
RealTrending
The RealTrending podcast features conversations with the brightest minds in real estate. Every Monday, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts join us to share their secrets to success, trends, and the lessons they’ve learned. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.
Latest episodes

Apr 10, 2023 • 44min
Russ Cofano on artificial intelligence in real estate marketing
Today's RealTrending features Russ Cofano, CEO of Collabra Technology, a digital marketing technology and analytics firm. Russ has more than 30 years of senior leadership experience in nearly all facets of the real estate industry, including brokerage, technology, MLS, associations and affiliated businesses.We speak to Russ about trends in real estate marketing, the pros and cons of artificial intelligence like ChatGPT and specifics about how agents can succeed in today's uncertain market.Related to this episode:
Connect with Russ on LinkedIn
Collabra Technology
HousingWire’s YouTube Channel
Enjoy the episode!RealTrends Agent and Team Rankings are now open! Submit here before April 14th to be featured in the industry's trusted rankings program. Gathering of Eagles will bring together the nation's top residential real estate CEOs, Presidents, and C-Level leadership teams to grow, network, and set the pace for what's next in our industry. 2023's Gathering of Eagles is at Omni Barton Creek Resort in the rolling hill country of Austin, Texas from June 18-21. Click here to learn more and register your spot!The RealTrending podcast features the brightest minds in real estate. Every week, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts share their success secrets, trends, and lessons learned navigating this ever-changing industry. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by Elissa Branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apr 3, 2023 • 32min
Pacaso's Austin Allison on prop tech innovation
Today's RealTrending features Austin Allison, founder of Pacaso, a co-ownership model that allows people to own a second home at 1/8 of the cost. Austin shares his insights on prop-tech innovation surrounding financing, talks about what's next for Pacaso and shares where he sees the opportunity in today's market.Related to this episode:
Connect with Austin on LinkedIn
Pacaso
HousingWire’s YouTube Channel
Enjoy the episode!RealTrends Agent and Team Rankings are now open! Submit here before April 14th to be featured in the industry's trusted rankings program. Gathering of Eagles will bring together the nation's top residential real estate CEOs, Presidents, and C-Level leadership teams to grow, network, and set the pace for what's next in our industry. 2023's Gathering of Eagles is at Omni Barton Creek Resort in the rolling hill country of Austin, Texas from June 18-21. Click here to learn more and register your spot!The RealTrending podcast features the brightest minds in real estate. Every week, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts share their success secrets, trends, and lessons learned navigating this ever-changing industry. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by Elissa Branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 27, 2023 • 38min
Lennox Scott on how each generation of leaders innovates
Today’s RealTrending features J. Lennox Scott, president of John L. Scott Real Estate in Washington. Scott is the third generation of leaders of the company, and his daughter is in line to become the fourth generation. Scott talks about how each generation innovated and built on the success of the company. He offers his lessons learned in succession planning, the role of artificial intelligence in real estate and where he sees the most opportunity in today’s market.The company is No. 17 by sales volume and No. 27 by transaction sides in the 2023 RealTrends 500 brokerage rankings and a member of the Billionaire’s Club.Related to this episode:
Connect with Lennox on LinkedIn
John L. Scott Real Estate
HousingWire’s YouTube Channel
Enjoy the episode!RealTrends Agent and Team Rankings are now open! Submit here before April 14th to be featured in the industry's trusted rankings program. Gathering of Eagles will bring together the nation's top residential real estate CEOs, Presidents, and C-Level leadership teams to grow, network, and set the pace for what's next in our industry. 2023's Gathering of Eagles is at Omni Barton Creek Resort in the rolling hill country of Austin, Texas from June 18-21. Click here to learn more and register your spot!The RealTrending podcast features the brightest minds in real estate. Every week, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts share their success secrets, trends, and lessons learned navigating this ever-changing industry. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by Elissa Branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 20, 2023 • 44min
Compass CEO Robert Reffkin on his firm's next steps
On today's RealTrending, Compass CEO and Founder Robert Reffkin talks next stops for his brokerage. The firm was recently listed No. 1 in sales volume for the second year in a row on the 2023 RealTrends 500 brokerage rankings.While it's been a difficult year, Robert is busy reinforcing the culture of the firm through in-person visits and a back-to-the-office mentality. We talk to Robert about his business strategy moving forward, what's in store for his firm's technology platform and where he would consider opening franchise offices. Related to this episode:
Compass
Connect with Robert on LinkedIn
HousingWire’s YouTube Channel
Enjoy the episode!RealTrends Agent and Team Rankings are now open! Submit here before April 14th to be featured in the industry's trusted rankings program. Gathering of Eagles will bring together the nation's top residential real estate CEOs, Presidents, and C-Level leadership teams to grow, network, and set the pace for what's next in our industry. 2023's Gathering of Eagles is at Omni Barton Creek Resort in the rolling hill country of Austin, Texas from June 18-21. Click here to learn more and register your spot!The RealTrending podcast features the brightest minds in real estate. Every week, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts share their success secrets, trends, and lessons learned navigating this ever-changing industry. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by Elissa Branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 13, 2023 • 31min
Jose Medina on running a successful teamerage
Today's RealTrending features Jose Medina, team leader of Jose Medina & Associates of Keller Williams Legacy Group Realty. Medina was named a 2021 RealTrends GameChanger due to the firm's 435% growth in transaction side percentage between 2016 and 2020.Now, in addition to running two brokerages, Medina leads a successful teamerage, powered by Impact. Impact is a solution for brokerage so they can have a teamerage division inside of their normal brokerage operations.Medina shares his lessons learned running a teamerage, explains exactly what his business model looks like, and shares his lead generation secrets.Related to this episode:
Jose Medina & Associates
Connect with Jose on LinkedIn
HousingWire’s YouTube Channel
Enjoy the episode!RealTrends Agent and Team Rankings are now open! Submit here before April 14th to be featured in the industry's trusted rankings program. Gathering of Eagles will bring together the nation's top residential real estate CEOs, Presidents, and C-Level leadership teams to grow, network, and set the pace for what's next in our industry. 2023's Gathering of Eagles is at Omni Barton Creek Resort in the rolling hill country of Austin, Texas from June 18-21. Click here to learn more and register your spot!Be sure to check out our Youtube channel here for special behind-the-scenes content and video versions of HW Media podcasts!The RealTrending podcast features the brightest minds in real estate. Twice a month, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts share their success secrets, trends, and lessons learned navigating this ever-changing industry. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by Elissa Branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 6, 2023 • 33min
Real Estate One's Dan Elsea on flexibility in brokerage business model
Today's RealTrending podcast features Dan Elsea, president of Real Estate One, a RealTrends 500 brokerage. Elsea's company is in its fourth generation of family leaders. Elsea and his broker Stuart have led through many different housing markets and seen new competitors come into the business. The key to success, says Dan, is to be flexible in your business model and services that you offer. Dan discusses how his company and business model have evolved over the years, how they are open to experimenting with agent compensation and consumer services and the flexibility he thinks is required to remain competitive in today's real estate world. Related to this episode:
Connect with Dan on LinkedIn
Real Estate One
HousingWire’s YouTube Channel
Enjoy the episode!RealTrends Agent and Team Rankings are now open! Submit here before April 14th to be featured in the industry's trusted rankings program. Gathering of Eagles will bring together the nation's top residential real estate CEOs, Presidents, and C-Level leadership teams to grow, network, and set the pace for what's next in our industry. 2023's Gathering of Eagles is at Omni Barton Creek Resort in the rolling hill country of Austin, Texas from June 18-21. Click here to learn more and register your spot!Be sure to check out our Youtube channel here for special behind-the-scenes content and video versions of HW Media podcasts!The RealTrending podcast features the brightest minds in real estate. Twice a month, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts share their success secrets, trends, and lessons learned navigating this ever-changing industry. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by Elissa Branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 27, 2023 • 32min
Real's Tamir Poleg on lessons learned scaling rapidly
Today's RealTrending features Tamir Poleg, CEO of The Real Brokerage. Poleg founded the brokerage in 2014 and went public in 2020. The firm is now up to 9,000 real estate agents and growing rapidly. According to Poleg, in January 2023, they added 1,000 agents. But, with rapid growth comes challenges scaling company culture and systems to meet the needs to agents. Poleg discusses his lessons learned, how he had to rebuild his technology platform in eight months and where he sees the most opportunity for brokers to gain market share in today's climate.Related to this episode:
The Real Brokerage
Connect with Tamir on LinkedIn
Enjoy the episode!RealTrends Brokerage Rankings submissions are now open! Submit before March 3rd to have your firm featured in the industry's trusted rankings program. https://www.realtrends.com/real-trends-500/Gathering of Eagles will bring together the nation's top residential real estate CEOs, Presidents, and C-Level leadership teams to grow, network, and set the pace for what's next in our industry. 2023's Gathering of Eagles is at Omni Barton Creek Resort in the rolling hill country of Austin, Texas from June 18-21. Click here to learn more and register your spot!Be sure to check out our Youtube channel here for special behind-the-scenes content and video versions of HW Media podcasts!The RealTrending podcast features the brightest minds in real estate. Twice a month, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts share their success secrets, trends, and lessons learned navigating this ever-changing industry. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by Elissa Branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 20, 2023 • 31min
Patrick MacQueen talks legal best practices for brokers and agents
On today's RealTrending podcast, host Tracey Velt, senior director of data and content for HWMedia, talks to Patrick MacQueen, a real estate attorney and founder of Medalist Legal in Arizona. MacQueen discusses the top mistakes agents and brokers make with independent contractor agreements and franchise agreements. He'll go over best practices, what should be addressed in each contract, and the most overlooked areas that could mean legal complications down the road.Enjoy the episode!Gathering of Eagles will bring together the nation's top residential real estate CEOs, Presidents, and C-Level leadership teams to grow, network, and set the pace for what's next in our industry. 2023's Gathering of Eagles is at Omni Barton Creek Resort in the rolling hill country of Austin, Texas from June 18-21. Click here to learn more and register your spot!Be sure to check out our Youtube channel here for special behind-the-scenes content and video versions of HW Media podcasts!The RealTrending podcast features the brightest minds in real estate. Twice a month, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts share their success secrets, trends, and lessons learned navigating this ever-changing industry. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by Elissa Branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 13, 2023 • 32min
Windermere's OB Jacobi talks brokerage tech shifts
In this edition of the RealTrending podcast, OB Jacobi, president of family-owned Windermere Real Estate in Seattle shares his thoughts on generational succession planning. The lessons he and his family learned from the second generation are being put into play as the third generation of Windermere family members enter the business. Jacobi, who worked to create Moxi Works, before spinning it off into a separate company discusses brokerage technology collaboration, what the next iteration of innovation might look like, mistakes brokers make when building or implementing a tech platform and more.Enjoy the episode!Gathering of Eagles will bring together the nation's top residential real estate CEOs, Presidents, and C-Level leadership teams to grow, network, and set the pace for what's next in our industry. 2023's Gathering of Eagles is at Omni Barton Creek Resort in the rolling hill country of Austin, Texas from June 18-21. Click here to learn more and register your spot!Be sure to check out our Youtube channel here for special behind-the-scenes content and video versions of HW Media podcasts!The RealTrending podcast features the brightest minds in real estate. Twice a month, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts share their success secrets, trends, and lessons learned navigating this ever-changing industry. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by Elissa Branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 6, 2023 • 37min
Cole Slate on authentic recruiting and attracting agents
Today's RealTrending features Cole Slate, broker-owner of Slate Real Estate in Jacksonville, Florida. Slate doesn't believe in recruiting. Instead, he believes in attracting the right agent for his culture."It's important that we and our agents are doing this for the right reasons," he said. What are those reasons? They all revolve around helping people in the community, whether it's through appreciation events for crossing guards, first responders and teachers, or helping buyers and sellers. Slate offers his best practices on community engagement and agent attraction.Enjoy the episode!Gathering of Eagles will bring together the nation's top residential real estate CEOs, Presidents, and C-Level leadership teams to grow, network, and set the pace for what's next in our industry. 2023's Gathering of Eagles is at Omni Barton Creek Resort in the rolling hill country of Austin, Texas from June 18-21. Click here to learn more and register your spot!Be sure to check out our Youtube channel here for special behind-the-scenes content and video versions of HW Media podcasts!The RealTrending podcast features the brightest minds in real estate. Twice a month, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts share their success secrets, trends, and lessons learned navigating this ever-changing industry. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by Elissa Branch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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