GoldenKey recently raised $1.75 million (TechCrunch). What’s the model? Instead of a commission, you pay an agent a flat fee for the services you need and get a 3 percent rebate when you buy or sell a home with the help of one of the…

I wanted to continue the discussion/dialogue about MLS networks… First, this weekend I listened to the Listing Bits Podcast episode with Michael Wurzer which touches on the staying power of the MLS. Greg Robertson and Michael both have years of MLS technology, and discuss the future…

Over the years, I have preached to those that listen that lead follow up and lead conversion are the keys to real estate success.  Last fall, I heard about a new company called Riley and was intrigued by their solution for instant response to real estate leads….

Some of you may have heard that the W&R Studios team put out another product at Inman. Cloud Attract. Attract buyers and sellers with beautiful landing pages that automatically respond with a home valuation, CMA, or listing alerts. A demo video:   Love the simplicity…

The future of MLS’ has been a hot topic recently, and was discussed at Inman Connect. Michael Wurzer from FlexMLS (a MLS software vendor) wrote a response titled “MLS Cooperation Creates Value for All Brokers, Not Just One” to Rob and I (and others). I’ll repost it…

Some of you may have heard about an Opendoor competitor that recently raised $260 million in financing (equity + debt). Offerpad. They are smaller than Opendoor: Revenues to date – which come from an average 9% fee that includes 6% that’s equivalent to the typical real estate…

Geek Estate is a resource for the industry’s technologists and forward-thinking real estate professionals. If you’re involved in real estate and consider yourself a geek, you’re in the right spot. We’ve found over the years that one primary reason people read GEB is to find…

Last week was Inman Connect in New York, which is always a fun trip for me. I simply love New York (and thought about moving there a few years ago). Over the course of the week, I spoke with a wide range of startups, and discussed a…

Those thinking about — and especially entrepreneurs working on — the history of the home opportunity I’m so bullish on should read Thinking About Home IT Budgets by Josh Elman at Greylock Partners.

I’ve been seeing a lot of questions about the direction and makeup of the Broker Public Portal and its relationship with Homesnap. I have no direct influence or investment in either group, but plenty of interest. Let’s clear the table first—some of these questions come…