RealTrending

On this episode of the RealTrending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Craig McClelland, a partner in McClelland & Hahn Consulting,  for a wide-ranging conversation about the forces reshaping residential real estate. Beyond the latest merger and acquisition headlines, Craig explains why the industry's biggest shift is happening behind the scenes, as brokerages become part of larger ecosystems driven by mortgage, technology, data and other high-margin businesses. He shares why independent brokerages need to rethink growth, specialization and profitability to remain competitive in an evolving market. The discussion also tackles one of real estate's most polarizing topics — private listings. Tracey and Craig examine the balance between seller choice, brokerage control and consumer access while exploring the changing roles of MLSs, portals and listing data. They also discuss how artificial intelligence and Google's growing role in property search could influence the homebuying experience without fundamentally changing the agent's role. To close the episode, Craig offers his predictions for where the industry is headed over the next five years, including why transaction data may become real estate's most valuable asset and why unexpected players like insurance companies could make deeper moves into the residential space. It's an insightful look at the trends, technology, and business strategies that will shape the next chapter of real estate. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Why mergers are really about data, margins, and customer acquisition—not brokerage brands. How mid-sized brokerages can survive by specializing instead of competing on agent count. Why transaction data may become the industry's most valuable long-term asset. The future of private listings, MLSs, portals, and AI-powered home search. Which unexpected industries could become the next major players in residential real estate. Related to this episode: Craig McClelland's LinkedIn Want more from Tracey? Don’t forget to subscribe to Real Estate Daily. 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.

On this episode of the RealTrending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Rainy Hake Austin, president of The Agency, to talk about scaling a luxury brokerage without losing the culture that made it successful in the first place. Austin explains how The Agency has expanded from roughly 30 offices to more than 160 across 15 countries while staying intentional about hiring leaders who align with the company’s collaborative, creative and people-first mindset. Austin shares why culture isn’t something that can be delegated to HR or reduced to perks and office games. Instead, she says culture is reflected in every hiring decision, leadership interaction and client experience. She discusses how the brokerage balances boutique luxury branding with global scale, why authenticity matters more than appealing to everyone, and how the company uses AI and technology to enhance — not replace — human relationships. The conversation also explores the broader wave of industry consolidation, the risks of brokerages becoming too corporate or transactional, and why Austin believes the firms that will thrive over the next year are the ones that stay focused on their core strengths while adapting intelligently to market shifts and technology. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Culture has to evolve as companies grow — not stay frozen in time. The Agency prioritizes culture fit over production numbers when hiring leaders. Luxury real estate success still comes down to relationships and client experience. AI should create more time for human connection, not replace it. Brokerages that know their identity and core strengths will stand out during industry consolidation. Related to this episode: Rainy Hake Austin's LinkedIn The Agency Want more from Tracey? Don’t forget to subscribe to Real Estate Daily. 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.

On this episode of the RealTrending Podcast, host Tracey Velt sits down with Felix Bravo,managing director, international for eXp Realty,  to talk about growing up in real estate, building resilience through hard work, and helping scale one of the industry’s fastest-growing international brokerages. Bravo shares how watching his immigrant mother transition from lawyer to Realtor in Miami shaped his work ethic and perspective on the business. The conversation dives into his early grind in real estate, including old-school cold calling, learning to earn opportunities instead of waiting for them, and the mindset that helped him rise from solo agent to leading eXp’s international operations before turning 30. Bravo also explains how eXp’s cloud-based model is resonating globally, especially in markets without MLS systems, and how the company’s cross-border platform “LYVVE” is helping agents and consumers collaborate internationally with more transparency. The episode also explores leadership, international expansion, the future of global real estate collaboration, and why Bravo believes agents everywhere are looking for more independence and entrepreneurial freedom. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Felix Bravo credits his immigrant upbringing and his mother’s real estate journey for shaping his work ethic. Early success came from persistence, cold calling and embracing uncomfortable work. eXp’s international growth is fueled by its cloud-based, agent-first model. Many global markets still operate without MLS systems, creating challenges and opportunities. Bravo says leadership is less about personal achievement and more about helping others succeed. Related to this episode: Felix Bravo's LinkedIn eXp Realty LYVVE Want more from Tracey? Don't forget to subscribe to Real Estate Daily. 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.

On this episode of the RealTrending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Dan Rochon, head coach of the Greetings Virginia Sales Network,  to break down his “Teach to Sell” philosophy and why relationship-driven sales matter more than ever in today’s unpredictable housing market. Rochon argues that agents win by proactively educating clients, building trust before problems arise, and consistently showing up through lead generation and follow-up. The conversation dives into the four pillars of business success — belief, lead generation, organization building, and leadership — with Rochon emphasizing that consistent prospecting is still the foundation of predictable income, regardless of market conditions. He explains why agents should lean into the lead sources that fit their personalities and strengths, whether that’s sphere marketing, expireds, open houses or online advertising. Rochon also shares how his team is using AI to improve speed-to-process, client communication, and follow-up without replacing the agent relationship. He warns that agents who ignore AI and emerging technology risk falling behind over the next few years, while those who embrace it can create more time for high-value client interactions. The episode also touches on private listings, industry disruption, and the mindset shifts agents need to survive market uncertainty. Rochon’s message throughout is simple: stop focusing on what you can’t control, commit to daily lead generation, and do the work consistently. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Trust and education are the foundation of modern real estate sales. Consistent lead generation still solves most business problems. Agents should choose lead sources that match their personality and strengths. AI should support relationships, not replace agents. Speed-to-process is becoming a major competitive advantage. Mindset and self-belief are often the biggest barriers to success. The agents who survive tough markets are the ones willing to do the work consistently. Related to this episode: Dan Rochon's LinkedIn Greetings Virginia 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.

On this episode of the RealTrending podcast, Tamir Poleg, CEO of The Real Brokerage, sits down with Tracey Velt to unpack why Real’s acquisition of REMAX is less about market share and more about combining scale, brand power and technology under one umbrella. Poleg explains that Real saw an opportunity to bring its AI-driven platform and growth mindset to a legacy franchise brand that still carries enormous recognition with consumers and agents alike. The conversation digs into the cultural alignment between Real and REMAX, the growing debate around private listings and listing fragmentation, and why Poleg believes the industry may be nearing a “point of no return” when it comes to listing data fragmentation. While many brokerages are loudly taking sides, Real has intentionally stayed quiet, choosing instead to focus on what its agents and consumers actually want. Poleg also lays out his vision for AI in real estate — not as a replacement for agents, but as a productivity engine that creates “super agents.” He describes a future where specialized AI assistants handle contracts, marketing and administrative work behind the scenes, allowing agents to focus on the human side of the transaction.  Throughout the episode, he emphasizes that the future of real estate belongs to companies that can remove friction, improve transparency and create a smoother consumer experience without losing the trusted advisor relationship at the center of the business. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Real says the REMAX acquisition is about combining complementary strengths: brand recognition, scale, growth and technology. Poleg believes REMAX’s slowdown was tied partly to a tech and value proposition gap that Real can help solve. Real plans to keep both brands culturally distinct while sharing technology, education and referral opportunities. The company intentionally stayed quiet during the private listings debate because most of its agents said clients weren’t asking about it. Poleg warned the industry may be approaching irreversible MLS and listing fragmentation. He believes fragmented listing access could ultimately hurt consumers by making housing data less accurate and harder to find. Real sees AI as a friction-reduction tool, not a replacement for agents. Poleg described a future where agents use multiple specialized AI assistants for contracts, marketing and transaction management. Real’s approach is to weave AI naturally into workflows rather than forcing agents to learn entirely new systems. Poleg says the industry’s biggest challenge isn’t technology — it’s delivering a simpler, faster and more transparent homebuying experience. Related to this episode: Tamir Poleg's LinkedIn The Real Brokerage, Inc. REMAX 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.

On this episode of RealTrending, host Tracey Velt sits down with Leo Pareja, CEO of eXp Realty  and James Dwiggins, co-CEO of NextHome,  to unpack the growing wave of consolidation across the real estate industry and what it means for agents, consumers and the future of listing data. Pareja compares today’s real estate landscape to the airline industry’s consolidation era, arguing that fragmented industries eventually shrink into a handful of dominant players. But unlike acquisitions driven purely by “synergy” and cost-cutting, he says the eXp and NextHome alignment was built around philosophical fit, shared views on consumer transparency and a belief that agents still need open access to listing distribution. The conversation quickly turns to private listings and the growing debate around listing control. Dwiggins strongly criticizes private listing strategies, warning they could damage consumer trust, create more litigation and ultimately fracture the MLS system into a European-style marketplace where buyers and agents must search multiple disconnected platforms just to find inventory. Both leaders argue that broad listing exposure remains the best path for sellers and that restricting visibility benefits brokerages more than consumers. The trio also dives deep into AI and the future of home search. Pareja explains why eXp partnered with Google, HouseCanary and ComeHome, arguing that AI-powered search is fundamentally changing how consumers discover homes. Instead of filtering by bedrooms and bathrooms, future buyers may search conversationally — asking for homes near favorite restaurants, with specific lot orientations or lifestyle features. Both leaders believe the industry has moved too slowly to modernize search experiences and warn that MLS organizations risk becoming irrelevant if they can’t adapt quickly enough. Despite the heavy focus on technology, both executives end on a surprisingly human note. In a world increasingly driven by AI, they argue that relationships, trust and emotional intelligence will become even more valuable. Their message to brokers and agents is simple: stop obsessing over data wars and start focusing on people, communication and the value you bring to the transaction. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Consolidation in real estate is accelerating and leaders believe it’s only the beginning. Pareja and Dwiggins say private listings threaten transparency and consumer trust. Both executives warn MLS fragmentation could create a chaotic “European-style” market. AI-powered home search is expected to radically change how consumers find properties. The Google partnership is viewed as a way to expand listing exposure and future-proof search visibility. Both leaders believe real estate organizations have moved too slowly on innovation. They argue the real estate industry should prioritize consumers over data control. Human relationships and agent expertise may become even more important in an AI-driven future. Related to this episode: Leo Pareja's LinkedIn James Dwiggins LinkedIn eXp Realty NextHome 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.

On this episode of the Real Trending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Paul Boomsma, CEO of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LeadingRE)  to unpack the biggest forces reshaping the real estate industry — from consolidation and private listings to AI and the changing expectations of agents. Boomsma describes today’s market as a moment of “hectic opportunity,” where mergers, acquisitions, AI innovation and economic uncertainty are all colliding at once. But amid the noise, he says strong leadership has never mattered more, especially for independent brokerages navigating uncertainty among agents and consumers alike. The conversation dives into why local brands still hold a major advantage in real estate, even as national consolidation accelerates. Boomsma argues consumers remain focused on trusted local professionals, not corporate ownership structures, creating opportunities for regional independents to differentiate through culture, leadership and community presence. Tracey and Paul also explore the future of brokerage models, generational changes among agents and the growing importance of collaboration-focused office environments. Boomsma explains why younger agents value teamwork, coaching and shared learning more than the traditional independent contractor model. The episode also tackles hot-button industry topics like private listings and AI adoption. While Boomsma believes private listings may be receiving more hype than necessary, he sees enormous potential for AI in agent coaching, role-playing and helping professionals sharpen their client conversations faster than ever before. Throughout the discussion, one theme stays consistent: the brokerages that thrive over the next few years will be the ones that lean into authentic local leadership, adapt to changing agent expectations and stay focused on consumer trust. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Real estate is still fundamentally local despite industry consolidation. Strong leadership matters more than ever during market uncertainty. Younger agents prefer collaboration, coaching and co-working environments. AI is becoming a powerful tool for agent training and productivity. Private listings may be overhyped compared to other industry shifts. Independent brokerages still have a strong competitive advantage through local trust and community presence. Related to this episode: Paul Boomsma's LinkedIn Leading Real Estate Companies of the World (LeadingRE)  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.

In this episode of the Real Trending podcast, Tracey Velt sits down with Blake O’Shaughnessy, founder of Ownli, a platform aiming to rethink the traditional real estate transaction by removing agents entirely. Built around the idea that “search got modern, but pricing didn’t,” Ownli offers sellers a DIY platform where they can list homes, manage showings, negotiate offers and complete contracts without paying traditional percentage-based commissions. O’Shaughnessy argues that the post-NAR settlement environment has accelerated consumer skepticism around commission structures, especially as home prices continue climbing while fees remain tied to a percentage of the sale price. Ownli positions itself as a software-driven alternative, combining public listing data, pricing tools, contracts and third-party service providers into one platform. The conversation explores whether consumers are truly ready to handle transactions themselves, how Ownli plans to scale nationally, and where technology can — and can’t — replace traditional agents. While O’Shaughnessy acknowledges the emotional and relationship-driven aspects of real estate still matter, he believes the future of the industry is increasingly “unbundled,” with consumers choosing only the services they actually need instead of paying for full-service representation by default. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Ownli removes agents and replaces them with software-driven transaction tools. The platform charges flat fees instead of percentage-based commissions. O’Shaughnessy says consumers are questioning traditional commission structures. Ownli  launched nationally with access to more than 500,000 listings. The company believes the future of real estate is “unbundled.” Related to this episode: Blake O'Shaughnessy's LinkedIn Ownli 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.

LIVE from HousingWire’s Gathering, Tracey Velt sits down with Jim D’Amico, CEO of Brands by Integra, to talk about brokerage growth, industry consolidation and why he’s optimistic about the Compass acquisition of Anywhere. D’Amico built his company from two agents in Massachusetts into a multi-brand operation with roughly 2,000 agents across 18 states. Today, Brands by Integra includes multiple real estate franchises, mortgage, insurance, asset management and property management companies — all operating under one umbrella. The conversation centers on the industry’s accelerating consolidation, particularly Compass’ acquisition of Anywhere. D’Amico says the deal injected new energy into a brokerage landscape he felt had grown stagnant, and he believes Compass CEO Robert Reffkin brings a growth-focused mindset that could unlock the scale and lead-generation potential many franchise brands have never fully leveraged. He also addresses one of the industry’s most debated topics: Compass’ private listing network. In D’Amico’s view, the strategy has been widely misunderstood. Rather than limiting access, he believes the approach is meant to give agents and sellers more control over marketing timelines while restoring some of the value agents once held when listing information wasn’t instantly public. Beyond mergers, D’Amico sees the future of brokerage tied to scale, technology and ecosystem expansion. While he believes mortgage and brokerage can work together, he notes the operational complexity of running both businesses. What excites him most is how real estate companies are increasingly acquiring technology — a move he believes will define the next phase of industry competition. Despite rapid consolidation across the sector, D’Amico says the brokerage landscape will always support multiple models — from national platforms to local boutique firms. For his company, the focus now is simple: build density in existing markets, keep expanding through strategic acquisitions and continue growing nationally while maintaining a family-run culture. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: Brands by Integra has about 2,000 agents in 18 states. The company plans continued expansion and acquisitions. The Compass–Anywhere deal brings new energy to brokerage. Robert Reffkin’s private listing strategy is widely misunderstood. Private listings may give sellers more marketing flexibility. Industry consolidation is accelerating. Brokerage scale is increasingly important. Technology is becoming a major competitive advantage. Mortgage and brokerage can work together with separate operations. Multiple brokerage models will continue to coexist. Related to this episode: Jim D’Amico’s LinkedIn Brands by Integra 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.