It's been a long time coming, but the future of real estate management is finally here. We're excited to have you join us ...
Hello RealDesk Community!
We're thrilled to welcome you to our new blog, where we'll be sharing our real estate perspectives and insights as well as company news and updates. So, why did we embark on this journey, and why now?
RealDesk originated from a pressing need within the real estate industry.
Most real estate professionals today are using a patchwork of disconnected systems that don’t integrate with each other — meaning constant re-keying of data, and duplication of effort within and across the various parties to a transaction.
Even though buying or selling a house requires the participation of a whole ecosystem of professionals — from real estate agents and brokers to lawyers, mortgage lenders and brokers, various insurers, appraisers, inspectors, and the list goes on — today’s technology forces all of them to work in a vacuum. They waste valuable time chasing each other for status updates or documents, via endless phone calls and emails that make it even harder to find what they need and focus on their most important tasks. This leaves buyers and sellers in the dark, susceptible to delays and document mismanagement.
It’s been like this forever — some of the leading solutions in today’s market were originally built pre-Internet! Yet other industries have been quite a bit more successful in embracing the transformative potential of recent advances in technology. There’s no reason why we can’t do the same in real estate.
Why Now?
The real estate landscape is evolving rapidly, and the need for innovative solutions has never been more pronounced. The rise of discount brokerages, self-serve models, and direct-to-consumer apps and data aggregators threatens the traditional full-service brokerage model. As well, recent U.S. lawsuits fundamentally challenging commission-splitting practices demonstrate that real estate likely won’t be able to avoid disruption forever. All this when brokers already struggle to make a profit, and endure constant staffing challenges and agent turnover!
But there’s no need to be overly pessimistic. Instead, we can draw inspiration from success stories in sectors like healthcare, where electronic health records and telemedicine have improved accessibility and reduced delays related to paperwork — or banking, where mobile apps and innovative services have made it easier to access information and perform transactions, saving consumers time and money. A similar transformation, leveraging advanced technologies to optimize back-office operations and simplify transactions, is well within our capabilities.
RealDesk is our response to this opportune moment — a time when the industry is ready for a fresh perspective.
Our Vision:
By 2030, the real estate industry has undergone a transformative shift, evolving from fragmented inefficiency to efficient collaboration.
Flexible, modern platforms and tools accommodate and drive ongoing innovation.
Real estate professionals deliver enhanced value to their clients, with unprecedented focus on value-added activities over administrative tasks.
Modernizing this pivotal sector drives economic growth and stability.
Who We Are
RealDesk was founded by Yan Zhou and Marc Sykes, two experienced technology leaders who joined forces after getting to know each other through Toronto’s burgeoning startup community.
Yan is a marketing and communications expert with a passion for solving complex problems and building brands. As Head of Revenue, she’ll be focused on helping real estate professionals reach new heights through honest and open dialogue on their most pressing needs. She will also be responsible for developing our partnership ecosystem, to ensure we create a truly collaborative solution that spans across all transaction participants.
Marc is a product leader with a long track record of creating successful platforms and solutions in real estate and financial technology. From working with Canada’s largest banks to streamline their mortgage underwriting processes, to modernizing a legal conveyancing platform, to creating AI-powered decarbonization roadmaps for commercial office towers, he’s seen “proptech” from all angles. As CEO and Head of Product, he’s responsible for building our next-generation platform, ensuring it creates radical efficiencies for real estate professionals.
We’re supported by an amazing team of software developers, real estate subject matter experts, and advisors. This team will grow rapidly as our initial new platform offering gets closer to market.
What We Do
RealDesk is a next-generation platform that radically simplifies real estate transactions. Our goal is to remove the frustration and deliver an intuitive, automated, and truly collaborative experience. Leveraging emerging technologies in AI, automation, and fintech, our platform will create radical efficiencies while also being easy to learn, especially for those who may not be comfortable with technology.
Our main objective is to empower all stakeholders involved in real estate transactions by providing them with a comprehensive, interconnected platform that revolutionizes efficiency and facilitates seamless information sharing.
Our Mission:
To liberate real estate professionals from administrative inefficiencies, enabling them to redirect their time and energy toward growing their businesses, providing exceptional customer service, and fostering teamwork, thereby achieving their true potential in the industry.
Join Us!
If our mission resonates with you, then we’d love to have you with us as we navigate this journey. Whether you’re a broker, agent, technology partner, investor, or just interested in what the future of real estate could look like, please do reach out, and follow us here and on our various social media channels.
Cheers to new beginnings!
Ready to discover the future of real estate?
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