The Listed Podcast

What happens when an appraiser decides a home only has 25 years of "economic life" left? 🏚️   

In this episode of the Listed Podcast, Aubra Palermo and Christy Garnhart break down a mind-boggling transaction where an appraiser's single line item almost torpedoed a buyer's 30-year mortgage and grant qualification. They share the exact steps taken to salvage the deal and reveal why structural engineering reports and Friday closings cause the biggest headaches in modern real estate. Plus, they analyze national news on big banks deploying $750 billion into housing initiatives and break down why 6-7% interest rates are actually a healthy, sustainable baseline for the housing market.   Later, they are joined by home inspector Matt Manicam from Pillar to Post. Matt takes us behind the scenes of home inspections, from sewer line camera scopes and thermal imaging guns to the #1 room every homebuyer must evaluate before making an offer. 

In this episode, you’ll discover: The 25-Year Appraisal Glitch: How appraisers evaluate remaining economic life and why underwriters freak out.   
The Friday Closing Danger: Why setting your closing date for Friday at 3 PM is asking for a weekend delay. 
Market Normalization: Why homes sitting on the market for 2 weeks isn't a crash, it's a healthy market. 
The Basement Priority: Why water intrusion, grading, and foundation issues are the first things an inspector checks.  
Sewer Scopes & Thermal Guns: How high-tech inspection tools catch hidden leaks and electrical risks.   

Are you letting rising home insurance costs or real estate "gurus" derail your property journey? 📈🏡   

In this episode of the Listed Podcast, Vanessa Torres and Christy Garnhart break down real-time market updates across Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin while tackling national headlines on skyrocketing homeowner insurance premiums and capital gains tax proposals.  Later, they are joined by real estate developer, investor, and private money lender Gabriella Ariza (owner of Elevate Win Estates). Gabriella shares her inspiring journey of buying a home, renting out rooms to cover her living expenses, losing her tech job, and turning house hacking into a full-time portfolio of flips, multi-family units, and private lending. In this episode, you’ll discover: The Home Insurance Reality: How rising premiums and weather risks are changing buyer affordability. The 70% Formula: Gabriella's exact mathematical breakdown for evaluating flips and calculating rehab contingencies. Private Money Lending Insights: What experienced lenders look for when evaluating both deals and borrower reliability. Vetting Real Estate Mentors: Red flags that indicate an online "guru" course might be a scam. The CTC Milestone: Why you should never schedule your moving truck before getting the official "Clear to Close" email from your lender.   Stop getting stuck in analysis paralysis and take calculated action on your next investment. Subscribe, turn on notifications, and get real-world insights from active real estate professionals! 

📌 TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Welcome & Introduction to the Listed Podcast 
03:18 – National Real Estate News: Rising Homeowners Insurance Costs   
07:23 – Proposed Capital Gains Tax Exclusion Changes in Congress   
09:24 – National Builder Mergers & New Construction Trends   
12:38 – Regional Market Update: Stephenson, Carroll & Winnebago Counties   
18:08 – Lake Community Real Estate Dynamics & HOA Rules   
23:26 – Community Spotlight: Interview with Investor & Lender Gabriella Ariza   
27:33 – House Hacking, Live-In Flips & The 70% Investment Formula   
38:05 – Underwriting Private Money Deals & Vetting Real Estate "Gurus"   
48:09 – Overcoming Analysis Paralysis in Real Estate Investing   
52:00 – Agent Tip of the Month: Understanding the Clear to Close (CTC)   

🎙️ Subscribe to Listed for new episodes every month.
🏡 Connect with our team: https://goldengirlzteam.com/contact-us/
📍 Follow us: https://www.facebook.com/REMAXGoldenGirlzTeam

#ListedPodcast #RealEstate #NorthernIllinoisRealEstate #HousingMarket #RealEstateNews

Buyers in our region aren't getting deals; they're getting multiple offers over asking in every county we tracked this month.

This month on Listed, Sheila Wade and 
Aubra Palermo break down a new federal housing law that just took effect, what it could mean for buyers and sellers in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, and why the Fed's constant back-and-forth on interest rates might be doing buyers more harm than good, plus a $17.5 billion nuclear investment tied to AI data center growth.

Then it's this month's Regional Market Update: Stephenson, Winnebago, and Ogle County numbers show sellers still holding all the leverage, with homes selling for as much as 101% of asking price. And in our Community Guest of the Month segment, faith-based life coach and disability advocate Brittany Green joins Sheila to talk about fear, faith, and what it really takes to start over, at any age.

00:00 Intro
06:00 National Real Estate News: Housing Bill Becomes Law
11:13 Fed Signals Less Guidance on Rate Decisions
14:18 $17.5B Nuclear Investment & AI Data Centers
20:20 Regional Market Update: Stephenson, Winnebago & Ogle Counties
25:36 Community Guest of the Month: Brittany Green

🏡 A new federal housing law — the 21st Century Road to Housing Act — just took effect. What's actually in it for buyers, sellers, and small-town construction
🏡 Why the Fed's constant rate chatter might be doing buyers more harm than good
🏡 This month's numbers: Stevenson, Winnebago, and Ogle County home sales, prices, and inventory
🏡 Why sellers in our region aren't budging on price — and what "101% of asking" really means if you're house-hunting
🏡 Guest Brittany Green on stepping into the unknown, fear, and building a life of purpose after a hard start

Brittany Green is a faith-based life coach, speaker, and disability advocate based in Freeport, Illinois. She's an independent living specialist with Ramp Disability Resources and Services, founder of Entry Point Coaching, and leads Brittany Nicole Ministries.
Connect with Brittany: facebook.com/jamariismylife (she gave this handle on-air but sounded unsure of it herself — worth double-checking before it goes live)

🎙️ Subscribe to Listed for new episodes every month.
🏡 Connect with our team: https://goldengirlzteam.com/contact-us/
📍 Follow us: https://www.facebook.com/REMAXGoldenGirlzTeam

#ListedPodcast #RealEstate #NorthernIllinoisRealEstate #HousingMarket #RealEstateNews

The Sunbelt housing market is shifting fast — and the country's hottest pandemic hotspots are cooling into buyers' markets. 

This week, we break down why sellers now outnumber buyers by nearly 47% nationwide, and why families are cashing out of inflated mortgages in Nashville, Austin, and Miami to relocate to more affordable regions across the Midwest.

But a shifting market isn't the only trap we're exposing. We break down a real-world scenario in which an unrepresented seller wrote their own real estate contract — skipping a professional title review entirely — and accidentally signed away a valuable chunk of acreage at closing. From the legal risks of post-closing rent-backs to the strategic use of interest rate buydowns over simple price cuts, we outline how to protect your biggest asset.

Later, board-certified functional medicine specialist Dr. Laura Dickerson joins the show to talk about the structural roots of physical exhaustion. She breaks down the gap left by synthetic hormone treatments during perimenopause and aging, and how hidden hormone imbalances are often misdiagnosed as depression or anxiety.

Topics covered:

• The Costly For Sale By Owner Acreage Disaster
• Builder Incentives & The Interest Rate Buydown Trick
• Eviction Risks & Post-Closing Possession Traps
• Why Buyers from Nashville, Austin, and Miami are Flocking to the Midwest
• Dr. Laura Dickerson on Bioidentical Hormones vs. Synthetic Gaps
• Misdiagnosed Hormone Gaps & Finding Your Specialist
• Agent Tip of the Month: Reviewing Legal Discrepancies in Deeds

Connect With Us: https://goldengirlzteam.com/contact-us/

📉🏡In this episode of the Listed Podcast, Abra Palermo and Vanessa Torres slice through noisy national real estate panic to deliver the hyper-local reality of Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. While big-city outlets talk about a market cool-down, our regional properties are seeing massive multi-offer scenarios that fly off the shelf in under 21 days.  Abra unpacks a brutal underwriting horror story detailing how a major out-of-state bank nearly killed a solid rural transaction because they couldn't grasp our unique, non-cookie-cutter inventory. Plus, we run through a vital baseline review of the top home improvements that fail to add any appraisal value—from stone-look laminate counters to high-end bathroom faucets.  Later, we're joined by Amy Kaur and Bella Green of the Freeport Area Church Cooperative (FACC). They share the deeply moving mechanics behind their 24/7/365 shelter framework, explaining how 27 collaborative congregations deliver decentralized street medicine, complete apartment furnishings, and real mental health support straight to the community’s backyard.  

In this episode of the Listed Podcast, Christy Garnhardt and Aubra Palermo tackle the busy 2026 spring real estate market. They discuss the disconnect between national affordability headlines and the local inventory shortage in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin. The episode also features guest Travis Cunningham of A&T Auction Services, who shares expert insights into estate liquidations, farm auctions, and the rising trend of online bidding.

Are you listening to the national headlines or your local experts? 
🏡In this episode of the Listed Podcast, Olivia Hunsey and Aubra Palermo break down why the "national real estate news" you’re seeing on TV might be leading you astray. Especially if you're looking for a home in Southern Wisconsin or Northern Illinois. While big-city markets are seeing massive discounts, our local mid-range homes are still flying off the shelves in as little as 29 days. 

We’re also joined by Amanda Schwartz, a Mortgage Loan Officer at Black Hawk Community Credit Union. Amanda pulls back the curtain on the "gray areas" of lending, why local underwriting is a game-changer for buyers with unique situations, and why you should never "marry the rate".

Are you waiting for a real estate "crash" that isn't coming? While national headlines scream about falling sales, the reality in markets like Stephenson County is a complete stalemate. In this episode, Vanessa Torres and Aubra Palermo reveal why local inventory is so low and how savvy buyers are securing 3% interest rates using Assumable Mortgages.

We also sit down with functional medicine expert Laura Dickerson to discuss why your "healthy" routine might be making you tired. From the toxicity of drugstore vitamins to the critical role of bioidentical hormones in longevity, we explore how to treat the root cause of your symptoms instead of just masking them.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

Assumable Mortgages 101: How to take over an existing FHA, VA, or USDA loan at a fraction of today's rates.

Local Market Reality: Why Stephenson County home prices have doubled in the last decade, and why buyers shouldn't wait.

The Supplement Scam: The "other ingredients" in your vitamins that are actually toxic.

The Nervous System Fix: How to get your body out of chronic "fight or flight" and finally start healing.

Longevity Secrets: Why bioidentical hormones are a "game changer" for brain and heart health as you age.

Connect with our Guest:
Laura Dickerson, Prime Revival Health & Wellness
📞 815-708-2808
🌐 primerevivalbyron.com


📌 TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Introduction

04:15 – National Headlines 

08:48 – How transit-connected and walkable neighborhoods are becoming the new premium.

12:28 – The Build vs. Buy Dilemma

14:08 – Assumable Mortgages:

22:45 – Regional Market Update: Deep dive into Stephenson County stats

28:15 – Guest Interview: Laura Dickerson: Prime Revival Health 

32:15 – Root-Cause Healing: Moving beyond managing symptoms to treating the whole person at a cellular level.

37:05 – The Truth About Vitamins: Why drugstore supplements often contain heavy metals and "junk" fillers.

45:52 – Stress & Sleep: How chronic fight-or-flight prevents healing and the non-negotiable need for deep sleep.

55:10 – Hormones & Longevity: De-mystifying bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) for aging gracefully.

01:13:50 – Chemical Awareness: Using tools like the Yucca app to scan toxins in your daily skincare and food.

01:21:28 – Final Tip

Listen & Subscribe on Your Favorite Platform!

Spotify: 
https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZyzCQ6uA7TEbm5ChsSDpo

Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-listed-podcast/id1846874566

Think the housing market is slow? Think again. In this episode of The Listed Podcast, real estate agents Christy Garnhart and Aubra Palermo break down the disconnect between national headlines and what's actually happening in Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin.

We cover:
✅ Why homes are selling in 30 days or less (even in winter)
✅ National real estate trends: migration patterns & affordability shifts
✅ The truth about transferable mortgages
✅ Capital gains tax surprises when selling your home
✅ Regional market updates: Stephenson, Winnebago & Ogle Counties
✅ Local college programs that add value to your home
✅ Hidden property restrictions you need to know about

Whether you're buying, selling, or just curious about real estate in our region, this episode offers the insider perspective that national news often misses.

📌 TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Welcome to Listed Podcast
00:49 – Why Clients Think Their Homes Won't Sell
09:22 – National Real Estate Headlines: Migration Trends & Affordability
15:40 – Transferable Mortgages: Silver Bullet or Bigger Problem?
18:20 – Capital Gains Tax Surprise on Home Sales
22:15 – Regional Market Updates: Stephenson, Winnebago & Ogle Counties
35:20 – Local College Programs That Add Value to Your Home Purchase
57:49 – Understanding Property Restrictions: HOAs, Fences & Surveys
1:01:03 – Tip of the Month: Focus on What You Can Control

Connect With Us: https://goldengirlzteam.com/contact-us/

Listen & Subscribe on Your Favorite Platform!

Spotify: 
https://open.spotify.com/show/3ZyzCQ6uA7TEbm5ChsSDpo

Apple Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-listed-podcast/id1846874566

Zillow Faces RICO Charges + Major Class Action Lawsuits

The real estate industry is being turned upside down right now. Zillow, one of the largest real estate platforms in the world, is facing multiple massive lawsuits, including RICO (Racketeering) charges. If you use Zillow, work with agents who use Zillow, or are buying/selling a home, you NEED to watch this.

PLUS: Insurance companies are using AI-powered balloons to photograph your property without you knowing. And we sit down with Voices of Stephenson County to talk about why real estate agents have a unique role in helping domestic violence survivors.

⚖️ LEGAL DISCLAIMER:
This content is for informational and educational purposes only. The lawsuits discussed are ongoing legal matters. Nothing in this video should be considered legal advice. Information about Zillow lawsuits is based on publicly available court documents and news reports. Always consult appropriate professionals for specific situations.

📌 TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Welcome & Introduction to Listed Podcast
00:50 – Insurance Companies Using AI Balloons to Monitor Your Home
03:05 – Zillow Lawsuits: RICO Claims & What It Means for You
08:55 – Regional Market Update: What's Selling in Your Area
11:02 – Meet Voices of Stephenson County: Supporting Survivors
14:15 – How Voices Has Evolved & Expanded Services
18:18 – Breaking Stereotypes: Domestic Violence Affects Everyone
25:42 – How You Can Help: Volunteering & Wish List Items
30:36 – Current Priorities: Safe Housing & Capacity Challenges
34:54 – What You Didn't Know About Voices' Services
40:32 – Tip of the Month & Final Thoughts

Connect With Us: https://goldengirlzteam.com/contact-us/