Tech Bytes: News from Stellar MLS, NorthstarMLS and T3 Sixty 

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. 

Stellar MLS offers enhanced voice search for visually impaired homebuyers

Florida's Stellar MLS is now offering an improved version of Lundy's search-by-voice technology. The voice-activated property search engine works with Amazon's Alexa app to help visually impaired homebuyers access real estate listings.

Florida-based Stellar MLS, the third-largest multiple listing service in the U.S., first partnered with Lundy in 2022. The newest version of the technology, Finding Homes Pro, has "enhanced" intelligence to understand a user's question regardless of how it is worded. If a user says, "I use a walker," for example, Finding Homes Pro will respond with information about whether a home has stairs or accessibility features.

Finding Homes Pro also offers "scenario search" to allow users to explain their motivation for buying — downsizing, a growing family, etc. — and the app will find appropriate homes.

"We are delighted to once again collaborate with the Lundy team to provide easier access to our comprehensive listing data for all users," said Merri Jo Cowen, CEO of Stellar MLS. "We are proud to play a part in expanding access to all customers, which aligns with Stellar MLS's philosophy of inclusivity."

Justin Lundy, co-founder and CEO of Lundy Inc., said the partnership with Stellar MLS has resulted in a voice interface that is "the most sophisticated in the real estate market." It also "ensures that all home seekers, regardless of physical ability, have seamless access to property discovery," Lundy added.

NorthstarMLS launches full RESO API implementation

NorthstarMLS has unveiled the industry's first full Real Estate Standards Organization application programming interface (API) integration. 

The implementation was developed in collaboration with FBS, the creator of the FlexMLS platform, which is used to manage listings and transaction information. The API increases the speed and efficiency of transferring data into FlexMLS users serviced by NorthstarMLS and the Fargo-Moorhead Area Association of Realtors.

Updates occur in seconds rather than minutes or hours typical in the Real Estate Transaction Standard (RETS) long used by MLSs to exchange data using batch transfers.

As a new NorthstarMLS listing database partner, FM Realtors will continue to provide its own MLS offerings to members while making use of the NorthstarMLS Add/Edit input system, database and API.

T3 Technology Summit set for New Orleans this fall

T3 Sixty, a management consulting and analytics firm serving the residential real estate brokerage industry, will hold its third-annual T3 Technology Summit in New Orleans.

The T3 Technology Summit, billed as "a premier gathering for technology and marketing leaders," will take place from September 29 to October 1 at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. (Note: T3 Sixty and Real Estate News share a founder, Stefan Swanepoel.)

The summit features immersive "experience rooms" that allow hands-on exploration of cutting-edge tech, and pitch battles where startups and industry leaders compete by showcasing their groundbreaking solutions.

"The T3 Tech Summit is where innovation converges with opportunity, creating a dynamic ecosystem for marketing and technology leaders," said Michael Phelan, senior vice president of technology consulting at T3 Sixty. "Our commitment to fostering meaningful connections and providing valuable insights ensures that attendees leave equipped to shape the future of our industry."