eXp Realty Acquires LUXVT, Launches Website Redesign, Announces Partnership with Sisu, and Plans Global Expansion
The first general session of eXpcon Miami 2024 kicked off on Monday and was packed with a series of groundbreaking announcements. eXp Realty revealed the acquisition of luxury marketing platform LUXVT, and launched a sleek new website. Additionally, eXp announced a strategic partnership with business intelligence platform Sisu, full agent access to the Canva Pro plan and revealed plans for further global expansion into three new countries, setting the stage for an event filled with innovation and momentum.
Glenn Sanford, eXp World Holdings Founder, CEO and Chairman, eXp Realty CEO Leo Pareja and CMO Wendy Forsythe took the stage and welcomed everyone to Rappin’ Realtor Steven Diaz’s clever agent rap, giving a nod to eXp’s 15th anniversary, which was just celebrated on Oct. 6.
Glenn reinforced the ethos of eXp as a disruptor in the industry and thanked everyone for believing in him and his vision, which is reshaping the industry today. As eXp surges ahead with 87,000 agents across six continents and now into 27 marketplaces, he emphasized the company is just getting started.
CEO Leo Pareja Welcomes the Crowd to “the 305”
Leo expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to step into the role of CEO, succeeding Glenn, when he officially took the reins in April 2024.
He humbly indicated his thrill of being CEO at his first eXpcon and welcomed the crowd to his hometown of Miami, area code 305. He then commented on the year’s NAR Settlement ruling, taking exception with it being an attorney-driven decision that has shaken the industry.
“But we need to control our path forward. We are a company that is sustainable and profitable and scalable and I’m excited for what’s to come,” he said.
Leo has been an outspoken leader in the industry around the NAR Settlement as well as the importance of maintaining the Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP). It is through his leadership and voice that eXp is attracting top-producing agents from around the world.
Big News About LUXVT, Website Makeover and Brand “Glow Up”
Wendy highlighted eXp’s mantra, “Where the Pros Go to Grow,” setting the stage for an exciting series of announcements. She introduced a captivating video showcasing eXp’s “Glow Up” rebrand, representing a bold step in taking the company “out of the box.”
“Branding is one of the most important things in business, and we broke eXp out of the box. No more blue boxes. We modernized the brand to reflect all of you in this room. The Glow Up is still glowing. There is more to come,” she said.
Part of the Glow Up is the new eXp Realty website (available in the U.S. and Canada), a project a year in the making, developed in partnership with eXp-owned Zoocasa, whose expertise lies in delivering a powerful home search experience.
But among the day’s big news was that eXp World Holdings purchased LUXVT, a leader in luxury real estate marketing solutions, which is expected to elevate eXp Luxury’s commitment to the elite real estate sector. LUXVT’s services will be fully integrated into eXp’s platform, providing eXp agents with exclusive tools to attract more luxury buyers and sellers, enhance their brand, and expand their business.
FastCAP Program Officially Launched
After the results of a successful pilot program this summer led by Chief Learning Officer Bryon Ellington, Leo announced that eXp University’s FastCAP program has been formally launched. FastCAP is a six-week program where eXp agents learn from other agents who have experienced amazing results in their first year, building relationships and forming habits for immediate success.
During the pilot program, participants reported an uptick in average listing appointments (4.1 appointments per person) and average agreements (2 per person).
eXp Enters a Partnership With Sisu
In another big announcement and in a move to further drive home eXp’s agent success-obsessed mission, Leo announced an exclusive partnership with Sisu, the real estate industry’s leading business intelligence platform – at no additional cost to agents. (Read more about the Sisu partnership here.)
This partnership is designed to boost agent productivity, streamline operations, and enable smarter, data-driven decisions. It will provide real-time insights, automated tracking, and customizable dashboards for eXp agents in the U.S. and Canada.
eXp Agents Will Have Access to Canva Pro
Another announcement Wendy made was eXp’s partnership with Canva, a deeply popular web-based graphic design platform that allows users to create a wide range of visual content, including social media graphics, presentations, posters, logos, and more. In that announcement, all of eXp Realty’s 87,000+ agents will have free access to utilize this valuable tool.
“eXp agents everywhere – the U.S., Canada and Internationally – will get access to Canva Pro at no additional cost on Dec. 6.”
eXtend a Hand Helping Florida Agents and Families
After Hurricane Helene and Milton’s path of destruction, Glenn emphasized eXp’s nonprofit, eXtend a Hand, is helping agents and families who have faced hardship as a result of the storms. He reiterated that donations are always welcomed and that during the evening’s auction, his boat will be available for an auction experience.
“Come to the auction and prepare to help your fellow agents in need and help build the coffers through that.”
Jesse Itzler Gave the Keynote
In a highly anticipated appearance, entrepreneur Jesse Itzler gave the keynote that offered a masterclass in resilience, creativity, and the power of thinking outside the box.
Beyond his entrepreneurial ventures, Jesse is a best-selling author, endurance athlete, and part-owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. From managing Run-DMC to living with monks and a Navy SEAL, his eclectic background offers a unique perspective on achieving success against all odds.
From Zero to Millions: John Lee
Entrepreneur John Lee, one of the most sought-after experts in wealth generation and business scaling, gave a TED-style talk titled “From Zero to Millions: Master Social Media to Build a Multi-Million Dollar Real Estate Business.” John says he earned his first million at age 27 through real estate investing. He gave the keynote at eXpcon Canada earlier this year.
John emphasized the formula “Awareness x attention = income.” Agents need to put a lot of content out there using AI and social media.
“You need to create a lot of views out there. It’s not about content creation, it’s about documentation,” he said.
John emphasized to “flood the feeds” on as many social media channels as possible, even suggesting to have 10 Instagram accounts.
“The problem is not that you’re not great, it’s that you’re invisible.”
Other suggestions:
- When you create a piece of content, don’t complete the content. Cut off the content before you get to the end which you intentionally leave off. It will keep people clicking.
- Long-form vs. short content – Long-form converts. It gets so much watch time. The goal is to get exposure.
- MMM means “Message to your market match.” How you talk to millennials vs GenX or GenZ is different.
- The more you post, the more you pop.
Panel: How AI is Transforming Real Estate Practices
John then moderated a panel discussion including eXp Realty agents Phil Stringer and Carrie Soave, discussing how AI is transforming real estate. Phil and Carrie are AI experts and talked about how AI is shaking up real estate. They gave an insightful talk and shared actionable strategies on how to grow their business and stay competitive.
Phil’s Takeaways:
- Use AI-driven strategies to create more listings. It is overwhelming and we overcomplicate it. Use AI to save time and use that time savings to help build relationships and do revenue-generating activities.
- Two things that slow people down are inaction and trying to do too much. I tell my students to learn how to do a few things and then kill it.
- There is a lot of fear surrounding AI. Fear that it’s going to replace your job. It’s not AI I need to worry about. I need to worry about the agent who knows AI who is creating leverage.
- Sell the solution – don’t sell the product. Find out what your clients main pain point is and simply solve their problems.
- Zapier connects chatGPT to your email account. Use it to write things automatically and it gets sent to draft. Then review it at the end of the day.
Carrie Soave’s Takeaways:
- I have no tech knowledge, but I have really good communication skills and I know what to ask for. It’s within your power to use it. We are in the age of no-code AI.
- Huge fan of chatGPT. “For me, chatGPT is the Holy Grail of AI. It can do anything.”
- ChatBase is the best AI bot to use. It costs about $20/month and is the easiest to use.
- Mandatory suggestion: “As our consumers learn AI, you can’t have your clients know more about AI than you. All agents need to learn it.”
- No code, low code Bubble.IO.
John concluded by saying, “Not the most intelligent, but the most adaptable will survive.”
Brian Carruthers Emphasized Agents Should Tap Into Rev Share
Brian Carruthers, an author, entrepreneur, investor, and mentor, is renowned for helping thousands of entrepreneurs achieve financial freedom through his proven strategies. He’s known for delivering straightforward, actionable advice and Monday at general session was no different.
One big message he had for eXp agents was to encourage them tap into eXp’s revenue share option.
“I left real estate 26 years ago when I was still wearing double-breasted suits,” he said. “I’m still seeing these same agents in their 50s still selling houses. They don’t have rev share. But some of you are not taking advantage of the 8th wonder of the world.”
John cited the popular book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” and the quadrants highlighted in the book (E= employed; S= Self-employed; B= business owner; I= investor). He implored agents to stop living in the S quadrant and live in B quadrant.
“You won’t have time freedom if you trade time for money. Stop being trapped. If you stop working, your income goes to zero. eXp is the best because it’s about changing where and how you live.”
NAR Settlement: “Thriving in a Disruptive Industry”
In a fun, radio talk show-style segment, eXp Realty SVP of Broker Operations Holly Mabery moderated a discussion with eXp Realty agents Mikki McDougal (Texas) and Beth Silverman (Florida) about the latest disruption to the industry: the NAR Settlement and the changes that went along with it.
Beth said Covid forced her to level up her approach to putting a process in place to ask for commission and compensation.
“There was no way I was going to let a listing broker determine my value. I brought my buyers into a commitment and told them ‘You’re not going to work with me without a commitment.’ I leveled up my consultation packages and made them digital. I created a knowledge base library and spent time practicing scripts to be confident and comfortable in getting clients to sign. So if I sound like a Starbucks order, it’s because I committed to it during Covid.”
Mikki said, “I’m having fun representing my clients and representing them wholeheartedly and enjoying it. I always using sellers estimated worksheets. I’m also doing a buyer’s estimate worksheet. I don’t want the other agent messing up. I explain these are the normal fees.”
Both agents strongly recommended agents get the eXp Agent Toolkit for buyers and sellers.
Beth concluded by saying, “You have to know your worth and value of what you bring to the table. This is actually the time to earn more than ever before.”
Mikki added: “Plug in. We are with such an amazing brokerage with great leadership. Let it change your life.”
Welcome Türkiye, Peru, and Egypt!
Glenn returned to the stage along with VP of International Growth Felix Bravo and SVP of International Operations Meghan Kelley who announced that eXp is expanding. By 2025, three new markets will be added to eXp’s footprint, including Türkiye, Peru, and Egypt. (Read the press release here.)
“Back in July, we had a change in leadership and it allowed me to go back to basics,” said Glenn. “We are operating as a startup on the international side of the house.” He explained a revamp of the international website is underway and the launch of the International Sponsor Program.
Next, each of the market leaders of eXp’s international locations came on stage, including Adam Day from the UK, Alex Ostrovski from Israel, Andrew Thompson from South Africa, Carl McNulty from New Zealand, Denis Andrian from Italy, Dounia Fadi from Dubai, Eli Torres from Puerto Rico, Growth leader Emily Morgan will be representing Australia, Ismael González from Mexico, Joaquín Nuevo Alarcón from Spain, João Miguel Louro from Portugal, Lars Pfeiffer from Germany, Marco Motta from Brazil, Nikos Manomenidis from Greece, Olga Marciniak from Poland, Samuel Caux from France, and Virginia Restrepo representing Colombia and Chile.
The leaders from Egypt, Ahmed Elbatrawy, and Peru, Ricardo Alfaro Svete, were welcomed to the stage, while Yigit Portakal, the leader from Turkey, was unable to attend, but submitted a fun video from his country.
“No other company has expanded into as many countries as we have,” Felix said. “To those copying us, good luck trying to keep up with us.”
Glenn added that eXp plans to expand to additional countries in 2025.
Award Winners Announced
To conclude the program on a high note, Amy Weaver, SVP, of Domestic Growth; Sean Murphy, SVP of Commercial Growth; Nadia Habib, SVP, of Canada Growth and Susan McClain, VP of Agent Success presented awards.
Click here to see them all here.
