The #REALTYHACK Podcast

Shay Millheiser of Stack & Standard joins Realty Hack to talk about why so many Austin and Texas homes are making people sick, and how she's building high-performance houses with almost no lumber. After years of flipping and tearing houses apart, she started tracking where mold and air quality failures show up, then moved into autoclaved aerated concrete, structural steel, and metal framing for healthy, vapor-managed assemblies. We cover lumber-free specs near Austin and in Crestview, why spray foam plus the wrong attic setup creates condensation and mold, when thicker Zip System actually matters, and why Texas may have the worst mold problem in the country. Shay also breaks down the cost reality of alternative materials today, her Stack & Standard client renovations and pop-tops, and how she's balancing brokerage with construction.

Wade Giles and Austin Stowell, two longtime Austin agents and good friends (both at Compass), sit down to talk about where the Austin market really stands in 2026. We get into how they survived the 2022 to 2025 slowdown, including how Wade spotted the shift in May '22 and got 15 listings closed over asking before deals started falling apart. We talk about why Austin is a bifurcated market right now, with first-time buyers squeezed by 7% rates while luxury in Westlake, Tarrytown, and Rollingwood is going strong, fueled by high-net-worth buyers leaving states with income taxes. Plus the HOME initiative, construction costs, Lockhart development, whether to hold onto older duplexes, and why commercial leasing is ripe for disruption.

We're kicking off a brand new season of The #RealtyHack Podcast with two of Austin real estate's biggest names: John Crowe, 2026 president of the Austin Board of Realtors and Unlock MLS, and Kent Redding, 2024 ABoR president.

We talk about why I'm tired of the interest rate talk, whether now is a good time to buy in Austin, how AI is changing the way we run our brokerage, and whether the Realtor board is really a popularity contest. John shares what it's like running for president, I tell the P. Terry's email story I still think about, and we relive our Fool's Roll road trip from Austin to Vegas, makeover and flat tire included.

How are top agents still growing while others blame the market? In this presentation, Byron Lazine, co founder of BAM and team leader of The One Team at William Raveis, shares the listing strategies, pricing conversations, and business plays agents can use right now to create more opportunities and build long term market share. Byron breaks down why market conditions are not the deciding factor in an agent's success and explains the systems top agents are using to win more listings and position themselves for future growth. This session covers listing presentation strategies, seller pricing conversations, compensation positioning, high inventory market opportunities, and practical ways to create leverage in your business. Byron currently hosts the Hot Sheet and co hosts The Real Word and Knowledge Brokers, bringing daily market insights and real world strategies to agents across the country.

What do you do when a listing sits, expires, or never gets the offer your seller wants? In this Realty Hack panel, agents break down real-world strategies for navigating today's market, where pricing gaps, shifting comps, and seller expectations are creating more expired and withdrawn listings than many agents are used to. You'll learn how top agents are reframing the conversation before a listing goes live, how to position rental strategies as a solution instead of a fallback, and when to introduce short-term and mid-term rentals to protect your client's equity and timeline. The panel features insights from agents specializing in short-term rentals and mid-term rentals, including how each model works, when to use them, and how to evaluate if a property is a fit. The conversation also covers how these strategies help you retain listings, build long-term client relationships, and create future pipeline opportunities. If you're working with sellers who aren't getting the price they want, or you're seeing more listings sit on the market, this is a practical look at how to adapt your approach and keep deals alive. This session was recorded at Realty Hack Summit in Austin, where top agents and operators share what's working right now in real estate.

What happens when AI becomes more than a chatbot and starts acting like an assistant inside your real estate business? In this episode of Realty Hack, Ryan sits down with Louis, founder and CEO of HouseWhisper and former Zillow product executive, for a deep conversation on where AI is taking real estate next. They get into how AI assistants can help agents stay on top of follow up, automate CRM tasks, improve accountability, and create better client experiences without adding more complexity. But this conversation goes beyond productivity. Ryan and Louis also dive into a bigger question: what happens to proptech as AI lowers the barrier to building software? They unpack where the industry is headed, what team leaders and brokers should be paying attention to, and why the biggest opportunity may be for those willing to experiment now. Topics include AI assistants for agents, CRM automation, follow up systems, proptech disruption, vibe coding, AI tools for brokers, and how real estate businesses can stay ahead as technology moves faster. If you're curious where AI in real estate is really going, this is a conversation worth watching. Subscribe to Realty Hack for more conversations on real estate, marketing, technology and the future of the industry.

Most agents think they need years in the business, a big network, and the perfect plan before they can win. This panel proves that's not true. At the Realty Hack Summit, three newer agents break down how they built momentum fast, found their niche, and created real opportunities without waiting for experience or permission. Reganne Queen leaned into her military community and built trust that scaled into leadership. Leelynd Jackson went from zero to flipping multiple properties in his first year by staying in the room and taking action. Austin Anderman turned early first-time buyer leads into a repeatable system that became his niche. The throughline is simple. They didn't wait. They moved. This conversation gets into what actually matters early on. Getting uncomfortable. Showing up consistently. Taking every opportunity. Learning faster than everyone else around you. And getting out of your own head before it slows you down. If you're a newer agent or feel stuck trying to figure out your next move, this is the blueprint most people miss. This is a full panel from the Realty Hack Summit where agents share what's actually working right now.

Divorce transactions are some of the most complicated deals a real estate agent will ever handle, and most agents are not prepared for what actually happens behind the scenes. In this conversation with a seasoned divorce attorney, we break down how selling a house during a divorce really works, where agents get into trouble, and how to protect yourself while still getting the deal done. You will learn how divorce decrees impact listing strategy, what documentation you actually need before going live, and how to handle situations where one spouse refuses to cooperate. We also get into communication strategies, legal pitfalls, and how to position yourself as the agent attorneys trust when these deals come up. If you have ever dealt with a difficult transaction, multiply that by two. That is what divorce deals can feel like without the right structure in place. There is also a real opportunity here. Agents who understand this niche and know how to navigate it can become the go-to referral for attorneys and pick up consistent business that most agents avoid. If you want to stay out of trouble and start handling these deals the right way, this is worth your time.

This panel from the Realty Hack Summit cuts through the noise. Industry operators break down exactly how AI is being deployed inside real estate companies right now — from marketing and content creation to compliance, transaction management, and workflow automation. Moderated by Kelea Youngblood of Unlock MLS, the panel features Jay Tsao of Pivo Inc, Ryan Rodenbeck, CEO of Spyglass Realty, and Devin Dvorak, CEO of Jointly. The conversation covers practical AI tools agents can start using this week, how to avoid the trap of chasing every shiny new tool, and where human expertise still beats automation. They also get into how search is shifting from traditional SEO to AI-driven discovery, why authentic video matters more than ever in an AI-saturated internet, and what agents should be preparing for over the next 12 to 18 months. This is one of several full-length panels from the Realty Hack Summit, where top operators share what's actually working in real estate, AI, video marketing, and business systems.