The HOOD

Morgan learned the hard way that a beautiful backyard basketball court still needs HOA approval. One cement truck, a $250 fine, and a denied request later, she’s been asked to help write the neighborhood’s new rules on activity courts. It’s a real estate agent’s cautionary tale, and she tells it on herself.

This episode’s guest is Lauren, a special education teacher at Westerville Central who just wrapped her 18th year in the classroom. She’s also a past client who bought her condo on a single income, with two dogs in tow.

Lauren talks about the sticker shock of seeing what a pre-approval number actually buys, the A/C that quit on her first summer, and the HOA letter over a Buckeyes garden flag. She also shares stories from her recent London and Paris trip, including a Peloton run past Buckingham Palace, and how her gym crew became some of her closest friends.

Morgan also covers the July Fourth market slowdown and why Columbus rents of around $1,600 a month make the “just buy instead” advice harder than it sounds.

Some friendships feel like family. And some families feel like best friends.

In this Sister, Sister episode of The HOOD, Morgan sits down with Haleigh and Kelsey, two sisters, new moms, and past clients. They married their high school sweethearts four months apart and have done nearly everything since one right after the other, including buying and selling homes.

Haleigh shares how she and Jared outgrew their condo and landed their dream home after first losing it to another buyer. Kelsey tells the story of trying to buy a house at 37 weeks pregnant (Morgan said no), then listing just weeks postpartum and selling in 24 hours.

Along the way, the three get honest about why today's buyers expect perfection, why a clean, fresh-smelling home sells in ways photos never show, what a snowy January walkthrough can hide, and why hiring movers is always worth it.

They also open up about losing their best friend Sydney, and the single ladybugs that still show up when they need them most.

Plus, rapid fire questions, a sixth toenail, and a sleep-deprived dad who tried to rock the family cat to sleep in the bassinet.

This episode of The HOOD introduces someone who usually stays behind the camera. Grant, owner of Optico Productions, sits down as a guest for the first time, and the conversation covers new fatherhood, building a business from scratch, and buying his first home as an agent himself.

Grant opened his production company while still in college, choosing wedding videography over chasing the film industry in LA. That early bet on staying close to family in Columbus grew into a full team of shooters serving real estate agents across Central Ohio, and now he's navigating a new build and a home sale of his own.

The conversation moves into the harder parts of the balance too, the guilt that comes with splitting time between work and a newborn, the boundaries he's had to set to protect family moments, and what has surprised him most about becoming a dad just weeks ago. He and Morgan also compare notes on which is harder, running a business or raising kids, and neither one gives a clean answer.

Morgan opens with an update on a bonkers summer market, including a first-time homebuyer interest rate program that came and went in three days flat.

Roofs don't come up in conversation until they're a problem. And by then, the stress has already set in.

In this episode, Morgan sits down with Zach McRae, owner of Near Me Roofing, to pull back the curtain on one of the most misunderstood parts of buying or selling a home. Zach has worked with 600+ agents across Central Ohio, and he does not sugarcoat anything.

They cover why the insurance-based roofing model is collapsing, what to do before you ever call your insurance company, how to read a roof inspection without panicking, and why the first call most homeowners make after damage is exactly the wrong one.

Plus, Zach shares how he went from running retail stores to building one of Columbus's fastest-growing roofing companies, and the grandfather who shaped every bit of it.

Buying a home is one of the biggest investments of your life, and the emotional weight of that process is real. So I brought in someone who knows a thing or two about helping people get out of their own heads. Brittany is a licensed professional counselor, a former kindergarten teacher, a fellow mom in the trenches, and one of those people who just makes you feel like everything is going to be okay the second she walks in the room. We go way back, and this conversation did not disappoint.

We talk about how to mentally prepare before you enter the market, what assertive communication actually looks like between partners during the home search, why the inspection period is its own kind of stress spiral, and how to recognize when the process has started to take too much of a toll. Brittany also shares some real, practical tools, including a five senses grounding technique you can use anywhere, even during a showing.

If you've ever felt like the homebuying process was messing with your mental health, or if you're a mom who just needs someone to tell you that what you're feeling makes sense, this one's for you.

This episode features one of the most recognizable names in Central Ohio new construction, Justin Phillips. Top 1% in the country, marketing maverick, stand-up comedian, and co-creator of the Rebel event. We threw the script out in the first five minutes and just talked.

We get into the spring market and what's actually happening out there right now, the wildest marketing moves Justin has ever made (yes, the hot air balloon with his face on it counts), how he's leaning into AI to scale his business, and the personal brand work that actually moves the needle. Plus the story behind one cold call to Glenda Baker that turned into a 700 person event.

As Justin said in this one, "you can have anything you want in this world if you just help enough other people get what they want." So grateful to call him a friend and to share this conversation.

This episode features two of my favorite people in this industry, Peggy and Bryce. What started as a pair of colleagues turned into one of the best friendships I've gotten to witness, and as a realtor and lender duo, they bring both a front row view of today's market and a whole lot of heart.

We get into what we're really seeing out there (yes, interest rates included), the wildest moments of their careers so far, what keeps them showing up every day, and the exciting news Peggy has been waiting to share.

The quote that stuck with me from this one: "Stick with the people who pull the magic out of you, not the madness." Peggy and Bryce are exactly that, and I'm so grateful to share space with them.

My special guest is someone who I am very close with, in the mental aspect and physical as well. She puts up with my Type A self while she just goes with the flow. I would say we balance each other out beautifully. She is a God fearing, whole heart loving, mom, wife and most importantly my neighbor. She has recently opened up an incredible business that is also very important to me and my well being. Everyone welcome AUBRIE to the HOOD!

Special Guest: Aubrie Davidson

Welcome into The Hood. I’m your host, Morgan Shawver bringing you all things ParentHOOD and NeighborHOOD.

Have you ever thought that one day you were just a kid graduating from Columbus City Schools and you blink your eyes and you find yourself as a contestant on a hit netflix show?! Well my guest today had just that happen. He captured Americas hearts as a kind, loving man who was just trying to find himself a wife... to not realizing how this experience would change his life. I am so excited to have him here. Welcome Kevan to The Hood!

Special Guest: Kevan Jones

Welcome into The HOOD. I’m your host, Morgan Shawver bringing you all things ParentHOOD and NeighborHOOD.

My special guest has been in my life since the day I was born. She has always been someone I continuously look up too and she is one of the most hard working individuals I have ever met. She's an incredible mom, niece, teammate and cousin. I am so blessed to work with her side by side.

Special Guest: Lindsey Bagby