By the HomeStack Team
If you've never been to Side x Side, it's hard to describe in a single sentence. The real estate industry event is part conference, part reunion, part masterclass, and entirely unlike any other real estate event we've attended. This year, the “Making Waves” theme felt exactly right.
Inside of the event in Huntington Beach, one trend stood out across nearly every conversation, keynote, and panel discussion: top-performing real estate teams are increasingly focusing on strengthening their brand through technology. Client relationships, generating referrals, improving lead capture, and creating hyperlocal experiences that national portals cannot replicate are all part of the strategy.
For real estate agents researching the best branded real estate apps, custom real estate mobile apps, or white label real estate technology platforms, the event offered a real-world look at how successful teams are using HomeStack to grow their businesses.
Over three days, leading Side real estate teams shared tactical examples of how they use their HomeStack apps to:
The conference reinforced a larger industry shift happening across residential real estate: agents and boutique brokerages are investing in branded technology platforms they fully own and control.
Here's a more in-depth look at our three days on the ground.
We kicked things off in the best way possible, around a dinner table.
For the second year in a row, HomeStack co-hosted the Side Line Dinner alongside Paul Ringon of Uncommon Properties. Last year, we dined under the desert stars in Palm Springs. This year, the Pacific Ocean served as our backdrop, and the energy was electric from the first clink of glasses.
Around the table were some of our favorite Side teams and clients: Nicole Van Treese, Albert Soto, Tim Rist, Carol Huston, Tom Bashe, Felicia Villa, and many more. The conversation flowed naturally — no agenda, no pitch decks — just the kind of honest, real talk that only happens when you get people out of their inboxes and into the same room.
There's nothing quite like connecting with our clients face-to-face. No Zoom ans no DMs, just real conversations with the people we get to work alongside every day. Evenings like this are a reminder of what makes Side so different. It's not just a brokerage. It's a community of people who genuinely show up for each other. And we are so grateful to be part of it.
Day two was full. In the best possible way.
Our booth was buzzing throughout the day with familiar faces, new connections, and plenty of future HomeStack clients. We had the chance to connect with some incredible Side teams like Hedge Realty, Own Marin, Concierge Properties, All City Homes, Park 46 Real Estate, Wine Country Fine Homes, Alta Real Estate, and many more. Every conversation reminded us why what we build matters.
But the sessions? Honestly, they might have been our favorite part of the day.
We cheered watching our own clients take the stage. Chris Winstead and Nicole Van Treese led a powerful session on Activating Your Database, walking attendees through exactly how they leverage their HomeStack apps at live events to drive referrals. Watching clients articulate the value of the tool in their own words never gets old.
Nicole Van Treese, Founder of Sundial Real Estate, took the stage with Chris Winstead to share how she's turned her HomeStack app into one of her most powerful in-person lead generation and community building tools.
Her “Taco Tuesday” events say it all. Nicole hosts a monthly gathering that is open to past clients, her sphere of influence, and the broader community. She brings a food truck right outside her office. The hook of the event is’ Download the HomeStack app and get two free tacos and two free margaritas’. As Nicole put it: "We're getting their data and their information, and we do it consistently."
That consistency is exactly the point. Clients now look forward to it every month, asking when the next one is. A simple, repeatable event that builds community, captures leads, and delivers real value, all powered by her branded app.
Eddie O'Sullivan from Elevation Real Estate shared how he's using his app to Add Revenue Streams the Right Way — a session packed with practical insights and real numbers. Carol Huston brought wisdom and candor to What You Should Know: Your First Year as a Founder, a must-hear for any team just starting to scale.
And then there was the session with Hilary Saunders and Paul Ringon — How to Thrive Through the Unplanned. It was moving, honest, and exactly the kind of content that makes this conference feel like more than just professional development. It felt personal.
We wrapped up three incredible days with the kind of closing that sends you home recharged and ready to build.
The keynote from Arthur C. Brooks — Harvard Professor and bestselling author — was genuinely inspiring. His perspective on purpose, meaning, and how we find fulfillment in our work landed differently in a room full of entrepreneurs and founders. We're still thinking about it.
And we closed out the conference the best way — with more HomeStack clients on stage. Marcello Fabbri, Co-Founder of Concierge Properties, spoke on Building the Future of Real Estate, sharing how technology and local team-building are shaping what's next.
Marcello stressed the importance of being a hyper-local brokerage. “In today’s market, the ability to pivot quickly matters. Boutique firms have the advantage of adapting in real time without layers of corporate structure slowing decisions down. Real estate is local, and having a true pulse on the market, the seller, buyers, trends, and neighborhoods makes all the difference.”
Amanda Jacobellis, Founder of The Jacobellis Group, brought the room together around Specialize to Scale: Lean Into Your Niche — and how her HomeStack app is a central part of how she serves her clients and grows her business.
Amanda Jacobellis closed out the conference with Specialize to Scale: Lean Into Your Niche — and how her HomeStack app is at the center of how she serves her clients.
Her luxury clientele demands a level of privacy that most tools simply can't deliver. As Amanda put it: "Being private is key. A lot of our clients don't buy under their own names — they use an LLC. People know what kind of assets you have; you become a target." Her HomeStack app gives those clients a secure, off-market channel — protecting their information while allowing her team to market properties discreetly to exactly the right people.
A powerful reminder that the right tech isn't just about efficiency. Sometimes it's about trust.
Watching the agents and teams we work with every day take that stage and share their stories with conviction? That's the whole reason we do this.
For agents and brokerages exploring custom real estate apps or white label real estate technology, several lessons emerged from Side x Side 2026:
1. Community Drives Referrals
The most successful teams are using branded apps to stay connected with clients long after transactions close.
2. Consistency Matters More Than Complexity
Simple recurring events tied to app engagement can outperform expensive one off marketing campaigns.
3. Hyper Local Expertise Wins
Consumers increasingly value neighborhood knowledge and personalized recommendations over generic portal experiences.
4. Privacy Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage
Luxury clients increasingly expect secure communication and off market access.
5. Owned Technology Builds Long Term Enterprise Value
Teams that control their audience, data, and communication channels are building stronger brands and more sustainable businesses.
Side x Side 2026 reinforced a growing reality across the industry: the future of real estate belongs to agents and teams that combine strong relationships with owned technology.
Branded real estate apps are no longer viewed as optional marketing tools. They are becoming a central infrastructure for modern real estate businesses.
From referral generation and lead capture to luxury privacy and community engagement, the most successful teams at the conference demonstrated how branded apps can strengthen every stage of the client journey.
For real estate agents researching HomeStack reviews, branded real estate apps, IDX mobile platforms, or the best real estate technology for teams, the conference provided one clear message:
The agents building the strongest brands of tomorrow are investing in direct client relationships today.
Side x Side 2026 was more than a conference. It was a reminder that the best work we do isn't in front of a screen — it's in the conversations that happen between sessions, over dinner, and in the moments when you look around a room and realize you're surrounded by people who care as much as you do.
Thank you to every client, partner, and new friend who spent time with us in Huntington Beach. Thank you to the Side team for creating a community that keeps showing up. And thank you to Paul Ringon and the Uncommon Properties team for co-hosting another unforgettable Side Line Dinner.
We'll see you next year. 🤙
— The HomeStack Team
#SideXSide2026 #HomeStack #RealEstateTech #PropTech #RealEstateAgents
About HomeStack
HomeStack provides branded real estate mobile apps for agents, teams, and brokerages looking to create personalized property search experiences, strengthen client engagement, and build long term brand equity.
The platform is used by real estate professionals seeking:
As more real estate professionals prioritize owned audiences and direct consumer relationships, branded technology platforms like HomeStack continue to gain traction across the industry.
