Real estate technology startup proves that the human touch still matters in an AI-driven world.
DETROIT, MI, February 15, 2026 — In an industry racing toward full automation, one Michigan-based real estate technology company is making a counterintuitive bet: that humans still matter more than algorithms when trust is on the line.
Ann Filippis, operations director at Realay, oversees what she calls the “white-glove” side of the platform, a role that didn’t exist in the company’s original business plan. Her team personally vets every agent joining the network, monitors referral progress in real time, and intervenes when transactions stall.
“Technology is great and all, but technology isn’t enough when you’re dealing with humans,” Filippis said. “We’re handing off referrals to humans, and only another human can discern if that agent has the capacity to take a referral, that they don’t have a sick kid they have to tend to unexpectedly.”
Independent real estate brokers have struggled for decades with out-of-market referrals. When a client relocates from Michigan to Florida, the originating agent faces an uncomfortable choice: refer them to a stranger found through Facebook groups where dozens of unfamiliar agents respond, or lose the business entirely.
The typical broker response involves posting in real estate Facebook groups, receiving 80 responses from agents they’ve never met, then spending hours trying to determine who’s legitimate, responsive, and trustworthy. Most give up halfway through the process.
Realay’s three-tier vetting process examines transaction volume, verifies full-time status and administrative support, conducts phone interviews, and confirms local market expertise before accepting brokers into the network. But the vetting doesn’t stop at onboarding.
“We reach out to receiving agents to confirm they’re available and ready to work with the client,” Filippis said. “If an agent is on vacation or dealing with a family emergency, we find someone else. That’s what keeps our engagement rates high.”
The platform reports that 81% of referrals remain actively engaged, meaning receiving agents are currently working with those clients. Lead generation services typically convert at 1-2%.
Before connecting any referral, Filippis’ team contacts the receiving agent directly via text and phone to confirm availability and capacity. The platform then generates automated emails to the client, the originating agent, and the receiving agent, but the human verification happens first.
“Our platform provides feedback in real time through status updates and notes, but we also have our eyes on every referral that comes through,” Filippis explained. “Perhaps there’s something in the ‘searching’ status and it’s been there for eight months. We’re going to reach out directly and ask questions.”
This addresses what industry professionals call the “black hole problem,” where traditional referral arrangements result in silence after the handoff. Originating agents remain uncertain whether receiving agents even contacted their client, much less whether transactions are progressing.
The bi-directional communication system tracks client meetings, property showings, and offer negotiations, providing originating agents with visibility into their referred client’s experience while maintaining the relationship even after relocation.
Mainstay Realty, a brokerage with thousands of listings, began using Realay’s platform in October 2025. When potential buyers call about properties, Mainstay’s team qualifies them, then uses Realay to connect them with vetted agents in their target markets.
In their first day live, Mainstay submitted five referrals. All were handed off to network agents within 30 minutes.
The company reportedly researched multiple platforms before selecting Realay, telling the operations team that nothing else provided the combination of nationwide network access, verification processes, and hands-on coordination they required.
“When they found us, their words were, ‘I can’t believe this is exactly what we need,'” founder John LeRoy recalled. “Which makes me think that nothing like us really exists.”
The company recently launched a mobile app with voice AI capabilities, allowing agents to submit referrals and update transaction status hands-free while driving between appointments. The voice technology translates spoken requests into platform actions, eliminating the need to type addresses, client details, or transaction notes.
“Everyone who has been using it loves the capability,” Filippis said. “In between appointments, they can simply log into the app. They can click on ‘send referral’ and speak in the client details right as they’re sitting in their car.”
The platform expanded beyond agent-to-agent referrals into contractor network management in late 2025. Brokers can now organize their preferred painters, plumbers, electricians, and other service providers within the platform, then refer these contractors to clients through the same voice-activated interface.
Contractors pay subscription fees for access to referral opportunities, with brokers receiving a portion of those fees as passive income. The feature launched with the mobile app and operates on the same principle: voice commands replace manual typing and searching.
Despite offering a no-cost structure with payment only at closing, technology adoption remains challenging among independent brokers who have established routines. The platform charges no upfront fees or monthly subscriptions, instead taking 5% of the referral commission while originating agents receive their standard 25% referral fee.
“When it comes to agent behavior, you need to give them things that are easy to use,” LeRoy said. “If it’s complex, it’s not going to happen. We’ve been told over and over that the Realay app is a low-impact application. It’s very easy to use, but it will make the agent more responsive.”
For hesitant brokers, the combination of zero financial risk and human oversight removes traditional barriers to experimentation. The question becomes whether the industry will embrace a hybrid model that combines automation with personal attention, or continue pursuing full automation despite persistent trust issues.
The bet Realay is making: that in an industry built on relationships, the human element isn’t a feature to eliminate. It’s the feature that makes everything else work.
Realay is a SaaS platform that enables real estate agents and brokers to seamlessly send and receive referrals across the United States. Founded in 2023 and based in Michigan, Realay provides independent brokers with referral network capabilities traditionally available only through national franchise systems, with no monthly fees or subscriptions. For more information, visit realay.com.
Ann Filippis serves as Operations Director at Realay, overseeing the platform’s vetting process, network coordination, and white-glove service delivery. Her team manages referral handoffs, monitors transaction progress, and maintains relationships with network agents across all 50 states.
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