Join the #1 real estate community for agents and investors: https://www.skool.com/offmarketmethod/about?ref=791b3644f63045c9a6d3d8634e57c1f1

Want to SCALE your real estate business to $100k/month? Go here: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/

Summary:
This week I sat down with Greg, a seasoned real estate operator out of the Seattle area who's been in the trenches of this business for years and this conversation did not disappoint. We kick things off with a raw story about a deal I fumbled. Signed too fast, left $30K on the table, and the buyer ended up regretting the whole thing too. It's one of those lessons that stings but the kind you actually learn from. From there, Greg and I go deep on what really separates the operators who last in this business from the ones who burn out or burn bridges. And spoiler: it's not AI, it's not the hottest software, and it's definitely not how loud you are online.

We also get into some real talk about AI in real estate. What's actually useful, what's smoke and mirrors, and why the fantasy of automating your way to deals is setting a lot of people up for failure. Greg breaks down how he's using tools like his Atlas system to get in front of motivated sellers faster, but we're both clear that the money is still made in the room. In negotiations, relationships, and reputation built over years. If you're a real estate agent or investor trying to figure out how to actually build something that lasts, this one's for you.

Connect with Cole Ruud-Johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleruudjohnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coleruudjohnson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coleruudjohnson
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coleruudjohnson

Join the #1 real estate community for agents and investors: https://www.skool.com/offmarketmethod/about?ref=791b3644f63045c9a6d3d8634e57c1f1

Want to SCALE your real estate business to $100k/month? Go here: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/

Join Easy Button Real Estate LIVE in San Diego: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/live

Summary:
We're back after a little hiatus, and we're not holding back. In this episode, Tucker and I catch up on what's been going on in our worlds: Tucker's pushing through his $5-6M spec build in Naples, I recently welcomed my first kid (and survived the first two weeks), and we both weigh in on where this market is actually headed right now: interest rates, the 10-year bond, geopolitical tension, and all the weird signals that make it nearly impossible to read the tea leaves right now.

But the real conversation? We get into the Brandon Turner situation, one of the biggest real estate syndication stories circulating online right now. Whether you've been following it or this is your first time hearing about it, we break down the real lessons behind it: what happens when you skip too many rungs on the investment ladder, how social media celebrity can fast-track your way into deals you're not ready for, and why the people who truly build lasting wealth in this game rarely, if ever, make the news. If you're wholesaling, flipping, or thinking about raising capital, this one's for you.

Connect with Cole Ruud-Johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleruudjohnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coleruudjohnson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coleruudjohnson
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coleruudjohnson

Join the #1 real estate community for agents and investors: https://www.skool.com/offmarketmethod/about?ref=791b3644f63045c9a6d3d8634e57c1f1

Want to SCALE your real estate business to $100k/month? Go here: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/

Summary:
Most people see what's happening in the news — gas prices climbing, insurance costs through the roof, tariffs hitting construction — and they freeze up. Tucker and I think that's exactly backwards. In this episode we break down how small operators like us actually have an edge right now, and why playing the same game as the big publicly traded builders is a trap you want to avoid.

We get into the real stuff — why investors are bailing on vacation rentals in California and Florida, how new state wealth taxes are quietly shifting where people want to live, and how to spot development opportunities in your zip code before the rest of the market catches on. You don't need to be an economist to use any of this. You just need to know what to look for and stay ahead of it rather than become a victim of it.

Connect with Cole Ruud-Johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleruudjohnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coleruudjohnson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coleruudjohnson
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coleruudjohnson

Join the #1 real estate community for agents and investors: https://www.skool.com/offmarketmethod/about?ref=791b3644f63045c9a6d3d8634e57c1f1

Want to SCALE your real estate business to $100k/month? Go here: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/

Summary:
In this episode, we unpack what’s happening in the broader market—from geopolitical tensions around Iran to volatility in crypto—and what it actually means for real estate operators making capital decisions right now. We also talk candidly about how experienced investors think about liquidity, risk exposure, and where they choose to park cash outside of active deals.

Then we break down the practical path to doing your first spec development deal: why partnering with a builder (not just a GC) matters, how to evaluate lots the right way, what timelines can quietly kill returns, and how to avoid getting stuck in multi-year permitting traps. If you’re looking to move from sourcing deals into building them, this episode gives you a clear operator-level starting point.

Connect with Cole Ruud-Johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleruudjohnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coleruudjohnson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coleruudjohnson
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coleruudjohnson

Turn Your Real Estate Business Into a $100,000/Month PROFIT Machine in 2026: https://creative-crafter-3107.kit.com/c0b266c717?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=march_workshop

Join the #1 real estate community for agents and investors: https://www.skool.com/offmarketmethod/about?ref=791b3644f63045c9a6d3d8634e57c1f1

Want to SCALE your real estate business to $100k/month? Go here: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/

Summary:
In this episode, we talk about how something happening halfway across the world is starting to hit much closer to home. From delayed materials to rising costs, we’re seeing firsthand how global events are beginning to slow down real estate development in ways that aren’t always obvious at first.

We also get into how we’re thinking about operating through it, what this means for timelines, and why staying aware of these shifts matters more than ever right now. If you’re building or developing, this is something you can’t afford to ignore.

Connect with Cole Ruud-Johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleruudjohnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coleruudjohnson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coleruudjohnson
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coleruudjohnson

Join the #1 real estate community for agents and investors: https://www.skool.com/offmarketmethod/about?ref=791b3644f63045c9a6d3d8634e57c1f1

Want to SCALE your real estate business to $100k/month? Go here: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/

Summary:
In this episode, we talk about the growing hype around AI and what it actually means for real estate entrepreneurs. There’s no question the technology is powerful, but we don’t think AI is going to replace operators anytime soon.

We break down how we’re thinking about AI in our own businesses not as a magic solution, but as a tool that can make good operators more efficient. From underwriting deals to running systems and making better decisions, AI can help, but it won’t replace experience, judgment, or execution.

We also talk about where the real estate market sits right now, why stable markets can create great opportunities, and why trying to skip steps in this business is usually a mistake.

At the end of the day, the best deals still go to the best operator AI or not.

Connect with Cole Ruud-Johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleruudjohnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coleruudjohnson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coleruudjohnson
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coleruudjohnson

Join the #1 real estate community for agents and investors: https://www.skool.com/offmarketmethod/about?ref=791b3644f63045c9a6d3d8634e57c1f1

Want to SCALE your real estate business to $100k/month? Go here: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/

Summary:
AI is everywhere right now and honestly, we’re seeing a lot of real estate entrepreneurs getting stuck because of it.

In this episode, we talk about AI overwhelm and why it might actually be slowing your business down instead of speeding it up. We break down where AI can genuinely help (and where it absolutely won’t), why residential real estate is still a people business, and why talking to sellers will always outperform tinkering with tools.

If you’ve been feeling behind, distracted, or tempted by every new AI update, this one’s for you. Sometimes the real bottleneck isn’t technology… it’s execution.

Connect with Cole Ruud-Johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleruudjohnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coleruudjohnson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coleruudjohnson
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coleruudjohnson

Turn Your Real Estate Business Into a $100,000/Month PROFIT Machine in 2026: https://creative-crafter-3107.kit.com/c527ee14ff?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=february_workshop

Join the #1 real estate community for agents and investors: https://www.skool.com/offmarketmethod/about?ref=791b3644f63045c9a6d3d8634e57c1f1

Want to SCALE your real estate business to $100k/month? Go here: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/

Summary:
Most real estate investors don’t lose because they can’t find deals, they lose because they stop marketing too early.

In this episode, we talk about why real estate marketing rarely pays off in the first 30 days, how deals actually develop over time, and why consistent marketing behaves more like a long-term asset than a short-term expense. If you want steadier deal flow, better follow-up results, and a strategy that survives slow markets, this conversation will reset how you think about marketing.

Connect with Cole Ruud-Johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleruudjohnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coleruudjohnson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coleruudjohnson
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coleruudjohnson

Join us for 3 days of high-level networking, deal-making strategies, and unforgettable experiences on the slopes: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/wintersummit (Use promotion code: WNTR1000 to get $1,000 off)

Join the #1 real estate community for agents and investors: https://www.skool.com/offmarketmethod/about?ref=791b3644f63045c9a6d3d8634e57c1f1

Want to SCALE your real estate business to $100k/month? Go here: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/

Summary:
January always feels strange in real estate — and this year is no different.

In this episode, we break down why the phones go quiet early in the year, how slow markets actually behave, and why panic is usually the wrong move. We talk interest rates, buyer sentiment, lean business models, and what experienced investors do to stay profitable while everyone else overthinks the slowdown.

If you’re feeling stuck or second-guessing the market, this episode is your reminder: nothing’s broken — it’s just January.

Connect with Cole Ruud-Johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleruudjohnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coleruudjohnson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coleruudjohnson
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coleruudjohnson

Join us for 3 days of high-level networking, deal-making strategies, and unforgettable experiences on the slopes: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/wintersummit (Use promotion code: WNTR1000 to get $1,000 off)

Join the #1 real estate community for agents and investors: https://www.skool.com/offmarketmethod/about?ref=791b3644f63045c9a6d3d8634e57c1f1

Want to SCALE your real estate business to $100k/month? Go here: https://easybuttonrealestate.com/

Summary:
In this episode, I break down how to make more money in real estate in 2026 without increasing chaos.

We cover how to think in terms of return on brain damage, why chasing volume and vanity metrics kills profit, and how to structure a simple, focused operation that pays you more with fewer deals. I walk through what to focus on right now: singular focus, treating real estate like a sales and marketing business, using real data to make bets, and scaling profit—not headaches.

If you want higher take-home income with less stress, this episode is your playbook for 2026.

Connect with Cole Ruud-Johnson
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coleruudjohnson
Twitter: https://twitter.com/coleruudjohnson
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coleruudjohnson
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@coleruudjohnson