Last week’s launch of Livian, our team’s rebrand and strategic investment from Keller Williams, goes far beyond me. The line between brokerages and large expansion teams is already blurry, but they can co-exist. They simply offer different options for agents — yet, when working in harmony, they can achieve more together.
In my opinion, this is the intersection of it all — the link between brokerages, teams, agents, clients, consumers, technology, moving services, construction and renovations, mortgage, title, insurance, interior designers, home services professionals, furniture and appliance stores, home repairs, and more.
Last week was a milestone moment for me in my career. Who would have thought that when I got my real estate license in 2006 and started door-knocking and delivering cupcakes and hustling to sell houses, it would create one of the top real estate teams in Vermont?
Who would have thought that my team in tiny Vermont would grow to become one of the top five real estate teams in North America? That would eventually lead to a strategic investment from Keller Williams that would accelerate and support our company’s growth on a whole other level?
Well, I did — kind of. I didn’t know what it would look like exactly, but I had a burning desire to make an impact on the real estate industry, and by doing so, to transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of clients, agents and employees.
I believe Livian is the Amazon of real estate, and I don’t say that lightly. Consumers expect a frictionless, all-in-one, easy experience. We had to imagine what that could look like and feel like for consumers before they could even see it themselves.
Compass CEO, Robert Reffkin, echoed the sentiment at Inman Connect last week. Reffkin said, “I think we’re moving to a world where people expect everything to be in one place. Amazon has everything in one place.” This abundance mentality is critical for agents as we embrace this next iteration of the real estate industry.
An extraordinary amount of capital is being deployed into proptech right now, $178 billion to be exact.
Marc King, president of KWRI, noted that that amount of money is enough to buy “every real estate company you could think of.”
But what many of these investors don’t have is a team of highly experienced real estate experts and professionals working with them. They don’t know what it’s like to work with clients or navigate the emotional ups and downs of buying and selling.
They need real estate experts on the ground to help them truly see a return on their investment long-term, which is just one of the reasons I chose to partner with KW to launch Livian.
KW has long been a massive supporter of an agent and consumer-centric approach to real estate. At Inman Connect last week, King reminded agents that they have to prepare for the future and choose whether or not they become a “tech-enabled fiduciary” or an “Uber driver who opens doors.”
As King mentioned, I believe that two main options for real estate agents have emerged:
- Tech-enabled agent: Where the agent is at the center of the consumer experience for life.
- Agent-enabled tech: Where technology provides the experience and the human interaction becomes secondary — much like a delivery driver.
At KW, we believe that real estate platforms — founded on the tech-enabled agent — are the future of real estate. Real estate is still one of the most significant and most emotionally charged purchases and decisions an individual makes in their lifetime. No one wants to leave that sort of decision or guidance in the hands of an app.
Although, technology can certainly enhance the experience. There may be a single fee for consumers when buying or selling a home. There may be an a la carte option to choose services like moving, renovations or essential home supply delivery before move-in.
After talking to a fiduciary, there may be a one-click, easy button to take care of all (after talking to a fiduciary). Bottom line: Consumers want a quick and convenient, high-quality experience with a human touch.
We believe in the tech-enabled fiduciary. That means connection and relationships front and center, with a robust tech platform behind the scenes. That’s what we aim to deliver.
Livian is the “pace car” of partnership within KW. We are here to show teams, agents and brokerages what is possible when we come together and create true win-wins for market centers, other teams, agents, and most importantly, for consumers.
Our new brand is committed to helping everyone love how they live for life. We don’t want our relationship with customers to end at the closing table. We want to be there for all the milestones (big and small) that people and families experience throughout their lives. This is where the real estate industry is heading. We believe we are leading the way.
Adam Hergenrother is the founder and CEO of Adam Hergenrother Companies
