About Us
Even experienced professionals can make the wrong real estate decision.
Our Story
Realistics was founded after a personal and professional lesson.
Our founder, Matt, is a licensed real estate broker with a background in data-driven analysis and advisory work. Yet when he needed to sell his family home following the loss of his mother, he relied on a well-meaning local recommendation rather than objective performance data.
The outcome was a stressful, prolonged sale that fell short of expectations.
That experience exposed a systemic issue in real estate: choosing a listing agent is often based on referrals and reputation, not verified results or true fit for the seller's goals.
Realistics was created to bring structure, transparency, and evidence to one of the most important financial decisions most people make.
Our Mission
Our mission is to help home sellers find the best-fit listing agent to sell their home for more, faster, and with less stress.
Realistics brings structure and objectivity to agent selection by combining verified sales performance data, local market insight, and structured vetting. We identify the best-fit agents for each seller's goals and present clear, side-by-side comparisons so decisions are informed, confident, and aligned.
Selling a home shouldn't depend on luck or guesswork. It should be driven by clarity, alignment, and proven results.
Our Team
Matt Friedlander
Founder & Broker, Realistics
Matt is the founder of Realistics and a licensed real estate broker. He brings more than three decades of experience leading, analyzing, and advising in complex, results-driven environments.
His professional background includes service as a Naval Officer in operational leadership roles, management consultant, and corporate leadership experience at a global technology company. Across these roles, Matt developed a disciplined approach to decision-making, grounded in data, process, and accountability.
He later transitioned into real estate, where he saw firsthand how often sellers are asked to choose a listing agent based on reputation or referrals rather than verified performance and true fit. Realistics was created to change that dynamic.
Matt founded Realistics to help sellers choose the right listing agent to sell for more money, faster, and with less stress, using objective analysis, structured vetting, and clear comparisons.
Education
- MBA, University of Michigan
- BS, United States Naval Academy
Professional Focus
- Data-driven performance analysis
- Listing strategy and pricing discipline
- Seller advisory and agent vetting
- Structured decision frameworks
Shawn Qu, PhD
Advisor | Professor, University of Notre Dame
Shawn is a Professor at the University of Notre Dame and serves as an academic advisor to Realistics. His work centers on the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to business analytics, with a focus on developing data-driven methods that support strategic decision-making under uncertainty. He specializes in translating advanced analytical and machine-learning techniques into practical tools for evaluating complex business problems.
As an advisor, Shawn brings a research-grounded perspective on how AI, predictive modeling, and structured analytical frameworks can be effectively deployed to improve real-world decision quality. His approach integrates statistical rigor, algorithmic insights, and behavioral considerations to help organizations make better, more informed decisions.
Education
- PhD in Management Information Systems, Iowa State University
Advisory Focus
- Analytical rigor and methodology
- Decision science and evaluation frameworks
- Research-informed assessment models