Top of Mind

In today’s ever-changing housing market, how can you make sense of all the numbers and data? What do they mean for builders and home-buyers? In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen is joined by Ali Wolf, Chief Economist at Zonda, to interpret today’s housing market data. Ali talks about the implications behind the number of new construction homes, millennial home-buying trends, and what forecasters are saying about the future housing market About Ali Wolf Ali Wolf is the Chief Economist for Zonda, the largest homebuilding proptech company in North America. As Head of the Economics Department, Ali manages and analyzes the content for Zonda, runs special research projects, and strategizes with the nation’s largest homebuilders. She gives presentations nationwide covering topics across the housing market and the broad economy. Ali is also the creator of Zonda’s proprietary indices, including the New Home Pending Sales Index and the New Home Lot Supply Index. Highly regarded as an industry expert, Ali is quoted frequently in national publications including CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Yahoo! Finance. She has also appeared on national and international TV and radio programs such as Bloomberg TV and Marketplace. Ali serves as an advisor to the White House, providing data and insights on the US housing market. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:  Ali Wolf shares how Zonda got started How did Ali become interested in housing data? Zonda’s strategies for collecting data What is the housing index telling us right now? The implications behind the rising number of new home constructions Millennial home-buying trends Do the numbers indicate a coming change in the market?  Market risks outlook   New releases from Zonda: the Zonda Affordability Ratio (ZAR) Why “Zoom towns” are becoming more common Where are the surprisingly affordable markets? What are the signs of a falling market? Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets. Resources mentioned in this episode: Ali Wolf on LinkedIn  Ali Wolf on Twitter Zonda  Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn Altos Research Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights: https://twitter.com/altosresearch https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen  See you next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Buying a house can be challenging. Sometimes people try to find help from friends. But what’s the difference between hiring a well-meaning friend versus a professional?  In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen is joined by Becky Babcock and Brad Nix, Co-founders of Path & Post Real Estate, to discuss why hiring a professional makes all the difference in your real estate journey. They talk about the core values at Path & Post, share advice for buying and selling in today’s market, and discuss predictions for the future of the real estate market.  About Becky Babcock and Brad Nix Becky Babcock is the CEO, Founder, and Co-owner of the Path & Post Real Estate team brokerage. Becky is passionate about sharing her vision, challenging the status quo, and helping team members achieve success. She focuses on understanding each client's unique life transition to create a memorable experience for clients and meaningful work for team members. Becky is also the author of How to Sell Houses without Selling Your Soul. Brad Nix is the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of the Path & Post Real Estate team brokerage, where he oversees the operations of 26 team members. Under Brad’s leadership, Path & Post has received over 800 five-star reviews from satisfied clients and sold over 2,400 homes. Throughout his career, Brad has been consistently recognized by the real estate community for delivering exceptional experiences for both his agents and consumers. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:  Becky Babcock explains what sets Path & Post Real Estate apart from other real estate brokerages Brad Nix describes the difference between a professional and an amateur How does Path & Post reach new customers? Path & Post’s company values: RUG Questions to ask to determine if you’re ready to buy a home Advice for buyers and sellers in today’s market Where is the market headed over the next 10-20 years? Surprising real estate trends in the last 24 months Becky and Brad’s vision for the future of Path & Post Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets. Resources mentioned in this episode: Becky Babcock on LinkedIn Brad Nix on LinkedIn  Path & Post Real Estate  Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn Altos Research Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights: https://twitter.com/altosresearch https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen  See you next week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ralph McLaughlin is the Chief Economist at Kukun, an AI-powered property technology platform for homeowners and real estate investors. Kukun offers fast and intuitive access to the most important home data and analytics. Ralph advises Kukun’s data science team in developing predictive housing market analytics and products. He provides digestible applied research for local governments, public policymakers, and the general public.  Previously, Ralph was the Chief Economist at Trulia and the Deputy Chief Economist at CoreLogic. He currently serves as an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California and is an Advisory Chief Economist at Haus Real Estate Group. In this episode… Owning a home can seem daunting. How do you know when it's the best time to buy or sell? How do you know what your house is actually worth?  Kukun takes mountains of real estate data and turns it into digestible information for homeowners. They follow real estate trends and produce predictive analysis reports to help you navigate the complex world of home ownership. Additionally, they can help you understand how renovations add value to your home and how alternative financing options can help you find a home sooner.  In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, host Mike Simonsen is joined by Ralph McLaughlin, Chief Economist at Kukun, to discuss today’s top real estate marketing trends. Ralph explains innovative financing options like shared equity, why he created resources like the Common Haus Pricing Index (CHPI), and what potential policies would benefit homeowners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Johnson is the CEO of JPAR Real Estate. JPAR is a fast-growing, full-service, transaction-based real estate brokerage based in Texas with offices throughout the country. Mark has invested decades into understanding the inner workings of high-performing real estate companies, managers, teams, and agents. He is also the Host of Success Superstars, a weekly show that highlights the blueprint of real estate agent success, and he is the Co-founder of CoRecruit.  In this episode… The last year has seen real estate prices skyrocket and the inventory of homes diminish. The competition for buying and selling houses has never been more challenging. In this atmosphere, how can you stand out as a real estate agent? Superior Customer Service. People can spot a salesperson a mile away. They want a genuine opinion on whether or not a home will fit their lifestyle. They need a real estate agent who isn’t afraid to say, “This isn’t the home for you, let’s keep looking,” or “Don’t sell yet. We can get you money.” Folks today want a real estate agent with hyper-local expertise who sincerely cares about their future home — otherwise, they’ll walk their feet and dollars to somebody else.  In this episode of the Top of Mind Podcast, Mike Simonsen is joined by Mark Johnson, CEO of JPAR Real Estate, to discuss how to find success in today's tough real estate landscape. Mark explains why a live local agent is superior to any technology, top tips for becoming a superstar real estate agent, and how the pandemic has changed the industry.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices