Tech Bytes: News from 3 Western MLSs, InspectionGo, more 

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. 

NWMLS launches new app for real estate professionals

Northwest MLS (NWMLS), whose territory covers much of Washington state, has released a new mobile app for working real estate agents. Simply named after the organization, the app allows agents to browse listings, pull market stats and data, and view tax information. The app also features agent-client integration and collaboration that provides for seamless sharing of listing information with seller and buyer clients.

"The app's launch is a very exciting development for Northwest MLS, both for our members and their clients," NWMLS President and CEO Tom Hurdelbrink said of its release. "Northwest MLS is the source for the most current and accurate real estate listing data. With the launch of the app, our members can confidently advise their clients knowing they have the information they need at their fingertips."

New Mexico MLS rolls out Aligned Showings platform 

New Mexico MLS is joining other MLSs in introducing the Aligned Showings app to its member agents. The app features real-time messaging, route mapping and directions, a showing confirmation system and other features and tools for coordinating showings. The app is an initiative of MLS Aligned and is being offered to its 150,000 members in Oregon, Northern California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Southern Florida and Wisconsin.

"We immediately had fast adoption of the product in our market. The product is easy to use, looks great, and works efficiently," Brad Bjelke, CEO of UtahRealEstate.com, said of the app's introduction to 20,000 Utah agents earlier this year. "MLS Aligned is a special organization that is laser focused on serving MLSs, brokers, and agents, and Aligned Showings is a shining example of that mission."

CRMLS unveils new dashboard for its in-house REcenterhub

The California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS) has rolled out its new REcenterhub dashboard, built in-house for the 110,000 member agents who service the state. The dashboard is available across the CRMLS network, including CRMLS Matrix, CRMLS Paragon and Flexmls, the organization said. The dashboard boasts an updated user interface and offers customization options for individual users and associations, providing essential information such as the latest market data, trends and news.

"We are confident that fully transitioning to this new dashboard is a major step towards modernizing how users interact with their MLS," Art Carter, CEO of CRMLS, said of the release. "Our product and development team has been working hard to perfect this dashboard and I'm happy to see it implemented for all our users. Additionally, by keeping product development in- house, CRMLS gains more flexibility to respond to user needs than it would have while relying on third-party vendors."

InspectionGo raises additional funds, acquires 2 products

InspectionGo (iGo), a real estate tech startup offering a home inspection software platform, has closed a $5.5 million round of Series A funding, bringing its total funds raised to $10.3 million. The Series A was led by existing iGo stakeholder Wasatch Equity Partners. In addition to its fundraise, the company also announced the acquisition of products Repair Pricer and HomeBinder, bolstering the company's offerings for home inspectors. 

"We are thrilled to welcome Repair Pricer and HomeBinder to the iGo family," iGo co-founder and CEO John Russell said of the news. "The addition of their product offerings accelerates our strategy of giving the inspection community the ability to provide homeowners with valuable tools for managing their home for as long as they own it."

Clear Capital integrates with ICE's Encompass Partner Connect

Real estate valuation company Clear Capital has integrated with the Encompass Partner Connect platform available through ICE Mortgage Technology's API. The integration, Clear Capital said, will provide a better user experience for mortgage lenders and loan officers, particularly for ordering products that support appraisal modernization, such as Universal Data Collection (UDC). It is also designed to meet Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae standards for property data reports and data collections.

"Making adoption of appraisal modernization programs easier for lenders nationwide is at the core of our work with ICE," said Kenon Chen, EVP of strategy and growth at Clear Capital. "With new modern appraisal efforts from both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, it's imperative that we make our products as easily accessible as possible to help drive the industry forward, and we're doing just that with this enhanced integration."

LeadingRE adds Courted as a preferred resource

Leading Real Estate Companies of the World has announced that it has added Courted to its Solutions Group program of preferred business resources. As its name implies, Courted is an agent retention, talent acquisition and management tool for recruiting and monitoring agent performance metrics. It also claims to use AI to predict which agents will outperform others in closings and sales volumes.

"Courted is revolutionizing the way brokerages find and keep exceptional high-performing talent with their AI-powered agent recruiting and retention platform. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, they are making it easier to discover, attract and retain the best agents in the market," Jeff Kennedy, LeadingRE VP of sales and partnerships, said of the news.