Blackline is a cutting-edge real estate sales platform designed to streamline new development sales through technology. Founded by industry veteran Tim Ng who has over 16 years of experience, the platform has already facilitated the sale of 80,000 units in Canada and is now expanding into Miami. Blackline offers tools like interactive floorplans, inventory management, and custom reporting, helping developers and sales teams work more efficiently and make data-driven decisions.
Give us your background, how did you get involved in the real estate industry?
I come from a real estate family… literally. Both my parents were in the industry on the brokerage and developer side, so it’s been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Watching them navigate the market and sell real estate was an inspiration and it felt natural to follow in their footsteps. What I didn’t want to do was go the traditional route. I wanted to combine my passion for technology with real estate. So 16 years ago, straight out of university, I started our parent company, Adhoc Studio, which focused on creating award-winning renderings and building interactive sales gallery software.
Why did you decide to set out on your own to launch a real estate software?
Working closely with developers and sales teams for over 16 years, I saw firsthand the challenges and inefficiencies within the new development sales and marketing process. These experiences sparked my interest in finding solutions that could streamline operations and create efficiencies that will bring this segment of the industry into the digital age. My process for the research phase was anything but Adhoc. I conducted focus groups with industry change-makers and thought leaders, and after a year of listening and understanding the needs of my future clients, I realized what we can offer is going to be a game-changer.
Tell us about Blackline? Who is it for and what services does the Blackline offer?
Blackline is an industry-leading sales platform built to accelerate new development sales. Ideal for developers, sales agencies and brokerages, the platform brings a very antiquated process of new development sales into the digital age. Utilizing robust features like the interactive floorplan module, inventory management, custom reporting and suite stacking plans enables our clients to sell faster and more efficiently, resulting in higher profits and data driven insights.
What inspired you to expand Blackline to Miami? What factors did you consider when choosing Miami as the next market for expansion?
After establishing Blackline as a market leader selling over 80,000 units across Canada on the platform in our first 4 years, I wanted to strategically expand to the US. South Florida, particularly Miami fit the bill as their sales and marketing programs are similar to Toronto. Additionally, Miami’s dynamic and diverse real estate landscape, combined with the lifestyle appeal of condo living, made it an ideal entry point that aligned with our mission to provide cutting-edge tools that meet the needs of a fast-paced, evolving market.
What value does Blackline add for the developers and sales teams?
The Blackline platform combines innovation and sophistication to deliver features developers and sales teams can utilize to propel their new development sales programs. From the realtor portal to writing up final contracts, everything is branded and customized to the specific project. The platform has been built for realtor engagement, maximizing operational efficiency while also capturing the highest revenue. By using Blackline, clients also get access to real-time insights on their projects that show demand, activity and over 100 reports that can help inform them in making data-driven decisions. This data can help inform marketing strategies and planning of multi-phased selling programs. With all the tools you need, developer and brokerages save time and money while maximizing revenue.
How has the software evolved since you first launched? What new features or services can users expect in the near future?
Part of our corporate mission is to always be innovating. We stay closely connected to industry trends and experts to inform us of new pain points and the evolving needs. We recently launched two new features, Blackline Cast and Blackline Realm. Both cater towards enhancing the experience for realtors and buyers in sales galleries and tie into the Blackline software seamlessly. At the five year mark for the company, we are working to launch Blackline V2 which will have a lot more customization and control for clients while further creating efficiencies for their sales programs. Also, we are excited to be working on building a CRM into the platform which will make Blackline a front to back, full-service solution for New development sales.
What sets Blackline apart from other real estate sales software or CRM systems?
We pride ourselves on Blackline being a platform that is built for the industry, by the industry. We spent over a year meeting with leading developers and sales companies to deeply understand the complexities, needs, and pain points of the sales and marketing process. Our mission was clear: to digitize and streamline the manual processes that sales teams, realtors, contract administrators, and marketing teams handle daily, making their workflows more efficient and seamless.
How do you plan to integrate Blackline into the Miami market and what unique opportunities do you see there?
Miami is an exciting market right now. With the plethora of branded residences and high profile projects, Blackline is ideal for developers looking to maintain brand value through the sales process while being efficient and easy to use. Our platform is being utilized by CMC Group and Fort Partners for the Four Seasons Coconut Grove and we are excited to have other branded residences adopt the platform for their sales programs.
What challenges do you anticipate facing when expanding Blackline to Miami and how do you plan to overcome them?
The localized nuances of a new market will always be one of the biggest challenges. Each real estate market has a tried and true way of doing things and not everyone is open to change. Blackline also has an educational component to understanding how it can take your sales program to the next level. The challenges we face right now are trying to introduce it on a large scale to the Miami industry players. We’ve been fortunate to develop close relationships and align with some of the industry’s top sales and marketing leaders early on in our expansion and they have been mentors to us providing their invaluable guidance as we expand into the South Florida market.
Tim Ng, Founder of Blackline.
You have built out quite a team at Blackline, tell us about the team and how you plan to expand in Miami?
Our product, engineering, and customer success teams are made up of seasoned vets who have been at the forefront of real estate technologies and innovation for the past 16 years. Many of our team members have firsthand experience working for developers and new development brokerages, so they truly understand the industry - we really ‘get it’. Before we decided to expand into the Miami market, we spent 6 months learning the local market - engaging with new development realtors, listening sessions with sales managers and contract administrators at sales galleries. We also have our team there monthly, meeting with developers and brokerages, educating about the product whenever possible and attending industry events to stay connected to our clients.
How do you envision Blackline making a positive impact on the Miami community?
Miami is ready for change and I feel Blackline is perfectly suited to complement the current lineup of large residential projects in the pipeline. Miami real estate is also being watched on a global stage and using Blackline gives developer and sales team the ability to connect with clients anywhere, anytime. The ability for everyone involved with a pre-construction transaction (developer, sales team, outside realtor, purchaser, lawyer) to interact with a single ecosystem will streamline their experience, maintain brand value and result in a more efficient sales process.
What long-term goals do you have for Blackline in Miami and beyond and how do you plan to achieve them?
Miami is a primary market we’re focused on in the US but we have our sights set on going global. There is a real appetite to integrate technology into the new development sales process and Blackline is suited ideally for those looking to accelerate their sales, achieve efficiency and make data driven decisions for their projects. We are offering a product that has proven itself with over 80,000 units sold on the platform and we continue to innovate to meet industry needs. Through targeted education of the product, and exposure from marquee projects looking to adopt the platform, we believe Blackline will soon become the industry standard for new development sales, not only in Miami but globally.