We had the good fortune of connecting with David Friedman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
With the proliferation of self-service tools for search and information gathering – It’s no surprise that twice as many home buyers start their search online versus starting with a realtor – buyers are not clear on the value that realtors bring to a transaction. What they see are excellent tools that help them identify target properties that cost them nothing, with realtors simply collecting 6% total commission “for doing nothing”. Tens of thousands of dollars paid to Realtors at closinglike a tax rather than commission on valuable services.

The skilled and experience of a good Realtor is vital to a successful transaction… particularly in avoiding risks and expensiveness mistakes. This is being compounded by the proliferation of many billion-dollar companies that are looking to take their share of the $100B annual market for commissions, through advertising, referral fees, and commission splits. Searching for and finding properties are only parts of realtor responsibilities, and reduction of commissions will lead to a “race to the bottom”, putting consumers at great risk.

Higher prices and continued low barriers to entry into the field mean that it is harder than ever for buyers to see value. This is compounded by lack of data on quantitative agent metrics. Smarter Offers is bringing awareness of, and solutions to, three problems. (1) enabling further self service tools for buyers without reducing agent quality (2) automating agents’ paperwork and connections to their buyers so they can focus on providing value to clients – rather than running a sales funnel and driving buyers around (3) writing universal offer data in the blockchain for analytics and consumer information purposes.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’m the founder of Smart Squadron, a software development company focused on small business process improvement and custom tool delivery building.

Our platform, smarteroffers.net, focuses on serving the realtor community and their clients invequal measure. I’m most proud of the work that my team has done so far: they’re taking manual processes that Realtors have been doing for decades, and by applying artificial intelligence, data, and easy-to-use software, are automating many administrative aspects realtors’ work, enabling them to focus on service. We’re partnering with agents to focus on serving their clients needs even better in the face of threats from large Silicon Valley software companies.

It definitely has not been easy, and we still have not gotten in front of all the Realtors we want to, but what I’ve learned is a focus on the customer is the most important thing. If you aren’t always thinking of customer needs as you build, how can you build an industry-disrupting brand? We focus on service, teamwork, and simplicity. I spent 2020 plus years at two Fortune 500 companies, making things better through customer experience design, product management, and technology delivery… and I’m excited to lead a team building the future of residential real estate transactions.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Having lived in many parts of Miami and Broward County, I’d want to make sure they get a flavor for all the different areas in this wonderful metropolis. If I had a week, there’s so much that let’s make it easy by going from South to North, even though they don’t have to do it in this order…

I’d want to show them the keys and do some snorkeling, at least go to the middle keys south of the seven mile bridge. I’d , show them Coral Gables, Viscaya Gardens, Brickell, Midtown and Wynwood. I’d take them for a half day on a boat on Biscayne Bay and the Haulover sandbar. I’d show them a few games of Jai Alai in Dania beach, and spend some time either gambling or at a concert plus dinner at the new Hollywood Hard Rock hotel. If there was still any time left in their vacation, they should see Las Olas, and Fort Lauderdale beach up near Sunrise blvd – absolutely pristine!

Having lived in LA through college and immediately after, I can say that other than some mountains, there isn’t a place that has more to do in a week than south Florida!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shout out to the Miami Association of Realtors, who have embraced technology, and the modern global interconnected world. From their specific groups like the young professionals network and and the political action committee, the nation’s largest Realtor Association continues to evolve with the changing times. I’ve been impressed with how everything they do is focused on home buyers and home sellers. Whether it’s ensuring continuing education for their members or investing in promising software tools for the industry, they really surprised me with their broad understanding of everything associated with their industry.

Website: www.smarteroffers.net

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smarteroffers/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/smarteroffers

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmarterOffers/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@smarteroffers

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