The real estate business is changing in ways that affect how consumers find homes, how borrowers qualify for mortgages, and how property owners understand their rights.

This week on From the Rooftops, I'm digging into several housing and real estate headlines that REALTORS® should be watching closely.

One conversation centers on the MLS and the growing use of private or delayed listings. As brokerages experiment with different ways of marketing homes, buyers may need to understand which properties they can actually see and whether the agent or brokerage they choose affects their access to available inventory. For REALTORS®, that brings us right back to transparency, cooperation and our responsibility to the consumer.

There's also a significant development in mortgage lending. FHFA has approved VantageScore 4.0 for lenders originating Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages, giving us another reason to pay attention to how changes in credit scoring could affect future homebuyers.

Then there's property ownership itself. More than 2,600 landlords are reportedly slated for compensation related to losses stemming from a COVID-era eviction freeze. The legal fight raises a larger question about property rights and what happens when public policy restricts an owner's ability to use private property.

And Washington is talking about housing, technology and affordability. One idea being discussed is whether greater digitization could help address some of the friction and expense involved in buying a home.

These stories touch different corners of real estate, but every one of them matters to professionals who advise consumers about buying, selling and owning property.

What changes when the systems underneath a real estate transaction begin changing too?

Join me Thursday, September 10 at 9:00 AM ET for From the Rooftops. Bring your questions and tell me what you're seeing in your market.

Leigh Brown is a REALTOR®, broker-owner, auctioneer, national keynote speaker, and author whose work helps professionals lead with confidence, communicate with purpose, and build businesses rooted in trust and relationships.

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Athena Brownson is a REALTOR®, home staging expert, former X Games athlete, and apparently someone who has enough stories to keep us talking all day.

We talk about what staging really means, why sellers don't always see their homes the way buyers do, and how AI is giving agents some surprisingly useful tools for preparing a property without spending a fortune. You're going to want to hear this.

Key takeaways to listen for

• Why good staging isn't about making a house look expensive
• How AI can help agents show sellers what's possible with the home they already have
• What Athena learned from her years as a professional athlete
• Why emotional attachment can make preparing a home for sale difficult
• How agents can find good staging and design professionals in their own markets

Join the Conversation Live

Thanks for spending part of your day with me.

Every Thursday at 9:00 AM ET, I go live on YouTube to talk through the week's biggest housing and real estate headlines. The best part is hearing your questions and perspectives while we're live.

I'd love for you to join the conversation.

Subscribe and turn on notifications here:

👉 https://www.youtube.com/@LeighBrownSpeaker

I'll see you From the Rooftops.

About Athena Brownson

Athena brings a wealth of firsthand insight to the dynamic world of real estate. With nine years of unwavering commitment to her craft, Athena has meticulously refined her negotiation prowess, ensuring that she tirelessly advocates on behalf of her clients to secure the most profitable deals possible.

Connect with Athena

• Website: athenabrownsonrealtor.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Contact Number: +1 (303) 919-9344

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF

👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com

DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

Buying or selling a house doesn't end at the closing table. There are still codes to exchange, utilities to transfer, questions to answer, and a whole lot of little details that can turn into a headache.

Cody Bartkoski saw the same problems happening over and over and decided there had to be a better way. We talk about what happens after closing, how technology can make that handoff easier, and why a smoother process is better for everyone.

Key takeaways to listen for

• What happens after the closing that nobody thinks about
• How Home Handoff makes the buyer/seller transition easier
• Why agents don't need to be involved in every post-closing detail
• What Cody learned from his own home-buying experiences
• Why a better handoff creates a better client experience

Join the Conversation Live

Thanks for spending part of your day with me.

Every Thursday at 9:00 AM ET, I go live on YouTube to talk through the week's biggest housing and real estate headlines. The best part is hearing your questions and perspectives while we're live.

I'd love for you to join the conversation.

Subscribe and turn on notifications here:

👉 https://www.youtube.com/@LeighBrownSpeaker

I'll see you From the Rooftops.

About Cody Bartkoski

Cody Bartkoski is the founder and CEO of HomeHandoff, a platform designed to make the transition between buying and selling a home easier. Before building the company, Cody worked as a mining engineer and CEO in the coal industry.

Connect with Cody

• Website: https://home-handoff.com/
• Email: [email protected]
• Contact Number: 610-349-1810

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF

👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com

DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

Sometimes the biggest problem isn't the answer. It's the question. This week we're looking beyond the headlines to ask what really matters.

We'll talk about:

• Why the debate over AI may be missing the bigger issue.
• What a North Carolina HOA assessment teaches us about homeownership and financial responsibility.
• The continuing battle over private listings, consumer access, and who really benefits.
• Whether housing affordability conversations are focused on symptoms instead of causes.

When we ask better questions, we make better decisions.

This week's headlines all point to one important question.

Private listings are expanding. Buyers are wondering how to find every available home. Sellers are hearing more about selling without an agent. Brokerages are debating listing policies, and ethics complaints are making national news.

So here's the question.

Are consumers getting the full story?

Resources for this episode

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ExaK3ixAvI

Join the Conversation Live

Thanks for spending part of your day with me.

Every Thursday at 9:00 AM ET, I go live on YouTube to talk through the week's biggest housing and real estate headlines. The best part is hearing your questions and perspectives while we're live.

I'd love for you to join the conversation.

Subscribe and turn on notifications here:

👉 https://www.youtube.com/@LeighBrownSpeaker

I'll see you From the Rooftops.

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF

👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com

DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

Three headlines. One bigger conversation.

This week, I'll share my perspective on three stories shaping the real estate industry:

• AI's growing role in the homebuying journey
• Zillow, MRED, and Compass taking their listing control fight back to federal court
• Why more older adults are choosing "Golden Girls" style housing

They're very different stories, but they all point to one question:

What does the future of homeownership look like?

I'll also share a reminder about the American promise that has made homeownership one of the greatest wealth-building opportunities in history—and why that still matters today.

Join the Conversation Live

Thanks for spending part of your day with me.

Every Thursday at 9:00 AM ET, I go live on YouTube to talk through the week's biggest housing and real estate headlines. The best part is hearing your questions and perspectives while we're live.

I'd love for you to join the conversation.

Subscribe and turn on notifications here:

👉 https://www.youtube.com/@LeighBrownSpeaker

I'll see you From the Rooftops.

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF

👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com

DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

If your inbox looks anything like mine, you've probably seen the same headlines I have. Housing crisis. AI. Interest rates. Mergers. Rent control. Everybody's yelling, and somehow we're all supposed to figure out what's actually important.

I'm sharing a few of the stories that landed in my inbox this week and giving you my take on what they actually mean for REALTORS®, homeowners, landlords, and anybody trying to make sense of today's housing market. Some of these headlines deserve your attention. Others? Not so much.

Key takeaways to listen for

• Why I don't believe real estate will ever become a commodity
• Thoughts on rent control and the unintended consequences that follow
• Where AI can actually help your business and where it can't
• Why housing policy deserves more attention from real estate professionals
• How to decide which headlines are worth paying attention to

Resources mentioned in this episode

• REALTORS® Legislative Meetings

Join the Conversation Live

Thanks for spending part of your day with me.

Every Thursday at 9:00 AM ET, I go live on YouTube to talk through the week's biggest housing and real estate headlines. The best part is hearing your questions and perspectives while we're live.

I'd love for you to join the conversation.

Subscribe and turn on notifications here:

👉 https://www.youtube.com/@LeighBrownSpeaker

I'll see you From the Rooftops.

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF

👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com

DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

Everybody keeps saying the same thing: young people can't afford to buy homes anymore.

Justice Bigot isn't ignoring today's market, but he also isn't buying into the idea that homeownership is out of reach. At just 26 years old, he's helping clients navigate a challenging market by focusing on honesty, relationships, and practical advice instead of hype.

If you've been wondering whether homeownership is still possible or whether the next generation of real estate professionals is ready to lead, this episode is worth your time.

Key takeaways to listen for

• Why saying "I don't know" can actually make clients trust you more
• How AI can support great REALTORS® without replacing them
• Why consistency matters more than years of experience
• What first-time buyers need to hear in today's market
• Justice's "Like. Value. Trust." philosophy for building a lasting business

Resources mentioned in this episode

• Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
• Like, Value, Trust by Justice Bigot

About Justice Bigot

Justice Bigot is a REALTOR® serving the Central Florida area, where he helps buyers and sellers navigate the real estate process with honesty, clear communication, and a relationship-first approach. Passionate about making homeownership more attainable, Justice embraces new technology while believing that trust and genuine human connection will always be at the heart of great service.

Connect with Justice

• Instagram: @justice.big
• TikTok: @justbigrealty
• YouTube: Just Real Estate
• X: @JusticeBigotRE
• Email: [email protected]
• Contact Number: (407) 676-9431

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF

👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com

DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

Selling a highly appreciated asset can trigger a devastating tax bill, but it doesn't always have to.

In this episode, Chad Ettmueller and Monty Walker break down a little-known tax strategy called the Structured Installment Sale. This approach allows sellers of investment real estate, farmland, timberland, or even closely-held businesses to defer their capital gains taxes while securing a guaranteed stream of income.

Before you sign on the dotted line, discover how this unique financial tool works, who qualifies for it, and why it offers significantly more flexibility than traditional tax-deferral options.

Key takeaways to listen for

• How a Structured Installment Sale differs from a traditional 1031 exchange
• Why timing matters when planning for capital gains taxes
• Which types of property owners can benefit most from this strategy
• How installment sales can help preserve wealth for future generations
• Why building the right advisory team before selling is critical

Resources mentioned in this episode

• https://sisresource.com

About Chad EttmuellerChad is Senior Vice President of JCR Settlements, LLC. Chad specializes in both personal and commercial general liability, trucking/transportation industry claims, medical malpractice and workers' compensation claims. Chad possesses significant experience working with Medicare Set-Asides (MSA's) in both Workers' Compensation and Liability negotiations.

About Monty WalkerMonty is a Certified Public Accountant with a diversity of experience in the private closely-held business arena. Monty supports Entrepreneurial Clients throughout the country. He is an extremely innovative advisor in the Business Transfer Industry providing support to Small Business Owners in the areas of Business Transactions, Business Structuring & Design, Business Tax Planning and Business Exit Planning.

Connect with Chad & Monty

• Website: JCR Settlements | Structured Installment Sales
• LinkedIn: Chad Ettmueller | Monty Walker
• Phone Number: (404) 661-3507 | (770) 886-7400

About Leigh BrownLeigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

Everybody wants consistent income but very few people are willing to do what it actually takes to get there.

In this episode, I sit down with Dan Rochon to break down what creates predictable success in a business that feels anything but predictable.

In a world where everyone is chasing shortcuts and quick wins… this conversation is a reality check on what actually works and why most people never stick with it long enough to see results.

Key takeaways to listen for

• Why consistency is the real driver of long-term success
• The 4 pillars that create predictable income in any business
• How belief impacts your ability to generate and convert leads
• Why aligning your strengths with your strategy matters more than doing "everything"
• How to handle rejection without letting it derail your progress

Resources mentioned in this episode

• Teach to Sell by Dan Rochon

About Dan Rochon

Dan is a real estate coach, speaker, and former brokerage owner who helps professionals create consistent, predictable income in their businesses. After starting his real estate career during the 2007 market downturn, he quickly rose to success, eventually purchasing and operating a brokerage for over a decade.

Today, Dan focuses on coaching entrepreneurs and sales professionals using a framework built on mindset, lead generation, systems, and leadership—helping them close the gap between effort and results.

Connect with Dan

• Website: nobrokemonths.com

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF

👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com

DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown