Tech Bytes: News from Modern.tech, SFAR, CubiCasa, Loft47, Revive 

Editor's note: Technology is a driving force in real estate. From startups to established players, tech companies are constantly innovating, growing and forging partnerships. Here we highlight some of the latest news about the companies that help power the industry. 

Modern.tech to launch new MLS software, partners with Relevate

Colorado-based Modern.tech is preparing to launch its latest real estate software product after hiring Bill Fowler as vice president of real estate strategy.

Fowler's MLS Innovator Network will now be a part of the Modern MLS Program, a product that Modern.tech is launching soon. 

"Bill Fowler is a brilliant problem solver and a distinguished industry thought leader," said Andrew Coca, CEO of Modern.tech. "We are beyond excited to launch the Modern MLS Program together and leverage our combined industry and technical expertise."

The Modern MLS Program is a consulting product that helps MLSs and associations navigate the rapidly changing technology environment, according to a news release.

The company also went through a recent name change. Formerly known as Evolved Technologies, Modern.tech is expanding its services for MLSs and proptech companies. The company has worked with more than 50 MLS feeds and built software products used by more than one million agents.

"Our new brand and visual identity showcase our team's extensive experience solving complex technical and non-technical problems," Coca said. "Our expanded offering of strategy and consulting programs will allow industry professionals to leverage this expertise to supercharge their technology initiatives."

Modern.tech also has a new partnership: Relevate, which offers MLS and association management products and services, is teaming up with Modern.tech to build a new platform.

The new system will be called Relevate One (R1) and will deliver a unified management system with a single sign-on dashboard.

"Relevate One will be the tool our clients need and deserve," said Mark Richburg, Relevate CEO, in a news release. "We'll combine the user feedback gathered during focus groups with our almost 40 years of real estate experience to empower MLS and association staff that automates routine tasks, freeing them up to focus on their organizational goals."

Relevate is based in Maryland and Modern.tech is based in Colorado.

SF Association of Realtors partners with Zenlist on mobile MLS

The San Francisco Association of Realtors (SFAR) has announced a new partnership with Zenlist, an agent-to-client collaboration platform, that will enable Bay Area agents to manage their work from anywhere using their mobile devices.

The app is set to launch later this month and will provide SFAR's 4,000-plus members with the ability to publish and manage property listings in the MLS, create and schedule tours, save searches, communicate directly with clients and more, within one app.

"We're honored to be chosen by the SFARMLS to take them mobile. This partnership will be the first of its kind with this level of tightly integrated functionality," said Zenlist founder Tom MacLeod. "Our partnership will allow member agents the power to work directly inside the MLS, their lifeline, without having to be tethered to a computer."

The SFARMLS app, powered by Zenlist, leverages its participation in the NORCAL MLS Alliance, which covers over 26 counties in Northern California. Agents will have current and historical listing data in an app that "meets the mobile agent where they are," said Damon Knox, SFAR president.

And the vision is to eventually meet agents across the country where they are, bringing the app nationwide. Zenlist currently has 6,000 agents and more than 200,000 consumers on its platform.

10th MLS group partners with CubiCasa

The MLS/CLAW of California recently joined CubiCasa's new MLS Partnership Program, allowing agents to access free floor plans produced by the company's app.

The partnership program allows CubiCasa to work directly with MLSs to expand access to floor plans across the U.S.

"Adding The MLS/CLAW to our list of MLS partners brings us closer to CubiCasa's vision for the future of real estate," said Jeff Allen, president of CubiCasa. "We're helping to empower their members with our easy-to-use, free floor plan tool that will ultimately allow buyers to make more informed purchasing decisions. Making floor plans the standard on home listings across the country will add a new level of transparency and certainty to the real estate process."

CubiCasa now has 10 partners since it launched in December, with existing partnerships in Alabama, Arizona, California, Georgia, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, Vermont and Latin America. 

Loft47 embraces natural language AI

A Vancouver, B.C. company that specializes in real estate brokerage back office solutions has added GPT to its product.

Loft47 has introduced the latest AI technology into their Loft47 Pro product, allowing clients to query their database using natural language. This is expected to add a new level of automation and data-driven insights for the company's real estate clients.

"This integration will enable us to provide our clients with a more accurate and detailed analysis of their real estate transactions, ultimately empowering them to make more informed decisions in a highly competitive industry," said Sasha Hryciuk, Loft47 founder.

GPT is an AI language model developed by OpenAI which uses algorithms to analyze large volumes of data and generate natural language responses, according to the news release. It has surged in popularity since its release in November and has quickly found its way into several products and daily routines. Agents are using ChatGPT to assist with tasks like marketing and listing descriptions, and Zillow recently added natural language AI to its app to assist consumers with their home search queries.

Loft47 was founded in 2015 and provides commissions and accounting management for brokerage clients throughout Canada and across 35 U.S. states.

Revive mobile app, website win awards

Proptech company Revive, which provides presale home renovation services, has won two ADDY Awards. The awards are considered among the most prestigious in the advertising industry and "recognize and reward the creative spirit of excellence in the art of advertising," according to ADDY.

Revive received a Silver ADDY for its mobile app and a Bronze ADDY for its website from the American Advertising Federation of Orange County.

Revive co-founder Dalip Jagg, who was also a lead developer on both the mobile app and website, said it was "humbling to be in the winning category among some of the most well-known brands in the world and even more rewarding when you consider we are in one of the most creative communities in the world and most winning submissions were from top Ad Agencies."

Mansoor Bahramand, Revive's head of engineering, added that "bringing new ideas to life and pushing the boundaries forward while keeping our relentless pursuit of making these easy and fun ... is a reward in and of itself. But being recognized by ad industry experts for our work? That's another level — my team is ecstatic."