Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered

Is the future of the MLS one giant national database or something much smarter? Bright MLS CEO Brian Donnellan joins Keith Robinson to explain why he believes consolidation is necessary, but a single national MLS would be a mistake. They unpack the economics driving mergers, the importance of scale, the Compass partnership everyone was talking about, and why the industry needs to evolve without lo...

After interviewing nearly 50 of the top real estate agents in America, one lesson kept coming up over and over again. Success isn't built on hacks. It's built on consistency. In this special episode, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson become the guests as they unpack the biggest lessons they've learned from six months of conversations with the industry's best. From mastering boring daily habits to...

What happens when the CEO of real estate's most recognizable media brand says he's trying to stop being just a media company?   In this episode, Keith Robinson sits down with Inman's new CEO, Tom Bohn, to discuss his vision for transforming Inman from a news outlet into an indispensable business platform for real estate professionals. They also dive into AI, leadership, journalism, industry disrup...

The biggest negotiation mistake in real estate has nothing to do with price. It has everything to do with ego. In this episode, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Lisa Lippman, Brown Harris Stevens' top-producing Manhattan broker for 11 consecutive years, to discuss why great negotiators remove their own emotions from the transaction, what luxury real estate is really like, and why hu...

What happens when consumer advocates, real estate researchers, and industry leaders sit down to debate commissions, referral fees, private listings, and market concentration?   A conversation that's guaranteed to challenge your assumptions.   In this episode, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson welcome Stephen Brobeck and Wendy Gilch from the Consumer Policy Center to discuss three controversial rep...

Most agents spend their careers trying to avoid difficult transactions.   Megan Oh built an entire business around them.   In this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Megan Oh, a Certified Divorce Real Estate Expert (CDRE), to explore one of the most overlooked niches in real estate: helping clients navigate divorce-related property sales. Wh...

Consumers trust real estate agents with some of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. So why is public trust in the industry declining? In this episode, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Samson Properties CEO Donny Samson to discuss the growing credibility problem facing real estate. From private listing networks and industry infighting to confusing rules, lawsuits, and con...

Real estate agents are great at helping clients build wealth.   So why are so many terrible at building their own?   In this episode, James and Keith sit down with financial advisor, author, and investor Andrew McNair to talk about one of the biggest challenges facing the industry: retirement planning. From commission income and lifestyle inflation to investing, diversification, and financial disc...

What happens when a state decides private listing networks have gone too far? In this episode, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Washington REALTORS CEO Nathan Gorton and 2026 President Ryan Beckett to break down SB 6091, the new Washington law that's already sending shockwaves through the real estate industry. The conversation dives into why the bill was created, how it impacts priv...

What happens when relentless ambition becomes its own addiction? In this raw and deeply personal episode, James and Keith sit down with luxury real estate powerhouse Shelton Wilder to discuss the highs and lows that shaped her career and life. Shelton opens up about bankruptcy, sobriety, Shark Tank, entrepreneurship, and the lessons she learned from rebuilding everything from the ground up. She sh...

What if one of the most important rules in real estate no longer makes sense? In this episode, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Howard Hanna CEO Hoby Hanna for a candid conversation about listing data, MLSs, private listing networks, and the future of IDX. From industry consolidation to broker control and consumer access, Hoby challenges some of the assumptions that have shaped real...

Real estate school teaches you how to pass a test. It doesn't teach you how to survive rejection, generate leads, manage emotions, or build an actual business. In this episode, James and Keith sit down with Kate Tofuri and Alli Trowbridge, co-authors of What Real Estate School Didn't Teach You, to unpack the huge gap between getting licensed and becoming successful. From mindset and consistency to...

Most real estate tech companies aren't actually companies. They're features.   In this episode, James and Keith sit down with Lone Wolf CEO Matt Fischer to talk about why the current real estate tech stack is fragmented, inefficient, and overdue for consolidation.   Coming from outside the industry, Matt shares what shocked him most about residential real estate; and why AI is about to eliminate m...

The Zillow vs. MRED fight just went public and agents are stuck in the middle. In this episode, James and Keith sit down with top Chicago broker Tommy Choi, who also serves on the board of MRED, to unpack what's really happening behind the headlines. From private listing networks and Zillow's policy changes to agent branding, MLS consolidation, and the future of listing access, this conversation g...

What's really happening behind the scenes at Redfin, Rocket, and the growing battle over private listings?   In this episode of Real Estate Insiders Unfiltered, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Joe Rath, Head of Industry Relations at Rocket and a longtime Redfin leader, for one of the most candid conversations yet about where the industry is heading next.   Joe pulls back the curtai...

What happens when a former cannabis entrepreneur gets raided by U.S. Marshals… then becomes one of the top real estate team leaders in California?   You get one of the wildest origin stories we've ever had on this show.   In this episode, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Suneet Agarwal, President of Reside, to unpack how he went from losing everything to building one of the highest-...

What happens when your brokerage grows, but your business doesn't? In this episode, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Sean Soderstrom, CEO of Courted, to break down one of the most eye-opening reports in the industry. The data shows a hard truth: many brokerages are losing more production than they're gaining. Even while agent counts go up. From agent movement to recruiting strategie...

What if everything you've been told about running a real estate business is backwards? In this episode, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Chris Watters, CEO of Waters International Realty, to break down a brokerage model that flips the industry on its head. Low splits. High structure. Massive support. Chris shares how his team closes hundreds of deals a year by removing nearly everyt...

This isn't a rumor. It's happening. In this episode, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with eXp CEO Leo Pareja to break down one of the biggest moves in real estate right now: eXp acquiring NextHome. From how the deal came together to what it means for agents, franchise owners, and the industry at large; this is a candid, unfiltered conversation straight from the people behind it. They ad...

What if the real problem in this industry is how many brokerages exist? In this episode, James and Keith sit down with Jesse Garcia, founder of Maverick Real Estate, to talk about what most people won't say out loud. After building a financial operating system used by brokerages, Jesse got a behind-the-scenes look at how many actually operate and why some probably shouldn't. They break down what a...

Private listings are one of the most debated topics in real estate right now. But are they innovation or manipulation? In this episode, James and Keith sit down with Robert Palmer, CEO of LPT Realty, to unpack the growing tension around private listings, industry consolidation, and competing worldviews across the market. Robert breaks down why he believes private listings are being "weaponized," w...

What if the best mortgage option for your client isn't a new loan? In this episode, James and Keith sit down with Ryan Thomson, aka "The Assumable Guy", to break down one of the most overlooked opportunities in real estate: assumable mortgages. These loans have been around for decades, but most agents, lenders, and buyers have completely forgotten they exist. Ryan explains how buyers can take over...

For years, agents controlled the information. Listings. Data. Access. That job is gone. In this episode, James and Keith sit down with Jerimiah Taylor, CEO of BrokerBot, to talk about what AI is actually changing and what it isn't. Because while AI is making information faster, cheaper, and more accessible than ever… It's also exposing a hard truth: If your value is just access to information, you...

Everyone keeps asking the same question: are mortgage rates going back to 3%? According to NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun, don't count on it. In this episode, James and Keith sit down with Dr. Yun to break down what's really happening in the economy; from inflation and national debt to oil prices, global conflict, and consumer confidence. They unpack why rates are likely to stay higher than...

What happens when a brokerage doesn't trust its own numbers? In this episode, James Dwiggins and Keith Robinson sit down with Sasha Hryciuk and Tracy Simmons of Loft47 to unpack a quiet but massive issue in real estate: most brokerages don't have accurate or trusted financials. From broken back office systems to duplicate data entry and unreliable reporting, they explain why this problem is more c...