Podcasts about renters

A program known as the Housing Eviction Law Project, has struggled to meet the high demand for legal representation and fallen far short of the goals set for it by city legislators several years ago. But a new injection of funds could make a massive difference for renters in the city.

Rob Whiting is the co-founder and CEO of Boom, a proptech company building the future of rental financial services for residential property managers across single-family rental, manufactured housing and multifamily. Boom's three products — Boom Report for rent reporting, Boom Screen for applicant underwriting, and Boom CRM for agentic leasing and self-showing — serve hundreds of thousands of doors and count American Homes 4 Rent and Manage America among their key partners. Before Boom, Rob founded ventures in healthcare and education, including Haystack Health, a telemedicine company, and a financial aid organization focused on FAFSA access. Rob is based in Austin, Texas.(02:55) Why Rob built Boom(05:44) The ROAD to Housing Act, explained(07:11) The 350-home cap & how institutions keep buying(14:01) Rent reporting as a compliance path(16:09) What Boom does & who it serves(17:44) Is screening a commodity? Data quality & hit logic(21:51) How to evaluate a tenant screening vendor(25:47) How the ManageAmerica partnership came together(30:00) Lessons from partnering with AMH Homes(32:48) Closing the leasing stack gap with Boom CRM(35:52) Coexisting with Yardi, RealPage, & AppFolio(37:40) Collaboration Superpower: Daniel Ek

Join our upcoming live event at GREwebinars.com. It's called "The Seven Figure Solution" on August 27th at 8 PM Eastern. After listening to me for 12 years, learn how to finally put it all together for a coordinated, tax-efficient retirement and wealth plan.  Keith debunks alarmist predictions of an 80–95% housing crash and explains why inflation, constrained supply, and strong demand continue to put upward pressure on home prices.  He breaks down key trends in renter mobility, highlights how the AI boom is driving record-breaking rents in San Francisco, and contrasts "dopamine culture" and money maxing with GRE's philosophy of growing one's means through income property and leverage.  Keith also discusses how the Seven-Figure Solution framework helps real estate investors more effectively integrate properties, taxes, insurance, and retirement planning.  Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/620 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  FAMILY to 66866  Join Mid South Home Buyers' one-time, free live webinar featuring Keith Weinhold on September 30 at GetRichEducation.com/MidSouth to learn how Memphis' economic expansion could create new real estate investment opportunities, and have your questions answered in real time. Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review"  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com  Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Keith Weinhold  0:01   Welcome to GRE. I'm your host Keith Weinhold. An alarmist calls for a housing price crash of 80 to 95 percent. We'll listen to it. This city's rents are up 26 percent annually. The rise of dopamine culture and money maxing has made its way into personal finance. Then an invitation to join us for a special event today on Get Rich Education.   Keith Weinhold  0:29   What if I told you that one of America's strongest cash flow real estate markets is also becoming the new brains and brawn behind AI? That city is Memphis, believe it or not. In September 30th, we're going to show you why the smart money is paying attention now, along with an investing opportunity you won't want to miss. Join me, Terry Kerr and Matthew Van Horn of Mid South Homebuyers, the largest turnkey company in Memphis with more than 6,000 homes under management, for a free live webinar, the likes of which I've never done before. We're going to look at what billions in new investment could mean for jobs, housing demand, neighborhood appreciation, and your portfolio. Everyone who attends live will also get exclusive access to the best deal terms MidSeal has ever offered. Reserve your free seat at getricheducation.com/midsouth. Again, that september 30. Don't say we didn't tell you. Save your spot at getricheducation.com/midsouth.   Speaker 1  1:35   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is Get Rich Education.   Keith Weinhold  1:51   Welcome to GRE from Naples, Italy, to Naples, Florida, and across 188 nations worldwide. You're listening to one of America's longest-running and most listened-to shows in the real estate world. This is Get Rich Education, and I'm Keith Weinhold. Yes, the very founder of this snaggle-toothed operation right here. I'm a longtime real estate investor myself, erstwhile writer for both Forbes and the Rich Dad Advisors, serving on the Forbes Real Estate Council, you can also see my work in the USA Today and Business Insider. I'm the creator of Real Estate Pays Five Ways and the Inflation Triple Crown. Oh, after all that, really, I'm just a shaved mammal with slack jaw, a highly leveraged hominid of the landed gentry, right before I discuss the housing price crash of 80 to 95% you know, keep in mind that most people think that if you're in real estate, then you've got to be either a realtor or a landlord. I am neither a realtor nor a landlord. People also think that it takes tons of money. It does not. Now you could pursue no money down strategies, but that takes some time to learn and skill to develop. Now I was a landlord in the early years of my real estate investing, but after about six years of that, I hired a property manager and never looked back. Therefore, keeping this mostly passive, a 20 to 25 percent down payment on a carefully selected residential rental property includes ones that today can still have purchase prices below 200k. That's purchased in a geographically investor advantaged market. Okay, that is the center of what we do here because when you own property this way, now you've got the margin where you can pay a property manager to enjoy the five ways that you're paid mostly passively. Be a savvy borrower.   Keith Weinhold  4:02   Now, when you're between deals and accumulating capital to add the next piece of property to your rental portfolio, that's where you can flip and do the opposite in the short term and be a real estate lender for perhaps an eight to 10% stable return. That's what I do, rather than getting three and a half percent, which is the going rate today in a high yield savings account. So be a lender between deals in the short term, or you're a savvy borrower long term. Now the late analyst at Housing Wire, and he was also a past guest here on the show, Logan Modashami, he brought this 80 to 95% housing price crash media piece to my attention. It's in the form of a meta reel that got a lot of attention. Let's play it. I mean, this type of nonsense circulates out. It's not founded on anything substantive, and this just absolutely does not serve anybody. You've got to take this type of thing as entertainment, but it's being presented in a serious, informative way, and just listen to the basis for the claim.    Hayden Weston  5:19   The United States housing market is about to collapse 80 to 95 percent, which means that homes that were worth 1.5 million are going to be worth 300,000. The reason is simple: the U.S. housing market has reached its most unaffordable level in history. People cannot afford to buy homes, and if people cannot buy homes, the market must correct. The question is how hard the market is going to crash, not if it will. According to CPI and price history data, this is predicted to be worse than the 2008 housing bubble. We are going to see prices drop 80 to 95 percent.   Keith Weinhold  6:02   A housing price collapse of 80 to 95 percent. This is from a platform called Hayden Trades. It has got to be the worst example of trying to steal attention rather than serving people. Gosh, don't even make 20% or 50% crash predictions anymore go for far higher, I guess. He says it is according to the CPI and price history data. This doesn't even make sense. Now the low affordability mentioned that part is true, and this is what's slowed home price appreciation. But here in the late 2020s, there was more upward pressure on home prices, not downward inflationary pressure, which is rampant. That is poised to raise replacement cost because a home is a bundle of land, labor, lumber, concrete, copper, and energy. America's best job markets face land and regulatory constraints that pressures prices upward, and regulations are not easily repealed either. There's a large reservoir of sideline buyers that still want to own, and single-family home construction is woefully insufficient, keeping the supply down. Indeed, there is more upward pressure on home prices, not downward. This coming inflation wave, that's exacerbated by war, is unfortunately, or fortunately, if you're positioned, it's poised to widen the K-shaped economy where winners win bigger and losers lose more. The boat is leaving the dock. Are you on it?   Keith Weinhold  7:54   The distance between the boat and the dock just keeps increasing, and eventually you won't be able to make the leap, the jump from the boat to the dock. Now, in the near term, because we're approaching the fall season, when you hear stats about median home prices, note that prices are lower in autumn and winter than they are in spring and summer. It happens pretty much every year. Now, why is this? Well, one reason is that a lot of people don't think about is simply the fact that smaller houses get sold in the winter compared to the summer. And why would this be? This is because families with school-age children who need larger homes get their deals done in summer months before school starts. That is one reason why median home prices are higher in the summer than they are in the winter. When you look at a long-term price chart of homes, this is why you see peaks each summer and dips each winter. Now, investors like us. Now we're not buying so much for school-age children considerations, but this phenomenon affects the median prices that you see quoted in most any market. That is how that works, and why homes present better in the summer too. Green lawns, Leaves, flowers, and natural light improve curb appeal. Some say buy when the snow is flying, sell when the flowers are blooming.   Keith Weinhold  9:32   Shortly, I want to tell you about the city with rents that are up 26% year over year, and there's no end in sight to those rent increases, either. But first, there's a significant national real estate trend. Now, a lot of times, the discussion about the rental market centers around the level of rents or the vacancy rate, and those metrics sure do matter. But what about tenant retention? That is. Renter mobility rate. How long do residents stay? Well, renter mobility is down, down, down. They are not moving around. That's the big trend. Tenants are staying longer. Renters are waiting longer to buy homes than prior generations did. I mean a lot of people are beginning to wonder if their starter home will arrive before their first social security check does? The share of renters planning to move within three years that has plunged since 2019 from 57% then down to just 37% now. This is according to a national survey from the New York Fed. 57 down to 37% that plan to move within three years. Yes, this means that even after the pandemic waned, renters plan to stay in place longer. Everyone is staying put longer, and what exactly is keeping all of those moving boxes in storage? You guessed it. Buying their own home is more difficult to afford. It's kind of like an obstacle course where the down payment is waiting at the finish line, which is a long ways away. It's like an ultra marathon. This decline in renter mobility. This is obviously good news for income property owners and landlords because vacancy and turnover are our greatest expenses. People are paying more.   Keith Weinhold  11:39   You know, it's interesting that many are staying and put because a lot of renters often pay three to 5% annual renewal increases, especially in single-family rentals. Among apartment dwellers, there are currently more move-ups than move downs. People willing to spend a little more, and part of this is because a lot of people have just simply given up, completely given up on buying a home, choosing instead to fritter away their money on DraftKings parlays, couchie predictions, meme coins, burritos whose delivery fees cost more than the burrito, and a dozen forgotten subscriptions quietly feeding on their checking account. Yeah, a lot of people have just given in. Besides falling renter mobility, there is also falling homeowner mobility. One reason it has fallen is due to the well-documented mortgage rate lock-in effect. But mobility is down among both groups, among renters and homeowners, for a few different reasons. Like I've mentioned in previous shows, America is aging, and older people move less. Remote work means people don't have to move for a job, and housing inventory remains limited. This means that there are few attractive alternatives to move into, whether you're a homeowner or a renter. Those are some reasons as to why mobility is down for both groups. And the New York Fed analysis shows that renter mobility it is especially weak among that subgroup that believes that they will never own a home. I mean, this group of people really isn't moving. They are staying in place even longer. This group that believes that they will never own a home, and this is a skew toward lower income renters for sure, but even upper income renters are staying longer. You know, I own a lot of single family rental homes myself, and I'm just thinking now, I can't even remember the last time someone's moved out. It might be over a year since anyone has moved. The average renter's perceived chance of ever owning a home that has fallen, and this is significant for investors. Okay, that percent of renters that ever hope to own a home has fallen from 52% back in 2015 down to just 35% last year. 52% down to 35% The amount of renters that think they'll ever own a home. Both single-family rental and apartment renters are staying longer. This is both types, and it's not because these renters stop wanting homes. About two-thirds say that they would prefer to own if they had the money to do so. This is substantial. The drop in American mobility rate. I mean, that part is actually decades long, and this seems to catch people off guard. A lot of people falsely believe that people are moving more often, and that's something I've touched on before. This deeply hurts.   Keith Weinhold  15:00   Certain industries like moving companies, furniture stores, and yes, real estate agents—all these groups of people have got to be wondering where did everybody go? The answer is nowhere. Apparently, they are not going anywhere. So the bottom line here, with this lack of mobility, is that renters feel locked out, owners feel locked in, and landlords feel locked up with their tenants staying longer. Although this is good news for landlords and investment property owners, you know there is one thing to be careful of amidst these longer tenant stays, and that is, well, say you buy a rental property with an existing tenant in place that's been there for a while, it's more likely then that that tenant is paying below market rent, and why would that be? Well, because generally, the longer a tenant stays, the more likely it is that the previous landlord gave them a break on the rent. Now, why does that happen? Well, landlords can get lazy about bumping up the rent, and see what's really going on is that the previous landlord, perhaps the person you bought the property from, they themselves bought the property at a much lower price years ago than you did today, and therefore their mortgage payment is lower, and therefore the lower rent was able to cover their mortgage payment. So they weren't too worried about it. But if you're buying at today's prices, well, then you cannot stand for yesterday's rent amount, and that's why it's more likely that you need to bump up the rent to market rent. Although national rent growth is pretty flat, San Francisco continues to rewrite its record book per Zumper's national rent report.San Francisco's one-bedroom rent is up 23% year-over-year to 4,180 bucks, and two-bedroom rent is up 26% to over 6K, 6,020 dollars for the median rent in a two-bedroom San Francisco apartment-the first time they've ever topped 6K there. Yes, the city continues to lead the nation in annual rent growth, and even ahead of New York City for two bedrooms. That's because this is where the growth of the AI industry has collided with a supply-constrained housing market, high demand over low supply. I mean, you might remember that San Francisco was hit especially hard by the pandemic, but its bounce back has been amazing. Even beleaguered San Francisco office buildings are filling up again amidst the AI boom. Now, the Bay Area's previous tech boom back a while ago that was led by tech giants like Facebook, Apple, and Google. All right, that boom was largely concentrated in these sprawling suburban office parks in Silicon Valley. Now Silicon Valley is not in San Francisco. It is depending on just where you're going, perhaps 60 minutes south of San Francisco proper. But see, this time the city limits San Francisco finds itself as the epicenter because a lot of the newest, biggest names in tech like Anthropic and OpenAI, they are headquartered in the very same city neighborhoods that were struggling with occupancy just a few years ago, and see a big part of what's going on, and there's a lesson in this for you as when a lot of other cities built like Phoenix and Austin did, San Francisco did not, and what's interesting is that the publication, the San Francisco Standard, it reported that get this last November a two-bedroom apartment overlooking Alamo Square was advertised for $5,000 per month. That was already 30% above San Fran's median two-bedroom rent at the time, but despite that fact, so many people attended the open house that the property manager had to divide them into two touring groups. Qualified applicants were then emailed and told to submit their best offer of rent. Okay, basically an invitation to a bidding war here. One tech worker and her roommate bid $5,100. Management responded that they had reached the second round and invited them to increase their bid again, and they declined to increase their bid and they lost the apartment. Those. Same article reported that an even more extreme marina neighborhood example, the winning renter offered substantially above asking price, six months upfront rent, and twice monthly professional cleaning. What kind of prospective tenant offers their landlord professional cleaning? I've surely never had it happen. That and bidding wars are now taking place for San Francisco rentals. Could an AI surge and a lack of supply make anything like that happen in your rental market? That remains to be seen, and probably not to that extent. I've got more for you straight ahead, including the trend of money maxing. I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to episode 620 of Get Rich Education. What if you got your mortgage loans the same place I get mine? You sure can at Ridge Lending Group NMLS 42056. They provided GRE listeners with more loans than anyone because Ridge specializes in investment property. They'll help you build a long-term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequal and even chat directly with President Chaley Ridge while it's on your mind. Start at RidgeLendingGroup.com. That's ridgelendinggroup.com. Let me ask you something: If you've worked hard to build wealth, is your money positioned to actually support your goals? A lot of accredited investors leave capital sitting in cash because it feels safe, but inflation and missed income opportunities can quietly erode its value. Freedom Family Investments offers freedom notes for investors seeking structured income backed by real estate. It's a straightforward approach built on real assets, not speculation. In full disclosure, I'm an investor myself. What I like is that their team walks you through how it all works, so you can decide if it aligns with your portfolio and income goals. Every investment carries risk, and nothing is guaranteed. But with a track record of consistent, on-time investor payouts, they built real credibility. Go to freedomfamilyinvestments.com to book a clarity call, or text family to 66866. That's family 266866.   Keith Weinhold  17:22   Although national rent growth is pretty flat, San Francisco continues to rewrite its record book per Zumper's national rent report. San Francisco's one-bedroom rent is up 23% year-over-year to 4,180 bucks, and two-bedroom rent is up 26% to over 6K, $6,020 for the median rent in a two-bedroom San Francisco apartment-the first time they've ever topped 6K there. Yes, the city continues to lead the nation in annual rent growth, and even ahead of New York City for two bedrooms. That's because this is where the growth of the AI industry has collided with a supply-constrained housing market, high demand over low supply. I mean, you might remember that San Francisco was hit especially hard by the pandemic, but its bounce back has been amazing. Even beleaguered San Francisco office buildings are filling up again amidst the AI boom. Now, the Bay Area's previous tech boom back a while ago that was led by tech giants like Facebook, Apple, and Google. All right, that boom was largely concentrated in these sprawling suburban office parks in Silicon Valley. Now Silicon Valley is not in San Francisco. It is depending on just where you're going, perhaps 60 minutes south of San Francisco proper. But see, this time the city limits San Francisco finds itself as the epicenter because a lot of the newest, biggest names in tech like Anthropic and OpenAI, they are headquartered in the very same city neighborhoods that were struggling with occupancy just a few years ago, and see a big part of what's going on, and there's a lesson in this for you as when a lot of other cities built like Phoenix and Austin did, San Francisco did not, and what's interesting is that the publication, the San Francisco Standard, it reported that get this last November a two-bedroom apartment overlooking Alamo Square was advertised for $5,000 per month. That was already 30% above San Fran's median two-bedroom rent at the time, but despite that fact, so many people attended the open house that the property manager had to divide them into two touring groups. Qualified applicants were then emailed and told to submit their best offer of rent. Okay, basically an invitation to a bidding war here. One tech worker and her roommate bid $5,100. Management responded that they had reached the second round and invited them to increase their bid again, and they declined to increase their bid and they lost the apartment. Those. Same article reported that an even more extreme marina neighborhood example, the winning renter offered substantially above asking price, six months upfront rent, and twice monthly professional cleaning. What kind of prospective tenant offers their landlord professional cleaning? I've surely never had it happen. That and bidding wars are now taking place for San Francisco rentals. Could an AI surge and a lack of supply make anything like that happen in your rental market? That remains to be seen, and probably not to that extent. I've got more for you straight ahead, including the trend of money maxing.   Keith Weinhold  20:46   I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to episode 620 of Get Rich Education. What if you got your mortgage loans the same place I get mine? You sure can at Ridge Lending Group NMLS 42056. They provided GRE listeners with more loans than anyone because Ridge specializes in investment property. They'll help you build a long-term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequal and even chat directly with President Caeli Ridge while it's on your mind. Start at ridgelendinggroup.com. That's ridgelendinggroup.com.   Keith Weinhold  21:23   Let me ask you something: If you've worked hard to build wealth, is your money positioned to actually support your goals? A lot of accredited investors leave capital sitting in cash because it feels safe, but inflation and missed income opportunities can quietly erode its value. Freedom Family Investments offers freedom notes for investors seeking structured income backed by real estate. It's a straightforward approach built on real assets, not speculation. In full disclosure, I'm an investor myself. What I like is that their team walks you through how it all works, so you can decide if it aligns with your portfolio and income goals. Every investment carries risk, and nothing is guaranteed. But with a track record of consistent, on-time investor payouts, they built real credibility. Go to freedomfamilyinvestments.com to book a clarity call, or text family to 66866. That's family 266866.   Robert Kiyosaki  22:26   This is our rich dad, poor dad author Robert Kiyosaki. Listen to Get Rich Education with Keith Weinhold, and there is I respect Keith. He's a very strong, smart, bright young man.   Keith Weinhold  22:47   Welcome back to Get Rich Education. I'm your host Keith Weinhold. The rise of quick hit dopamine culture has definitely hit the personal finance world, and this is not a good trend for a lot of Gen Zers, who are those age 14 to 29, sports gambling is increasingly a part of what they think is financial planning. A recent survey from the wealth management platform Betterment shows that 26% of Gen Zers, more than one in four, then consider sports gambling as part of a deliberate long-term financial strategy. If you think that's bad, more than half of Gen Zers, 52% say they've rerouted funds from investment over to sports betting in the past year, and that's versus just 24% of all Americans. Yes, the rapid legalization of sports gambling means it's never been easier to bet your whole paycheck that the Mets are going to lose 100 games this season. When a prediction market or a sports book starts to feel like a retirement strategy, we have a problem, and this is congruent with the rise of dopamine culture across all of society, where we've gone from playing sports, then to watching sports, and now to gambling on sports. In the kitchen, it's where we've gone from home cooking to leaving and getting fast food, to ordering Uber Eats, it's where media has gone from film and TV to streaming shows, and now with dopamine culture, it is watching reels. It's how shopping has gone from first high street shopping, then to Amazon and now to the TikTok shop. It's how communicating with people. It's gone from handwritten letters to sending emails to Snapchats. It's how we've gone from newspapers to breaking news to rage bait. As far as what we listen to for music, this rise of dopamine culture-it used to be vinyl records, and then Spotify playlists, and now it's trending sounds.   Keith Weinhold  25:11   It's gone from finding love to casual dating to infinite swiping. How about the way we look at and share photos? It's gone from photo albums to camera rolls to Instagram stories, and how about the way we access information with this rise of dopamine culture? It's gone from libraries to Google to Chat GPT, and that brings us to money maxing. Okay, yes, here in our finance world, the rise of dopamine culture has led to this. Yes, that is apparently a word now. Money maxing-it's all one word with 2x's. It sounds like something invented by a 22-year-old who's got three credit cards, three hoodies, and one fork. Okay, but money maxing-that is one of the newest personal finance trends spreading across social media. Now, the maxing stuff in that whole suffix that first became popular through terms like looks maxing, which means trying to maximize your physical appearance, whether you're male or female, and now people are sleep maxing, health maxing, career maxing, and I guess it was just inevitable until they were money maxing. And what it really means is optimizing your financial life so that every dollar works harder for you. That could include using a high yield savings account, earning credit card points and rewards, automating your investments, negotiating bills, and eliminating wasteful spending-eh, in other words, it's just another internet reinvention of financial responsibility. I mean, your grandparents just called it being sensible.   Keith Weinhold  26:58   Now, I do like the fact that young people are talking about money. I mean, as we've covered before, financial education is desperately needed. Schools will teach you about the parts of a biological cell, but surely not how to read a mortgage statement. So you can graduate knowing that mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell, while believing that a tax refund is free money from the government. So you know, directionally, money maxing is good, but see, it usually only focuses on one side of the equation. That's the problem with money maxing. It only focuses on spending less. And here at GRE we take a different approach. The old financial advice is live below your means, and GRE's philosophy is grow your means. You should only live below your means earlier in your financial life when you sort of have to and you need to form capital for investments. But grow your means so that you can have the means to do things. I mean, that is the point of financial betterment.   Keith Weinhold  28:09   Long term, financial betterment is certainly not sustainable by saving money by getting a haircut at home, only watching men's fast pitch softball at the Moose Lodge because it's free instead of going to a Major League Baseball game, saving $120 on air tickets by adding an extra layover on your trip itinerary, or a buy one get one free deal on Hillshire Farm Bacon. Now, of course, you shouldn't waste money if you're paying for six streaming services and you're only watching one. Well, cancel the others. If you carry a credit card balance at 24% surely extinguish that financial dumpster fire. But you cannot shrink your way to an extraordinary life. There is a floor beneath how little you can spend, there is no ceiling above how much value you can create for others. You can cancel your coffee, you can stop eating out, you can turn down the thermostat until your living room feels like a meat locker, but eventually there is nothing meaningful left to cut. That is the weakness in traditional money advice. It treats personal finance like a sinking ship, and it just hands you a bucket. Growing your means is building a bigger ship. The most powerful form of money maxing is not squeezing another 2% off your grocery bill. It is increasing your income. It is acquiring productive assets and creating systems that pay you repeatedly. I mean, saving 20 bucks is fine. Creating another income stream can continue for. Years. This is the difference between subtraction and multiplication. Most money-maxing advice really isn't different than that conventional advice. It's living in the world of subtraction. Cut this. Cancel that. Buy the generic cereal. Drive across town to save 12 cents per gallon. Hey, congratulations! You just spent 40 minutes of your finite life to save $2.80. Real wealth is built through multiplication. Multiply your income, multiply your skills, multiply your relationships, learn a new system, multiply the number of people you serve with rental property, and then multiply your money through productive assets. Now, this does not mean to spend recklessly. Growing means is not permission to inflate your lifestyle every single time your income rises, but it means directing more attention toward expansion than deprivation.   Keith Weinhold  30:59   Ask yourself a better question. Instead of asking how can I save another $100 this month, ask how can I create another $1,000 of monthly income. That very question activates a completely different part of your brain. Now maybe you develop a valuable skill. Maybe you negotiate your compensation. Maybe you start a business. Maybe you acquire an income property. Maybe you turn knowledge, intellectual property, or an audience into a recurring revenue stream. You start looking for leverage rather than looking for coupons and leverage, that is the real engine of what money maxing ought to be. Leverage means accomplishing more with less of your personal effort, and there sure are a lot of forms you can leverage other people's time. You can leverage systems and technology. We're going to talk about a system later here. You can leverage media where one message reaches 1000s or millions of people, and in real estate, you can leverage other people's money. You can scale. A few weeks ago, here I discussed four different types of scale. Real estate investors can get them all at the same time. If you remember, they are financial leverage, like with the five ways. There's operational leverage, there's geographic leverage, and finally replication. You use a relatively small down payment to control a much larger asset while your tenant pays you rent, that income helps cover the property's expenses and mortgage, and over time, inflation tends to lift rents and property values. While your fixed rate debt becomes easier to repay with diminished dollars, I mean that is real money maxing right there. In fact, GRE's real estate pays five ways framework might be the ultimate money maxing system. One property can produce cash flow; it can appreciate. Your tenant can gradually amortize your loan for you. You get the tax benefits, and inflation can transfer wealth from the lender to you through your fixed rate debt, five simultaneous financial benefits attached to one asset. Oh, and we're going to take that and compare that with saving 50 cents on toothpaste. Now, both things technically do improve your finances, but they don't even belong in the same zip code.   Keith Weinhold  33:41   Now, none of this means that every leveraged property is a good investment. In fact, leverage amplifies outcomes. A well-selected, properly financed property is going to accelerate your wealth creation. But a bad deal with thin reserves-hey, that can accelerate your introduction to an attorney. Money maxing still requires judgment. You want durable income, adequate liquidity, responsible underwriting, and you want to have enough reserves to withstand the inevitable surprise. Because every rental property eventually introduces you to something that is leaking, squeaking, or perhaps refusing to pay. The goal is not to optimize every dollar so aggressively that your financial life becomes fragile. And really, that is an important warning about all forms of maxing. Optimization can go too far. Someone might transfer money among five banks to chase these tiny promotional yields, and open 12 credit cards for bonus points, and then monitor every purchase with the intensity of airport security. Okay, I mean technically they're optimization. Their money, but they're also turning their life into like an unpaid accounting internship. Your money should create freedom, not become another demanding employer. Effective money maxing focuses on the big levers first. Get some big wins. Increase your earned income. Own those productive assets. Use good debt prudently. Reduce taxes legally. Protect yourself against catastrophic losses. Maintain liquidity, and then optimize the smaller expenses. Do not spend three hours clipping coupons while ignoring a poorly structured $400,000 mortgage. You do not congratulate yourself on saving $9 on lunch while leaving 50k idle in an account that earns almost nothing. So we don't obsess over credit card points while carrying a balance because paying 24% interest to earn 2% cash back is not money maxing. That is like arithmetic getting mugged in an alley. And there's also an important difference between looking rich and becoming wealthy. Social media rewards visible consumption on things like cars, watches, first-class seats, rooftop dinners, actual wealth-that's something that's often invisible. It is the rental property quietly producing income. It is the ownership stake compounding in the background. It is the tax strategy that's never going to appear in a photograph, and it is the growing gap between what you earn and what you need to live.   Keith Weinhold  36:46   The person displaying the most wealth can have the least. The person saying very little might own the building. So yes, embrace money maxing. Know where your money goes. Eliminate the waste. Negotiate recurring expenses, automate your good decisions, and make your dollar purposeful. Each dollar, but don't stop with living below your means because that is only financial defense. Growing your means is financial offense. Saving money can make you more secure. Owning productive assets-that's what can make you free. The highest form of money maxing is not becoming the world's most efficient consumer. It is making the transition from consumer to owner. Own businesses, own equities, own real estate, own assets that produce value while you sleep, travel, or spend time with the people that matter to you. Because your time is limited, and yet your appetite for generic cereal is also limited. But your ability to create value, acquire assets, and grow your means. That is far less limited. Live below your means if you must, but don't stay there. Grow your means. That is true money maxing. And the number one reason that people don't acquire wealth. Do you know what it is? It's that it simply does not occur to them that they can.    Keith Weinhold  38:24   That is what Brian Tracy said. That is so incredibly simple, and it's true. If you want a money max, you need to have a great system. Let me tell you about a system called the Seven Figure Solution. Now you've been listening to me weekly for almost 12 years here, which I'm immensely grateful for. You've been earning money, investing well, and here with the seven-figure solution, you're going to be able to finally see how it all goes together. It's about making sure that your real estate and other assets appropriately fund your retirement in a way that gives you protection against market downturns, a tax advantage pool of liquidity, the death benefit of a life insurance policy, and actually introduces you to a new form of leverage all at the same time, the liquidity is key because this is where a 401(k) or IRA limit you. Those vehicles have taxes and penalties if you want to use those funds early, and this does not.   Keith Weinhold  39:34   But the seven-figure solution-it's not just for retirees. In fact, our own in-house investment coach here, Naresh uses something like this, and he's in his 30s. It also gives you a significant tailwind during your investing career. Integrate the seven-figure solution the GRE way, where we have a conscientiousness about leverage in cash flow, and in this case, part of it is how to prove. Leverage a life insurance policy. When it's time to tap that policy's cash value, you take what is a policy loan, not a withdrawal, because you're borrowing against your cash value, and therefore you're using the funds in more than one place. That's the leverage, and then the IRS does not tax loan proceeds, and this reminds me of a billionaire borrowing against the value of their stock rather than having to sell any of those assets. And yet, this can be done tax-free. It's similar to what you can do with the seven-figure solution, even for non-billionaires, it is buy, borrow, die. This leverages an indexed universal life policy, and there is the right way to do this and the wrong way to do it. Part of the seven-figure solution is that your cash value can have an upside ceiling and loss protection on the downside. That's really something that you only care about more as you're closer to retirement. And there are some mistakes to avoid here. You don't just want to set up the seven-figure solution off of a website, and it's based on products that you might have heard of from companies like Nationwide and mass mutual. I strongly encourage you to learn more, see how it all goes together, and learn how the seven-figure solution compares to other vehicles like a Roth IRA, 401k, and even a 721 and 1031 exchange. This is very much about you being able to picture your future, you've been building your real estate portfolio either from your investment coach or on your own. This is how the puzzle pieces finally are all going to go together. I am cordially inviting you to join us for a special live event, the Seven Figure Solution. It is co-hosted by our own GRE investment coach Naresh and Haven Bridges Jared, who you heard from on the show with me last week. By attending live from the comfort of your own home or from anywhere, you can have your questions answered in real time. It is this Thursday, the 27th, at 8 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Pacific.   Keith Weinhold  42:23   Most people spend decades building wealth, and then they lose far too much of it because the retirement pieces were never designed to work with each other. So you're going to see how real estate, taxes, insurance, and retirement income can fit into one coordinated strategy, helping you grow and protect your wealth, access capital without immediately selling your assets, and potentially avoid losing hundreds of thousands of dollars to taxes unnecessarily. So it's not just another collection of disconnected financial tips. Really, it's your opportunity to finally see the entire retirement picture and understand what might be missing from yours. It's complimentary to attend. The longer you wait, the fewer options you could have. Decisions made today can affect your wealth for decades. Don't wait until retirement day to discover that your plan had expensive holes in it. There are some moving pieces here, so it's especially helpful that you attend this one live, and that way you can have any questions answered in real time, so that you really understand. And you might have been one of thousands of listeners that have attended our property webinars before, and they are important to building your portfolio. But this one could very well be more important in seeing your big picture, seeing your retirement, and seeing that your heirs aren't left with a giant tax bill too. You can reserve your seat now for the seven-figure solution at grewebinars.com again. That's grewebinars.com. Until next week, I'm your host Keith Weinhold. Don't quit your daydream.   Speaker 2  44:14   Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal, or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial, or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host is operating on behalf of Get Rich Education LLC exclusively.   Keith Weinhold  44:42   The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth building. getricheducation.com.

Finding an affordable rental was hard enough, but now landlords are taking a cue from hotels and airlines by hitting tenants with hidden junk fees. From mandatory charges for bundled trash pickup and overpriced cable to outrageous $200 monthly add-ons just for working from home, these unexpected fees inflate the cost of living. When apartment hunting, Clark urges us to check for this specific list before committing to a lease. Meanwhile, tap-to-pay remains one of the safest ways to shop using digital tokenization, but scammers have found a clever way to exploit your generosity. Fraudsters posing as street solicitors for fake charities are asking people to tap their phones to donate, only to take the device and quietly alter a $20 donation into a $200 charge. Clark shares what you need to know to protect your wallet. Plus, Christa shares your #AskClark questions and Clark gives his take. All this and more on the August 17, 2026, episode of The Clark Howard Show. Submit your opinions or questions: Ask Clark. Renter Junk Fees: Segment 1 Ask Clark: Segment 2 Phone Tap-To-Pay Alert: Segment 3 Ask Clark: Segment 4 Mentioned on the show: The rent was already high. Then came the $200 work-from-home fee -USA TODAY  Clark Deals: Today's Top Travel Deals How To Use Priceline To Save on Travel - Clark Howard Military and Veterans Guide: Free Resources for Your Finances Cheapest Way to Rent a Car: Expert Tips - Clark Howard Costco Travel: 5 Things To Know Before You Book - Clark Howard USA TODAY: Tap to pay is convenient. These 6 steps can protect your money Empower Review: How It Works, Pros & Cons - Clark Howard Best Budgeting Apps in 2026: Our Top 7 - Clark Howard Clark.com Calculators Clark.com resources: Episode transcripts Community.Clark.com  /  Ask Clark Clark.com daily money newsletter Consumer Action Center Free Helpline: 636-492-5275 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Matthews on 4BC Breakfast and property expert Tom Panos expose a federal tax break that slashes withholding tax to 15% for foreign private equity firms building build-to-rent apartment blocks. They warned that penalising local Aussie investors with red tape and strict borrowing rules threatens to turn the country into a nation of permanent renters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Read More:Inside The So-Called "Commie Corridor": The Neighborhoods Changing New York City Politics The Democratic Socialists of America are gaining political power in New York City, and much of that support is concentrated in a string of neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens. WNYC Senior Politics Reporter Brigid Bergin brings us along on her tour of the so-called “Commie Corridor” to understand who's driving the movement, and why issues of affordability, identity and community are shaping their priorities. Photo: Rhe Civitello/Gothamist illustration Read More:   A people's guide to the ‘Commie Corridor' of Brooklyn and Queens (https://gothamist.com/news/a-peoples-guide-to-the-commie-corridor-of-brooklyn-and-queens) Michael Lange's Substack (https://www.michaellange.nyc/) -Got any questions, comments or story ideas? Send us a message at NYCNow@WNYC.org Tags: New York City politics, Democratic Socialists of America, DSA, Zohran Mamdani, NYC politics, WNYC, Brigid Bergin, Janae Pierre, Michael Lange, housing, renters, affordability, gentrification, tenant rights, progressive politics, left-wing politics, Brooklyn, Queens, Astoria, Bushwick, Greenpoint, Ridgewood, Bed-Stuy, immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, racial justice, political movements Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nearly half of renters in Louisiana can't afford basic housing. We break down the new report with Andreanecia Morris, the president of HousingNOLA

Between tighter budgets, a fast-growing rental living sector, and clients who simply need great people fast, temporary recruitment has become one of the smartest tools in a property employer's kit. Here's what we discussed, straight from the podcast. What is driving demand for temp recruitment in property? Right now, plenty of clients tell us they have no budget for permanent recruitment. But temp recruitment often sits under a completely different budget line. Businesses still need to operate, and a temporary contractor is frequently the simplest solution. We're also seeing growth in areas like marketing and events, both strong signs the wider market is picking back up. This matches the latest KPMG and REC UK Report on Jobs, which found that UK businesses are increasingly choosing temporary and contract staff while remaining cautious about committing to permanent hires this summer. Why "trial before you invest" works for property employers My colleague Elise puts it perfectly: “trial before you invest.” If you're unsure whether you have the time or budget for a permanent hire, bring someone in on a temp contract first. You pay weekly. If the person works out brilliantly, you can make the role permanent. If the contract simply ends, you've still had the job covered without a long-term commitment. Temp recruitment in the New Homes market Across new homes, sales have slowed. Many clients have responded by opening marketing suites seven days a week, which means they need staff who can cover part-time hours, weekends and holidays. Good candidates often come with a notice period, sometimes four weeks or more. Rather than leave a site uncovered, clients bring in a temp worker to bridge the gap. Occasionally, that temp performs so well they're offered the permanent job themselves. The rise of temp recruitment in Rental Living  Grace Harris leads our temporary rental living desk, covering build to rent, co-living and student living. She joined just over a year ago, and the rental living market has been growing rapidly ever since, with temporary recruitment demand growing right alongside it. What roles do temp workers cover in Build To Rent? Resident hosts and community hosts working front of house and reception Facilities and maintenance staff, including painters and decorators Asset management and portfolio management roles at head office level Why summer is peak season for Rental Living temp staff Student accommodation sees a wave of turnover every summer, with students moving in and out within weeks of each other. Extra temporary support keeps front desks running smoothly during the busiest months. The sector has also had to adapt to the Renters' Rights Act, which received royal assent in October 2025 and introduced significant changes for landlords and tenants across the private rented sector. With so many moving parts, businesses need reliable temp workers to keep operations running.   How to get started with temp recruitment Call our temp desk and tell us what you need We take time to understand your business, not just the job specification We meet and vet every candidate before they go anywhere near a client site Your temp worker can start quickly, often within hours We take this seriously because a temp contractor represents deverellsmith on-site. If they don't do a good job, neither do we. That's why we're just as invested in our contractors as our clients are.   Frequently Asked Questions What is temp recruitment in the property sector? Temp recruitment in property means hiring vetted temporary or contract staff for roles such as marketing, sales, front of house, facilities or asset management. It's usually billed weekly rather than through a permanent salary, giving employers flexibility without a long-term commitment. How quickly can a temp worker start in the UK property market? With deverellsmith's temp desk, we can usually place a vetted candidate within days rather than weeks, because we've already taken the time to understand your business. Can a temporary contract turn into a permanent job? Yes. It's common for a temp worker to prove themselves so well on a contract that the client offers them a permanent position. Many employers now use temp recruitment as a genuine trial period before committing to a permanent hire. Why is temp recruitment growing in rental living and build to rent? The UK rental living market, including build to rent, co-living and student accommodation, is expanding rapidly. This growth, combined with recent renters' rights legislation, has increased demand for flexible temporary staff who can support both frontline and operational roles.   About The Podcast Guests Alice – Business Manager, deverellsmith Temp Desk Alice has spent over five years leading deverellsmith's temp and contract desk, specialising in New Homes Sales, Customer Service and Concierge placements. A former professional actress and singer, she brings that creative background into building genuine, lasting relationships with clients and candidates alike. Connect with Alice on LinkedIn or email alice.murray@deverellsmith.com. Elise Goldsmith – Principal Consultant, deverellsmith Elise sits on the Temp & Contract desk at deverellsmith, specialising in new homes sales recruitment. She partners with leading developers including London Square, Ballymore, Hill and Peabody, drawing on four years' prior experience in estate agency to match top talent with the right roles. Connect with Elise on LinkedIn or email elise.goldsmiths@deverellsmith.com. Grace Harris – Senior Recruitment Consultant, deverellsmith Grace heads up deverellsmith's temporary rental living desk, specialising in build to rent, co-living and student living recruitment across the UK and US. Her deep sector knowledge and extensive network help organisations secure the right people to keep their operations running smoothly. Connect with Grace on LinkedIn or email grace.harris@deverellsmith.com.

Send us Fan MailFour London boroughs. Fifty-five per cent of the proposed mansion tax. This is where the Budget conversation starts.This week: why the mansion tax would fall on just four postcodes; how Grosvenor's spending across Mayfair and Belgravia shows the core still holding; what one hundred days of the Renters' Rights Act is doing to rental supply; why China's super-rich are hunting for tax counsel as Beijing targets offshore trusts; and where the patient institutional money — Long Harbour's £160m into prime London build-to-rent — is quietly going.The through-line: loud tax noise at the top of the market, patient capital still committing beneath it. Tuesday Bulletin on all majpr podcast platformsThe London Property Podcast Hosted by Farnaz Fazaipour, londonproperty.co.ukIndependent intelligence for serious London property owners and investors.Every episode cuts through the noise with 30 years of prime London market experience  no estate agent spin, no vested interests. Just practical insight on where the market is moving, what the legislation means for your wealth, and where the real opportunities are.Trusted by 1,500 HNWI members across the UK and internationally.Topics include prime and super-prime London, leasehold reform, IHT planning, rental market shifts, regeneration areas, and the tax and legal changes every serious owner needs to understand. #LondonProperty #PropertyInvestment #LondonRealEstate 

Cotality research director joined Ross Stevenson and Russel Howcroft to discuss a sharp slowdown in demand from property investors forecast by Westpac.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why is the US stepping in to help Japan, and what does it mean for Canadians? China's multi-decade tax crackdown, and $2.7 billion in new federal funding for rental units - plus the latest data on Canadian housing and rate expectations.Stay Up To Date With The Loonie Hour Substack: https://looniehour.substack.com/aboutStart an investment portfolio that's built to perform with Neighbourhood Holdings! For Mortgage Brokers: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehour-brokersFor Investors and Advisors: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehourSchedule an exploration call with IceCap Asset Management: https://icecapassetmanagement.com/contact/✉️ Media & Real Estate Inquiries: steve@stevesaretsky.comStay up to date with our information -

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Cheryl Taylor Anderson. Podcast: Money Making Conversations MasterclassHost: Rushion McDonaldGuest: Cheryl Taylor Anderson, Real Estate Broker (Metro Atlanta) 1. Purpose of the Interview The core purpose of this interview is to educate, empower, and motivate listeners—particularly first‑time homebuyers, renters, veterans, and people of color—to pursue homeownership as a wealth‑building strategy. Specifically, the conversation aims to: Demystify the homebuying process Combat fear and misinformation around mortgages Highlight low‑ and zero‑down payment opportunities Explain how homeowners can build equity faster Emphasize real estate as a key tool for generational wealth Encourage disciplined financial decisions rooted in ownership rather than renting Rushion positions the discussion as a knowledge‑sharing opportunity to help listeners move from renting to owning, especially in communities historically excluded from homeownership. 2. Interview Overview Cheryl Taylor Anderson brings more than 20 years of real estate experience and over $400 million in sales in Metro Atlanta. She works with: First‑time homebuyers VA and military families Move‑up buyers Luxury clients and institutional sellers Throughout the interview, Cheryl provides practical, real‑world examples—including her own story as a former single mother and homeowner—to ease fear, explain financing, and correct misconceptions about buying a home. 3. Key Takeaways A. Many Renters Can Already Afford to Own One of the central points is that many renters are paying as much—or more—than mortgage payments without building equity. Rent payments offer no tax benefits Mortgage payments build ownership and wealth Homeowners can deduct mortgage interest (unlike rent) Key idea: Many people qualify for ownership but are held back by misinformation and fear. B. First‑Time Homebuyers Have More Options Than They Realize Cheryl explains that many buyers are unaware of: Zero‑down payment programs Builder incentives covering closing costs Opportunities to move into homes with minimal out‑of‑pocket costs In some cases, buyers are only required to bring earnest money, making homeownership far more accessible than expected. C. VA and Veteran Benefits Are Underused Cheryl strongly emphasizes VA loans as one of the most powerful tools for homeownership: 100% financing (zero down payment) Ability to ask sellers for up to 6% in closing cost contributions Certain veterans may be exempt from property taxes Lower monthly payments overall Veterans are encouraged to use their benefits, even years after leaving military service. D. A 30‑Year Mortgage Does Not Mean 30 Years of Debt Cheryl reframes mortgage timelines by teaching strategic repayment: Paying bi‑weekly instead of monthly Adding small extra payments ($50–$100/month) Reducing both interest and principal faster She uses her personal example of being close to paying off her home early despite starting with a traditional 30‑year loan. E. Homeownership Builds Stability and Community The interview contrasts renting versus owning: Ownership benefits include: Equity growth Customization and upgrades Neighborhood relationships Security and long‑term stability A tangible asset to pass to children Even HOA‑managed communities—while sometimes frustrating—protect property values and neighborhood standards. F. Home Warranties Reduce Fear of Maintenance To address anxiety about repairs, Cheryl recommends home warranties: Cover major systems (HVAC, water heaters, appliances) Low service fees when repairs are needed Can be negotiated into purchase contracts Provide peace of mind similar to apartment maintenance This is especially helpful for first‑time buyers. G. Social Media Builds Trust and Visibility Cheryl explains how social media strengthens her business: Buyers see real closings, celebrations, and testimonials Creates emotional connection and trust Inspires others to picture themselves as homeowners Visibility drives confidence and referrals. H. Education and Adaptability Drive Longevity Cheryl credits her success through: The 2008 housing crisis COVID‑19 Market shifts to constant learning, flexibility, and strategy pivots (e.g., foreclosures, BPOs, builder incentives). 4. Notable Quotes On Renting vs. Owning “Never be willing to pay somebody more than you’re willing to pay yourself.” On First‑Time Buyer Fear “Don’t let the longevity scare you. In an apartment, you’re building nothing.” On VA Benefits “Veterans can come to the table with zero down—and sometimes no property taxes.” On Mortgage Strategy “Pay every two weeks and it knocks down your interest and principal faster.” On Equity “Rent doesn’t give you anything to leave your children. Homeownership does.” On Homeownership Mindset “People are willing to pay their landlord more than they’ll pay themselves.” 5. Overall Takeaway This interview reinforces homeownership as one of the most powerful, attainable tools for building long‑term wealth—when buyers are properly educated, supported, and encouraged to move past fear and misinformation. Cheryl Taylor Anderson demonstrates that: Buying a home is often more accessible than people believe Strategic mortgage management can drastically shorten debt timelines Ownership builds equity, stability, and generational opportunity #SHMS #BEST #STRAW Money Making Conversations Master Class with Rushion McDonald is America's premier entrepreneurship, business leadership, financial literacy, and wealth-building podcast featuring successful entrepreneurs, executives, founders, celebrities, and industry experts sharing actionable insights for professional and financial success. Business Podcast Entrepreneurship Small Business Business Growth Financial Literacy Wealth Building Black Entrepreneurs Minority Business Leadership Executive Leadership Business Funding Marketing Strategies Personal Development Startup Advice Sales Training CEO Interviews Founder Stories Professional Development Economic Empowerment Business Success Networking Brand Building Innovation How to start a business Small business funding Entrepreneur success stories Business leadership podcast Wealth building strategies Black entrepreneur podcast Minority business development Marketing for small businesses Business growth strategies Startup funding opportunities Executive leadership training Financial literacy education Success mindset podcast #BEST #SHMS #STRAWSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Cheryl Taylor Anderson. Podcast: Money Making Conversations MasterclassHost: Rushion McDonaldGuest: Cheryl Taylor Anderson, Real Estate Broker (Metro Atlanta) 1. Purpose of the Interview The core purpose of this interview is to educate, empower, and motivate listeners—particularly first‑time homebuyers, renters, veterans, and people of color—to pursue homeownership as a wealth‑building strategy. Specifically, the conversation aims to: Demystify the homebuying process Combat fear and misinformation around mortgages Highlight low‑ and zero‑down payment opportunities Explain how homeowners can build equity faster Emphasize real estate as a key tool for generational wealth Encourage disciplined financial decisions rooted in ownership rather than renting Rushion positions the discussion as a knowledge‑sharing opportunity to help listeners move from renting to owning, especially in communities historically excluded from homeownership. 2. Interview Overview Cheryl Taylor Anderson brings more than 20 years of real estate experience and over $400 million in sales in Metro Atlanta. She works with: First‑time homebuyers VA and military families Move‑up buyers Luxury clients and institutional sellers Throughout the interview, Cheryl provides practical, real‑world examples—including her own story as a former single mother and homeowner—to ease fear, explain financing, and correct misconceptions about buying a home. 3. Key Takeaways A. Many Renters Can Already Afford to Own One of the central points is that many renters are paying as much—or more—than mortgage payments without building equity. Rent payments offer no tax benefits Mortgage payments build ownership and wealth Homeowners can deduct mortgage interest (unlike rent) Key idea: Many people qualify for ownership but are held back by misinformation and fear. B. First‑Time Homebuyers Have More Options Than They Realize Cheryl explains that many buyers are unaware of: Zero‑down payment programs Builder incentives covering closing costs Opportunities to move into homes with minimal out‑of‑pocket costs In some cases, buyers are only required to bring earnest money, making homeownership far more accessible than expected. C. VA and Veteran Benefits Are Underused Cheryl strongly emphasizes VA loans as one of the most powerful tools for homeownership: 100% financing (zero down payment) Ability to ask sellers for up to 6% in closing cost contributions Certain veterans may be exempt from property taxes Lower monthly payments overall Veterans are encouraged to use their benefits, even years after leaving military service. D. A 30‑Year Mortgage Does Not Mean 30 Years of Debt Cheryl reframes mortgage timelines by teaching strategic repayment: Paying bi‑weekly instead of monthly Adding small extra payments ($50–$100/month) Reducing both interest and principal faster She uses her personal example of being close to paying off her home early despite starting with a traditional 30‑year loan. E. Homeownership Builds Stability and Community The interview contrasts renting versus owning: Ownership benefits include: Equity growth Customization and upgrades Neighborhood relationships Security and long‑term stability A tangible asset to pass to children Even HOA‑managed communities—while sometimes frustrating—protect property values and neighborhood standards. F. Home Warranties Reduce Fear of Maintenance To address anxiety about repairs, Cheryl recommends home warranties: Cover major systems (HVAC, water heaters, appliances) Low service fees when repairs are needed Can be negotiated into purchase contracts Provide peace of mind similar to apartment maintenance This is especially helpful for first‑time buyers. G. Social Media Builds Trust and Visibility Cheryl explains how social media strengthens her business: Buyers see real closings, celebrations, and testimonials Creates emotional connection and trust Inspires others to picture themselves as homeowners Visibility drives confidence and referrals. H. Education and Adaptability Drive Longevity Cheryl credits her success through: The 2008 housing crisis COVID‑19 Market shifts to constant learning, flexibility, and strategy pivots (e.g., foreclosures, BPOs, builder incentives). 4. Notable Quotes On Renting vs. Owning “Never be willing to pay somebody more than you’re willing to pay yourself.” On First‑Time Buyer Fear “Don’t let the longevity scare you. In an apartment, you’re building nothing.” On VA Benefits “Veterans can come to the table with zero down—and sometimes no property taxes.” On Mortgage Strategy “Pay every two weeks and it knocks down your interest and principal faster.” On Equity “Rent doesn’t give you anything to leave your children. Homeownership does.” On Homeownership Mindset “People are willing to pay their landlord more than they’ll pay themselves.” 5. Overall Takeaway This interview reinforces homeownership as one of the most powerful, attainable tools for building long‑term wealth—when buyers are properly educated, supported, and encouraged to move past fear and misinformation. Cheryl Taylor Anderson demonstrates that: Buying a home is often more accessible than people believe Strategic mortgage management can drastically shorten debt timelines Ownership builds equity, stability, and generational opportunity #SHMS #BEST #STRAW Money Making Conversations Master Class with Rushion McDonald is America's premier entrepreneurship, business leadership, financial literacy, and wealth-building podcast featuring successful entrepreneurs, executives, founders, celebrities, and industry experts sharing actionable insights for professional and financial success. Business Podcast Entrepreneurship Small Business Business Growth Financial Literacy Wealth Building Black Entrepreneurs Minority Business Leadership Executive Leadership Business Funding Marketing Strategies Personal Development Startup Advice Sales Training CEO Interviews Founder Stories Professional Development Economic Empowerment Business Success Networking Brand Building Innovation How to start a business Small business funding Entrepreneur success stories Business leadership podcast Wealth building strategies Black entrepreneur podcast Minority business development Marketing for small businesses Business growth strategies Startup funding opportunities Executive leadership training Financial literacy education Success mindset podcast #BEST #SHMS #STRAWSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Cheryl Taylor Anderson. Podcast: Money Making Conversations MasterclassHost: Rushion McDonaldGuest: Cheryl Taylor Anderson, Real Estate Broker (Metro Atlanta) 1. Purpose of the Interview The core purpose of this interview is to educate, empower, and motivate listeners—particularly first‑time homebuyers, renters, veterans, and people of color—to pursue homeownership as a wealth‑building strategy. Specifically, the conversation aims to: Demystify the homebuying process Combat fear and misinformation around mortgages Highlight low‑ and zero‑down payment opportunities Explain how homeowners can build equity faster Emphasize real estate as a key tool for generational wealth Encourage disciplined financial decisions rooted in ownership rather than renting Rushion positions the discussion as a knowledge‑sharing opportunity to help listeners move from renting to owning, especially in communities historically excluded from homeownership. 2. Interview Overview Cheryl Taylor Anderson brings more than 20 years of real estate experience and over $400 million in sales in Metro Atlanta. She works with: First‑time homebuyers VA and military families Move‑up buyers Luxury clients and institutional sellers Throughout the interview, Cheryl provides practical, real‑world examples—including her own story as a former single mother and homeowner—to ease fear, explain financing, and correct misconceptions about buying a home. 3. Key Takeaways A. Many Renters Can Already Afford to Own One of the central points is that many renters are paying as much—or more—than mortgage payments without building equity. Rent payments offer no tax benefits Mortgage payments build ownership and wealth Homeowners can deduct mortgage interest (unlike rent) Key idea: Many people qualify for ownership but are held back by misinformation and fear. B. First‑Time Homebuyers Have More Options Than They Realize Cheryl explains that many buyers are unaware of: Zero‑down payment programs Builder incentives covering closing costs Opportunities to move into homes with minimal out‑of‑pocket costs In some cases, buyers are only required to bring earnest money, making homeownership far more accessible than expected. C. VA and Veteran Benefits Are Underused Cheryl strongly emphasizes VA loans as one of the most powerful tools for homeownership: 100% financing (zero down payment) Ability to ask sellers for up to 6% in closing cost contributions Certain veterans may be exempt from property taxes Lower monthly payments overall Veterans are encouraged to use their benefits, even years after leaving military service. D. A 30‑Year Mortgage Does Not Mean 30 Years of Debt Cheryl reframes mortgage timelines by teaching strategic repayment: Paying bi‑weekly instead of monthly Adding small extra payments ($50–$100/month) Reducing both interest and principal faster She uses her personal example of being close to paying off her home early despite starting with a traditional 30‑year loan. E. Homeownership Builds Stability and Community The interview contrasts renting versus owning: Ownership benefits include: Equity growth Customization and upgrades Neighborhood relationships Security and long‑term stability A tangible asset to pass to children Even HOA‑managed communities—while sometimes frustrating—protect property values and neighborhood standards. F. Home Warranties Reduce Fear of Maintenance To address anxiety about repairs, Cheryl recommends home warranties: Cover major systems (HVAC, water heaters, appliances) Low service fees when repairs are needed Can be negotiated into purchase contracts Provide peace of mind similar to apartment maintenance This is especially helpful for first‑time buyers. G. Social Media Builds Trust and Visibility Cheryl explains how social media strengthens her business: Buyers see real closings, celebrations, and testimonials Creates emotional connection and trust Inspires others to picture themselves as homeowners Visibility drives confidence and referrals. H. Education and Adaptability Drive Longevity Cheryl credits her success through: The 2008 housing crisis COVID‑19 Market shifts to constant learning, flexibility, and strategy pivots (e.g., foreclosures, BPOs, builder incentives). 4. Notable Quotes On Renting vs. Owning “Never be willing to pay somebody more than you’re willing to pay yourself.” On First‑Time Buyer Fear “Don’t let the longevity scare you. In an apartment, you’re building nothing.” On VA Benefits “Veterans can come to the table with zero down—and sometimes no property taxes.” On Mortgage Strategy “Pay every two weeks and it knocks down your interest and principal faster.” On Equity “Rent doesn’t give you anything to leave your children. Homeownership does.” On Homeownership Mindset “People are willing to pay their landlord more than they’ll pay themselves.” 5. Overall Takeaway This interview reinforces homeownership as one of the most powerful, attainable tools for building long‑term wealth—when buyers are properly educated, supported, and encouraged to move past fear and misinformation. Cheryl Taylor Anderson demonstrates that: Buying a home is often more accessible than people believe Strategic mortgage management can drastically shorten debt timelines Ownership builds equity, stability, and generational opportunity #SHMS #BEST #STRAW Money Making Conversations Master Class with Rushion McDonald is America's premier entrepreneurship, business leadership, financial literacy, and wealth-building podcast featuring successful entrepreneurs, executives, founders, celebrities, and industry experts sharing actionable insights for professional and financial success. Business Podcast Entrepreneurship Small Business Business Growth Financial Literacy Wealth Building Black Entrepreneurs Minority Business Leadership Executive Leadership Business Funding Marketing Strategies Personal Development Startup Advice Sales Training CEO Interviews Founder Stories Professional Development Economic Empowerment Business Success Networking Brand Building Innovation How to start a business Small business funding Entrepreneur success stories Business leadership podcast Wealth building strategies Black entrepreneur podcast Minority business development Marketing for small businesses Business growth strategies Startup funding opportunities Executive leadership training Financial literacy education Success mindset podcast #BEST #SHMS #STRAWSteve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six months ago, Rob & Rob made their property predictions for the year. So did the big-name forecasters. Now it's time to check the scoreboard. Prices are grinding upward, rents are re-accelerating, and the base rate story has taken a turn nobody had in their January script. Rob & Rob break down what they got right, what they got wrong, and what this tells us about the rest of the year ahead.  (00:58) News story of the week (03:50) Who's closest on house prices and who needs a miracle in the second half (07:13) Every single city pick is beating the national average (09:47) Why rents are re-accelerating despite the Renters' Rights Act (12:17) The forecast everyone got spectacularly wrong in the same direction (18:45) The one prediction we can already score (no pun intended) (19:45) Hub Extra Links mentioned:  Chat GPT's voice mode Fluid Voice Enjoy the show?  Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts - it really helps others find us! Sign up for our free weekly newsletter, Property Pulse Find out more about Property Hub Invest

How can content marketing in a tight niche build the audience that launches your book? And how do you decide whether to hand your self-published bestseller to a traditional publisher. Suzanne Smith shares what she learned in four years of going from blog to book deal. In the intro, how to stand out as a writer in the age of AI [Nathan Barry Show; Interview with Nathan Barry]; thoughts on asset maintenance; Goodreads giveaway on Bones of the Deep (Aug 5-20, 2026) This episode is sponsored by Publisher Rocket, which will help you get your book in front of more Amazon readers so you can spend less time marketing and more time writing. I use Publisher Rocket for researching book titles, categories, and keywords — for new books and for updating my backlist. Check it out at www.PublisherRocket.com This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Suzanne Smith is the founder of The Independent Landlord, and the bestselling author of The Good Landlord Handbook. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes How a free blog in a tight niche built the audience for the book Rewriting the book from scratch when the law changed Why speed made self-publishing the only option Building a paid membership after one audience member asked for it Negotiating a Penguin Random House deal with no agent Using AI as a business sidekick, with a control room and an engine room You can find Suzanne at TheIndependentLandlord.com. Transcript of the interview with Suzanne Smith Jo: Suzanne Smith is the founder of The Independent Landlord, and the bestselling author of The Good Landlord Handbook. So welcome to the show, Suzanne. Suzanne: Thank you. Jo: Oh, there's so much to talk about today. But first up— Tell us a bit more about you and your background, and how you got into property and writing after a legal career. Suzanne: Well, I've always loved reading books. In fact, I recently did a French literature degree as a mature student. Being an author was never in the game plan at all. It's not something that I even thought about. I was brought up in New Zealand, so shout out to all the Kiwis and those across the pond in Australia. The thing about it is, Jo, you've lived there yourself. Kiwis are independent, self-reliant and have this great sense of fair play. So that was a very formative experience for me. We moved back to England when I was 16, and I have become thoroughly anglicised since then, but a Kiwi at heart. I always wanted to become a lawyer. New Zealand in some ways on television is quite American, and there was this American programme called The Paper Chase. It was about all of these students at Harvard studying law, and the professor said, “You come here with a skull full of mush and you leave thinking like a lawyer.” I thought, “Oh, I like the sound of that.” I didn't really know what a lawyer was, but everyone seemed to be very happy that I wanted to become one, and then that was it. Jo: So you went into law, and then how did you get into property? Suzanne: So I worked for 25 years as a solicitor. That's like an attorney if you're American. Started off in a law firm, and then I went into pharmaceuticals and I worked for big companies like what is now GSK, GlaxoSmithKline, and small companies as well. When I started out, it was before the internet, before Google. When you're in house, you're very much a generalist. You do a bit of everything. So you help companies grow their business. You're not business prevention, but you're still bound by the code of conduct for solicitors. You've got this role of keeping the company on the right side of the law. Then I had twins, who were born about five years after I became a lawyer, and I decided to work part-time for a while and did an MBA when they were little, part-time through the Open University. I know Jonathan is doing one at the moment. Jo: Yes. He's finished, so that's exciting. Suzanne: That was transformational for me, because I had probably been thinking a bit too much as a lawyer, and it helped me to broaden my view of the world and understand all sorts of things. Sso I continued going up the greasy pole, and then for my last job, in 2015, I joined a biotech company in Cambridge, England, as general counsel and company secretary. It was a long way from home, about two, three hours' drive from home. So I decided to buy a flat, an apartment, and to stay there in the week. I thought to myself, “Well, when I leave this company, I can let it out as a buy-to-let,” but actually as a landlord. So I stayed there for five years, and then when I left, I let out the property. The reason why I decided to leave law after 25 years, I had what I call a sliding doors moment, like in the film. I was 50. I was on holiday with my husband, and we'd probably had one too many rum cocktails. And he said to me, “Well, what do you want to be doing with your life? What would you do if you could do anything?” I was thinking, “Well, I've done law. I want to do something else now.” I didn't really know what that was, and I'd always been thinking about studying French properly, and that's when I left. So I decided, 18 months later, I left to do a French degree at King's College London, full-time. I was the only old person there with lots of 18-year-olds. When I did that, I was able to cash in my share options because I was a good leaver. I retired, and so I started buying properties to let out and became a landlord, without really thinking too much about it, and I used letting agents. They were fine to begin with, but I didn't really have a game plan or anything like that. What I realised is that when I tried to research things online, I couldn't really find anything that was terribly helpful. It was either quite general or it was very legal. So after a while… I became a landlord in 2019. I had the idea, why don't I set up a blog? And this is August 2022, so just four years ago. My husband came up with the idea of the name, The Independent Landlord, because it's that Kiwi spirit, being very independent. I thought, “Right, I'm not going to charge anyone for it. It's a hobby. It's not a business. I'm going to pay it forward and help, use my legal training, practical legal approach, and practical common sense, by doing this blog.” Almost exactly four years ago, I sent my first newsletter to 13 people. Jo: Woo-hoo. Suzanne: And I sent one last week to over 18,000. So it's been quite a journey. Jo: Wow, this is so great. I love this. There's so much in there. The turning 50 and then doing a degree. My master's in death is a little different to your French literature, but I like it. So I love this, and buying properties, starting it on the side, not a business at first, and growing the audience, and obviously you've put so much work in. Then you decide to write a book. So talk about that, because an online blog, although I'm sure your articles and everything were super useful, it's very different to write a blog than a book. So talk about your challenges in writing. Why did you decide to do a book in the first place? Suzanne: Again, I was an accidental landlord, is what they call it when you let a property when you didn't intend to buy it as a buy-to-let, which I did with my Cambridge flat. And I became, in many respects, an accidental author. So I was having a conversation with my husband again and I was saying I'd done this lead magnet to get people to sign up to my newsletter, and a big new law was going through Parliament at the time, called the Renters Reform Bill, that was going to completely transform the way landlords operate. I was saying to my husband, “Oh, I need to update my lead magnet, a little ebook, to explain the new law.” He looked at me and said, “Well, why don't you do a proper book? Write a book.” This was on the 29th of September, 2023. The reason why I mention that is that I thought, “Wow, what a great idea,” and my head was bursting. I went onto Google, and guess what I downloaded on the 1st of October? Jo: My blueprint? Suzanne: Exactly. I found you immediately, the Author Blueprint, and I downloaded it. I checked: on the 1st of October, 2023. Then I listened to almost… well, I think I went back several years on your podcast, just trying to understand. I'm like that. When I try and do something, I just try and learn everything that there is to know about it. So I started writing the book, and I guess the first challenge was I write quickly, and I'm used to writing for people who aren't lawyers, being in-house. So I thought I needed to have a structure. The structure was easy in many respects because, a bit of business at the end, and then you can go through a tenancy. I thought it was important to have a narrative thread all the way through it, just to bring it together. This is the literature degree coming in here. I thought that the mission for everything I do, the reason why I started doing this, is to help landlords, but also to help the experience of renting that people have in England. It's very specific for English law. And to help improve the private rented sector. So that's why I originally set up my blog for free, and I wanted, when people went onto Google, they could find something sensible and very detailed from me. My blog posts were… Well, I've now got over 400,000 words on my blog, so it's a substantial piece of work that is out there free of charge. So what I decided to do was to bring this narrative thread, I call it the good landlord ethos, to the book. Then I wrote very quickly, and I had a pretty good draft by April 2024, because we were all thinking that the law was going to change very soon. But then there was an election, and in the end the government changed and the legislation changed completely, so I had to rewrite the book and start again. So I think that my biggest challenge was that my subject matter, the new law, changed. Because I wanted to publish this book that explained to people practically what they have to do, and make it really straightforward, keeping out of politics, because it is a very politically charged area. I wanted to write it so it's a manual, somebody could literally follow it. So I used an editor, and I did write the book twice. I had a beta reader who is another lawyer, and a landlord as well. Then I got to the get-the-damn-thing-done stage. The really tedious bit of all the typos at the end. Jo: Yes, the finishing energy to get it out there. So at that point, obviously you'd found my blueprint, so you were learning about the indie way of doing things. Did you always decide to self-publish? How did you think about publishing? What were your challenges in publishing? Suzanne: It never occurred to me not to self-publish, because the new law came into effect on the 1st of May, 2026. The law and the details that I needed for the book were finalised in January, and I published on Amazon on the 5th of March, so I had to go so quickly. Even though I'd got a lot of it written, the last bit came in January, and so I needed speed. I knew that for landlords to be able to have something that they can use straightaway to help get them ready for it, and then use as a manual afterwards, I had to be first. Jo: Sorry, just on the year. Was it '24? You said '26. You meant May— Suzanne: 2024? No, no, because I actually published it this year. What happened in 2024, I had the first draft ready, but then I had to do another draft because the law changed when the Labour government came in. Jo: Right. Suzanne: The Renters Reform Bill turned into the Renters' Rights Bill. So I had to rewrite the book. So I finished however many drafts at the end of January 2026. Then it went to an editor, et cetera, et cetera, and I managed to get the book ready for a proof, to get the proof printed, towards the end of February. So it was really quick to go from the law being sufficiently finalised for me to write a book in January, and then having it ready in just over a month. There is no way that I could have done that if I'd gone to a traditional publisher. It didn't even occur to me to go, because I didn't want to be going touting around my book and, “Please publish me,” et cetera. It's just not me. I'm the independent landlord, and that moved very easily to being the independent publisher. So I learnt how to do all the publishing. And a huge thanks: I joined your Patreon and I was a very good student. I went through everything systematically and followed your playbook, and used Vellum and BookFunnel and all the other tools. So I decided to go on Amazon as well as have my own Shopify store, which just about killed me. Jo: I was going to say, you are an excellent student. You really like learning, but you also put this into practice, which is why I also wanted to talk to you. You haven't just talked about all this. You've literally done everything. Suzanne: Sometimes it was like my head was going to burst. Luckily, Claude upped his game earlier this year when we got the Opus 4.5. I didn't use AI really until this year. I decided I need to do exercise all the time, and have that as a have-to-do, because my head was spinning all the time with all these different things. So I would go to the gym, go to a spin class, and then I would walk out with my phone on, with the Claude app, and dictate a stream of consciousness into it. “Oh, I need to do this, or what about that? Oh, I just remembered about this. Oh, I've had this idea, blah.” And then said, “Make sense of it for me, Claude.” So it was very much as a thinking partner, because when you're writing your first book, it's bad enough, but when you're learning how to publish… Even, like, when I got the first proof of the book back from BookVault, I realised that all the footnotes—I have 114 footnotes in my book, and that, again, is the recent degree there—and the formatting had gone skew-whiff. Apparently it was an issue with Vellum, and they were really lovely and they sorted it straight out for me. So it shows: always get a proof of the book. They were able to sort that out very quickly, and BookVault were very quick in getting me another proof, because you can shortcut it and just pay to get a very quick delivery. Amazon, on the other hand, was really slow. It took a week. So I actually published earlier on my Shopify store for my members, of my membership, and I gave them a discount. Then I finally got it onto Amazon on the 5th of March. There are all these different skills you're having to learn. The Shopify store I found very hard, and there was all the tax, because I'm VAT registered. So I think I'm still recovering. Jo: You're still recovering. I wouldn't normally recommend a Shopify store for someone with their first book, doing first of everything. But, as you say, you're someone who learns a lot, puts it into practice, and— I think you were pretty determined to do that because you had a community as well, right? Suzanne: Exactly, yes. The big subscriber list. I think that's why the book did so well. So in the first week, because I met you at the Indie Author Lab put on by— Jo: Yes, London Book Fair, yes. Suzanne: Yes, the Alliance of Independent Authors. I met you there, and it was just my first week, and I had 1,000 sales in the first week. That was because of my audience. I'd been going on about the fact that I'm writing this book for two and a half years, because that's how long it took me to do. So I had a wait list for it, and I had a thing on my website, a landing page on my website, saying how good the book was and why it's the best thing for the Renters' Rights Act. Then I went onto Google, and I think I sent you a screenshot of this at the time. I put into Google, “What's the best book for the Renters' Rights Act for landlords in England?” And it came up with me as a featured snippet, and I hadn't even published it at that time. It was just about there. So the blog really helped, because I'd become an authority on the Renters' Rights Act. Even though I'm not a practising solicitor any more, I spent all my time reading the damn thing, and it is a very complicated bit of legislation. Funnily enough, I have ruffled a lot of feathers. People have even said about me behind my back, “What does she know? She's only got four properties.” But I just took no notice. I thought, “I'm going to try and use my legal brain and my understanding of what it's like being a landlord, there with the rubber gloves cleaning an oven when people have moved out, and try and write something that's not trying to sell anything else, and to help people.” And then it got picked up. Jo: Yes. Wait, let's just slow down. Slow down, because we will get onto that in a minute. But let's just come back to that launch. So as we talked about, you've had a blog for five years— Suzanne: It was three and a half by then. Jo: Three and a half years you've been blogging, but hundreds of thousands of words of useful information. So you've essentially done content marketing. You've attracted people. You had a lead magnet. You got them on your email list. You told them that you were writing a book. You got a sort of pre-sales list up. So that's an email list. You've got a blog. Did you do anything else in terms of marketing? Suzanne: I had YouTube, a big YouTube channel. I'd only set it up at the end of 2024, and I'd had half a million views. And again, just very straightforward advice, and without all the scaremongering and politics. I deliberately keep out of it all. A lot of people joined my newsletter as a result of that. Also a year ago, exactly today, I was running a Facebook group, which was a lot of hard work. There were a few thousand people in it, but there are often a lot of people going in there trying to sell things: insurance, eviction specialists and things. And there was also a lot of people just being unpleasant to other people. I was getting fed up with it. It was taking me a lot of time, and I was doing a lot of speaking events and trying to explain what this new law was doing, and wearing myself out. I'm an extrovert, but even I find speaking events absolutely exhausting, because it's like everything gets sucked out of you. It's strange. Then somebody came up to me in July last year and said, “Suzanne, can you set up a membership?” I said, “Well, landlords aren't going to pay for that.” And they said, “Yes, they will. You build it and they will come.” I asked ChatGPT and thought about it. I asked ChatGPT, who I was dating at the time, now exclusively with Claude, but I know Claude has other people in his life. But I'm very much set with Claude Fable at the moment. So I asked ChatGPT, how can I go about setting up a membership? And I mentioned your one and said, “Should I do it on Patreon?” And then he came back with: go for Circle. So I set up a membership on Circle, exactly a year ago. In fact, it's the anniversary of my first member yesterday. hTe rules I had were, no selling. So I don't sell, no affiliate links, no one else can sell anything, and we have to be supportive. No negativity, no politics. So what it's become, it's like the senior common room of the private rented sector, with landlords, lawyers, letting agents. There's a fantastic forum in there. It's not me doing it, it's peer-to-peer. I have twice-monthly live streams where people can ask me questions. I wonder where I got that from. No, I very much modelled it on your Patreon, but on a different platform. I have courses in there as well. So that has really grown. I launched it in July, and by September, October, I'd gone past the VAT threshold, which has complicated everything, but it means my business now is this membership. I really enjoy doing it, and there hasn't been all the negativity that you have in a Facebook group. So I had them as… talk about your thousand fans. There are about 1,500 in the membership, and their support really helped the launch of my book, as well as the wider people who get my free newsletter. Jo: Yes. Suzanne: So it's all different types of content marketing. Jo: Y, but I do love this. And of course, if people are wondering, I joined Patreon back in 2014, I think it might have even been before that, and there weren't too many places back then to run communities. It wasn't even really a community at the time, it was a sort of, almost a “give me a bit of support for the podcast.” So things have changed a lot in terms of communities, and obviously you went with Circle, which is great. Patreon is slightly different now, and some people are using Substack for something similar. So that's just on the platform, but on the business: early on in our conversation you said, “I wasn't going to have a business. It wasn't a business. It was just putting stuff out there, helping other people,” and then your audience asked for this membership. And so now it is a business, right? Suzanne: Yes, it is. Jo: And you've got a book and all of this. So are you happy with the change to a business? Because obviously you have to treat it quite differently. Suzanne: Yes, I am, because I think to begin with, I was just doing it one or two days a week. I was actually studying a master's in French literature part-time, and I then found that I was enjoying the blog more than the master's, so I dumped the master's after the first year. But after getting 88% for one of my dissertations, which interestingly was on the translation of a Simone de Beauvoir book into English, and the publisher who's got that now is Random House, but that's another thing. Anyway, so I decided to give up my master's and double down and work full-time on the blog. People were paying to help me with all the big fees and things, the big tech stack, Buy Me a Coffee. I was doing a little bit of consulting and things. I was working six, seven days a week. I was treating it like a business in terms of quality and my effort, but it wasn't a business in terms of revenue. Then it just all came together, and this person said, “Set up a membership,” and I thought, “That's what I'm going to do. I'm now going to put it on a business setting.” I've got an MBA, I know how to do it, and people thought I planned it, but I didn't. It just happened. So now I do very much treat it as a business, but I still don't advertise. I don't allow people to advertise with me, because I want to be independent. If I recommend something, I want people to believe it's me recommending it, not just because someone's paying me, which can be a big issue in the landlord area. Jo: Oh, in any industry. I get pitched every day with loads of random things that people are like, “Oh, a dollar a click or whatever, if you send this to your list.” And it's like, seriously? Just stop it already. I did just want to add there: somebody asked you, they said, “You should have a community,” and that sparked that idea. I just wanted to acknowledge that my Patreon came from Jim Kukral. Some of you will remember, who've been around a long time. Jim Kukral came on my blog around sort of 2013. Amanda Palmer had just put out a book called The Art of Asking, and I was doing a lot of unpaid work on the podcast at the time, and I was either going to give it up or I had to fund it somehow. Jim said, “You should do a Patreon.” And I was like, “Oh, no, I hate asking for money.” So at the time I just felt, oh, weird. Then I was like, “No, I do all this work,” as you were saying. Now the Patreon has changed so much in terms of what it is, but it is the backbone of my business, too. So I love that you listened to one of your fans who said what they wanted, and I love that I've listened as well. Sometimes we just have to listen to those urges, don't we, to take things on? Suzanne: Yes, absolutely. In some ways I didn't really back myself before. I thought, “No one's going to pay for this.” Then the more you give, the more they want. Jo: Yes. Suzanne: What I've been really working on now is having boundaries, because there were two big kind of mottos that I picked up when I was working in pharmaceuticals. One was from a head of the business. He was Canadian, and he was always saying, “You've got to skate to where the puck is heading.” Jo: That's Wayne Gretzky, is it? Suzanne: Exactly. Yes. He would always say it, and so that's what I've done with my blog and my book. When I write things, I don't pay for any tools. I don't do keyword searches and all that. I just think, I do one blog post per topic, and I'm going to guess what people are going to be searching for soon, and I build up all this content around it. That's why most of my blog pages are top five. I've had no advertising. I haven't asked for any backlinks. I don't do it. People backlink to it because it's useful. So that was the first thing, is skate to where the puck is heading, and that was my approach with the book. I knew people would need this book from around May, and they'll need it forever, because it is so complicated and regulated, the rules for being a landlord in England. So that was the first one. The second thing was: when you take something on, you've got to let something go. One in, one out. I found that I was taking on so many different things, and I've just been cutting back, because I can't be doing all the speaking, I can't be answering people's emails. So I now don't do emails. If people want my advice on something, they ask me in the hub, at the twice-monthly live streams. Sometimes I answer in the forums, but I don't have time. When there are 2.4 million landlords in the UK, and even with our 18,000 on my newsletter, I could spend, and I did, I used to spend all my time replying to emails. So anyway, there are the things. Oh, and there was a third one, which is: attract, don't chase. One of my friends gave me that advice and that's exactly what my approach has been. I just don't chase for anything. I just put the stuff there and then build it and they will come. Jo: Yes, and I think another thing is the power of the niche. It's so clear that what you write about, the people you are aiming at, you have an extremely tight target market. That is both a strength and obviously a weakness, because they're the only people. But as you say, there's more than enough of those people for a community, for the book you have. From my own perspective, that's the same for me, the power of the niche. That's how I have a successful podcast, for example, because of that reason. I think you're like a poster child of what a non-fiction author should do. What I like is that you didn't go, “Oh, where's a niche where I could make money?” and then jump in. You've gone about this in a kind of slightly accidental way, but now you're leaning in and this uses all your skills. So this really is a great example of the power of the niche and then making the most of it. But let's move on to what then happened, and— What happened with the book deal? Suzanne: Wow. So you and I met each other on whatever day that was in March at the Indie Author Lab, and the following day I got an email, via my website on a contact form, from Penguin Random House saying, “We love the book. We love the mission, its values,” all this kind of thing. And I was thinking, “Oh, it's another one of those. Must be an—” Jo: AI spam bot, right? Suzanne: Yes, and I remember I sent you a screenshot of it, and then I checked her out on LinkedIn and thought, “Okay, there is somebody with that name there.” You're always saying, and Orna Ross and everyone are always saying, “Watch out for scams.” And in fact, Penguin Random House even this weekend on Instagram put out something saying, “There are lots of people impersonating us.” So I didn't take it too seriously, and it was something like, “Oh, would you be interested in us publishing your book?” And I thought, and I laughed. It was like, no, this is too good to be true. So I replied and said… Oh, I said, “Well, thank you so much. The Renters' Rights Act…” And so this is like the second week in March. “The Renters' Rights Act comes into effect on the 1st of May. If you want to publish it, you're going to need to get your skates on.” I literally did say that. Then she arranged a meeting with me the next day, on the Friday. I still was very dubious about it, and I had a think about it. What helped me, and I have the little booklet here: at the Author Lab, we did some work at the beginning, and Orna said, “Put your phones away.” And it was like, “What? Put my phone away?” Then we had to do this definition of success, and our passion, and our mission, and our purpose. I wrote down things like, I want to help landlords, and in so doing, help improve the private rented sector. I get pleasure from helping people. I want to improve standards and use my legal and practical skills, et cetera. So I thought, “Okay, what is my purpose of doing this book?” It isn't really to make money, because going with Penguin, you wouldn't do that for financial reasons, because you'd make very little money. So I thought, what is my why? My why is I want as many people to read this book as possible. And I've managed to sell a few thousand copies, but there are 2.4 million landlords, and they all need to understand this book, and the only way that I can get it out there, apart from doing ads, is to get it out in bookstores. So I thought about it, and then said, “Yes, I will do it, because I want to get the book out there.” So it's distribution. It's going to be published on the 6th of August, which is really quick, bearing in mind they contacted me in the middle of March. It's exactly the same book, it's just got different copyright wording and different blurb, different paper. Same cover, because I managed to find a fantastic cover person to do it. So they've kept everything the same. So we negotiated that book. I have no agent. They came to me. It's the attract, don't chase. I just put my lawyer hat on, and because one licence is very much like another one… I did turn down their first offer. Jo: Well done. Good negotiation. Suzanne: My daughter said to me, who's an adult daughter, she said, “But it's Penguin.” And I said, “Well, no, but it doesn't work for me.” So I had a call with them, and then they came up with something that worked for me a bit more. I did have to concede on a few things, like I can't sell it in my Shopify store. But in some ways, that was a blessing in disguise, because it means I don't get any more “Where's my book?” emails. Jo: Yes, exactly. Pros and cons of everything, basically. Suzanne: I have very clear rights to get it back. If I want it back, I can get it back and I don't have to give a reason. They're lovely. They have been really very wonderful. When I went up there a month or so ago, they gave me this book bag, and it's got on it, “I'm published by Penguin,” and I burst into tears. Jo: Aw. That's nice. Suzanne: I don't know, it just seemed like such a big deal. Because up until then I was just being all very lawyerly and task-orientated. Then I thought, “Oh my goodness,” and then it dawned on me. So I'm now in this interim period where I've taken it off Amazon and off my Shopify store, and I feel very maternalistic towards the book because, you know, it took me two and a half years, which is longer than a pregnancy. Obviously it's not a child, but it's like my book child. I've sent it off with a backpack and a drink and some snacks, and I hope that they look after him, my book. The day I took it off Amazon it was still number one. And a big shout-out to Publisher Rocket, by the way. Jo: Yes. Very, very useful for niche publishing. Suzanne: Very. It helped me choose the right niche categories. So it was number one on at least one category, often six, all the way through. I thought, “Well, it's over to them now.” They're very lovely people. They've given me some marketing assets, as they call it, some swanky graphics and things to use. We'll have to see what we do in terms of marketing. I don't mind doing marketing. I'm on LinkedIn quite a bit, and my whole blog is marketing. What I've been doing is updating my blog to include one of these graphics and to mention the book, and I got Claude to help me draft the code so it looked right. So I've been going through all of my blog posts and sending people to Amazon rather than to my Shopify store. It is mixed feelings, because I care about my book. I put a lot of effort, a lot of love, a lot of tears. No, not tears, but I put a lot of effort into it, and it's out of my control now. Jo: Yes, you said it's over to them, but obviously you will still be creating content around this topic, so you'll probably still be the biggest driver of book sales. Suzanne: Yes. Jo: Are they also suggesting, for example, a podcast tour, like pitching for podcasts? Are they going to assign you some PR? Because, also if people don't know, as we are recording this, we have a new prime minister who wants to do various things. You said no politics, but this is obviously a political thing. So you have the potential to go on a lot of different podcasts, media, talking about this, becoming almost a talking head in this kind of area. So are you angling for all that, and is that in your contract, or is it literally just going to be whatever you want to do? Suzanne: That's not in the contract. What's in the contract is very minimal. I think I've already done what I'm supposed to do. They are pitching for me to go on podcasts and things. I'll tell you a really funny coincidence. So we now have a new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, and when he was Mayor of Greater Manchester, he set up something called the Good Landlord Charter. I actually talk about it in the book, and I quote him in my book saying that good landlords mean people trying to do the right thing, or something like that. And I coincidentally came up with the same name, The Good Landlord Handbook. I'd already had the book title for a long time. So this idea of good and landlord coming together, the adjective good as opposed to criminal or rogue, and the cover being green. I'm wanting to change the narrative so it's the norm to have a good landlord, and to help people become good landlords. Or if they're good landlords, help them to understand the new rules, because the new rules are very complicated. So what I don't get involved in is this right or wrong. Is it right that landlords can't do this or have to do this? Because as an in-house lawyer, it doesn't really matter what I think about the law. GDPR, goodness me. Jo: Oh, dear. Let's not start on GDPR. Suzanne: No, exactly. Because we've just got to suck it up. I liken it to the grief cycle, that people have been going through so much change and you have the anger, the depression— Jo: Denial. Suzanne: Bargaining, the denial, and then you get to acceptance. For some people, the acceptance means they want to stop doing it. If you want to accept it and stay, you need to understand the rules. So I've deliberately just kept very practical and have kept out of all the politics of it. I have, funnily enough, become involved because I'm now seen as an expert on the Renters' Rights Act. I've worked behind the scenes with the government to help, and give comment on government guidance for landlords. I was even invited to a reception to mark the passing of the Renters' Rights Act at Downing Street with the previous prime minister, all whilst staying apolitical. I won't let anyone make me be a mouthpiece for their political view. It's more, we just have to do this if we want to continue doing it. I've been very clear on that. Jo: It's interesting you mention the grief cycle there, and you've also mentioned Claude and ChatGPT. I wonder if you might also just comment on use of AI for authors and for marketing and all this. Also with legal stuff, because for me now, if I'm looking at a particular legal thing, I tend to ask Claude. I'm like, “Can you just explain this?” or upload a contract or whatever. Although it is not legal advice, it can be quite useful. So give us your thoughts on using AI as a sidekick in your author business and also for wider life. Suzanne: I now struggle to think what life would be like without Claude. I don't use Claude to write, at all, because I have a very particular voice and a turn of phrase, and if ever Claude writes something for me, it doesn't sound like me. It flattens me, and it makes me sound a bit American. So I don't do that. I've used it in the back end of the business. For instance, my blog was down, and there was something called a recursive bot, which I don't even know what it was, and Claude helped me fix it for free. I went through, I did screenshots. When I did an ElevenLabs audiobook and did it all myself, I was literally, for every screenshot, showing it to Claude. Claude said, “Do this, press this, press that.” So I have all these different projects set up. One is the control room, where it's for my strategic thinking. If I have an idea, I want to think about something, I put it in there. I have the engine room, which is for everything techy. Like when I had the recursive bot, or if I'm wanting to have some code on the website to make it look a particular way. Then I have other things for different subjects, and I put all the resources in there, and I use it a lot as a thinking partner. I've noticed that Fable doesn't hallucinate as much, but the Opus used to. There's something called rental discrimination, and it was proofreading and said, “No, it's not rental discrimination, it's rental income discrimination,” and that was just a load of rubbish. So I would never let it go and change things without me looking at it. I went on one of your webinars a month or so ago about MCPs and all the connectors, which is fantastic. It can go into my community and pull out all the questions for one of my live streams and put it into a document in order, by theme, for instance. It can look at my MailerLite, because that's where my newsletter is with, and analyse the different open rates and click rates and things. It's so good for analysing everything, all the book sales. It helped me with my negotiation with Penguin, and it is pretty good on law. It has sometimes hallucinated things, but not so much now. I think with anything, you've always got to go back to the primary source, and this is what we learn in academia: you have to check the primary source yourself. I have a bit of a magpie brain. I'm very much a discovery writer, like you, and things occur to me as I'm doing it. I think that Claude, at the moment, is incredible. I've been quite open about it on social media that I have Claude as a business partner. I'm a solopreneur, or whatever the word is. I have quite a big business now, and lots of different things, and it's just me doing it, because I can ask Claude how to do this, and how to do that. Claude can go and check my emails and tell me, is there somebody I've not replied to, which helps a lot. Jo: Yes. I think it's empowering as a solopreneur as such. You talk there about the fixing the tech stuff. I have my web host come to me and say, “Look, you're getting so much traffic and bot stuff, and we need to put this thing in, and it's going to be $120 extra a month.” I was like, “Can you just give me an hour? I'll get back to you.” And then I just had Claude code up, and I was like, “Analyse this and tell me what we can do.” It was like, “No, you just need to flip this switch and do that.” And I'm like, “Okay, fair enough.” Then the guy said, “Oh, no, okay, actually you don't need it.” Just stuff like that. As a solopreneur, you're either going to pay somebody technically quite a lot of money, or you can get Claude or ChatGPT. We should say, the ChatGPT Sol is very good, like the Claude Fable, for example. So, yes, using it as a sidekick. I love your control room and your engine room projects as well. That's a great way of doing it. Suzanne: I wouldn't be without it now, and I would have published the book a lot later without Claude, because Claude was helping me with the Shopify store and all the many steps of things. It saved me real time. It is just fantastic. I think, like now when I'm updating my blog, I have a connection between Claude and my blog. Claude can go in, I can give it my Google Search Console results for the page: what should I change, are the headings right? All this kind of thing. And it will give me a view on every single page, which is incredible. Jo: And YouTube, and just everything. Just super useful for that business sidekick. That's what I want authors to think. I feel like authors get so obsessed with the creative side with AI, whereas actually, people like you and me, we're using it as that engine room for the solo business, which is what I love. So we're out of time. I did want to ask one more thing, which is, one of the biggest issues with a specific book like yours is when they change the law again. So do you have a plan in place for if, say, a new government changes the law again? Will you just be updating the book over time? Suzanne: I think that there'll need to be a new edition of the book in three years' time, and I've spoken to Penguin about it. Not all of this new law has been implemented, and there's going to be case law and things. So I expect that I will update the book every few years. I have some other ideas for books as well, but for the moment, I'm just taking a bit of a break. You always say we've got to refill our creative well. I really feel like that at the moment. Recently I've just got myself a personal mobile phone so that I can turn off my work one when I'm on holiday and actually take time off. Because for all the time that I was doing the book, basically from Christmas until May, I didn't have one day off. That is not good. So I'm just trying to be a bit more balanced. I had an idea to write another book for summer, but I've just decided not to, and I'm going to leave it until I feel the urge again. Jo: Oh, well done. Suzanne: Which will come. Jo: Yes, well done. Suzanne: I think there's nothing wrong with that. We just need to think what's right for us. I'm 58. So I want to be able to have time to enjoy things and not be working all the time. Jo: No, that's great. It's a sustainable business. So where can people find you and the book and your community online? Suzanne: The easiest way to find me is theindependentlandlord.com. Or if you put Suzanne Smith and landlord into Google, you'll find me as well, and there's a link on there to the book, The Good Landlord Handbook. In the community, there's a link to that on my website as well. Jo: Brilliant. Well, thanks so much for your time, Suzanne. That was great. Suzanne: Thank you.The post From Blog To Community To Book: A Non-Fiction Author's Journey With Suzanne Smith first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Are you prepared for the biggest shake up in UK tenancy law for a generation? Suzanne Smith shares practical advice on the Renters' Rights Act, helping landlords and letting agents navigate new rules, strengthen tenant relationships and stay ahead of major legislative changes.

Send us Fan Mail Buy-to-let has become a profession, and the accidental landlords of the 80s and 90s are reaching the end of the road. Farnaz Fazaipour speaks with Angela Niering-Wren, Senior Commercial Banker at Arbuthnot Latham, about tighter lending, Renters' Rights, Building Safety, and what it now takes to borrow against property in prime London. The London Property Podcast Hosted by Farnaz Fazaipour, londonproperty.co.ukIndependent intelligence for serious London property owners and investors.Every episode cuts through the noise with 30 years of prime London market experience  no estate agent spin, no vested interests. Just practical insight on where the market is moving, what the legislation means for your wealth, and where the real opportunities are.Trusted by 1,500 HNWI members across the UK and internationally.Topics include prime and super-prime London, leasehold reform, IHT planning, rental market shifts, regeneration areas, and the tax and legal changes every serious owner needs to understand. #LondonProperty #PropertyInvestment #LondonRealEstate 

Stop waiting for a market crash or government rescue; this episode reveals why the housing market has fundamentally changed and how first-time homebuyers must adapt with a "replacement strategy" to build wealth now. SynopsisFeeling left behind by the 2026 housing market? This episode delivers a crucial reality check: the affordability crisis is a permanent structural shift, not a temporary cycle. Discover why waiting for a market crash or government bailout is a losing strategy, and learn the essential "replacement strategy" to leverage low down payment options and find hidden opportunities, especially with new home builders. We'll also expose common scams and debunk foreclosure fears so you can take control and buy your first home now. Quote"America's affordability crisis isn't cyclical, it's structural. So here we go. The cycles not coming back."— David Sidoni, Nationwide First Time Homebuying Coach HighlightsWhy waiting for a housing market crash is a permanent trap, not a smart strategy for building wealth?What is the "replacement strategy" and how can it help you redirect high rent payments into home equity?Why the new federal "21st Century Road to Housing Act" offers no real relief for first-time buyers?How did the required income for a median home jump from $66,000 to $120,000, and what does the 5:1 price-to-income ratio mean for your buying power?Where are new home builders offering massive incentives (averaging 10.9% of the home price!) and how can you find these deals?What's the dangerous scam involving builder-owned lenders, and how can you protect yourself from hidden costs and payment shock?Is the recent rise in foreclosures truly a sign of an impending market collapse like 2008, or is it statistically insignificant noise?Referenced Episodes & Resources513 – First-Time Homebuyer Headlines & Scams - PART 2 - Summer 2026 Housing Market Update500 – What to Know Before Buying Your First Home in 2026426 – Lowering Your Down Payment – Financially Prepare to Buy Your First Home – Pt. 7460 – Rent vs Buy in 2026: Are First Time Homebuyers Crazy?457 – First Time Homebuyers: Buy or Wait in 2026? (March Housing Market Update)490 – First Time Homebuyer Pros & Cons: New Build vs. Resale489 – 2026 Housing Affordability Tips for Renters and First Time HomebuyersHowtoBuyaHome.com/Guide - Over 100 of our BEST Episodes of Detailed Homebuying Knowledge, Interviews, and MORE! Connect with me to find a trusted realtor in your area or to answer your burning questions!Subscribe to our YouTube Channel @HowToBuyaHomeInstagram @HowtoBuyAHomePodcastTik Tok @HowToBuyAHomeVisit our Resource Center to to get your FREE Home Buying Starter Kit!David Sidoni, the "How to Buy a Home Guy," is a seasoned real estate professional and consumer advocate with two decades of experience helping first-time homebuyers navigate the real estate market. His podcast, "How to Buy a Home," is a trusted resource for anyone looking to buy their first home. It offers expert advice, actionable tips, and inspiring stories from real first-time homebuyers. With a focus on making the home-buying process accessible and understandable, David breaks down complex topics into easy-to-follow steps, covering everything from budgeting and financing to finding the right home and making an offer. Subscribe for regular market updates, and leave a review to help us reach more people. Ready for an honest, informed home-buying experience? Viva la Unicorn Revolution - join us!

The fight over the future of renters' rights in Chicago is heating up, as supporters of a proposal put forth by Mayor Brandon Johnson are blasting a competing measure as the “Chicago landlord's big, beautiful bill.” Meanwhile, four Logan Square residents have filed the first lawsuit linked to the city's tenants right pilot program, accusing their a landlord, his realtor and a brokerage company of running afoul of a Northwest Side anti-gentrification law. Host - Jon Hansen Reporters - Melody Mercado, Ariel Parrella Read More Here: https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/07/15/logan-square-renters-the-1st-to-sue-landlord-over-tenant-right-of-first-refusal-act-violation/ https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/07/21/big-beautiful-bill-for-landlords-tenant-groups-slam-counterproposal-to-mayors-housing-plan/ Want to donate to our non-profit newsroom? CLICK HEREWho we areBlock Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, relevant and nonpartisan coverage of Chicago's diverse neighborhoods. We believe all neighborhoods deserve to be covered in a meaningful way.We amplify positive stories, cover development and local school council meetings and serve as watchdogs in neighborhoods often ostracized by traditional news media.Ground-level coverageOur neighborhood-based reporters don't parachute in once to cover a story. They are in the neighborhoods they cover every day building relationships over time with neighbors. We believe this ground-level approach not only builds community but leads to a more accurate portrayal of a neighborhood.Stories that matter to you — every daySince our launch seven years ago, we've published more than 30,000 stories from the neighborhoods, covered hundreds of community meetings and send daily and neighborhood newsletters to more than 150,000 Chicagoans. We've built this loyalty by proving to folks we are not only covering their neighborhoods, we are a part of them. Some of us have internalized the national media's narrative of a broken Chicago. We aim to change that by celebrating our neighborhoods and chronicling the resilience of the people who fight every day to make Chicago a better place for all.

The traditional path to homeownership was once straightforward: rent an apartment, save for a down payment, buy a home and settle in. Today, that journey looks very different. Rising costs, shifting priorities and a growing demand for flexibility have created new opportunities for residents who want the space and lifestyle of a home without the immediate commitment of ownership.  Brett Forney, managing broker of Prim Realty and managing partner of Prim Properties, joins Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss how Parkland Companies is creating solutions for those changing needs. From operating successful build-to-rent communities to launching an in-house brokerage, the company’s approach creates a seamless path for residents, whether they choose to rent, buy or transition between the two.  Build-to-Rent Demands a Different Mindset  Build-to-rent communities may resemble traditional neighborhoods, but operating them requires a very different approach than managing apartments or selling homes. With fewer homes, tighter operating margins and individual maintenance needs, every detail matters. Residents also bring different expectations. Many are living in a single-family home for the first time and need guidance on everything from smart home features to seasonal maintenance.  “You’re teaching residents how to live in a home instead of managing them in a unit,” Forney said.  Resident expectations have also reshaped the industry. While homeowners often make upgrades over time, renters expect a polished, move-in-ready experience from day one.  “Renters are far pickier than owners,” Forney said. “When you’re renting, it’s like leasing a luxury car. I want that luxury from day one.”  Meeting Residents Where They Are  Longer career transitions, rising homeownership costs and the desire for maintenance-free living have shifted priorities for many households. Rather than committing to a mortgage and unexpected repair bills, residents value the flexibility of professionally managed communities where maintenance is only a text away.  That shift is reflected across Prim Properties’ portfolio, where average household income exceeds $100,000 per home. These residents aren’t renting because they have no other option. They’re renting because it offers the flexibility and convenience they want today.  Communities like Sugarloaf Landing and the newly opening Sugarloaf Crest in Lawrenceville further support that lifestyle. The neighboring communities share amenities while offering walkability to schools, grocery stores and everyday conveniences, creating a neighborhood experience that’s increasingly difficult to find.  Creating a Seamless Path to Homeownership  As Prim Properties built relationships with residents across its communities, a common question emerged: What happens when renters are ready to buy? Many residents wanted to stay connected to the Parkland Communities experience but needed guidance on the next step. That opportunity led to the launch of Prim Realty, creating a direct path from renting to homeownership.  “Whether our residents want to rent from us forever or rent for a short time until they purchase, whichever direction their American dream goes, we’re going to be there to help their dreams become a reality,” Forney said.  Prim Realty is also introducing programs designed to make homeownership more attainable, including assistance with closing costs and down payments, along with financing partnerships that may offer qualified buyers options such as 100% financing, no private mortgage insurance and competitive interest rates.  The brokerage’s first communities include Parkside at Grove Landing in Warner Robins, along with upcoming communities in Snellville and Stonecrest, expanding Parkland Communities’ growing portfolio of attainable for-sale housing across Georgia.  Growing With Purpose  As Prim Properties and Prim Realty continue expanding, growth remains rooted in a simple philosophy: serve residents and communities with excellence. Over the next two years, Parkland Communities expects more than 3,000 homes to be occupied or under construction while continuing to grow its property management, brokerage and construction teams. Yet success isn’t measured solely by the number of homes delivered.  “I want people, when they think of Parkland and Prim, to know that we’re different,” Forney said. “We’re not just looking for the fast dollar, but we are the helpers.”  That commitment shapes everything from customer service to community partnerships, reinforcing a mission to provide quality housing while helping more families achieve their version of the American dream.  To learn more about Prim Properties, Prim Realty and Parkland Communities, listen to the full episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio or visit primprop.com and parklandco.com.  About Prim Properties & Prim Realty  Prim Properties specializes in the management of build-to-rent communities, delivering customized leasing, operations and resident services designed specifically for the BTR market. Rather than treating BTR as traditional multifamily housing, Prim Properties focuses on creating neighborhoods and long-term resident experiences.   Prim Realty, Parkland Communities’ fully licensed real estate brokerage, oversees the sales and marketing of the company’s growing portfolio of for-sale communities across metro Atlanta. Together, Prim Properties and Prim Realty provide an integrated platform supporting both professionally managed rental communities and new home sales. For more information, email info@primprop.com or visit www.primprop.com.  Podcast Thanks       Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.        About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio       Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week's show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored on FeedSpot's Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.  The post Prim Realty: A New Path to Homeownership appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.

You've probably heard the media, politicians and economists talking about "the inflation rate" as though every Australian is experiencing the same increase in their cost of living.   But the official CPI figure may bear little resemblance to what is happening in your household.   Because here's the uncomfortable truth. That headline number is an average. It's a blend of everything from lettuce to laptops, and if your money goes on housing, health care, insurance and electricity rather than imported gadgets and clothing, your real cost of living has probably been running well above what the news is telling you.   Today we're going to pull that number apart. We're going to look at who actually suffers the highest inflation in this country, why government policy is doing more damage to your cost of living than any war or supply shock, and why understanding your own personal inflation rate matters just as much to your wealth-building strategy as your choice of property.   By the end of this episode you'll know exactly where you sit on what my guest calls the inflation pyramid, which categories of spending are quietly eating your returns, and why housing costs in particular have become one of the clearest examples of government-made inflation in the country.   My guest today is Ashley Owen, Principal of Owen Analytics and one of the most respected independent economists and investment analysts in Australia.   Takeaways   • Official CPI figures hide big differences between household spending patterns and real cost pressures. • Renters face stronger inflation because more of their budget goes to utilities, taxes, and housing costs. • Government-driven costs push housing inflation higher through taxes, regulation, and construction bottlenecks. • Imported goods often offset inflation, but local services keep rising through wage and productivity pressures. • Insurance, healthcare, and education climb faster because they rely heavily on expensive Australian labour. • Personal inflation rates matter more than averages when planning retirement withdrawals and long-term cash flow. • Higher inflation erodes mortgage balances over time, benefiting borrowers who own quality assets. • Delayed rate cuts and political spending can keep interest rates higher for longer. • Land scarcity in concentrated cities pushes up property values and construction costs. • Wealth plans must outperform inflation or purchasing power steadily shrinks over decades.   Links and Resources:   Answer this week's trivia question here - https://www.propertytrivia.com.au/ •        Win a copy of How To Grow A Multi-Million Dollar Property Portfolio In Your Spare Time. •        Every entry receives a copy of a fully updated Michael Yardney Property Report.   Michael Yardney – Subscribe to my Property Update newsletter here.     Get the team at Metropole to help build your personal Strategic Property Plan. Click here and have a chat with us.   Ashley Owen, Director of Owen Analytics https://www.owenanalytics.com.au/   Articles mentioned in the podcast:   ·        Housing inflation higher than CPIhttps://www.owenanalytics.com.au/2026jul20-housing-inflation   ·        What's your personal inflation rate?https://www.owenanalytics.com.au/2026jul14-infl-categ     Get a bundle of eBooks and Reports at: www.PodcastBonus.com.au    Also, please subscribe to my other podcast Demographics Decoded with Simon Kuestenmacher – just look for Demographics Decoded wherever you are listening to this podcast and subscribe so each week we can unveil the trends shaping your future.   About The Michael Yardney Podcast | Property Investment And Wealth Creation Australia   The Michael Yardney Podcast is one of Australia's leading property investment podcasts, helping investors understand the Australian property market and build long-term wealth through strategic property investing.   Each week we explore:   • Australian property market updates• Property investment strategies in Australia• Melbourne property market trends• Sydney property market forecasts• Brisbane property investment opportunities• Capital growth property strategies• Property cycles in Australia• Negative gearing and tax strategy• Interest rates and their impact on property• Buyer's agent insights and investment planning   If you're serious about building a high-performance property portfolio and creating financial freedom through real estate, this podcast will give you the clarity and strategy you need.   Learn more at:https://propertyupdate.com.auhttps://metropole.com.au

Student rentals have been transformed by the Renters' Rights Act. I'm joined by Suzanne Smith to explore the biggest challenges facing landlords, from eviction risks and advance rent restrictions to changing letting patterns, and why proactive letting agents have a real opportunity to support clients through the changes.

Become a part of the Progressive Property refer-a-friend scheme and Earn up to £250 when someone attends one of our events – you can enrol here: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk/raf/ Here's the uncomfortable truth about the Renters Rights Act. They told renters this law would protect them, make renting fairer, safer, and cheaper. So, here's the question nobody in government wants to answer - Why the very people this law was built to help, are ending up with fewer homes, higher rents, and less choice than before it even existed. I'm going to show you what actually happened to rents to the number of homes available and to the landlords themselves, both in the long run up to this law and in the few weeks since it's landed. By the end I think you'll see why so many people on both sides of the rental divide are quietly asking the same thing. Who exactly was this law for?   KEY TAKEAWAYS ·       The Renters' Rights Act was supposed to make it easier for tenants to find secure and affordable homes – in practice, the opposite has happened. ·       Around 35% of landlords sold or tried to sell in the 12 months before the Act came into force, permanently shrinking the pool of rental properties. ·       Many ex‑rental homes don't become first‑time buyer bargains. They're snapped up by larger, often corporate, landlords, concentrating power in fewer hands. ·       In the year to mid‑2024, average private rents rose by 8.6% across England, and by 9.7% in London, then flattened near record highs. ·       For informed investors and would‑be landlords, the chaos is an opportunity: with fewer rental homes, strong yields, and 20+ applicants per property, those who understand the new rules can step into the gap and build profitable, resilient portfolios.   BEST MOMENTS  "You'd naturally assume that a law that protects tenants would lead to more secure rental homes, but a rental home only exists if a landlord is willing to offer it."    "The flat doesn't become someone's first home; it just passes from a small local landlord to a faceless institution."    “The kindest thing you could possibly say is that the law poured a bucket of petrol directly onto a fire that was already lit, and the tenants are the ones standing closest to the flames.”     Market turbulence does not destroy opportunity, it transfers it.    It moves wealth and security away from people who react entirely to fear directly into the hands of the people who take the time to understand the new rules - That's exactly what we teach at Progressive Property – Join our free webinar here - https://progressiveproperty.co.uk/online-training/     VALUABLE RESOURCES MSOPI – Multiple Streams of Income: https://www.progressiveproperty.co.uk https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk ABOUT THE HOST Sean Fitzpatrick is a property investor, educator, and the Face of Progressive Property. With a 6-figure portfolio and expertise in creative strategies, finance, and off-market deals, Sean shares success stories from the Progressive Property community, expert insights, and real-world strategies to help investors succeed. Tune in for practical tips and no-nonsense advice to accelerate your property journey.   ABOUT THE HOST Kevin McDonnell is a Speaker, Author, Mentor & Professional Property Investor. He is an expert when it comes to creative property investment strategies. His book No Money Down: Property Invest talks about how to control and cash flow other people's property to create financial freedom.     CONTACT METHOD https://www.facebook.com/kevinMcDonnellProperty https://kevinmcdonnell.co.uk  https://www.tiktok.com/@progressiveproperty https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0g1KuusONVStjY_XjdXy6g https://twitter.com/progperty https://www.linkedin.com/company/progressiveproperty https://www.instagram.com/progressiveproperty https://www.facebook.com/groups/progressivepropertycommunity https://www.facebook.com/Progperty   This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

On Monday's show: Katy ISD is banning the use of AI by elementary school students. The district's board also set limits on AI use by middle and high school students in a decision that stands in sharp contrast to Houston ISD's plans. And we recap a Congressional forum in Houston over ICE tactics.Also this hour: We dig deeper on the rights of renters in Greater Houston.Then, a medical diagnosis kept Houstonian Ginger Kerrick from ever being an astronaut. It didn't, however, stop her from making history at NASA. Her story is among those told in a PBS documentary series called Once Upon a Time in Space, which is airing this month on Houston Public Media, TV 8.And we recap Sunday's Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony, which features more than one former Astros players, and consider which current members of the team could someday join them in the hall.Watch

In this episode of Dollars & Sense, Joel Garris of Nelson Financial Planning breaks down three timely money topics that can impact everyday financial decisions. First, he looks at the Bilt card and whether earning rewards on rent is really worth it—or whether the credit card risks outweigh the marketing hook.Then, Joel explains key Florida Retirement System choices, including the Pension Plan, Investment Plan, DROP, and recent legislative updates affecting certain COLA benefits and DROP flexibility.Finally, he discusses the decline in financial literacy, the rise in adult children relying on parents for financial support, and practical steps families can take to build independence without putting retirement at risk.

Stop Managing People and Start Building Owners Most leaders spend their careers trying to manage people. What if the real goal isn't better management... but building owners? In this episode of the Deep Leadership podcast, I sit down with keynote speaker, leadership advisor, and bestselling author Greg Hawks to explore why ownership is the missing ingredient in so many organizations. Greg shares his powerful Owners, Renters, and Vandals framework and explains how leaders unintentionally create disengaged employees by limiting autonomy, discouraging contribution, and rewarding compliance over commitment. We also discuss how great leaders unlock ownership through trust, accountability, meaningful recognition, and a culture where people think beyond their own department and begin acting in the best interest of the entire organization. If you're a leader who wants to build a high-performing culture where people take initiative, solve problems, and genuinely care about the mission, this episode is packed with practical insights you can apply immediately. In this episode, you'll learn: The difference between owners, renters, and vandals in the workplace Why most employees start with an owner's mindset and what causes them to lose it How leaders unintentionally create disengaged teams Five practical ways to unlock ownership in your people Why accountability is a gift, not a punishment The power of specific recognition and intrinsic motivation How to eliminate silos by helping leaders think "whole house" instead of protecting their own department Why ownership is a mindset that transforms both leadership and life Whether you lead a small business, a Fortune 500 team, a nonprofit, or you're preparing for your first leadership role, this conversation will challenge you to stop managing people and start building owners. Connect with Greg Hawks : Website: ⁠https://www.greghawks.com/ Book: ⁠https://amzn.to/4bbnwVc Subscribe to Deep Leadership: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe and share it with someone who wants to become a better leader. Sponsors: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cadre of Men⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Farrow Skin Care⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Salty Sailor Coffee Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leader Connect⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Qualified Leadership Series⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ____ Get all of Jon Rennie's bestselling leadership books for 15% off the regular price today! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HERE⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live coverage portrayed the rescheduled 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner as part memorial, part celebration of journalism, and part demonstration of resilience after the April shooting. The night centered on honoring those who responded to the attack, reaffirming support for a free press, and hosting President Trump's first appearance at the reworked event amid continuing tensions between the White House and the media. Me‑n‑Ed’s has quietly adopted a company-wide ban on smart glasses at all of its locations. The pizzeria says the policy is meant to protect guests' privacy and ensure customers can enjoy meals and conversations without concern that wearable devices may be recording them. A Walnut Creek rental listing sparked debate by charging an extra $200 per month for tenants who work from home. Renters largely criticized the idea, while a local housing expert said it could be justified as a way to recover higher utility costs. Despite the attention, experts do not expect work-from-home fees to become a common feature of Bay Area leases. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Live coverage portrayed the rescheduled 2026 White House Correspondents' Dinner as part memorial, part celebration of journalism, and part demonstration of resilience after the April shooting. The night centered on honoring those who responded to the attack, reaffirming support for a free press, and hosting President Trump's first appearance at the reworked event amid continuing tensions between the White House and the media. Me‑n‑Ed’s has quietly adopted a company-wide ban on smart glasses at all of its locations. The pizzeria says the policy is meant to protect guests' privacy and ensure customers can enjoy meals and conversations without concern that wearable devices may be recording them. A Walnut Creek rental listing sparked debate by charging an extra $200 per month for tenants who work from home. Renters largely criticized the idea, while a local housing expert said it could be justified as a way to recover higher utility costs. Despite the attention, experts do not expect work-from-home fees to become a common feature of Bay Area leases. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

May through September is peak moving season in Philly. So, before you lug boxes and furniture into a moving truck, look over contracts and compare your options. Make sure you know how to spot red flags in potential landlords and rental units, because you don't want to get stuck in a bad lease. That's why we're listening back to a conversation our host, Trenae Nuri, had with Catherine Anderson, an attorney who represents tenants at Philadelphia Legal Assistance. We're going to learn all about your rights as a Philly renter.  We're doing our annual survey to learn more about our listeners. We'd be grateful if you took the survey at citycast.fm/survey — it's only 7 minutes long. You'll be doing us a big favor. Plus, anyone who takes the survey will be eligible to win a $250 Visa gift card–and City Cast City swag. Our newsletter has Philly news & events in your inbox every weekday morning. Call or text us: 215-259-8170 Instagram: @citycastphilly Support our show and get great perks as a City Cast Philly Neighbor. Sign up here. Advertise on the podcast or in the newsletter: citycast.fm/advertise Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Fitler Club

What happens when a nearly-dead church with fifteen faithful seniors, aging heating ducts, and nine and a half acres gets a second chance? Pastor Nic sits down with John Sekutowski and Mike Beresford, two former High Point staff who left the comfort of an 800-person church to gamble everything on a congregation that had already given up. They talk candidly about the moment an interim pastor told them not to bother, the awkward middle years of building trust with people afraid of losing their identity, and the strange, almost embarrassing ways new people actually started showing up (hint: it involves a full parking lot and zero invitations). Along the way they get into what changes theologically and relationally when you go from renting your role in a big machine to owning every square foot of a small one, why breakthroughs are never as spontaneous as they look, and what it actually costs to disciple people your own preaching created. Engage & Equip is a resource designed to help form substantive disciples for the local church.Find more episodes at highpointchurch.org/podcastMusic: HOME—We're Finally Landing, Nosebleed, If I'm Wrong (https://midwestcollective.bandcamp.com/album/before-the-night)

More than just housing, Arbor 515 gives Salt Lake City residents the opportunity to build a future. The new development, a conversion of a former office building financed by Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), provides housing for residents earning between 25% and 55% of the area median income while also offering a unique opportunity to build equity.According to developer Chris Parker, director of the Perpetual Housing Fund (PHF), most of the building's annual cash flow will be returned to residents. If Arbor 515 is refinanced or sold, residents will also receive direct payments based on the length of time they have lived in their apartments. PHF, a lean non-profit with community-first capital sources, is able to share the majority of all annual cashflow, long-term equity generation, and future refinance/sale proceeds with the residents living in a PHF project.To learn more how this innovative approach is helping low income renters build financial security and explore whether similar ideas could help address Hawaiʻi's housing challenges, please listen Senator Chang and Chris Parker's intriguing conversation!! You can also watch this webinar on Senator Chang's YouTube page: HERE.

Facing apartment rejections due to evictions, bad credit, or a criminal record? Second chance leasing offers a real path forward. Experienced locators match renters with challenging histories to properties open to individualized reviews. To learn more, visit https://secondchanceapartments.com/what-are-second-chance-apartments/ Second Chance Apartments City: St. Louis Address: 10990 New Halls Ferry Road #Ste J. 115 Website: https://secondchanceapartments.com/ Phone: +1 314 328 4600

This week we explore the panic setting into the property media, and compare it with reality on the ground. Truth is, there is much noise and fury being fired by vested interests, from developers, agents and other parties. Where does truth lay, and what does the data really tell us? Renters are also in the … Continue reading "It’s Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson wants to get rid of “junk fees” for renters. Did Trump end the ceasefire in Iran? Residents of Seattle’s Alki neighborhood want the city to act after fireworks were shot at people and homes. A husky went viral saving a small boy from a bear attack. // LongForm: GUEST: Washington State Supreme Court Candidate Dave Larson says the way Washington picks its judges is a threat to your rights. // Quick Hit: People on both sides of the aisle want Mitch McConnell to provide an update on his health.

This is an abbreviated version of Checkup's topic on the debate over manditory air conditioning in rental properties. New Westminster, BC now forcing landlords to keep at least one room under 26 degrees C in the units they rent. Landlords and tenants weigh in, plus legal advice to help ease the heat.

Joining Elias on this morning's show were Jimmy Zoubris, Montreal businessman, longtime activist and former special advisor to Valerie Plante, and Anthony Koch, Former National Spokesperson for Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and current managing principal at AK Strategies. Among the topics discussed were: Justine McIntyre will run for the Quebec Liberals this October after a month of speculation. The Liberals also announced a former CAQiste, ex-Minister Pierre Dufour, and a former Quebec Conservative, Ange Claude Bigilimana, are also joining their ranks. Canada's richest families are pulling even further ahead, according to a new report from Canadians for Tax Fairness. The soccer world is up in arms after FIFA decided to rescind a match suspension of a U.S player ahead of their match versus Belgium Communities across Ontario who are along the proposed corridor of the Alto highspeed track have planted “Stop Alto” signs in fear of losing their land.

Investigative journalist for The Guardian and award-winning New York Times bestselling author Tracie McMillan discusses how renters are pushing back against the growing surge of “take it or leave it” apartment fees and why the proposed housing bill could backfire on millions of renters.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tavis-smiley--6286410/support.

Hosts Vanessa Moss, Allan Lengel and Jim Nardone talk about rats and cockroaches and landlords who fail to keep rental properties up to standards.The panel's advice for renters with issues like rats: Notify the landlord in writing immediately, document evidence, and report the violation to BSEED (Buildings, Safety Engineering and Environmental Department) to initiate a formal, free property inspection. Renters can call the city's Property Maintenance at (313) 224-2733 or (313) 628-2451. Or submit a residential rental complaint through the City of Detroit BSEED Rental Property Page.

Got a new build that's not hitting the rent you expected? Or are you looking for a resource that has all the latest updates from the Renters' Rights Act? This week's episode of Ask Rob & Rob has you covered. (00:46) Dan's new build is sitting empty with rents well below his projections. He has a few solutions to this, but what's the best approach? Rob B explains why the worst thing he can do right now is something drastic. (06:59) Holly's wondering when How to Be a Landlord will be edited to cover the Renters' Rights Act? Rob D reveals the fully revised second edition is already out, covering the new tenancy type, rent increases, pets, and what to do when things go wrong. Links mentioned: How to Be a Landlord (Second Edition) Enjoy the show? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts - it really helps others find us! Sign up for our free weekly newsletter, Property Pulse Got a question? Send it in here Find out more about Property Hub Invest

Rei Vardi is the Founder and CEO of Eon. He started it as a side project in his dorm room at Boston University and built it into a national EV mobility platform with 3,000+ cars in over 30 cities. He bootstrapped everything and reached scale without raising outside capital. Eon connects underused electric vehicles to people and companies that need flexible access. Renters get a simple way to drive an EV. Owners earn passive income through their virtual fleet model. The platform has generated over $10 million dollars for owners and helped save over 16 million pounds of CO₂. Rei's background is in biomedical engineering and he has always been interested in building real world systems. Eon grew out of that. Most of his work now is focused on improving automation, expanding their network, and making the experience as simple as possible for both renters and owners. In episode 685 of the Fraternity Foodie Podcast, we find out when Rei knew he had to walk away from the "safe path" in life, what was the craziest thing that happened in the early days of his business, how college students will know when to go "all in" on their business idea, how he was able to create momentum as an entrepreneur, how bootstrapping the business made it grow stronger, how students should apply systems to grow their organization, what side hustles are available for college students today, and whether all cars will be subscription based in 10 years instead of owned. Enjoy!

Keith shares his "dirty dozen" due diligence questions every investor should ask before buying property, from gauging build-to-rent saturation and local job growth to testing cash flow and exit strategies.  He explains why even new-builds still need inspections and how to think about rents that may stay flat while expenses rise.  Aundrea Newbern, an experienced investor, broker, and property manager active in Southeast Georgia and Michigan, offers a real-world look at today's long-term and short-term rental markets, including shifting tenant behavior and local restrictions.  She also details how she's using AI to streamline property management, improve screening, optimize pricing, and cut maintenance costs, giving listeners practical ideas to apply in their own portfolios. Episode Page: GetRichEducation.com/610 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching: GREinvestmentcoach.com Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE  or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments.  For predictable 10-12% quarterly returns, visit FreedomFamilyInvestments.com/GRE or text  FAMILY to 66866  Unlock truly passive real estate income—visit flockhomes.com/GRE today to see if your properties qualify for a 721 exchange with Flock Homes. To get in the best physical, mental, and professional shape of your life, go to DanielThomasHind.com and apply for Daniel's intensive 1-on-1 coaching for burnt-out entrepreneurs and executives. Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search "how to leave an Apple Podcasts review"  For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— GREletter.com  Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript:   Keith Weinhold  0:01   Keith, welcome to GRE. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold, talking about vital due diligence questions that you have to know the answers to before you buy your next property. Even advanced investors don't know to ask some of these. Then a terrific guest tells us how she is practically applying AI to increase rental occupancy, save on maintenance expenses and drive rental income today on Get Rich Education.   Speaker 1  0:28   Since 2014 the powerful Get Rich Education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord show host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors, and delivers a new show every week. Since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads in 188 world nations. He has a list show guests and key top-selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki. Get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps. Build wealth on the go with the Get Rich Education podcast. Sign up now for the Get Rich Education podcast, or visit getricheducation.com   Keith Weinhold  1:11   You know, Mid South Home Buyers, that top Memphis turnkey provider, I learned that a secret weapon behind their explosive growth is more than just you buying their properties, it's an executive coach for nine years now. Their CEO, Terry Kerr, and his COO, Pat Nix, have worked privately with a coach who I've now learned from too, and he doesn't market himself online anywhere. After 12 years behind the scenes, that coach is now making himself available exclusively for GRE listeners, his name is Daniel Thomas Hind. If you're a hard-charging business owner or investor who wants to get in the best shape of your life physically, mentally, and professionally, you can fill out an application for a free consult. This is private one on one coaching for those willing to go to uncommon lengths to achieve uncommon results. Thanks to Daniel, we've all become better leaders, better operators, and better men. It started by showing up for ourselves. Now it's your turn. Go to danielthomashind.com H I N D, that's Daniel Thomas hind.com and sign up before Spotsville Flock Homes helps multifamily owners exit the operator grind, whether it's your sixplex or a 50 unit apartment through a 721 exchange. This defers your capital gains tax. It's a strategy long used by institutions. Now you can swap tenants and toilets for passive income and zero management. Request your initial valuations. See if your property qualifies at flockhomes.com/gre that's F L O C K homes.com / G R E.   Speaker 2  2:57   You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is Get Rich Education.   Keith Weinhold  3:13   Welcome to GRE. I'm your host, Keith Weinhold. The world's biggest problems are also the world's biggest businesses. That's not a coincidence, and it squarely includes the problem of having enough quality housing. We talk about how to do that profitably and diligently, and on the topic of diligence, I've got a dirty dozen due diligence questions, call it I suppose these are smart questions to ask before you get under contract to buy your next property, and some of these could just as well apply to your existing rental property. Build to rent properties have become so popular, but ask the question, are these build to rent properties becoming overbuilt in this neighborhood? That's the first due diligence question, and a lot of investors overlook this, so you got to be mindful that build to rent often means lots of new construction in one smaller defined area. What you should do is ensure that new supply is being absorbed by renters. Some red flags to look out for are if multiple nearby communities are offering heavy concessions or free rent enticements, that is a sign that they're having difficulty luring in new renters to the area, and now taking a couple months to rent a brand new build isn't that unusual, but does the whole thing kind of feel like a mattress liquidation sale? Renters shouldn't have more signing bonuses than NFL free agents. The next due diligence question: Does this market still have population? And job growth, or am I late to the party? New workplace construction is a bullish market sign. Workplace construction, I'm talking about like a new office building, especially a new medical clinic, a new data center, a new factory. These signs are super bullish for an area, because not only does that attract the jobs and support the housing, as you can imagine, but see, that also means that whomever built the new workplace, oh, they probably did some research, and they're bullish about that area for a reason, they're going to look into that and do their due diligence that you can leverage before they spend perhaps 10s of millions of dollars or more in building a new workplace.    Keith Weinhold  5:45   The population should be stable or rising. Red flags are if growth already peaked and layoffs are increasing, don't arrive late to the party after the DJ has already packed up. The next question, when you're looking into a property, is is this unit likely to cash flow on day one? You know, you need to wonder, is the unit occupied or vacant. Some investors don't even think to ask that question until they get down the road a ways. When it's occupied, does the rent meet or exceed expenses with a buffer for maintenance and vacancy, now, if it's negatively cash flowing and you're solely enjoying the other four ways real estate pays, that might be okay, but you need to be comfortable with adopting a monthly bill that may or may not work. And do you know what I call a negatively cash flowing property? I call it a 401k property, because you have to keep feeding it every month like it's a 401k. A negatively cash flowing property effectively reduces your salary like a 401k does, and anyone that is serious about building real wealth when they're young enough to enjoy it would not invest in a 401k outside of the employer match portion.    Keith Weinhold  7:07   I'm your host Keith Weinhold. Here on Get Rich Education, episode 610 I've answered three out of twelve dirty dozen due diligence questions, and with abundantly minded grow your means answers that you're just not going to find on ChatGPT. Before I get to the fourth one, do you know what the word diligence means? Anyway, you probably have some idea. The definition of diligence is the quality of working carefully and persistently, demonstrating steady effort and thorough attention to a task. It implies a strong work ethic, meticulousness, and a commitment to completing duties well. All right, that is the definition. Diligence is the opposite of negligence. The next one, does my new build property need an inspection first? And this is a question, actually, that came in from Jake in Manhattan. Yes, it always does, whether it's resale or new build. It is always a good idea to get an inspection. One of the biggest misconceptions, really, is that new build means problem free.   Keith Weinhold  8:16   People just equate new build with problem free. No, that is not the case. New build can have problems. There could still be foundation cracks that are beyond normal settling, perhaps improperly installed roof flashing that could cause leaks, maybe windows or doors that are installed out of square, and a bunch more stuff that could be wrong, even in new build a presale inspection after you get the property under contract that only costs 350-650 dollars for single family rentals and 500-900 dollars for a duplex. This is cheap insurance. It's also good peace of mind, get it done. Sometimes investors want to skip the inspection when they need a quick close. Buyer, beware of the risk. The fifth due diligence question: What happens to my numbers if rents flatten for two years? And this is a more germane question than usual today, because rent growth is slow here in this cycle. Single-family rents are up just 1.3% year over year per totality, and expenses tend to rise with inflation. All right, so if your rents flatten for two years, project that ahead like your other expenses are rising, and see that the property would still remain financially stable. We cannot build a business plan on motivational quotes. Next, am I buying near major employers or near hopes and dreams with work from home trends, which can probably better be called. Called work from anywhere, trends buying near major employers is actually less important today, but it still matters. It is good to have diversified employers and stable payrolls somewhat nearby. Promises about future development might never happen. Sheesh, some areas have been up and coming since cassette tapes, the seventh due diligence question, what's the property tax trajectory here? That's the question. Taxes are often stable and increases predictable, but is there a local budget shortfall? And see, this is the type of due diligence that few people do keep in mind, and I'm bringing up new build a lot, because there are so many new build income properties today on new builds. Also, look out, year one taxes can look deceptively low until improved property is assessed in year two, and any reputable provider, and when you contact our GRE investment coaching here, we're going to point that out to you.    Keith Weinhold  11:05   This is how you can, though, sometimes get unusually low property taxes in year one if they have not assessed the improvement yet. Question eight, and this comes from Violet in Peoria, Arizona, is the builder offering real incentives, or are they just hiding the true price? Okay, well, incentives - they should genuinely improve your deal without inflating the pricing. Here, look out for sunglasses and a fake mustache for financing. It's mandatory that you have an appraisal. This protects you against overpaying in an appraisal, even though it's done for bank collateral purposes, checking the quality of their collateral, which is the property, you know, it is also a good independent third-party valuation check. This is a good tool to keep you from overpaying. Back around the 2008 days, the global financial crisis, you know, often then the lender and the appraiser could collude to give you favorable appraisals, somewhat inflated values, and as it turned out, I was an investor then and ended up being the beneficiary of some of those favorable appraisals, but since then the CFPB, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, stepped in. They were formed to step in, so that those parties are no longer in cahoots with each other, and yes, incentives are explicitly disclosed to the lender and appraiser. For example, if you have a seller that offers to pay half of your closing costs if you pay their full sale price. Okay, the appraisers do know that they have that information before they provide you with the appraised value. Ninth, what's the vacancy rate in this area right now? This is a good due diligence question to ask. A balanced market has about five to 6% vacancy, eight to 10% or more. That can often be the sign of a weak market, but this might be all right in build to rent communities, and that's due to longer initial lease up periods that you have there. Due diligence question 10. Would I still want this property if appreciation slowed dramatically? You want to ask yourself this question because you cannot predict appreciation. The answer to this question is most likely yes.   Keith Weinhold  13:35   You would still want the property even if appreciation slowed dramatically, because as a listener here, you understand that with a 20% down payment, just 2% price appreciation creates a 10% return on your equity, and you're also benefiting from the other four ways real estate pays, but if you're absolutely counting on appreciation to do all of the heavy lifting over the long term, that's less investing, and that is more hoping with spreadsheets. What's more predictable is something like inflation profiting on your loan, which is a force on its own. Next, ask this question: How old are the big ticket items like the roof, HVAC, plumbing, sewer, and electrical? I mean, if you get a number of expensive items that are near the end of their life, you could soon become emotionally attached to ibuprofen. At GRE Marketplace, we work with either extensively renovated properties or new build properties, so this is rarely a concern. These big capex items, capital expenditures, and that is really the way to go. Extensively renovated or new build property, because see that way the cost of having all this done for you both. Before you buy the property, that means that what you're essentially doing is financing the cost of all this into the loan, you're financing into the new roof, HVAC, plumbing, sewer, electrical, if any of that applies, and if you're buying a fixer upper, well, then a lot of times you need to pay cash for these items, and you lose repair time where the property could have been rented during that renovation time. Work with our investment coaching here, and you're going to be all set. Those big ticket items are rarely a concern. And then what happens is, if you have a break even or a positively cash flowing property. The tenant covers all of your operating expenses with the rent payment, and you never have to pay any money at all for these big ticket items. They pay for your mortgage and everything else, and you never lose the time because these things were done before you bought.    Keith Weinhold  16:01   And the last one question 12. What you want to ask is, what's the exit strategy if I ever want to sell? That's the last question. Begin with the end in mind. The fewer doors the property has, the easier it is to sell. Single family homes win big here. I mean, your eventual buyer down the road, they could be a gleeful owner occupant, even if the rental math were poor. That buyer wouldn't even know that the rental math is poor, because they're not renting it out, they're going to live there themselves. Sometimes your single family rental tenant even becomes your eventual buyer. This can work with duplexes too. Sometimes you can get an owner occupant, or your tenant stays there and continues to reside there as they're the owner, and they rent out the other side as well. But if you're trying to sell at 30 duplex, well, now you're exposed to cap rates and investor sentiment and market cycles, it's sort of like trying to offload a small corporation. That doesn't mean that apartments are bad, but they are substantially less liquid than single family rentals. That's your exit strategy that we're looking at. They are the dirty dozen due diligence questions every investor feels bumps, I have you will too, but these questions and answers are really going to go a long way toward helping you own right, and when you stick with it, real estate is a forgiving and lucrative asset class because you're paid in so many ways. Hey, coming up shortly, a guest that you haven't heard from in a while, and I know that some of you have missed hearing her voice. We'll talk a bit about the state of the real estate market here in a period where prices are remarkably stable, housing transactions are only about 80% what they usually are, and then we'll discuss how she's using AI in her real estate investing today. It's how she's increasing her occupancy and optimizing the amount of rent being collected. She splits her time in a couple ways between real estate markets in both Michigan and Georgia, and then in both the short term and long-term rental markets. That's next. I'm Keith Weinhold. You're listening to Get Rich Education. What if you got your mortgage loans the same place I get mine?   Keith Weinhold  18:31   You sure can at Ridge Lending Group, NMLS 42056 They provided GRE listeners with more loans than anyone, because Ridge specializes in investment property, they'll help you build a long-term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. Start your prequal, and even chat directly with President Chayley Ridge. 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Go to Freedom Family investments.com to book a clarity call, or text Family 266-866 that's Family 266-866,    Speaker 3  20:02   Hi, this is Russell Gray, co-host of the Real Estate Guys Radio Show, and you're listening to Get Rich Education with Keith Weinhold. Don't quit your daydream. We've got a special treat for you today is for the first time in a few years we hear from someone that's served since 2020 in house here in both operations and as an investment coach. Today she serves GRE in a different capacity internally, but a lot of you still ask about her. That's why she's here. She's got both the formal education with her MBA, and is about as robust in being a real estate investor as you can be at the same time. Oh, it's a warm welcome back to the talented Andrea Newburn.   Aundrea Newbern  20:51   Hey, Keith, it's so great to be back. It's been a long time.   Keith Weinhold  20:54   Well, you've continued to grow not just in your business but in your family size since you were last here. Congrats there. I'd like your thoughts, just generally, about the American residential real estate investment market today, where we've got these sort of rising prices in low supply areas, we have slightly falling prices in oversupplied areas, we've got mortgage rates that have normalized, we've got tough affordability for renters that want to be first time home buyers, so just tell us about what you see, big picture. Andrea,   Aundrea Newbern  21:28   Yeah, absolutely, and so I invest and operate predominantly in the Southeast, so this will probably be a little bit more of a lens from the Southeast market, but as you know, I still actively invest in real estate myself. I help, you know people buy rental properties, also. But then the main thing that I'm doing now is I have a property management company down in Southeast Georgia, and so I'm seeing things more from the lens of what investors are doing, where they're investing, where rents are going, and if people are even buying properties. So it's been a little bit interesting. I mean, what I'm seeing is that, as you all know, it slowed down. We're not seeing as many investors buy properties, but people still are doing it, and they're still finding good cash flowing properties. Where the challenges come in is you're not making as much money on these properties as you did four or five years ago, so you know your margins are going to be a little bit less, your cash flow is going to be a little bit less. And then we're seeing, you know, rents kind of stabilize depending on the type of asset class that it is, so you know things are not doing wonderfully, but they're stable from what I'm seeing in the southeast market,   Keith Weinhold  22:31   and now you do a good bit of investing in sort of Brunswick and out toward the Georgia coast, including places like Jekyll Island, where G. Edward Griffin wrote his book about the formation of the Fed, and all that in general. How has that area been from a residential supply standpoint? For example, we know in neighboring Florida they've had a lot of oversupplied pockets. How are we looking there? I think you have a lot of occupancy right now from talking to you earlier.   Aundrea Newbern  22:59   We do, so I manage two different types of investments, right? I manage the long-term rental properties. There's less of those like on Jekyll Island, there's more of those in the mainland and Brunswick. And then we do the vacation rentals, which is very, very heavy on Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island. What we're seeing this year, if we talk about maybe those vacation rentals first, and then I'll talk about the long-term vacation rentals, we're still seeing a lot of demand, a lot of people are still coming. We're not really down from this time last year, but the one big thing we're seeing is people are booking their vacations last minute, they're not booking them months in advance at this point. So that's definitely had a little bit of an impact and had us on edge, because we're like, okay, where are these vacations? And then, sure enough, they're booking a couple weeks out now, so that's going really well. The investors that have purchased homes on Jekyll and St. Simons, especially Jekyll, are doing really good. They're still making a lot of money. They have high occupancy. Where are we seeing a little bit more of the challenge is with the long-term rentals. So rents are kind of staying flat from where they were last year in some of those B and C markets. We may even see a slight decrease, just a couple percentage points, and then it's taking longer to fill the property. So last year we could typically get a qualified runner in in three to four weeks. Now we're seeing anywhere from five to eight weeks. Right now,   Keith Weinhold  24:11   as far as on the short term side, have restrictions affected you at all, like banning Airbnbs, for example, and how have you seen that play out in other areas? Because you certainly network with other people that do short-term rentals. Can you tell us about that?   Aundrea Newbern  24:26   Yeah, absolutely. So I can talk about the Southeast market, for one, where in Jekyll, St. Simons, Brunswick, we're seeing no rental restrictions whatsoever. We do have to have a process to register the rental with a county, but it's so easy. It's literally a form. We do an inspection once a year, and that is it. I don't know that this is a fact, but a lot of the commissioners and politicians in the area also have rental properties. I think that probably has a little bit of an impact on that up here in Michigan, which, you know, I have another home, and I live in Michigan part of the time as well. There's a lot of restrictions, in fact, my. House right now is in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and they already have a rental ban where you can't do less than 30 days, so you're already having to go into that midterm market, and now they have some proposals up with the local municipality to even eliminate some of that, so we're seeing that in this area.   Keith Weinhold  25:17   Generally, do you tend to see it in nicer, ritzier areas where they want to make the short-term rental restrictions.   Aundrea Newbern  25:24   Yes, I do. Absolutely. Up here in Sterling Heights, where I live, the average home of my neighborhood is around five to six hundred thousand dollards and they absolutely do not want those here. But if you go a few neighborhoods over, where you're looking more of like the two hundreed to three hundred thousand dollars range, they don't seem to have as much of an issue with those. There   Keith Weinhold  25:40   We've been talking about short term rentals in both Southeast Georgia and then in Metro Detroit, where you currently spend quite a bit of your time. Talk to us about the long term rental market with affordability for buying being down, that really hurts the prospective first time home buyer, so they need to be more likely to rent, which would make some people wonder. Oh, well, then how could vacancy possibly go up in an area? Well, you know, migration - we've touched on it - is one reason why that might happen. Another reason why it might happen is you might see more doubling up.   Aundrea Newbern  26:15   Yeah, we do. We see a lot more families coming in. In fact, last week we just rented a property out to somebody where the parents were renting with their children, their grown adult children that also had kids, they're getting bigger houses, right? So they're actually feeling that need to fill up some of our larger homes, but it's multi-generational now. We are seeing a lot more roommates come in, too, instead of two roommates, you'll see three people come in and get a house together. The other thing we've noticed that's been really drastic, maybe the last three or four months, is the debt load that we're seeing. So, when we run people's background checks and look, they've got a lot of credit card debt now. We didn't see that as much years prior.   Keith Weinhold  26:50   All right, so you're seeing that at the street level, that's a statistic that we can read about, that American savings rates are down and the proportion of debt is often up. You're seeing it in real time, there. Do you see potentially, Andrea, this propensity for people to want to sort of bend things and have someone that's not on the lease live there with them in order to cut costs? So, you know, is there really anything in this environment that we really need to be careful about when we're screening tenants with them having such a debt load, and having to struggle with inflation and rising prices.   Aundrea Newbern  27:23   Yeah, absolutely. The debt load, number one, you know, we'll see them increasing, and that's something we want to keep an eye on. So, we're having to kind of retool our policies to look more critically at that debt load. They may not be delinquent on anything now, but if we've seen it gone up significantly in the last few months, I bet you it's coming. So, we're trying to retool our policies to be able to deal with that, you mentioned people having unauthorized tenants in the home that has persistently been an issue for us, maybe the past year. We find this often that that's happening, and usually it's because that person wouldn't qualify on the application, but they still bring in money and can help with the rent. The third thing, and this is with the advent of AI, right, how big AI has come is, we're seeing a lot of documents that are clearly fraudulent, but they look really, really good, because AI has created them. So that's another issue.   Keith Weinhold  28:09   Gosh, that's interesting. Well, I want to ask you more about AI, and you know, Aundrea, America is in such a weird time with AI today. You probably saw it at these college graduations across the nation, where a luminary is up front at the lectern making a commencement speech, and they get booed by students for talking about embracing AI, and that's probably because the student feels threatened about AI taking the job that they might not get, and you know what's funny, I suspect there's some of those same students, they loved it when AI helped them write an essay in order to get to graduation and wear that cap and gown, so..   Aundrea Newbern  28:51   Absolutely.   Keith Weinhold  28:52   Yeah, that's what I knew when I say that we're in a weird time with AI, but I know that you've really embraced AI as a property manager and investor almost from the get-go to make your property operations more efficient, so that you don't have to raise prices on owners, and you can keep those owner expenses down and increase resident retention at the same time. So, tell us more about how you're using it.   Aundrea Newbern  29:16   Yeah, so my team, I think, hates me for this right now, but in the last six months we have literally changed our operations front to back in a few different ways. Number one, we've changed the systems that we use, so you know, for vacation rentals as well as long-term rentals, you have your property management system that kind of streamlines everything, and that you do everything in. We've started going to platforms that are a little bit more AI friendly, so they have AI agents built in and they have AI functionality already in them, so that we're not having to purchase additional tools to come in and add them as a layer on top of our systems. So that's kind of the basic thing that we're doing, but the other fun things that I've been able to do, and I'm still, you know, working on this, and we're refining it daily, is using AI actually as kind of like a virtual assistant, essentially. So we do have virtual assistants with a company, and they're great, and we love them, and they do a wonderful job. However, they're human, so they're not perfect, but these AI agents, once you've trained them to do a lot of the back office tasks that your virtual assistants can do, after a certain number of iterations and training, they don't really make mistakes. So knowing that we have that, and we can continue building on that. We don't have to add FTE to our team, which increase our labor costs. That's allowing us to not raise our prices on our clients, and which I'm sure they're all happy about, because other property management companies are doing that right now,   Keith Weinhold  30:33   Right, so property management companies are going to have to do this to stay competitive and keep up, whether they want to or not, and when I think about using AI in real estate, you know, one of the first things I think of, just say that tenant journey from attracting the tenant to placing them. When I think of the cutting edge, I think of help with marketing and writing advertisements, which I think is kind of a simple thing to do, sort of an easy way to implement AI, and also when I think about that early part of the journey, really I think about using AI as a leasing assistant, and sort of how you see that more, the 24/7 front desk, if you will. I mean, if you have an AI leasing assistant that can answer questions for your prospective new tenant and follow up with leads that can be a big deal. I mean, a lead that sits unanswered for six hours, they just kind of turn into a cold French fry, and instead AI can answer those questions and schedule that tour. If a prospective tenant asks the same question four times, you know the AI doesn't get frustrated and leave out some sigh. So, can you tell us more about kind of that front end, the marketing, and then the leasing end? Are you using AI as a leasing assistant essentially?   Aundrea Newbern  31:47   We are. So, if we talk about maybe the marketing piece of things before we get into the leasing, we're not using as much AI with marketing at the moment. I have had it write some copy for me for some marketing, and I'm not usually crazy about it. I still think it looks like AI right now, so we're having to do a lot of changes with that, but what it has done a really good job at helping us out in the last few weeks is have it go analyze your website, have it analyze how you come up in search functions, right? So, if somebody's going to Google or if they're going to Gemini or they're going to Chat GPT, what's happening with your website and your company when people are looking for property managers, for example, it does a very thorough check on that. It's also really good at reviewing your website and telling you where you have gaps in terms of maybe you need to, you know, change something here or there, or you have certain links that are not helping in your search functionality. So, I think it's really good as far as analyzing stuff. That's kind of about all we've done as far as marketing, as far as a leasing assistant goes, this has essentially been like the biggest lift I think we've had from AI, period, in the last couple years. So, maybe a year ago, we implemented a software, and I'm going to leave the name out, because I'm sure you know I'd rather not do that, but it's a software, and there's a bunch of different options that you can use for this, but essentially it collects all of our leads for us, so we set it up, you know, we set criteria for the type of tenant and our policies for, you know, what type of tenant would qualify, and they call in or message or email this number or this email address, and the AI essentially goes through and asks them a series of questions, lets them know if they would potentially qualify or not. If they would not, then it will not allow them to schedule showings for any of our properties, if they would, with no exceptions. Then we can go ahead and get them scheduled, and the AI actually goes through and gets them scheduled as well. So it is a huge help for us.   Keith Weinhold  33:30   That is really nice. Okay, helping out with tenant screening, there can it arrange tours, put them on the calendar, then if they're qualified.   Aundrea Newbern  33:40   Yes, it actually gives them an option and shows them all of the dates we have available, so the person can go ahead and schedule their showing. It can provide updates if we need it, so if we change our policy, it can send that out to the tenants for us as well. So that process I would say is about 90% automated right now. It doesn't really take much human intervention, except for us to review things and make sure there's nothing kind of wonky with the schedule or anything like that.   Keith Weinhold  34:00   Okay, so if they're qualified and interested, the prospective tenant can fill out an application, and then is AI assisting on the screening, and are you still meeting with them in person before they get the keys and sign the contract?   Aundrea Newbern  34:14   Yes, and no. So we still do meet with them in person to be able to do like that walkthrough of the property and make sure we're documenting issues, and all of that, which, by the way, I think in the next year that'll probably be automated as well, but we're not quite there yet. They do not have to come in in person, in terms of signing the lease or anything like that. That's all done remotely. If they want to, they can, but we really don't have to meet with them until it's time for move in at this point.   Keith Weinhold  34:36   All right, we're seeing the evolution of AI since it was really Chat GPT that was pioneering and rolling out in November of 2022 so we're coming up on four years of really this activity being integrated into our lives, and I think we both know that it's only going to get better from here, so when we have a tenant that. It's actually placed, of course. I often like to say they call the discipline property management, but it could probably very well be called tenant management. And I think, about, you know, is everything okay after the tenants there? As far as AI having a maintenance triage function, if there's a maintenance request, of course, you're going to want to prioritize something differently if it's a big plumbing leak that's damaging the subfloor versus just having a slow drain, you know. You probably want to be sure either one of those things are taken care of, but one is going to get priority over the other. So, can you tell us more about after that tenants place the maintenance triage and using AI there?   Aundrea Newbern  35:38   Yeah, so we've pretty much automated the maintenance process in the last year, other than, you know, actually making sure the vendor went out and did what they were supposed to do. So, right now, with us, a tenant has to go in, unless they have a disability and can't do it, of course, but they have to go in and put in any work orders through our system, and essentially what happens is we've created kind of a workflow, so here's the issues of the types of things that would not be considered an emergency unless they answer, you know, certain questions a certain way. Here are the things that are emergencies and requires to go out pretty much no matter what, right? For the things that are non-emergency, or they're not clear in what the actual issue is, which is probably the number one problem we have, is they say, 'My lights aren't working, that's it, we don't know anything else about it, and then come to find out it was just a light bulb, or come to find out it was just their breakers tripping. The AI actually goes in and analyzes what they put in as the issue and selected, and then asks them a series of questions, and then, based on their responses, it actually tells them what to go do to troubleshoot it. We're seeing right now with data, it's eliminating maybe about 40% of the things that we would send somebody out for, yeah, it is huge, and the tenants are doing it, and they're not really pushing back or having issues with it most of the time, but then there are certain things that AI can't quite figure out, we're still training it on, so we do have to send somebody out or call, but it's having a huge reduction in us having to send folks out for this.   Keith Weinhold  36:56   Okay, yeah, we're not talking about completely eliminating humans, but that's huge, if they can have AI give them the answer to maybe some routine maintenance thing, probably that they could have gone and found out on their own, but yeah, that saves 40% of maintenance visits, that's a big deal. All right, so not too much backlash from tenants, not saying, like, oh, hey, I don't want to be talking with your robot, come on, not so much of that.   Aundrea Newbern  37:20   No, not yet. Now we are looking right now at implementing an actual AI agent that would answer the phone to handle these types of just maintenance issues, nothing else but maintenance for right now. And we've tested out a lot of different softwares that do this. Some are better than others, but none of them are perfect yet. And I could call and definitely tell I'm talking to AI, maybe some people couldn't. I feel we're probably going to have a little bit more blowback when that starts getting implemented and rolled out.   Keith Weinhold  37:44   Yeah, I imagine people are just going to get more and more used to this, you know. I wonder, how much AI is helping you with rent pricing, what amount to set the rent for. I mean, for example, isn't it interesting if AI knows that, hey, a bunch of units in the neighborhood all around you, they already have high occupancy. It's really tight in this sub market, where maybe it would advise you to bump up your rent. So, tell us about how AI is helping you with rent pricing.   Aundrea Newbern  38:12   Yeah, so you know, as a broker, I obviously have access to the MLS, which we use for a lot of data, but then sometimes there's rentals that are not on the MLS, so you know an owner went and listed it themselves, and I actually have an agent that their task is to go in every couple of days, and they'll analyze any of our existing listed properties that we have that are not occupied. We're still waiting on somebody to apply, and it'll go and tell me, "Hey, is anything else been listed? Has anything that was out there when we did our review two days ago? Has anything closed? Can we figure out, you know, what price it rented for? Sometimes it can, sometimes it can't, but it'll provide me a report every two days, automated, in my inbox for me to be able to look at on that. So it's really nice.   Keith Weinhold  38:51   Wow, this could be hugely useful. Yeah, or imagine on the flip side of that, if AI detects that there are a lot of vacancies in your area that, hey, you probably don't want to get so aggressive with rent increases. In that case, was there any last way that you're using AI in real estate? Maybe something I didn't think about asking you, Aundrea.   Aundrea Newbern  39:10   If we talk about long-term rentals, not as much. I think you kind of hit on the main things that we're using it for right now, but if we look at vacation rentals, it is doing a lot more there, I think, at the moment than it is long term. So, for example, pricing - we have dynamic pricing that we use for all of our vacation rentals, and the dynamic pricing isn't perfect, so somebody still has to physically go in and make sure no tweaks need to be made, that there's nothing weird going on in the software. I now have an AI agent that, that is their number one job. They go in once a day, they review all of our pricing. They let me know whether we need to adjust it up, down, change our minimum days, maximum days, and we make the adjustments. We're training it now to actually do those for us, but we haven't let it do it yet, so we're still waiting there. It's still waiting on its approval for me to do that, but things such as pricing, things such as going through and analyzing guest feedback, or guest. First tone, even in messages, it's providing me reports on that daily, so I can help identify problems that are maybe small problems before they become big.   Keith Weinhold  40:07   It makes sense that it would be more applicable in short-term rentals with all the turnover that you have there. Well, Andrea, let us know if there's a way for our followers to keep up with you and what you're doing, because people still ask about you here. You're so well liked. Let us know.   Aundrea Newbern  40:26   Yeah, so there's a couple of ways. If you're wanting to kind of see what we're doing with property management or our company, you can go to goldenaislesretreats.com There's also for a way for you to get in touch with me there. You can also check me out on LinkedIn or on Facebook, so I'm there as well, and I'd be happy to connect with anybody. I miss our listeners.   Keith Weinhold  40:43   Oh, Andrea, it's been valuable. It's been great having you back.   Aundrea Newbern  40:46   Thank you, Keith.   Keith Weinhold  40:53   Yeah, great to hear from Aundrea again on the show. It has been a few years. If you use professional management like I do, they will most likely be applying AI in a lot of the ways that we discussed. Coming up on the show soon, a life coach that's had a profound effect on a number of guests that we've hosted here on the show over the years. He has agreed to join us. He doesn't do a lot of appearances like this, so it'll be great. We'll hear directly from Daniel Thomas Hind, and how he transforms the lives of so many business people and investors professionally, physically, and mentally. I'm confident that it's going to help you get more out of life too. Until next week, I'm your host, Keith Weinhold. Don't quit your daydream.   Speaker 1  41:45   Nothing on this show should be considered specific personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial, or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss, the host is operating on behalf of Get Rich Education LLC exclusively.    Keith Weinhold  42:13   The preceding program was brought to you by Your Home for Wealth Building, getricheducation.com.

Most enterprises are renters, not owners, of their technology and AI. Raffi Krikorian, Chief Technology Officer of Mozilla, explains why dependence on a handful of closed model providers means losing control over model behavior, pricing, and your own data.In CXOTalk episode 920, Krikorian lays out where open-source AI actually wins in the enterprise, how lock-in happens quietly, and what CIOs and CTOs should do about it now. Krikorian draws on his experience building infrastructure at Twitter and running the self-driving division at Uber to ground the discussion in real engineering and economic tradeoffs, not hype.YOU'LL DISCOVER✅ Why 85% of enterprises believed they could switch AI vendors, but only about 30% actually could when they tried✅ The "renters vs. owners" framing and what it means to control your AI destiny✅ Why Krikorian wants data "protected by architecture, not legal handshakes"✅ How Pinterest reportedly saved on the order of $10 million in a single quarter by switching from closed to open models✅ Why IT is becoming "the HR team for agents," and the read/write "dangerous triangle" of agentic permissions✅ The case for recording your prompts and running your own evaluations instead of trusting public benchmarks✅ Why roughly 70% of enterprise GPUs sit idle, and the missing "LAMP stack for AI" that could put them to work✅ How closed "validation machines" can quietly steer answers toward sponsored outcomes⏱️ TIMESTAMPS (estimated, verify before publishing)0:00 Renters vs. owners: who controls enterprise AI2:26 The risks of depending on closed model makers6:23 How lock-in happens and where open source fits9:53 Regression testing and building your own evals13:24 Pricing instability and the post-IPO cost question23:31 Governance: IT as HR for AI agents32:38 Can a small organization own its AI stack end-to-end?38:47 Validation machines, trust, and sponsored answers43:39 Keeping humans at the center, not in the loop47:23 Can open source beat big tech in AI?51:39 Inside Mozilla.ai: Otari, CQ, Octanus, Thunderbolt55:21 The "rebel alliance" strategy

Greg Hawks is a keynote speaker, author, and corporate culture specialist who challenges leaders and teams to Act Like an Owner. For more than 25 years, he has partnered with organizations across the country to reshape culture, deepen trust, and activate ownership mindsets.  Earlier in his career, Greg spent a decade as Executive Director of a nonprofit, leading teams through complex challenges and building environments where people contributed their best. That experience became the foundation for his work with companies of every size, from ESOPs and credit unions to Fortune 500 corporations and national associations.     In his upcoming book, Act Like an Owner: Five Unlocks for Creating Culture People Love and Results Leaders Need, Greg introduces vivid metaphors and frameworks such as Owners, Renters, Vandals, the Five Unlocks, and the 3D Plan for designing culture intentionally. Known for his energetic presence, distinctive language, and practical strategies, Greg equips executives and employees alike to re-engage, increase accountability, and spark growth.  Today, his work transforms workplaces into ecosystems where an ownership culture becomes the competitive advantage.  

Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka (who is going to run for Mayor) is sounding the alarms about Seattle’s business environment. Left-wing activists want the city of Seattle to issue a state of emergency for LGBTQ people. Renters in the Seattle-area are paying more than double double housing costs to own a home. //  LongForm: GUEST: Fox News Host Rachel Campos-Duffy on her new book All American Patriotism: Celebrating 250 Years of America's Greatness. // Quick Hit: CENTCOM Commander Admiral Bradley Cooper got into a heated exchange with Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) over the conflict in Iran. A Panda Express customer in Lakewood says he was told to leave over his MAGA hat.

What do you do when you're already fully booked… but still not making enough money? In this live coaching session from LashCon, Sheila Bella sits down with a lash artist who rebuilt her business from scratch in a new city and hit $7K months fast—but now feels stuck on how to grow without burning out. In under 20 minutes, Sheila identifies the real opportunity: not more clients… but smarter scaling. From raising prices to hiring your first team member, this episode breaks down exactly how to double your income without doubling your workload. If you've hit your capacity and feel capped in your income, this episode will show you the next move.

Feeling priced out of homeownership in 2026? This episode breaks down why affordability may actually be improving for first-time buyers.Rising home prices and mortgage rates have convinced many renters that buying a home is impossible, but the real math tells a different story. This episode explains why 2026 is more affordable than 2023 and how lower interest rates are quietly creating better opportunities for first-time buyers. Listeners learn how credit scores, debt-to-income ratios, savings, and income requirements affect mortgage approval in today's market. The episode also exposes the danger of outdated advice and shows how education and strategy can help buyers move forward with confidence instead of fear.“It's time to once again bring you hope and possibilities with my favorite friends. Math and data.” — David Sidoni, First Time Homebuyer CoacHighlightsIs buying a home in 2026 actually more affordable than it was three years ago?How much do lower mortgage rates change your monthly payment and buying power?What do credit scores, debt, savings, and income really mean for mortgage approval today?Why are so many first-time buyers getting bad advice about the housing market and affordability?Check out our updated 2026 First Time Homebuyer's Episode Guide - Over 100 of our BEST Episodes of Detailed Homebuying Knowledge, Interviews, and MORE! Connect with me to find a trusted realtor in your area or to answer your burning questions!Subscribe to our YouTube Channel @HowToBuyaHomeInstagram @HowtoBuyAHomePodcastTik Tok @HowToBuyAHomeVisit our Resource Center to "Ask David" AND get your FREE Home Buying Starter Kit!David Sidoni, the "How to Buy a Home Guy," is a seasoned real estate professional and consumer advocate with two decades of experience helping first-time homebuyers navigate the real estate market. His podcast, "How to Buy a Home," is a trusted resource for anyone looking to buy their first home. It offers expert advice, actionable tips, and inspiring stories from real first-time homebuyers. With a focus on making the home-buying process accessible and understandable, David breaks down complex topics into easy-to-follow steps, covering everything from budgeting and financing to finding the right home and making an offer. Subscribe for regular market updates, and leave a review to help us reach more people. Ready for an honest, informed home-buying experience? Viva la Unicorn Revolution - join us!

Kevin Jacobsen is the CEO of Foxen, a proptech company modernizing multifamily operations with value-add compliance and financial wellness solutions. A former investment banker and private equity professional, Kevin built his career working on technology M&A transactions, IPOs, and capital allocation before moving into operating roles at high-growth SaaS companies. He previously served as CEO of LogicGate and CFO at Kapow. At Foxen, Kevin leads a platform that has served approximately 3 million residential units across the country, offering renters insurance compliance, resident rent reporting, and pet compliance solutions to multifamily owners and operators.     Make sure to download our free guide, 7 Questions Every Passive Investor Should Ask, here.     Key Takeaways Around 40% of residents required to carry renters insurance don't have active coverage, creating real exposure for operators Without resident coverage, a claim defaults to the property policy, which can carry a $50,000 to $100,000+ deductible Renters pay 25 to 35% of after-tax income on rent but receive no credit benefit from on-time payments 85% of renters say they want rent reporting; only about 10% currently have access to it Proptech companies thrive by staying specialized rather than spreading thin across too many solutions When evaluating a deal or operator, trust is the primary filter: if something feels too good to be true, dig harder     Topics From Investment Banking to Multifamily Proptech Kevin started in investment banking after college, working on technology M&A, IPOs, and capital allocation He moved into private equity before finding his footing as an operator of high-growth technology companies He joined Foxen as CEO four years ago and has been focused on building the company's presence across the multifamily industry The Three Core Solutions Foxen Offers Renters insurance compliance ensures all residents maintain active coverage as required by their lease Rent reporting (branded as Rent Street) reports on-time rent payments to credit agencies so residents can build a credit profile Pet compliance manages documentation collection, emotional support animal verification, and HUD-related regulatory requirements The Renters Insurance Compliance Problem Roughly 40% of residents who are required to carry coverage do not have an active policy, either due to lapsed payments or intentional cancellation Property management teams have historically had no scalable way to track and enforce this in real time Foxen tracks compliance and gives residents a choice: maintain their own policy or enroll in a waiver program with no deductible exposure The Financial Wellness Gap in Rental Housing Mortgage payments are automatically reported to credit agencies; rent payments are not, leaving a major gap in the financial reporting ecosystem Renters pay a significant share of their income on rent and build no credit history from it California recently passed a law requiring property management companies to offer rent reporting; other states are evaluating similar legislation How Foxen Thinks About Product Growth There are approximately 50 million rental units in the US; Foxen has served roughly 3 million, signaling significant runway The company focuses on specialized, complex functions that property managers do not want to own in-house Clients increasingly want fewer vendors, not more, which creates a clear opportunity for companies that can deliver multiple services reliably through a single integration    

Today, we’re bringing you the best from newsrooms across Washington. First, rising diesel prices are squeezing the Pacific Northwest fishing industry. They're cutting into profits and adding new uncertainty to an already challenging business. Next, for around 15 years, people have slowly dug up mammoth bones near the Tri-Cities. Along the way, people have made a lot of other discoveries. And finally, renters in six apartment complexes in Tacoma have voted to form unions in the last six months. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seattle City Councilmember Rob Saka (who is going to run for Mayor) is sounding the alarms about Seattle’s business environment. Left-wing activists want the city of Seattle to issue a state of emergency for LGBTQ people. Renters in the Seattle-area are paying more than double double housing costs to own a home. // As the World Cup nears, Seattle and Washington State as a whole still don’t have nearly enough cops and Bob Ferguson’s efforts to resolve the problem haven’t made any progress. // Tulsi Gabbard is stepping down as Director of National Intelligence. TSA is going start offering offsite screening.