Insider Blog
Fuel your real estate business and brand with technology insights,
news, product updates, and advice from the Insiders.
Homes of Idaho
Homes of Idaho experiences record growth by breaking the "one-size-fits-all" mold. “We’ve been able to build our own tech ecosystem that fits our culture and brand, so even if another brokerage in our market is using kvCORE, it isn’t going to look like our kvCORE.” -- Colby Lampman, Broker/Owner, Homes of Idaho
Small and Midsized Brokers Power Recruiting with CORE BackOffice
Actually working out the commission program needed to recruit agents presents much less of a challenge than tracking these unique commission programs designed for each agent on something other than an Excel spreadsheet. Small and midsized firms need to support variety in their compensation plans in order to recruit and require an affordable solution that integrates with QuickBooks. In 2016 and 2017, entrepreneur Jeremy Shoenig developed software for exactly this purpose, called BrokerSumo.
Real estate teams should demand more. Here’s why.
Teams are often the highest contributors to brokerage sales volume and one of the fastest-growing segments in real estate. This makes teams a critical part of today’s real estate landscape, so it’s important for brokers to make an effort to do whatever they can to recruit and retain teams in their organization. Fortunately, industry technology has improved in recent years and there are solutions today, like kvCORE Platform from Inside Real Estate, that effectively support teams and individual agents on one platform. Now, broker-owners have complete control, but can also allow their teams and agents to customize the platform to fit their needs and create their personal and private platform within the broker platform.
Tapping the Zillow Gap - Competing on Consumer Experience
Ah, Zillow. The real estate portal we all know and love? It’s no secret that many homebuyers leverage the “Z word” to begin their initial stages of the homebuying process. Due to the popularity of Zillow with homebuyers, many brokerages and agents alike feel they must be committing a dedicated monthly budget to the platform for a perceived fear of missing out on a potentially limitless stream of leads. Many real estate professionals also feel there is an unspoken expectation they need to be present on the search portal to truly compete with those who are also on Zillow. However, often the cons/disadvantages of advertising with Zillow outweigh the perceived pros.
Two Industry Leaders Team Up on 'A Journey to Tech Perfection'
REAL Trends and Inside Real Estate set out to answer an age-old problem for brokerages: How do you get agents to use the wonderful products and services that you offer? Many times, the technology is complicated, or the agents don’t want to invest the time into learning a new program. However, much of the time it’s due to a lack of management support, few training opportunities, and a dearth of incentives for sales associates to commit to your brokerage tech platform.
What Wins the Broker Tech Battle - Exclusive Interview
Joe Skousen, Founder/President of Inside Real Estate weighs in on what’s really behind the broker-tech battle, and how brokers can win the war.
Building a Brokerage With Leads
Chris and Leigh Russell started Plum Tree Realty from scratch about seven-and-a-half years ago. After taking took some time to define what “being the best” meant for their firm and researching the many lead generation programs out there, they chose a platform they felt was "the best technology available." Now, from lead generation to recruiting, Russell has built his brokerage around the value proposition of getting leads to his agents.
Russell Real Estate Services
The winning combination of technology plus culture sets Russell Real Estate Services apart. "The trust cultivated in our organization has led to a reciprocal tech relationship: Our agents have embraced our approach to consolidated technology, which has led to widespread adoption, and, consequently, unprecedented success." - Jeff Russell, Broker/Owner of Russell Real Estate Services
A Journey to Technology Perfection
Find out how this brokerage struck gold with a well-thought-out tech strategy, a near flawless platform rollout and record numbers of agent adoption.
Brokers beware! That old tech is eating at your profits
It’s common for brokerages to focus more on lead generation programs, CRM software, and sophisticated websites as their revenue driving solutions. There is no question powerful solutions like kvCORE are built to drive revenue. But if brokers ignore the backend, that’s a missed opportunity to carve out additional profitability and claim a competitive advantage with a modern back office.
Ready Player One: How the New Hybrid Virtual Brokerage Can Help You Compete
It’s only been in the last few years that virtual brokerages have popped up, and they’re a hot topic within the industry. Without a physical location, virtual brokerages have significantly lower overhead costs and can scale their business with relative ease–two big reasons why they’re growing in popularity.
Yes, There is Such a Thing as Too Much Real Estate Tech
Today it seems as though there is a tech tool or solution for every stage of the real estate transaction, from marketing and advertising to listing and closing. Sometimes it can feel like we are kids in a candy store, overwhelmed by so many choices that promise they will miraculously improve our business. But is there such a thing as too much tech for real estate? And what is the perfect balance of tech tools that produce the highest agent adoption and profitability for the brokerage?
To Our Friends and Industry
Inside Real Estate will be here, independent, and leading the way, arm in arm with you, keeping your data secure and driving the innovation that champions the agent, and empowers you to serve this industry every day.
Does Tech Increase Transaction Volume? Yes—And There’s Proof
The data is indisputable. Inside Real Estate’s kvCORE Platform is getting more business for real estate professionals across the board.
Real Estate Teams Get What They Deserve
Teams just scored the most sophisticated solution ever created thanks to the latest release by the newly combined Inside Real Estate and BoomTown teams.
Does the Real Work Start After the Real Estate Transaction? The Numbers Say Yes.
Post Close Companion is your answer to client nurture after the transaction. And it makes it easier than ever.
Elite-Level Marketing Materials Don’t Need to be Time or Labor Intensive– Here’s Why
kvCORE is innovating tools that allow agents to do it all, without having to do it all.
Will 250k Agents Leave the Business Next Year?
What can you be doing to make sure your agents stay loyal with you and stay productive?
5 Keys to Winning at Lead-Gen as a Brokerage
Running a cost-effective lead-generation program is as difficult as anything else brokers will do. Follow these five lead-gen strategies to maximize deal flow and increase ROI for your in-house lead generation program.
3 Essential Tools That Will 10X Your Real Estate Marketing
Spraying your message high and wide does not breed online marketing success; rather, standout results emerge when you pair smart, strategic decisions with the right tools. The software you use to help you do this is critical. Here are 3 essential components your software platform must have to drive more leads, dramatically increase your conversion rates and accelerate your marketing success.
Rich Broker, Poor Broker: Breaking Free and Building Wealth in Real Estate with the “Cashflow Quadrant”
We all know the mantra, “Work smarter, not harder”. However sick of the expression you may be, as a professional in the real estate industry, can say that you actually consider this concept on a regular basis and actively practice it?
3 Hard Truths About Building Your Brokerage
Real estate is hyper-competitive. According to the 2012 Economic Census, there are 86,004 real estate brokerage firms operating in the United States. This means you have competitors around every corner vying to overtake your market and your business. However, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is focussing on your competition. Successful brokers focus on determining their own strengths and figuring out how to build a solid foundation for their agents and clients. Here are some key facts that are moving forward-thinking brokerages in the right direction.
Straight Talk: Why Agents Leave Your Brokerage
Only two metrics really matter to your brokerage: recruitment and retention. Why is retention so important, aside from the obvious that top producers continue to produce? Because it is an indisputable, impossible-to-fabricate metric that reflects your brokerage’s core values. We’ll cut to the chase. If you have an agent retention problem, It’s not them, it’s you. You may be falling short in a variety of areas, including the ones below. Review them to see how you stack up and where you could improve.
Low-Risk, High-Return Growth Strategies for Real Estate Teams
For large brokerages, cash and power drive growth. But for the single Realtor or small team, the improvement road can be rocky if you lack funds, knowledge, resources, and opportunities. You want to exploit strategies that will yield a high return with low risk and preferably with a marginal investment of time and money. Here are some simple growth strategies you should be implementing now.
Things Every Broker Can Learn From Elon Musk
Elon Musk is an American entrepreneur, inventor, and investor who is now considered one of the world’s foremost future-thinking entrepreneurs. As leaders in real estate, imagine what could be accomplished if we were to employ the same approach and tactics to our brokerages as Elon Musk has applied to technology? Here are the top things every broker can learn from Elon Musk: