In the latest example of shifting alliances in the world of showing management platforms, major Colorado multiple listing service (MLS) REColorado announced Monday that it has signed a new agreement to use BrokerBay.
The agreement will give subscribers to the MLS — which is the largest of its kind in the state and has roughly 25,000 subscribers — access to a variety of tools for scheduling and managing appointments, conducting virtual 3D showings, communicating with clients and doing other tasks.
BrokerBay’s technology will integrate into REColorado’s Matrix platform, meaning agents will see a simple button next to each listing that will allow them to access the showing management company’s tools.
The BrokerBay integrations will launch this summer, according to a Monday blog post from REColorado. Before the launch, the MLS will hold trainings and demonstrations to get agents ready.
A screenshot showing Brokerbay’s interface. Credit: BrokerBay
The new agreement comes amid a tumultuous time for the showing management industry. The tumult began in February when Zillow announced it was acquiring ShowingTime.
Up until that point ShowingTime had been a popular platform among agents, but after the acquisition news many expressed concerns about how Zillow might handle their data, among other things. (Zillow has vowed to keep ShowingTime’s privacy policies in place.)
In the wake of the announcement, numerous showing management companies told Inman they were experiencing a tsunami of interest from brokerages, MLSs and agents. In some cases, new services have also emerged in response to that growing demand.
REColorado did not previously have an enterprise relationship with a showing management platform, though many of the MLS’s agents did independently contract with ShowingTime, which also offers integrations with REColorado’s platforms. REColorado members will continue to have that option even after the partnership with BrokerBay launches.
Still, the new relationship between REColorado and BrokerBay does hint at how the showing management world is diversifying.
In a statement Monday, REColorado vice president Staci Wood explained that her organization chose BrokerBay “because they provide a modern showing management platform with an easy-to-use interface that streamlines workflows while connecting brokers to their clients.”
Wood said, “We were attracted to BrokerBay’s proven ability to innovate and their focus on providing tools that will help REcolorado subscribers adapt to the rapid changes taking place in the market.”