Keys with the House Lady

In this episode of Keys with The House Lady , I sit down with Aarica L. Coleman, President & CEO of Land Bank Twin Cities, to talk about the powerful work their organization is doing across the Twin Cities to create equitable access to housing and community ownership. We discuss how Land Bank Twin Cities helps bridge gaps in real estate development, supports neighborhoods impacted by disinvest...

A major opportunity just hit Ramsey County—and it could change the game for first-time and first-generation homebuyers. In this special immediate-release episode , Estrella Carter (Realtor & Certified Home Stager, The House Lady ) sits down with trusted lender Lance Elliott of Frandsen Bank & Trust to break down the newly released down payment assistance program offering up to $90,000 . Th...

In this episode of Keys with The House Lady , Estrella Carter sits down with a mortgage lender to unpack the truth about down payment assistance, and why it’s far more powerful than many buyers realize. Together, they break down programs offered through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA), including who qualifies, how the programs work, and why the outdated stigma around DPA is holding buy...

In this episode of Keys with The House Lady , I sit down with leaders from Build Wealth MN to talk about what building wealth really looks like in our communities. We dive into the 9000 Equities Initiative, access to homeownership, and the real barriers many people face when trying to move from renting to owning. This conversation is about more than real estate - it’s about education, opportunity,...

Once your offer is accepted, the real work begins. In this episode, Realtor and Certified Home Stager Estrella Carter sits down with Title Executive Emily Zeid to break down the real estate closing process step by step. If you’re buying or selling a home this year, you’ll learn: • What a title company actually does • What “clear title” means • The real estate closing timeline from contract to sign...

What does “home” really mean? In this episode of Keys with the House Lady , Estrella Carter sits down with a powerful mother–daughter duo who made the bold decision to live off the grid in a tiny home and redefine what comfort, stability, and success look like on their own terms. As Black women choosing an unconventional housing path, their journey challenges traditional expectations around owners...

In this episode, Estrella Carter sits down with title experts from Burnet Title to break down what truly helps agents serve their clients with clarity and confidence. Susan Morissette shares the tools, apps, and systems that help realtors generate leads, stay organized, and create a smoother client experience, while closer Juliana takes us behind the scenes to demystify the closing process and exp...

Pause Before You Wire: How to Protect Your Money at the Closing Table Wire fraud is one of the fastest-growing threats in real estate—and scammers are getting smarter, faster, and more convincing, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence. In this episode of Keys with the House Lady , host Estrella Carter sits down with Emily Zeid, Closing Account Executive at Burnet Title, to break down...

In this episode of Keys with the House Lady , we uncover one of the most powerful yet underused resources available to today’s buyers: Down Payment Assistance . I’m joined by Tammy Wagner of Movement Mortgage for an eye-opening conversation about how DPA works, who it can help, and why so many people don’t even realize they qualify. We break down the myths, the benefits, and the real numbers behin...

In this episode of Keys with the House Lady , Estrella Carter breaks down Minnesota’s proposed 2026 property tax increases and explains the Truth-in-Taxation notice that many homeowners are receiving this month. Estrella walks you through: • What the proposed tax notice really means • Why property taxes are increasing across Minnesota • How the Homestead Market Value Exclusion works • The differen...

In this special Hispanic Heritage Month episode of Keys to Real Estate with The House Lady , Estrella Carter sits down with trusted loan officer Pedro to talk about the intersection of culture, community, and financial empowerment. They discuss what buyers can do right now to prepare for homeownership in the new year, how to strengthen their financial profile before spring, and why representation...

In this special Hispanic Heritage Month episode, Estrella Carter sits down with her mom, Nina — a proud Mexican American woman from Minnesota — to talk about family, culture, and legacy. Together they reflect on generations of Latina women who built wealth, owned property, and created community through faith, hard work, and love.

In this first episode of Keys to Real Estate with the House Lady , I sit down with Claudia to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and explore the powerful connection between heritage, homeownership, and community. We dive into the history of Hispanic homeownership in the U.S. and Minnesota — the progress made, the challenges that remain, and the unique strengths that make Latino families one of the...

Realtor & Stager Estrella Carter shares how she stands apart in Minnesota’s real estate market—helping families avoid foreclosure, guiding first-time buyers with down payment assistance, and fighting to close the homeownership gap in the Black community.