On this week’s episode of the RealTrending podcast, we are joined by Craig Goodliffe, KW Maps coach and the founder and CEO of Cyberbacker, a company that provides administrative support and virtual assistant services to real estate firms.Craig and Tracey talk about the misconceptions and misinformation plaguing consumer perceptions of commissions, the comission lawsuit and subsequent settlements, as well as strategies for agents to engage in transparent commission conversations with clients. He also discusses current opportunities that he sees in the market and industry and the significance of education and financing options.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Consumers and agents are confused about the settlement and how commissions are paid. Agents should accurately explain the value of commissions and the services they provide to buyers. Buyer agents should focus on understanding client needs and setting clear expectations. Listing agents should emphasize the benefits of higher commissions in attracting more buyers. Agents should educate themselves on financing options and affordability to better serve their clients. Related to this episode: Connect with Craig on LinkedIn KW Maps Coaching Cyberbacker The Gathering HousingWire’s YouTube Channel Enjoy the episode!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

On this week’s episode of the RealTrending podcast, we are joined by Jill Butler, founder of Red Key Realty Leaders, who discusses her business model, services offered, growth strategy, and the importance of culture and recruiting.She emphasizes the importance of transparency and agent’s value add to clients, mastering talent development, and her excitement for the future of the real estate industryHere’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Transparency and communication are key in the real estate industry, both with clients and within the brokerage. Building a strong culture and recruiting agents who align with the company's core values is crucial for success. Adapting to market changes and challenges requires strong leadership and a focus on the company's vision. Investing in talent development and providing excellent customer service can lead to growth and success in the industry. Related to this episode: Connect with Jill on LinkedIn Red Key Realty St. Louis The Gathering HousingWire’s YouTube Channel Enjoy the episode!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

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 talks about the potential for more commission compression as well as the possibilities for new business models, additional brokerage services and the future of NAR and state associations.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The settlement in the class action commission case has several implications for the real estate industry, including changes to compensation offers. The settlement opens up possibilities for new business models, with big brokers having an advantage. The billions in savings for homebuyers is a myth. Murray explains why it will not lower home prices. The settlement is seen as a significant development in the industry but it remains to be seen how it impacts the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) concerns over offers of broker compensation. Related to this episode: Connect with Steve on LinkedIn NAR settles commission lawsuits for $418 million The Gathering HousingWire’s YouTube Channel Enjoy the episode!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

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 for SERHANT., including personalized training and leveraging AI tools. Make no mistake, Team is ready to help Ryan Serhant rapidly expand the company nationally while taking big risks to do so.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Unexpected life events can lead to massive perspective changes and a reevaluation of priorities and goals. The real estate industry is going through a changing of the guard, with new models and value being created. Collaboration and data-driven decision-making are crucial for success in leadership. Personalized training and leveraging AI can help agents focus on their strengths and provide more value to clients. Related to this episode: Connect with Josh on LinkedIn SERHANT. Serhant hires a familiar name as its first president The Gathering HousingWire’s YouTube Channel Enjoy the episode!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

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 brokerage expenses, gross margin and how firms are valued. They also explore some of the innovative services brokers can adopt to enhance value and productivity, and talk about recent market dynamics and M&A trends.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Occupancy and personnel costs are the largest expenses for brokerages, and reducing these costs can significantly impact profitability. Brokers can boost their value by adding creative services, increasing productivity, and focusing on scale. Teams can have value beyond a referral fee by developing business systems and focusing on equity value. Benchmarking data is crucial for understanding how a brokerage is performing relative to its peers. Managing expenses is important, but recruiting and developing agents should be a priority for long-term success. Related to this episode: Connect with Scott on LinkedIn RTC Consulting The Gathering HousingWire’s YouTube Channel Enjoy the episode!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

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 in attracting and retaining worthwhile agents. Mark also discusses the use of artificial intelligence in recruiting and the importance of focusing on productivity in the current market. Plus, find out the newest twist on recruiting trends.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Recruiting is more about selling, while talent attraction is about branding and attracting agents to the brokerage's culture. Culture is a key factor in attracting and retaining agents, and it is important to communicate the culture authentically to prospective agents. Retention is a form of recruiting, and investing in existing agents can lead to increased productivity and referrals. Events that allow agents to experience the brokerage's culture are effective in both talent attraction and retention. The use of artificial intelligence and data analysis can help identify agents who are more likely to move or be successful. Time management and prioritization are crucial for success in recruiting and talent attraction. Getting closer to agents and providing value and support are essential for building strong relationships and retaining talent. Related to this episode: Connect with Mark on LinkedIn Recruiting Insight ThirdPool Recruiting The Gathering HousingWire’s YouTube Channel Enjoy the episode!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

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 importance of communication, determination, and leadership adaptability for achieving success. He also goes into the many changes in the real estate industry over the years and the challenges faced by agents of the future.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: The 'Perfect 10' score measures customer satisfaction and loyalty in the real estate industry. Effective communication and leadership are crucial for success in business. Grit, determination, and resilience are key qualities for achieving success. Successful leaders are adaptable, loyal to their team, and prioritize the success of the whole over individual achievements. Related to this episode: Connect with Dave on LinkedIn Dave Liniger - RE/MAX Holdings RE/MAX The Gathering HousingWire’s YouTube Channel Enjoy the episode!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

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 of continuous improvement and customer satisfaction in driving growth.Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Transitioning to a new business model can be challenging but can lead to increased agent retention and growth. Coaching and training programs can significantly improve agent productivity and success. Paying agents to train and providing accountability measures can enhance training effectiveness. Owning affiliated mortgage and title companies can provide additional income streams and improve customer experience. Continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, and hard work are key to success in the real estate industry. Related to this episode: Connect with Jerry on LinkedIn THA Mortgage The Gathering HousingWire’s YouTube Channel Enjoy the episode!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

Luxury property specialist Michael LaFido discusses trends in the luxury market, tips for finding hidden inventory, personal branding, and opportunities for growth in the sector. He shares his journey into luxury real estate, overcoming limiting beliefs, and the importance of authenticity. LaFido also highlights the significance of thinking like a marketer and provides insights on breaking into luxury as a new agent.

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 his career, and concludes by discussing the future of REcolorado.Here's a glimpse of what you'll learn: Partnerships and collaborations are essential in the MLS industry to provide a comprehensive and trusted real estate marketplace. Adapting to changes in the industry, both legal and economic, is crucial for the success of MLSs and their subscribers. The future of MLS lies in embracing innovation and technology, particularly in terms of data management and providing a seamless experience for subscribers. Data protection and security are top priorities for MLSs, and they must ensure the responsible use and protection of subscriber data. MLSs have opportunities to enhance their value proposition by focusing on the needs of their subscribers and providing choice in services. Impactful moments and pivots in a career can lead to valuable insights and improvements in the MLS industry. Related to this episode: Connect with Gene on LinkedIn REcolorado The Gathering HousingWire’s YouTube Channel Enjoy the episode!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