%20(1).png)
The real estate industry is at a crossroads. On one side, there's the promise that AI and automation will make agents more efficient and consistent. On the other hand, there's the fear that technology will reduce agents to glorified door openers. But four leading Side Real Estate team leaders are proving there's a third way—one where AI amplifies the human connection rather than replacing it, and where branded mobile apps become the secret weapon for building deeper, lasting client relationships.
In an exclusive HomeStack + Side Real Estate webinar, Christina Thomas of GOAT+DIME, Nicole Van Treese of Sundial Real Estate, Nat Ferguson of Splash Real Estate, and Martin Encinas Leon of Harper Real Estate shared their pioneering strategies for relationship-first AI adoption. Their insights reveal how boutique real estate brokerages can leverage AI-driven technology to stand out in an increasingly consolidated market.
As major real estate brokerages like Compass consolidate their operations, savvy boutique real estate agents see opportunity rather than threat. Christina Thomas from GOAT+DIME explained her strategy:
"With the boutique real estate brokerages, like us, we bring that high-end, white glove—there are things that we can do that the big brands will not do. Everybody's going to look the same, and I think in the 2026 market, you need to stand out for your clients. I want to have an edge of 'Great, you just met with 50 Compass agents. They all have the same thing, but look what I have, a branded app that will give you a higher level of service.'"
Christina sees the consolidation trend as a clearing mechanism for the industry: "I'm actually embracing it. I think it's gonna be a great thing for us who are more into that high-touch, high experience—full agency service that a lot of people throw around but don't do. It will clear out a lot of the agents who should or should not be in the business."
Key Takeaway: Boutique real estate brokerages can differentiate themselves by offering genuine white-glove service that larger brands can't match. A branded app showcases this commitment to personalized client care.
In a real estate market where everyone has access to MLS data, how do you create true exclusivity? Martin Encinas Leon of Harper Real Estate has found an elegant solution:
"We're a small real estate team who likes to stand out - if everybody's going right, we're gonna go left. That's our mindset. We have a VA, and one thing he does on a weekly basis is navigate to the ‘Coming Soon’ section, where we post all our off-market property listings on the Harper Real Estate App. This way, when we're presenting our app to clients, we say, 'On our app, you will have access to off-market, coming soon properties that you won't find on other platforms.' It's how we create an environment to get them into our ecosystem and make it easier for them to find properties."
The strategy is working. Martin reports having buyers discover properties through the app's exclusive listings section before they hit the broader market, creating a sense of VIP access that competitors can't match.
Key Takeaway: Your branded app isn't just another property search tool—it's an exclusive portal to opportunities clients can't find anywhere else. This creates a compelling reason for prospects to enter your ecosystem.
Nicole Van Treese of Sundial Real Estate discovered that her branded app has become her secret weapon in competitive listing and buyer appointments. The impact? Transforming client perceptions and closing more deals.
"I use my branded app in listing appointments. We use it in buyer consultation appointments, and they are so impressed when they see we have our own app. It's not just a little mom-and-pop team anymore, right? We have massive technology, and we show them how their home's gonna be highlighted on our app and how people will locate it, and their eyes just light up. It has helped me seal the deal on many transactions - in listing and buyer presentations."
Nicole's team takes personalization even further. "I love that every agent on my team gets their own exclusive QR code, so when they're at events and their clients show up, they feel very special and are able to download that. We use it on their flyers and their buyer presentation—they're using their own QR code. So it's exclusive to them and then goes into their CRM. It has helped with closing deals for sure, getting those listings signed."
Key Takeaway: Your branded app isn't just for existing clients—it's a powerful closing tool that elevates your professional image and demonstrates your commitment to cutting-edge client service. When prospects see you have technology that rivals the big brands, it positions you as a serious, modern real estate professional.
Nat Ferguson of Splash Real Estate took the branded app concept in an innovative direction, transforming it from a buyer/seller tool into a comprehensive lifestyle resource that serves their entire sphere of influence.
"Our business exists in different silos. You got your client appreciation events, and then you do something, maybe to connect with your vendors. We took the opportunity to invite our VIP vendors into our branded app because it's not something that your database is gonna get anywhere else. We were getting texts one, two, three times a week 'Who do you have for a plumber? Who do you have for an estate attorney?' This should be living in one place. And by the way, it shouldn't just be accessible to people who are buying or selling. It should be accessible to our database, our sphere at large."
To launch the app, Splash Real Estate hosted an event bringing together clients and vendors. Each vendor brought a door prize for a raffle, but attendees had to download the app to participate. The result? Organic adoption and face-to-face connections that bridged the online and offline worlds.
"The similarity that runs through this group of professionals is we're running boutique brokerages. It's very high touch, we love the high touch, and the more opportunities you can have to do that... this app is a great example. It just bridges the offline with the online and turned it into a great success. People are still talking about it."
Key Takeaway: Your branded app can be much more than a transaction tool. By positioning it as a lifestyle resource with trusted vendor recommendations and community connections, you stay relevant to clients during the 2-7 year gap between transactions.
The webinar showcased three core artificial intelligence applications built into HomeStack that these top performers use to amplify their branded app experience:
Create stunning virtual property tours that showcase listings like never before. These AI-powered 3D tours allow potential buyers to explore properties remotely, increasing engagement and saving time on unqualified showings. The tours integrate seamlessly into your branded app, giving clients an exclusive viewing experience they can't get on generic platforms. As Nicole demonstrated, showing clients how their home will be highlighted through 3D technology in your app makes their "eyes just light up" during listing presentations.
HomeStack's AI tools enable agents to quickly create comprehensive resource guides that position them as indispensable local experts:
These AI-generated resources can be customized with your local knowledge and added directly to your App Resources, creating an always-accessible reference library for clients. As Nat Ferguson discovered, consolidating answers to common questions like "Who do you recommend for a plumber?" into one central location saves time while providing ongoing value to your entire sphere.
Turn your branded app into a real estate lead generation machine with AI-powered social media marketing. Create compelling social media posts that promote your app's exclusive features, showcase off-market listings, highlight neighborhood guides, and advertise client appreciation events. AI helps generate engaging captions, optimize posting schedules, and streamline visual content creation that drives app downloads. As Martin shared, promoting exclusive content available only through your app gives prospects a compelling reason to enter your ecosystem.
Apps utilize predictive analytics that track which clients are actively searching, what properties they're saving, and notes they're taking. AI then helps generate personalized workflows that include follow-up messages based on their behavior patterns, ensuring timely, relevant high quality real time outreach that feels personal, not automated.
The real estate agents leading this transformation aren't choosing between human connection and technology—they're using AI to amplify what makes boutique brokerages special: genuine relationships, white-glove service, and deep local expertise.
As Christina Thomas put it, the market is clearing out agents who can't deliver on their promises. For those committed to high-touch service, a branded app combined with smart AI implementation isn't just a competitive advantage—it's becoming essential to stay relevant and top-of-mind with increasingly sophisticated clients.
The question isn't whether to adopt these tools, but how quickly you can implement them to differentiate yourself in a consolidating market. The boutique brokerages that master this third way will be the ones clients remember when they're ready to transact.
Ready to explore how a branded app can transform your real estate business? The team at HomeStack specializes in helping boutique brokerages and top-performing teams create relationship-building platforms that combine cutting-edge AI with genuine human connection. Learn more about bringing the "third way" to your business.
.png)
