Real Trends: Real Trending

Today on the RealTrending podcast, we’re bringing you a special crossover episode with the Power House podcast!  Last week, HousingWire president Diego Sanchez sat down with Michele Harrington, the CEO of FirstTeam Real Estate out of Orange County, California. Michele started her career in the Marine Corps, but after being stationed in Orange County, she not only fell in love with the beauty of Southern California, but she also got bit by the entrepreneurial bug. Now, she leads California’s largest independent brokerage. Michele and Diego talk about what sets FirstTeam apart from other brokerages and the recruitment strategies that are helping them surpass their goal of $1 billion in recruited teams. They also talk about empowering women in leadership positions and their plans to expand outside of California, while maintaining their “fortress” inside the state. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Women hold only 26% of leadership positions in real estate, despite being a majority of agents. Empowering wo

This week on the RealTrending podcast, Tracey sits down with Amy Stockberger, broker-owner of Amy Stockberger Real Estate in Sioux City. Amy joins us today to discuss what she calls her teamerage’s “Lifetime Home Support Model” and all of its different impacts on client relationships.  Amy shares how her strategic approach creates a long-term, supportive relationship with buyers and sellers — not just a one-time transaction. She also talks about diversifying revenue streams and what trends other agents should be looking at to grow in the current market. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The Lifetime Home Support Model was created to provide ongoing value to clients. Showing authenticity in client relationships is crucial for getting repeat business. The serve, serve, serve, sell approach focuses on serving clients beyond transactions. Building a dedicated vendor program helped grow her sphere of influence. Thinking about an exit strategy is important for long-term business success. Related to this

This week on the RealTrending podcast, Tracey sits down with Alexia Rodriguez, CEO of KW Cares to discuss how their organization supports Keller Williams agents during times of crisis, and best practices for organizations interested in building their own hardship fund. In light of recent hurricanes impacting the East Coast, Alexia talks about how their agents are helping one another through KW Cares’ program and offers valuable advice for anyone interested in creating their own relief fund. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: KW Cares has provided over $63 million in grants to associates nationwide The impact of hardship funds on agents who have lost everything from natural disaster or a catastrophic life event. How emergency grants can significantly impact agents' lives in times of need. Collaboration with other aid organizations is also important for relief efforts. Related to this episode: Alexia Rodriguez | LinkedIn KW Cares After the waters recede: LOs, agents grapple with Helene and Milton d

This week on the RealTrending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Paul Carlson, president of Five Star Real Estate. Paul joins us to share insights on growing his brokerage, succession planning, and how his father eased the leadership transition. Tracey and Paul dive into the lessons learned transitioning the company from father to son leadership, the importance of centralizing management during transition periods, building a unique brand experience for agents, and the strategies Five Star Real Estate has employed to expand into new markets while also maintaining their company culture Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Centralizing management and support has been a key part of their growth strategy. When transitioning, it’s important to be authentic instead of just trying to imitate whoever came before you. Rebranding was a significant step in their goal of modernizing the company. Five Star aims to create a culture where everyone can see themselves fitting in Succession planning requires identifying

This week on the RealTrending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Debbie De Grote, founder of Forward Coaching, a leading real estate and business coaching company. Debbie and Tracey discuss the importance of informed negotiation skills in today's market and how agents can readily adapt to changing policies and regulations. They also explore the new challenges that agents face when working with buyers and sellers, and talk about how to avoid common mistakes when talking to clients.  Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: High-level negotiation and questioning skills are crucial for agents. Agents need to be ready to adapt to new policies and procedures post-NAR settlement. Avoid pulling clients into the drama of negotiations. Negotiation should be a collaborative process, not an aggressive one. Focus on understanding the nuances of your local market. Related to this episode: Forward Coaching Debbie De Grote | LinkedIn HousingWire | YouTube More info about HousingWire Enjoy the episode! The RealT

Master Class: A Settlement Strategy Playbook Welcome to the Settlement Strategy Playbook, brought to you by JPAR Real Estate, produced by HousingWire, and hosted on the RealTrending podcast with Tracey Velt.  In this series, we’ll explore and discuss fiduciary responsibilities, the intent behind the settlement and the DOJ’s involvement, strategies for building an effective buyer consultation, and finally, crafting a transparent seller consultation. Executives, agents and brokers from JPAR will join us in every episode to share their expertise.  The first episode of this four-part series features Tony Delgado, Vice President of Broker Support and designated broker for JPAR Real Estate. We focus our conversation on understanding fiduciary duties in today’s real estate world. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Understanding the difference between a customer and a client is crucial in determining the level of agent obligations. Fiduciary duties include obedience, loyalty, disclosure, confidentiality, accoun

Master Class: A Settlement Strategy Playbook Welcome back to the Settlement Strategy Playbook, brought to you by JPAR Real Estate and produced by HousingWire, and hosted on the RealTrending podcast with Tracey Velt.  In this series, we’ll explore and discuss fiduciary responsibilities, the intent behind the settlement and the DOJ’s involvement, strategies for building an effective buyer consultation, and finally, crafting a transparent seller consultation. Executives, agents, and brokers from JPAR will join us in every episode to share their expertise.  The third episode of this four-part series features Susan Boyer, broker-owner of JPAR Silverpath Real Estate. Tracey and Susan discuss understanding and building an effective buyer conversation. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Transparency is crucial in the buyer conversation, especially in light of the NAR settlement. Agents should emphasize how they can save buyers money and navigate pitfalls. The Total Agent Academy is a comprehensive training pro

Master Class: A Settlement Strategy Playbook Welcome back to the Settlement Strategy Playbook, brought to you by JPAR Real Estate and produced by HousingWire, and hosted on the RealTrending podcast with Tracey Velt.  In this series, we’ll explore and discuss fiduciary responsibilities, the intent behind the settlement and the DOJ’s involvement, strategies for building an effective buyer consultation, and finally, crafting a transparent seller consultation. Executives, agents, and brokers from JPAR will join us in every episode to share their expertise.  In this last episode of this four-part series, we talk to Jessica Conrad, Realtor and GRI at JPAR San Antonio. Tracey and Jessica discuss how best to move forward with transparent seller conversations. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Proactively educate sellers about the new MLS rules and compensation agreements. Emphasize transparency and honesty in seller conversations. Show your value and highlight the benefits of working with a professional agent

Master Class: A Settlement Strategy Playbook Welcome back to the Settlement Strategy Playbook, brought to you by JPAR Real Estate, produced by HousingWire, and hosted on the RealTrending podcast with Tracey Velt.  In this series, we’ll explore and discuss fiduciary responsibilities, the intent behind the settlement and the DOJ’s involvement, strategies for building an effective buyer consultation, and finally, crafting a transparent seller consultation. Executives, agents, and brokers from JPAR will join us in every episode to share their expertise.  The second episode of this four-part series features Laura O’Connor, president and COO of JPAR Affiliated Network. Tracey and Laura discuss the intent behind the NAR settlement and the DOJ’s involvement. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The settlement change presents opportunities for agents to show their value to consumers. Consumer education is crucial in helping both buyers and sellers understand the commission changes. The DOJ intended to decouple co

This week on the RealTrending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Steve Murray, founder of RealTrends and a senior advisor for HousingWire. Steve and Tracey discuss the key points from the latest RealTrends GameChangers report on brokerage growth and compare the housing policies and their potential impacts of both the Harris and Trump campaigns. They also examine current activity in the M&A landscape, including valuation trends. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Leaders must always be personally involved in recruiting talent. Most successful brokerages combine acquisitions with organic growth. The M&A market is active at both the local and regional levels. Valuations are based on EBITDA multiples and gross margins. Housing policies from candidates can significantly impact secondary sectors of the housing market. Housing sales are expected to improve in the next 12 months. Related to this episode: Steve Murray | LinkedIn HousingWire | YouTube More info about HousingWire Enjoy the episode! Th

This week on the RealTrending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Dan Duffy, the CEO of United Real Estate Holdings, and a 2024 RealTrends GameChanger. Under Dan’s leadership, United Real Estate Group has grown over 727% in transaction sides from 2019 to 2024. Dan and Tracey dive into United’s primary focus on organic growth and franchising opportunities, as well as their strategic approach to mergers and acquisitions. They also talk about the levers that United Real Estate is constantly pulling to assess and navigate market opportunities, particularly when it comes to growth opportunities through agent recruiting, mergers, acquisitions and franchising. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: United Real Estate Group has experienced significant growth through mergers and acquisitions, on top of organic growth. The key to successful acquisitions is due diligence, and thorough cultural and operational assessments. Opportunities for growth in the market include brokers and agents looking for a platform that of

This week on the RealTrending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Nick Krautter, author of The Golden Handoff and a real estate broker based in Portland, Oregon. Nick shares his expertise on the process of selling your book of business and planning a good exit strategy if you are ready to phase out of your business.  Nick and Tracey talk about the potential challenges and pitfalls you can expect in the transition period and the most effective way to structure a potential deal to make sure that you are getting your value’s worth out of your database. He also talks about partial handoffs, where retiring agents can gradually step back from the business while maintaining involvement, and emphasizes the importance of selecting the right adopting agent to prepare for an eventual sale. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Finding the right adopting agent is crucial for a successful golden handoff. Partial handoffs allow retiring agents to phase out of the business while still maintaining some involvement. The s

This week on the RealTrending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Luis Carrion, the CEO and Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, California Properties and a 2024 RealTrends GameChanger. In 2022, Luis acquired and took over the firm from the family of the late Bruce Malhern. He and Tracey talk about the growth and restructuring of the company under his leadership these past two years, and the importance behind building strong, personal relationships with agents. He outlines his ambitious growth plan for BHHS, which includes M&A opportunities, increasing agent productivity, and strategic recruiting. Luis also talks about the challenges that he faced during the transition, including the larger impact of COVID-19 on his business and the industry, as well as other valuable lessons he has learned along the way. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The lessons learned during transition periods are crucial to organizational growth. The pandemic years shined a light on the need for change and adaptability

This week on the RealTrending podcast, Tracey sits down with Stuart Sim, the Vice President of Industry Development at Lofty. Stuart joins us to talk about the impact of the NAR settlement on agents’ business and marketing strategies. Now that the new regulations are in practice, what can real estate professionals do to market themselves effectively? Stuart believes in automating your business and differentiating yourself with new and existing technology in this evolving, post-NAR settlement market. He also discusses how you can use data analytics to better understand customer preferences and market trends, and how to engage meaningfully with past clients. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: There are a lot of new opportunities for real estate agents in the current market. Utilizing technology platforms to their fullest potential can greatly enhance an agent's efficiency and effectiveness. Data analytics can provide valuable insights into customer preferences and market trends, allowing agents to stay a

This week on the RealTrending podcast, Tracey sits down with Ryan Michaelis, the Chief Growth Strategist at Worth Clark Realty. Ryan shares his journey in real estate and discusses Worth Clark Realty's growth plan and how its strategy has evolved over the past few years amid changing market times. Ryan explores Worth Clark's strategies for recruiting and retaining agents, the impact of the NAR settlement on buyers and sellers, and how their flat fee model has evolved over the years. He also talks about Worth Clark's approach to providing tailored support and resources to agents and shares some of the key leadership lessons he's learned along the way Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: How Worth Clark Realty's growth plan is fueled by solid agent support and resources. Recruiting and retaining agents may be challenging, but is often the driving force for growth. The flat fee model now offers more support and appeals mainly to agents working on growing their businesses. The NAR settlement may confuse buy

This week on the RealTrending podcast, we sit down with Ilan Bracha, a seasoned real estate broker and investor. Now leading IB Global and The Bracha Team with Corcocan in New York City, Ilan shares his insights on navigating market shifts, the trends he’s seeing working with family offices and how he is preparing for the next business cycle of real estate.. Ilan discusses his current strategies for matching buyers and sellers in New York, his investment funds focused on properties in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Hamptons, and the role of family offices as key investors. He also offers leadership lessons learned during the financial crisis, providing actionable advice on how to future-proof your business in today’s rapidly changing market. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Family offices are a key audience for investment funds, as they often seek to diversify their portfolios by including real estate assets. Anticipating and preparing for market cycles is essential to capitalize on emerging opportuniti

Today, we are bringing you a special crossover episode with the Power House podcast and featuring a great conversation between HousingWire’s CEO Clayton Collins and someone many of you recognize: Anthony Lamacchia, the founder, CEO and broker of Lamacchia Companies. Anthony shares his career journey from working in his father’s landscaping business to building Lamacchia Realty. He talks about the importance of strategic marketing and branding, content creation, and learning when and when not to delegate tasks. He also discusses his M&A and recruitment strategy, opportunities for market expansion, and what’s up next for industry challenges like the commission lawsuit. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The importance of marketing, branding, and consistent content creation for attracting clients and media attention. Strategies for delegating responsibilities, hiring experienced professionals, and executing a successful M&A strategy for business growth and market expansion. Effective marketing and recruit

This week on the RealTrending podcast, Tracey sits down with Chandra Etienne, the broker-owner of The Core Real Estate Advisors in Miami, Florida. She is also the elected secretary at Miami Realtors and serves as a Director for Florida Realtors and the National Association of REALTORS. Chandra has built her career and network on the belief in the power of being involved in not just your industry, but in your community. She talks about how engaging with your fellow agents, brokers, and larger industry and community leaders can provide invaluable experiences to elevate your own real estate business and connect with others. They also talk about how you can best be flexible and anticipate upcoming changes to real estate in a way that serves your business and clients in the long run. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: It’s important to be be flexible and open to change in the real estate industry It might be time to have those tough conversations with sellers about offering concessions and compensation to bu

Navigating the impending commission changes can feel confusing, frustrating, and downright impossible. However, it's not impossible. Today on the RealTrending podcast, we spoke with Mark McLaughlin, the Chief Strategist of Compass. He originally joined Compass back in 2018 when the brokerage purchased his firm, Pacific Union for $80 million. He left the Company back in 2021 to pursue other ventures and then returned in June of 2023 as Chief Strategist. In this episode, Tracey and Mark dive deep into how Compass is navigating the upcoming changes and what brokers and agents should be aware of as we move forward. Mark explains Compass's growth strategy, including the mixing of organic growth and M&A, and some of their other unique practices and upcoming developments. These views and voice are of Mark A. McLaughlin and not necessarily Compass policy or opinion. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Agents need to be prepared for the upcoming August 17 deadline and the potential impact on their business practic

On today’s episode, we sat down with Rylie Schroeder, an inspiring real estate professional and 2024 honoree of National Association of Realtors 30 Under 30. Rylie is the team lead of Schroeder & Co Real Estate of Compass, which practices out of Houston and Austin. Rylie joins Tracey to discuss the importance of building and nurturing relationships and how she uses a successful 36-touch system for client connections. She also talks about lessons learned from a failed partnership and how both new and seasoned agents should be leveraging technology and social media. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Building relationships and nurturing the sphere of influence are key to success in real estate. Joining a team can provide valuable support, training, and leads for new agents. Using technology and staying up-to-date with industry changes are essential for remaining successful. Focusing on branding, marketing, and providing a great client experience can set a team apart. Expanding the team and making a pos