Inman

Startup from former Zillow exec creates ‘Agent Advisory Council’

Greg Schwartz, AJ Canaria of PlanOmatic

Real estate technology startup Tomo Networks announced Thursday it’s creating an “Agent Advisory Council,” featuring some of the industry’s top real estate agents and teams.

Greg Schwartz | Photo credit: Tomo

The council is aimed at guiding the platform — for which details are still scarce — as it prepares to launch in the coming months with a plan to create a better real estate transaction experience.

Tomo, which was founded by Zillow alumni Greg Schwartz and Carey Armstrong is — at least in part — a fintech software of which the initial focus will be on the mortgage process, but the company continues to be quiet about details ahead of its launch.

In a statement referring to the creation of this new agent council, Schwartz said he was honored to have an “esteemed group of leaders at the drawing board with us.”

“Nothing is more important to the success of Tomo than listening to the feedback and diverse viewpoints of agents from a range of backgrounds as we build toward launch,” Schwartz, the CEO and co-founder of Tomo, said in a statement.

The following agents make up Tomo’s inaugural real estate council:

  • DJ and Lindsey DellaSala; The DJ & Lindsey Team; St. Augustine, Florida
  • Eric Eickhof; Fulton Realty; Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • Keri Emery; Coldwell Banker Distinctive Properties; Breckenridge, Colorado
  • Jeffrey and Renee Funk; The Funk Collection Team, brokered by eXp Realty; Orlando, Florida
  • Andrew “Fadi” Hafzalla; Hafzalla Real Estate powered by Kelly Right; Seattle, Washington
  • Robin Root James; John L Scott Real Estate, Inc.; Seattle/Bellevue, Washington
  • Kirk Kessel; Dale Sorensen Real Estate, Inc.; Melbourne/ Vero Beach, Florida
  • Jon-David Lenard; Signature Premier Properties; Smithtown, New York
  • Elizabeth Riley; Luxe Property Group brokered by eXp Realty; Austin, Texas

Zillow, where Schwartz worked for more than a decade, is often criticized by real estate agents who fear the tech giant is trying to cut them out of the transaction, even as the company repeatedly insists that isn’t the case.

Even with Tomo’s exact approach to making the transaction more seamless currently unclear, Schwartz is signaling to the real estate industry that he comes in peace.

“Tomo’s re-imagining of the homebuying experience is long overdue for the industry, and it’s exciting to be involved from the beginning,” Renee Funk, said in a statement. “By establishing agents as the cornerstone of their vision, Tomo is walking the talk of their commitment to our community.”

Email Patrick Kearns