A just-launched augmented reality platform is promising to make buying and selling homes in Alberta easier and more streamlined.

Bōde Canada has recently announced the inauguration of its portal in Calgary and Edmonton. The platform, which will eventually cover the rest of the province, is designed to connect buyers and sellers directly.

“The buyer ends up paying less, the seller makes more,” Bōde founder and CEO Robert Price told Global News.

This will essentially eliminate the need for middlemen.

“There’s a growing segment of people that already do business this way,” he added, citing the examples set by major disruptors like Airbnb and Uber.

Price assured, however, that this doesn’t mean that users will have to forego the services of brokers altogether.

“There will always be the need for an agent,” Price said. “We’re not saying this is going to change overnight for that segment, but we believe this new segment of people would love to do business this way.”

Bōde will be taking a 1% service fee on the final transaction price.

Earlier this month, the Alberta Real Estate Association announced the launch of its interactive Statistics Dashboard tool featuring more than 18 years of data on the province’s housing activity.

The dashboard is accessible at the association’s website albertarealtor.ca, and can present long-term sales activity, price movements, inventory, and many other trends in an easily digestible visual format.

“Most people have an interest in the housing market as it is typically their largest investment,” AREA chief economist Ann-Marie Lurie stated. “The statistics tool can provide them insight into current movements in supply, demand, and prices at both regional and provincial levels.”