THE NEXT STEP IN THE EVOLUTION OF RE/MAX® TECHNOLOGY

What is happening in RE/MAX technology?

In July, RE/MAX, LLC announced a new enterprise relationship with Inside Real Estate (IRE), the developers of kvCORE. Through a phased rollout beginning later in 2022 and continuing into 2023, RE/MAX affiliates in company-owned regions across the U.S. and Canada will gain access – at no additional cost – to the state-of-the-art kvCORE platform and multiple add-ons.

Why kvCORE and Inside Real Estate?

The kvCORE solution was chosen because RE/MAX affiliates deserve the industry’s best, most complete technology solution. Inside Real Estate, founded in 2008 and based in Salt Lake City, has grown into one of the industry’s top technology providers. Spurred by a history of acquisitions and integrations, the company has more than 250,000 real estate agents, teams and brokerages using its products.

With a RE/MAX-branded version of the kvCORE platform – under the newly announced banner of “MAX/Tech, powered by kvCORE” – agents in company-owned regions will have a seamless new way to automate virtually every aspect of their business – from contact management to digital marketing to data analysis and more. They’ll have high-quality, customizable IDX websites that attract traffic and drive transaction-ready leads. And they’ll have eventual integrations with key RE/MAX tech offerings built into the system.

Can Broker/Owners preview the kvCORE technology now?

Yes! Broker/Owners and Managers in company-owned regions can attend a Welcome Webinar on August 23. They will receive an invitation email with Zoom details shortly after the BOC.

Hosted jointly by Inside Real Estate and RE/MAX, LLC, the session will focus largely on the kvCORE products while also providing early details on the rollout plan. Attendees will be better prepared to answer questions and set expectations at their offices prior to onboarding. A recording will be available via MAX/Center® and RE/MAX University® after the live session. Additional demos are not available on demand or per request. On August 25, a second Welcome Webinar – open to all affiliates in company-owned regions – will provide further information for agents and teams.

What other resources are available?

To stay informed of new developments, Broker/Owners and Managers in company-owned regions should open and review every Broker Advance email they receive on Wednesdays. The emails will direct them to a MAX/Tech resource page on RE/MAX University, accessible via MAX/Center, that will be the primary source of general information throughout the process. The page includes videos, details on the rollout plan, status updates, kvCORE product overviews and more.

Broker/Owners and Managers in company-owned regions can also join a new RE/MAX + kvCORE Facebook group, giving them a place to learn more and share insights.

How will the rollout work?

The plan is to roll out the kvCORE products in four phases, beginning in September 2022 and continuing into Q3 of 2023. Within each phase, offices will be grouped into “batches” for onboarding – and Inside Real Estate will communicate directly with everyone in the batch on specific, required action items. Phase 1 will begin in September, with Phase 2 starting in Q1 of 2023, Phase 3 starting in Q2-Q3, and Phase 4 starting in Q2-Q3.

What brokerages/regions are in each phase?

Offices in Canada (both Ontario-Atlantic Canada and Western Canada) will comprise the bulk of Phase 1. Planning for Phases 2-4 is currently underway – and Broker/Owners will be able to express their interest in onboarding earlier rather than later (details are being finalized). Input from BOC attendees will help shape the rollout plan, and Broker/Owners will be alerted about timing decisions as early as possible so they can plan and prepare accordingly.

Can BOC attendees sign up in Nashville?

Broker/Owners and Managers attending the BOC in Nashville (8/14-8/16) can visit the MarketPlace (booth 611) to learn more and express their preferences on timing.

Why doesn’t everyone start at the same time?

Because of the critical steps involved – and the time those steps require – it works best to onboard offices and users in phases (and batches within those phases). The kvCORE team has had great success using this approach – where roughly 20,000 accounts are onboarded during each phase. This strategy ensures that ample time and attention is invested into each grouping – reducing the chance of issues emerging later.

Will there be exceptions to the phased approach?

Yes. Some situations might merit an earlier starting date. Broker/Owners who have reason to be an exception can contact their regional team for consideration. It’s worth noting that the process is somewhat fluid – along the way, steps may be fine-tuned to create a more seamless user experience.

Is there a “beta group” of early adopters?

Not in the traditional sense, although Broker/Owners will have opportunities to express their interest in onboarding earlier rather than later. (BOC attendees can visit MarketPlace booth 611 to do so.)

How long will each phase take?

Each phase is likely to take two or three months. If phases are completed quicker than anticipated, the timing of other phases may be moved up accordingly.

What happens during onboarding?

When it’s time to onboard a batch of offices, each Broker/Owner and Manager (or identified admin) will receive a welcome email from the kvCORE team. The email will invite them to a “How It Works” webinar, which will outline the steps involved in onboarding. The Broker/Owner will need to complete and sign a Franchise Licensing Agreement to initiate the process – and then work will commence on setting things up, activating accounts and importing data into the system. The Inside Real Estate team will support the affiliates every step of the way.

How long does the set-up/onboarding process take?

According to Inside Real Estate, the average set-up time is roughly two weeks, depending on a number of factors (such as the MLS). The average time for full onboarding is roughly a month. Once the process begins, it’s critical that Broker/Owners and other participants complete their tasks (such as completing the initial documentation) in a timely fashion.

Will new brokerages have their accounts activated right away?

Yes, which is an example of the flexibility built into the onboarding strategy. It wouldn’t make sense for new brokerages to be onboarded to the booj platform, which is sunsetting next year. Instead, they will go straight to kvCORE.

Can affiliates start new kvCORE accounts now, outside the RE/MAX enterprise account?

No. To complete the onboarding process as quickly as possible, Inside Real Estate is asking RE/MAX affiliates within the company-owned regions not to start new accounts at this time.

Will all components be launched in each phase?

No. Although the bulk of the kvCORE offering will be included in each earlier phase, the CORE ListingMachine and Design Center won’t launch network-wide until Phase 4 in Q2-Q3 of 2023.

What can current kvCORE subscribers expect?

Affiliates currently using kvCORE will simply sign up when the rollout reaches them. During launch, they’ll be able to upgrade to the RE/MAX corporate account at no additional cost. If they have other add-ons they wish to keep, they’ll continue to pay for those separately.

To streamline the onboarding process, most current kvCORE subscribers will be included in Phase 3, regardless of location. At that time, Inside Real Estate will move the individual accounts under the RE/MAX corporate account. The existing dashboard will inherit the RE/MAX platform branding and website templates, and the users will gain access to the other add-ons. There will be no refunds as part of the transition.

Who will get a kvCORE website?

Multi-office brokerages will get a company site as well as an office site for each office entity. Single-office brokerages will get an office site. All agents and teams will get websites as well.

Can the websites be customized?

Absolutely! kvCORE has built-in tools that enable offices, teams and agents to customize their websites. Via the kvCORE Marketplace, they can also purchase a semi-custom template or fully custom website built by Inside Real Estate’s professional services team.

What can Broker/Owners do to support agents until the new platform arrives in their market?

Throughout the coming months, Inside Real Estate and RE/MAX, LLC will provide education, information and promotional material Broker/Owners can use to build excitement and prepare their agents and teams for launch. The kvCORE onboarding package also includes strategies and resources to help Broker/Owners maximize engagement in their offices.

How are lead routing rules set up in kvCORE?

Broker/Owners will have control over the lead-routing settings in their office’s kvCORE account.

Will an agent’s contacts, contact details and website content automatically transfer? 

Booj contacts will automatically transfer to kvCORE when an account is activated. Otherwise, users will be responsible for transferring their own contacts and website content to the system. Contacts outside of booj can be imported using the kvCORE DIY tool or with assistance from the Inside Real Estate Lead Config team.

Can Broker/Owners and Office Admins track agent performance and usage of kvCORE tools?

Yes, the kvCORE platform has a Business Analytics section that enables admins to track agent logins, contact creation, lead imports, training course completion and lead engagement.

How long will the booj platform remain active after the transition to kvCORE? 

It’s anticipated that the booj platform will sunset in Q3-Q4 of 2023. It will be supported until that time.

Can Broker/Owners use kvCORE for recruiting?

Absolutely! Broker/Owners can capture agent leads and set up customized campaigns for recruiting. They can leverage built-in tools such as landing pages and custom website pages. In fact, kvCORE has a training course specifically geared towards recruiting with the system. Broker/Owners can also promote the platform in their recruiting presentations.

Does kvCORE integrate with major transaction management systems?

Yes. Users can connect kvCORE to several options, including DocuSign Transaction Rooms, Dotloop and Skyslope. A variety of other integrations are available as well.

What will the kvCORE platform cost affiliates?

The kvCORE platform is being offered to RE/MAX affiliates at no additional cost. Agents and teams will get the platform and multiple add-ons – including CORE Present, CORE Listing Machine & Design Center, and the CORE Teams module – as a benefit of affiliation. If affiliates are interested in additional kvCORE offerings beyond the tools provided, they’ll be able to purchase them directly.

Is the RE/MAX, LLC Product Support system staying in place?

For current products, affiliates should continue to engage the RE/MAX, LLC Product Support team via the Product Support tile on MAX/Center. As the kvCORE rollout accelerates, primary support of the kvCORE platform will be provided by the kvCORE support team. Even then, RE/MAX LLC will continue to maintain a skilled support team to assist affiliates with their technology needs.

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