It's Closing Time

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

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

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

In this episode, Michael Lucarelli sits down with Mike Price, currently the Director of Marketing at Relevate - a leading provide of AMS and SSO solutions for real estate associations and MLSs. Prior to joining Relevate in 2023, Mike served as the Director of People and Culture at Openn North America where we served as a "swiss army knife" overseeing many key objectives to bring the Australian Proptech platform to North America.

In this conversation, Mike discusses the evolution of technology in real estate and how it will continue to change and grow. Additionally, Mike offers insights and tips for agents looking to up their marketing strategies, and offers his industry prediction for the rest of the year.

In this episode of It's Closing Time, Michael Lucarelli sits down with Chuck Hattemer, CMO and Co-founder of Poplar - a property management solution for homeowners and renters.

Chuck has over ten years of experience in professional marketing, sales, and executive roles. Since co-founding Poplar in 2014, Chuck has grown his company to over 300+ employees, with over $75M in venture backing and 13,000+ doors under management across the country. He contributes to Forbes and other industry publications such as the SFAA Magazine in his spare time.

In this episode, RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli is joined by Damon Knox who is a long-time successful agent that has culminated being elected as the President of the San Francisco Association of REALTORS while also serving as the Assitant Branch Manager at Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Brokerage.

Damon dives into his real estate journey and lays out the keys to success to build a strong client base and how that experience translated into also serving the luxury end of the business. Also, with the current market trends, Damon offers advice and insights into how to navigate rising interest rates and low inventory. Furthermore, he looks at how brokerages should work to be more modern to support today's real estate agent.

In this episode of It's Closing Time, RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli, talks with David Howell, CIO at McEnearney Associates, about getting into the real estate business, the effectiveness of a property management division, and the short and long-term benefits of agents (especially new agents) working with rental clients.

McEnearney Associates ranked in the top 10 of brokerages with rental transactions completed and tenants placed according to the first-ever RealTrends + RentSpree Rental Power Rankings 2022.

Learn more: https://www.rentspree.com/blog/rentspree-real-trends-rental-power-rankings-2022

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