The Real Estate Rundown

In this episode of Real Estate Rundown, host Whitley Stewart sits down with Michelle Tula, founder of Impact Lending Group and a top-producing mortgage officer for the past decade. Michelle pulls back the curtain on the financing side of every deal, from the risk she took going out on her own, to the creative loan products most buyers have never heard of, to the financial mistakes that quietly sink closings. The two dig into why communication, not interest rate, is what actually separates a smooth transaction from a stressful one, and what smart buyers are doing right now to put themselves in the strongest possible position.

About Our Guest:

Michelle Tula is the founder of Impact Lending Group and has been a top-producing mortgage officer for the past decade. After years in the industry, she made the leap to build her own lending business, bringing her full team with her and gaining the flexibility to offer more competitive rates and creative loan products. Michelle is known for her hands-on communication style and her deep commitment to guiding clients and the agents who refer them through every step of the financing process.

🌐 https://impactlendinggroup.net/

📱 (803) 348-5505

Episode Navigation:

00:00 — Michelle’s path into lending and going straight commission in her early 30s

01:47 — Why she left her old company to build Impact Lending Group

02:48 — The biggest risk in stepping out on her own

04:07 — What separates top producers from everyone else

06:06 — How to win deals in competitive situations

09:20 — What smart buyers are doing right now to prepare

10:38 — A creative deal Michelle recently structured with a cash offer product

13:15 — Where deals most often fall apart

19:02 — Michelle’s vision for the future of Impact Lending Group

21:16 — The biggest financial mistakes buyers make before closing

Watch full episodes of The Real Estate Rundown on YouTube.

Instagram: The Real Estate Rundown

In this episode of Real Estate Rundown, host Whitley Stewart sits down with Ebony and Aaron Talwar, the husband-and-wife team behind A&E Investors to talk about what it really means to build luxury on a budget that actually works for people. Since launching in 2018, the Talwars have grown from wholesale into new construction, developing a reputation in Charlotte and surrounding areas for semi-custom homes that deliver high-end finishes at a price point most buyers never expect. Whitley and the Talwars dig into the philosophy behind their "where luxury meets affordability" tagline, the behind-the-walls decisions that separate intentional builders from lazy ones, how design trends are informing what buyers want post-COVID, and what it looks like to run a business and a marriage under one roof.

ABOUT OUR GUESTS:

Ebony and Aaron Talwar are the co-founders of A&E Investors, a Charlotte-based new construction and semi-custom home building company they launched in 2018. Both college graduates who started out in finance and healthcare respectively, the Talwars pivoted to real estate after Aaron felt a calling toward something bigger than the 9-to-5. They built their business on the belief that homebuyers at any price point deserve real quality quartz countertops, tile surrounds, pot fillers, range hoods, and custom cabinetry without the luxury markup. Now operating with custom floor plans, a boutique build model, and an eye toward multifamily and international expansion, A&E Investors is quietly redefining what it means to build in the Queen City.

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aeinvestors_/

EPISODE NAVIGATION:

00:40 — From finance and healthcare to wholesaling

02:44 — The origin of "where luxury meets affordability" and why cookie-cutter homes were never an option

04:06 — What affordability actually looks like: tile surrounds, pot fillers, range hoods, and custom cabinetry as standard

06:37 — The behind-the-walls decisions

09:01 — How Ebony balances bold design with broad buyer appeal using a three-color rule and color drenching

11:02 — Why A&E Investors calls themselves transgenerational 00:12:35 — The biggest challenges: balancing budget, maintaining build integrity, and fighting low appraisals

13:32 — A costly lesson from a lot with an 11-foot crawl space 00:15:47 — What to look for when buying new construction: topography, grading, kitchen flow, and material choices

21:30 — Running a business as a married couple: defining roles, staying in your lane, and protecting family time

Watch full episodes of The Real Estate Rundown on YouTube.

Instagram: The Real Estate Rundown

In Episode 2 of The Real Estate Rundown, host Whitley Stewart sits down with Brittany Berry, co-owner of The Next Stop Collective, a luxury vacation rental management and co-hosting company for a grounded, practical conversation about what it really takes to build a short-term rental business the right way. From buying their first Airbnb as a side hustle in 2019 to leaving corporate life behind and building a multi-market portfolio across the Carolinas, Brittany brings the kind of hard-won insight that only comes from figuring it out yourself. The two discuss what separates a casual host from a serious operator, where to spend and where to save when furnishing a property, the systems and tools that make scaling possible, and why generational wealth through real estate is more attainable than most people think. This is the episode for anyone who's ever thought about investing in short-term rentals, but wasn't sure how to do it right.

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Brittany Berry is the co-owner of The Next Stop Collective, a luxury vacation rental management and co-hosting company operating across North and South Carolina. Brittany and her husband began investing in short-term rentals in 2019, growing from a single Asheville property to a multi-market portfolio of owned and co-hosted rentals. In 2022, Brittany left her corporate marketing career to run The Next Stop Collective full time. Her company offers end-to-end co-hosting services from furnishing consultation and listing creation to ongoing pricing, guest communication, and turnover management with an unwavering focus on quality, consistency, and investor peace of mind. She is also a real estate investor herself, currently undertaking a full studs-out renovation in Charleston, South Carolina, with a custom build planned on the coast of Oak Island, North Carolina.

🌐 Website: thenextstopco.com

📸 Instagram: @thenextstopcollective

EPISODE NAVIGATION:

1:07 — Origin Story: From Side Hustle to Full-Time Business

2:02 — The Covid Pivot: Why the Pandemic Accelerated Everything

3:01 — Casual Host vs. Full Operator: What Actually Separates Them

5:59 — Starting with $100K: How Brittany Would Invest Today

7:23 — Is Airbnb Still Worth It? The Case for Doing It Right

11:16 — Marketing, Photography & Floor Plans: Why Visuals Are Non-Negotiable

12:29 — Essential Systems for Scaling: Price Labs & Hospitable

13:49 — Team Structure: Virtual Assistants, Local Vendors & Multi-Market Operations

16:23 — Building Long-Term Wealth: The Stair-Step Strategy

21:29 — What's Next: Charleston Renovation & Oak Island Build

Watch full episodes of The Real Estate Rundown on YouTube.

Instagram: The Real Estate Rundown

In the debut episode of Real Estate Rundown, host Whitley Stewart sits down with Abigail Hines Miller — Owner and Managing Partner of The Agency Charlotte — for a candid, high-level conversation about what it really takes to build a luxury real estate brand in one of the country’s fastest-growing cities. From redefining what luxury means in the Charlotte market to navigating entrepreneurship as a working mother, Abigail brings the kind of transparency and vision that sets true leaders apart. The two discuss the Agency Charlotte’s groundbreaking partnership with the Carolina Panthers, the power of building a culture-first brokerage, what top-producing agents do differently, and why real estate remains the ultimate wealth-building tool — especially for women. This is the episode that sets the tone for everything Real Estate Rundown is about: elegance, expertise, and no-nonsense strategy.

ABOUT YOUR HOST:

Whitley Stewart is a Charlotte-based luxury real estate professional and the founder of Whitley Stewart Estates. Known for her elegance, precision, and deep roots in the Queen City, Whitley brings a unique perspective to the market — blending sophisticated client service with a mission to help women, including the women of the NFL, build wealth through beautiful real estate. With Real Estate Rundown, she’s pulling back the curtain on the people, strategy, and culture shaping luxury real estate in the Carolinas.

🌐 Website: www.whitleystewart.com

📸 Instagram: @whitleystewartestates

ABOUT OUR GUEST:

Abigail Hines Miller is the Owner and Managing Partner of The Agency Charlotte — one of the most culture-driven luxury brokerages in the Carolinas. A Charlotte Real Producers 40 Under 40 honoree and RealTrends Verified Top Producer, Abigail leads a team of nearly 50 agents and closed over $20 million in real estate sales last year. Under her leadership, The Agency Charlotte became the brand’s first professional sports team affiliation nationwide through a landmark partnership with the Carolina Panthers. A Lake Norman native with a degree in Interior Design from High Point University and a background in commercial design sales, Abigail brings a rare combination of creative vision, entrepreneurial grit, and people-first leadership to everything she builds. She is also the founder of Tailored Interiors Group, a residential interior design and home staging company.

🌐 Website: theagencycharlotte.com

📸 Instagram: @abigailxhinesmiller

EPISODE NAVIGATION:

0:05 — Welcome & Introduction — Abigail Hines Miller

1:07 — How Abigail & Whitley Connected

2:06 — Leading as an Introvert in an Extroverted Industry

3:50 — What Drew Abigail Into Real Estate

8:25 — What Makes Charlotte's Market Unique in 2026

9:46 — Redefining Luxury — Experience Over Price Point

11:27 — Sports, Entertainment & The Carolina Panthers Partnership

14:11 — Building a 'One Band, One Sound' Culture Across 50+ Agents

19:38 — Women in Leadership — What It Takes to Win at the Highest Level

27:02 — What's Next for The Agency Charlotte

Watch full episodes of The Real Estate Rundown on YouTube.