SAN FRANCISCO — Inman Connect challenges the industry’s top real estate agents and brokers to attack their biggest threats and create their brightest future. We also honor and celebrate the most innovative companies in real estate that are shattering the status quo. Today, throughout a series of inspiring sessions, Inman announced the winners of its 2017 Innovator Awards.
Dozens of finalists across seven categories were parsed and examined to select what Inman believes are the most innovative companies in real estate today.
Two runners-up in each category were also named; Inman also selected an Innovator of the Year and, for the second year, presented the Nate Ellis Giving Back Award to the individual in real estate who gives more than he or she takes.
Here are the winners.
Most Innovative Brokerage
Winner: Elegran
Investing up to $50,000 in each new hire (typically hailing from the corporate world), Elegran does not recruit existing agents and likes to work independently on pain points in the real estate industry with its tech solutions.
Runners up:
Trelora
Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty
Most Innovative Team
Winner: The Figueroa Team
The Figueroa Team was one of the first to jump on the Zillow Instant Offers program, facing excruciating criticism from the industry but persevering nonetheless.
Runners up:
Team Diva
Five Doors Real Estate Network
Most Innovative Technology
Winner: Zillow Instant Offers
Zillow Instant Offers allows prospective homesellers to receive all-cash offers from a group of 15 large private investors along with a side-by-side comparative market analysis from an agent.
Runners up:
Toor
Amitree’s Folio
Most Innovative Agent
Winner: Brian Bair
Bair started OfferPad, a property-exchange platform that’s raised $260 million and competes with Opendoor.
Runners up:
Ben Hirsh
Alex Wang
Most Innovative Company
Winner: Opendoor
Opendoor launched iPhone and Android apps — plus a mortgage brokerage — in the past year, and its massive funding indicates that this startup is here to stay.
Runners up:
Trulia
Trust Stamp
Most Innovative Marketing Campaign
Winner: @Snaplistings
@Snaplistings is a Snapchat account featuring apartments for rent and for sale in New York City with four agents rotating control of the account.
Runners up:
John-Ross Parks locks himself on a roof
Engel & Völkers immoviewer partnership
Most Innovative MLS or Association
Winner: My Florida Regional MLS
My Florida Regional MLS launched a revamped consumer site in January with the aim of delivering leads to its agents.
Runners up:
Bright MLS
National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals
Innovator of the Year
Gorkem Kuterdem, CTO at WFG
Nate Ellis Giving Back Award
Leslie Ebersole, Baird & Warner
