🚀 In this episode, Deana Brummett sits down with Annika Lynn, Senior Loan Officer at Movement Mortgage, to discuss the realities of homeownership, financial literacy, and long-term wealth building. Annika shares her remarkable personal journey from overcoming life-changing adversity to becoming one of the nation's top lenders. Together, they dive into credit scores, emergency funds, debt management, refinancing strategies, investment properties, and how buyers can confidently navigate today's housing market.

🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett

👤 Guest:🏡 Annika Lynn – Senior Loan Officer, Movement Mortgage

Annika Lynn is a Senior Loan Officer at Movement Mortgage based in Indian Land, South Carolina. Backed by her team's extensive resources, she specializes in simplifying the mortgage process and guiding clients through financing options for purchasing, selling, refinancing, and building homes.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ Why homeownership remains one of the best wealth-building tools available

✔️ How emergency funds protect homeowners from financial setbacks

✔️ Common credit mistakes that can derail a mortgage approval

✔️ The importance of working with a trusted local lender and real estate agent

✔️ The risks and rewards of investment properties and cash-out refinancing

✔️ Financing options for custom home construction and renovation projects

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, first-time homebuyer, or homeowner looking to build wealth, this episode offers practical advice and actionable financial strategies.

💼 Connect with Annika Lynn:

🌐 Website → https://movement.com/lo/annika-lynn

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/MovementMortgageAnnikaLynn/
🎧 Follow Deana Brummett:

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

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

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

🚀 In this episode, Thomas Castelli, CPA and CFP, shares how investors can use real estate and tax strategy together to build long-term wealth. From his journey into syndications and apartment investing to the biggest tax mistakes investors make, Thomas breaks down practical strategies for both beginner and seasoned investors. Learn how to build the right financial team, avoid costly tax misconceptions, and position yourself for scalable real estate success.

🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett

👤 Guest:🏡 Thomas Castelli – CPA, CFP, Tax Strategist & Real Estate Investor

Thomas Castelli, CPA, CFP®, is a tax strategist and real estate investor recognized as a CPA Practice Advisor “40 Under 40” and NYSSCPA Emerging Leader. A Partner at Hall CPA and co-host of the Tax Smart REI Podcast (4M+ downloads), he has worked with 100+ investors and has experience as both a sponsor on an 82-unit apartment community and a limited partner in multiple syndications.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ Why every investor needs a tax strategist early in the process

✔️ The biggest misconceptions about real estate taxes

✔️ How proper bookkeeping can save investors thousands

✔️ What investors should know about syndications and scaling

✔️ Why mentorship and documentation are critical for long-term success

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Thomas Castelli:

🌐 Website → https://www.therealestatecpa.com/

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

🎧 Follow Deana Brummett:

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

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

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

🚀 In this episode, Deana Brummett sits down with Andrew Postell, Originating Branch Manager at CrossCountry Mortgage, to break down the realities of homeownership, passive income, rental property investing, and mortgage strategies that everyday people can actually use. From FHA and DSCR loans to down payment assistance and long-term wealth building, Andrew shares real-world advice from both his lending career and his own experience as a real estate investor. If you’ve ever wondered whether now is the right time to buy, how investors scale rental portfolios, or how to overcome the fear of getting started, this episode is packed with actionable insights.

🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett

👤 Guest:🏡 Andrew Postell – Originating Branch Manager at CrossCountry Mortgage

Andrew Postell is an Originating Branch Manager at CrossCountry Mortgage with experience in the mortgage and real estate investment industries. Recognized as a top producer by Scotsman Guide and Mortgage Executive Magazine, he specializes in VA, FHA, and DSCR loans. He also provides strategic guidance on homeownership, down payment assistance, and wealth-building strategies.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ Why waiting to buy a home can cost more in the long run

✔️ The difference between FHA, DSCR, and investment property loans

✔️ Strategies for building passive income through rental properties

✔️ The BRRRR method and other advanced investing strategies

✔️ The biggest mistakes first-time homebuyers make

✔️ How to scale from one property to multiple rentals

✔️ Why real estate remains one of the strongest long-term investments

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or first-time homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights into building wealth through real estate!

💼 Connect with Andrew Postell:

🌐 Website → https://crosscountrymortgage.com/bedford-tx-4797/andrew-postell/

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

🎧 Follow Deana Brummett:

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

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

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

🚀 In this powerful episode of Make Yourself at Home, Deana Brummett sits down with inspirational speaker, real estate investor, and 9/11 responder Craig Sotkovsky for a deep conversation about resilience, mindset, trauma, healing, and creative real estate investing. Craig shares his journey battling lung cancer after volunteering during 9/11 cleanup efforts, overcoming addiction and personal trauma, and learning how mindset, epigenetics, and subconscious programming shape every part of our lives.

From creative financing strategies to mastering the reticular activating system and learning how to “sit in the uncomfortable,” this episode dives into what it truly means to rebuild yourself from the inside out.

🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett

👤 Guest:🏡 Craig Sotkovsky – Inspirational Speaker, Real Estate Investor & Mindset Coach

Craig Sotkovsky is an author, international speaker, and real estate investor whose personal journey of resilience, including serving as a 9/11 World Trade Center volunteer and surviving lung cancer, whice informs his work helping others transform mindset and performance. He teaches mindset, behavior, and business principles to audiences worldwide.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ How mindset affects success in business and life

✔️ What the reticular activating system really is

✔️ How trauma and subconscious programming shape behavior

✔️ Creative real estate and owner-financing strategies

✔️ Why resilience and emotional control are critical for entrepreneurs

✔️ How meditation and self-awareness can transform your life

✔️ The importance of detachment from external validation

🎵 Whether you're an investor, entrepreneur, or someone looking to strengthen your mindset, this episode offers powerful insights and practical wisdom!

💼 Connect with Craig Sotkovsky:

🌐 Website → https://www.craigsotkovsky.com/
🎧 Follow Deana Brummett:

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

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

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

🚀 In this powerful episode, Ricky Carruth shares how he built an eight-figure real estate business as a solo agent and the hard lessons that shaped his success. From losing everything during the market crash to becoming a top-performing agent and coach, Ricky breaks down the mindset, strategies, and long-term relationship approach that truly drive sustainable success. Discover why real estate is a compounding game, how to avoid “shiny object syndrome,” and what the future holds for agents, investors, and homebuyers in a rapidly evolving market.

🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett

👤 Guest:🏡 Ricky Carruth – Real Estate Agent, Entrepreneur & Coach

Ricky Carruth is a real estate agent, entrepreneur, and founder of the Zero to Diamond coaching program. Since entering the industry in 2002, he has closed over 1,000 real estate transactions as a single agent without a team and built multiple eight-figure businesses. His real estate education content has generated hundreds of millions of views online and is used by agents to grow their businesses.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ Why real estate success is a long-term, relationship-driven game

✔️ The dangers of “shiny object syndrome” and chasing quick wins

✔️ How to build a six- to seven-figure business without buying leads

✔️ What “real wealth” truly means beyond just money

✔️ How AI and market trends will reshape the future of real estate

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Ricky Carruth:

🌐 Website → https://carruthteam.com/

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

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/zerotodiamond/
🎧 Follow Deana Brummett:

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

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

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

🚀 In this episode, Caleb Christopher breaks down the realities of creative financing in real estate—what it is, when to use it, and the risks most people overlook. With a background in cybersecurity and law enforcement, Caleb shares how risk management, ethical deal structuring, and clear communication can make or break a deal. Whether you're an investor or a homeowner, this episode gives you practical tools to navigate creative finance safely and effectively.

🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett

👤 Guest:🏡 Caleb Christopher – Creative Financing Real Estate Specialist

Caleb Christopher is a creative finance real estate specialist featured in Pace Morby’s BiggerPockets book Wealth Without Cash. With a background in law enforcement and cybersecurity, he focuses on risk management and ethical deal structuring. Caleb is the founder of Creative TC, DOS Guard, and Creative Title, where he specializes in closing complex real estate transactions.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ The biggest misconceptions about creative financing

✔️ How to evaluate risk in “subject-to” and seller finance deals

✔️ Why creative finance is a specialty tool—not a one-size-fits-all solution

✔️ How investors can protect sellers (and themselves) in complex deals

✔️ The importance of communication, documentation, and ethical investing

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Caleb Christopher:

🌐 Website → https://calebchristopher.io/

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

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

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/calebchristopher/
🎧 Follow Deana Brummett:

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

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

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

🚀 In this powerful episode, Arnice Foster shares her incredible journey from attorney to mindset coach, fitness expert, and business strategist. Learn how she overcame challenges, built multiple businesses, and now helps high-performing women transform their health, mindset, and success. From neuro encoding to practical fitness habits, this episode is packed with actionable insights to level up your life.

🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett

👤 Guest:🏡 Arnice Foster – Attorney, Neuro Encoding Mindset Specialist, Business Strategist & Fitness CoachAttorney

Arnice Foster is a NeuroEncoding Mindset Specialist, business strategist, and fitness coach, known as The Busy Woman’s Coach. She works with high-performing women on mindset, health, and business growth, combining her background in law, coaching, and fitness. Arnice is also an international fitness trainer and certified Zumba instructor, helping clients create lasting personal and professional transformation.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ How mindset and neuro encoding shape your success

✔️ Arnice’s journey from law to fitness and coaching

✔️ The 4 pillars of optimal health for long-term wellness

✔️ Simple habits to improve fitness, nutrition, and energy

✔️ How to overcome limiting beliefs and the “Toxic 10”

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Arnice Foster:

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

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

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/afcinternational/
🎧 Follow Deana Brummett:

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

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

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

🚀 In this powerful episode, Chris Miles shares his journey from traditional financial advisor to cashflow expert after discovering the flaws in conventional wealth-building strategies. Learn how he overcame financial collapse, rebuilt his wealth, and now teaches others how to achieve financial independence through cashflow investing, smarter money management, and alternative income strategies.

🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett

👤 Guest:🏡 Chris Miles – Cashflow Expert & Founder of Money Ripples

Chris Miles is the founder of Money Ripples and a cash flow expert focused on helping entrepreneurs and professionals build lasting wealth. A former financial advisor, Chris is known for teaching strategies that prioritize passive income, financial independence, and cash flow investing. He is also the host of the Money Ripples podcast and works with clients to restructure finances and create sustainable wealth outside of traditional retirement models.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ Why traditional financial planning often fails

✔️ The power of cashflow vs. appreciation-based investing

✔️ How Chris rebuilt wealth after losing over $1M

✔️ The “Get Lean, Get Liquid, Get Out” strategy

✔️ Practical ways to create multiple income streams

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Chris Miles:

🌐 Website → https://moneyripples.com/

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/chris.miles9177/

🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriscmiles
🎧 Follow Deana Brummett:

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

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

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

🚀 In this episode, Deana Brummett sits down with seasoned mortgage expert Kim Venable to break down what every homebuyer really needs to know before purchasing a home. From understanding your budget and the true cost of a mortgage to avoiding common financial pitfalls, this conversation also walks you through how to read a rate grid. Kim shares insider insights on interest rates, mortgage components, and how building the right team can make or break your homebuying experience.

🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett

👤 Guest:🏡 Kim Venable – Mortgage Consultant

💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ Why creating a realistic budget is the first step to buying a home

✔️ The 4–5 key components that make up your total mortgage payment

✔️ Common mistakes buyers make with interest rates and loan options

✔️ How mortgage points and rate buy-downs really work

✔️ Why building the right team (lender, realtor, insurance) is critical

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Kim Venable:

📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/kim.venable.58

🎧 Follow Deana Brummett:

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

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

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

🚀 In this eye-opening episode, Andy Gurczak shares insider knowledge on how insurance claims really work—and why homeowners and investors often leave money on the table. From costly mistakes to smart strategies, learn how to protect your property, maximize your claim, and avoid being taken advantage of by the system.

🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett

👤 Guest:🏡 Andy Gurczak – Founder & CEO of All City Adjusting

Andy Gurczak is the Founder and CEO of AllCity Adjusting, a nationwide public adjusting firm that advocates for property owners during complex insurance claims. With extensive experience across insurance claims and construction, he works with residential and commercial clients to help ensure fair settlements after property damage and disaster-related losses.

💡 What You’ll Learn:

✔️ Why homeowners shouldn’t handle insurance claims alone

✔️ The biggest mistakes that can cost you thousands

✔️ How insurance companies delay, deny, and profit from claims

✔️ Real-life example of turning a $10K claim into $32K

✔️ What to look for in your policy before disaster strikes

🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights!

💼 Connect with Andy Gurczak:

🌐 Website → https://www.allcityadjusting.com/
🎧 Follow Deana Brummett:

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

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

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