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A new company has launched to help homebuyers find an agent using a software-based matching system, Inman has learned.

Fetch Agent calls itself a “cutting-edge platform that humanizes the house-hunting experience by seamlessly connecting homebuyers directly with buyer’s agents to find their next home.”

“With commissions now negotiable, Fetch Agent eliminates the guesswork and is the only platform empowering serious homebuyers to find the right agent who aligns with their budget and goals while enabling buyer agents to stand out by showcasing their value and commission structure to pre-qualified buyers,” according to a March 6 statement.

It is available nationwide for buyers and agents, who have a range of subscription account levels with varying access to the system’s features and benefits.

Real estate commissions have always been negotiable. However, the result of a series of consumer-initiated lawsuits, many still ongoing, found that the industry did not do enough to educate consumers on the issue.

Like a number of similar technology startups, Fetch Agent stated that the legal result influenced its creation and offered an opportunity for expanded consumer choice.

Buyers can join at any stage of the homebuying process and, in doing so, indicate how they want to compensate their chosen agent. Options allow for a flat fee, hourly advisement or via a traditional commission model, according to the company.

Upon onboarding, agents who want to use Fetch as a lead-generation tool can indicate specialties to help them stand out. They can also pay more to increase exposure on the application. Industry certifications, sales volume, relocations, military families, first-time homebuyers, second homes, condos and more are among the characteristics and categories that can help an agent land a client.

The app ensures buyers fully understand all transaction agreements, fees and terms before agreeing to select an agent, the company stated.

At its core, Fetch Agent is another method of lead generation for agents. The company is handling upfront due diligence and offering high-level qualification as to the viability of each buyer it finds. The software does not provide any payment infrastructure, meaning buyers pay agents per deal, per agreement.

Features that define each Fetch Agent account level include things such as links to online reviews, review prominence options, number of areas served, speed-to-lead enhancements, homebuyer lead scoring and proposal submissions, feature status in company marketing, team collaboration, custom search filters and customer support response, among other offers.

After a seven-day free trial, Fetch Agent account prices range from the $1,997 annual Standard Plan (approx. $166/mo) to the $30,000 Pro Plan, with custom plans available that supersede the Pro level, best for larger brokerages and teams.

In its statement, Fetch Agent Director of Communications Gia Jurosky said homebuying “should not be transactional.”

“For many Americans, buying a home is the most important financial decision they’ll ever make. Unfortunately, current home listing sites lose sight of the human element that’s so critical to ensuring success in a competitive market,” Jurosky said. “Fetch Agent puts people first by connecting motivated buyers directly with agents who truly understand their needs and the market they seek to buy in. We’re shifting the focus from the perfect property to the perfect person, redefining how real estate connections are made and how the American dream of owning a home is achieved.”

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Sharran Srivatsaa is stepping away from his role as President of The Real Brokerage to assume a seat on the company’s board of directors, Inman has learned.

The tech-forward remote brokerage announced the shift in a March 12 statement, which stated the move will become effective on June 1, 2025, pending corporate approvals. The company said there is no plan to name a new president.

The industry veteran recognized for his expertise in scaling brokerage operations was named to the position in December 2022, a job new to Real at the time. He was part of the leadership team of Beverly Hills-based Teles Properties, helping shepherd it from 33 agents to 650 in five years.

The luxury brokerage was close to $3 billion in annual revenue when it was acquired by Douglas Elliman in 2017. Srivatsaa is bullish on marketing and technology-based efficiencies, as evidenced by the firm’s surging brand and internal, AI-driven agent resources.

About his outgoing president, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Real Tamir Poleg said his ability to fully commit to the company mission was instrumental to everything the brokerage has accomplished in the last few years..

“We are incredibly grateful for his contributions and excited that he will continue to play a critical role in shaping our strategy as a member of the Board of Directors,” Poleg said. “His insight and advocacy for agents will remain invaluable as we continue to build the real estate platform of the future.”

Inman reported on March 6 that The Real Brokerage brought in more than 10,000 new agents in 2024 while surpassing a $1 billion benchmark in annual revenue, according to fourth-quarter and fiscal-year earnings.

Srivatsaa appears to have completed the mission he was hired to execute as Real’s luxury division, meanwhile, expanded with more than 230 certified luxury agents closing in excess of $1 billion in transactions. Another $1 billion in transaction volume is in the pipeline, he said in a March 6 earnings call.

“While stepping away from my day-to-day role as President is bittersweet, I am incredibly confident in the strength of our leadership team and the trajectory of our company,” Srivatsaa said in a statement. “Real has never been in a stronger position to empower agents through its innovative business model, proprietary technology and collaborative, entrepreneurial culture.”

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Distinct Concierge, an LA-based luxury brokerage, is rolling out an AI-fueled mobile app to assist an elite stable of clients with collaborative home search, mortgage requests and agent engagement, executives announced Wednesday.

The app was developed in concert with San Francisco-based tech company Radius, which works frequently with more nimble, independent brokerages aiming to separate themselves through technology and elevated client services.

Distinct Concierge boasts a roster of recognizable actors, entertainers and athletes who prize their privacy, according to the brokerage’s website.

“Buyers can easily view, favorite, or reject homes, providing immediate feedback to Distinct Concierge agents and prequalify for mortgages quickly and efficiently through the app with Distinct Concierge’s in-house mortgage team,” according to an announcement.

Features in the initial release include AI listing recommendations designed to surface homes based on user likes and dislikes and search behavior. It can recognize nuances through image data and listing descriptions that may get neglected by traditional “filter and checkbox” search models. Additionally, users can invite others to contribute, comment and view on their search.

The app also enables direct communications between users and their agents, helping to streamline critical feedback around the home search without creating a labrynth of text threads or email swamps.

The app is available for both mobile platforms and available on each marketplace. New features will be released later in the year, including voice commands to the AI, rapid CMA generation, off-market listings resources and transaction document assistance.

Founded by Rod Watson, Distinct Concierge works in a rarified corner of the luxury market serving professional athletes and entertainment executives, a subset of the market that requires unique touchpoints and innovations to earn the cycle of referrals necessary to grow that segment. The app aims to do that.

As agents ease into changes that have come about as a result of The National Association of Realtors’ historic commission settlement one year ago, brokerages have sought to stregthen their relationships with consumers by providing technological advancements, especially with mobile apps that create digital connections between real estate professionals and their clients.

Watson told Inman on Wednesday his mission is to streghthen that bond.

“It’s why we’ve been able to work with such high level clientele in a short period of time,” Watson wrote in a text message. “It’s all about the consumer. We’ve designed a platform that leverages AI to provide an unparalleled, personalized and efficient real estate experience, ensuring our clients have access to the best properties and the most seamless process possible.”

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