Why do California families lose thousands of dollars in taxes and legal fees even after setting up a living trust? Host Rick Albert interviews Jenna Glassock, founder of Laurel Trust Law, on the most costly estate planning mistakes homeowners make.

Discover why executing a trust is useless without proper deed funding, how adding kids to title triggers massive property tax reassessments under California law, and how Proposition 19 fundamentally changed generational property transfers.

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction to Keys to the City of Angels & Guest Jenna Glassock

00:26 - From Big Law Litigation to Her Mother's 8-Year Probate Nightmare

03:13 - California's Small Estate Threshold: The $208,850 Number

06:42 - Why California Probate Is Uniquely Miserable

07:20 - Statutory Probate Fees: Calculated on Gross Value, Not Equity

13:04 - Funding a Trust: Why Retitling Assets Is the Step People Skip

16:04 - Trusts and Businesses: What Happens When an Owner Dies

24:39 - The DIY Trust Trap: LegalZoom, ChatGPT, and False Security

29:34 - Adding a Child to Your Deed: The 50% Property Tax Reset

31:12 - Capital Gains Tax vs. Step-Up in Basis on Inherited Property

38:43 - How Proposition 19 Changed Inherited Property Tax Rules

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH RICK ALBERT:

• Website: https://rickalbertonline.com/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rickbalbert

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbalbert/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickbalbert/

💎 CONNECT WITH JENNA GLASSOCK:

• Website: https://www.ltlfirm.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennaglassock

• LinkedIn: https://www.facebook.com/ltlfirm

Why do top-producing sales professionals suddenly freeze up and stall when the market shifts? (Hint: It is not interest rates.)

In this episode of The Key to the City of Angels, host Rick Albert sits down with Lisa Crown, National VP of Sales Development and Coach at Fidelity National Title Group (FNTG) and host of Get REAL with Lisa Crown.

With over 30 years of industry experience across 48 states, Lisa reveals how top producers maintain momentum during market shifts, eliminate overthinking, and turn potential failures into high-value lessons.

Rick Albert is the host of Keys to the City of Angels Podcast and a Los Angeles real estate professional who brings industry experts together for honest, insight-driven conversations. On this episode, Rick explores the sales mindset shifts, pricing strategies, and communication frameworks that help realtors cut through overthinking and thrive in changing markets.

🎙 In this episode, you'll learn:

✔️ Why overthinking acts as an anchor that drags productivity down

✔️ How to avoid the peanut gallery trap of negative industry gossip

✔️ The win or learn mindset shift that frees you to take massive action

✔️ Practical ways to use AI for brutally honest business feedback

✔️ How to stand out in an oversaturated market by clarifying your IT factor

✔️ Why consistent, visible marketing makes you the go-to authority in your community

Key questions answered in this episode:

Q: What is the primary cause of sales stagnation in a changing market?

A: Getting distracted by market noise and negative colleagues rather than executing daily proactive outreach.

Q: How can agents overcome the fear of failure?

A: Shift from a win or lose mentality to win or learn. Every setback holds a lesson that sharpens your strategy.

Q: How should professionals view AI tools?

A: Use AI as a partner for operational efficiency and message refining, while doubling down on personal human connections.

_____________

🎧 HOSTED BY: Rick Albert | The Key to the City of Angels Podcast

👤 GUEST: Lisa Crown – Fidelity National Title Group

⏳ Timestamps:

00:00 Overthinking Is an Anchor

00:18 Welcome Lisa Crown: 30 Years in Title & Escrow

02:26 The Reality of Real Estate & Sales Coaching

04:00 The Market Shift: Why 2020 Habits Fail in Post-2022

09:36 Why Overthinking Paralyzes Top Producers

10:59 The Win or Learn Framework: Erasing Fear of Failure

12:00 Overcoming Content Creation & Analysis Paralysis

13:05 Prompting AI (ChatGPT & Grok) for Brutal Business Feedback

15:14 Will Artificial Intelligence Ever Replace Real Estate Agents?

20:00 Turning Missteps into Market Research & Course Correction

27:05 Clarifying Your "It Factor" Against Big-Box Competitors

32:56 Secret Agents vs Sphere of Influence: High-End Niche Marketing

34:04 Key Takeaways & How to Connect with Lisa Crown

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH LISA CROWN:

• Website: https://lisacrown.com

• Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/get-real-with-lisa-crown/id1463177699

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0r1og6tNWWiSFooTrxv5v0

• Email: [email protected]

👉🏻 FOLLOW RICK ALBERT:

• Website: https://rickalbertonline.com/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rickbalbert

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickbalbert/

#TheKeyToTheCityOfAngels #RickAlbert #LisaCrown #SalesMindset #RealEstatePodcast

Follow and rate the podcast on Spotify to stay updated on new episodes!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate

Thinking about selling an investment property? In this episode of Keys to the City of Angels, host Rick Albert sits down with Brendan Lewis, Senior Vice President at Asset Preservation, Inc., for an in-depth exploration of Section 1031 like-kind exchanges.

🎙 In this episode, you'll learn:

✔️ How Section 1031 tax deferral contrasts with Section 121 principal residence tax exclusions

✔️ The mechanics of split treatment on duplexes and live-work ranch properties

✔️ Why 15 to 20 percent of exchanges fail and how to navigate the strict 45-day identification rule

✔️ How institutional investors and REITs use reverse 1031 exchanges to buy before selling

✔️ When to consider a tax-free cash-out refinance instead of selling your property

_____________

🎧 HOSTED BY: Rick Albert | Keys to the City of Angels Podcast

👤 GUEST: Brendan Lewis | Asset Preservation, Inc.

Brendan Lewis is the Vice President and State Manager for Texas and Oklahoma with Asset Preservation, Inc.. A former commercial real estate broker with over 16 years of transactional and Qualified Intermediary experience, Brendan specializes in helping high-net-worth investors, attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors successfully structure and execute sophisticated IRC §1031 tax-deferred exchanges.

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH BRENDAN LEWIS | ASSET PRESERVATION, INC.:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendanlewis1031/

• Website: https://apiexchange.com/

👉🏻 FOLLOW RICK ALBERT | KEYS TO THE CITY OF ANGELS PODCAST:

• Website: https://rickalbertonline.com/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@rickbalbert

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬 below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate: https://iconsofrealestate.com/

Real estate attorney Zachary Schorr joins Rick Albert on The Key to City of Angels to discuss the complex world of property litigation. Learn why rising interest rates are triggering a massive wave of co-ownership partition disputes and how disclosure laws impact buyers and sellers.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Key to City of Angels now. 

🎙 What you'll learn:

• Why partition disputes are surging due to today's high interest rate environment.

• The reality of forcing a property sale or splitting ownership interests.

• How partial disclosures create severe legal exposure for home sellers.

• The 3-year vs. 10-year statute of limitations rules on property disclosures.

• How to handle mechanics liens and contractor dispute liabilities safely.

• Essential legal safeguards for real estate investors and brokers navigating troubled escrows.

🎧 HOSTED BY: Rick Albert 

👤 GUEST: Zachary Schorr – Real estate litigation attorney and founder of Schorr Law.

Zachary Schorr is the Founder and Lead Trial Attorney of Schorr Law, a Los Angeles firm specializing in complex California real estate disputes. A Southern California Super Lawyer (2020–2026), he has litigated hundreds of high-stakes property cases and is a recognized legal expert featured in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and on national television.

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH ZACHARY SCHORR

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/schorr-law-apc/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schorrlaw/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-schorr-aabb023

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH RICK ALBERT – THE KEY TO CITY OF ANGELS

• Website: https://rickalbertonline.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickbalbert/?hl=en

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RickBAlbert/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbalbert/?isSelfProfile=false

Rick Albert sits down with Niv Davidovich, partner at Davidovich Stone Law Group, to discuss the complicated reality of owning and managing rental property in Los Angeles.

From rent control and affordable housing to tenant screening, Section Eight, AI, and eviction risk, Niv explains why landlords need to understand the constantly changing legal landscape—and why real estate is rarely as passive as people think.

🎧 Listen to the full episode of The Key to the City of Angels now.

🎙 What you'll learn:

✔️ Why LA evictions can require landlords to navigate countless legal requirements

✔️ The difference between rent control and affordable housing

✔️ Why landlords need to monitor local regulations and ordinances

✔️ How AI can help with legal research while creating new risks

✔️ Why tenant screening is an important part of risk management

✔️ What landlords should know about Section Eight applicants

✔️ Why real estate ownership is rarely truly passive

✔️ How landlords can approach day-to-day legal and financial risk

🎧 HOSTED BY: Rick Albert

👤 GUEST: Niv V. Davidovich - the Managing Partner of Davidovich Stone Law Group, a California real estate litigation firm representing landlords, property owners, developers, and property managers. With nearly 20 years of experience and over 20,000 evictions prosecuted, Niv focuses on unlawful detainer proceedings, habitability defense, compliance matters, and complex real estate transactions.  

_____________

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH NIV DAVIDOVICH

• Website: https://davidovichlaw.com/ • Phone: https://www.facebook.com/davidovichstone/

• Email: https://www.instagram.com/davidovichstone

• Phone: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nivdavidovich/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/davidovich-stone-law-group/

👉🏻 CONNECT WITH RICK ALBERT

• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rickbalbert?feature=shared

• Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/key-to-the-city-of-angels/id1794870655

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5XS3Lh519GBRn0TxlDbfQS?si=hUbka795QoOqW7WtpDKiVw 

Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬below!

Why are LA's down payment assistance programs failing, and what do rising credit card debts mean for the local housing market?

Consumer finance reporter Natalie Campisi joins Rick Albert to unpack the shifting realities of the Los Angeles housing market. From the recent drop in condo sales to the impact of widespread employment insecurity in the entertainment and tech sectors, Natalie breaks down exactly why today's buyers are more cautious. They explore the bureaucratic hurdles blocking new construction, the friction around neighborhood density, and why LA's down payment assistance programs often fail to help middle-class buyers.

🎧 Hosted by: Rick Albert

🎤 Featuring: Natalie Campisi

Natalie Campisi is a longtime LA-based senior journalist specializing in consumer finance, housing, and real estate. Dedicated to making complex financial topics accessible, her work has been featured in major outlets including Forbes Advisor, Bankrate, The Los Angeles Times, and CNBC. She also brings her reporter's curiosity to her YouTube channel, where she explores the intersections of news, culture, history, travel, and movies.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔ Navigating the cautious buyer landscape and the struggling condo market

✔ Understanding how LA's entertainment exodus impacts local housing stability

✔ Overcoming the bureaucratic red tape of building in Los Angeles

✔ Weighing the benefits and friction of ADUs and neighborhood density

✔ Recognizing why rent control can disincentivize homeownership

✔ Exposing the mathematical flaws in local down payment assistance programs

✔ Securing seller concessions without relying on gross price reductions

✔ Factoring rising credit card debt into future housing market predictions

Connect with Natalie Campisi:

🎬 YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@NatalieCampisi

𝕏 X → https://twitter.com/nataliemcampisi

🌐 Website → https://nataliecampisi.com/

🎧 Follow Rick Albert:

🌎 Website → https://rickalbertonline.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RickBAlbert/

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rickbalbert/?hl=en

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbalbert/

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

#LosAngelesRealEstate #LAHousingMarket #RealEstateInvesting #HousingTrends #DownPaymentAssistance #HollywoodExodus #RealEstatePodcast #PropertyInvestment #ConsumerFinance #RickAlbert #NatalieCampisi

Discover how to navigate city red tape, secure funding without millions in cash, and build highly profitable commercial spaces.

Real estate development is often perceived as an exclusive club reserved only for the ultra-wealthy, but the true value of a developer lies in their ability to solve complex problems and bring the right team together. In this episode, developer Kristi Kandel breaks down her approach to creating profitable, community-enriching projects by focusing on value-add opportunities in your own backyard. Kristi Kandel explains the critical importance of understanding local politics, why so many developers fail to properly navigate city processes, and how acting as a translator between stakeholders can unlock stalled deals.

🎧 Hosted by: Rick Albert

🎤 Featuring: Kristi Kandel

Kristi Kandel is a real estate developer with over 450 million dollars in completed projects spanning retail, clean energy, housing, and community wellness across the United States. She is the founder of I&D Consulting and Local Real Estate Developers, and the co-founder of Elevate, a community-driven sports and wellness destination. Her work focuses on developing people-centered spaces and building a replicable framework for community-led real estate development nationwide.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔ Identifying high-potential value-add real estate opportunities in your own backyard

✔ Structuring commercial development deals without bringing millions of your own capital

✔ Navigating volatile interest rates and fluctuating construction costs successfully

✔ Translating between business goals and city planning requirements to get projects approved

✔ Adding massive value to existing assets through strategic renovations and additions

✔ Capitalizing on the growing demand for wellness and community gathering spaces

✔ Building a high-net-worth network through lifestyle activities and sports

Connect with Kristi Kandel:

🌐 Website → https://kristikandel.com

💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-kandel-4b650a12

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/kristikandel/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/kristikandel/

🎧 Follow Rick Albert:

🌎 Website → https://rickalbertonline.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RickBAlbert/

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rickbalbert/?hl=en

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbalbert/

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

#RealEstateDevelopment #TheKeyToTheCityOfAngels #CommercialRealEstate #ValueAddRealEstate #UrbanPlanning #RealEstateInvesting #PropertyDevelopment #RealEstateNetworking #LocalInvesting

Not everyone who wants to sell their home actually should. Discover the ten critical questions that separate a smart sale from a massive mistake.

Join Rick Albert on The Key to the City of Angels as he unveils his proprietary ten-question checklist designed to help you decide if selling your home is truly the right move. From analyzing your minimum equity and upcoming maintenance costs to understanding the intense impacts of local rent control, Rick breaks down every factor that could make or break your financial future. Whether you want to cash flow your current house as a rental or leverage your equity for a massive commercial investment, this episode delivers the exact framework you need to make a confident, data-backed decision.

🎧 Hosted by: Rick Albert

Rick Albert is a real estate broker associate and local realtor serving the Southern California area, specializing in Los Angeles and the Conejo Valley of Ventura County. As the host of The Key to the City of Angels, he leverages his extensive industry experience to help clients navigate complex real estate decisions, from multifamily investments to managing strict local property ordinances.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔ Calculating the true net profit after selling costs and real estate fees.

✔ Assessing if a cash-out refinance or life event necessitates a property transition.

✔ Leveraging buyer demand in shifting neighborhoods to maximize your return.

✔ Reallocating home equity into commercial businesses or out-of-state multifamily units.

✔ Protecting your assets from rent control regulations and restrictive local ordinances.

✔ Balancing the analytical numbers of property investment with deep emotional ties.

🎙 Follow Rick Albert – The Real Estate Mastery Podcast:

🌎 Website → https://rickalbertonline.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RickBAlbert/

📷 Instagram →https://www.instagram.com/rickbalbert/?hl=en

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbalbert/

⭐ Produced by Icons of Real Estate - https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

#RealEstateAdvice #HomeSelling #PropertyInvestment #LosAngelesRealEstate #RickAlbert #HouseHacking #WealthBuilding #RealEstateBroker #TheKeyToTheCityOfAngels

🚀 In this episode of The Key to the City of Angels, host Rick Albert sits down with Jason Pietruszka, founder of JJP Construction, to talk about what's really going on in Los Angeles real estate right now. Jason breaks down how Measure ULA's so-called “mansion tax” quietly gutted the housing market, what it's actually like rebuilding more than 40 homes in the Palisades after the fires, and the most common (and costly) mistakes homeowners make before construction even starts. They also get into why delegating tasks, even something as simple as hiring a house cleaner, can be the difference between staying stuck and scaling a business.

🎧 Hosted by: Rick Albert

👤 Guest:

🏡 Jason Pietruszka – Founder, JJP Construction

Jason Pietruszka is a Los Angeles-based builder, designer, and entrepreneur. As the founder of JJP Construction Inc., Shelter, and GoLandscapers, he leads high-end residential projects from concept to completion, combining creative vision with practical execution to transform homeowners' ideas into thoughtfully built spaces.

💡 Key Topics Covered:

✔️ The impact of Measure ULA on LA's housing market

✔️ Rebuilding the Palisades after the wildfires

✔️ Common mistakes in the design and construction process

✔️ How delegation fuels business growth

✔️ Small details that help a home sell faster

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, builder, developer, contractor, or homeowner, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Jason Pietruszka:

🌐 Website → https://jjpconstructioninc.com/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jjpconstruction/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/Jjpconstruction

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-pietruszka-5b8444194/

🎙 Follow Rick Albert – The Real Estate Mastery Podcast:

🌎 Website → https://rickalbertonline.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RickBAlbert/

📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/rickbalbert/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbalbert/

🔖 Don't Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate – https://iconsofrealestate.com/

🚀 In this episode of The Key to the City of Angels, host Rick Albert sits down with architect Marija Volkman to discuss her remarkable journey from war-torn Serbia to leading architectural projects across Europe and the United States. Marija shares how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing architecture, cutting project timelines by 75%, while exploring the future of design, construction, and development. The conversation also dives into rebuilding after the Los Angeles wildfires, designing fire-resilient homes, and the key differences between European and American architecture.

🎧 Hosted by: Rick Albert

👤 Guest:

🏡 Marija Volkman – Architect & Founder of Archicraft US

Marija Volkman is a licensed California architect, Partner Architect, and the U.S. Lead of Archicraft in Los Angeles. With over 20 years of international architecture experience across Europe and the U.S., her diverse background spans high-end custom residential homes, commercial creative spaces, hospitality, and post-disaster rebuild work. An entrepreneur and single mother who immigrated to LA in 2007, Marija brings a powerful perspective on leadership, starting over, and designing structural resilience.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ How AI reduced architectural project time from 400 hours to just 110 hours.

✔️ Why AI is changing architecture without necessarily replacing jobs.

✔️ What homeowners should know when rebuilding after the Los Angeles wildfires.

✔️ The biggest differences between European and American architecture and construction.

✔️ Why architects need to balance creativity, business, and resilience in a rapidly changing industry.

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, architect, builder, developer, or homeowner, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Marija Volkman:

🌐 Website → https://www.archicraft.co/

📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/marijavolkman/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/marija-volkman/

🎙 Follow Rick Albert – The Real Estate Mastery Podcast:

🌎 Website → https://rickalbertonline.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/RickBAlbert/

📷 Instagram →https://www.instagram.com/rickbalbert/?hl=en

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickbalbert/

🔖 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate – https://iconsofrealestate.com/