I've just returned from Inman Disconnect and it was an absolutely amazing gathering of real estate's most brilliant and engaged minds. Our group was dynamic, passionate and driven to try to figure out what the future of our industry might look like (in the next 5 years).  One of the themes that was most prevalent in our discussions was change. Phrases like "we must adapt to new challenges," and "adjust our models to accommodate new competition," or "meet new expectations of our customers." Our customers in this case are agents, teams and brokers whether you are on the franchise side like RE/MAX or on the vendor side like Real Estate Webmasters Inc.  We talked a lot about listening to our customers (our agents) and responding to those things that were…

It’s official: Real Estate Webmasters is celebrating our 15-year anniversary. All month, we’ll be taking a trip down memory lane, highlighting 15 years of innovation, customer success, and being awesome. We’re also excited to offer one of our biggest promotions ever (over $20,000 in free products). Be sure to check that out if you’re in the market for the latest real estate technology. Editor's note: This promotion expired April 30, 2019. A Big Thank You But before we go anywhere, we want to thank you, our clients. Whether you're new to REW or you've been around since the beginning, we owe everything to your willingness to push boundaries in the real estate industry. We aren’t successful until you are (customer success is one of our core values),…

Real Estate Webmasters is excited to announce our first new platform release of 2019! This latest update brings exciting new features to REW’s suite of mobile apps, aligning the user experience of iOS and Android versions. We’ve also added new features to help manage Google Maps usage and streamline the REW CRM. The roll out is set to begin tomorrow! Keep in mind, clients who have completed extensive customizations on the front or backend of their site or app may require custom work to implement the framework update. You can get in touch with your Product Consultant for details. Vision Updates Here’s a rundown of new features making their way to Vision. More Options for Google Maps Display Agents will now have more control than ever with how maps are…

If you had any doubt before, it should be gone now: The Platform Wars Are Here  Last week Gary Keller announced that KW Command was ready for prime time and that Keller Williams had a clear advantage over the competition when it came to “end-to-end” platforms provided by franchise to brokers & agents. I was given a tour of the platform and it is clearly not ready for prime time yet. I was also not a big fan of the hyperbole and the way Gary Keller oversells his platform. Granted it’s coming along, and it is better than what they have now, but it certainly isn’t the best of breed (and it’s not done). You can read my thoughts on Gary Keller and Command here RE/MAX has announced that they are looking to release their Booj acquired platform in Q2 according…

This past weekend, after much fanfare and 3 years of what seemed like a never ending circle of promises and delays, technology startup Keller Williams finally announced that they are launching their much hyped platform “KW Command”.....soon…..? The actual date the public will see anything from Keller Williams is still unknown, but they’re close…..? About Keller Williams: Keller Williams is a relatively new entry into the real estate technology space having announced their intentions to become a spin off of the wildly successful “Keller Williams Real Estate” which (at the time) had been the fastest growing real estate company by agent count in history.Prior to their founder, Gary Keller’s bold announcement that “we are no longer a real estate company, we…

Having your own home search app offers an unprecedented level of client engagement. Over the past few months, we’ve seen huge adoption of the branded REW IDX App by top agents and brokers. But how do you get your branded real estate app into the hands of home buyers? We’ve assembled a list of actions that you can take today to get more people downloading and using your app. But First... What is REW IDX App? REW IDX App is a branded home search app for agents and brokers. We've previously discussed why every real estate agent and brokerage should have their own app. In short, apps offer a superior mobile experience, they drive customer engagement and follow-up, and they showcase you as a market-leading innovator. But, you don't receive any of these…

This article is part of a series about real estate PPC. We highly encourage you to read the entire guide as it's released. Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date! Part 1: What is PPC? Part 2: How Much Does Real Estate PPC Cost? Part 3: The ROI of Real Estate PPC Part 4: To be continued... Your website should be an investment, not a business card. In real estate, PPC is the most cost-effective way to generate traffic to your website, and fast. But what type of ROI should you expect from real estate PPC? In this blog, we'll cover all the factors that go into the expected expenses and commissions you can earn from PPC, including advice on how to improve your ROI. We'll also go through a practical example, using typical results for a Real…

It’s no secret that REW clients have a knack for personalizing our platforms, and Vision is no exception to the rule. Thinking about a Vision, or looking for a fresh perspective to breathe new life into your existing site? Check out our list of some of the most innovative and effective Vision sites thus far. Custom Vision Sites While Vision is designed to provide an immersive brand experience and attract quality leads straight out of the box, here’s a shortlist of our clients who have chosen to take their sites to the next level with a few custom tweaks. Military Home Search militaryhomesearch.com The Military Home Search team uses key customizations to cater perfectly to their niche: military relocation. From helping you find homes near your…

This article is part of a series about real estate PPC. We highly encourage you to read the entire guide as it's released. Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date! Part 1: What is PPC? Part 2: How Much Does Real Estate PPC Cost? Part 3: The ROI of Real Estate PPC (and How to Improve It) Part 4: To be continued... It's the first question we're always asked when an agent or brokerage is considering PPC: "What's my expected cost per lead?" To be honest, there's no simple answer. But, by answering the following questions, we can get a pretty close approximation and help you understand the mystery behind the cost of PPC: How does the Google Ads auction work? Cost Per Click: What is the expected CPC in real estate? Conversion rate: What is…

Updated February 25, 2019 Since the launch of Discover, REW clients have been adding their personal flare to this already innovative platform. If you’re considering a Discover site, or you’re looking for some inspiration to spice up your own, take a look at some of the best Discover sites so far. Out-of-the-Box Discover Sites While REW is known for its custom websites, we actually discourage most of our clients from going custom. Why? Because the platform is already designed to let you showcase your brand and generate leads right out of the box. We recommend learning the platform and seeing what it can do before jumping straight to custom work. Here are a few examples of clients who are killing it without a single customization. REP…