Is This the Future of Real Estate?
- By Alex Burns
Game changer or power play?
Four major real estate groups cooperating on listing infrastructure is an important announcement. But I don’t think the most useful response is to declare a winner or assume the future is settled. I think we should ask better questions. What will change for agents? Who controls the information? How will smaller brokerages participate? What will consumers actually experience?
A change worth following
Open Real Estate proposes a more connected approach to listing information among participating organizations. Its goals are interesting, but there are open questions about the technology, governance, data access and long-term adoption. What happens after an announcement is more important than how exciting the announcement sounds.
The real shift goes beyond listings
Brokerages are increasingly being judged on what they offer agents: leadership, technology, support, economics, flexibility and growth opportunities. I learned a great deal during my years with RE/MAX. As I make my transition to Real, I’m looking at how the different models can help people build strong businesses. I don’t believe there’s one answer for every agent, and that’s why these conversations matter.
Your perspective matters
I created The Brokerage Shift to learn from people throughout the industry and to share my own experiences. Whether you’re an agent questioning your current model or an owner considering the future of your brokerage, I’d like to hear what you think. Is this a genuine game changer, a strategic power play, or a bit of both?
Explore more perspectives at The Brokerage Shift