MOVE (realtor.com) acquires Point2's listing syndication arm
Following recent news of Zillow acquiring Trulia, Move made a move today. Curious to see how the pros here think of this move. Would it help realtor.com be more competitive to Zillow?
InPlay from Briefing.com
9:03 am Move acquires Point2's U.S. listing syndication service (MOVE) : Co announced the acquisition of the listing syndication arm of Point2, operated by Yardi Canada Ltd. ListHub, the nation's foremost listing syndicator and provider of marketing analytics for the real estate industry, operated by Move, will assume Point2's syndication relationships with 112 Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) in the United States representing more than 900,000 listings to offer the industry a streamlined and unified syndication platform. The combined network will remove duplication of listings currently served by both systems, and will now provide information from more than 600 data sources, and distribute approximately three million listings nationwide, or close to 85% of residential listings in the country.
Move, Inc. Acquires Point2's U.S. Listing Syndication Service
SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Move, Inc. (MOVE), a leading provider of online real estate services, today announces the acquisition of the listing syndication arm of Point2, operated by Yardi Canada Ltd. ListHub, the nation's foremost listing syndicator and provider of marketing analytics for the real estate industry, operated by Move, will assume Point2's syndication relationships with 112 Multiple Listing Services (MLSs) in the United States representing more than 900,000 listings to offer the industry a streamlined and unified syndication platform. The combined network will remove duplication of listings currently served by both systems, and will now provide information from more than 600 data sources, and distribute approximately three million listings nationwide, or close to 85 percent of residential listings in the country.
The acquisition enables ListHub, as a single, trusted source for online listing syndication and reporting services, to deliver even greater value to MLSs, brokers and real estate publisher websites. Combining the two platforms will reduce listing duplication and data fragmentation, reduce online listing inaccuracy through ListHub's rigorous requirements, and provide more accurate metrics and measurement of online marketing across numerous websites.
"This is a critical step toward our vision of a single industry platform to manage listing, agent, lead and other analytics information in a single platform, which is an important component for the largest brokerages and franchises that span multiple MLS markets," said Luke Glass, executive vice president of industry platforms for Move. "Once the transition is completed, these listings will be protected under ListHub's stringent terms that guide the responsible and fair exchange of value between content owners and publishers, while brokers will have a single point of control through their dashboard. This model offers significant advantages to the industry in improved online listing accuracy, a single platform for MLSs and their largest brokerages and franchise members, and streamlined service for the publishers who strive to serve the industry through marketing websites and other software solutions."
ListHub's data agreements with publisher participants ensure that the listing data provided by ListHub is used for consumer display only, is supported and removed in a timely manner, and meets high standards for broker and agent attribution. Point2 customers who transition to the ListHub platform will be provided with the same content protections.
MLSs new to the ListHub platform will benefit from ListHub's comprehensive toolset, including protective terms for listing content, lead management controls, and reporting. With ListHub, broker members will continue to have full control over their syndication, with the ability to opt-in/opt-out of syndication or specific publisher websites in the ListHub network. The ListHub network offers broad online coverage, including exclusive access to Freddie Mac's Homesteps.com, Fannie Mae's HomePath.com, and both the Franchise and MLS Real Estate Network (REN), enabling brokers to advertise their listings on franchise and MLS websites. Additionally, ListHub's MLS partners have the ability to redirect traffic to their own public websites and include the MLS public site traffic statistics in the ListHub reports to better quantify the value the MLS provides to members.
"ListHub was a pioneer in the early days of syndication, and today we continue to innovate and evolve to increase the return on investment that real estate professionals receive from third party publishers," said Celeste Starchild, general manager for ListHub. "We have made a significant investment in our reporting platform by adding more metrics across more publishers, including mobile apps, and making strides in delivering the highest quality in real-time metrics analysis. 2014 has been a year of record growth, with an average of 800 new brokerage accounts per month, organic growth of 55 new MLSs, our recently announced relationship with Systems Engineering, Inc. (SEI) to serve its 130 MLS customers, and now, consolidation with Point2. Point2 customers will now have access to the gold standard in marketing analytics and IP protection for their content to help them drive more effective online marketing programs and reach more online consumers while ensuring control of their listing content."
Point2 will continue to provide its signature real estate solutions including Point2 Agent, Point2 Homes, agent and MLS public websites, IDX tools, mobile applications, and additional tools to help real estate professionals be more productive and competitive.
"Both Point2 and ListHub serve brokers and agents by helping them to expand their digital presence online," said Gordon Morrell, chief operating officer of Point2. "As the industry evolves, we want to stay focused on providing the top quality programs and services Point2 is known for throughout the United States and Canada. We believe that ListHub has shown leadership in syndication and contract alignment by ensuring that the agreements with publishers align with the intentions of the content owners, and moreover we believe it's in the industry's best interest to have a single, managed pipeline for feeding data to those websites. We are confident that this strategic shift lays the best framework for the future for Point2, ListHub, the industry and for our customers."
While the acquisition has been completed, ListHub and Point2 will work collaboratively over the coming months to ensure a seamless transition for all customers. MLSs and Associations interested in ListHub can visit ListHub's website or contact [email protected] for a demo of the platform or to access additional training and education tools.
About ListHub
ListHub provides a platform to MLSs and real estate brokers to effectively manage every aspect of advertising listings online, including tools for making informed advertising choices, flexible options for routing consumer traffic and leads, and reporting for accurately measuring the results of their online marketing. Listing information is kept up-to-date to provide today's homebuyers with the most accurate information available from MLSs.
About Point2
Founded in 1996, Point2 provides online marketing solutions for real estate agents worldwide and real estate organizations in North America. Point2's full suite of easy tools delivers more traffic, more leads and more sales to agents and brokers in over 85 countries. Websites, IDX, syndication, prospecting utilities and more, the platform offers the complete real estate marketing package. Point2 also owns and operates the consumer real estate search portal, Point2 Homes. Point2 is a member of the Yardi