Episode #39
Ward Morrison
President and CEO
Motto Franchising, LLC,

Overview

The past year was a wild one for mortgage lenders. With the refi pool drying up and mortgage rates surging to levels that shocked the industry, no one could have expected the rollercoaster ride the sector has experienced. On the latest installment of RISMedia’s RealEdge Podcast, Ward Morrison dives into the current state of the mortgage industry after it came crashing down in 2022. Pulling wisdom from the journey that Motto Mortgage has been on since its inception, he unpacks the past and looks toward the future of what real estate and mortgage lending professionals can expect in the next 12 - 24 months—and how they can weather the storm and thrive in the process. 

On this week's episode, you'll learn:

0:55 - Ward’s foray into the lending industry and Motto Mortgage.
2:34 - How to become the solution to brokers’ problems in the industry.
4:23 - How Motto “vaccinated” itself against the mortgage market downturn.
5:58 - Winning moves that benefited Motto last year. 
8:50 - Ward unpacks the importance of staying connected with your client base.
10:32 - The journey to 1,000 franchisees starts with the first step.
14:56 - Ward makes his predictions for the 2023 market and beyond.
17:38 - What will the new normal look like in the housing market? 
20:58 - How to keep your team cooperative and competitive at all times.
23:19 - Understanding the benefits of having a successful parent company. 
24:55 - Is it worth pursuing growth during a downturn?
25:40 - Parting words from Ward.


About 


Ward Morrision joined RE/MAX World Headquarters in 2005 as a business development consultant for brokerage operations and has held several leadership roles as he has rapidly moved up through the company. In 2008, he was named director, Membership Services and Contract Administration and was promoted to vice president, Membership Services, Contract Administration and Customer Relations a year later. In 2011, he was named vice president, U.S. Regional Development, and in 2012 became region vice president of the RE/MAX Southwest Region. 

Ward's role expanded in February 2015, as he became the primary liaison between RE/MAX World Headquarters and all independently owned U.S. Regions. In September 2016, Ward joined Motto Franchising, LLC as its first president and was instrumental in launching the Motto Mortgage brokerage franchise brand the following month. 

Since launching in 2016 as the country’s first national mortgage brokerage franchise, Motto Mortgage has steadily gained traction and visibility in the real estate industry. Morrison drives the strategy and overall business plan at Motto Franchising, LLC and wemlo. He’s responsible for growing the Motto Mortgage network and helping franchisees maximize their success through the system.

In 2020, Ward oversaw the acquisition of wemlo, a mortgage fintech company focused on providing technology and third-party mortgage processing solutions to the mortgage broker channel. Now serving as president and CEO of both Motto Mortgage and wemlo, a position he was named to in January 2022, Ward leads the entire mortgage segment within RE/MAX Holdings.

Links and Resources
About Ward Morrison
Motto Mortgage’s Ward Morrison Discusses the Past, Present and Future
RE/MAX Doubles Down on Tech, Teams and Mortgage Business in Four-Pronged Growth Plan
The Additional Business Solutions Making Waves in Real Estate
Experts Say Elevated Gas Prices Pose Additional Burden on Buyer Preference 
ACESocial
Ultimate Guide to Find, Hire, Train a Real Estate ISA
Explained: What Is a Virtual Assistant?
RISMedia's ACESocial

Episode #39: ‘Marry the House and Date the Rate’

Episode #40
Lauren Rosin
Founder & CEO/President  
Rosin Team, Brokered by eXp Realty/LRT Offers

Overview

On this episode of the RealEdge podcast, Lauren Rosin hosts a strategy session. The founder of the Rosin Team at eXp Realty, Rosin has led this Arizona-based team for 20 years and learned plenty about the real estate business and leadership during that time. Listen to learn everything from how you can best take advantage of your CRM to why you should be wearing a name tag. 

On this week's episode, you'll learn:

1:03 - The importance of mentorship at all levels.
1:57 - Should you have a coach? 
3:00 - How to build a successful and accountable team. 
4:59 - The best systems and strategies for digital communication.
7:23 - How to negotiate with a seller when they overprice a listing.
10:43 - Why roleplaying is the best way to train.
12:54 - What type of leads should you be focused on?
15:34 - How to be an encouraging mentor and what to encourage your agents about.
16:58 - Why you should be keeping track of your appointments. 
19:46 - The value of nametags and visual learning. 

About 

Lauren Rosin takes a unilateral approach to agent success by being a self-starter herself. As CEO and founder of the Rosin Team eXp Realty, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2023. Aside from launching and leading the Rosin Team in Arizona and San Diego, Rosin is president of the cash home-buying firm LRT Offers, which are both based in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Rosin has worked tirelessly to give her agents all the tools they need to succeed, which this past year included constant promotion and participation in Fast Forward Movement, a weekly Mastermind for agents across the eXp Realty network, and her own in-house programs geared towards helping agents, not only from her office but other agents in the industry and at large.

She was named an RISMedia Real Estate Newsmaker within the Achievers category for her performance in 2022 as the Rosin Team made the Inc 5000 list of the Fastest Growing Companies in 2022–coming in at No. 1215 with 534% 3-year growth rate. 

From 2003 to 2010, Rosin also worked as a mortgage lender for Prospect Mortgage. After years of working in the industry, she went on to earn a Masters degree in Real Estate Development from the W.P. Carey School of Business in 2011. She holds a real estate license in Arizona and California, as the Rosin Team also maintains an office in San Diego. Rosin’s social media describes her as holding versatile knowledge about the real estate industry and given her multitude of experiences; it’s easy to see why.

Links and Resources
Lauren Rosin on LinkedIn
2023 Newsmakers Profile
The Rosin Team at eXp Realty
eXp Realty
LRT Offers
Ultimate Guide to Find, Hire, Train a Real Estate ISA
Explained: What Is a Virtual Assistant?
RISMedia's ACESocial

Episode #40: 'Being the Leader Your Agents Need'

Episode #41
Julia Lashay Israel
Head of Inclusion and Belonging
Keller Williams Realty International

Overview


The terms “discrimination” and “racial bias” evoke mixed emotions in the real estate industry—depending on whom you’re talking to. However, in the Black community, they represent a longstanding history of challenges turning the American Dream of homeownership into a reality. On the latest episode of RISMedia’s RealEdge Podcast, Julia Lashay Israel discusses improving Black representation in the real estate industry and how that correlates to improvements in service and successfully boosting homeownership in the Black community. Drawing from her work at Keller Williams, she details the strategies that she herself is implementing to improve the overall sense of belonging and inclusion among agents in addition to offering her insight as far as how viewers can do the same in their respective firms by creating a space for different groups to have the tools and resources they need.



On this week's episode, you'll learn:

1:01 - Understanding Julia’s role at KW
3:01 - How to create a space for different groups to receive the assistance they need
5:36 - Why representation matters at every level of the industry and brokerage 
7:05 - How Black representation in real estate impacts Black homeownership for the better 
9:36 - Acknowledging that there is discrimination in real estate 
12:11 - Why it’s important to report instances of bias and discrimination in the industry
15:25 - How KW is boosting its pool of Black real estate agents
20:14 - Ways to counter unconscious and conscious bias? Talk it out
21:38 - Building an understanding of and utilizing different perspectives
23:08 - What is required to move the needle forward?  
25:40 - Parting words from Julia


About 

As head of Inclusion and Belonging, Julia Lashay Israel advises, trains and coaches leaders, team members and agents to recognize and address diversity, equity and inclusion opportunities and challenges across the organization.

Over the past 20 years, Israel has trained and coached thousands of real estate professionals. A community leader and homeownership advocate, Israel has instructed continuing education courses on diversity, career development and homeownership.

Israel is co-founder and owner of Refocus University, a real estate training firm that’s focused on career development and diversity. She also serves as a managing partner of The Signature Group at Keller Williams Realty Integrity Lakes in Minneapolis.

In 2022, Israel led the launch of Keller Williams’ diversity certification Agent of Distinction, a five-module, professional education offering that provides the training, resources and tools needed to grow a real estate business with a broader customer base.

During the NAR NXT conference this past November, Israel taught the Color of Real Estate (CORE) course, offering an overview of Fair Housing policy and the historic practices contributing to the homeownership gap across the U.S. population.


Links and Resources
About Juilia Lashay Israel
2023 Newsmakers Profile
Julia Lashay Real Estate 
The Color of Real Estate
ACESocial
Ultimate Guide to Find, Hire, Train a Real Estate ISA
Explained: What Is a Virtual Assistant?
RISMedia's ACESocial

Episode #41: ‘Representation Does Matter’

Episode #42
Dan Weisman
Director of Emerging Technology
National Association of REALTORS®

Overview

Dan Weisman, director of emerging technology at NAR, joins the latest episode of RISMedia's RealEdge podcast. In his conversation, Weisman offers an insider’s viewpoint on trends in the tech sector, from blockchain to artificial intelligence, but refrains from immediate prognostication. Rather, he explains why these tools will take time to reshape how agents do business and suggests never losing sight of the basics.

On this week's episode, you'll learn:
0:33 – Who’s getting the money in real estate tech now?
3:26 – What technologies are disruptive or adjacent to real estate?
6:31 – What technology Dan is most excited about.
8:38 – How does virtual reality tech reach real estate?
11:26 – Why advances in data science will create more than just AI.
13:21 – What is the timeline for innovations like blockchain and AI to actually reshape real estate?
15:54 – Can tech innovation overcome institutional barriers?
19:13 – What technology does the modern agent need?
21:35 – Is anyone developing tech to help agents find listings?
24:00 – MyOutDesk’s 12 D’s of why people sell real estate
25:15 –  Weisman’s business growth advice for real estate professionals concerned about technology

About

Dan Weisman credits his career path with witnessing the construction of a 70-story building while visiting the windy city during his sophomore year of college. An alum of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Weisman graduated in 2006 with a BS in Civil & Environmental Engineering and Economics. He then served as a project manager for local construction firms Tri-North Builders (2005 to 2009) and J.H. Findorff & Son Inc (2009 to 2014) while completing an MBA at his undergraduate alma mater from 2008 to 2011. He moved to Chicago in 2014 and then from commercial construction to residential real estate in 2019, when he joined the National Association of REALTORS® in his current role as its director of emerging technology. 

Links and resources

Dan Weisman, Director of Emerging Technology at NAR  
Dan Weisman on LinkedIn 
‘How Emerging Technology Is Reshaping Real Estate and The Way We Do Business,’ featuring quotes and insight from Weisman.’
‘Emerging Technology,’ a presentation Weisman gave at his alma mater.
ACESocial
Ultimate Guide to Find, Hire, Train a Real Estate ISA
Explained: What Is a Virtual Assistant?
RISMedia's ACESocial

Episode #42: 'Remembering The "Basics" of Business as Technology Changes'

Episode #43
Olivia Merrill
Broker Associate
The Agency

Overview

Most real estate professionals agree that developing a brand that resonates with consumers is paramount to a thriving business. However, The Agency's Olivia Merrill believes that an agent's brand should be an extension of their authentic self. After all, how else are you supposed to stand out from the rank-and-file competition in your market? 

In the latest episode of RISMedia's RealEdge podcast, Merrill delves into how she has intertwined her passions for fashion and real estate to create a unique brand that has gained immense local support and social media appeal while providing exposure for the local businesses that make her market so vibrant. 


On this week's episode, you'll learn:
0:47 – From small-town Maine to Denver real estate
2:26 – How Olivia measures the highs and lows of the business
4:14 – Drawing inspiration from influencers 
5:00 – What goes into building a “hyperlocal” brand that resonates?
7:15 – How to blend your passions with your business and branding strategy
8:31 – Olivia recalls one of her most memorable partnerships
11:03 – How to learn from partnership mistakes
12:24 – What goes into picking the businesses you should partner with?
13:53 – Where to search for local partnerships in your market
15:12 – How to get your local vendors involved in your branding strategy
16:46 – Olivia’s advice for setting up a winning social media strategy
16:42 – Olivia’s top social media platforms, and how she uses them
21:07 – Advice on building better relationships with local businesses

About

Denver-area real estate professional Olivia Merrill brings a unique blend of experience, skill and passion to the process of homebuying, selling and investing. In addition to her many years practicing real estate, Merrill brings vast connections and experience to the table, specifically in brand development and influencer marketing. 

Founder & CEO of The Denver Look—Denver's No. 1 fashion and lifestyle blog—Merrill has built a strong network of people all around the United States, with a particularly strong focus in social media. She has over 25,000 followers across all social media channels, and she utilizes her following and connections to promote her clients’ homes and provide white-glove service, going above and beyond the real estate transaction.

Having dedicated her career to positioning herself as her clients’ trusted advisor, Merrill assists buyers and sellers in achieving their wealth goals through real estate, illuminating the path to the life people dream about. A firm believer in the notion that real estate is sold within the community in which it resides, Merrill strives to partner with local businesses in the Denver area in order to create unique events that highlight both the community and its residential real estate. She is also actively interested in forming relationships with local businesses as well as with homebuyers and sellers in the Denver area.


Links and resources

About Olivia Merrill
The Denver Look
2023 RISMedia Real Estate Newsmaker Profile  
The Playbook: Relationship-Building That Will Pay Off in the Long Run
Ultimate Guide to Find, Hire, Train a Real Estate ISA
Explained: What Is a Virtual Assistant?
RISMedia's ACESocial

Episode #43: 'Real Estate Is All About the Community'

Episode # 44
Mor Zucker
REALTOR®, 
LIV Sotheby’s International Realty

Overview

Investment expert Mor Zucker is the guest on the latest episode of RISMedia’s RealEdge podcast. An almost decade-long veteran of the Denver, Colorado real estate market, Zucker has worked as a REALTOR® at firms including local brokerage Kentwood Real Estate to RE/MAX Professionals. Currently, she is a REALTOR® at LIV Sotheby’s International Realty.

On top of her experience selling real estate, she is also an experienced investor. In her conversation, she delves into the tools and strategies that have helped fuel her marketing strategies and business while also explaining how other real estate professionals can become investors and what networks they should build to get there.

In this week's episode, you'll learn:
0:44 – Who is Mor Zucker?
3:17 – Turning your passion into the centerpiece of your marketing.
5:04 – Why intent matters, not the platform.
6:11 – Zucker’s preferred technology and why it could be yours too.
7:49 – How to be funny in your marketing.
9:54 – How to thrive in the Denver market.
13:00 – Taking the journey of a real estate investor.
17:28 – How to get into real estate investing as a novice.
19:49 – Who do you need on your side to be an investing force?
25:55 – How to reach Zucker to learn more about investing.
26:51 – Why investors should be favoring cash flow over fix and flip.

About

An Israeli-American, Mor Zucker is renowned for her marketing and investing expertise; she’s said she considers herself “a real estate financial advisor” more than just a pure REALTOR®. She’s even written a book on investing – “Real Estate Investing Secrets, How to Build Wealth through Real Estate and Turn your Investments from Good to Great.”

Despite this, Zucker is an active REALTOR® and co-founder of Team Denver Homes. Since entering the American market in 2013, she’s been a fixture of the Denver, Colorado market. She began her career at Kentwood Real Estate, joined RE/MAX Professionals in 2019, and then LIV Sotheby’s International Realty in 2023. She also maintains the lifestyle blog The Denver Ear. In recognition of her achievements in real estate, Zucker has been named an RISMedia Real Estate Newsmaker and served on the Forbes Real Estate Council from 2018-2022.

Links and resources

Mor Zucker on Sotheby’s 
Mor Zucker on LinkedIn
2023 RISMedia Real Estate Newsmaker Profile  
ACESocial
Reak estate Teams: Unpacking the Future of Brokerage Success
Ultimate Guide to Find, Hire, Train a Real Estate ISA
Explained: What Is a Virtual Assistant?
RISMedia's ACESocial

Episode #44: 'Knowing What Investor You Want To Be'

Episode #45
Tanya Reu-Narvaez
Chief People Officer
Anywhere Real Estate

Overview

As the remote work culture that came about during the pandemic has become a permanent fixture in business, now, more than ever, real estate companies are trying to embrace the tech advancements of the past few years without losing the human side that has helped their brands thrive. 

On the latest episode of RISMedia’s RealEdge Podcast, Tanya Reu-Narvaez delves into the foundational pieces for developing a company culture that agents and brokers can embrace as the remote work trend becomes more entrenched throughout the industry. Drawing from her role in Anywhere Real Estate’s recent rebrand, she discusses how the real estate giant has fostered cross-brand company collaboration, drilling down into her mission to promote unity, diversity and inclusion as Anywhere’s chief people officer. 


On this week's episode, you'll learn:

1:17 - What does a chief people officer do?
2:24 - A 20-year career that began as an industry outsider
3:40 - How does one rebrand a “company of companies,” like Anywhere?
5:30 - What goes into creating an intentional, cross-brand company culture that resonates
9:26 - Successfully embracing the remote work trend 
12:13 - How to keep agents and teams motivated and cohesive in a “remote-first” environment
15:12 - The impact that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) have on the company and industry level   
21:27 - Why does DEI make business sense for agents and brokers now and in the future?
23:18 - Closing statements from Tanya 


About 

Tanya Reu-Narvaez serves as chief people officer for Anywhere Real Estate. Promoted to this role in January 2021, Reu-Narvaez is responsible for all aspects of the enterprise talent strategy, including talent acquisition, talent management and development, and all aspects of the employee experience, including diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), engagement and total rewards for the Company. She serves on the Anywhere Executive Committee and reports to Anywhere CEO Ryan Schneider.

Reu-Narvaez has served Anywhere (formerly Realogy) for 18 years. Before her role as chief people officer, she was senior vice president of Human Resources for the Brokerage Group and Franchise Group business units, which include franchise and company-owned brands such as Better Homes and Gardens®, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker®, Corcoran®, ERA® and Sotheby’s International Realty®. While in this role, she also held HR leadership responsibility for Anywhere’s core businesses and led a comprehensive, results-driven HR function that focused on strategic talent initiatives to drive business objectives.

In 2022, Realogy rebranded to Anywhere Real Estate, and Reu-Narvaez was at the forefront of that change, renovating the company’s culture to suit its new name and office space. With Anywhere as a hybrid work model/remote-first company, she developed strategies to keep a sense of camaraderie and a goal of growth on every team member’s mind, such as sharing her Winning Behaviors philosophy.


Links and Resources
About Tanya Reu-Narvaez
2023 Newsmakers Profile
Anywhere Real Estate Named a Forbes Best Employer for Diversity
Anywhere Real Estate, Inc. 
ACESocial
Ultimate Guide to Find, Hire, Train a Real Estate ISA
Explained: What Is a Virtual Assistant?
RISMedia's ACESocial

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