#ICYMI: June 2019 Real Estate News

By Jessie Trapp, Marketing Coordinator & Tiana Baur, Marketing Manager

July already?! Not to freak you out, but that means we’re now more than halfway through 2019.

In case you missed it, here are the top five June 2019 real estate news stories to know:

1. Real estate celebrates Pride Month

We just wrapped up Pride Month and this year, the real estate industry banded together to not only support LGBTQ Pride, but also to help fight for the Equality Act. For those that aren’t up to speed, the Equality Act would add gender identity and sexual orientation to the list of classes protected by the Civil Rights Act, including the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to discriminate when offering housing services, such as sales, rental, mortgage lending, etc. (Inman)

Tons of brokerages, tech companies, and individuals also showed support via social media, special logos, and participating in their local cities’ pride parades. Here’s a closer look at some of the real estate companies that showed their Pride!

2. ‘Barndominiums’ are officially a thing? I dig it.

Yes, you read that right. Also, yes, they’re as amazing as they sound. Barndominiums are the latest and greatest trend in real estate and we are very much here for it. They’re barns (or other utility buildings) turned homes and their popularity has officially expanded outside of Texas. The appeal is largely that they’re typically low maintenance (is there really such thing as a low maintenance home, though, amiright?), energy efficient, and relatively inexpensive, especially for those living in remote areas.

If you go down a rabbit hole today looking at various Barndominiums and re-planning your future, we don’t blame you.

3. Andrew Flachner shares presentation that sparked massive buzz at recent events.

Andrew Flachner, Co-Founder and CEO of RealScout, recently delighted the industry with a presentation that showcased the patterns of market disruption. It focused on other industries and discussed a tipping point of sorts that unlocks “superpowers.” He recently shared it on Inman for the world to see.

Fun fact: we actually did a webinar with him several weeks ago on it. Check it out here.

4. Amazon’s Alexa is now a real estate assistant?

Well, we’ve made it everyone! We’re officially in the future. Say hello to Agent X by Realogy. Here’s the lowdown via RISMedia:
“With the Agent X assistant, affiliated agents with an Amazon Alexa device gain insight into their performance and schedule, with calendar and CRM integrations, as well as housing and industry news. In leveraging the tool, agents can cruise effectively through their to-dos, boosting productivity and saving time—and, are given the latest news in real estate, helping to inform their interactions.”

5. Mega smart city

Okay, we take that back. We’re *almost* in the future. Shocking no one, Canada is still very much one of the coolest places on Earth, having just announced a plan to make a smart community in Toronto.

According to Inman, “Sidewalk Labs, a subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet, last released renderings and sketches of the project in August. At the time, the renderings showed innovations such as Google’s autonomous vehicles and heated pavement that could adjust to the seasons. But Monday’s proposal is vastly more detailed and runs more than 1,500 pages long.” They’re also supposed to include things like skyscrapers made entirely of “super wood,” adaptable buildings with flexible walls, and an entirely new transportation system. Woah.

As always, thanks for reading and stay tuned for another #ICYMI next month!

P.S. We’re feeling extra jolly this July, so we’re giving away FIVE series 4 Apple Watches! Find out more information on this Christmas in July promotion and how to enter here.