Welcome to the Top Podcast

Local, State, and National REALTOR® Associations are led by some of the best real estate agents in the business. The leadership at the Collin County Association of REALTORS® (CCAR) is no exception. In this episode you will get to know CCAR President Marissa Benat, President-Elect Shana Acquisto and Secretary/Treasurer Jamuna Thill, learn why they continue to serve at the Association, and hear thei...

Are your client gifts worth the money? Listen in as REALTORS® discuss their different approaches to gift giving and how they get the most bang for their buck. 

Effective February 1, 2022 changes to the Texas Real Estate Inspector Standards of Practice will be mandatory for all inspections. Listen in as Lee Warren, Chairman of the Texas Real Estate Commission's Inspector Committee , talks about what is changing, why the changes were made, and how real estate agents will notice the changes. 

On this episode, we take a closer look at the impact REALTORS® have on their community with Brandon Hern, President of the North Texas REALTORS® in Action Foundation. Listen to learn how far $5 can go.

Are you tired of writing offer after offer only to have your buyer lose out on their dream home? It doesn't have to be that way.  Listen in as top producing agents Brad Benat and Melissa Hailey discuss how they consistently get their buyers to the closing table. 

This week Charles Kramer of Hunter & Kramer, P.C. visits the podcast to discuss all things Seller's Disclosure, a form that can have big consequences. Listen in to make sure you have the correct people completing the right form at the right time with all of the required information.

Take 10 minutes to learn how to take the scare out of tax season. On this episode of Welcome to the Top, Jennifer Grammer, CPA at Whitleypenn, explains how agents can prepare for tax season, how much to put aside from each commission check, what expenses can be written off, how to calculate business mileage, how long to keep receipts, and what you can do to prepare for an audit. 

Did you know that being a REALTOR® means you are at a higher risk of being a victim of crime? It’s true. In this week's episode of Welcome to the Top, Officer Christopher Bianez talks about what safety practices you can implement to reduce your risk and make it back home to those you love. 

There is a lot going on in politics today, but that does not mean REALTOR®  supported legislation is neglected. Hear which REALTOR® and private property issues were at the forefront of the 87th Texas Legislative Session.

Why do associations exist? Are you a member of all three? How do they work together? What happens when they disagree?  Listen as Marvin Jolly, chairman of Texas REALTORS® answers those questions and more on this week's episode of Welcome to the Top. 

Come sit at the table with real estate pros Marissa Benat, CCAR President-Elect, and Ron Leach, CCAR President, as they discuss how the pandemic has changed what buyers look for in a home, and what changes they think are sticking around. 

Real estate professionals have a special role to play in the fight for fair housing, are you ready?    In this episode of Welcome to the Top, NAR President Elect Leslie Rouda Smith discusses implicate bias, wealth gaps, systemic segregation, and the role REALTORS® play in the fight for fair housing. 

Property Managers faced unpredicted challenges during the pandemic. Listen to hear how maintenance requests were adapted, communication with clients increased, where property managers got their information, and what changes will be sticking around. 

Why are homes prices continuing to rise and when will they go back down? Luis Torres, Research Economist at the Texas Real Estate Research Center at Texas A&M, tackles these questions and more on this episode of Welcome to the Top.

What is the Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) Program? Why was it created and how do real estate professionals benefit from the program? Listen as Hagan Stone, 2019 NAR Commitment to Excellence (C2EX) Committee Chair, provides these answers and more.

Do you know about Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®), the comprehensive data platform made available to you by the National Association of REALTORS®? Listen now to learn about RPR® and the nationwide data available at your fingertips. 

The pandemic put into hyper-speed the adoption of remote notarization technology.  Listen as Kernard Jones, Government Affairs Analyst at Notarize, dives into the details of the new technology.  

On this episode of Welcome to the Top, Kelly Milligan, Vice President/Dallas Area Counsel at Chicago Title, discusses how real estate agents can avoid accidently practicing law and how to deal with a client who asks you to go beyond your expertise. 

Hear how NAR is playing a pivotal role in tech startups across the globe, its vision for the future, and its take on disruptors with Ashley Stinson, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at Second Century Ventures. 

Video marketing has become the number one tool in the marketing toolbox.  But what does that mean for you?  Listen in as Cristina Schaefer, Director of Social Media at HAR, discusses video marketing's impact, how to get started, and what kind of response you should expect. 

Homeowner's associations protect the property value of your largest asset. But do they improperly restrict rights of the property owner? Listen as State Representative Jeff Leach and REALTOR® Mike Mansfield discuss past and future legislation around HOAs, the merit of HOAs, and when they go too far.

This week Scott Kesner, Chair of the Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC), joins the podcast to discuss continuing education (CE). Learn why continuing education is important, how to plan your CE, and the biggest misconception surrounding CE. 

Do you know how to use social media to generate and capture leads? Is done better than perfect? Listen as Amber Joy with Influential Agent breaks down what you need to know to build a strong online presence that keeps you top of mind.

Cindi Bulla did not envision a pandemic as part of her 2020 Texas REALTORS® Chairman tenure. How did she lead the real estate industry through a challenging year? Listen to find out.

When did discussion of changes to Article 10 of the Realtor Code of Ethics begin? What did the process of deliberation look like, and why were the changes needed?  Listen as Leigh York, 2020 Chair of NAR's Professional Standards Interpretations and Procedures Advisory Board, answers these questions and more.