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Steve Marcinuk
29 Aug 2025

A Maine-based real estate leader has pulled back the curtain on what he calls a “three-legged stool” approach to developing genuine market expertise, a system he says has helped his independent brokerage thrive against larger competitors. Dennis Hilton, President of Newcastle Realty, says his firm’s success stems from a rigorous approach to market knowledge that ...

Steve Marcinuk
28 Aug 2025

The real estate industry’s traditional focus on sales scripts and closing techniques may be undermining the very relationships agents seek to build, according to one industry leader who argues that authentic presence, not persuasion tactics, is the key to sustainable success. Aaron Hendon, Managing Broker at Christine & Company, says the science of human connection ...

Steve Marcinuk
28 Aug 2025

Commercial real estate owners face a new reality in property insurance as artificial intelligence and data science transform traditional underwriting, according to one industry veteran who argues that decades of accumulated data are now being weaponized to restrict coverage and raise rates. “I often say that I feel like every keystroke I’ve ever put in ...

Steve Marcinuk
26 Aug 2025

Real estate industry veteran Natalie Davis argues that simply including diverse voices isn’t enough – organizations must create environments where people can “show up just as they are,” with their unique cultures and backgrounds celebrated, not just tolerated. The Critical Distinction “When we talk about inclusion itself, we typically think about our space, the environment, ...

Steve Marcinuk
25 Aug 2025

While many independent brokerages struggle to compete in an increasingly digital real estate landscape, one Maine firm has found success by combining traditional community presence with cutting-edge technology, and refusing acquisition offers from national franchises. “We’re one of those independent firms that loves Main Street foot traffic in a day when everything is digital,” says ...

Steve Marcinuk
25 Aug 2025

The real estate industry’s productivity crisis isn’t about a lack of time, it’s about failing to implement systematic approaches to time management, according to industry coach David Greenspan. The CEO of MindShare101 argues that technology and constant connectivity are creating unprecedented challenges for real estate professionals. “People are not leveraging time the right way, and ...

Steve Marcinuk
15 Aug 2025

Industry veteran explains how standardization in mortgage-backed securities could revolutionize consumer lending, similar to global manufacturing standards The mortgage industry could learn valuable lessons about standardization and transparency from global manufacturing giants like Nike, according to Abe Lee, CEO of mortgage technology company Visbl, who draws surprising parallels between sneaker production and mortgage lending. The ...

Steve Marcinuk
14 Aug 2025

The property management industry is undergoing a fundamental shift in service delivery models, with leading companies increasingly bringing traditionally outsourced services in-house, according to one industry expert. “I think you’re seeing a lot more management companies really kind of vertically integrating a lot of their services, because the third party companies are really like the ...

Steve Marcinuk
13 Aug 2025

The rush to automate every aspect of real estate transactions risks undermining the essential human elements that make deals work, according to Asher Walli, a seasoned agent with Charles Rutenberg Realty. The Human Element in Complex Transactions “Technology should enhance the real estate experience, not dominate it,” Walli argues. “I’ve seen too many deals fall ...

Steve Marcinuk
25 Jul 2025

Los Angeles real estate expert Sara Skelton, a Realtor at eXP Realty and host of The LA Real Estate Podcast, says California’s property insurance market is rapidly contracting, creating a new crisis for homeowners and buyers in high-risk areas. The Shrinking Market “As of a couple of years ago, there was only two insurance companies ...

Steve Marcinuk
09 Jul 2025

Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance policies are forcing homeowners to pay unnecessary premiums even after building substantial equity, according to Brendan McKay, Chief Advocacy Officer of the Broker Action Coalition, who is advocating for reform. “When you have Americans with 50% equity in their home paying mortgage insurance, which is foreclosure insurance when there’s ...

Rudi Davis
25 Jun 2025

The aftermath of the Altadena fire has exposed significant gaps in disaster preparedness among homeowners, while revealing the complex realities of insurance claims and rebuilding in one of California’s most challenging real estate markets. For Sara Skelton, a Realtor with EXP Realty and host of The LA Real Estate Podcast, the disaster struck particularly close ...

Steve Marcinuk
24 Jun 2025

Leading Miami mortgage broker David A. Krebs says artificial intelligence and automated underwriting systems are creating a dangerous false sense of security for borrowers with non-traditional income streams. “These automated systems can be manipulated,” warns Krebs, Principal Broker at DAK Mortgage. “If there’s any kind of bonuses or RSUs where you get stock options, they’re ...

Steve Marcinuk
18 Jun 2025

“With fewer new homes being built due to economic headwinds, the market for existing homes becomes increasingly important,” explains Patrick Hayes, General Manager at Colibri Group. This reality underscores the critical importance of skilled contractors in today’s real estate ecosystem. In an industry facing severe labor shortages and technological disruption, Colibri Group is addressing the ...

Steve Marcinuk
12 Jun 2025

The credit bureaus’ practice of selling consumer mortgage application data without explicit consent represents a “categorically wrong” violation of privacy that needs immediate reform, according to Brendan McKay, Chief Advocacy Officer of the Broker Action Coalition. “The credit bureaus are private, publicly traded companies on stock exchanges, and they get to sell consumer data without ...