Finance With Factor

Adding a teen driver can be expensive. Mike Bourne of Baldwin Group shares the insurance moves parents should consider before the permit, the first car, or college—and the costly mistakes to avoid. From bundling and discounts to choosing the right car and saving money when your student heads off to school, this episode is your roadmap to insuring your newest driver without getting taken for a ride.

A mortgage, investment portfolio, tax strategy, and real estate plan can each look great on their own, but the real opportunity comes when the professionals behind them work together.

In this episode, we break down how lenders, Realtors, CPAs, and financial advisors can collaborate to create smarter short- and long-term strategies for their clients — and why that collaboration can be a game-changer for both the client and the professionals serving them.

If you’re a real estate or financial professional who wants to deliver more value, uncover opportunities others might miss, and become a true strategic partner to your clients, this episode is for you.

Because the goal isn’t just to finance a home or close a transaction. It’s to help clients make smarter decisions with their biggest financial assets.

Getting pre-approved? How do you choose the right mortgage lender when you don't even know what home you're buying—or when you'll buy it? In this episode, we break down the differences between direct lenders, correspondent lenders, and mortgage brokers, and explain why shopping for a lender is about much more than just the lowest interest rate. Discover why access to a wide range of loan options—and a knowledgeable loan officer who can help you choose the right one—can make all the difference.

If you own a condo or work in real estate, this episode is a must listen. We discuss the latest changes to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines. If you do not follow these new guides your condo could be deemed “unwarrantable” as early as this fall. In this episode, Cea Brackett, Condo Dept Underwriting Manager at Northpoint Mortgage, shares insight into the new condo rules and the condo underwriting process.

If you're a homeowner, homebuyer, Realtor, or work in real estate, you'll walk away with practical tips to help avoid costly mistakes and navigate the process with confidence.

Reverse mortgages may be the most misunderstood tool in retirement planning.In this week's episode, reverse mortgage expert Harlan Accola breaks down the "three buckets of wealth," debunks some of the biggest myths surrounding housing wealth, and explains how home equity can play a strategic role in protecting and growing retirement assets.Whether you're planning for retirement, helping a family member navigate their options, or you're a financial advisor who hasn't yet incorporated home equity into your planning conversations, this episode may challenge what you think you know.Listen now and discover why one of retirement's most overlooked assets might be hiding in plain sight.

Michael Chase — a 20-year commercial lending veteran and Managing Director at a national commercial mortgage lender — challenges traditional residential mortgage thinking by exploring how a “collateral swap” could help solve the housing market pressure from the "lock-in effect" as owners hesitate to give up their low rate mortgages. We discuss how residential lenders could learn from the commercial banking concept to implement this lending strategy and potentially create a win-win for lenders and consumers.

What if recruiting wasn’t about closing—but connecting? In Connect People, Hire Production, mortgage recruiter Samia DeMarco shares how real relationships—not scripts—drive results. We dig into her best tactic: using events to create value, spark genuine connections, and attract talent organically. If you’re a real estate broker, branch manager, or small business owner looking to grow your team the right way, this one’s for you.

Connor Bartley, host of "The LO Down" podcast shares lessons he's learned as a recruiter that can benefit anyone looking to grow their network — with trust, value, and genuine relationships.  He shares tangible action items and marketing tips on how you can add genuine selfless value by understanding people’s goals giving you a competitive edge.  This episode will help you turn a cold call into a welcomed conversation.  

If you’re in mortgages, real estate, sales, or leadership (or just trying to grow a better network), this is your episode about how the patient long game and authenticity always wins.

Many homebuyers stretch and twist themselves into painful positions trying to save 20% down — and listing agents often (incorrectly) view down payment size as a measure of a buyer’s qualification. In this episode, Louis Chinappi of Arch MI explains why low-down payment loans with private mortgage insurance (PMI) can be a smart homebuying strategy.  Louis breaks down what mortgage insurance really is, how PMI pricing works, and how homebuyers can balance cash on hand vs. monthly payment to improve affordability and opportunity cost.  We discuss how MI can be a tool to help balance the scale of monthly payment vs. available cash — keeping reserves to strengthen offers, cover appraisal gaps, or handle renovations and repairs. If you think PMI is a deal-breaker, this episode may change your mind. 

Bea Murphy (@bmurphy388) of Lamacchia Realty to break down how she’s leveraged raffles, giveaways, and community-focused contests to quickly grow her social media following — and her real estate business.  She shares how to host online giveaways to find clients, grow your social media followers, and translate online buzz into real-life clients.

If you want to boost engagement, grow your audience, or elevate your real estate brand on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, this episode is basically your cheat code.

Hit play and steal some of Bea’s best growth hacks.