Cloud for Brokerages

The brief

Cloud for Brokerages moves the office out of the back-room server and the personal Dropbox into a governed environment on Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, with clear ownership of every account and document store.

Many brokerages still depend on an aging file server or a scatter of consumer cloud accounts. Neither survives a laptop theft, a departing agent or a regulator's request very well. A single managed cloud tenant gives the managing broker control without slowing agents down.

Problems this service resolves

• File servers that cannot be reached from home or a listing appointment
• Brokerage records stored in agents' personal cloud accounts
• Applications installed separately on each machine and updated by hand
• No tested way to restore the office after a fire, flood or ransomware event
• Licences paid for departed agents and never reclaimed

What you receive

1. A planned migration of mail, files and identity with minimal downtime
2. Role-based access mapped to broker, administrator and agent roles
3. Conditional access and device compliance rules
4. Retention, backup and recovery settings configured and tested
5. Licence optimisation and monthly cost reporting
6. A written cloud-use policy that agents can understand

How we report

You receive a short monthly report on Cloud for Brokerages, written for a reader without a technical background. It covers what we did, what we found and what we recommend next, together with the measures that matter. Measured by migration completion, recovery-test results and licence utilisation. Quarterly, your advisor meets with leadership to review the roadmap and adjust the budget.

Working with the systems you already own

We do not start by replacing your tools. Cloud for Brokerages typically works with Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, AWS and Entra ID, together with the CRM, MLS or property-management software already in your office. Where a product is not serving you, we say so and explain the options, including the cost of switching, and we remain vendor-neutral throughout.

What Cloud for Brokerages costs

Cloud for Brokerages is priced within our published ranges: managed IT from $89 to $199 per user per month, fixed-scope projects from $2,500, advisory retainers from $1,500 per month and cybersecurity assessments from $1,900. All prices are in Canadian dollars, with 5% GST added. New clients receive a 10% launch discount, contracts are month-to-month and there is no lock-in.

How Cloud for Brokerages works in practice

Every engagement begins with a conversation and a short written findings note. For Cloud for Brokerages, we start with A planned migration of mail, files and identity with minimal downtime, then agree priorities with you and work through them in stages. The language we use is deliberately plain: if a managing broker, owner or strata council cannot follow a recommendation, we have not explained it well enough. We document each step so the arrangement does not depend on any one person.

Handling personal information

Real estate files contain identification, income and family details, so Cloud for Brokerages is designed around protecting them. We apply least-privilege access, expiring links, encryption and audit logging, and we keep a register of the vendors that touch your data. We are not lawyers and do not offer legal advice; we build the technical controls your counsel specifies.

Who benefits most

Cloud for Brokerages is most valuable to developers & builders, reits & asset managers and mortgage brokers, although the underlying disciplines apply across the industry. The common thread is a business that handles large transactions, personal information and short deadlines. If the problem described above, namely file servers that cannot be reached from home or a listing appointment, sounds familiar, you are in the right place.

Onboarding without disruption

We schedule changes around your calendar. For Cloud for Brokerages, that normally means preparation on weekdays, cut-overs in the evening or on a quiet weekend, and a short check-in after each change. Nobody should discover a change on the morning of a closing. You keep ownership of every account, domain and licence from the first day, and nothing is held hostage.

Questions and answers

Do you provide legal advice?

No. We implement the technical controls that your lawyer or compliance officer specifies, and we work comfortably alongside them.

Is there a lock-in contract?

No. We work month to month after onboarding. You own your accounts, domains and data, and we hand over documentation if you choose to leave.

How do you measure success?

We agree measures at the outset and report monthly. Measured by migration completion, recovery-test results and licence utilisation. Targets are objectives rather than guarantees, and we explain any shortfall.

How much does Cloud for Brokerages cost?

Pricing is within our published ranges: managed IT from $89 to $199 per user per month, projects from $2,500, retainers from $1,500 per month and security assessments from $1,900. 5% GST is added; new clients receive a 10% launch discount.

Which tools are involved?

Typical tools include Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, AWS and Entra ID. We remain vendor-neutral and will work with what you have wherever it can meet the standard.