The RETSY Podcast

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt sit down with RETSY partner Jill Brenenstuhl, who has spent the last 21 years building one of Paradise Valley's most established luxury practices. Jill shares the story of her very first sale, a six million dollar estate she talked a hesitant buyer into seeing at 10:30 at night, a property worth 25 to 30 million today. She walks through lear...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris sits down with Brent Nardecchia of High Place Mortgage, a longtime RETSY partner and one of the go-to lenders for the brokerage's high-end agents, recorded for the first time out of High Place's new studio. Brent breaks down what he is actually seeing in the market right now, from a record breaking summer to buyers who have become largely numb to...

This week wraps up the two part market series with a look at the East and West Valley, starting with Mike and Heather Steck, RETSY's Southeast Valley specialists based in Morrison Ranch. They walk through why Gilbert is increasingly being called Arcadia 2.0, complete with the restaurant and retail wave bringing names like Perry's Steakhouse, Whole Foods, and Fogo de Chão to the area, along...

This week kicks off a special two-part series where Chris sits down with three of RETSY's top-performing agents to break down exactly what is happening in the neighborhoods they specialize in. Part one covers the higher-end price points, starting with Lisa Wescott in North Scottsdale, who talks about the wave of out-of-state buyers flying in and skipping straight to a purchase, including sever...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris sits down with Karen Tejada, a longtime friend and RETSY agent who also happens to be his neighbor up in Forest Highlands. Karen shares her path into real estate, from managing Liz Claiborne outlet stores and traveling across three states as a district manager, to selling her own home in California and realizing she could do the job better herself. She t...

Top 3 Takeaways: The "Water Bottle" Strategy: Marketing isn't just digital; it is the physical client experience. Chris and Darienne explain why RETSY gives away premium, custom-etched water bottles to their agents for free. Meeting a buyer at the door of an air-conditioned listing with a cold, branded water bottle creates an immediate psychological shift that keeps them in the house...

Top 3 Takeaways: The #1 Question Buyers Forget to Ask Builders: Clients always ask about timelines and design, but they rarely ask about financial stability. Austin warns that you must ask how your deposit is being handled, if project funds are commingled, and who does their accounting, to avoid the nightmare of a builder robbing Peter to pay Paul. The Power of the Geographic "Bubble": Rafterhouse...

Top 3 Takeaways: The "I Have E&O" Myth: Most agents think Errors & Omissions insurance covers everything. It doesn't. E&O routinely excludes cyber breaches, copyright infringement, fraud, and commission disputes. If your brokerage doesn't carry additional Cyber and D&O (Directors & Officers) policies, you are highly exposed. The "Rule of 3" for Vendo...

🔥 Top 3 Takeaways: What is a Fractional Estate Manager? It is the highly personal, concierge side of property management. Beth Henkleman handles everything from stocking private jets with perfectly wrapped Christmas gifts to managing staff, overseeing exotic car fleets, and handling high level asset inventories, giving her ultra wealthy clients their most valuable asset back: time. Dodging the &q...

🔥 Top 3 Takeaways: Reconnect With Your "Why": The foundation of the one-page business plan isn't the math; it is understanding the deep, personal reason you are working so hard. If you don't have a strong "why" (family, retirement, legacy), you will slip into cruise control the moment the market gets tough. Extreme Accountability Works: If you are falling behind on you...

🔥 Top 3 Takeaways Take the Ultimate Leap. Dylan walked away from a highly successful Director role at Dutch Bros corporate to move to Arizona with a baby on the way, crash at "Grandma Jean's" house, and pass the 90-hour real estate crash course in just 10 days. The Zillow Bootcamp. After a slow first 7 months, Dylan leaned heavily into a high-volume Zillow team. The sheer volume of phone calls, s...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt are joined by RETSY agent Jen Sheedy, who shares how her incredibly diverse career path perfectly prepared her for the world of luxury real estate. Jen discusses her early days working as a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines in the 1990s, where she learned the invaluable art of top-tier customer service, calming nerves, and de-escalation. S...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt sit down with developer, and acclaimed interior designer Erinn V. Erinn shares her incredible journey from growing up in a family of builders and architects to producing home decor books and styling segments for the Today Show. She opens up about launching her own Los Angeles-based furniture line, designing best-selling hardware collections for...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt welcome Andrew Turley of Phoenix Valuations, the go-to appraiser for ultra-luxury real estate in Arizona. Andrew breaks down the exact science and nuance behind appraising high-end homes, starting with the critical importance of an appraiser's "geographical competence." He reveals a shocking statistic from his own research: 35% of...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt sit down with RETSY agent Sandra Gaare to discuss her incredible transition from the corporate world to luxury real estate. Sandy shares the story of her 35-year career at Ticketmaster, where she served as the Executive Vice President of Retail Partnerships for North America. When the live entertainment industry halted during the COVID-19 pandem...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt sit down with RETSY agent and founder of Godsey Creative, Justin Godsey. Starting as an agent who realized the industry desperately needed a cinematic upgrade from basic "photo slideshows," Justin built a powerhouse digital agency that helps real estate professionals and businesses craft highly engaging, viral content. He breaks down t...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt sit down with RETSY "OG" and Morrison Team powerhouse, Steph Tarr. Steph shares her journey from growing up on the West side of Phoenix alongside Chris, to working as a medical marketing director, flipping her first house to pay off student loans, and eventually finding her true calling in real estate. Known for her fierce loyalty and...

It is official: The RETSY Podcast has hit the one-year mark with 52 episodes in the books! To celebrate, RETSY Partner Shawna Warner takes over the moderator seat to flip the script and interview Chris and Matt. The trio takes a trip down memory lane, swapping stories about their pre-real estate careers—from Matt busting ticket-scalping college professors as a fraud investigator for Discover Card,...

In this highly anticipated episode, Chris and Matt welcome back RETSY’s go-to voice for market economics, Bradley Opitz, for a massive deep dive into the macro-trends shaping the real estate market. Known for leading the economic updates on the weekly RETSY Rendezvous, Bradley breaks down the recent regime change at the Federal Reserve, explaining the critical differences between Jay Powell and ne...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt sit down with RETSY agent and renowned architectural designer Joel Contreras. Joel shares his unique journey from starting as a "starving artist" to becoming a loan officer and eventually merging his creative talents with real estate sales. He discusses his instrumental role in the Phoenix mid-century modern craze and how his ability t...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt are joined by Michael Jalbert, CEO of Forbes Global Properties, and Spencer Elliott, Content Manager. Recorded during their visit to Phoenix for the Forbes 30 Under 30 summit, this episode pulls back the curtain on one of the most exclusive networks in global real estate. Michael and Spencer dive into the origins of Forbes Global Properties, exp...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt are joined by Chadwic Gifford, RETSY agent and President of Catalyst House. Chadwic shares his unique entry into the world of real estate and development, which began with driving heavy machinery in a Colorado gravel pit at just ten years old. He breaks down his incredible career evolution, from flipping a house during a three-week college Chris...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt sit down with brand and content strategist Jaclyn Romo. Jaclyn shares her fascinating journey from launching a viral cosmetics brand and generating $100,000 in her first month using purely organic social media, to eventually partnering with Grant Cardone’s CMO and working alongside industry giants like Gary Vee and Ryan Serhant. Now, with 80% of...

In this episode of the RETSY Podcast, Chris and Matt sit down with Jay Josephs, one of the most respected and well-known appraisers in the Valley. With 35 years of experience, Jay pulls back the curtain on the often-misunderstood appraisal process. He shares his journey from struggling in the 10% interest rate mortgage era to finding his perfect niche as an appraiser, and breaks down why an apprai...

In this episode, Chris and Matt are joined by RETSY agent Kim Lowe, who shares how her formidable background in pharmaceutical sales and corporate contract negotiations laid the foundation for her thriving real estate business. Kim explains why treating real estate like a true corporation—complete with running SWOT analyses on her listings to perfectly understand buyer demographics—gives her a mas...