Industry news - page 3
Market
NAR survey — most agents spend $500 a month or less on tech, and only 46% use a CRM
NAR's 2026 REALTORS Technology Report, based on 1,165 member responses, found the largest spending band is $50 to $250 a month at 36%, with 55% of agents spending $500 or less overall; cost remains a top adoption barrier at 59%. AI use keeps climbing — 48% now use it daily or weekly, led by listing descriptions at 75% — but 34% still say it has had no impact on their business. For working agents: the data argues for spending discipline over stack sprawl — a CRM and automation that save real time beat three subscriptions you never open, and MLS access at 96% use still beats everything.
The Close: NAR survey — most agents spend $500 a month or less on tech, and only 46% use a CRM →
Tools
Tether RE ships Tether Guardian, a wearable panic button for solo showings
Safety firm Tether RE launched Tether Guardian, a neck-worn, voice-operated fob that connects the wearer to a live monitoring professional — either when the agent presses the button or when the device automatically detects a fall. The company says its monitoring center answers in an average of 9.4 seconds and sends help even if the agent can't respond, with GPS tracking and up to 45 days of battery on board. For working agents: solo showings and vacant properties remain the riskiest part of the job — a broker-supplied wearable means you don't have to fumble for a phone app in a tense moment; ask your brokerage who pays, since lone-worker device laws generally don't cover independent contractors.
Real Estate News: Tether RE ships Tether Guardian, a wearable panic button for solo showings →
Market
Proptech job postings down nearly 59% in three months as the sector goes lean
CRETI's analysis of CareerHound and LinkedIn listings found open proptech postings fell from 1,152 to 478 in about three months — a nearly 59% drop that accelerated (14%, then 33%, then 28%), sharper than the broader labor market's softening. The firm frames it as an operating-leverage shift: AI, automation and outsourced services are substituting for headcount, and each hire now needs a clearer tie to revenue, retention or product output. For working agents: headcount growth is becoming a weak signal of vendor momentum — when evaluating a new tool, ask about customer growth, retention and unit economics instead of how fast the startup is hiring.
CRETI: Proptech job postings down nearly 59% in three months as the sector goes lean →
Funding
Valon's $150M Series D doubles it to $2.3B as servicers swap mainframes for AI
Valon Technologies raised $150 million in a Series D that doubled its valuation to $2.3 billion, with Ribbit Capital joining and Andreessen Horowitz re-upping. Its ValonOS platform — one operating system for loan data, compliance, payments, and AI agents that answer homeowner emails and run escrow analyses — is already live at two of the ten largest US servicers, with one-sixth of outstanding US mortgages under contract to run on it. For working agents: this is the money story behind the servicing side of every deal — a modernized servicer means fewer payment-allocation and escrow errors that can stall closings.
PYMNTS: Valon's $150M Series D doubles it to $2.3B as servicers swap mainframes for AI →
Tools
BoldTrail and Union Street Media connect website leads straight into BoldTrail's CRM
Inside Real Estate's BoldTrail and website firm Union Street Media announced a partnership on October 1 that routes form submissions from Union Street Media websites into BoldTrail's Smart CRM in real time, where BoldTrail's automated follow-up, listing alerts and nurture campaigns pick them up. The companies say the integration is available now to shared clients, and the sites can also add BoldTrail's natural-language HomeSearch AI. For working agents: if your website and CRM come from different vendors, ask whether leads sync instantly or need exports — this is a vendor announcement, so test lead routing yourself before relying on it.
Market
.com wholesale price rises 7% on November 1 — renew early to lock today's rate
Verisign raises the .com wholesale price from $10.26 to $10.97/yr on Nov 1, 2026 (first of up to four annual 7% hikes through 2030). Retail prices follow at each registrar's own rate, so check your renewal quote rather than assuming the wholesale bump. Renewing before Nov 1 locks the current price for every year you prepay, up to ten years; worth doing for the domain your website and email run on.
Maxinames: .com wholesale price rises 7% on November 1 — renew early to lock today's rate →
Policy
Judge lets agents' antitrust suit over Zillow's Follow Up Boss requirement move forward
A federal judge in Washington denied Zillow's motion to dismiss the Dupuis suit, so antitrust, consumer-protection and unjust-enrichment claims go to discovery. The agents allege Zillow requires Preferred agents to use Follow Up Boss and ties lead flow to Zillow Home Loans pre-approvals; Zillow says the claims are "fundamentally flawed" and will keep fighting. For working agents: nothing changes in the program yet, but if you're picking a CRM, keep in mind that Follow Up Boss is owned by Zillow and that Zillow's lead programs come with conditions.
Proptech AI
Lofty opens an MCP server so brokerages can plug their own AI agents into its CRM
Lofty announced Lofty MCP Server on September 24, a Model Context Protocol connection that lets brokerages hook MCP-compatible AI tools and in-house agents into the Lofty platform without custom integration code. Lofty says connected agents can read data, analyze activity and, where authorized, take actions — for example, finding leads that showed buying intent but haven't been contacted in a week. For working agents: CRMs are opening up to outside AI assistants; before connecting one, check what it can change in your database and who on your team approved it. This is a vendor announcement.
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