Lundy’s voice skill works with partner multiple listing services to translate its listing data fields and longer form property descriptions into categorized audio narratives powered by Amazon’s voice technology.
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Lundy is voice-directed property search software for the visually impaired homebuyer.
Platforms: Alexa smart speakers; MLS websites
Ideal for: MLSs, brokerages, search portals
Top selling points:
- Benchmarked with National Federation of the Blind
- Powered by Natural Language Processing
- Notifications of matching listings
- Usable on any Alexa-powered device
- Database audit/field repair
Top concern:
Lundy’s Finding Homes voice skill will be confused with voice search apps used for pure marketing purposes, which may draw skepticism from some corners of the market. This app is designed specifically to accommodate those who can’t search for homes using traditional methods.
What you should know:
Lundy was developed specifically to give the visually impaired in America a better way to find a home. It also serves to cast a searing light on how poorly orchestrated so many home search destinations are when it comes to serving the blind, or nearly blind. Lundy’s voice skill works with partner multiple listing services to translate its listing data fields and longer form property descriptions into categorized audio narratives powered by Amazon’s voice technology.
Lundy works with its partners to map fields with its software, after which, all new listings entered will be immediately available for the voice skill to translate.
Although voice search is not new, it’s been primarily designed to promote agents or brokerages, and limited to higher-level descriptions intended to drive contact to an agent.
Lundy is agent- and brokerage-agnostic, developed for the user to find the best possible property, regardless of who is selling it. Of course, this requires natural language processing (NLP) to intuitively spit back roof type, square footage, heat source, interior finishes and other granular property features we folks with decent vision learn about in images and immersive 3D tours.
A user can ask any Alexa-powered device to start finding homes, using a city, ZIP code or a specific address, if they already know of a home for sale. Users can narrow down their needs by price, bedrooms needed and other standard characteristics. The app will open by reading the agent’s submitted property description and then ask the user to “say yes to hear more” or say, “next property.”
Lundy’s value stems from its ability to decipher the often complex and vastly varied data standards among the nation’s multiple listing services, a mission RESO is tirelessly and honorably trying to solve so companies like Lundy wouldn’t have to invest so much time in making flexibility a top priority, or commit weeks to mapping data fields. Nevertheless, its cause is a worthy one.
The company has gone so far as to partner with the National Federation of the Blind to benchmark its functionality and co-create an agent training program and agent certification. The NFB also helped Lundy arrange focus groups to discuss the current state of homebuying when visually impaired.
The company learned that the vast majority of the nation’s blind aged into the disability, meaning many are experienced homeowners with equity and plans to buy again. They have perspective.
Lundy is also assembling and promoting resources state-by-state to assist its users. Many states provide grants for people to retrofit their homes and down payment assistance programs specifically for the blind.
The company’s founder works with local chapters of the NFB that correlate with new MLS partners to present the product to potential homebuyers and to offer agent training.
To date, Lundy is working in Park City MLS, MetroList, Wardex, Stellar, RMLS, Valley MLS and FMLS, with other partnerships in progress and in talks.
Clean data about more than a better mailing list, as Lundy’s workings in the industry’s depths is revealing. Standardized, consistent and clear property information has value to those outside the median, as well as to the companies capable of helping them. Everything can be better built when the foundation it starts on is flat, stable and free of encumbrances, just like a plot of land.
Lundy is relatively new to the field, and I’m hoping to see it evolve to include nearby lifestyle amenities, custom narrations and maybe the ability to share a preferred listing. In due time. The future is bright.
Have a technology product you would like to discuss? Email Craig Rowe
Craig C. Rowe started in commercial real estate at the dawn of the dot-com boom, helping an array of commercial real estate companies fortify their online presence and analyze internal software decisions. He now helps agents with technology decisions and marketing through reviewing software and tech for Inman.