REAL ESTATE TECHNOLOGY
Pacaso | November 01, 2022
Pacaso, the leading technology-enabled real estate marketplace that helps people buy and co-own a luxury second home, today launches its Pacaso Second Home Specialist Certification program that enables agents to grow their business, expand their knowledge of co-ownership and unlock exclusive benefits.
The Pacaso Second Home Specialist Certification program is an easy five-step process that includes learning co-ownership best practices via the Pacaso Agent Playbook, garnering resources and tips for sharing co-ownership with agents' networks and experiencing a live virtual tour of a Pacaso home during an overview webinar, as well as submitting a referral.
In addition to a 3% referral commission and Pacaso equity on each closed referral and additional 1% commission on resales for life, agents who complete the program will receive a Pacaso Second Home Specialist badge, free enrollment in Pacaso Access for agents ($1,000 value), and more exclusive opportunities to expand their business. Since the company's October 2020 launch, Pacaso has paid agents more than $21 million in total gross commission income (GCI).
"By taking a short time to complete our new Second Home Specialist Certification program, agents will have the knowledge they need to discuss co-ownership, as well as create further trust with their clients on home ownership options, The process is so easy to complete and sets agents' business up for growth in 2023, I cannot wait to be at the next industry conference and see agents sporting their Pacaso Second Home Specialist badge."
-Vice President of Industry Relations Marnie Blanco
The debut of the Pacaso Second Home Specialist Certification comes on the heels of the Pacaso Agent Referral Dashboard launch, which enables agents to seamlessly refer potential second home buyers, track the status of their referrals and commission, and get transparent updates on the referral every step of the way.
With the uncertainty of the market, successful agents are already creating business plans for next year. The best plans always include continued education and exploring new ways to grow their business – making this certification a 'must have' for agents. The buyers that purchase high-end second homes typically have friends that also buy high-end second homes. If you don't tell your clients about co-ownership and Pacaso, someone else will, said Jeff Kennedy, vice president of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World.
Pacaso partners closely with all interested real estate agents and brokerages to help clients buy and sell a second home. Agents earn a 3% referral commission on the share price and Pacaso equity in the form of 500 restricted stock units (RSUs), when helping clients co-own a luxury second home in destinations regardless of where they're based or licensed. Pacaso manages the entire process to make it simple for agents from scheduling tours to answering questions, or managing inspections and escrow.
The real estate industry is embracing co-ownership as Real Estate Standards Organization and its members defined co-ownership as a property type in 2021. Engel & Vӧlkers, RE/MAX, and Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate introduced Pacaso and co-ownership to the already full-service luxury brokerages and networks, and Leading Real Estate Companies of the World® selected Pacaso for its Solutions Group program.
About Pacaso
Pacaso® is a technology-enabled marketplace that modernizes real estate co-ownership to make owning a second home possible and enjoyable for more people. Pacaso curates luxury listings with premium amenities and high-end contemporary interior design, offers ⅛ to ½ ownership with integrated financing, and, after purchase, professionally manages the home and supports seamless resale. Co-founded by Austin Allison and Spencer Rascoff in 2020, Pacaso operates in top second home destinations around the world. Pacaso has been certified as a Great Place to Work and is recognized as one of Glassdoor's 2022 Best Places to Work.
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MARKET OUTLOOK, REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT
Enlighted | October 27, 2022
Enlighted, a leading proptech company, announced the opening of its new office in Kitchener, Ontario. The new office will be a hub for technical product development teams and further the company’s global scope as it continues to develop cutting-edge IoT and sustainability solutions at the intersection of people, space and work.
“After two and a half years of the pandemic, in-office collaboration is a more critical part of hybrid working than ever before, As a proptech leader, we intimately understand the value in bringing together new and future talent to collaborate and ideate in person, ultimately creating a shared sense of purpose. We look forward to further tapping into the rich talent base in the Waterloo and Kitchener area to bolster our product innovation.”
-Stefan Schwab, CEO, Enlighted
Enlighted’s new office is in the Catalyst Building, a hub for Waterloo’s tech community. The Enlighted team will focus on the development of innovative smart building IoT sensors, data and software applications that enable customer productivity and real progress towards customers’ net carbon zero sustainability goals. The new office is designed to spark collaboration and innovation with a higher percentage of collaboration spaces and meeting rooms relative to other types of space.
The Waterloo region is attracting some of the most innovative thinkers in Canada, thanks to its strong combination of established high-tech companies, active start-ups and educational institutions, As a result, Kitchener has become a magnet for large companies who want to build engineering teams. Investing has helped us recruit some of the best minds, and access to the University of Waterloo allows us to invest in the next generation while giving our teams a real boost of talent and creativity,said David Wigg, Head of Software Engineering, Enlighted.
Enlighted has operated in Canada since 2019 and has grown to over 30 employees. The majority of employees will be based out of the Catalyst Building. The company has also developed strong ties with the University of Waterloo, one of Canada’s best universities for computer science and engineering. Since starting operations in Canada, Enlighted has worked with over 70 students from the university’s co-op internship program, hiring many as full-time employees. The office design and technology address the new requirements for hybrid work and uses Enlighted’s products to inform employees when is the best time to come to the office for collaboration and innovation.
About Enlighted
Enlighted is a leading proptech provider of IoT solutions at the intersection of people, space, and work. We offer a unique combination of cognitive environmental IoT sensors and lighting controls that connect to intelligent workplace experience apps, offering a singular, scalable, interoperable solution to address a spectrum of building, space, and productivity needs. Our customers leverage these solutions to enable occupant well-being, greater business efficiencies and momentum toward their sustainability goals. Enlighted is part of Building Robotics, Inc., a Siemens company.
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REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT,MORTGAGE AND LENDING
Hallmark Home Mortgage | November 07, 2022
Hallmark Home Mortgage, a Fort Wayne, Indiana-based independent residential mortgage lender, has completed the acquisition of a well-established team of mortgage bankers. The move will expand its residential lending services to include Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, South Carolina and Texas; representing a strategic milestone for the organization.
"I am pleased to welcome this talented team of more than 60 mortgage professionals, Hallmark is now positioned to become one of the nation's top 100 residential mortgage lenders. This increased productivity will create new employment opportunities at the corporate headquarters in Fort Wayne."
-Deborah Sturges Chief Executive Officer and Founder at Hallmark Home Mortgage
This is a tremendous opportunity, The team brings a strong lending and scalable presence in their current markets and shares the same passion as Hallmark for delivering a superior customer experience,noted Hallmark Home Mortgage Executive Vice President/Division Manager Mark Etchison.
Marc Wadman will continue to direct the newly acquired team as Senior Vice President/Regional Manager. Hallmark is known for its continued strong leadership and team support within the mortgage industry, It became evident after discussions with the Hallmark executive leadership team that this was the ideal fit for our associates and clients,Wadman added.
With rising inflation and mortgage rates climbing, workforce capacity has had to be adjusted for many mortgage lenders. Hallmark, however, continues to successfully execute against its strategic growth plan by focusing on its Realtors®, referral partners and past clients.
About Hallmark Home Mortgage
Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Hallmark Home Mortgage was founded in 2007 by Deborah Sturges. Driven by her strong passion for providing home finance solutions backed by a tradition of service, the company continues to impact the communities and the employees it serves. Whether a first-time home buyer or experienced homeowner, Hallmark offers the perfect combination of digital technology and human touch to ensure that every customer experience is tailored to fit their individual needs.
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