
Ep. 129 - Who Controls Real Estate?
In this episode, Reed and Mark sit down with Sam Benner to explore one of the biggest questions facing the real estate industry today: who actually controls real estate? From major brokerage mergers and the growing influence of companies like Compass and Zillow to battles over listing data and MLS access, the conversation dives into the shifting balance of power across the industry. They discuss how consolidation is affecting agents, consumers, and media companies, and whether larger corporations are helping or hurting competition. They also explore the role of AI, storytelling, and technology in shaping the future of buying and selling homes. If you've been paying attention to the rapid changes happening in real estate, this episode offers an honest look at where the industry may be headed next.It's time to start thinking about PMRE 2026! Go to pmreconference.com for all the details on PMRE 2026, which is November 17-19th at Palms Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. The Photography and Media for Real Estate conference will be better than ever this year! Upmarket is proud to be the official podcast of PMRE!Upmarket Pod is once again, beyond excited to partner with iGUIDE to bring you our exclusive Road to PMRE 2026 series of Upmarket episodes. SWEEPSTAKES ALERT - iGUIDE and their Tour to PMRE is giving away THREE (!!!!!!) ALL-EXPENSES PAID TRIPS TO PMRE 2026!!!!! That's right, one lucky winner will be drawn in June, one in August and one in September to win a PMRE ticket, travel and accommodation, all compliments of the fine folks at iGUIDE. To enter, all you need to do is follow @go_iguide and @upmarketpod on Instagram. Then, go to goiguide.com/pmre and enter your email address and you'll be entered in the drawing.NOTE If you have already bought a ticket and/or booked travel to PMRE and win the sweepstakes, iGUIDE will reimburse you for money spent.Follow the pod on Instagram at @upmarketpod.The Presenting Sponsor of Upmarket is Fotello, an AI media platform built to snap, upload, and deliver. Pricing starts at $12 per listing, with human revisions available within six hours. To get started, visit https://fotello.co/?via=upmarket and use the coupon code 50UP to get 50% off your first monthly subscription.Another amazing sponsor is iGUIDE, which helps real estate professionals capture spaces fast and with industry-leading accuracy. Their PLANIX Pro camera delivers trusted measurements, with no subscriptions and priced per project. Options like iGUIDE Instant provide a clean 3D tour and interactive floor plan in minutes, starting at $7.99. Learn more at goiguide.com or @go_iguide.Another sponsor is HDPhotoHub, the all-in-one platform for ordering, scheduling, and delivering complete marketing kits, from video reels to print. With pay-per-listing pricing, transparent terms, and industry-leading integrations, HDPhotoHub helps you build the workflow you actually want. Visit HDPhotoHub.com and use code Upmarket to get your first 15 full deliveries free.Another amazing sponsor of Upmarket is SecondFloor, the fastest way to create a finished floor plan. It's so fast that you can deliver the finished floor plan while you are still on-site! Not only that, but you can get UNLIMITED floor plans for one low monthly fee. We love SecondFloor and you can go to secondfloorapp.com/upmarket and any new subscriber will get a one-month free trial.Our Action Items are sponsored by PixlCRM, where you can scale your real estate photography business through automation. It's an all-in-one business and marketing platform that complements your current delivery app. If you go to pixlcrm.com/upmarket you can get a 30-day risk-free trial!













