Zillow Group Continues its Acquisitions with DotLoop
Zillow Group is making another acquisition: Dotloop (read press release).
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Zillow seems to buy up every innovative technology player in the entire industry. I can’t fault them for buying up the talent, and mindshare. I have to wonder if any technology companies are going to be left as independents when all is said and done?
Regardless, congrats to everyone involved in this merger.
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Maine Home Connection
Posted at 15:08h, 22 JulyI am very glad we are not using DotLoop.
Mike Price
Posted at 08:44h, 23 JulyHow about some context? Why are your glad that you are not using it? What are you using as an alternative?
Maine Home Connection
Posted at 13:03h, 23 JulyWe do all of our transactions paperless, using a product called Paperless Pipeline. This system allows for the creation of transactions, checklists, notifications, reviews, notes,etc. Signatures are completd using Docusign. Rather than “Loops”, documents are sent to all parties using the old fashioned method of email (which by the way still works well for this type of thing).
Sometimes when you listen to all the RE media hype about making transactions so effortless, you would think brokerages were all using stone tablets. Suddenly now Zillow, through this purchase, is going to leverage all this great technology and make the entire system more efficient. Sorry to say, but many companies, large and small, are working on this stuff everyday. Maybe we don’t all have the “best” technology, but there are many ways to skin a cat (some wise person once said that…not sure who…..but its true).
Mike Price
Posted at 16:48h, 23 JulyThe paperless transaction has certainly been a moving target for a long time. I’ve never heard of Paperless Pipeline but if you’re using anything at all that can keep the transaction from lead to closing in a digital format, you’re way ahead of the game.
Sam DeBord
Posted at 21:44h, 22 JulyThis post from Imran Poladi really made me think:
“So DotLoop has been acquired by the Zillow Group in order to better service the needs of their customers. Anyone see a problem with a transaction management platform that has all your client’s information to be accessible by Zillow? This happened years ago when Market Leader was acquired by Trulia which then allowed Trulia to have access to the agent’s client data.
I sat in the audience at an Inman event watching CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® CEO Joel Singer be berated by agents who had no clue the damage that would be caused if CAR allowed DotLoop access to our forms. As a former KW Team Leader, I was very familiar with the issues that we were going through as California was one of the few states that did not allow CAR Forms on the DotLoop platform.
DotLoop CEO Austin Allison told everyone in the audience about how he used to be an attorney, Well… as an attorney will tell you, “read the fine print”.
In June of 2013, CAR provided insight as to why allowing DotLoop access to our forms would be potentially very harmful. Here’s the link that shows the issue at that time….
For an “advertising company” such as Zillow continuing to claim that they have no interest in getting involved in the transaction, buying a transaction management platform company… proooobbbbaaabbbllllyyyyy would raise concerns.
When Zillow’s stock is valued at 1/2 of what it was a year ago, sometimes the smallest actions have huge repercussions. I’m reading all throughout my FB feed about brokers who will be phasing out of DotLoop due to this purchase.
I’m proud of our CA REALTOR Association for having the interests of its members at the forefront, instead of just bowing down to those yelling from the peanut gallery. Joel Singer and our leadership team protected the members when they didn’t fully understand the ramifications of what could have happened.”
Drew Meyers
Posted at 22:01h, 22 JulyWould love a longer thought piece on this from you, once you’ve really digested everything. I may put up some more thoughts, once I’ve thought through the long term strategy/implications of the acquisition.
Sam DeBord
Posted at 08:55h, 23 JulyOn this issue, I’d defer to someone with more direct knowledge of the platforms. We’re Coldwell Banker, NWMLS, Transaction Desk…basically outside observers in all of this wrangling. I don’t mind opining most of the time, but I’ve been reading for hours and finding out new things all the time. Maybe we could get Imran to post something specifically on these topics here.
Sam DeBord
Posted at 09:49h, 23 JulyOK. Posted.
Mike Price
Posted at 08:42h, 23 JulySam, I would love to see an in depth post on this as well. I think it would be important to bring into the conversation CAR’s ownership position in ZipLogix. Wouldn’t you agree?