While real estate agents chase leads and close deals on houses, there’s another level of deal-making that takes place within the real estate industry: mergers, acquisitions, integrations and partnerships.
We’ll be recapping every week’s noteworthy deals that didn’t make it into print (and some that did) for your perusal.
This week’s deals
January 16
Back At You Media and IMG Digital Group formed a strategic alliance to provide real estate companies and brokers with end-to-end social media marketing services. “Back At You Media is a technology platform innovating the way real estate professionals market themselves and their listings on social networks,” said Michael Glazer, Co-Founder and CEO, in a statement. “The alliance with Matt Gentile and IMG Digital Group expands our ability to not only offer great technology on an enterprise level but also leverage the experience of an industry veteran with deep marketing expertise.”
Systsms.com launched at Inman Connect New York; the product assesses real estate professionals’ goals, delivers a marketing plan and integrates software from disparate companies. In a statement, founder Matt Fagioli said “It’s unbelievable how technical and complex the real estate sales business has become. Selecting and integrating technologies for marketing and operations can be a daunting task … We take all of that on so Realtors can focus on key sales activities.”
January 17
CityBldr launched a property valuation tool (also know as an automated valuation model or AVM) to allow any Seattle, Los Angeles or San Diego property owner to see the value of their home to a builder or developer. “Most people benchmark the value of their homes by going to traditional home value websites. The problem is that those sites have a blind spot in their valuation methods: they don’t value all potential uses of the property”, says CityBldr CEO Bryan Copley in a statement. “By evaluating all factors related to best and highest use of properties, we’ve engineered a more holistic valuation method. In many cases this new value will result in a substantially higher sale price for the property owner.”
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices announced that independent brokerage Today Realty of Gunnison Inc. joined the network operating as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Today Realty & Associates. “Today we step forward to a whole new era at our brokerage,” said broker-owner Jason Lain. “In Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, we join a prestigious brand with a deep array of tools, resources and services my agents can use right away. We are a strong, local agency that just grew stronger.”
Remine, a real estate intelligence platform, announced a multi-year license with Bright MLS, one of the nation’s largest MLSs. The agreement will provide Bright’s 85,000 real estate professionals with a platform to identify potential buyers and sellers and track them leveraging big data. “Remine brings big data to life for the first time in the real estate space,” said Bright MLS Chief Strategy Officer David Charron in a statement. “Bright MLS was created with the goal to transform the model of the MLS and pioneer innovative and meaningful solutions for brokerage firms. Remine is a significant new product offering exactly that.”
Red Brick Realty recently merged with Realty Executives Phoenix, bringing Property Wars star Doug Hopkins to the fold. “I couldn’t be more excited to join forces with the Realty Executives team,” said Hopkins, CEO of Red Brick Realty. They truly share the same vision and we look forward to enhancing the legacy of Realty Executives as the premier home for Arizona’s top agents.”
January 18
Dotloop, a transaction management platform for real estate, announced an agreement with the Peninsula Regional Data Service (PRDS), a subsidiary of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors (SILVAR), to license PRDS Forms, which is one of the main real estate purchasing form sets in California. “Dotloop allows brokers and agents to seamlessly conduct transactions online and on-the- go, streamlining their business and creating a better experience for buyers and sellers,” said Austin Allison, founder and general manager of dotloop, in a statement. “This region of California is home to many of the world’s leading technology professionals, who expect the real-time, on-demand information and greater insight and control over real estate transactions that the dotloop experience provides.”
Simplifile, which provides real estate document and data collaboration and recording technologies, announced the integration of its Collaboration and Post Closing services with LendingQB, a provider of browser-based, end-to-end mortgage loan origination software. “In today’s lending environment, it is critical that lenders be able to seamlessly share data between loan production, settlement and all other key parties,” said Tim Nguyen, president of LendingQB, in a statement. “This partnership with Simplifile enables users to ensure that changes made by settlement agents are immediately updated in the loan file.”
Motto Mortgage, a mortgage brokerage franchise part of the Re/Max Holdings family of brands, announced that its offering of mortgage brokerage franchise opportunities is now effective in Virginia. “Motto Mortgage is pleased to bring its innovative business model to the people of Virginia,” said Motto Mortgage President Ward Morrison in a statement. “The training and ongoing support of the Motto Mortgage team will be invaluable to our new franchisees as we continue to grow throughout the country.”
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices announced that independent Denver brokerage Innovative Real Estate Group joined the network operating as Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Innovative Real Estate. “The network carries the name of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., one of the world’s most trusted and respected corporations,” said Scott Nordby, broker-owner, in a statement. “Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices is highly regarded in Colorado and it will help elevate our presence in key market segments such as luxury and resort properties.”
@properties, the largest independent real estate brokerage firm in Illinois, announced the launch of a new company website at AtProperties.com.
January 19
VerticalRent, a rental property and tenant screening software-as-a-service platform, recently announced VerticalRent Affiliate. “We designed VerticalRent Affiliate for mass market appeal in the real estate industry,” adds Matt Angerer, CEO and Co-Founder of VerticalRent. “In our interactions with customers, we have learned that many of them network and know hundreds of other real estate professionals. We value ‘word of mouth’ marketing more than any other form of marketing and our Affiliate program is the engine to put money back in our customer’s pockets.”
Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates announced that Nick Sadek Luxury Estates in Roseville, California, is the newest member of its network and will now operate as Nick Sadek Sotheby’s International Realty. “Our goal is to exceed our clients’ expectations and in turn create long lasting, positive relationships,” said Sadek in a statement. “The Sotheby’s International Realty brand represents quality and luxury, making it a natural fit with our business and philosophy.”
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group is offering its agents two additional tools from zipLogix: zipForm Mobile and zipLogix Digital Ink. “These additions to its zipForm Plus Broker account enables BHHS FPG to provide more than 600 of its associates with the necessary tools to manage transactions and send documents for digital signature while on the go,” said the brokerage in a statement.
January 20
The former Parkland International Realty in Central Florida will become Premier Sotheby’s International Realty‘s fifth office in the region. “We are extremely excited to welcome Parkland International Realty to the Premier Sotheby’s International Realty family as they have been providing exceptional service to the Winter Park community since 1981 and have earned an impeccable reputation,” said Judy Green, CEO of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, in a statement. “This is a story of two luxury real estate leaders bringing together their complementary strengths.”