Building real estate tech that works: David Voorhees on agent-centered innovation

FAQ about this episode.

• What is the main challenge Keller Williams Labs addresses for real estate agents?

  Keller Williams Labs tackles the fundamental disconnect between technology builders and end users in real estate. Unlike Starbucks where everyone drinks the coffee they make, the people building real estate technology rarely use it themselves. David Voorhees explains that his team of twelve wakes up every day to identify the biggest problems they can solve for the most people—problems that give agents back time and empower them to make more money. The challenge extends beyond simple feature development: agents and franchisees interpret technology differently, making that final translation from concept to adoption particularly difficult. Labs bridges this gap by maintaining constant contact with actual producing agents, from those who just got licensed to top producers closing thousands of transactions annually.

• How does David Voorhees' approach to building technology differ from traditional methods?

  David's approach centers on problems first; solutions second—a significant departure from traditional waterfall development. Labs flew in 8-10 different top-producing agents three times a week for an entire year, with Gary Keller attending every session. This immersive research identified what to build before writing a single line of code. Today, the team evaluates whether problems are worth solving, whether existing solutions already exist in the market, and whether building or buying makes more sense. David emphasizes the importance of diversity in feedback: early mistakes included focusing too heavily on top producers when agents selling 7-18 homes annually need equally valuable solutions. The framework now balances proprietary builds for truly unique capabilities with strategic partnerships for established solutions, creating a broad but solid foundation rather than chasing every shiny object.

• What role does agent training play in technology adoption at Keller Williams?

  Training serves as Keller Williams' "North Star" and competitive advantage in technology adoption. Gary Keller's book, The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, functions as the operations manual for their technology—agents should be able to read the book and execute everything inside Command. David explains that Keller Williams was built as a training and education company first, and that DNA permeates their technology strategy. Talented field teams at regional and market center levels teach the platform daily. The company has identified specific activities that predict success: agents with 200+ contacts in their database are three times more likely to reach their production cap. Armed with these insights, leadership targets agents who haven't hit these thresholds and helps them build their databases through technology. The framework is simple: agents face problems and need systems/models (the book), technology (Command), and people—in that order. Most agents rush to hire people (the most expensive solution), but combining the first two elements creates more sustainable success.

• Why does staying active as a producing agent matter for David's role at Keller Williams?

  David maintains his real estate license and continues selling with his wife, working nights and weekends to stay active in the business. This isn't just symbolic—it's strategically critical to his effectiveness leading Labs. While he admits the time commitment is limited given his corporate responsibilities, remaining in production keeps him connected to the real challenges agents face daily. He can test Command features as an actual user, understand friction points firsthand, and maintain credibility when speaking with producing agents. This mirrors the broader Labs philosophy: you can't build great technology for real estate agents without truly understanding their world. Gary Keller himself attended every early lab session, demonstrating that leadership proximity to end users drives better outcomes. David's continued production work ensures his team builds solutions grounded in reality, not theoretical agent needs imagined from inside corporate headquarters.

• How does Keller Williams evaluate potential technology partners?

  David applies a straightforward but rigorous framework when evaluating partnerships. First, does this technology solve a real problem that Keller Williams associates actually face? Not every agent problem is a Keller Williams problem—their unique culture and systems create specific needs. Second, is the company capable of solving that problem effectively? Third, can they scale to support 120,000-130,000 monthly active users across the United States, Canada, and 64 countries in 24 native languages? Most companies can't meet this requirement—David recently worked with a promising partner who simply couldn't cover all regions where Keller Williams operates. The evaluation considers whether solutions are commodities that can be bought versus proprietary needs requiring custom builds. Keller Williams has pivoted significantly from its early "build everything" approach to strategic partnership selection, recognizing that amazing solutions exist in the market. If a company isn't at scale today but shows a clear path to get there, David invests time to explore partnership possibilities.

• What AI strategy is Keller Williams pursuing for real estate agents?

  David embraces AI's transformative potential while maintaining a deliberate, agent-centered approach. He subscribes to the industry consensus: AI won't replace agents, but agents using AI will replace those who don't. Keller Williams continues positioning agents at the center of transactions while recognizing that professionals who adopt AI-powered tools gain significant advantages. The strategy avoids "throwing AI at the world" just to claim AI capabilities—every implementation must deliver meaningful impact. David acknowledges most agents remain green on effectively using AI in their businesses, which circles back to Keller Williams' training advantage. Simply providing AI tools isn't enough; agents need education on practical application. Over coming months and years, the company will lean heavily into AI where it creates real value, focusing on how these technologies help agents operate more efficiently while maintaining the human relationships that define successful real estate practice.

• How has Keller Williams' technology philosophy evolved over seven years?

  Seven years ago, Keller Williams embarked on its technology journey with a "build everything ourselves" philosophy, ending its relationship with technology vendors like Lone Wolf. Gary Keller wanted proprietary solutions, triggering a domino effect of other brokerages following suit (though many have since exited that game). The early approach created a broad but relatively shallow ecosystem. Labs initially existed as activities—the lab sessions with agents—then evolved into a department supporting everyone building technology for associates and franchisees. The significant pivot came 3-4 years ago: Keller Williams recognized they'd built a solid core foundation and couldn't chase every innovation or build every feature. The current philosophy balances proprietary development for truly unique capabilities with strategic integration partnerships for established solutions. David sees the future value proposition as choosing the right integration partners rather than building everything, allowing Keller Williams to focus on areas where their scale, data, and agent relationships create genuine competitive advantages.

• What metrics indicate that Keller Williams technology is actually working for agents?

  Keller Williams tracks specific behaviors that correlate with agent success, using data insights to drive targeted support. The clearest example: agents with 200+ contacts in their database are three times more likely to cap (reach maximum commission splits). This isn't surprising—larger databases equal better production—but knowing the threshold allows Keller Williams to identify agents below it and help them build their databases using Command features. The company monitors 120,000-130,000 monthly active users, tracking engagement patterns that predict success. Beyond usage metrics, Keller Williams measures time saved, and income potential created, though David emphasizes these outcomes depend on agents actually adopting the tools. The company's advantage comes from field teams who can see which agents lack critical success behaviors and intervene with training and technology guidance. Success isn't just about building features—it's about agents performing specific activities in Command that research shows drive results. This closed loop between data insight, targeted support, and measured outcomes differentiates Keller Williams' approach.

• What lessons did Keller Williams learn from early technology development mistakes?

  David candidly admits that focusing too heavily on top producers in early lab sessions was a mistake. While every agent aspires to do more transactions, agents selling 7, 12, or 18 homes annually need valuable solutions just as much as those selling hundreds. For newer agents, one or two additional deals might mean the difference between continuing their real estate career or leaving the industry—that first 3-6-9 months determines whether they survive to pursue their dream of making $100,000 and working for themselves. The current approach intentionally includes agents who just joined in the last three months alongside long-time associates and top producers. Another evolution: recognizing that building everything in-house wasn't sustainable or necessary. Creating a broad, shallow ecosystem made sense early on but the strategic pivot toward deeper partnerships with select vendors while maintaining core proprietary technology has proven more effective. These lessons shaped Labs' current methodology: diverse agent input, problem-first thinking, and strategic build-versus-buy decisions that leverage the best solutions available rather than reinventing everything.

• How does Keller Williams' culture give it an advantage in technology development?

  The culture Gary Keller established 40 years ago—centered on sharing, training, and education—creates unique advantages for technology development that competitors struggle to replicate. Labs can easily reach into their ecosystem and find agents willing to help improve tools, whether they're in the United States, Spain, Portugal, France, or any of the 64 countries where Keller Williams operates. This sharing culture means agents actively participate in making technology better for everyone, not just themselves. The company's foundation as a training and education organization (not just a brokerage) permeates every aspect of technology strategy—Command aligns with The Millionaire Real Estate Agent systems and models, creating consistency between what agents learn and what they can execute in the platform. Regional and market center leaders embrace teaching Command because it fits the culture of empowering agents through education. This cultural DNA—sharing freely, learning constantly, and improving collectively—turns technology adoption from a top-down mandate into a community-driven movement where agents help each other succeed.