ShowingTime was built to help people buy homes more efficiently by making the process of scheduling a showing much easier. Since it was founded 18 years ago, the company has grown to include a family of technology products that serve MLSs, brokers and agents in the areas of showing management and market statistics.
Mike Lane is the Co-Founder and President of ShowingTime, the most widely used showing management service provider in the market. ShowingTime serves 1M agents and 200 MLSs, scheduling up to 5M showings per month. Mike has been with the company since its inception in 2000, and he continues to head its sales and marketing divisions and serve as the primary contact for MLS clients and large brokers. A former Naval Officer and seasoned athlete, Mike has competed in a number of triathlons, including three IRONMAN races, and he holds an MBA and Master’s in Engineering Management from Northwestern.
Today, Mike explains how ShowingTime facilitates the scheduling of showings by way of its online calendar and call center. He describes the company’s evolution, discussing how they got into market stats as a complement to their core business. Mike covers the ShowingTime Index, explaining how agents might leverage the information and what showing activity reveals about market demand. Listen in for insight on ShowingTime’s business model and learn what the company is doing to reach brokers and agents, remove the hurdles to ordering online, and navigate the complexities of bundling—and unbundling—its products and services.
What’s Discussed:
How ShowingTime facilitates online scheduling of showings
How the ShowingTime call center unburdens brokers/agents
How Mike got into the real estate software business
ShowingTime’s acquisition of 10K Research and RBI MRIS
How agents might leverage the ShowingTime Index
How showing activity reveals demand in the market
Mike’s insight on the predicted turn in the market
ShowingTime’s focus on supporting mobile adoption
ShowingTime’s ability to facilitate reverse prospecting
How ShowingTime serves MLSs, brokers and agents
How to reach brokers and agents via online marketing
Vendor efforts to remove the hurdles to ordering online
The complexities of bundling products/services for REALTORS
Resources:
RealEstate Business Intelligence
Connect with Mike Lane:
Tim Dain has a reputation for being the ‘mad scientist’ of the MLS world. He is not afraid to challenge established systems and ask WHY things are done a certain way. Tim facilitates innovation by assigning a creative writing piece, commissioning a study or building a spreadsheet—and then implementing the best ideas with a commitment to being of service.
Tim is the President and CEO of MARIS MLS, a multiple listing service out of St. Louis that serves 13 REALTOR associations, 58 counties and more than 13K members. A seasoned MLS executive with a unique resume, Tim spent two years running the Austin Board of REALTORS and four years as Executive Director of SIR/MLS prior to joining MARIS. Tim has a background in information technology, and he has served the real estate industry in multiple roles since 2006.
Today, Tim explains why he is not afraid to disrupt established systems and shares the improvise-adapt-overcome leadership mantra he learned in the Marines. He offers insight around the redesign of the MARIS MLS website in collaboration with 1000watt, describing the skills development video library featured on the site. Tim addresses his work to rebuild the infrastructure at MARIS, offering insight on his essentialist approach to technology tools and his commitment to service over shiny objects. Listen in for Tim’s take on the current plight of the broker and learn about his dedication to facilitating an honest dialogue around industry challenges—and publishing the unscripted answers.
What’s Discussed:
Tim’s reputation as the mad scientist of the MLS world
MARIS’s marketplace approach to the board structure
Why Tim is not afraid to disrupt established systems
Tim’s improvise-adapt-overcome leadership mantra
The redesign of MARIS’s web presence with 1000watt
Tim’s work to rebuild the infrastructure at MARIS MLS
Negotiating price vs. subsidizing tech for small brokerages
The essentialist approach to MLS technology tools
Tim’s commitment to make basics available at a low cost
Why service should be the Holy Grail of the MLS
AMP’s origins in a thought exercise re: small MLSs
Tim’s view of the consumer as the ‘lion over the hill’
How the MARIS Asksseries facilitates an honest dialogue
Resources:
Tim’s Infrastructure Spreadsheet
The Buckminster Fuller Institute
Bill Chee’s ‘Lions Over the Hill’
Connect with Tim Dain:
Let’s say you have your heart set on a kitchen with hardwood flooring, natural light and an island. Imagine having the ability to search images on the MLS for those specific features. With advancements in artificial intelligence, it is possible to have software read the images, identify the room type and even recognize the objects in it! There are an infinite number of use cases for the real estate industry and Restb.ai is quickly becoming a leader in the space.
Dominik Pogorzelski is the Vice President of Product and Operations for Restb.ai, a machine learning computer vision company specializing in visual recognition for real estate. The company’s plug-and-play solutions employ AI to automatically tag and classify property photos with industry-specific information. Dominik earned his MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona.
Today, Dominik discusses the societal shift to consume information in a digital way, explaining Restb.ai’s ability to filter images by room, features and amenities. He offers insight around the potential use cases for AI in real estate and the technology’s ability to unlock the data available in images and create value in a number of ways. Dominik describes how the pain points in the online ecosystem differ between Europe and the US, and he addresses the decision to apply Restb.ai’s technology to historical data or active listings. Listen in for insight on how an MLS might establish a partnership with Restb.ai and learn why AI is the next big thing in real estate technology.
What’s Discussed:
Restb.ai’s niche as an AI company playing in the real estate space
Dominik’s path to Barcelona and his role as VP at Restb.ai
Restb.ai’s client base in Europe, Canada and the United States
How Restb.ai’s AI filters images by room, features and amenities
The societal shift to consume digital information in a visual way
The potential applications of AI tech for real estate professionals
AI’s ability to unlock the data available in images and create value
How Restb.ai could automate the compliance review process
The moral obligation AI companies have to the industries they serve
The horizontal players in the space vs. the specialists like Restb.ai
How the online ecosystem in Europe differs from that of the US
The technical aspects of establishing a partnership with Restb.ai
The decision to apply Restb.ai to active listings vs. historical data
Resources:
Connect with Dominik Pogorzelski:
Email: dominik@restb.ai
As real estate professionals spend less and less time in the office and real estate offices host fewer and fewer walk-ins, you might start to question the merit of spending top dollar for office space in a high-rent district. What if you saved that money and reinvested it in agent services? What if you could build a full-service brokerage in the virtual world, conducting business and meeting with colleagues in VR?
Cameron Paine is the Senior Vice President of Industry Relations at eXp Realty, the world’s most successful virtual, full-service brokerage. eXp invests the money saved by having very few offices into the technology that helps its agents stay relevant. In his role as Senior VP, Cameron is responsible for seeking collaboration opportunities with MLSs, Associations, brokerages and technology partners. Camron’s resume includes 15-plus years combined experience as top executive for an MLS and Association, and he has been recognized by Inman Newsas one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate.
Today, Cameron shares eXp’s decision to invest in change rather than fight it. He explains how a progressive MLS facilitates a broker’s ability to do business and offers insight around the innovative joint system between Arizona Regional and Metro MLS. Listen in to understand how eXp helps its agents build wealth by investing in the company and learn how the brokerage is creating a virtual world for its employees and partners!
What’s Discussed:
eXp’s decision to invest in change rather than fight it
How eXp serves as a virtual, full-service brokerage
How eXp agents build wealth by investing in the company
The benefits of running a brokerage without office space
Cameron’s background in MLS and Association leadership
How a progressive MLS facilitates a broker’s ability to do business
The innovative joint system between Arizona Regional and Metro MLS
Greg’s argument for a New Jersey and Palm Beach MLS data share
Cameron’s responsibilities as SVP of Industry Relations at eXp
How eXp was designed for agents as a tech-forward brokerage
How eXp has created a virtual world for employees and partners
Resources:
Connect with Cameron Paine:
Talk of standards adoption at the recent RESO conference in Milwaukee sounded much like the conversation last year. And the year before that. And the year before that. So, how do we move beyond discussing the reasons for converting to Web API and begin to execute on that plan? What might vendors do to help facilitate a little less talk—and a lot more action?
Mike Wurzer is the President and CEO of FBS, a leading innovator of MLS technology and one of the most respected real estate software brands. Andy Woolley is the VP of Industry Development for Homes.com, one of the nation’s top online real estate destinations and provider of tech solutions for the industry. In addition, Mike is the Vice Chair of RESO, and Andy serves on the Board of CMLS. They join Greg live from RESO Conference 2018to discuss the need for a shift in the conversation from the WHY of RESO standards adoption to actual implementation.
Mike explains how the platinum data-dictionary certification stands in the way and addresses the need for education around how to access the credential manager. Andy describes what his team is doing to facilitate the transition to Web API, sharing his intention to publish a follow-up to the whitepaperdetailing the first few conversions. They also cover the complexities around efforts to do away with replication and their responsibilities as established vendors to promote Web API adoption. Listen in for insight around developing a plan for conversion and learn how trusted vendors might work together to help their customers move forward—faster.
What’s Discussed:
Greg’s frustration with the panel on standards at the RESO conference
How MLS platinum data-dictionary certification is a barrier to adoption
The need to move past a discussion of the WHY to implementation
The need for education around how to access the credential manger
What Andy’s team is doing to facilitate the shift to Web API
Mike’s solution to the issue of renegotiating licensing agreements
Andy’s case study of the first few conversions + the proposed follow-up
The complexities around efforts to do away with replication
The responsibilities of established vendors in promoting API adoption
Mike’s insight on how the API makes lead data available in all apps
Why every established vendor should have a plan for conversion
The pros and cons of creating a deadline when RETS will stop working
Resources:
Connect with Mike Wurzer:
Connect with Andy Woolley:
How do MLS executives make decisions around which technology solutions work best for their REALTOR-members? What motivates leadership to establish a system of choice? Are there benefits to offering agents options when it comes to MLS solutions? And what are the challenges associated with giving members more alternatives?
DaVina Lara is the CEO of the Oakland/Berkeley Association of REALTORSand bridgeMLS. Her career in real estate began working for Russ Bergeron at SoCalMLS in 1993. Since then, she has served as an association executive with both the Hemet San Jacinto and Palm Springs Regional Association of REALTORS. DaVina took on the role of OBAR CEO in August of 2015 and added the MLS leadership responsibilities in April of 2016. She is committed to providing members with access to reliable data through innovative technology, offering subscribers access to 10-plus MLSs across California.
Today, DaVina shares her extensive industry resume, discussing her early years as the office manager for SoCalMLS through her current role as MLS and association executive. She explains the thinking behind her decision to implement a system of choice and what impressed her about the dynaConnections’ connectMLS system. Listen in for DaVina’s insight around the pros and cons of offering members additional technology options and learn more about the trend to separate listing input from MLS systems.
What’s Discussed:
DaVina’s early years as the office manager for OCMLS
DaVina’s extensive resume in the real estate industry
Why DaVina is establishing a system of choice
DaVina’s goals as the CEO of bridgeMLS
The advantages of dynaConnections’ connectMLS system
How data is shared in SoCal vs. the Bay Area
DaVina’s plan to provide connectMLS training
The trend to separate listing input from MLS systems
The relationship between choices and support challenges
Resources:
Connect with DaVina Lara:
How does design impact a real estate brokerage? Does it go beyond aesthetics to influence processes? How does quality design shape the user experience? And what are the benefits of an in-house creative team?
Matt Beall is the CEO and Principal Broker at Hawai’i Life, the state’s largest listing brokerage with over $25M in annual revenue across 13 commercial locations. He founded Hawai’i Life in 2008 to solve for representation of properties in marketing and digital technology, and now the firm does thousands of transactions each year, representing approximately $1B in sales. Matt also produces the Worthshop Series, a unique industry event designed to facilitate content and conversation among real estate’s brightest minds, and he serves as the cohost of HGTV’s popular reality show Hawaii Life.
Today, Matt shares his diverse experience in real estate, discussing how his background in sales, investing and running a traditional brokerage inspired him to found Hawai’i Life and what differentiates the company from other firms in the space. He explains the value of design in creating a clean and simple user experience and his decision to employ a full-time team of creatives and engineers. Matt also describes the benefits of being featured on HGTV in terms of brand awareness and credibility. Listen in for a preview of this year’s Worthshop at Mauna Kea Resort and learn how the design focus at Hawai’i Life contributes to its company culture.
What’s Discussed:
Matt’s background running a traditional brokerage
What inspired Matt to found Hawai’i Life in 2008
Hawai’i Life’s recent merger with Joy International
Why Matt employs a full-time creative design team
Hawai’i Life’s focus on simplicity in user experience
The benefits of being featured on HGTV
The aim of Hawai’i Life’s annual Worthshop Series
What differentiates Worthshopfrom other conferences
The key aspects of Hawai’i Life’s company culture
How an ‘ethos of reset’ influences the tone of Worthshop
Resources:
Connect with Matt Beall: