Episode Summary
In this forward-looking episode of PropTech Pulse, host Jake Hamilton sits down with Jeremy Crawford, President and CEO of FirstMLS (FMLS) in Georgia, alongside Lisa Mihelcich, Lone Wolf's General Manager of MLS and Associations. The conversation centers on the newly announced partnership bringing Transaction Desk and Transact to FMLS members, while diving deeper into Jeremy's vision for the future of MLS technology in an evolving real estate landscape. With decades of industry experience, Crawford shares valuable insights on how artificial intelligence, interoperability, and consumer transparency are reshaping the MLS ecosystem.

Topics Covered

• The partnership between FMLS and Lone Wolf to bring Transaction Desk and Transact to members
• The impact of regulatory changes on MLS operations
• How AI is transforming agent workflows and consumer experiences
• The critical importance of interoperability in real estate technology
• Training and support strategies for MLS members
• The evolving value proposition of MLSs in today's market
• Consumer transparency and the enduring importance of real estate professionals

Key Quotes from Jeremy Crawford

• "We were founded in 1957 to help our brokers transact real estate and the best way to do that is to give the agents the tools they need to succeed and stand behind those tools."
• "AI is not going to replace the agent. We think it's going to infuse the agent to be more powerful in front of their buyers and sellers."
• "I think interoperability is key... The world lives in a Bluetooth environment of interoperability of many competitors that are out in the space."
• "We believe in consumer transparency at FMLS... As much data we provide consumers in transparency, the professional is helping them along the way."
• "Let's help our brokers and agents transact real estate in the most efficient way possible. They serve their consumers and the consumers continue to think the highest opinion of the broker and agent professionals."

About Jeremy Crawford
Jeremy Crawford is the President and CEO of FirstMLS (FMLS), one of the largest MLSs in the country. With extensive experience in residential real estate, he is recognized as one of the most innovative thinkers in MLS strategy, leadership, and technology. Under his leadership, FMLS maintains a 95% customer satisfaction rating while processing over 80,000 support inquiries annually.

Connect With FMLS

• Website: fmls.com

PropTech Pulse: From the entrepreneur's desk to the industry front lines and into real-world operations – taking the pulse of real estate technology in just 20 minutes.

Episode Summary

In this insightful episode of PropTech Pulse, host Kyle Hunter welcomes Greg Robertson, a 30-year veteran of real estate technology. Robertson, who founded his first real estate software company in 1992 and most recently sold W&R Studios (creators of Cloud CMA) to Lone Wolf in 2020, shares his expert perspective on the changing landscape of Multiple Listing Services (MLS). The conversation covers the evolution of MLS from physical books to today's post-settlement environment, current challenges facing the industry, and predictions for the future of real estate data sharing and ownership.

Topics Covered

• The three stages of MLS evolution (MLS 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0)
• Impact of the NAR settlement on cooperation and compensation models
• Current market challenges affecting MLSs and real estate professionals
• The balance between technological innovation and legal compliance
• MLS consolidation trends and data sharing models
• Data ownership debates and broker-of-choice implications
• Strategies for MLSs to thrive in the changing landscape

Key Quotes

• "We're in the MLS 3.0 stage where... what used to be the two pillars of MLS, which were cooperation and compensation... mandatory compensation is gone."
• "The top 23 [MLSs] represent a million of those 1.5 million realtors. So it's a very long tail."
• "The best marketing is having a great product. When you have a great product, marketing takes care of itself."
• "Be so good they can't ignore you... focus on the things you can control."

About Greg Robertson

Greg Robertson has been in the real estate technology industry for about 30 years. He started his first real estate software company in 1992, shipping software on 5¼-inch floppy disks. His most recent venture, W&R Studios with flagship product Cloud CMA, was acquired by Lone Wolf in December 2020. Greg is known for his insights on MLS systems and real estate technology trends.

Resources Mentioned

• MLS Reset conference
• Clear Cooperation policies
• NAR settlement and its implications

PropTech Pulse: From the entrepreneur's desk to the industry front lines and into real-world operations – taking the pulse of real estate technology in just 20 minutes.

In this impactful episode of PropTech Pulse, host Aaron Kardell welcomes Kendall Bonner, VP of Industry Relations and Strategic Partnerships at eXp Realty. A licensed attorney, former broker-owner, successful team leader, and recognized industry influencer, Bonner shares her expertise on leveraging technology to enhance client relationships while maintaining the human connection that drives real estate success. The conversation covers digital transformation, balancing efficiency with personal touch, technology adoption strategies, and building community in virtual environments.

Topics Covered

• How digital transformation has changed client relationships in real estate
• Balancing technology efficiency with authentic human interactions
• Current gaps and opportunities in real estate technology
• Effective strategies for technology adoption and implementation
• Building team culture and community in digital environments
• The future of AI-driven insights in real estate business

Key Quotes

• "We are a belly-to-belly business in real estate... the goal of technology and digitizing relationships is to enhance the client experience."
• "You can't outsource the heart. People want to digitize the heart part of their business, and I think that's a mistake."
• "Before you can reach the success goal... you have to get consistent doing it over and over again. The next step is proficiency... And then the final step is efficiency."
• "The one thing technology can do really well that we are honestly not that great at is aggregating and interpreting data."
• "You can't just focus on how to do something, how to use the tool. You have to teach the agents why they need to use the tool and where and when to implement it."
• "Community is not just about having a physical location... Really what community is about is relationship."

About Kendall Bonner

Kendall Bonner has been a licensed Florida attorney since 2003 and entered real estate in 2011. She founded a franchise brokerage in 2014, growing it from a single agent to 60 agents with over $200 million in volume. In 2021, she launched a real estate team that achieved 200+ home sales and $80+ million in volume within two years. Currently, she serves as VP of Industry Relations and Strategic Partnerships at eXp Realty, overseeing the eXp Solutions business unit. Her recent accolades include being named a 2024 Woman of Influence by HousingWire, a 2025 Power Player by Inman, and a 2025 Newsmaker by RISMedia.

Resources Mentioned

• CRM systems for real estate
• AI-driven insights and coaching
• Virtual community-building platform

Connect With Kendall Bonner

• Website: KendallBonner.com

PropTech Pulse: From the entrepreneur's desk to the industry front lines and into real-world operations – taking the pulse of real estate technology in just 20 minutes.