
RealTrending
Trends, analysis and success stories from leaders in the real estate industry.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.
Latest episodes

Apr 5, 2021 • 11min
RealTrending Ep. 97: Rex lawsuit, RT500 rankings insight and inflation
In Episode 97 of the RealTrending podcast, Steve Murray, senior advisor to HW Media, discusses the lawsuit Rex Real Estate filed again the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and Zillow, insight into this year’s RealTrends 500 top brokerages and what’s going on with inflation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 29, 2021 • 40min
RealTrending: Fiona Petrie Executive Vice President and Managing Director of US Operations for RE/MAX INTEGRA
Today’s REAL Trending features an interview with Fiona Petrie, Executive Vice President & Managing Director of U.S. Operations for RE/MAX Integra who talks about ways to combat Zoom fatigue with just a few small tweaks. It’s not always about dressing up and playing games. Plus, she shares her lessons learned from a recent conversion of an independent into the RE/MAX Integra family that was done completely virtual. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 15, 2021 • 37min
RealTrending: Donny Samson, CEO of Samson Properties How This Brokerage Grew 71% Organically in Two Years
Today’s RealTrending features an interview with Donny Samson, CEO of Samson Properties. The firm has over 4,000 agents in 30 offices, serving home buyers and sellers in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. According to RealTrends data, Donny's firm has grown from 7,200 sides in 2018 to 12,300 sides in 2020. That's a growth rate of a whopping 71% in just two years. His firm will undoubtedly be in the top one fourth of the Real Trends 500, launching this month. In this interview, Samson shares why agents join his firm, how he keeps them engaged, the services he offers and, most importantly, the secrets to the firm’s massive organic growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 8, 2021 • 16min
Episode 95: 2020 Earnings Report, Investor-owned homes and Inventory Issues
In Episode 95, Steve compares and contrasts the 2020 earnings for the publicly held national real estate companies, the impact of mortgage forbearance on single-family, investor-owned homes and analyzes the current inventory issue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 1, 2021 • 26min
RealTrending: Harma Hartouni Using Data to Recruit and Retain Agents
Today’s REAL Trending features an interview with Harma Hartouni, operating partner of Keller Williams Realty Encino-Sherman Oaks, Calif., and team leader of Harma Real Estate. In this interview, Hartouni discusses how his early adversity shaped his real estate career, how he spots opportunities in the market based on data, and what information he’s tracking to guide agents toward success. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 23, 2021 • 14min
RealTrending Episode 94: Brokerage Personnel Cost Trends, Biden's $15,000 Tax Credit and M&A vs. Organic Growth
Today’s RealTrending features Steve Murray, senior advisor to REAL Trends and HW Media talking about trends in personnel costs among brokerage companies, the potential impact of President Biden's $15,000 tax credit for homebuyers, and growth through mergers and acquisitions versus organic growth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 16, 2021 • 30min
Ryan Gorman, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate and Booker Pickett, broker of Coldwell Banker Pickett Fences Realty, Land O’ Lakes, Florida
Today’s REAL Trending features an interview with Ryan Gorman, President and CEO, Coldwell Banker Real Estate and Booker Pickett, broker/owner of Coldwell Banker Pickett Fences in Land O’Lakes, Florida. In this interview, Gorman discusses the challenges and barriers for minority brokers and a new program aimed at giving them a hand up. Pickett recently signed up for the program. He’ll discuss the challenges he’s faced building his brokerage and his special focus on underserviced communities. REAL Trending 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 Victoria Wickham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 9, 2021 • 10min
REAL Trending Episode 93: The Impact of Mortgage Forbearance, Home Offices and Brokerage Segmentation
In Episode 93, Steve discusses:Mortgage Forbearance Impacts"These mortgages that are in forbearance, obviously simply are either going to get worked out or these homes are going to be put on the market and sold. As I said earlier, the good news for the housing market is any number, even a large number of those homes, those 2.7 million homes, where the mortgages are in forbearance."Work From Home and Impacts on Office Space"If we see tens of millions of office workers no longer going to an office routinely, there will be a similar downward spiral of the use of commercial office buildings of all kinds. Whether it's a 6,000 square foot building or a 600,000 square foot building, there will be tremendous downward pressure on the use of office space if these reports and research trends continue."Brokerage and Agent Segmentation"The market is now segmenting and agents are moving one direction or another and trying different models to find which one fits for them." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 2, 2021 • 32min
Linda O’Koniewski, CEO of Leading Edge Real Estate, An Innovative Program for Virtual Teams and Brokers
Today’s REAL Trending features an interview with Linda O’Koniewski, CEO of Leading Edge Real Estate in Boston. In this interview, O’Koniewski discusses lessons learned after finding out her franchise pulled the plug, and they had to rebrand overnight. Five years later, the company is on solid footing, regaining some of the agents they lost (which wasn’t many!) and introducing new initiatives like the LEAP program, which offers a plug and play system for virtual teams and brokers.REAL Trending 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 Victoria Wickham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 6, 2021 • 9min
REAL Trending Episode 92: Advice for Brokerage Leaders for 2021
From REAL Trends, the trusted source for real estate industry trends, this is REAL Trending episode 92, we're analyzing some important trends affecting brokerage companies and their agents. I'm Steve Murray, senior advisor to Real Trends, and today we're discussing the focus for broker leaders in 2021 strength in valuations and beware the Black Swan. What do these trends mean and how can brokerage firms best deal with them? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices