ShowingTime, a Chicago-based showing management and technology firm, last week launched a messaging platform geared specifically toward real estate agents.
The agent-to-agent messaging system, which will allow agents to use an MLS feed and other ShowingTime products to communicate by text, instant message and email, was announced on Tuesday. ShowingTime President Michael Lane said the app will also help track real estate information like listings, sales and property tours.
“The biggest benefit added by this feature is that agents often need to correspond with each other prior to deciding whether to schedule a showing on a particular listing using ShowingTime,” Lane told Inman.
“Since we are already partnered with the MLS, ShowingTime has awareness of all of the relationships between agents and their listings, making it much more convenient for agents to reach each other,” he added.
A version of the platform will be available for the company’s MLS clients in June. An updated version, with more features including ShowingTime’s showings and analytics products, will be available by the end of 2018, ShowingTime told Inman.
“One major difference is that ShowingTime is already system-aware of the relationships between agents, companies and listings within the MLS,” Lane said. “Agents will be able to look up other agents by last name, or by their listings. For example, say a buyer’s agent is on a tour with their client to look at homes.”
With the new messaging platform, ShowingTime’s 950,000 real estate agents across more than 200 markets in the U.S. and Canada can meet and discuss their experiences using the company’s products, Lane said. As part of its mission to capture more MLS affiliates, the company has signed 35 new MLS-wide licenses across the country.
Since 2015, ShowingTime has expanded its tech offering to include MarketView Broker, a market analyzation tool, and has acquired 10K Research and Marketing and BookAShowing.com.
Email Veronika Bondarenko
