Equity Angels: Paving the Way for Diversity in Real Estate Tech Startups
In a move aimed at fostering diversity and innovation within the real estate technology sector, Equity Angels has emerged as a groundbreaking force. Launched by prominent leaders in the tech and real estate industries, this organization is set to play a pivotal role in accelerating the growth of startups led by entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds. As the real estate industry grapples with unprecedented challenges, Equity Angels seeks to be a catalyst for change, providing fractional executive solutions and accelerator programs specifically tailored for early-stage fintech and proptech companies. Kenya Burrell-VanWormer, the Founder and Managing Partner of Equity Angels, expressed the urgency of the initiative, noting the perfect storm of low sales volume, high interest rates, and the widespread integration of artificial intelligence. Addressing the broader context, Katherine Winston, another Founder and Managing Partner, emphasized the importance of doubling down on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, particularly in the face of headwinds. The real estate industry, like many others, is at a crossroads, and Equity Angels aims to unlock untapped perspectives and innovation from historically underrepresented and underestimated entrepreneurs. Research underscores the significance of diverse leadership in startup success. McKinsey & Company's analysis reveals that founders with diverse gender and ethnic backgrounds tend to deliver higher returns for investors upon exit compared to their peers. Achieving parity for women and minority founders not only holds the potential for increased revenue but also promises to create jobs and stimulate economic growth. The Equity Angels Catalyst Program stands out as a cornerstone initiative, targeting ten startups focused on fintech and proptech solutions. Designed as a "Fundraise-Ready" program running from April to September 2024, this endeavor will provide a platform for selected startups to navigate the challenging fundraising landscape under the guidance of industry experts. Given the evolving market conditions, Equity Angels recognizes the need for rigorous support to ensure these startups can thrive. In addition to the Catalyst Program, Equity Angels is set to offer fractional C-Suite solutions. This unique approach allows startups to collaborate with high-level executives who can contribute to the development and scaling of their businesses at sustainable rates. Ruel Macaraeg, a seasoned technology director and Equity Angels advisor, envisions a redefined future for entrepreneurship through programs like these. The goal is clear: to fuel the next wave of groundbreaking startups with a diverse group of talented innovators. As Equity Angels takes flight, it not only aims to reshape the landscape of real estate technology but also to establish a more inclusive and equitable future for the entire industry. For those looking to learn more about Equity Angels and their transformative initiatives, a visit to their official website at www.equity-angels.com offers a comprehensive overview of their mission and programs. Equity Angels stands as a beacon, signaling a new era in real estate technology where innovation and diversity go hand in hand.

The 25 Best Real Estate APIs for Your App or Real Estate Website
Real estate apps are better with data. Home buyers want information in order to be more confident in their offers. And home sellers need knowledge to set the best prices. Real estate APIs help real estate apps and websites win customers by providing the data they need. What Are Real Estate APIs? Real estate APIs provide fast and reliable real estate data from various sources to power real estate websites and apps. The data can include: Real estate listings Nearby shops and restaurants Transportation information Neighborhood boundaries Local schools Most data available online about a property or the surrounding community is now provided via API. How Can Real Estate APIs Help My Business? Real estate companies are constantly providing more and more data. APIs and real estate websites can empower your clients with knowledge and help you generate new business. 25 Best Real Estate APIs for Your App in 2023 Real estate APIs help developers and real estate professionals get the data they need to build a robust platform. We've collected some of the best from around the web. 1. MLS Router™ API MLS Router™ API provides nationwide access to property listings in the U.S. and Canada via MLS data feed. RESO certified and MLS compliance capable, MLS Router™ is a comprehensive data service that includes: Listings data Open Street Map CRM Data IO CDN Service Market Statistics Demographics Data Neighborhood Data Open Houses MLS Router™ supports real estate app development with headless architecture. 2. Yelp Fusion API Yelp Fusion API allows you to pull data about places of interest and show them on a real estate property map or individual listing pages. Yelp Fusion provides attributes for millions of businesses around the world. Available data include: Business Name Location and Contact Price Information Customer Reviews Website Photos Yelp Fusion provides up-to-date access as new reviews and photos are added. 3. Walk Score API Walk Score API grades locations by walkability and provides this information in a data feed for apps and portals. By providing the distance to local amenities, public transportation options, and bike infrastructure, Walk Score API can give robust context to a real estate listing or rental. Walk Score API location information includes latitude, longitude, and address, and returns the corresponding data in JSON or XML. 4. GreatSchools API GreatSchools API provides comprehensive data on K-12 schools throughout the U.S. The GreatSchools ratings include grades for college readiness, test scores, equity, and student progress. Other data included in the data feed are: School Name Location Grade Level Reviews Public or Private Contact By providing the address of a property or home, users gain access to a vast dataset of nearby schools. 5. Census Economic Indicators API The Census Bureau's Economic Indicators API allows users to pull monthly and quarterly data for various measures of U.S. economic activity, including several directly related to real estate. Collected from nationwide surveys, the data include new residential construction, vacancies, home sales, and other statistics that give context to local markets. Like other government data providers, Census offers access to its Economic Indicators API free of charge. 6. Census American Community Survey API If you're not able to find the data you need from the Economic Indicators API, you can check the American Community Survey API, a vast dataset of demographic, household, and social statistics for communities around the nation. The ACS data includes household characteristics such as internet usage, heating fuel, and homeowner or renter status. It also includes the year built, year householder moved in and estimated homeowner costs. The ACS data is updated annually and contains some of the richest profiles of community life in the U.S. 7. Foursquare Places API The Foursquare Place API enriches maps and locations with data on more than 100 million points of interest around the world. Each Foursquare place includes information such as: Name Address Hours Website and Social Crowd level Price Photos Reviews Tips Powered by consumer check-ins, the Places API data updates continually with new insights. 8. Risk Factor API Risk Factor API provides an assessment of environmental risk for more than 24 million properties around the U.S. It takes into account climate models to rate a property's exposure to flooding, fire, and heat in current and future conditions. The Risk Factor API includes data on: Estimated flooding Likelihood of wildfire Estimated extreme heat days Cost of damages Cooling costs Risk Factor helps real estate owners, investors, and agents understand environmental risk and preserve value. 9. RealEstateAPI.com RealEstateAPI.com provides a variety of real estate data and tools, including property search, autocomplete, property details, property comps, and property boundaries. The APIs include over 150 million properties nationwide with parcel, building, owner, tax, and mortgage data. Users can gain insights and develop applications with real estate data that can help grow their businesses. 10. Climate Check API Climate Check API allows users to pull data on heat, precipitation, drought, flooding, and fire hazards based on address. The data includes the number of extreme heat days, annual risk of burning events, number of high wind, wet or snowy events, water supply stress, and coastal, surface, and other flooding. The ratings are relative to other addresses in the U.S. and incorporate the change in risk through the year 2050. 11. Google Maps API The Google Maps API powers real estate portals on websites across the web. Google Maps allows users to add map layers on their site and customize them with listings and other data. With information on millions of businesses and places, as well as imagery and photos, Google Maps remains one of the most important data sources for real estate professionals. 12. INRIX Drive Time API The INRIX Drive Time API helps users measure commutes by estimating travel times in minutes rather than miles. Drive Time data uses typical traffic patterns to provide driving estimates by time of the day and day of the week. The Drive Time API can be used to generate listing map searches based on how long it takes to arrive at a particular location. 13. WattBuy API The WattBuy API provides estimates of a home's annual expected electric usage. Electric usage can be queried by ZIP code, which returns usage for an average home in that area, specific address, which provides estimates for that specific property, or general home parameters, which generates new estimates from the model. The API returns: Carbon Footprint Utility rate Expected bill Electric solar estimate Local fuel mix for power generation 14. Transit API Transit API is a real-time database of transportation options for cities around the U.S. The API provides locations, departure times, and trip planning for trains, buses, bikes, and other transportation. Real estate professionals can use Transit API to find stops near a particular location or estimate travel times. 15. HowLoud API The HowLoud API helps users estimate noise levels at a particular location. The API provides Soundscores for addresses across the U.S. to quantify estimated exposure to noise from traffic, emergency services, nightlife, and other sources. API users can also retrieve a heatmap, which provides a visual representation of noise in a given community. 16. Precisely Neighborhoods API The Precisely Neighborhoods API allows users to attach neighborhood information to properties or locations worldwide. Provided a latitude and longitude, the API returns the neighborhood name and type, such as municipality, township, or neighborhood. 17. Zyla Cost of Living API The Zyla Cost of Living API provides the cost of living estimates and average price data for more than 8,000 cities around the world. Price information includes goods and services such as: Food Clothing Healthcare Education Rent Other housing costs The API also includes data on average salaries. And it can improve real estate listings by helping users understand how far their income will go in a particular community. 18. Boundaries iO API Boundaries iO is a dataset of postal code, administrative, place, and neighborhood boundaries for the U.S., U.K., Canada, and Germany. The API allows users to combine boundaries for custom use cases. The responses are provided in GeoJson by default and allow for integration with websites, maps, GIS systems, and other applications. 19. Weather API Weather API provides real-time and historical weather data as well as air quality information based on location. API responses include: Wind speed and direction Pressure and humidity Temperature Cloud cover Emissions and particulate readings Historical data include readings from January 2010 to present and help add weather trends to real estate listings. 20. PVWatts API PVWatts is an API developed by the National Renewable Energy Lab to help estimate the solar potential of a given property. The API takes in a location and potential photovoltaic system information and returns estimates of monthly solar radiation and annual energy production. 21. Trailforks API The Trailforks API can improve real estate listings with information on thousands of hiking, biking, equestrian and other trails and recreation locations around the U.S. The API data includes: Trail type Activity type Difficulty Trail features Trail status Trail conditions Points of interest 22. PubRec API PubRec provides public information about millions of real estate properties nationwide. The API includes more than 110 data points for each property, including property ID and characteristics, assessment and tax information, owner and sale data. The API takes in an address and responds with data in JSON format. 23. U.S.A. Sales Tax by Zipcode API The U.S.A. Sales Tax by Zipcode API does exactly what it says it does; it provides sales tax information by ZIP code across the U.S. Real estate professionals can use the API to provide more information to buyers about how far their income will go in a particular location. The user provides a ZIP code and the API responds with state, county, city, and other tax rates. 24. Mortgage Monthly Payment Calculator API Mortgage Monthly Payment Calculator is a simple mortgage calculator API that helps users estimate the monthly cost of buying a home. The API takes in the purchase price of a home, down payment, interest rates, and other factors, and it returns an estimated monthly payment. Mortgage Monthly Payment Calculator API has applications across the real estate industry. 25. Plant Hardiness Zone API The Plant Hardiness Zone API takes in a ZIP code and returns the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone. Hardiness zones provide a rough guide to help landscapers and gardeners select plants that can survive conditions in a particular part of the country, and zone data can add helpful information to real estate listings with outdoor space. Final Thoughts Real estate APIs provide powerful data that can inform buyers and improve property listings. The more relevant data you provide, the more clients can count on your platform for up-to-date listings and robust context. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog.

And the Winner Is: Revive tops 12 hot startups in the 'Pitch Battle' at NAR iOi Summit
The two-day National Association of Realtors fourth annual iOi Summit in Los Angeles hit its crescendo just minutes before it adjourned with the biggest announcement of the conference. Revive Real Estate, the fast-growing startup that's blazing the presale renovation trail, was named the 2022 winner of the highly coveted "Pitch Battle." It was a moment that embodied the conference acronym, innovation, opportunity and investment, as Revive snagged the winner-take-all $15,000 prize and benefits that will help pole-vault it into massive industry awareness. Revive's four-minute pitch was handled deftly by its CEO and Co-Founder Michael Allawadi. Then Michael faced four more minutes of rapid-fire (and often tough) questions and assessments from a skilled panel of four judges: Thomas Ma of Real Messenger, Chris Gough of Houlihan Lokey, Max Diez of 25v and Liz Sturrock of the Miami REALTORS®. Revive is on fire – helping expand the concierge category with a model that differs significantly from its competitors. The firm business model does not charge consumers, real estate agents, or brokerages any fees or interest – Revive fully funds every renovation upfront, from the smaller prep jobs to the massive remodels. Revive does not share in the profits of its turnkey presale renovation services. It also is not the contractor. Instead, Revive delivers the back-office support and technology for its network of tightly-vetted, high-quality contractors, earning a profit from the difference between the wholesale pricing it pays as a massive buyer and the market-competitive retail pricing provided for the materials used for the renovations. The Irvine, CA-based Revive, founded by veteran house flipper Michael and tech-innovator and entrepreneur Dalip Jaggi, is already responsible for renovating and selling more than 350 homes, mostly during a time when "as-is" homes were flying off the shelves. Clearly, the bet is on both Revive and the explosive growth of this category. Market-ready homes are what buyers want in today's market, especially the biggest home buyer group, Millennials. Revive notes too many homeowners are leaving 15-20% on the table when they rush to list. But when a home becomes market-ready, it sells faster. Taking time to renovate – often 90 days or less – can put hundreds of thousands of extra dollars into the seller's pocket. Doing it stress-free and without the risks is the secret sauce Revive offers homeowners ready to sell. Agents earn more commissions on the higher-priced sale and look like a hero to their sellers for recommending Revive. The brokerage benefits from increased revenue, too. Revive describes its mission as maximizing the sale for every homeowner to help build significant wealth. With an average ROI of over 250%, it is on track to do just that. Here is the NAR news release announcing the Pitch Battle and the win by Revive: NAR Names Revive the Winner of 2022 Pitch Battle Competition at iOi Summit LOS ANGELES (September 29, 2022) – The National Association of Realtors® announced Revive as the winner of the fourth annual "Pitch Battle" competition at the 2022 Innovation, Opportunity & Investment (iOi) Summit. NAR's strategic investment arm, Second Century Ventures, hosted this year's Pitch Battle in Los Angeles, California. The competition provided an opportunity for 12 finalists to showcase innovative new tools and resources for commercial and residential real estate marketplaces. The top prize was awarded to Revive, a fast-growing startup with a mission to guide home sellers through renovations to sell their property for more. The company, founded in 2019, uses a next-generation approach to home preparations that enables sellers to make the most practical and impactful updates without the upfront cost and uncertainty generally associated with home improvements. "This year's Pitch Battle saw some of the most promising PropTech startups showcase their innovations to a crowd of stakeholders ranging from global investors to futurists to real estate professionals," said NAR CEO and SCV President Bob Goldberg. "Revive embodies the essence of iOi and our Pitch Battle – the products and services on display today will have a tremendous impact on consumers and real estate agents. I'm thrilled we have this opportunity to promote the progress unfolding in the market, and I congratulate Revive on the well-deserved victory." In its pitch, Revive highlighted the hands-on approach it takes to help home sellers maximize the return on investment. Founder and CEO Michael Alladawi explained how his company has developed processes, technology and expertise to guide homeowners and Realtors® when creating their plans for renovations. Revive provides capital at no upfront cost to the homeowner and a vetted contractor to execute those plans. In addition to the considerable exposure, Revive will be awarded $15,000, a booth at NAR's annual conference in November (NAR NXT) and will present the next Pitch Battle winner at the 2023 iOi Summit. The Pitch Battle's Crowd Favorite, as voted on by the in-person and virtual audience, was awarded to Stake, an innovative loyalty program delivering cash back for renters. Currently available in 30,000 homes nationwide, Stake empowers renters to save, build wealth, and unlock free and equitable banking services. During the company's pitch, Co-Founder and CEO Rowland Hobbs explained how rental communities that offer Stake outperform with dramatically improved demand, loyalty and retention. To see the full list of 2022 Pitch Battle finalists, visit ioisummit.realtor/pitch-battle. The National Association of Realtors® is America's largest trade association, representing more than 1.5 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. Second Century Ventures (SCV) is the most active global real estate technology fund. Backed by NAR, SCV leverages the association's more than 1.5 million members and an unparalleled network of executives around the globe. SCV helps portfolio companies grow across the world's largest industries including real estate, financial services, banking, home services and insurance. SCV also operates the award-winning REACH scale-up program in the U.S., Canada, Australia and the UK. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

What Are the Different Types of APIs?
API is short for Application Programming Interface. It is one of the most powerful and adaptable ways to integrate different software applications. APIs make it easier to embed content into your websites or other applications. As a result, you may provide the user with a seamless user experience and relevant and up-to-date information. That is why API is vital to everyone working in this business. MLS data is transferred through API to websites, apps and more. Without further ado, let's dive into our main topic for today—the different types of API. The Types of APIs There are four different types of API, namely: open API, partner API, internal API and composite API. Real estate pros require a real estate-specific API for their IDX and other listings data. Read on to learn more about the four different types of API and their traits. Open APIs Open APIs, also known as external APIs or public APIs, have no restriction to access, and developers from different companies can access them. They may require a registration API key, or be publicly open. However, they are meant for external use. Partner APIs Partner API is a lot like open API. The only difference is that it only is for business-to-business interactions. It requires specific permissions and licenses, and is not available to the public. Internal APIs Internal APIs are also known as private APIs. They are the opposite of external APIs and are designed for internal data sharing and connecting systems. Composite APIs Composite API is a more extensive API that connects two or more APIs to combine a series of connected or interdependent operations. It is responsible for creating better performance and speed, especially when dealing with complex API behaviors. Why Are APIs Important? Increases speed and performance Helps companies with data sharing and connecting systems Improves user experience Saves cost, and Creates new revenue opportunities What Are API-First Companies? "API-first" is a term that describes a new model of software development designed by connecting both external and internal services through different APIs. With API-first, developers can build convenient products with higher quality with better digital value. API-first companies use APIs to operate most of their data available to partners and customers. They help you manage all your data to complete various requests. Final Words Real estate professionals can now seamlessly integrate MLS listings on their websites with API while streamlining other company processes. For example, Organic RESO API Integration helps real estate professionals build flexibility and simplicity into their MLS connection while increasing SEO value. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog.

The Children Are the (Technological) Future
I believe that we are in a unique period of time in business. Recently, we have been spending a lot of time in Web3 projects. It has been a steep learning curve. We do Web 2.0 projects with ease. Web3 is a completely different development game. The architecture and business practices are completely different. Not to mention, the way that brands and customers interact is also significantly different. Companies are going to need to consider dramatic changes or face the consequences of losing their customers. If you were like me, you were in shock when Facebook changed their name to Meta. They spent $300 million for the name. Do you know why? Because Facebook knows that they were the leading company in Web 2.0, but Web 2.0 is on its way out and Web3 and the metaverse is going to replace it. If that is not a signal to you as a business owner, you are at risk. Your business needs a Web3 strategy NOW. A good place to start is on Discord. It's like a combination between Facebook Groups and Slack. Truthfully, it's better than both. It started out as a way for gamers to chat outside of the game. Now it is the cornerstone of group communications on Web3. Most business owners aged 50 and up have not really adopted to Facebook Groups or Slack very well. This is what leads me to the title of this post, The Children Are the Future. My 19-year-old daughter is home at the moment from Syracuse University. She has been sitting in our Web3 meetings. What is clear to me when meeting with senior executives in marketing and communications projects for NFT drops, is that most seasoned execs are clueless about this new genre of marketing. My kid in college is fluent in the conversation and probably has stronger skills than VPs of the brands we are talking to. Marketing in a Web3 world is all about trends and influencers. There are kids managing brands online that have tens or hundreds of thousands of subscribers—more than major brands. Case in point: Compass has 10k subscribers on YouTube. SparklesLund has 26k followers and she is not famous. Kids understand content. They are creators. They know what is dope and what is bullshit (my Gary Vee moment). I come from a family with an apprentice mentality. You learn from your elders. That is the change today. The elders do not know anything about what is happening online. The elders need to learn from the children. You need young digital natives in your marketing and communications departments. The good news is that you have time. The process of moving to a decentralized economy will be a decades-long road. I would expect real estate technology companies to start building communities for their customers. Real estate brokers and agents will acclimate as a new way to build relationships with key vendors, access support, and learn best practices from other resources. I look forward to the potential day when a company like eXp allows customers to connect to their website via their Metamask to work with an agent. It's time to grab your board and drop into the WAVes of change. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

DocuSign's Newest Sample App, MyRealEstate, Now Available
DocuSign has shared their newest sample app, MyRealEstate, which models customer relationship management for real estate brokers and agents. This app offers these functions: 1. Create a lead. A lead contains your customer contact information and can fill the role of buyer or seller. To create a lead, you must provide a name, email, and phone number. 2. Create transactions. Transactions must be attached to a lead. They contain information about the property to be bought or sold, and contact information for the agents, buyers, and sellers involved in the transaction. To create a transaction, you must provide the name of the property, the role (buyer/seller) of the associated lead, and the address. The app constructs the transaction by creating a room using the DocuSign Rooms API. 3. View and update transactions. After creating one or more transactions, you can view either the last transaction created for a lead by clicking view transaction, or all transactions you have created in your office on the transactions page. From the transaction view, you can edit the transaction details such as price, square footage, contact details, and more. These are updated in the DocuSign room using the Rooms API. MyRealEstate is built using a Node Express server on the back end and React on the front end. It is hosted on Linux servers that run the Node web server. Make sure to check out the MyRealEstate sample app or try out the source code for yourself on GitHub to start exploring how you can integrate the DocuSign Rooms API in a real estate context. To view the original article, visit the DocuSign blog.

8 APIs for Real Estate Websites
Applications and websites have hundreds of features, and if a developer wants to write code for every single one of them, it will take years for an app to be ready. And let's not even talk about all the debugging and troubleshooting. Mostly, developers use libraries in which multiple codes are already up for grabs. Most of these codes may need revising and some may be impractical. That's why most developers use APIs to take care of their coding. Now, let's see what an API actually is and how it benefits your real estate website:

29 Technology Companies to Present at Keller Williams' futuRE Pitch Battle
29 technology companies have been named to present at futuRE, an invitation-only real estate technology pitch battle. Powered by Keller Williams, futuRE will focus on "where the next generation of real estate begins." During the pitch battle, 29 tech companies will compete for votes from agents for the opportunity to operate within the Keller Williams ecosystem and the Keller Cloud, a proprietary, AI-fueled real estate cloud for Keller Williams agents. More than 450 real estate leaders on-site will vote together with agents in North America via livestream to select 10 finalists, one finalist per theme, to prioritize and onboard into the Keller Cloud. The themes and the companies are as follows: Agent OperationsFollow Up Boss, Clarity Office Anywhere and Virtudesk AI/Predictive Analytics / Automated ValueEstimateON, The Ibuyer App, and Likely Sellers Automation / Time ManagementConversation Monster, Verse.io, and Homebeat Community / Sphere of InfluenceHome Hub, Handwrytten, and Iovox Call Tracking Education / LearningAceable Agent, Digs, and Keeper Tax – Tax Filing End-to-End Consumer Experiencehomediary PRO, PoolStar, and MooveGuru Lead GenerationSlydial / Slybroadcast and Taradel Property ManagementReal Market Tech, HomeJab, and APP (Automated Property Promotion) SearchSocial Survey, Reonomy, and RealScout Buyer Graph Social Media / VideoYlopo Dynamic Video Ads (DyVa), VlogEasy, and Paradym Marketing Suite The first place winner will receive a $15,000 prize and second place will receive a $5,000 prize. Top winners will be priority onboarded onto the Keller Cloud ahead of other finalists. "With futuRE, we're again displaying our deep commitment to empower our agents with choice," said Jeff Tamaru, head of corporate development, Keller Williams. "We expect our inaugural technology pitch battle to offer up a host of more best-in-class options for agents to choose how they want to run their business within the Keller Cloud." The futuRE event will take place at the Aria hotel in Las Vegas on Dec. 9 and 10. The group of 29 tech companies was selected from an original list of more than 80 companies competing for access into the Keller Cloud during a weeklong voting process that happened in November 2019.

[Podcast] With RESO Setting the Standard, Will Real Estate Innovation Accelerate?
The dirty work. The work that nobody sees. Like the job of the football's offensive linemen who toil in the trenches to protect high profile quarterbacks. They are unseen, but without them, the offense goes nowhere. Kind of like the role of a standards organization. Some have said that data is the new oil in real estate, and if that's the case, the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) might well be the organization that holds the key to how well industry incumbents can fully leverage the power of Big Data. At the same time, one must wonder if broad adoption of data and business standards will accelerate pressure from newcomers. In either case, RESO's work is critical to real estate industry innovation, and in this episode of Gradually...Then, suddenly!, we talk with Sam DeBord, RESO's new CEO to explore some of these questions and more. You are invited to tune in and learn more by clicking the link below or listening on your favorite podcast site. Tune in to the podcast now! Russ Cofano is a 30-year real estate industry veteran who has served in executive capacities in various industry sectors. Russ was President of eXp World Holdings, led Industry Relations for Realtor.com, and acted as Chief Executive Officer for the Missouri REALTORS. He is a noted author and speaker at industry events on data, technology and innovation in the brokerage industry.    

OpenAI Says New AI too Risky for Full Disclosure
OpenAI has determined its latest research into language-processing AI models has high-risk implications if fully released to the public—a risk OpenAI has felt compelled to limit the amount of published information from this advanced research. Before diving deeply into the research, here is a little information about OpenAI. OpenAI was created at the end of 2015 through a $1 billion backing by leading Silicon Valley people and organizations. The goal for this non-profit group clearly outlines its mission statement.

A Real Estate Brokerage with a Technology Vision
The Keller Williams pivot is beginning to make sense to me. At a time when many franchise companies are focused on systems integration, KW is trying to become a systems developer of bespoke software. Forever and today, Keller Williams has been tirelessly focused on the agent – recruiting, training, coaching, supporting. Gary Keller is almost like the Tony Robbins of real estate. He knows that if you can help an agent to find the right headspace, their authentic headspace where the agent knows what to do and loves doing it, it's a win. Recruiting agents and building them up. Keller wants them to be successful and rich. KW's role is just to keep the heart pounding.

Upstream Charts New Direction
UpstreamRE, LLC, owners of Upstream, the comprehensive real estate brokerage data management project created by a broad-based industry coalition, is finalizing an agreement with a new vendor to power the brokerage data platform. As a result, UpstreamRE, LLC, has amicably agreed to part ways with the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and Realtors Property Resource (RPR), its wholly-owned subsidiary and Upstream's technology development vendor. After the release of the system earlier this year, discussions began between the leadership of NAR and the leadership of UpstreamRE, LLC, to allow Upstream to take a different approach in 2019 and to allow NAR and RPR to focus on its new strategic initiatives, which have changed since the agreement with Upstream was signed years ago.

Open API? Yes! Check that Box.
One conversation that is critical in today's ecosystem of integrated platforms is the Application Programming Interface (API) checkbox. Here is how a typical conversation on this topic is between a brokerage and their vendor partner. Brokerage: Does your platform have an API to support integration with other tools we support with our agents? Tech Company: Yes! We have an open API and we integrate with thousands and thousands of applications (a little exaggeration?). Brokerage: Cool! (Marking off the checkbox on the list of requirements.) I, too, once fell victim to this same scenario. When I reviewed an API against our business process workflow and rules, I found gaps between functionality of API and my needs. I started to question – in detail – How does their API work? with my other partners.

Google Maps: It Was Too Good to Last
Over the last 13 years, Google Maps API has been a cost-effective solution for website developers and owners, especially for those in the real estate industry, allowing the display of maps and geo-location of properties by address for a nominal fee (essentially free). Well, the easy road is over as all this is changing on July 16.

5 Ways to Build a More Convenient User Experience
We all know about the importance of a good user experience and user interface, but what about user convenience? As an internet user, think about your most satisfying online experiences. Most likely it was tied in with how easy it was for you to find the information you were looking for. User convenience appears in various forms: Machine learning bubbles up similar products or posts to the top of your feed Voice recognition allows you to have a conversation with your device to find what you are looking for Recommendation engines log your behavior and make suggestions on everything from movies to romantic partners These tools make the experience more convenient. "I live and breathe the art of business, and if there's one thing I see emerging, it's that convenience is king," said Gary Vaynerchuk, a serial entrepreneur and the CEO and co-founder of VaynerMedia. He goes on to apply this theory to the success of Amazon's Prime Now and its ability to simplify buying and selling. If convenience is king, then we must learn how to create products with convenience in mind. Here are five simple ways to do that:

The 5 Best APIs for Demographics
There are a handful of ways to get demographic data for your business. The best source for you will depend on how you plan to use the data. This list includes the best sources of demographic data to provide application users an overview of an area. Demographic data can be used from everything to personalizing website experiences to deciding where to build your next business. Because of the variety of uses, it's important to set the parameters up front. If you are building something like a social platform or a real estate portal, providing your users an overview of an area can be valuable. If that's the type of experience you are trying to create, these are some great sources of demographic data.

The 6 Things to Look for When Sourcing Quality Data
Onboard Informatics has been aggregating data for 15 years. We strive to provide quality data for our clients that it easy to use and effective, but what does that really mean? If you want to make sure the data you use is quality data, there are six key things to look for. In this blog, I'll explore each element, why it's important, and the potential ramifications if it's off. There are many ways to examine the quality of data, but these are the main components: 1. Is the Data Complete? When we talk about completeness in the context of data, we are really talking about the final user experience. In other words, will the data meet or exceed user expectations? If you are building a real estate tool that provides home sellers a recap of the last sales price of all the properties within a specific area, you want to make sure the dataset will account for all the home sales. If there are significant gaps, whether in time or area, the end user will notice and you will instantly lose credibility. When you are looking for a data source, find out how often the data is updated, the source of the data and the overall coverage to make sure it is complete.

The best approach to mobile is an integrated approach
Guest contributor Delta Media Group says: It hasn't been much of a secret that Google's mobile search shows favoritism to mobile-enabled websites. And it only makes sense. If you search Google from a smartphone, wouldn't a website built to work on a smartphone make more sense to land on than one that displays poorly on a mobile device? In fact, Google has now been spotted testing a smartphone icon in search results for websites that are smartphone optimized. With two-thirds market share amongst all search engines, Google controls the web. And Google knows the web has been going mobile, and will continue moving in that direction. Previous reports showed mobile web search will surpass that from PCs by 2013. Smartphones now make up half of all cell phone purchases. And rumors keep swirling that Apple might introduce a lower-priced iPad, thus helping make tablets more accessible to the masses. There's really no argument that a mobile-enabled website is a must. But mobile sites have recently begun following a familiar path. Many websites have gone mobile for the sake of being mobile. Many have ignored web design and functionality for basic sites that provide little to users.