Homes.com, one of the largest home search websites on the internet, has rolled out a feature that will let agents synchronize their contacts across different services.
The company unveiled a new application programming interface (API) on Wednesday. APIs are used by many popular online services and allow other companies and individuals to design apps that connect to them.
In this case, the new API connects the company’s Homes.com Connect platform for agents with third parties such as DocuSign. That means an agent could get a lead from Homes.com and manage that contact with Homes.com Connect, then when it comes time to actually start a transaction, send that person’s information straight to DocuSign.
Andy Woolley, vice president of industry development at Homes.com, compared the process to authorizing a third-party app on Facebook. Agents will simply have to authorize DocuSign once, and after that the two services will be able to communicate and share contacts.
“This is kind of the future of applications,” Woolley told Inman. “It used to be where every application was siloed.”
David Mele, President, Homes.com
Right now, Homes.com Connect can link up with both DocuSign and BombBomb, a company that specializes in email video campaigns. Woolley said other companies have also expressed interest in participating and Homes.com is working on getting them approved.
In a statement, Homes.com president Dave Mele said the new API will support “ongoing lead activities, ensuring that integrated systems remain in sync.”
“We know that our customers use a variety of tools when working with clients, and providing an easy way for them to manage that process makes sense and adds tremendous value to the tools we provide,” Mele also said in the statement.
Homes.com describes itself as a top real estate search site with more than 10 million visitors each month. The site also works to connect homebuyers and sellers with agents in their market. Agents can also access marketing and branding tools through the site.
Woolley said that Homes.com has 200,000 agent accounts and that the new API will offer them “an easier way of synchronizing leads and contacts.”
