We are dropping a breaking news episode in your feed today as Steve Murray of RTC Consulting joins us to discuss an important update in the class action commission lawsuits brought by home sellers across the nation. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has settled for $418 million and will make several policy changes, pending court approval. This proposed settlement has several implications for the real estate industry, including the removal of compensation offers from the MLS. Murray...

On today’s episode of RealTrending, Josh Team, President of SERHANT., joins us to share his journey and how his perspective has changed since he had a heart attack after leaving Keller Williams that left him near death. Three years after his heart attack, where he spent time being a dad and husband through recovery, he’s back in the industry. He discusses the changing landscape of the real estate industry, the opportunities it presents, and how new market horizons fit into growth strategies...

On this week’s episode of the RealTrending podcast, we are joined by Scott Wright, a partner with RTC Consulting, the premier consulting firm for brokerage mergers and acquisitions, and business valuations for teams and brokerages. They've been collecting brokerage and team benchmarking data for the past 12 years.  Tracey and Scott cover the upcoming Dealmakers Conference and talk about the importance of benchmarking data on brokerage operations, including trends that they’re seeing in...

On this week’s episode of the RealTrending podcast, we are joined by Mark Johnson, the co-founder of Co-Recruit Systems and a business partner in Third Pool Recruiting Systems. He is an industry veteran and also was the former brand president and CEO of JPAR Real Estate company-owned stores, and under his leadership, they grew nearly five times. In today’s episode, he discusses the stark difference between simply recruiting and attracting talent, emphasizing the importance of company culture...

On today’s episode of RealTrending, Dave Liniger, co-founder and chairman of the board of RE/MAX, joins us to discuss his longstanding real estate career, his new book 'The Perfect Ten' and shares insights on leadership and success in the real estate industry.  Liniger shares his most impactful leadership lessons and how his failures have informed his success. He shares personal stories and talks about the use of the 'Perfect 10' score in measuring brokerage satisfaction. Liniger stresses the...

On today’s episode of RealTrending, Jerry Holden, founder of THA Brands, shares his journey of transitioning from a traditional brokerage model to a 100% commission transaction fee-based model. He discusses the challenges he faced in gaining recognition and credibility in the industry and how he overcame them. Jerry also highlights the importance of coaching and training in boosting agent productivity and shares his unique approach of paying agents to train. Jerry emphasizes the significance...

In this episode of the Real Trending podcast, luxury property specialist Michael LaFido provides insights into the trends shaping the luxury market. He emphasizes the importance of preparing for the market and offers tips for finding hidden inventory. LaFido also gives a sneak preview of his upcoming book, 'Secrets of Top Luxury Agents,' and discusses the significance of personal branding. He shares his most impactful aha moments and highlights the opportunities for growth in the luxury real...

In this sponsored episode of the RealTrending Podcast, host Tracey Velt interviews Gene Millman, the President and CEO of REcolorado. They discuss the importance of partnerships and collaboration in the MLS industry, as well as the need to adapt to changes in the real estate industry. What does the future hold for the MLS? Millman talks about where he is seeing innovation, how important data protection and security are and where opportunities lie. Millman shares impactful moments and pivots...

In this episode of the Real Trending podcast, Tracey Velt interviews Julie Harris, co-founder of Tim and Julie Harris Coaching. Harris has deep insights into what agents are struggling with right now (inventory!) and offers solid ways to find more listings.  She also explores trends in the industry, such as the value of expanding one's center of influence and emphasizes the importance of focusing on fewer, more meaningful goals and breaking them down into daily and weekly tasks. By whittling...

In this episode of the Real Trending Podcast, Tracey Velt interviews Steven Barks, the president and COO of Worth Clark Realty, a transaction fee brokerage. When Barks joined the company, they had 5 licensed salespeople. Now, they have 1,200. Barks talks about myths about transaction fee services and explains how a focus on recruiting the right agent has helped the brokerage break even in the difficult 2023 housing market. They also explore the use of AI in real estate and the opportunities...

Renee Mueller, President and Co-founder of Elite Real Estate Systems, and her leadership team made a huge leap over the past three years as they reorganized the company and expanded core services. The goal of the reorganization was to make the company more sticky and provide better investment opportunities for agents. Now, the company fully owns all of its core services, has a structured ownership model for its C-suite and is working on an ESOP. Mueller highlights the challenges faced during...

In today’s RealTrending, we speak with Mark Willis, CEO of Keller Williams. After serving as CEO of Keller Williams through some high-growth years for the company, Willis stepped down in 2015. Now, he’s back in leadership in his second stint as CEO and is ready to lead the company through some challenging times.  Willis shares his leadership lessons learned, his love of helping others succeed, and the importance of building strong teams. Willis gets personal about his love for University of...

Believe it or not, there will be winners when it comes to the commission lawsuit outcomes. That's the crux of our conversation with Dawn Pfaff, president of MyStateMLS, a nationwide MLS that is not affiliated with any Realtor board. Pfaff shares her opinions on the value of the MLS (Realtor affiliated or not), what the future might look like and the mistakes many brokers and agents make when it comes to protecting their data. Related to this episode: Connect with Dawn on...

In today's RealTrending, Anthony Lamacchia, CEO and founder of Lamacchia Realty and Crush it in Real Estate, passionately shares why the commission lawsuits are wrong and why the industry must start speaking out. Not one to shy away from confrontation, Lamacchia hits the issue head on with his real-life view of how the commission lawsuit outcomes will hurt buyers. Lamacchia also discusses his phone call with Michael Ketchmark, the plaintiffs' attorney in the Sitzer Burnett and Gibson...

In the latest RealTrending episode, join Jim Tobin, the CEO and President of the National Association of Home Builders, as he unveils his comprehensive housing outlook for 2024. Discover the key factors currently influencing new home sales and construction, and learn about the organization's strategic efforts to enhance housing affordability. Tobin delves into the organization's top advocacy priorities, sheds light on the rapidly growing housing types, and unpacks emerging homebuyer trends....

Today's RealTrending features Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate's President Ginger Wilcox. With her extensive leadership experience in mortgage, real estate technology and more, Wilcox brings a fresh perspective to real estate brokerage. Wilcox discusses the changes that may come to the industry, the opportunities born out of a challenging market and recent commission lawsuit verdicts as well as some of the technology trends sure to impact how real estate professionals manage their...

In today's RealTrending, Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman explains his decision to disassociate from NAR, his surprise at the current Gibson lawsuit, and his commitment to his agents and consumers.  In this open conversation, Kelman also shares his passion for the industry, how Redfin is moving forward, his ups and downs growing the company and more. Related to this episode: Connect with Glenn on LinkedIn Redfin HousingWire’s YouTube Channel Enjoy the episode! The RealTrending podcast features...

Today's RealTrending features Nora Aguirre, team leader of the Nora Aguirre Team of Century 21 Americana in Las Vegas. As incoming president of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Aguirre knows this year will be like no other. As she and her team navigate the fallout of the recent commission lawsuits, she discusses how first-time homebuyers and minorities may be impacted by potential changes. She also talks about how she is preparing her team with education on...

On today's episode of RealTrending, we feature Michael Ward, the director of Teamerage for Keller Williams. Ward talks through the teamerage model, Keller Williams’ investment in developing and attracting high transaction volume teams, and why he thinks more brands should be leveraging the team model.  Michael discusses different ways to overcome difficult market conditions, including reducing the use of aggregators and utilizing AI tools to boost lead generation. Related to this...

On today's RealTrending, we feature Jonathan Spears, founder of Spears Group with Compass in Destin, Florida. His team is ranked No. 16 medium-sized teams by sales volume on the RealTrends + Tom Ferry 2023 The Thousand. Spears chose a career in real estate at age 18 and went into it with a specific business plan. Part of that plan continues today in how he tracks key performance indicators. Rather than make it difficult, he simplifies the process with his agents. "I would love to say that our...

In today's special edition of RealTrending, we feature Steve Murray, partner with RTC Consulting and a senior advisor to HousingWire. Steve has served as an expert witness on numerous antitrust and other real estate cases over the years. He shares his analysis of the Sitzer Burnett class action commission case based on his years of experience in the industry. Not only that but he highlights the actions real estate brokerage leaders must take today to prepare no matter what the...

In today's RealTrending, we speak with Bonneau Ansley, team leader of Ansley Real Estate and a partner with Christie's International Real Estate in Atlanta. Ansley recognized early that school was not for him and figured out that his strengths lie in entrepreneurship. From his first business selling tee shirts his freshman year in college to his current position as a RealTrends + Tom Ferry The Thousand team leader, Ansley capitalized on these strengths to build a bustling real estate...

On today's RealTrending, Douglas Elliman's Dina Goldentayer shares the strategies and lessons she's learned moving from rentals to becoming the No. 21 individual agent by sales volume in the RealTrends + Tom Ferry The Thousand. Goldentayer is not afraid of hard work and saying no to opportunities that don't fit. More than that, she's built a huge Instagram audience by focusing on being authentic and informative. She shares her success strategies and offers a framework for building a luxury...

In today's RealTrending, United Real Estate Gallery CEO Ray Rivera and President Sonny Downey share their perspective on the commission lawsuits. Sonny is a past president of his local MLS and Ray is the incoming 2024 president, so they have a unique view of how things may shake out. Ray and Sonny also discuss how low-fee brokerage models are able to scale so quickly and offer services to agents, and how traditional brokers have a misguided perspective of the model. Related to this...

On today's RealTrending, ShowingTime+ President Mike Lane offers insight into how showings have been impacted by the low inventory and high-interest rate market. He'll also talk about how agents can win listings, how Zillow has been impacted by the commission class-action lawsuits, and how they are using AI to build better photography products. Related to this episode: Connect with Mike on LinkedIn Michael Lane - ShowingTime HousingWire’s YouTube Channel Enjoy the episode! HousingWire...