How to Partner with a Tech Vendor: Broker Insights on What Works, What Doesn't, and What Proptech Companies Need to Understand

Discover the vendor selection secrets that independent real estate brokerages need to thrive. Vanessa Bergmark, owner of Red Oak Realty with 22 years in real estate and 15 years as a brokerage owner, reveals the strategic approach to technology partnerships that drives sustainable growth.

🎯 Key Insights:

• Why vendor relationships matter more than product features
• How to evaluate technology when you don't understand the technical details
• The foundation-first approach: backend systems before marketing tools
• Effective due diligence strategies that include team input
• When to stay with existing vendors vs. switching to new solutions

🔑 Essential Quotes: "In real estate we all say it's all about relationships... That's the entire ecosystem of real estate."

"Technology always has felt like it's behind this screen... Having that trust in the vendor that understands that language is somewhat crucial because I don't understand it."

"You could love that product. It could be the right price. It could have all the right features... but it's not going to be the one you choose because 'Will you get a phone call back?'"

"Taking your time getting in is a lot more beneficial than making the wrong decision and trying to get out. It's super disruptive."

🏢 About Vanessa Bergmark: Owner of Red Oak Realty, a boutique independent brokerage in California's East Bay with 160-180 agents. The brokerage is approaching its 50th anniversary while maintaining independent flexibility. Bergmark serves on the Lonewolf customer advisory board and participates in Leading RE networks.

📋 Topics Covered:

• Vendor relationship management for independent brokerages
• Technology trust and transparency challenges
• Referral networks and industry connections for vendor evaluation
• Financial platforms and transaction management priorities
• Team involvement in technology selection processes
• Long-term vendor partnership strategies

💡 Perfect For: Independent brokerage owners, operations managers, real estate entrepreneurs, and anyone selecting technology vendors for real estate businesses.

🎧 PropTech Pulse delivers actionable real estate technology insights in just 20 minutes.

#PropTech #RealEstate #IndependentBrokerage #VendorRelationships #Technology #BrokerageOperations #RealEstateTechnology #VendorSelection #TransactionManagement #RealEstateBusiness #TechnologyPartnership #BrokerageOwner

https://www.lwolf.com/podcast

Transcript

Transcript

Kyle Hunter: Hello everyone and welcome to Propt Tech Pulse. today we have a special guest Vanessa Bergmark with Red Oak Realy.

Kyle Hunter: So Vanessa tell us a little bit about yourself and a little bit about your brokerage.

Vanessa Bergmark: Hi, thanks for having me today.

Vanessa Bergmark: A little bit about myself. I've been in real estate for think 22 and I've Reoke Realy for the last 17 years. as an owner for the last I think it's 15. and yeah,…

Kyle Hunter: Wow.

Vanessa Bergmark: it's over in the East Bay, so it's a smaller brokerage. It's still what we consider boutique independent. it's located out of the East Bay region of San Francisco. So, we're across the Bay. We always like to say that we have the better view. we have limited fog and we get the drop deadad gorgeous view of the San Francisco Bay area. all the bells and whistles. but we've been operating over there for the business has actually been around for about 50 years, the brokerage. So, next year we'll be 50 years old.

Kyle Hunter: 50 years.

Vanessa Bergmark: I did not start it. Just so we get things off on the right foot here. It started several decades before me.

Kyle Hunter: 15 years as an owner, that's a long time. And you say you brief, but 160 180 agents, something like that. That's a lot of people to deal with.

Vanessa Bergmark: Yeah. Yeah. it's a larger boutique, but I think it's what when you look at a boutique, it's got a lot of independent thought. we can bring in new products, swap out products. there's not that sort of corporate overlay. Of course, the bigger you get, the more policy you have to get just to keep from pure chaos. But it offers that I think it look at it as a very evolving brokerage where nothing really stays the same.

Vanessa Bergmark: our client doesn't stay the same, that the community is constantly changing. So, we've kind of changed with it. So, I think that's what's cool about it. when I call it a boutique, that's probably why

Kyle Hunter: Yeah. No,…

Kyle Hunter: absolutely. that ties in and I, appreciate to the topic today. really want to focus in on running a boutique brokerage but obviously with a good bit of size, but how you relate to partners and vendors in the space.

Kyle Hunter: you being on the Lonewolf customer advisory board, we thought it would be a great opportunity for you to kind of share some of the ins and outs of, how you prefer to work with vendors, how you choose vendors, red flags,…

Kyle Hunter: things like that. But, maybe we'll start out with what's your perspective on kind of that relationship between a provider

Vanessa Bergmark: …

Vanessa Bergmark: it's funny and I think in real estate we all say it's all about relationships, I mean, we're certainly talking about that from the level of the real estate agent to the home buyer or seller. And that I think is the entire ecosystem of real estate.  It's not just because every one of those partners affects core relationship between that agent and that consumer. so I mean it's invaluable. I think it's what's made the industry so sticky and so particular is that relationship really really matters because ultimately it can fall apart right in the middle of a transaction or it can fall apart long term with a brokerage after a contract's been signed. So I think it starts kind of right there at that very nexus of the transaction and then it flows all the way up and it matters with the lender, right?

Vanessa Bergmark: It matters the agent and the broker, but it certainly matters the broker if they want to keep that very tight relationship with their agent and then ultimately with that home buyer and seller because they're really kind of the next level. the one in the middle is they've got to get really really good partners to support them to support the agent.

Kyle Hunter: You're good.

Vanessa Bergmark: And tech is a funny thing because the boots on the ground real estate relationship is very personal like bellyto belly but it's face to face.  Yes, we use tech tools, but it's really very interpersal. Technology though, it always has felt like it's behind this screen, right? That it's something that not the regular human interfaces with, but they don't really understand. if you ask me how does the back end of your website work or what makes your transaction management system work or the back end of a I don't really think about it. It's like how does a light bulb work?

Vanessa Bergmark: And then all of a sudden when you think about it, it gets very not transparent and it's not very clear. So having that trust in the vendor that understands that language that is taking care of all those things for you is somewhat crucial because I don't understand it. And if I can't understand it and then every time I ask my vendor, hey, I'm confused about this or this isn't working. And you don't get a call back or it gets dismissed or they don't look at you and say, I get it. This is kind of complicated. let me make you feel comfortable with what we're doing for you. Then there's a breakdown, And then there becomes this suspicion because it's not something I can look at it and…

00:05:00

Vanessa Bergmark: go, I can look at this. I don't need to call my vendor rep. I don't need to call them because I thoroughly understand it." It's algebra or maybe some people get that too. I didn't. but it's kind of complex. It's not something that the normal person can pick up.

Kyle Hunter: Yeah. Mhm.

Vanessa Bergmark: So, you just have to have that trust. So, that's what matters, is it's sort of this shrouded thing that you guys understand but we don't and certainly our agent doesn't and…

Kyle Hunter: And that's a good point.

Vanessa Bergmark: 

Vanessa Bergmark: then a lot of times the consumer doesn't. So, we don't want to have that breakdown with them. That comes from something that vendor has control over.

Kyle Hunter: I mean it is about relationships to your point of real estate in general. So you have to have that relationship with your partner as well but it is different because technology like you said you just want it to work and you just want to have that ability to rely on it.

Kyle Hunter: But if there is something going on, you want to have a partner. and so, …

Vanessa Bergmark: All right.

Kyle Hunter: kind of on that thread a little bit, we've talked about you being independent a couple times. So, you're not a brand I should say with a franchise or a national brand or someone who's providing technology. So, a lot of those decisions you're having to go through that process. tell us a little bit maybe about …

Vanessa Bergmark: …

Kyle Hunter: how you've selected different vendors and what makes that work what makes that fail talk through a little bit about that

Vanessa Bergmark: I think anything, yes, if it's not served up and coming in a package where somebody hands it to you and says these are the vendors and you're kind of done. then you do have to put a lot of thought in it. I will say I'm in a lot of independent groups stuff with leading re so I have a lot of relationship with other independents throughout the nation and…

Kyle Hunter: Thank you.

Vanessa Bergmark: the globe just networking groups because we kind of need to rely on each other and a lot will come first of all usually they'll come as a referral and it's interesting it will come as a do not work with this vendor or this vendor's actually been really really great I've tried their product their team is amazing  And so a lot of it comes just again very similar to how agents get their business and how the industry overall works is it comes from a word of mouth of either a stay away or check it out. so usually we start with a check it outs and then it really does come down to you could look at the product and see that the product is really amazing but you could also get a vibe of how many people are on their team. how much trainings do they offer?

Vanessa Bergmark: what is their sort of philosophy and how they run? And even though the product looks amazing, you might realize that the philosophical way of how they're running the business is probably not going to align very well with what you're doing. And so product aside, there could be very similar products and maybe some's got a couple of cooler features than the other, but you're going to see, hey, I'm not sure I'm ever going to get a call back. Or I asked, hey, have you ever thought about doing this in the initial phone call? And they're like, yeah, no.  or you just get that, there's going to be one that this is sort of a static product and it is what it is and this is what it costs and this is how it works or we're trying to build this out what, it's gone through a few evolutions and so you feel that person out. So that's how I've made the decisions and I could probably say I can't speak on behalf of everyone but I think in a lot of independents that is how you make it. You could love that product. It could be the right price. It could have all the right features.

Vanessa Bergmark: They can have it totally scaled, but it's not going to be the one you choose because it lacks that you're like, will you get a phone call back? Will you get an email back? Are your agents if something goes wrong, are they going to be there to say, "We'll figure it out. Please.

Kyle Hunter: Yeah. No,…

Kyle Hunter: it's important to have trust and to understand that, somebody will be on the other side even like you said if it's a great fit. I think it's interesting that you brought up just the referral aspect of it, and the fact is somebody says, "Hey, don't use that." but also, hey, this has worked out well and this is what's good because just the referrals in general are such a big part of the real estate industry, whether it's your customers as an agent or, just all the different aspects.

Kyle Hunter: having that personal connection and someone to be able to validate something that you're looking at is always important. So definitely a good tip there. maybe tell us about something that was successful where you went down a road, you were looking to solve something with a technology solution and…

00:10:00

Kyle Hunter: you kind of went through that process and it worked out maybe something that you would have done differently next time.

Vanessa Bergmark: …

Vanessa Bergmark: In the years that I've worked on this, I've rarely had a technology partner that I signed with that was so awful that I pulled the program.  And I think a lot of that has been that we really really test it out first or we meet with them several times and we've gone really far down the road and then changed our mind and not signed up. So I think that really testing things out and not being like, " this brokerage down the block used it or was referred here or my company as a franchise maybe said this is great." I still think you've got to say what works for you and your agents and your clients. So that's kind of the first thing was I haven't had miserable experiences.

Vanessa Bergmark: But I think the thing with technology is like humans it evolves right and so what worked for us five years ago may not be evolving at the same speed of which the way we're currently whether it's processing our transactions or processing loans or giving reports and data I mean now stats has just so much of our business because we have the tools and the technology has evolved out there in the world  you've got the ability to really harness a lot of data about what you're doing right or how to assess things that we never had access to. So there are certain companies that you've maybe worked with and again back in the day they were just fine but they haven't put the energy and the R&D and the research.

Vanessa Bergmark: they've kind of left the product there and just been like, "It's good enough." And that can work for a while, but eventually it starts to fail and you need to go back. I imagine a lot of times you've got a big company with a lot of different tech products, but sometimes you got to go back to those ones that were keeping clients and were moving along and now they're not moving along anymore and they need to be evaluated. And so finding a vendor that does that is crucial. we could bring up the issue with working with loan.

Vanessa Bergmark: 've been a partner with you for a long time. you came in and that was true. That you rescued me in a really tough situation where I had a website wasn't going in the right direction, moved over a different company and they decided to kind of pull the plug on what they were building and I was roughly eight weeks away from launch and came in used what we had were able to kind of take the recipe that had already come in there with your team and it's been my website I think for about nine years.

Vanessa Bergmark: But then sometimes after a while it just doesn't work the way you need it to anymore. There's certain levers that are kind of rusty and the consumers are demanding a different interface and then the agents because their clients are asking for it are asking us and then there was some limitations. We went out, we talked to a lot of providers and there's great providers out there.

Kyle Hunter: Okay.

Vanessa Bergmark: There were some great companies, but there really was a really long-standing history and an interface and that we did trust. and I think it was really great that rather than just walk away and say we're just going to go with the new ones, they're looking like they could do everything we want, they're looking like they're excited to get the project and we're just going to, you pull out of this and go for it. we didn't. And that was not because it's just easier to stay with the devil, it was that you really brought everyone into the team.

Vanessa Bergmark: you really sat down and made my marketing team and the tech people within my company feel seen and heard and didn't just give them an answer like we could fix this, we could fix this. They thought about it, you brought it back, you came up with some solutions, it really was I told them, you can do whatever you want because ultimately the decision is I want you to own what you select. So if you decide you want to go and you want to bail and you want to go somewhere new or if you want to stay and work it out and they were at first like no no no we're out and…

Kyle Hunter: Goodbye.  Yeah.

Vanessa Bergmark: they all recommitted to saying no we really think we were surprised but they hit the ball out of the park and they really have shown up and consistently even two days ago I checked in and they're moving it along. They've slowed down the timeline for us cuz we're a little behind but they still showed up with the entire team. what they said they would get done was done.  And so it's not just like, we signed the contract and saved a transaction, but you recommitted to your client and retention is so important, right? Because if you've got that good relationship and that cander with your clients, that they're going to tell you the truth about the product when it is and is not working for them. They're not just going to bang on your door for the hell of it. and you really do want to keep a good company and you want to keep a good vendor, right?

Vanessa Bergmark: I think it's probably equally as important to you at Lonewolf to keep a good company. Bullet

Kyle Hunter: Yeah. No, absolutely. I mean, it really has a lot of parallels with probably one of your main daily activities, which is recruiting and retention, and from your case, you're bringing in agents, but you have to focus on the good agents that are there because, you can't just take it for granted.  And so being able to evaluate and ensure that you are and like you said things change the needs that you had 5 years ago are different and whether it's the market whether it's the size and scale of the brokerage whether it's changes in the way that you're doing business you have to be able to kind of continually grow and make sure that you are a true partnership as opposed to just yes we got it over the fence so

00:15:00

Kyle Hunter: that I think really resonates.

Vanessa Bergmark: Yeah.

Kyle Hunter: And then the other point that you made I think is really when you're selecting is put in your due diligence. so it sounds like, from your perspective, not making a bad decision a lot of times is making sure you put that work in upfront. And whether that's validating, everything that you are looking at and making sure that you're cutting through maybe the promises or some of the things that, if it's too good to be true, then maybe it is. but really getting comfortable with the company that you're going to be engaging with and truly partnering with to help drive your business. I mean, at the end of the day, that's what the technology solutions are there to do is to try to help, grow your business and make sure that you're efficient. So,

Vanessa Bergmark: And it's funny because I was going to say as a CEO or as a sometimes owners and CEOs, we move fast.

Kyle Hunter: Mhm.

Vanessa Bergmark: That's why we're in the positions. we look at things. We make quick judgments. and I can usually make a judgment very quickly. But there are those granular details. And having I think also too letting your team really drive that. They're the ones that are going to be interfacing with it. there's a lot of things I'd be like this looks great or this is a great price and we're the ones that have to use it all day. So I think there is that taking that time to do that due diligence really does matter as well. so I really encourage anyone ultimately the decision and we're signing the checks and the decision is ours, but you do have to run it through your entire staff team and you do have to let the agent kind of play with it a little as well before you do that because taking your time getting in is a lot more beneficial than making the wrong decision and…

Vanessa Bergmark: trying to get out. It's super disruptive. So, I'd rather take a really,…

Kyle Hunter: Yeah. Yeah.

Vanessa Bergmark: really long time and take a really long runway getting in than really making a mistake and having a bail.

Kyle Hunter: I mean and that is very important having a buy in from the folks that are actually doing on a day in dayout basis. And Lonewolf has a lot of different solutions. Some of them are interfacing with the agent. some of them, are back office and accounting and things like that and making the decision and…

Kyle Hunter: and making a wrong decision about a technology. It's not just the cost of actually buying or entering into a contract or the price of the solution.

Kyle Hunter: It's the time and energy that goes into making it work upfront and having it successful and, making sure you have that right selection can, really help make sure that you're on the right track. So, …

Vanessa Bergmark: And it keeps the faith.

Vanessa Bergmark: It keeps the faith because otherwise people are gonna start losing faith in you like just making rapid fire decisions and not taking in consideration of how it's going to affect every level of your company all the way down to that homeowner, right?

Kyle Hunter: So we got a minutes last couple points that I'd love to maybe hear your thoughts on what resources for brokers looking to improve kind of their selection and their management process.

Kyle Hunter: I mean, you told us about some of the things you do, but if you were, let's say, a smaller boutique brokerage or independent brokerage that is maybe not part of Leading R, maybe, they're going out on their own and they're trying to do it from scratch, what types of things would you …

Kyle Hunter: inform them to make sure that they're making that right decision? nothing.

Vanessa Bergmark: I mean,…

Vanessa Bergmark: I think it's kind of a summary of what we just said. it's if you don't have a huge staff fitting it and you're using it, then you take your time using it, Don't run out there and just, fill up a room. it's almost when you're decorating a house, don't go in there and try to get it done in a day. I mean, there's a couple of things obviously your finance system if you're running a brokerage is huge, so many people think about …

Vanessa Bergmark: let me get the office and let me get the agents and, let me make sure there's marketing and yes, that matters, but that's always everyone wants to do that.

Kyle Hunter: That's the fun part.

Kyle Hunter: Yeah. Yeah.

00:20:00

Vanessa Bergmark: Let's come up with a brand and let's make our pretty flyers and let's Yes. And that all matters, but if I were recommending you're starting out or you're breaking off into a team and whatnot, have a really good finance platform, Have something where you can see your numbers every day.  Make sure that platform that when you start there, it then integrates with the other facing platforms. And I think a lot of people start with the front and then worry about the back. I might be thinking a little bit differently is you might want to consider that back and then you start doing the front because everyone's going to be on board for the front. That you can get done quickly. That's going to be the fun part. That other stuff, it could be a real pain.

Vanessa Bergmark: And if you can't access your numbers, you can't access your data. You don't know where your files are, you could put yourself out of business before you, hang hand out your first brochure. So, I think that's one of the things is really making sure you look at that and start there first. Even if it's just small, have something that you can bit by bit and…

Kyle Hunter: What? Mhm.

Vanessa Bergmark: then when you grow your team, it's accessible to them. Get that thing in place. and then take your time adding in all the bells and whistles. You can really function with a small brokerage with a lot of the-shelf projects. of products. You don't have to go crazy with it. And then as you grow, as you add, there are certain things that you really need and there are certain things that are, really distracting. One thing I will say is, and we've talked about this before, transaction management, no one thinks it's sexy. No one wants to talk about files or contracts or things. It's the bulk of your business in this world.

Vanessa Bergmark: It really does matter. All the marketing tools out there, you could, throw your hands out and knock them over. There are so many offerings, but I think that's the thing that I'm always more intrigued with is what are the ones that are really really focusing on true pain points of a brokerage business owner. And those are the ones I think that I trust or I explore because they're looking at things that actually really matter and aren't just the shiny objects.

Kyle Hunter: So, it sounds like you're describing …

Kyle Hunter: what a company needs is a strong foundation to their good deal.

Vanessa Bergmark: 

Vanessa Bergmark: Yeah. Yeah. a strong backend foundation first then think about the front end.

Kyle Hunter: Vanessa, it's been a pleasure. Thank you so much for joining me today and yeah, we look forward to doing it in the future.

Vanessa Bergmark: Thank you.

Vanessa Bergmark: Thanks for inviting me.

Kyle Hunter: Thank you.

Meeting ended after 00:22:24 👋

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