The Future We're Building

An industry stuck in the past

Real estate is massive—a $2 trillion industry—but it’s stuck in the past. While other sectors have been transformed by technology, the way we value homes and make offers feels like it hasn’t evolved in decades. At Pending, we’re building something different. We’re not here to tweak the old model—we’re here to replace it.

Our vision is to combine deep local expertise with cutting-edge tech to fix the critical pain points in real estate, making the process faster, smarter, and far more efficient.

What We’re Building

Smarter Home Valuations
I remember when I first got into real estate, I couldn’t believe how much guesswork went into pricing a home. You’d get one estimate from an agent, another from an app, and a third from a neighbor who “knew someone.” It was maddening. That’s why we’re building a platform that uses real-time market data, nearby sales, and incoming bids to provide accurate, dynamic valuations. We’re giving homeowners the data they need to confidently make decisions without fear of outdated or conflicting advice.

Instant Offer Submissions
One of the most frustrating things for buyers and sellers alike is the drawn-out process of making an offer. The back-and-forth negotiations can feel endless. I’ve seen deals fall apart just because the process wasn’t quick enough. We’re changing that. We’re building a system where you can submit an offer in minutes, cutting out all the unnecessary delays. Homeowners can test the market privately—no public listings, no “days on market” clock ticking—and buyers can access homes before they even hit the MLS.

Why It Matters

The traditional real estate process has been broken for far too long. I think people have just accepted it as the way things are, but we can do better. We should do better.

Valuations That Evolve With the Market
I’ve seen first-hand how unreliable home valuations can be. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve had to watch clients wrestle with outdated numbers or conflicting opinions. We’re building tools that combine human expertise with algorithmic precision to deliver valuations that evolve with the market in real-time. Homeowners won’t have to rely on guesswork or static estimates anymore.

A Centralized Hub for Hidden Inventory
Let’s be real—some of the best deals never even make it to the public market. They happen through backchannels and word-of-mouth, often leaving regular buyers out of the loop. We’re creating a centralized hub that aggregates high-quality, off-market properties, so buyers can discover these hidden opportunities.

Control Without Pressure
Selling a home is stressful. I’ve seen it. It feels like every decision carries so much weight, and it’s easy to feel like you’re being rushed. That’s why we’re creating a system that lets homeowners test the market on their own terms—without the pressure of public listings or a ticking clock.

The Opportunity Ahead

I’m not going to sugarcoat it—real estate is changing. The systems we’ve relied on for decades are starting to crack, and it’s happening faster than I expected. But that’s where the opportunity is.

Pending is focused on a space that’s full of untapped potential: the off-market world, especially in high-end transactions. Homeowners who aren’t ready to list, buyers frustrated by the lack of inventory—they’re out there, waiting for a better solution. If we can connect these groups with smarter, data-driven tools, we can unlock billions of dollars in hidden value.

I’m not shy about the size of the opportunity here. There’s a $7.5 billion transaction fee opportunity in this space, but I know that if we succeed, the impact will ripple across the entire industry.

What’s Next?

I won’t pretend this is going to be easy. The traditional ways of doing business are crumbling, and as much as that creates a lot of excitement, it also creates uncertainty. Change is hard. And when you’re trying to break down an industry that’s been built on old models for generations, you’re bound to face resistance.

But we’re building for that future—the future where data, speed, and transparency define every step of the real estate process. We’re not just improving the system—we’re completely rethinking what’s possible.

Pending isn’t just about making real estate easier—it’s about reshaping the whole industry. It’s going to take time, persistence, and a lot of hard work, but I truly believe we’re on the right path. And we’re just getting started.

If you're rooting for us, I promise you this—we’re going to work harder than anyone else to make this vision a reality.

Noel Roberts is the Co-Founder & CEO of Pending, Inc— a tech-enabled real estate brokerage & holding company. Pending focuses on a consumer platform to help homebuyers discover properties before they’re listed, as well as acquiring profitable boutique brokerages.