Originally published by Dan Sanker on LinkedIn: Redfin IPO - Same as Zillow - or Real Platform?

The home-buying experience for most people is nothing short of traumatic. Zillow went a long way toward improving the experience, but not the whole way. Why didn't Zillow own the space and become a platform; instead of a great application? And, will Redfin change the game?

Someone needs to "own home." The platform should know my family, find my house, keep track of my residential movements, introduce me to the right agents, lock down my mortgage, transact my title insurance, close the transaction, pay everyone from my bank account, arrange for all home-related bills (i.e. Mortgage, gardener, housekeeper, water, cable, etc.). Know my home layout and preferences - send me the right furniture and my Nest, and provide me any other 'home' services. Change my addresses; enroll my kids at school. Have my nugget ice machine installed, handle the termite contract, get my entertainment system installed. Give me an interface to manage the lights and the temperature. Do the work! Own the space. Be the platform! Or, be disrupted. Zillow really hasn’t stepped up; Will Redfin do it?

Our supplypike team is building the ultimate supply chain management (SCM) platform for the consumer packaged goods (CPG) and retail industries. A platform is different than a niche application.

Dan is the President and CEO of CaseStack and SupplyPike, and the author of Collaborate: The Art of We. You can check out Dan's Instagram.