Doorify Real Estate Podcast

How the MLS Shapes Market Access and Agent Value with Brian Boero

• Doorify MLS

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Most agents log into their MLS every day without considering the value it actually delivers. That quiet, essential tool deserves a louder role in the client conversation.

In this episode, I’m joined by Brian Boero, co-founder of 1000WATT and one of the most experienced voices in real estate marketing and media. With a career that stretches back to 1997, including leadership roles at Inman and early innovations in e-signature tech, Brian brings sharp insights into how real estate professionals can better communicate their value. 

We talk about the MLS not just as a backend utility, but as an under-leveraged strategic tool. Brian also weighs in on client portals, pattern-breaking marketing tactics, and the importance of raising professional standards across the industry. 

Brian also highlights how newer tools like client portals can strengthen relationships long after a deal closes.

If you’ve ever brushed past the MLS as “just part of the job,” this episode will get you thinking differently. Listen in and consider how reframing your MLS membership might change the way you talk about your value.

Specifically, this episode highlights the following themes: 

  • Why the MLS is still one of the strongest differentiators agents have
  • How agents can reposition the MLS in client communication
  • Simple ways to use client portals for retention and long-term trust

Links from this episode:

1ae5b43598204883b524f061d4880e6d10fca88c (for podfollow.com)

Brian Boero [00:00:00]:
The only way that a buyer and their agent can really effectively answer the question how's the market right now? Is because the MLS exists and buyers and sellers have no idea about that. And meanwhile, real estate professionals are logging into the MLS every day. They're depending upon it, but they don't think to tell the story of what the MLS enables for their clients. And I think that's worth a pause considering innovation in action.

Andrea Siracuse [00:00:41]:
All right, everyone, get ready for a powerhouse conversation we are going to have. Today we are joined by someone who's been shaping the landscape of real estate media marketing technology for over two decades. So since way back in 1997, before co founding the influential Thousand Watt, our guest served as president of the industry leading Inman and even pioneered E Signature Tech. He's guided countless companies through their biggest brand and marketing hurdles and now even leads the dynamic team at Thousand Watt. So please welcome the insightful, incredible experience. Brian Boero.

Brian Boero [00:01:26]:
Hey, I'm pleased to be here. It's a pleasure.

Andrea Siracuse [00:01:31]:
So I want to just get into it at Dori like we offer a robust platform for our agents. And given your broad view of real estate technology landscape, what is your take on how effectively real estate professionals in general leverage their MLS to truly benefit their clients and to enhance their own service offerings? Like, are there often overlooked opportunities in the MLS that agents could capitalize on?

Brian Boero [00:02:04]:
I generally think that real estate professionals underappreciate their MLS and take it for granted. And what I mean by that is that it is so central to the working lives of the real estate practitioner that it's just sort of assumed. And in much the same way, for example, that you and I assume that when we flip the switch, a light will come on or we turn the tap on, the sink on, water will come out that we can drink and use safely. These are really miraculous things that we have come to take for granted. And I think that in real estate, many practitioners just sort of take the MLS for granted without know really pondering what it is that we have here, which is this platform upon which competitors agreeing to a relatively small number of of guidelines and rules manage to work together to create an open, fair, vibrantly competitive real estate market. And that's really, really amazing and is outside of North America simply not something that exists. It's really a singular achievement within the United States and Canada. I think most real estate professionals don't think about their MLS as much as they should and therefore do not incorporate it into the story that they tell their clients, the seller or the buyer.

Brian Boero [00:03:35]:
So for Example in the average listing presentation. And I've seen thousands of these over the years. A real estate professional will talk about lots of things, but very few that I've seen include the MLS. Meaning because I am a member of the MLS. Your case, Doorify MLS. Because I am a member of Doorify MLS, I am able to place your property in front of virtually every, every buyer and every agent working with buyers in the market. That, that is the power that is inherent in my MLS membership. And that story isn't told enough.

Brian Boero [00:04:22]:
And I think it's not told enough because A, we kind of just take it for granted and B, a lot of practitioners say, well, everybody has the MLS, so I want to talk about the things that I just have. But that doesn't negate the intrinsic value of the MLS. You have an amazing story to tell a home seller or a home buyer by virtue of the fact that you are a subscriber to the MLS. And I generally think that that is a missed opportunity.

Andrea Siracuse [00:04:53]:
Do you think that you talk about like in the beginning showcasing that, like, in what specific ways could agents like proactively showcase that value? Is it when they get the listing agreement? Kind of like a consumer portal, which is something that we've been working on having. So our website is all about the consumer. So if we have a consumer on our website and they're interested in a house, it connects you with one of our subscribers. And that's kind of the relationship that we're hoping to build. But that is going to take a lot of work and to get there. So I'm curious, is that kind of something the example you gave, talking about that in the beginning stages?

Brian Boero [00:05:38]:
Yeah, I think so. But you know, like I said, I, I think it's even just sort of higher level kind of macro like this for granted? Yeah, Virtually every buyer in the marketplace effectively instantly, and every agent in the marketplace working with buyers more or less instantly because I am a member of the MLS and because the MLS exists. So that is an element of an agent's value that most consumers have no understanding of whatsoever. In fact, we've done tons of consumer research and well over half of people, even people who don't, who have gone through the process of selling or buying a home, have really no conception of what the MLS is. And that is a huge missed opportunity. And on the buy side, it's the same thing. And whether you're using specific tools like the client portal that you mentioned and updates, I think it's important that consumers understand through their real estate Professional that, you know, the MLS effectively puts the home and home search. They may be using household name real estate apps, but all of those real estate apps get their information from the MLS.

Brian Boero [00:06:57]:
The only way that a buyer and their agent can really effectively answer the question, how's the market right now? Is because the MLS exists and buyers and sellers have no idea about that. And meanwhile, real estate professionals are logging into the MLS every day. They're depending upon it every day, but they don't think to tell the story of what the MLS enables for their clients. And I think that's worth pause, consideration, and in action.

Andrea Siracuse [00:07:37]:
Do you think it's up to the real estate professionals to educate consumers on the MLS, or is it more on the MLS side to almost do both? Because that's something I think a lot of MLS's struggle with. Right. I think. I mean, everyone thinks we're a soccer team.

Brian Boero [00:07:57]:
Exactly.

Andrea Siracuse [00:07:58]:
Yeah.

Brian Boero [00:07:59]:
I think that the MLS certainly, and this is starting to change, but the MLS MLSs, generally speaking, have not done a good job at explaining themselves to the world. And that's starting to change. But that's always been the case. But really, ultimately, in terms of reaching consumers, to reach consumers directly is an enormously expensive proposition and really is best done through the real estate professional. So that's why I'm focused there. Because, you know, if you have a dorify. How many. How many thousands of subscribers do you have? You have thousands? Yep.

Brian Boero [00:08:34]:
Okay. They have an opportunity to include the MLS as part of the story of value that they are delivering to their clients. And I would wager that the large majority of your MLS subscribers are not presently doing that. And that, in my opinion, is a miss.

Andrea Siracuse [00:08:54]:
Yeah. What do you think some of those common misconceptions that agents have about the MLS are, you know, and how can they overcome, too, to encourage, you know, greater utilization?

Brian Boero [00:09:07]:
The big issue here is that I think they don't think much about the MLS at all, other than it exists. And it's something that they use every day if they're active in the business. You know, again, I'll. I'll use the analogy of electricity or running water. This is something. Things that are vital to our modern way of living, and we just sort of assume them when in fact, they are small miracles in our everyday lives. It's the same thing with the MLS. The MLS has become so important and so central in the life of a working real estate professional that most simply take it for granted.

Brian Boero [00:09:44]:
And that, I think, is something that we should shake ourselves out of because it's really a small miracle in our midst. You know, I think one of the effects of that is if you don't understand or appreciate something fully, you don't value it as much as you probably should. So the MLS, I've always thought is an incredible bargain. And for some of the things that a real estate agent or a real estate broker pays for in their business, the MLS is a screaming deal because it literally allows the person to do their job well. And the degree to which an agent becomes a student of the market is really tied very tightly to the degree to which they are students and users of their MLS. It's one of those powerful things that is sort of hidden in plain sight that most agents don't think about strategically.

Andrea Siracuse [00:10:45]:
What would you say? And this is really more towards, you know, newer agents. But, but it could apply to, you know, agents that have been in the business for a while. Like what is your take on like the quickest wins or the most impactful way that they can leverage the power of the MLS with their clients or even just them personally to run their business?

Brian Boero [00:11:08]:
I think a client portal is, is obviously like that. That's, that's like most MLS have it. Well, it's not the sexiest technology, but that's kind of everything and not just when you're working with a buyer to find a house. It really being able to deliver information directly from the multiple listing service to your client at any point is hugely important. So even if you've helped buyers into a home, they should continue to get updates through your client portal from you and your MLS, because what better means of engagement and retention is there than sending somebody new listings that are on the market or have sold in the market near the house your clients just bought. We come up with all these fancy ways of marketing, but there's never been a better way to connect with consumers than, than to send them up to the minute property information and home sale data. That's information people want no matter where they are in the home buying trajectory. So yes, the client portal, big fan of that.

Brian Boero [00:12:25]:
Sending out listing alerts, sending out sales updates. There's no you can get those things on Zillow or homes.com or the portals, but you will get it first directly from the MLS.

Andrea Siracuse [00:12:37]:
And the most accurate.

Brian Boero [00:12:39]:
Yes. So I think that's an underutilized facet of the MLS platform.

Andrea Siracuse [00:12:45]:
You've worked with countless real estate professionals and companies through Thousand Watt in today's competitive market. So there are like, what are some of the most effective authentic ways you've Seen agents and brokerages, you know, truly stand out and make a difference for themselves, you know, from the crowd.

Brian Boero [00:13:09]:
It's tough to do that because there are 1.5 million realtors in the United States of America still approximately. And they're only, you know, last couple years and probably this year, around 4 million used home sales. Right. So that's a lot of practitioners for a relatively low number of transactions. So how do you stand out? That's a tough question to answer briefly, but I will say this. The real estate industry has historically been a look around business. If you're an agent or you're a broker, you're a team leader, whatever, you look around and you try to figure out, well, who's that successful person over there? What are they doing? And then you do what they do, or that guy or that gal over there is doing X, Y or Z in their marketing. So I need to be doing that.

Brian Boero [00:14:03]:
The effect of that is that we all kind of do the same things in real estate as far as marketing goes. And it all blurs together. I get eight or ten postcards from Realtors in my mailbox every single week. They're all the same, do the same thing. I see the same posts. Everybody's doing the same thing with their Instagram reels. Everybody's doing the same thing on Facebook. It's all the same stuff.

Brian Boero [00:14:31]:
So my advice to break away is not to look around at others and mimic them because they appear to be successful doing something. It is to really look inward and to figure out what are the things that I can say or do that nobody else in my market, in my neighborhood, in my subdivision can say or do. That's where real differentiation comes from. Not by trying to do the same sort of Instagram reel that the person who is really great at doing Instagram reels does. Right. Looking at what you are uniquely prepared to do and say in the marketplace and then to do those things, that's the only way to stand out.

Andrea Siracuse [00:15:14]:
What is something you've seen recently that, like, I'll give you an example where one of the agents that I'm very close with sent a mailer and we all get them right, but she did a mailer that was the spring, spring vegetables and what to plant. And I just thought that was very, like something geared towards her, very personable. I hadn't seen something like that in a mailer. And it was very focused on, like, the need for you. And I just thought it was really well done. It was like this whole chart of, you know, what to Plant in the spring and the fall. Is there anything that you've seen recently that has stuck out to you? Like, I love just giving the audience some just kind of like, tactic or getting their minds to think outside of the box of something creative you might have seen.

Brian Boero [00:16:03]:
I think that anything that interrupts a pattern without being stupid is probably worth considering, I think if you are prepared to set preparations. Let me give you an example. Okay? So I get the same letters from agents in my neighborhood. I have a buyer who wants to buy your house. Well, they don't. That's just a form. Get a free home valuation for your house. Now is a good time to sell your house.

Brian Boero [00:16:32]:
I don't even process those for an instant. Really. They go right into the recycle bin. I would like to get a postcard or an email from a real estate agent that said, you know what? It's probably not a good time to sell your house. It's probably not. So if you're thinking about it, let's hash it out. Right? Maybe it is. But, you know, it's just a tough market out there.

Brian Boero [00:16:56]:
Say something that is heresy. Say something that is contrary to what every other practitioner that might be in your marketplace is saying. So that's my point. Say the thing that nobody else is willing to say. Do the thing that nobody else is prepared to do. That's how you break away from the pattern. Not doing the same old stuff that everybody else is doing.

Andrea Siracuse [00:17:19]:
And I think to your point, going back earlier, I think that's kind of how MLSs have to market themselves, right? In a. In a way.

Brian Boero [00:17:29]:
Well, I think MLS are in a position of sort of starting, you know, from. Right. I mean, like I said, consumers don't know what the MLS is, generally speaking. Real estate professionals, you know, it's their lifeblood of their business. They couldn't function without it, so they sort of take it for granted. MLS's need to start kind of at the ground floor here saying, hey, listen, by the way, you pay us X dollars a month or quarter a year to have this service. And let's stop and think about that for a while and think about, you know, what it actually does to support your business. And maybe here are some things about the MLS platform that you did not know.

Andrea Siracuse [00:18:07]:
Right.

Brian Boero [00:18:09]:
And how about trying these things? So I think in terms of MLS marketing and communications, it really starts with the basics.

Andrea Siracuse [00:18:20]:
Yeah, agree. Speaking of MLS's, you know, I talked to you earlier about this before we jumped on the podcast, but, you know, Dorify has been one of the early adopters of MLS choice model. So this is allowing our agents to select their preferred front end system. So I'm curious, like, given your long standing involvement in the real estate tech side, what is your take on this evolving approach to the MLS? Like, what is your perspective on this growing trend that where we're offering agents choice for their front end of systems? Do you see this as a fundamental shift in the MLS model? Like, what are the broader, I guess, implications for the industry as a whole with this?

Brian Boero [00:19:12]:
Yeah, look, I think everybody has different preferences in terms of software. So if an MLS is able to say, look, we have three options for you, we have system A, system B, system C, I think that's perfectly fine. I will say that, you know, there is no perfect MLS system for any given real estate agent. It's like somebody says, well, you know, what is the best CRM for agents? I don't know, the one somebody likes, right.

Andrea Siracuse [00:19:42]:
What's going to work best for your, you know, your business or how you're going to be the most proactive and, you know, be the most successful?

Brian Boero [00:19:51]:
Exactly. So yeah, look, I think choice generally is a good thing. And in this case, if there's, you know, a couple different systems and I can choose which one to use, that's terrific. You know, you also realizing that, you know, an MLS system and the software that runs MLS, look, it's complicated, right? It's a secure database with lots of complexity in it and you know, it's not going to be like, you know, just scrolling through Instagram or, you know, doing something simple. These are big, complicated systems. So yeah, I think choice is, is good.

Andrea Siracuse [00:20:36]:
What do you see, you know, as the biggest, I guess, opportunities or the most significant challenges for MLSs navigating this like, choice landscape, particularly regarding like data integrity and agent adoption, because that's something that, you know, I think for us we want to give you a choice, right, how you're going to be most successful. I think that sometimes, you know, people don't want to learn something new, so another system might be better, but they've used the same thing forever. So I'm curious, just like if you had any thoughts of what those big challenges for adoption might be?

Brian Boero [00:21:17]:
Well, I mean that is the power of inertia is strong in the real estate business. You know, again, the MLS system is something that any active real estate professional lives and breathes in. So if you make a change, even a relatively trivial one, you're going to get pushback. It's just that the way things are so if you offer option A or option B or option C, I think that mitigates some of the challenge in trying to satisfy the diverse needs of thousands of professionals in a marketplace. I don't think that's ultimately a solvable problem. I mean, you can mitigate that with choice. But again, you live and breathe in the MLS, and if people decide that it needs to be changed, that that's, you know, something you have to process. And that's not always.

Andrea Siracuse [00:22:14]:
Well, Brian, I ask everyone at the end. It's my favorite question, and I love hearing answers. If you could change one thing in real estate, could be media, could be a system. It could be literally anything with a magic wand. What would it be and why?

Brian Boero [00:22:32]:
I would make it much harder to become a real estate agent? Because I think that the really great practitioners in this business don't win often enough. And I mentioned before, we're going to have another year, probably right around 4 million home sales, which is down at least 20% from the pattern over the last three or four decades. And we just have too many mouths to feed in this business. You know, I want the best to win. I would raise the bar.

Andrea Siracuse [00:23:07]:
In other words, it's so funny you gave that answer. I had a recording from someone else today and they gave that exact answer. I also think, though, with all the policy changes and just the news and the media, with our industry, a lot of people will be weeded out.

Brian Boero [00:23:28]:
So.

Andrea Siracuse [00:23:28]:
So I don't know, maybe that is gonna, you know, have the top, you know, rise to the top even more. I'll be curious to see what happens in the next five years. But I do agree with you, especially a couple years ago when I feel like everyone was getting their real estate license, you know?

Brian Boero [00:23:48]:
Yeah, well, that's been the historical pattern, Right. When times are good, you get a bunch of people rushing into the business, and then, you know, when we go through a trough where we are right now and have been for the last three years almost, yeah, people fall away. Although the number of Realtors has been amazing, amazingly resilient this time around. The NAR does not publicly release member figures as they used to, but there's still too many practitioners chasing too few deals.

Andrea Siracuse [00:24:17]:
I agree. Well, Brian, thank you so much for coming on the Dorify MLS podcast. It was so great to gain so much knowledge from you and wisdom. I'm sure our listeners really are going to enjoy this chat. Where can people find you if they want to learn more about you and what you're up to?

Brian Boero [00:24:36]:
Sure. Just go to our website. Thousand watt.net 1,000w a t t dot net. You can subscribe to our newsletter. The Dose goes out every Tuesday morning. It's totally free. We put cool stuff in it so you can subscribe there.

Andrea Siracuse [00:24:54]:
Awesome. Thanks so much.

Brian Boero [00:24:56]:
All right, my pleasure. Thanks for having me.

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