're looking for more help, contact the WAV Group. WAV Group explicitly focuses its SEO strategies on the real estate industry. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

Realogy Completes Transformation to Anywhere Real Estate Inc.
Anywhere Real Estate Inc., formerly known as Realogy Holdings Corp., today announced the completion of the corporate rebrand. Shares of the company's common stock began trading this morning on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the ticker symbol, "HOUS." No action is required by Anywhere shareholders regarding the name or ticker change, and the company's CUSIP number will remain unchanged. Home to renowned real estate brands, Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, Corcoran®, ERA®, and Sotheby's International Realty® as well as national title, settlement, and relocation companies and scaled mortgage origination and underwriting joint ventures, the Anywhere rebrand reflects a broader strategic shift for the company, which executives laid out during an Investor Day event last month. Leveraging its leading position in business segments that comprise nearly every aspect of the real estate transaction, the company has placed a strong emphasis on building a more simplified, digitized, and integrated home buying and selling experience for any consumer, anywhere. "At Anywhere, we intend to further leverage our unique advantages – powerful agent network, leading brands, scaled core services, deep technology and data, and strong financial flexibility – to meaningfully transform one of life's most important and complex transactions," said Ryan Schneider, Anywhere president and chief executive officer. "The new Anywhere brand more boldly reflects our core purpose and company culture, and together with our trusted agents and franchise owners, we look to execute an agent-centric strategy that benefits all consumers, no matter where they may be in their home buying or selling journey." The Anywhere rebrand modernizes the look and feel of one of the industry's leading real estate parent companies. The new logo features a memorable icon inspired by an eight-stroke asterisk, a nod to the depth of the organization, that has been modified as a sun rising above a home's roofline, symbolizing the potential that comes with a new day. The deep midnight blue and vibrant orange brand colors evoke the vast opportunity, hope, and illumination Anywhere will bring to the consumer experience. As part of today's launch, Anywhere debuted a new enterprise website, anywhere.re, which showcases the company's businesses, brands, and commitments, including product and technology, integrity, and people-first culture, which all combine to realize the company's purpose: empowering everyone's next move. The Anywhere naming and brand development was led by multidisciplinary San Francisco-based design firm, Hybrid Design. For more information, please visit anywhere.re.

zavvie Launches Expanded Report Covering How Innovative Buying and Selling Services Are Changing Landscape of Real Estate
The way Americans buy and sell real estate is changing forever as new, innovative solutions are now available nationwide. iBuyers provide sellers with instant offers. Power Buyers employ "cash offers" and "buy before you sell" bridge solutions for home buyers. Rent-to-own programs create new buyers and expand the marketplace. Presale renovation services help sellers maximize their profits. All these new problem-solvers are finding growing consumer demand and high acceptance. In a first-of-its-kind report, zavvie explores the new "Modern Marketplace" for real estate fully, detailing the explosive growth of these businesses. The zavvie Modern Marketplace Report examines the changes in the real estate landscape throughout the U.S. during the first quarter of 2022. A software technology company that provides real estate brokerages with a marketplace for buying and selling solutions via white-labeled platforms, zavvie is replacing its highly popular Seller Preferences Report with this new study, expanding the company's already deep insight into these innovative services. "Not too long ago, options for home sellers and buyers were scarce," noted Stefan Peterson, zavvie Chief Data Officer and co-founder. "Sellers had one option: list on the open market. Buyers had two: pay cash or get a traditional mortgage loan. Today, the landscape has been modernized and is radically different," he added. Among the new study's findings in Q1 2022: Power Buyers, now operating nationwide, are fundamentally changing how real estate works as they dramatically increase the consumer's power as a homebuyer and are poised to make the "cash offer" and "buy before you sell" modern bridge the norm in real estate. From Q1 to Q3 2021, Power Buyer transactions grew 3X, then stabilized in the seasonally slower Q4 2021 and Q1 2022. The average sales price for Power Buyer purchases jumped between Q4 2021 and Q1 2022, as more high-priced "buy before you sell" transactions took place. Power Buyer offer acceptances remained in the 35% to 40% range, with fees ranging between 0%-3%. iBuyers managed to thrive despite headwinds of the strongest seller's market on record. In Q1, iBuyer purchases were nearly 2x what they were in Q1 last year. iBuyers Opendoor and Offerpad accounted for 120,000 transactions last year, approximately 1.3% of the U.S. market. Institutional buyers such as Amherst, Invitation Homes, Tricon and First Key collectively purchased about 1 in 20 homes in the U.S. last year — 4X as many as iBuyers. The average iBuyer purchase price tapered during Q1, partly attributed to Zillow Offers winding down. Average offer amounts also dropped during Q1. Offer strength for iBuyers peaked at 104.1% of market value in Q2 2021 and was at 98.7% in Q1 2022. iBuyer service fees at Offerpad and Opendoor are 5% for Q1, comparable to real estate commissions, typically 5% to 6%. Seller concessions — the amount iBuyers charge sellers for "prep and repairs" — dropped to 2.9% in Q1 from 3.5% in Q4 2021. iBuyer offer acceptance rates continue to decline, down to 3.2% for Q1 from 5.7% in the first half of 2021. Listing Concierge – presale renovation services – activity skyrocketed. Enabling home sellers to pay for repairs at closing, their approach maximizes proceeds. The average renovation project is $42,000, as many cap projects; some Listing Concierge firms are completing renovations of $200,000 or more. Rent-to-Own or Homeowner Accelerator firms, which help consumers choose a house they want to live in, then rent it with an option to buy in the future, are setting new records for sales — and capital investment. Homeowner Accelerator Divvy Homes, for example, reported closing more homes last year than in the first four years since its founding in 2017. Homeowner Accelerator firms Divvy, HALO, and Landis have raised over $1.8 billion. Home Partners of America, the well-established category leader among Homeowners Accelerator firms with its "lease with the right to purchase" program, was acquired by Blackstone Group in June 2021 for $6 billion, placing it among the largest residential real estate firms of any type. One of the most significant trends emerging from the zavvie report is the continued expansion of the Modern Marketplace, particularly among Power Buyers. Knock reported its transaction volume was up 307%. UpEquity saw year-over-year revenue growth surge to 500%. EasyKnock increased its customer base by 200% last year, and Homeward reported 375% growth in homes under contract. Peterson notes that the common thread among all the Modern Marketplace choices is high customer satisfaction. "Ultimately, the consumer will determine if a business is delivering good value," he said. "The vast majority of consumers who have used one of the Modern Marketplace solutions are glad they did and would do it again." About the report The zavvie Modern Marketplace Report is the first review of its kind, covering every selling and buying solution, including iBuyer, Power Buyers, Listing Concierge, and Homeowner Accelerators, available to homeowners and buyers throughout the U.S. It examines offer strength, offer acceptance rates, service fees, market availability, buy boxes, average concessions, and more. The complete zavvie Modern Marketplace Report is free at zavvie.com/modern-marketplace-report.

Digital Transformation Helps Commercial Real Estate Firms Offer Flexibility and Convenience
Over the past few years, the business landscape has changed significantly, especially in commercial real estate. From temporarily shuttered buildings to the explosion of digital technologies supporting remote interactions, change has been constant. Change can be uncomfortable, but when it's about providing truly flexible experiences for both businesses and customers, organizations should embrace it. Trending toward transformation The goal of any business is to maximize profits and delight customers with exceptional experiences that keep them coming back. When unexpected circumstances block that progression, organizations must adapt quickly. Sudden office closures presented such a barrier—as well as an opportunity to transform how they do business. Successful companies realized quickly that they needed to shift to a hybrid and remote workforce to survive. Even now, as companies are reopening their physical offices, the trend toward a hybrid workforce and remote and self-service customer interactions is going strong. According to a new poll by Gallup, 53 percent of respondents indicated a clear preference for a hybrid work arrangement now and in the future. The same is true for consumer preference: brands scoring the highest in Forrester's Customer Experience Index all digitally transformed their operations to better serve their customers. For commercial real estate firms, this means providing the flexibility employees and customers desire, including implementing contract management technologies that enable remote interactions. Current challenges For most organizations, agreements between employees, customers, partners and vendors codify how business gets done. This is especially true for commercial real estate firms that manage myriad contracts and leases. When contract management is seamless and simple, it's a massive business driver. But when it's chaotic and confusing, it can quickly sap productivity and jeopardize deals. This contract chaos is typically rooted in manual and paper-based processes, leading to a host of challenges for real estate investment firms, such as: Unnecessary delays during tenant turnover that negatively impact consistent rental income Postponements of critical and emergency maintenance projects that frustrate occupants and service providers Version control issues and legal risks from buyers and sellers changing terms numerous times, right up to contract signing Months-long negotiations and contract redlining delaying closing times due to complex sales processes with multiple stakeholders Delays, legal risks and mounting frustrations can be disastrous. Digital transformation is key to streamlining the contract management process and providing employees, tenants, and business associates the simplicity and flexibility they want. Time to transform While full-scale digital transformation is the end goal, it can be overwhelming to consider and prioritize all the areas ripe for modernization. It truly does change how an organization does business, from improving how employees collaborate to how customers interact. But with any large project, it's a journey. Knowing where to begin is just as important as envisioning where to finish. A great place to start is for an organization to evaluate how it creates, signs and manages all of its contracts and agreements. For commercial real estate firms, there's a laundry list of documents to manage, such as leases, renewals, work orders, NDAs, purchase and sale agreements, addendums and many more. Trying to manage these manually, or even partially digitally, can be a recipe for chaos. Centralized, cloud-based contract lifecycle management software is a must for organizations looking to streamline their processes, boost productivity and—perhaps most importantly—offer employees, clients/tenants and partners the convenience of remote and self-service interactions and transactions. More specifically, end-to-end digital contract management offers the following benefits for commercial real estate firms. 1. Collaborate with virtually anyone, anywhere at any time Digital contract management software delivers the flexibility and speed needed to complete agreements from virtually anywhere. In addition to supporting a more distributed and hybrid workforce, it's critical for business continuity during unexpected disruptions. But even with digital tools, agreement workflows can still be unnecessarily complex. A mostly digital workflow that still includes steps requiring manual interventions and in-person interactions will undermine the purpose of implementing these tools in the first place. When agreements are managed online from end to end, businesses and customers can work together, even when they're not in the same room, country or time zone. 2. Minimize legal risk and extract new intelligence Commercial sales contracts and leases are lengthy documents with extensive back-and-forth redlining, possibly exposing companies to legal risk if a word or clause is missed in all the different versions. Contract lifecycle management gives legal teams broader control, helping them understand exactly what's in an agreement and tracking changes so there's less risk of violating terms, tarnishing reputations and losing income. Going a step further, storing all contracts in a central repository enables firms to review them for the most historically favorable terms and hidden risks. But tasking humans with this analysis can be time-consuming and error-prone. Contract management software with built-in AI tools can quickly find, filter and analyze thousands of agreements, massively reducing manual effort and errors. 3. Realize faster income while reducing costs Commercial leases are often complex and can take weeks or months to complete. And when they're paper-based and require manual interactions, it adds even more time, delaying critical rental income. Digital contract management tools accelerate the entire leasing process by eliminating paper and enabling quick and convenient interactions—cutting costs and helping firms receive valuable income much more quickly. 4. Focus on what's most important Negotiating is an essential part of property acquisitions and dispositions, as well as commercial leases, to ensure a favorable deal for all parties. Businesses should be able to focus on getting the deal finalized without worrying about the hassle and red tape that comes with tracking changes and versions of contracts saved in multiple locations, or worse, on paper documents. A fully digital agreement process lets users access all of a document's previous drafts—and the actions taken on each—back to the day it was created. This removes confusion and disagreements, and frees up valuable time. 5. Create better experiences for lasting success When agreements are onerous, companies risk losing top talent and valued customers. There are simply too many other options in the current market to justify enduring repeated bad experiences. Digital transformation is essential for providing the flexible and fast interactions people now expect. When work gets done more efficiently, and agreements are reached faster, it's a better experience for everyone—helping businesses attract and retain top talent and keep their customers returning. To view the original article, visit the DocuSign blog.

Our Top 10 Most-Read Articles of May
What kind of data is hidden in your listing photos? How do you fire a bad real estate client? What should you know about solar-powered homes? RE Technology readers learned the answers to these questions and more in May. In fact, each of these questions were explored in our most read articles of last month (see articles #4, #3 and #10, respectively, in the list below). What other topics did RE Technology readers dive into last month? Check out our full list of our most popular articles of May below to find out! 1. Is a Recession About to Rock the Housing Market?The signs are clear and causing alarm: The U.S. may be on the verge of entering a recession. Learn why some experts think a recession would upend the housing market, and others believe the factors driving high prices and low inventory will persist – regardless of whether the economy is growing or not. 2. Friday Freebie: 67 Text Message Templates that Get Replies‍Text messages have one of the highest open rates of any type of communication. But that doesn't mean leads will respond to it. How can you up your chances for starting a conversation with real estate leads over text? In this Friday Freebie, get 67 text message templates that are designed to reach leads and initiate a response. 3. How to Fire a Real Estate Client GracefullyDoug Rogers brings us a great post about how to fire a real estate client gracefully. No agent likes to let go of business, but sometimes circumstances just don't play out right and you have to cut someone loose. So how do you initiate an amicable split? 4. How Much Data Is Hidden in Your Listing Photos?When you hire a professional real estate photographer to shoot your listings, you may not realize that the photo files you receive contain a lot more than images of the home's interior and exterior. An image taken with a digital camera captures an incredible amount of data embedded in each photo file. Here's what you need to know. 5. The Online App that Can Take Your Real Estate Marketing to the Next LevelRealtor Loida Velasquez shares the app she uses to turn her guides into eye-catching flipbooks that make her stand out from competing agents. Watch to learn how she uses QR codes and lead capture to take her marketing to the next level. 6. One Simple Rule to Ensure Your Ads Don't Violate Fair Housing LawsIf one thing is hammered into real estate agents' minds, it's this: don't violate Fair Housing rules! This applies not only to in-person interactions with clients, but also to your marketing and advertising. Want an easy way to make sure your ads stay on this law's good side? Read on to learn a simple rule for staying on the right side of the law. 7. Real Estate Hashtags for 2022Social media is a gold mine for any real estate business. To ace the social media concept, you need to have a solid strategy to navigate the social media waters. A great way to get started is by using hashtags. 8. 5 Ways RPR Can Jumpstart a Realtor's CareerStarting out as a new real estate agent can be overwhelming. It can be difficult to decipher and filter out what you really need.RPR is a perfect way for agents to get productive, efficient and on their way to their first deal. We've come up with five ways you can use the RPR website, app or blog to accelerate your business and get going in the right direction. 9. 25+ Best Real Estate Software, Tools and Apps for RealtorsThere are thousands of options for apps, tools, and software for real estate agents in every stage of their career. You'll find solutions for more effective lead generation and nurturing and automated scheduling, transaction management and coordination, offer management, and systems that improve productivity and communication. Where do you start Here are essential tools for real estate agents to make your life easier and free up time for what's important. 10. 6 Things Every Agent Needs to Know About Solar Energy for HomesSolar energy for homes is surging in popularity. Homeowners remain motivated by increasing electricity bills brought on by more time spent at home, power outage experiences, and low financing costs to add solar features to their homes. Real estate agents will need to become "solar savvy" about the unique features and benefits of solar-powered homes. Here are six things every agent needs to know about solar energy for homes.

Real Estate Signs: Traditional or Digital?
Real estate signs have always been a popular marketing technique in the industry. However, since the development of new technologies, it has changed in fascinating ways. In today's article, we will discuss both traditional and digital signs to discover which method works best for advertising. Traditional Real Estate Signs Before the digital age, real estate agents advertised their listings using traditional marketing methods. One of the most well-known methods was Coroplast and aluminum signs. To this day, people still use this type of advertising for marketing their properties. Depending on the material and quality of your signs, you can make your properties stand out. For example, most agents use Coroplast and aluminum real estate signs to advertise their properties. So let's differentiate the two. Coroplast Real Estate Sign Coroplast signs are more or less like plastic cardboard. They are affordable and water-resistant, but not wind resistant. Aluminum Real Estate Sign On the other hand, aluminum signs have a professional high-end appearance and come with a pristine image that displays your agency information. They are more expensive than Coroplast signs but still relatively affordable and long-lasting in all weather conditions. If you compare the two side by side, aluminum will be the best choice. Not only are they affordable and long-lasting, but they are also professional in appearance. Billboards and Outdoor Advertising Another popular way of traditional advertising is via billboards. The key to billboard advertising is to place it where people are most likely to see it. When placed in the right location, thousands of people can see your billboard ad every day. Whether on their way to work or back from work, your ad will always be there. This can have a significant impact on them. When a person sees your ad often, it can trigger them to take action. The key is to make your billboard look interesting enough to work. Make sure that you use an easy-to-read but attractive font, have your contact information displayed, and make it stand out. Try to appeal to your customers' emotions. Lastly, be creative and original. Make sure that your billboard stands out from the crowd and grabs your potential customer's attention. Digital Real Estate Signs The digital age has brought many changes to how real estate agents advertise their properties on the market. Some of the widely used digital signage are: Interactive Touch Screen Signs Touch screen signs are one of the most popular ways of advertising properties through digital signage. Real estate professionals use this modern technology to inform, navigate, and direct clients using its interactive features. For example, Realtors use it to let buyers explore property floor plans using interactive touch screen displays. Additionally, agents can use touch screen signs to store clients' data and for marketing. For more information on using real estate touch screen signs as a form of marketing, make sure to read our article on it. Other Forms of Digital Signage/Signs Other forms of digital signage include video tours, virtual reality, and a lot more. Overall, both traditional and digital forms of advertising are crucial to ensure a boost in your property sales. Each one complements the other and is necessary for profitable results. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog.

SEO and Real Estate: 3 Top Tips to Rank Higher in 2022
Search engine optimization (SEO) can be confusing and tough to understand, let alone master. I've seen a lot of customers struggle to get their SEO on track and stay on top of both key tasks and best practices in my role as Vice President of Software and Development at Constellation1. In this post, I'm sharing three top tips your brokerage can action today to start ranking higher. There's no magic formula to ranking higher. SEO success rests on two things: mastering the basics, then consistently managing dozens of ongoing and ever-evolving tasks. A little work every day will go a long way. One of our customers saw more than a 2,000% increase in organic web traffic after partnering with us to revamp its website. Read on to learn about a few of the things we helped them with. 1. Improve linking structure For sites to rank well, they need to be easy to navigate. Search engines are in the business of meeting their customers' demands for information: if your website doesn't do that, or makes information difficult to find, search engines won't trust your site or send users there. Check your website for dead-end pages, which search engines hate. You can use a tool like User Flow reports from Google Analytics. If you find any, add outbound links, social media widgets, or link back to other high-value pages on your website. You can also create or improve your sitemap, so crawlers can index your site more easily. 2. Improve existing content If your website structure is already solid and your content is properly tagged and keyword-rich (headings, meta descriptions, canonical tags, etc.), you're already ahead of the curve. If not, master these basics before moving on to the next step. Once your content foundation is set, you can improve your ranking by adding or updating content crawlers are looking for, including popular real estate keywords, demographic and neighborhood information, and "community marketing" content. Crawlers are always looking for fresh content, so update your pages regularly. 3. Reduce load time Fifty percent of users will leave your site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load, according to Google. There are many easy ways to help your page load faster, like optimizing image size and replacing scripts or plugins that take a long time to load. Your IT team or website provider can help you determine which adjustments will provide the best results. Bring your website vision to life Your website needs to be fully optimized to ensure your brokerage's success, both in 2022 and beyond. The technology that powers SEO is just as important as beautiful design and visuals: it's the brains behind your website, helping consumers to find you. Constellation1 Websites range from agent to brokerage to franchise-level websites with all the brains you need for a successful SEO strategy. To view the original article, visit the Constellation1 blog.

Big Data Solves the Lead Quality and CRM Problems in Real Estate
Remember years ago when conferences had sessions and tracks on big data mashups? It was a headliner topic that led to a bunch of companies proclaiming that their predictive analytic algorithms could tell Realtors when a consumer had a high propensity to buy or sell. Investors backed these companies with millions. Also, agents and brokers jumped in to find better, faster, and cheaper methods for finding customers. It failed, and they are all gone now. As it turns out, those people who were in a good position to buy or sell were not actually as likely to buy or sell as the data suggested – but big data is still around, and at least one mashup is making remarkable strides. Last week, WAV Group was given an update from Darr Aley, co-founder of Aidentified, to gain an understanding about the status of big data and mashups. Aidentified refers to their mashup as an identity graph. Today, the data market is divided into consumer data (Experian, etc.) and professional data (ZoomInfo, etc.). Aidentified's identity graph combines those two and adds a relationship mapping cloud (social media connections) along with events (when their customer has an IPO, investment received, stock transaction, management changes, news mentions, etc.). Lead Quality Improvement Agents and brokers spend a lot of marketing dollars on digital lead generation. The goal is to get a consumer to raise their hand by providing their name, email, and phone number on a lead form. At best, lead generation companies use big data to validate that the phone number and email address is valid. Other than that, agents get very little information about the lead. To improve the value of a lead, Aidentified uses a process called "match and append." The integration with Zillow will add more than 150 possible attributes to the lead – household information, spouse information, wealth category, income category, etc. On top of that, Aidentified will tell the agent how they are connected to them (social media – first- or second-level connection). A Compass agent received a Zillow lead on a $15 million property. The agent was able to see that the lead was a teacher, but also that her husband was an executive at Apple and that they currently live in a $10 million home. This completely changes the picture. CRM Problem There is a numbers game to CRMs. It is a sales funnel. A new term coined by leading real estate coach Tom Ferry is "clients under management." In the CRM game, contacts matter. The more quality contacts that an agent has, the more transactions and referrals the agent will get. Five-hundred high quality contacts that are routinely worked by the agent should yield about 12 transactions a year. On the surface, the math seems straightforward, but when you dig in deeper you find that most agents' CRMs are a leaky bucket. The leaky bucket is caused by people moving (ouch – lost deal and direct mail bounces), changing phone numbers, or changing email addresses (email bounces). But there is more than that. Most agents do not have spouse information, do not know about the household's career or wealth, etc. A different Compass agent was notified about the news announcement that Charles Schwab was moving their corporate headquarters out of San Francisco to North Texas. He used Aidentified to find all 17 executives at Schwab and started marketing to them, securing two very high-end listings and referrals to a Compass agent in Texas. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

WAV Group's Nelson Diaz Collaborates with LA Kings on NFT Drop
WAV Group is very excited to have Nelson Diaz on our team shepherding real estate toward Web3. As many of you know, Web3 is in its early pioneer stages in real estate, but advancing much more quickly in other economic segments. Last week, The Los Angeles Kings hockey team launched their first ever NFT, in collaboration with Crypto.com, the Kings' official cryptocurrency platform partner. Kings fans will be able to collect a commemorative NFT collection which will mint on Crypto.com's NFT Platform. Diaz consulted on the strategy and his partnership with Project Midas produced the art. This is the first of many NFT collectibles that LA Kings fans will be able to collect. Click here to check out the full press release. "We are excited to partner up with the Los Angeles Kings and Crypto.com to launch the first Los Angeles Kings NFT," said Nelson Diaz. "The design of the first LA Kings NFT is inspired by sports cards and game tickets done with an animated and web3 aesthetic. A NFT Commemorative Ticket that is delivered to LA Kings fans around the world that gains them access into the LA Kings Web3/NFT evolving eco-system in a collectible memorabilia presentation is very fitting." All of us at WAV Group are honored to have Nelson Diaz be our guide in the Web3, Crypto, and NFT space. His experiences working with these amazing brands and partners to successfully launch projects is the cornerstone of the value he brings to our clients. Last week, Diaz spoke at The Realty Alliance meetings to share insights about how Web3 is developing and the opportunities that brokerages may develop as the internet moves from Web 2.0 to this new, decentralized platform. If you need help brainstorming your Web3 launch, or need help with one you already have on the books, WAV Group is in a position to support you. If you'd like to inquire, feel free to send us an email. Nelson is also available to speak to your company via Zoom or attend in person meetings and conferences. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

Realogy to Rebrand, Change Name to 'Anywhere Real Estate Inc.'
Realogy Holdings Corp. announced the company will rebrand as Anywhere Real Estate Inc. (referred to as "Anywhere"), signaling a deep commitment to reimagine the consumer experience at any point in the real estate transaction journey. Home to renowned real estate brands, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate, CENTURY 21, Coldwell Banker, Corcoran, ERA, and Sotheby's International Realty as well as national title, settlement, and relocation companies and scaled mortgage origination and underwriting joint ventures, the company expects to implement the rebrand by end of second quarter 2022. During an investor event today, Realogy also laid out the next phase of its strategy, which will leverage its advantaged market position and ability to invest to improve and simplify the home buying and selling experience for consumers who are demanding a more seamless, integrated transaction. "With very positive momentum, we will harness the power of our extensive agent network, leading brands, scaled core services, deep technology and data, and strong financial flexibility to create a better transaction experience for any consumer, anywhere," said Ryan Schneider, Realogy president and chief executive officer. "We are so excited about the opportunity ahead of us that we chose to rename and rebrand the company to reinforce our commitment to delivering this future." "While buying or selling a home can be an exciting next chapter for any individual or family, the process around that experience hasn't kept pace with the digital transformation in other industries," said Melissa McSherry, Realogy chief operating officer. "Our goal is to leverage our differentiated market position, including with technology, to streamline the buying and selling journey and allow consumers to focus on what matters most – the joy of home ownership. This focus will guide how we evolve our product strategy for both consumers and agents as the trusted advisors of the transaction." Since 2018, the company has been executing a largescale transformation that has led to increased profitable growth, a fortified balance sheet, innovative technology and marketing products, and an invigorated culture with a track record of attracting great talent and driving success. "I am incredibly proud of our industry-leading talent, franchise owners, and affiliated agents who have contributed to Realogy's significant transformation progress," continued Schneider. "We are stronger, we are operating with greater speed and agility, and we are consistently delivering impressive results as we move real estate to what's next." During the investor presentation, leaders also laid out bold 2026 financial targets, including the goal of surpassing 20% market share through its accelerated expansion. An updated capital allocation strategy, leveraging the company's free cash flow, aims to balance investments in powerful growth initiatives with the flexibility of returning capital to investors. "We have demonstrated unmatched operational execution to drive above market growth, increased top and bottom-line performance, and a significantly stronger balance sheet," said Charlotte Simonelli, Realogy chief financial officer. "Our consistency of delivery, financial flexibility, and differentiated track record of free cash flow generation enable us to further reinvest in our business and return additional value to shareholders. I am proud of the success our team has driven to pave the way to a new era of growth for our company, serving an ever-expanding market." A New Name, a New Day for Real Estate Taking inspiration from the company's strategy, the Anywhere brand represents the desire to meet consumers anywhere on the transaction journey across the entirety of the market. The "re" at the end of the Anywhere name nods to the brand's prominence within the real estate industry. The Anywhere mark is an eight-stroke asterisk, symbolic of depth, connectivity, and amplification, with the bottom vertical stroke falling away to lie horizontally as the foundation of a home. While the two lower strokes of the asterisk come together to form a pitched roof, the linear middle strokes form the horizon line and the upper three strokes form the arc of a sun rising above the home, conveying the potential that comes with a new day. The Anywhere logo colors are deep midnight blue, expressing vast opportunity, and vibrant orange, evoking hope, joy, and illumination, all benefits the Anywhere brand will bring to the consumer experience. "We are home to a dynamic portfolio of real estate brands that each have their own unique story and power in the market," said Schneider. "As we set forth our bold consumer-first, agent-led strategy, it was clear there was one brand that did not carry that same emotional connection – the Realogy brand. The Anywhere name and identity serve as both our aspiration and commitment to changing the transaction experience for consumers. It's truly a new day for real estate." As part of the rebrand, the company will also align to a new enterprise positioning to further move its culture and talent strategy into the future. The purpose, "Empower everyone's next move," speaks to many of the company's stakeholders, including employees, entrepreneurs, and consumers, by pledging to provide the products, tools, and resources to foster a culture where anyone can win. "This is not only a business and strategic transformation but also a culture change," said Tanya Reu-Narvaez, Realogy chief people officer. "Our talent strategy, led by our new purpose and positioning, enables us to engage employees anywhere in their career journey. Additionally, with our remote-first, hybrid company approach, many of our people can literally work from any place, offering employees the benefits of productivity gains, flexibility, and choice." The Anywhere naming and brand development was led by multidisciplinary San Francisco-based design studio, Hybrid Design. For more information on the launch of the Anywhere brand, please visit anywhere.re.

The Ultimate Guide for Real Estate SEO: Tips for 2022
Search engine optimization (SEO) can feel like a bit of a mystery, and something that's hard to get a handle on. But your website needs to be fully search engine optimized to ensure your brokerage's success, both in 2022 and beyond. SEO is just as important as beautiful design and visuals. It's the brains powering your website allowing consumers to find you. There isn't just one thing you can do to rank higher online when it comes to SEO. Success rests on an accumulation of many ongoing and ever-evolving tasks. These can feel impossible to manage. However, with the right partner, you can leave the heavy SEO lifting to an expert and get back to focusing on what you do best—real estate. To teach you more about SEO and what makes our award-winning websites stand out from the competition, I'm going to answer some of your most commonly asked SEO questions below. What is SEO? Search engine optimization, or SEO, is the process of optimizing your site for search engines, like Google and Bing. Search engines use complex (and closely guarded) algorithms to determine whether a site is useful to consumers. SEO includes all the steps you can take to help search engines identify your website and show it as high up in the search results as possible (ideally, somewhere on the first page). Why is SEO important for a real estate website? SEO is what drives consumers to your website, turning it into a lead generator and keeping your funnel full. Search engines use crawlers to identify websites on the internet and updated website content. Once crawlers find it, they add it to their index, a huge database of all the URLs they deem worthy of providing in search results. The first key to SEO is getting crawlers to find your site, and the second key is to convince them that your site is trustworthy and useful, so they keep sending searchers there. SEO best practices are constantly evolving, and it's next to impossible to keep up with all of them without full-time help. Is SEO another time-consuming task your team can add to its list? Most brokers say no, in our experience. This is why working with the right partner is so important. What goes into creating an optimized website? Let's be honest: there's really nothing sexy about SEO. It involves a unique skill set that requires tracking hundreds of tiny details that can add up to big rewards. Think of your website like a house: the structure and system that help with SEO are the foundation, the strong bones behind a beautiful website. SEO brings your website vision to life and turns it into a lead-generation machine for real ROI. SEO is also about trust: the search engine needs to trust your website provides searchers looking for information about real estate where you work. What's more, consumer search habits are changing. They're asking questions, not typing keywords. We do a lot of work behind the scenes, even on pages your visitors might rarely see, to build trust with crawlers so that they show your site first. At a bare minimum, your site needs to cover certain basics. These might seem simple, but they're crucial to get absolutely right. Let's look at a few of those now: Basic 1: Design and Code The first step to creating an optimized website starts at the most basic level: the design (your site's information architecture, structure, and page hierarchy) and the actual computer code used to make it. Websites must be designed and coded with SEO in mind and every component tailored to ensure optimal search engine performance. These include HTML and CSS markups, canonical text, factors affecting page weight and load time, crawl paths, linking structures, and more. Basic 2: Customization The second step to creating an optimized website is customization. The best homebuilders in the world can make a house for you on the finest foundation, but your house won't start to feel like a home until you add your own finishings and flavor. That's where customization comes in, and it applies to your website, too. Search engine algorithms use a lot of metrics to determine whether your website is valuable and useful. One metric for measuring the quality of your website is uniqueness, or the degree to which the content on your site resembles that on other websites and provides relevant information visitors can't find elsewhere. This is where customization comes in. If you're trying to sell houses in Houston, but your website makes zero mentions of the city and its amenities, or copies information word-for-word from the Chamber of Commerce website, then Houston, we have a problem. Basic 3: Content The third step to creating an optimized website is content. Quality content is essential to higher search rankings because it demonstrates that your site is useful. In theory, the more recent and relevant (unique) content you have, the better. Content that changes frequently shows that you're making regular updates, so the search engine believes your website is more up to date and therefore more useful. This can boost your ranking. These are just the three most basic SEO considerations you need to take care of. Do you even have time to tackle those? How can you achieve a better SEO ranking? There isn't just one thing your brokerage can do to rank better on search engines. As you can see from this article, a high ranking is an accumulation of ongoing tasks and tiny details that can really add up. While every website and market is different, we've compiled three quick tips for how you can achieve a better SEO ranking. Update and improve your existing content If your website structure is already solid and your content is properly tagged (headings, meta descriptions, etc.), you can still majorly improve your ranking by updating your pages and adding content crawlers are looking for. Think popular real estate keywords, demographic information, neighborhood information, and "community marketing" (what you'd want to know if you were looking for a home in your area). Update and improve your linking structure The worst thing you can have on your website is a dead end—a page a visitor gets to where there's nowhere to go but leave. Search engines hate these dead-end pages, also called orphan pages, because they create a bad user experience and increase the chances your visitor will just go somewhere else. Search engines are in the business of meeting their customers' demands for information. If your website doesn't do that, or makes information more difficult for crawlers to find, search engines won't trust your site or send users there. Check your website for dead-end pages (you can use a tool like User Flow reports from Google Analytics). If you find any, add outbound links, social media widgets, or link back to other high-value pages on your website. Ask us for a consultation Not sure what the best next step is for a higher website ranking? We can help with that! One of our customers, Vylla Home, increased its organic website traffic by more than 2,000% after switching to a Constellation1 website. This was thanks to a concerted effort by both sides: we provided the tools, and Vylla ran with them. We always make sure to go a step further, and it shows in our customers' results. Steve Thomson is Vice President of Software Development at Constellation1. He was recently recognized as a 2021 Newsmaker by RISMedia. To view the original article, visit the Constellation1 blog.

RPR Commercial: Trade Area Reports
If you're a commercial real estate practitioner, you need as many commercial tools in your tool belt as possible. That's because your clients look to and lean on you for expert recommendations and guidance. For the best tools, look no further than RPR (Realtors Property Resource). This digital platform, provided by the National Association of REALTORS®, offers a wide range of commercial data-based tools, analysis capabilities and reports. This includes the ability to run a trade area analysis and create Trade Area Reports. These reports allow you to deliver a summary of the demographics, economics and data tapestry segments for a defined area. A breakdown of a community and its residents' characteristics and spending habits are also explained in great detail. Of course, this type of information is crucial when advising your commercial clients on where to set up shop or renovate an existing property. Before we dive in on how to run Trade Area Reports in RPR, here's a quick primer on exactly what a trade area is and how it can help you (and your clients) make better commercial real estate decisions. Trade Area 101 Straight to the point, a trade area is a defined geographic area which generates the majority of its customers. Figuring out the size and scope of a trade area is a vital piece of the puzzle, because these boundaries help determine how we can measure the number of possible customers, their demographics, and their spending power. Knowing a community's customer base allows commercial agents and RPR users to approximate how much demand there is (or will be) for stores and services. This basically means: how many people (shoppers) are in a given area and how much do they spend on products and services? Knowing this data goes a long way in determining whether your clients' business is a good fit for success and growth. Contributing Trade Area Factors Many factors go into determining trade areas, especially when you're trying to map out convenience versus destination shopping habits. Some things to consider: Population size: The bigger the community, the bigger the trade area. Nearby competitors: The cutoff point where customers are drawn to a competing area. Destinations: Big box stores or discount department stores usually attract customers from a long distance. Business mix: A cluster of popular businesses tends to pull customers from a distance. Large employers: A business with lots of daytime employees means lots of lunch, snack and beverage dollars being spent. Traffic: High traffic areas, either by foot or by vehicles, typically have an impact on visitors and sales. Trade Area Report How-to Now that we know what factors go into defining a trade area, we can use the RPR Commercial Map to select an area and extract the data. For example, let's say you have a client who is looking to open a new boba/bubble tea retail shop, and they have a general idea (neighborhood, ZIP code, town) of where they want to open their location. With an RPR Trade Area Report, you can scope out the area in a map, define the trade area, and see if this area is indeed a smart choice. Here's a quick and easy "how-to" to get you started: Start by going to narrpr.com, and then toggle to "Commercial." Put in an address, ZIP code, town name, etc. in the search bar, and hit "search" (the little magnifying glass icon). Next you'll be presented with a map view of the area. Click on the "Draw" icon (it's a pencil to the right), and choose a way to set your boundaries. Start with radius, it's the easiest. Click "search this area," then click "Create a Report," in the upper right navigation. Next step is to click "Run Report" and follow the prompts. Look at all that wonderful consumer profile data! Now's the time for you to crunch the numbers and review all the statistics and determine how right an area is for your client to open up their store. Trade Area Wrap RPR Trade Area Reports are packed with up-to-date consumer data, they look polished and professional, and they're ready to send off to your clients in seconds. For a more in-depth look at RPR Trade Area Reports and analysis, check out this article: Commercial Trade Area Details, which includes a short video tutorial. To view the original article, visit the RPR blog.

How to Manage an Entire Real Estate Transaction in the Cloud
Cloud-based technology is revolutionizing real estate. In addition to saving brokerages money, transitioning to the cloud has: made brokerages more efficient by streamlining and automating tasks, and helped increase resiliency by letting entire teams work anytime, anywhere. Did you know every step of a typical real estate transaction can be completely managed in the cloud? In this post, we follow an entire cloud-powered real estate transaction, from generating the lead to closing the deal. Listing lead generation A seller in your city sees a Facebook post about a home for sale in their neighborhood that your social publishing tool posted automatically from your MLS. The seller clicks on the post and is brought to your personalized website. At the top of the page, the seller sees they can request a free home valuation, backed by the best MLS data in the industry. To access their report, they fill out a contact form that feeds directly into your customer relationship management (CRM) software, so you can follow up with them directly. The lead also takes down your contact information from your website, and they give you a call (if you haven't already followed up first!). Listing marketing You electronically sign a contract with the seller to represent them in the sale of their home. After entering all their property information into the MLS, your digital marketing suite automatically creates a customized property site and social media marketing campaign that starts getting posted immediately to Facebook. All posts link back to a customized virtual property tour, and potential buyers can create an account on your site to stay up to date about new listings. Buyer lead capture When a potential buyer conducts a saved search on your site, calls your office, sends you an email, or uses one of the myriad other ways to get in touch with you, their contact information is captured by your CRM and turned into a lead. You're notified and can get back to them quickly to help them find a house to buy. Recommended properties You can stay in touch with your buyer leads using recommended properties, which use AI to suggest additional listings tailored to buyers' saved search criteria. Every listing they see has the potential to be their perfect property, based on budget, location, number of rooms, and more. A prospective buyer who recently started receiving recommended properties emails through your website is interested in the listing, which could lead to a double-sided deal for your brokerage. Showing management Your listing has generated a lot of traffic and interest. You can keep track of everyone who sets up a showing using a cloud-based showing scheduler. Schedule push notifications to remind buyers of their appointments automatically and integrate with your TMS or accounting software. The buyer you're representing loves the listing and wants to put in an offer! Great news, you can manage all those steps in the cloud, too. Transaction and document management Instead of manually re-entering all the listing data into your transaction management software, you can import it from your MLS. Your TMS lets you set up customized workflows and checklists, so you never forget a crucial step. Best of all, you can ditch your scanners, copiers, and filing cabinets by going completely to the cloud with digital libraries and templates for every document you could possibly need. Accounting As the transaction moves forward, your team can track your brokerage's finances and manage all your invoicing, tax forms, credit card and ACH payments, and more from a single, web-based accounting platform. Intuitive dashboards help you with your weekly, monthly, and quarterly reporting and provide up-to-the-minute insight into your brokerage's finances. You can even automate your core bookkeeping tasks, freeing up time for your finance team. Electronic signatures Never let distance, business hours, or a lost pen keep you from getting the signatures you need to keep your transaction going smoothly. Electronic signatures are a secure, legal way to gather signatures from all the parties to a real estate transaction (and even your contractors, admins, and suppliers!). Both the buyer and the seller, as well as their agents, can keep the transaction flowing by signing documents from their phones to approve contingencies, inspection reports, deposits, and more. Commissions management Congratulations, you closed your latest deal and represented both buyer and seller! Now it's time to disburse the commission. No matter what split you use at your brokerage, you can set up, calculate, and pay out commissions and fees using the cloud thanks to new web-based commissions solutions. It even integrates with tools like QuickBooks and your TMS. Simply enter the splits, and when it's time to close, the tool does the rest for you. There you have it, an entire transaction flow completely in the cloud. To view the original article, visit the Constellation1 blog.

Howard Hanna Partners with Lone Wolf Technologies for Transaction Management, Digital Marketing and More
Lone Wolf Technologies and Howard Hanna Real Estate Services announced an expansion of their partnership that extends the broker version of Lone Wolf Transactions (zipForm Edition), as well as top digital marketing tools, Boost, Connect, and Spacio, and business intelligence from BrokerMetrics, to the entire brokerage. Howard Hanna's brokerage solution comes with a complete set of tools for agents, brokers, and staff, including built-in eSignature, a mobile application, and real estate's most robust broker file review process. Lone Wolf's digital marketing solution, Boost, delivers fast, easy, and effective digital ads to Facebook and Instagram, as well as to the most popular sites on the internet, while Spacio and Connect provide mobile tools for open house/event lead capture and client collaboration, respectively. The final piece to Howard Hanna's technology suite from Lone Wolf is BrokerMetrics, which delivers real-time data analysis on market share and market dynamics. These solutions combine to provide a complete experience from listing to close and beyond, putting leading technology in the hands of Howard Hanna's agents and brokers, so they have everything they need to run their business, improve profits, and deliver superior results to their buyers and sellers. "We're thrilled to partner with Howard Hanna, one of the biggest and best real estate companies in the U.S.," said Kyle Hunter, GM of Franchise for Lone Wolf. "This partnership represents the best of the real estate and technology worlds coming together to significantly improve marketing, transactions, and business management for everyone involved. Combined, these solutions offer Howard Hanna's agents and brokers a real estate experience like no other, which in turn helps them do the same for their clients." Howard Hanna is the largest privately held brokerage in the U.S. and the fifth-largest brokerage overall, with more than 125,000 transaction sides in 2021 and $36.5 billion in sales volume.* Since using Boost, Howard Hanna has seen over 337,000 leads generated a month, as well as a staggering 8.8% click-thru rate on their digital advertising efforts. In the last 30 days alone, Howard Hanna's advertising with Boost has netted over 15 million impressions and 94,000 total engagements from consumers. "We're excited to expand our partnership with Lone Wolf and extend these amazing solutions to our company," said Howard W. "Hoby" Hanna, IV, President of Howard Hanna Real Estate Services. "There are so many technology providers out there, but none can match the breadth of brokerage functionality of Lone Wolf. With Boost and Transactions already being used by our agents and brokers, the proof speaks for itself: Our partnership with Lone Wolf has already yielded significant results, and I'm confident it will continue to give our agents and brokerages a competitive edge in the marketplace in the years to come." *As disclosed by the RISMedia Power Broker Report

The Great Resignation Isn't a Threat for Top Real Estate Brands
Coldwell Banker Real Estate announced the results of its annual agent priority report, conducted by Quester among agents and brokers across top national real estate brands to keep a finger on the pulse of what real estate professionals value in their careers. In a time when the Great Resignation has posed a threat to many American workplaces, and competition for exceptional agent talent is substantial, the real estate industry may not be experiencing an exodus of current sales agents. The report's findings reveal that agent priorities among the real estate brokerage community are now more important than ever. Real estate is a desirable profession Citing work/life balance, increased income and gratitude for having a job, 60% of agents surveyed say the pandemic has had no impact on their future career plans as an agent, and about 25% say it has made them more interested in remaining an agent. For the third time, Coldwell Banker Real Estate ranked #1 in agent satisfaction. Coldwell Banker agents surveyed said they were extremely or very likely to recommend their current company to another agent. No need to leave A hot market makes for happy agents, with only 9% of all surveyed agents across all brands reporting that they plan to switch affiliation this year (vs. 20% in 2020). What matters most among agents open to affiliating with Coldwell Banker? Leading edge tech and tools: 98% A strong brand image: 97% Best equipped to navigate future of real estate: 97% Most knowledgeable agents: 96% Local expertise: 94% Recognized by buyers/sellers: 93% Coldwell Banker affiliated agents are less likely to change affiliation in the next two years than any other company's agents according to survey results. Agent Affinity Is Growing: Agents affiliated with the Coldwell Banker brand are less likely to change affiliation in the next two years than any other company's agents. Gold Star Opinion: Agents' opinion of the Coldwell Banker brand is higher than any other real estate brand. The top reasons for leaving For those agents not affiliated with Coldwell Banker who chose to leave their company, numerous factors were at play. According to the survey, reasons why agents who were not affiliated with Coldwell Banker left their previous brand included: Commission: 46% Referrals/Leads: 40% Team Support: 36% Better Tools: 31% Better Training: 27% Culture: 25% Local reputation: 20% Brand reputation is key Real estate brands have more competition than ever to retain and attract their top talent. A notable brand reputation will prevail, as most agents agree that their company's reputation is important to their business success. This sentiment is believed even more fervently among Coldwell Banker affiliated agents. Coldwell Banker brand tools and network support are unmatched, and affiliated agents surveyed have a lot to say about their experiences: "People trust the Coldwell Banker brand, and I get referrals because I work there. They also have a lot of training and support for new or busy agents. There are so many apps available, such as Listing Concierge, MOXI and InTouch that help me stand out from other agents." "Its reputation is unmatched. Everyone recognizes the brand and correlates it to excellence and professionalism," said one Coldwell Banker survey respondent. "I appreciate its reputation and Coldwell Banker has assisted me in my transactions and assisted me in gaining listings." "The company is very ethical, and the top people are great. They are very responsive to the agents' needs, and the company enjoys a great reputation. My customers and clients realize Coldwell Banker's reputation, so it makes it easy to do business. Survey methodology This survey was conducted online within the United States by Quester on behalf of Coldwell Banker Real Estate from Q4 2021 – Q1 2022, among 1,405 licensed real estate agents or brokers that work primarily in residential real estate aged 21-75. Quotes provided by affiliated agents are anonymous, but all interviewed consented to having their statements anonymously published.