Homestore.com, Inc. has formed a two-year, multi-million dollar technology and marketing alliance with OnePipeline, Inc., the leading provider of automated legal compliance software and services related to mortgage loan origination and related compensation.

What does that mean translated into plain English? Realtors will be able to originate loans - legally. Take that, lenders who are trying to become real estate brokers! With one signed agreement, the National Association of REALTORS and its equity partner Homestore has just moved the Realtor from the center of the transaction to the front and center, making this one of the biggest news stories of the year in the real estate sector.

Onepipeline trains and enables real estate agents to originate loans themselves, instead of handing their buyers off to a lender. But, watch for the leading lenders in the land to scramble to get on board as part of the RESPA compliance laws insist that borrowers have a selection of lenders from which to choose. The compliance platform is so democratic, in fact, that agents can enable their favorite local lenders on the platform, too.

Under the terms of the deal, Homestore.com™ will use OnePipeline as its provider of automated legal compliance technology related to compensation for real estate professionals that assist with mortgage loan origination. Homestore.com also will acquire equity in OnePipeline, but spokespersons declined to say how much or if money has already changed hands, or if the equity is above and beyond the revenue-sharing of such strategic partnerships.

Both companies will promote OnePipeline’s Automated Compliance System™ that features a sophisticated Automated Compliance Engine (ACE)™ with workflow software that conforms to constantly monitored and frequently changing laws, regulations and disclosure requirements governing real estate and mortgage lending.

Here's the part that should please Homestore investors. OnePipeline’s ACE™ technology enables third parties, such as real estate professionals, to offer mortgage products and services to homebuyers, and to get paid for much of the work they are already doing to make sure the loan closes properly and on time. What makes this such big news is that, until now, the advantage has all been the lender's as Realtors have been prohibited from collecting commissions or finder's fees with regard to the loan. Now the shoe is on the other foot. Lenders will be paying Realtors for a shot at the home purchase loan, and Homestore will get a piece of every compliance contract.

Onepipeline doesn't plan to rest on its laurels with the Homestore contract. In addition to being added to Homestore's eRealtor client/business/transaction platform, the loan compliance technology can also be private-labeled so real estate broker-owners can offer an easy and convenient means for their agents to obtain services from the brokers’ affiliated mortgage company. The software also provides real estate brokers and lenders with web-based tools for distributing and auditing these fees.

“We’re pleased to provide this important new opportunity for real estate professionals to perform more efficiently with better tools,” stated Stuart Wolff, chairman and CEO of Homestore.com, Inc. “ACE™ technology benefits real estate pros by allowing them to be positioned at the center of the facilitate key aspects of the mortgage process, which ultimately helps consumers streamline the mortgage transaction.”

OnePipeline chairman and CEO David F. Broadbent said, "We are excited to be strategically aligned with Homestore.com. As the #1 supplier of professional tools for real estate professionals, Homestore.com is the most logical and best choice for rolling out ACE™ technology to the market.”

A spokesperson with Onepipeline declined to announce which lenders will be licensing the Onepipeline compliance technology, as the lineup is rapidly changing with the fallout of this announcement, but you can bet the lineup will be impressive.

Published: October 25, 2000

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Blanche Evans is the award-winning senior editor of Realty Times, the Internet's leading independent real estate news service. She is featured daily on the Realty Times Video Network in the "Realty Viewpoint" segment. Blanche has been named one of the "25 Most Influential People In Real Estate" by REALTOR Magazine, and has been twice recognized as a "notable." In 2005, she was named "Top Reporter Covering the NAR" by Delahaye-Bacon's. Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. To contact Blanche, email her at . For more articles by Blanche, click here.