Real Estate Excellence

How does emotional intelligence give real estate agents an edge in guiding clients through one of life's most stressful decisions? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes sits down with Robyn McIntosh, a top-tier real estate professional with a rich background in psychology and insurance. Robyn opens up about her unexpected path from working catastrophe claims at State...

What if the people who doubted your dreams actually helped fuel your success? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes sits down with powerhouse realtor Rachel Hanes, a former educator turned top-producing real estate agent in Northeast Florida. Rachel shares her inspiring journey from a young mom with no laptop to a referral-based business owner dominating the Jacksonvi...

What if the secret to scaling your real estate business isn't leads—but relationships? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes welcomes back powerhouse Realtor Sarah Schwartz, who shares how she dominated her market with over $36 million in sales from 57 transactions—all while managing life as a mom, wife, and business owner. Sarah reveals the secrets behind her explosiv...

Are you missing out on 90% of your potential business because you're afraid to show your face on social media? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes welcomes Amy B. Cotney, a real estate powerhouse who's turned her authentic personality into a thriving brand online. With over 300,000 followers on Instagram and more than 1.3 million on TikTok, Amy breaks down the real...

Are you building a business that feels like you—or one you think people expect to see? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes welcomes powerhouse agent Dori Nugent, whose bold pivot from a 20-year fitness career to real estate during the pandemic has quickly made her a standout in Northeast Florida. Dori shares how her deep roots in client service, leadership, and auth...

What if the key to scaling your real estate career wasn't selling more—but letting go? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes sits down with Jonathan Lickstein, the award-winning COO of one of the nation's fastest-growing independent brokerages. From launching his career unexpectedly in Honduras to leading a 5,000-agent operation across six states, Jonathan reveals how...

Can mastering a niche early in your real estate career be the secret to selling million-dollar homes in your 20s? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes welcomes second-generation real estate agent Emma Horvatincic, a driven and self-made rising star specializing in equestrian properties in Northeast Florida. Emma shares her journey from growing up immersed in a busine...

Are you holding back your real estate growth because you're afraid to let go of control? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes sits down with the sharp and candid Sasha Tripp, founder of Story House Real Estate in Central Virginia. Sasha opens up about her journey from independent boutique brokerage owner to partnering with Real and Place to scale her operations witho...

Would you be willing to remove an organ just to escape your 9-to-5 and chase your dream? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes sits down with Drew Kazemba. Drew shares one of the most unconventional entries into real estate ever told—he voluntarily had his appendix removed to get time off work and take his real estate exam. Drew walks us through how he transitioned fr...

What would you risk—your career, your comfort, or your security—to build the life you really want? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes welcomes Karen Saez. Karen shares her incredible journey from corporate recruiting at Deutsche Bank to owning a bar and eventually finding her true passion in real estate. As a bilingual advisor and former military spouse, Karen brin...

What if the key to succeeding in the luxury real estate market isn't flash or fame—but quiet consistency and old-school relationship-building? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with luxury real estate veteran Michael Curet, a former pro tennis writer turned top-tier coastal agent. With nearly three decades in the game, Michael shares how he transitioned f...

What does it really take to lead one of Manhattan's most iconic brokerages through a historic acquisition while preserving its soul and scaling its influence? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes sits down with Kevelyn Guzman, a visionary leader who took a 100-year-old boutique Manhattan brokerage through a transformative acquisition by Coldwell Banker. She opens up...

What if the secret to your real estate breakthrough isn't a better market... but a better mindset? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes welcomes Kaitlin Chernyshov. Kaitin shares how she went from uncertainty and switching seven brokerages to becoming one of Northeast Florida's top-producing agents. Despite working in what headlines call the worst real estate market...

Are you just buying a house, or are you investing in a lifestyle that matches your future? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes welcomes former middle school math teacher turned real estate agent, Jamie McLaughlin. Jamie shares her inspiring journey from the classroom to becoming a trusted realtor in St. Johns County, Florida. With deep roots in the community and a t...

What would change if you stopped chasing one off flips and rebuilt a real business that runs without you? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes sits down with Tiffany High. Tiffany lays out how she left a demanding corporate path to be present for family, stumbled into flipping, then scaled from 40 flips in year one to a virtual operation closing 20 plus deals a month...

What do buyers and sellers really need an agent for, beyond opening doors and filling forms   In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down Maria Raymer. Maria's journey from a young agent who questioned her value to a market leader known for straight talk and service. She explains how treating people with honesty and investing real time in them creates momentum that...

What bold move would you make if you knew your entire team's future was on the line? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes sits down with Corey Hasting for his third appearance — this time unveiling the biggest pivot of his career. At just 27, Corey launched a boutique Engel & Völkers franchise in Jacksonville Beach and scaled it into five thriving offices with 138 ag...

What would change in your business if you treated time as your most valuable commodity and priced every hour accordingly? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes sits down with luxury agent and team leader Gail DeMarco. Gail drops the polite filter and lays out how she built a near billion in lifetime sales by staying lean, obsessing over data, and designing a brand tha...

What if the key to scaling your real estate business isn't selling more homes, but learning how to delegate smarter? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Jamie Hallman, founder of Consider It Closed and a powerhouse in the world of transaction coordination. Jamie shares her fascinating journey from working as a registered dietitian to traveling the worl...

Are you running a business or just duct taping one together? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Lauren Duke. Lauren is the founder and CEO of Core Ops Collective, to unpack how she went from military spouse and hairdresser to running operations for one of the nation's top real estate teams—closing over 3000 transactions and opening 21 expansion locati...

Are you truly listening to clients or just waiting to ask your next question? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes welcomes Shannon Messina. Shannon brings a kinetic blend of New York grit and Florida community savvy. In this conversation she unpacks how fitness and training shaped her sales engine, why relationships beat cold prospecting, and how themed open houses...

Are you building a website that answers your ideal client's real questions or a brochure that only talks about you? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes welcomes Real Estate Tomato founder Jim Cronin. Jim breaks down how agents win online today by pairing deeply targeted websites with consistently updated, authority rich content. Long tail questions drive discovery,...

What does it really take to thrive as a real estate professional when the market collapses and short sales dominate? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes welcomes Jacksonville native and seasoned agent Ethan Gregory, who has averaged 50+ transactions annually for over two decades. Ethan shares how he entered the industry after graduating from the University of Florid...

If rejection is the price of success, how many "no's" are you willing to endure before you get your breakthrough "yes"? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes sits down with powerhouse agent, author, and YouTube influencer Kati Spaniak. From her beginnings in photography and graphic design to building a half-billion-dollar sales career, Kati shares the pivotal moments...

What does it really take to thrive in real estate for nearly three decades through every market shift imaginable? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast,  Tracy Hayes sits down with Clay County real estate icon Eden Jordan. With 27 years of experience, over 800 families served, and countless agents mentored, Eden shares a candid look at the grit, adaptability, and strategic thinking...