Homestore has a deep product set, says Errol Samuelson, the company's product director. Homestore is an Internet company, a media company, and the acquisition of Wyldfyre, along with Top Producer, makes it a technology company, too.

"We're all wrapped into one, all with the same goal of facilitating helping brokers build their businesses," says Samuelson. "Unlike other companies we have an operating agreement that acts as a regulatory body and helps the Realtor's cause instead of threatening the Realtor. We keep them in the forefront. That is unique. You wouldn't find that situation anywhere else."

He points out that keeping Homestore's Realtor-centric strategy in mind is key to understanding the purpose behind certain company acquisitions and product development within those units.

Wyldfyre is a perfect example. A small company that builds software that sits on MLS information management hardware systems, Wyldfyre software currently serves over 100,000 real estate agents. The company has a number of sub-products that help brokers and agents manage their listings from the desktop, Web browser, or by wireless phone. "There is no one in the industry who is doing it better," says Samuelson.

Here are Wyldfyre's top four products, according to Samuelson:

Wyldfyre Listings

Wyldfyre Listings is a windows interface software which allows agents to generate reports, flyers, mapping and more. "It is a sophisticated front-end engine and it can run a hot sheet and produce beautiful output," says Samuelson. "It has huge customer loyalty. It operates online and the user can pull information, and it also works in an offline mode. If you specialized in the Park Cities, an in-burb of Dallas, it could download every property in the town limits. If you're out in the field, you can search, print reports and still have access to that information without being online. Next time you connect to the Internet, it refreshes and updates the latest MLS information automatically."

Parallel Server

The MLS listings system is further enhanced by a Parallel Server which brokers can purchase and use, with the MLS' permission, of course. This lets a broker have the system in the office which lets the MLS database sit in the broker's office. The purpose is to use the information to run reports which aren't typically available from the MLS. These may include listings to use in advertising and productivity reports on the brokerage's agents. Parallel Server is a back office tool for brokers to give them insight into how their business is running. According to the rules of some MLSs, brokers can also generate reports on competitors.

The advantage to the MLS is that their server isn't tapped and slowed down by requests for large amounts of data, and it saves the MLS overhead as the MLS won't be paying for the software of the design of the reports.

MLS Alliance

MLS Alliance is being piloted in the San Francisco/Bay Area. It is a means through which multiple adjoining or nearby MLS organizations can share data without having to merge their databases or their organizations. The advantage to an agent is that if s/he has a buyer that has large search perimeters such as "I would like to be within one hour of work," or "I would like to be on the water," the agent can do one search in several MLSs to find the right property. "A simple request could be very time-consuming for the agent," explains Samuelson. "By the time you have entered all the data requests into two or three different MLSs. With this Web-based interface, you can simultaneously search multiple MLS in a single report." With one service, the agent also uses one password and ID, and away they go.

MLS Phone

MLS Phone is a wireless application protocol (WAP), a way to get Internet connectivity on mobile phones. "There is a new product called the AT&T WAP phone, where you can pull up MLS information," explains Samuelson. "You see a yard sign on a property and your buyer says, "I want more information." You pull out your WAP phone, key in a couple of strokes, and the MLS will send you the details - showing instructions, the agent's phone number, and you can press send or talk to the agent right there on your phone." Also featured in through MLS Phone is a listing alert, through which the agent can set up a particular property profile. When a new property is entered into the MLS database or a price reduction occurs, the phone will beep or page the agent with a listing alert.

Samuelson distinguishes Homestore from its competitors by pointing out this Realtor-centric strategy. "Realtors spend a lot of money without necessarily seeing productivity gains. They tend to use things that don't share well, and that's a problem we are trying to solve. Our theme is integration, in which the agent's Web page integrates with a contact manager, and the MLS information can be communicated easily."

Published: September 8, 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.