Real Estate Called Out

Content warning: sexual harassment, assault, sex trafficking, and child exploitation mentioned in this episode. We were going to take the week off. Then our inbox had other plans. This episode is about one thing: powerful people in real estate who abuse, harass, and exploit — and an industry that keeps protecting them. From a state association CEO with a civil trial on the horizon and allegations...

Pocket listings. Private exclusives. Coming soon. Off-market. Whatever they're calling it this week, the industry has spent years telling sellers that keeping their home out of public view is somehow for their benefit.   In this episode, we call that out. We break down how private listing strategies turned your home into bait for brokerage marketing machines, how the "historic alliance&q...

Welcome to Real Estate Called Out, formerly The Real Estate Replay. New name, sharper focus, and zero patience for the corporate spin that passes for real estate news every single week. For our first episode, we're starting with a good one. Opendoor's CEO jumped on social media to announce 30-year fixed mortgages at 4.99%, nearly a full point below market rate, no points, no upfront fees...

What happens when a Silicon Valley company offers homeowners $50 Amazon gift cards to submit favorable testimony to a state legislature, and doesn't disclose it? I watched it happen in real time. In this episode, I'm telling the full story of the day I drove 3.5 hours to the Pennsylvania State Capitol to testify in support of HB 2120, a bill that would require home equity investments (HE...

Welcome to 2026!  Before we make any resolutions about doing better, let's talk about all the real estate ish that needs to stay in 2025. This episode is your complete guide to everything we're leaving behind: coaches still denying the NAR settlement mattered, agents going viral for steering content and threatening critics, companies creating fake AI testimonials, RESPA violations dresse...

Special Episode! Between July and September 2025, we did something crazy: we pretended to be homebuyers and called 281 real estate agents across 26 cities to see what they're ACTUALLY telling consumers about commissions post-settlement. The NAR settlement was supposed to introduce price competition and transparency. So what happened? In this special one-off episode, I break down what we found...

In this episode, we sit down with David Friend , who spent over a decade at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from the recovery for the market crash through 2022. Think the CFPB is a regulatory monster killing innovation? That's exactly what certain billionaire tech leaders want you to believe, because consumer protection tends to get in the way of "moving fast and breaking...

We're Back!  Did you miss us? In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Sam Koppelman, Publisher of Hunterbrook Media, to discuss their groundbreaking investigative work exposing some of the biggest names in real estate. Sam takes us inside their investigations into DR Horton and Lennar's construction nightmares, where new homebuyers discovered serious defects in properties they thou...

Buckle up!   This episode is part consumer warning, part investigative rundown, and part Wendy's personal bitch session (you’ve been warned). After tracking more than 30 companies using fake testimonials, undisclosed paid actors, and shady lead generation tactics, Wendy went full watchdog: reporting them to state AGs, the FTC, and even someone high up at TikTok... only to be met with the bure...

It’s a solo episode today—just me, a mic, and a whole lot of truth bombs.  I was in such a rush to push this out, that I even forgot to add the teaser and closer.   In a way, I am doing you a favor and saving you a few minutes (getting right to the point)! We’re diving deep into pocket listings ; what they are, who’s pushing them, and why they’re suddenly everywhere. Spoiler alert: it’s not about...

Quick cash, no interest, no monthly payments—sounds like a sweet deal, right? Wrong. In this episode of Real Estate REPlay , Wendy Gilch teams up with her no-nonsense lender BFF, Chelle Prunkel, to call BS on the slick marketing behind Home Equity Agreements (HEAs). These so-called “loan alternatives” might sound like a dream, but spoiler alert: they’re a nightmare waiting to happen. From shady eq...

What was supposed to be a week off took an unexpected turn after a Reddit post about a buyer asking their real estate agent some simple, reasonable questions left me frustrated—and fired up. Why? Because some agents don’t like being held accountable or challenged by informed buyers. Spoiler alert: That’s their problem, not yours! In this episode, we’re diving into why it’s essential for homebuyers...

In this episode of Real Estate REPlay , we unravel the chaos surrounding the latest commission settlement with special guest Summer Goralik , a real estate compliance consultant and former California Department of Real Estate investigator. Summer has spent years helping agents and brokers navigate complex rules, and she’s here to shed light on why no one seems to know exactly what they should be d...

What’s on the horizon for homebuyers and sellers in 2025?  Spoiler: It’s a mix of opportunity, challenges, and the same old industry antics. In this casual episode, we’re breaking it all down with the help of Fred Glick, a non-traditional broker and founder of Arrivva, who likes to shake things up in real estate. We dive into the murky waters of dual agency (and why you should run the other way),...

The real estate industry is at a tipping point. On one side, you have agents clinging to old commission practices, refusing to adapt to a changing landscape (Group B Agents). On the other, forward-thinking agents are paving the way for transparency, fairness, and a better deal for their clients (Group A Agents). But while this battle unfolds, it’s the consumers—and ethical agents—who are taking th...

Unlock the secrets behind the ongoing tug-of-war between the Department of Justice and the National Association of Realtors that could redefine the real estate landscape. Discover why some real estate agents are buzzing with the idea that Donald Trump might swoop in to change the game while we bust those myths and reveal why change is inevitable, no matter who holds office. This episode promises t...

Did you know there’s a hidden middleman in many real estate transactions, sometimes taking a bigger cut of your appraisal fee than the appraiser doing the work?  In this episode, Wendy Gilch and seasoned appraiser Joshua Tucker reveal the lesser-known world of Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs). While most buyers don’t realize they exist, these third-party companies were initially set up to kee...

Unlock the secrets behind "free" refinancing your mortgage with insights from Chelle Prunkel, an experienced licensed lender. Navigate the murky waters of "no-cost" refinancing and understand the true costs and benefits of various refinancing options. Whether you're curious about rate and term adjustments, cash-out refinancing, or specialized loans like the 203H for disast...

Prepare to uncover the truth about your financial protection and what the future holds for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) as we edge closer to the 2024 election. Why does it matter who funds the CFPB, and how could these political decisions impact your wallet? Join Wendy Gilch, in this special episode of the Real Estate Replay, where we promise you'll gain insights into the t...

Ever feel like there's something more to those "free" real estate platforms? We're revealing the truth behind agent referral systems and the hidden costs they bury. In this episode, journey with us as we question the standard commission rates, challenge the lack of transparency in the referral process, and share our own practice of recommending agents without expecting a fee. ...

New Data In 10 (or less) episode!    Peel back the curtain on real estate's shadowy corners with us, as we expose the truth about industry practices that could be dipping into your pocket without you even blinking an eye.    This episode brings you a raw look at the iBuyerss.   As they make their way back to the market with big marketing dollars to spend, it's important that you understa...

If you are thinking of buying a home this year, you need to listen to this episode! In light of the many antitrust lawsuits floating through the court system, the messaging now being pushed to agents is to get a buyer broker agreement signed with their client ASAP.   Unfortunately, most of these broker agreements are not "pro-consumer," even though the industry loves to throw that term a...

There is a hidden side of the real estate industry that we like to call the "underbelly."   The underbelly is where all the bad stuff is hidden from consumers and rarely discussed.  Those that do discuss the "underbelly" are typically discarded, ousted, or avoided. When we saw Preston Kincaid's recent videos on his experience with the real estate underbelly, we knew he wou...

The many antitrust lawsuit that have hit the court system recently have created the idea that “big tech “is going to replace real estate agents.     But if that’s possible, we need to understand how much they currently make off of real estate agents (that you don’t see). This episode features Florida real estate broker, Matt Wheatley, and covers the models of some of these big businesses, the impa...

Back in June, Rob Hahn joined our podcast to explain the three anti-trust lawsuits that were floating through the court system.    A lot has changed since then, including $5 billion in damages that is sitting in front of a judge to decide if that amount is fair and just.      That $5 billion is just one of the now four cases in the system (with likely many to follow). With so many changes in so li...