It's Closing Time

What do woodwork and software engineering have in common? More than you might think! On this episode of It's Closing Time, RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli sits down with Santanu Baru, CTO at VESTAPLUS Software Solutions, to explore the parallels between craftsmanship and coding. Born in India, Santanu brings a wealth of experience from telecom to hospitality, emphasizing one key principle across industries: understanding real needs and solving real problems. Tune in to hear insights on staying connected with your customers, building solutions that truly help, and why the best technology—like the best craftsmanship—starts with the user in mind.

In this engaging episode of It's Closing Time, Michael Lucarelli and Bill Andrews Jr. host Bill Andrews Sr., a seasoned veteran in the real estate industry. They explore Bill Sr.'s journey from the early days of technology in real estate to his current consulting ventures. The discussion highlights the evolution of the MLS, the importance of mentorship, and the challenges faced by the industry today. Bill shares anecdotes from his career, including celebrity encounters and the significance of networking in a close-knit industry. The episode concludes with insights on navigating the changing landscape of real estate and the value of relationships built over time.

In this episode of 'It's Closing Time,' host Michael Lucarelli is joined by colleague Bill Andrews and Eben Moran of Stellar MLS to discuss the evolving landscape of real estate, the importance of understanding agent perspectives, and the role of MLS services in supporting agents and brokers. Eben shares his journey in real estate, from his beginnings to his current role at Stellar MLS, emphasizing the significance of collaboration and customer engagement. The conversation also touches on industry trends, the impact of technology, and the future of the rental market.

In this episode of It's Closing Time, RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli speaks with Greg Robertson, founder of Giant Steps Advisors, co-creator of Vendor Alley, and co-founder of W+R Studios. Greg shares his experiences in the real estate technology space, his thoughts on starting new ventures, and navigating today's challenging environment.

In this episode of It's Closing Time, host Michael Lucarelli, CEO of RentSpree, interviews Brian Donnellan, CEO of Bright MLS, covering key insights and predictions: How tech companies and an extended buyer's market have shaped the industry over the past year Resistance to and adaptation of inevitable changes The complexity of forming Bright MLS How innovative projects like Redistribute and Nestfully are designed to return value to brokers How buyers' agents could see increased commissions in 2025 following new rule changes this year

In this episode of "It's Closing Time," RentSpree CEO and host Michael Lucarelli speaks with Richard Haggerty, CEO of OneKey® MLS about the merger that created New York's largest multiple listing service. The conversation also touches on Richard's induction into the National Association of Realtors Political Action Committee (RPAC) Hall of Fame, highlighting the importance of advocacy for associations and MLSs. The conversation touches on the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and ongoing fair housing education. Richard shares his approach to building a strong executive team and talks about his initial skepticism toward AI, which was changed after a practical demo. Lastly, he notes a significant post-Covid increase in rental inventory, with a focus on supporting rental agents in a high-interest rate environment.

In this episode of "It's Closing Time," RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli explores the digital transformation of an MLS with Brad Bjelke, CEO of UtahRealEstate.com. Brad discusses how UtahRealEstate.com differentiates itself with innovative technology and a startup mentality, focusing on niche market needs and rapid adaptation. Brad underscores the importance of staying customer-centric amidst technological evolution, highlighting the ongoing entrepreneurial spirit driving MLS innovation.

In this episode of "It's Closing Time," RentSpree CEO and host Michael Lucarelli speaks with seasoned real estate professional Gene Millman, CEO of REColorado, the state's largest multiple listing service. Transitioning from a banking career, he embraced the entrepreneurial spirit, guided by family influence, and ventured into real estate. Starting as one of the youngest hires, he emphasized exceptional client service over sales numbers. Over the next two decades, he evolved from practitioner to office manager, eventually founding his own company. His passion for the MLS led to a variety of influential roles, ultimately culminating in his current position. Through his story, he shares insights on leadership, industry challenges, and the importance of staying connected with customers.      

In this episode of It's Closing Time, RentSpree CEO and host Michael Lucarelli sits down with David Casarez, CEO of Greater McAllen Association of REALTORS. David shares how to get into the real estate business and how he leveraged his diverse skill set as a licensed electrician to get started. David emphasizes the importance of networking, marketing, and approaching real estate with a business mindset, highlighting his organization's ability to stay profitable during the pandemic. He discusses his focus on improving the real estate MLS system, including international partnerships, and touches on the important opportunity in the rental market. 

In this episode of It's Closing Time, RentSpree CEO and host Michael Lucarelli sits down with Art Carter, CEO of CRMLS, one of the largest multiple listing services in the country. With a focus on meeting consumer needs through technological advancement in the real estate industry, Art discusses how MLSs are evolving to cater to agents and also directly to consumers, emphasizing the importance of user-friendly technology in today's market. Art advocates for swift change in the real estate industry, recognizing the necessity of keeping pace with technological advancements. He aims to empower MLSs by ensuring they have a stake in the PropTech game, thus giving them the power to shape the industry's future.

In this episode of It's Closing Time, RentSpree CEO and host Michael Lucarelli interviews Merri Jo Cowen, CEO of Stellar MLS, the largest multiple listing service in Florida and Puerto Rico and the third largest in the US, representing over 84,000 members. With over 40 years of experience in real estate, Merri Jo shares insights into her career journey and the pivotal moments that shaped her leadership style. She emphasizes Stellar MLS's commitment to customer service and fostering an inclusive, value-driven culture within the organization. Merri Jo discusses the importance of stakeholder engagement, highlighting the integration of shareholder associations into decision-making processes and the emphasis on education for board members. She also underscores the significance of MLS data in the real estate marketplace and the potential for international expansion. Despite challenges such as legal complexities, Merri Jo advocates for proactive adaptation and forward momentum in the industry.

In this latest podcast episode of It's Closing Time, Michael Lucarelli, CEO of RentSpree, speaks with Jeremy Crawford, President and CEO of First Multiple Listing Service, one of the largest MLSs in North America and the largest in the state of Georgia. The two delve into the impact of COVID-19 on the real estate market, showcasing the rise of medium-term rentals and challenges such as increasing mortgage insurance premiums. The interview also touches on the potential of decreased agent interest but a greater embrace of technology, including automation and diversification of income sources. The conversation also explores the importance of balancing affordability and wealth-building in homeownership and insights into the role of AI in real estate and its potential to enhance efficiency and accessibility for agents and consumers alike.  

In this lively podcast episode, Michael Lucarelli, CEO of RentSpree, and Jason Jakus, a Florida real estate broker, delve into the real estate market, discussing Jason's insights, educational emphasis, and the emotional aspects of transactions. They tackle the booming Florida real estate scene, spotlighting increased rentals amid population growth and escalating home prices. Jason underscores the ongoing client connection, revealing the triumphs and challenges faced during the tumultuous fourth quarter 2020 to June 2022 market period, emphasizing the vital role of follow-ups and effective communication in client relationships.

In this episode, Michael Lucarelli sits down with Scott Saporito, Realtor at Coldwell Banker One and President of ROAM MLS, a combination of several existing MLSs in Louisiana. The conversation revolves around the real estate market in the state, including rental rates that have risen in lockstep with other housing costs and the reasons why. During the conversation, Scott also explains the reasoning behind the rising number of mergers within the MLS segment, and how rentals turned into an important and lucrative part of his client relationships early on in his career.  

In this episode, Michael Lucarelli sits down with Jake Hamilton, Chief of Staff at Lone Wolf Technologies, an end-to-end real estate software suite for brokerages and agents. The conversation revolves around the potential of AI in the real estate industry and its practical applications, including speeding up research, extracting critical information from lengthy documents, and streamlining work processes without sacrificing originality and creativity. The two men also talk about the potential of technological integration in the workflow of real estate agents to improve efficiency. Finally, Jake provides a sneak peak of Lone Wolf's future offerings, including next-gen back office tech and a unified platform experience. 

In this episode, Michael Lucarelli sits down with Mike Price, currently the Director of Marketing at Relevate - a leading provide of AMS and SSO solutions for real estate associations and MLSs. Prior to joining Relevate in 2023, Mike served as the Director of People and Culture at Openn North America where we served as a "swiss army knife" overseeing many key objectives to bring the Australian Proptech platform to North America.  In this conversation, Mike discusses the evolution of technology in real estate and how it will continue to change and grow. Additionally, Mike offers insights and tips for agents looking to up their marketing strategies, and offers his industry prediction for the rest of the year. 

In this episode of It's Closing Time, Michael Lucarelli sits down with Chuck Hattemer, CMO and Co-founder of Poplar - a property management solution for homeowners and renters. Chuck has over ten years of experience in professional marketing, sales, and executive roles. Since co-founding Poplar in 2014, Chuck has grown his company to over 300+ employees, with over $75M in venture backing and 13,000+ doors under management across the country. He contributes to Forbes and other industry publications such as the SFAA Magazine in his spare time. 

In this episode, RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli is joined by Damon Knox who is a long-time successful agent that has culminated being elected as the President of the San Francisco Association of REALTORS while also serving as the Assitant Branch Manager at Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Brokerage.  Damon dives into his real estate journey and lays out the keys to success to build a strong client base and how that experience translated into also serving the luxury end of the business. Also, with the current market trends, Damon offers advice and insights into how to navigate rising interest rates and low inventory. Furthermore, he looks at how brokerages should work to be more modern to support today's real estate agent.

In this episode of It's Closing Time, RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli, talks with David Howell, CIO at McEnearney Associates, about getting into the real estate business, the effectiveness of a property management division, and the short and long-term benefits of agents (especially new agents) working with rental clients.  McEnearney Associates ranked in the top 10 of brokerages with rental transactions completed and tenants placed according to the first-ever RealTrends + RentSpree Rental Power Rankings 2022.  Learn more: https://www.rentspree.com/blog/rentspree-real-trends-rental-power-rankings-2022

In this episode, RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli talks with Anthony Vulin. Anthony is a very successful broker/agent in Los Angeles, the President of the Greater LA Association of REALTORS, and the National VP of the LGBTQ+ community called The Alliance. Anthony delivers must-have tips for brand new agents entering their careers in real estate, the relationship between real estate and the LGBTQ+ community, and the resources available for agents in that community to be able to thrive in their careers and lives.

In this episode of It's Closing Time, RentSpree CEO, Michael Lucarelli, sits down with Ed Carey, Founder, and CEO of Audience Town - a digital advertising platform designed for real estate. In addition to talking about Audience Town's advertising products, they also dive into how lead-gen technology shifted during the pandemic and how real estate agents should be leveraging data.

In this episode, RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli sits down with Neema Bardi, CEO, and Founder of Atllas, a tech-based real estate brokerage headquartered in Los Angeles. What makes Atllas unique is that Atllas agents retain 100% of their real estate commissions. Neema only started his real estate journey in 2020 during the pandemic and broke the record for the number of closed deals by a first-time agent. And in this episode, he shares his tips for new agents on beings successful in their first few years, as well as the growing needs of today's modern agent.

In this episode of It's Closing Time, Michael Lucarelli talks with Kirsten Jordan, star on Million Dollar Listing New York, and leader of the KJ Team at Douglas Elliman. They discuss her personal real estate journey as well as some keys to success for real estate agents in today's climate.

In this episode, Marc Dickow sits down with RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli to dig into how state and local associations can help support agent growth, why agents should seek resources from their associations, and the impact that rentals have on MLSs.  Marc is the Past President of the San Francisco Association of REALTORS, Vice Chair of the MLS Policy Committee at the California Association of REALTORS, and a broker/owner at Core7 Real Estate.

In this episode, Chris Aker, Chief Sales Officer at Compass, sits down with RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli to discuss Compass' growing success, how building their own technology has led to attracting top talent and empowering their agents, and tips for refining overall sales skills.

In this episode, Matthew Kuchar of Showami sits down with RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli to discuss technology tools for real estate agents, predictions for 2022, and how agents can extend their professional network with PropTech tools. Showami is a service that connects licensed real estate agents with other licensed real estate agents to assist with buyer showings. Learn more about Showami at www.showami.com

In this episode of It's Closing Time, Yansey Valdes sits down with RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli to discuss the unique rental market, how to build a successful, recurring rental business, nurturing relationships with renters and landlords, and much more. Yansey serves as the Associate Broker at Julie's Realty based in Florida.

In this episode of It's Closing Time, Jonathan Lickstein sits down with RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli to discuss all things real estate, specifically the unique role that technology has to empower real estate agents and brokers. Jonathan serves as the Managing Broker for LoKation Real Estate as well as a coach, mentor, and certified instructor. Jonathan brings a passion to helping other Realtors with his expertise from advancing real estate technology and social media marketing to professional standards and the code of ethics in today's digital marketplace.

In this episode of It's Closing Time, Kala Laos sits down with RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli to discuss the future of iBuying within Real Estate, as well as her real estate software company Zoodealio. Michael and Kala discuss "Zillow-geddon" and how real estate agents should view iBuying companies. Kala also discusses how her company, Zoodealio is designed to empower agents within the iBuyer market and provides her top tips for effective lead generation. 

In this episode of It's Closing Time, Maya Tuvia sits down with RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli to discuss her already impressive 8-year career in the real estate industry. In that time, Maya has amassed incredible experience in property management and representing home buyers and sellers through her firm, 365 Management Group. As a RentSpree power user, Maya leverages rentals to build her network of potential home buyers as well as utilizing various technologies to streamline and service a robust database of clients. Additionally, as a woman in real estate, she touches on the challenges and opportunities that women have in the industry to make an impact on the business and leadership positions across the board.