SmartMLS boosts fraud protection; Mainstreet adds banking option 

Editor's note: Technology is a driving force in real estate. From startups to established players, tech companies are constantly innovating, growing and forging partnerships. Here we highlight some of the latest news about the companies that help power the industry. 

SmartMLS adds more Property Shield tools

SmartMLS said it plans to introduce Property Shield's Ownership Verification tool this week, giving real estate professionals another way to confirm the identity of prospective sellers before accepting a listing, particularly in cases involving vacant land or remote communications.

The tool combines identity verification and facial recognition technology with property ownership information to help determine whether a person claiming to own a property is legitimate. It is designed to provide an additional check when questions arise, not replace agents' and brokers' existing due diligence, according to a news release.

Ownership Verification will add to the Connecticut MLS's current Listing Fraud Protection technology, which focuses on the misuse of legitimate listing data online, while the new tool addresses potential impersonation before a listing enters the MLS.

"Real estate professionals are often on the front line when seller-impersonation fraud is attempted," SmartMLS CEO Kathy Elson said. "Ownership Verification gives our users another way to ask an important question before proceeding: Is this really the property owner?"

Mainstreet Realtors adds Upfront's banking platform

Upfront has partnered with Illinois-based Mainstreet Realtors to introduce branded banking and AI-powered accounting tools for use by the association's members.

Mainstreet is deploying Upfront's white-label banking platform alongside Upfront Docs, the software company's AI compliance platform. Brokerages can offer branded accounts with deposits held through Upfront partner i3 Bank, according to a news release. Agents whose brokerage uses an Upfront account to manage transactions can receive payments as soon as closing funds arrive, the company said.

Upfront's accounts payable and receivable automation is designed to handle payment processing, reconciliation and billing follow-ups, the company said. The offering also includes interest-bearing business checking accounts, discounts on QuickBooks and Upfront's Vero back-office product, along with expanded healthcare options.

"Mainstreet is showing what an association can do for its members by offering agent and brokerage financial health solutions," said Ishtyaq Ahmed, Upfront's co-founder and chief product officer. "Brokers don't have to rip out systems they've used for 20 years. They can add banking and automated bill pay alongside what they already run, and take the most tedious work off their accounting staff's plate."

SoCal MLS adds lead gen, showing management tools

Homezai has partnered with San Diego MLS to provide the organization's 12,000+ members with AI-powered lead-generation and showing-management tools, connecting online prospecting with appointment scheduling and follow-up capabilities.

Homezai's LeadFeed tool supports lead generation on social media, while website widgets enable visitors to request conversations or book showings directly rather than rely on static contact forms. The platform, which members will be able to access through single sign-on, also uses AI voice technology to coordinate appointments and automate routine scheduling tasks, according to a news release.

Homezai and the MLS said the collaboration is intended to help members adopt automation while supporting client service and business development.

"Real estate agents don't just need another app — they need tools that help them grow their businesses and stay in control," Homezai CEO Nina Fabbri said. "Our partnership with San Diego MLS brings practical innovation to brokers, agents, and consumers, while giving agents more time for the relationships that drive their business."

More tech news

RealReports is expanding its two-year partnership with Southwest MLS (SWMLS) to become the 4,300-member organization's official tax and public records provider. Members will now have access to the proptech company's Prospector and RealCMA tools and will gain a trial of Agentic Aiden, building on their prior access to RealReports' in-house AI advisor Aiden. The expanded deal "gives our Subscribers much more of the platform to draw on," SWMLS MLS Director Jeannette Davidson said in a news release. "Brokers can use these benefits to develop a prospecting strategy, prepare stronger pricing recommendations, and maintain relationships after a transaction."

RELIANCEai recently partnered with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices EWM Realty to help redesign the South Florida brokerage's website. The new site incorporates RELIANCEai's proprietary search engine, integrated lead management and CRM tools, a framework built with SEO in mind and a mobile-first design, among other features. It "is purpose-built for the South Florida luxury market," RELIANCEai COO Nick Villanti said, adding that the site is "designed to showcase world-class properties, empower agents and deliver the kind of elevated experience that BHHS EWM Realty clients have come to expect."

Refervia has launched as a new referral platform designed for agents, brokerages, loan officers and insurance pros. The platform features a shared record of a client referral with live updates to ensure that involved parties can easily keep track of where the referral stands. The goal of the platform is to help both the real estate professional handing over a referral and the professional who is receiving it avoid having the client and their contact information lost in the transfer. "Refervia gives the person who sent the client, the person who received them, and the client the same picture at the same time," Founder Perry Burton said in a news release, adding, "When a handoff is handled well, everyone's reputation grows."

Guard Home Warranty has announced the launch of its revamped claims experience, dubbed Claims 2.0. The new offering limits a claim to three phases: its initial filing, a coverage decision made when a contractor reaches the home and instant reimbursement for the homeowner once their receipt for the approved repair is made. "Our competitors are routing claims to chatbots and overseas call centers. We went the other way," CEO Sergey Spisovskiy said in a news release. With Claims 2.0, a Guard Home Warranty employee "picks up the phone in 16 seconds, you pick the contractor, and you pick how you get paid," Spisovskiy explained. "That is the bar."

Editor's note: AI was used in the initial drafting of this content, which was then thoroughly reviewed, fact-checked and revised by a Real Estate News editor.