Top of Mind

In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Austin Allison, CEO of Pacaso Homes, to talk about the shifting dynamics in the market for second homes. Austin gives an overview of Pacaso’s innovative model for second home ownership, outlines the surprising community benefits of shared second homes, shares key considerations for people thinking about second homes as an investment, and more.

About Austin Allison

Austin Allison co-founded Pacaso to make the dream of second-home ownership a reality for more people after experiencing the profound effect it had on his own life.

Pacaso is Austin’s second startup. In 2009, he founded dotloop in his hometown of Cincinnati, a company that created software to seamlessly manage real estate transactions. Zillow acquired dotloop in 2015, and Austin continued to run dotloop as a Zillow executive until 2018. Austin started selling real estate at the age of 18 and worked in residential and commercial real estate for a decade.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• A look at Pacaso’s innovative model for second-home ownership
• The ways in which shared vacation homes have similar benefits to carpooling
• Why Pacaso’s second homes are almost fully utilized, while single-owner second homes only get used five to six weeks per year
• Why the inventory shortage — especially in second-home markets — is here to stay
• How redirecting second-home demand frees up inventory for local primary home buyers

Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research

A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Austin Allison on LinkedIn
• Austin Allison on Twitter
• Pacaso
• Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn
• Altos Research

Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

https://twitter.com/altosresearch

https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen

 See you next week!

In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Wendy Forsythe, Chief Strategy Officer of Fathom Realty, who shares her view from the front lines of one of the largest and fastest-growing brokerages in the country. Wendy shares the gritty reality of what agents are experiencing in the field right now, talks about what’s on the horizon for technology innovation, provides tips on dealing with insane competitive bidding, and more.

About Wendy Forsythe

Wendy Forsythe is the Chief Strategy Officer at Fathom Realty, which is the 10th largest brokerage in the country, with 8,000 agents in 36 states. She has more than two decades of experience building successful real estate networks in the US and Canada and has led the expansion of national brands such as Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate and HomeSmart International. She’s a frequent speaker and writer for many industry publications and conferences, and she was named one of the Most Influential Women in Business in Arizona by AZ Business in 2018. Wendy is also an accomplished athlete, holding several marathon finishes as well as earning the coveted title of Ironman.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• What it means to truly be a local market expert
• The challenge of selling into a market with massive competitive bidding
• Why new innovation in the mortgage industry may be coming soon
• How Wendy Forsythe sees the future of remote work impacting home buyers 
• How Fathom Realty uses frictionless transactions to better serve their remote customers
• Surprising unique survey insights from Fathom and LiveBy 
• Why the best agents and teams “never forget about tomorrow”

Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research

A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Wendy Forsythe on LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Wendy Forsythe’s website

Fathom Realty

Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn

Altos Research

Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

https://twitter.com/altosresearch

https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen

 See you next week!

In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Tom Ferry, the real estate industry’s #1 coach and trainer, to talk about how to achieve greatness and fulfill your potential as a real estate professional. Tom shares some of the secrets of the best-performing agents in the country, what it takes to become a true leader in the industry, what it means to be a local expert, and more.

About Tom Ferry

Tom Ferry is ranked the #1 Real Estate Educator by Swanepoel Power 200 and the Best-Selling Author of Life! By Design and Mindset, Model and Marketing!

As Founder and CEO of Ferry International, the real estate industry’s leading coaching and training company, Tom’s ever-growing influence impacts professionals in a wide variety of ways — including rigorous accountability coaching, the popular #TomFerryShow delivering free, fresh, and relevant real estate tips weekly, highly engaging training events, two best-selling books, and his legendary keynote speeches.

Tom has more than 30,000 hours of coaching experience and works daily to help agents and brokers grow a prosperous business while simultaneously balancing — and loving — their personal lives.

He is also a highly sought-after and renowned speaker whose charisma and personality have captivated audiences around the world. Tom’s love and passion for life are fueled by a commitment to discipline and holding professionals accountable to fulfill their greatness.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• How to talk to buyers and sellers right now
• How the great agents and teams “help clients at scale”
• Innovative strategies for winning listings in this crazy market
• Why a potential recession may not be as difficult for homeowners as expected
• The future impact of demographic and homebuilding trends
• Why we may actually be in a buyers’ market rather than a sellers’ market

Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research

A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Tom Ferry on LinkedIn
• Ferry International
• “Now is the Time to Buy! Unpacking the Market with Ivy Zelman” on The Tom Ferry Podcast Experience
• Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn
• Altos Research

Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

https://twitter.com/altosresearch

https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen

 See you next week!

In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Adam Ozimek, Chief Economist at the Economic Innovation Group, to talk about remote work and the future of the US economy. Adam believes remote work is not just a pandemic phenomenon, but rather a transformative economic trend with far-reaching impact, similar to how the computer revolutionized every aspect of our lives.

About Adam Ozimek

Adam Ozimek is the Chief Economist at the Economic Innovation Group and is an expert in the functioning of labor markets. His research covers a broad array of economics fields, including demographics, monetary policy, and immigration. He was most recently the Chief Economist at Upwork, where he led research on labor market trends. Previously, he was a Senior Economist at Moody’s Analytics where he managed US demographics forecasts and research.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• Why remote work is only just beginning and could reach 50 million workers in the coming years
• How remote work is a general-purpose technology, like the computer, that will impact all levels of the economy and society
• Which real estate markets are likely to grow or shrink as a result of remote work
• What needs to change to address our starter home shortage
• What the “Heartland Visa” is and why it’s important
• Why increasing high skilled immigration is so important for a dynamic economy
• Why Adam Ozimek is hopeful for the economy and our ability to avoid recession and get past inflation and back to full employment

Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research

A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Adam Ozimek on LinkedIn
• Adam Ozimek on Twitter
• Economic Innovation Group
• Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn
• Altos Research

Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

https://twitter.com/altosresearch

https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen

 See you next week!

In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen is joined by Greg Sexton, Chief Operating Officer at Century21. Greg shares his extensive expertise as a leader at one of the most iconic real estate brands in the world, talks about the latest agency trends, and gives his outlook for the real estate market. 

About Greg Sexton

Greg Sexton is the Chief Operating Officer of Century21. Greg leads Century21’s domestic and international operations, including industry-leading tech platform tools, learning and development, and data-driven products. Century21 is one of the most iconic residential real estate brands of the last 50 years, with 155,000 agents worldwide.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• Why smart marketing and branding are essential in real estate
• How Century21’s famous Super Bowl commercial came to be
• Why Millennials are seeking out Realtors and not just relying on apps to buy homes
• How the pandemic changed the home-buying process and which trends are here to stay
• Why suddenly brokerages can expand into new states, far away from their home markets
• Why the team model for real estate agents is becoming more dominant
• Why there is growth in the US real estate market from international buyers

Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research

A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Greg Sexton on LinkedIn
• Century21
• Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn
• Altos Research

Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

https://twitter.com/altosresearch

https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen

 See you next week!

In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Joe Curtis, Chief Operating Officer at Pango Group, to talk about how real estate transactions are changing, and which big technology trends, like cryptocurrencies and blockchain, are shaping the way Americans buy and sell real estate. 

About Joe Curtis

Joe Curtis is the Chief Operating Officer at Pango Group, a family of companies that are the leading California-based settlement service experts. In this role, Joe is at the forefront of the evolving technologies in the escrow industry. In 2019, Joe was featured in The Top 100 People in Real Estate Magazine, and in 2018 named the Advocate for Social Good by Giveback Homes.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• How technology helped Pango Group pivot during the pandemic to drive growth
• An in-depth look at the digital transformation happening with real estate transactions
• Pango’s process for enhancing and securing real estate transactions 
• Ways to eliminate layers of complexity in purchasing and regulatory matters
• How Bitcoin-funded mortgages are happening now - and how they’re not
• Why NFTs are the technology most likely to impact the future of real estate transactions in the US
• Why cash buyers are increasing this year in the competitive market
• Why there is less fraud and fewer contracts failing now than ever before

Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research

A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Joe Curtis on LinkedIn
• Pango Group  
• Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn
• Altos Research

Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

https://twitter.com/altosresearch

https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen

 See you next week!

Figuring out how to finance a home purchase can be a huge challenge for first-time homebuyers. Most people have similar questions: What credit score do you need to buy a home? How do you find the best mortgage rate? Where can you go to find answers?

In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen is joined by Dan Green, Founder and CEO of Homebuyer.com, for a deep dive on all things mortgages. Dan talks about how he became passionate about helping people fund their American Dream, why the first-time homebuyer is so neglected (and why that's an opportunity for real estate professionals), how the mortgage market is changing, and what the future holds for homebuyers.

About Dan Green

Dan Green is the Founder and CEO of Homebuyer.com, the mortgage lender for first-time homebuyers. Before Homebuyer.com, Dan founded the popular consumer website TheMortgageReports.com which a leading mortgage company later acquired. While publishing in TheMortgageReports.com, Dan also worked as a retail loan officer and was a perennial top-producer, setting production records in multiple years. Through his websites and business, Dan has helped fund over $12 billion in mortgage loans.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• Dan Green explains how he got into the mortgage lending business
• How did Dan use blogging to bring in leads? 
• Why Dan is passionate about helping first-time homebuyers get a fair shot at the American Dream
• Dan explains the content strategy for Homebuyer.com
• How are rising mortgage rates impacting the real estate market?
• What the FHFA is doing to disincentivize inventors and prioritize first-time homebuyers
• Millennial home-buying trends
• Interesting mortgage trends to keep an eye on
• How to stay informed about the ever-changing real estate market

Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research

A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Dan Green on Linkedin
• Homebuyer.com
• Homebuyer.com on Youtube
• Homebuyer.com on Twitter
• Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn
• Altos Research

Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

https://twitter.com/altosresearch

https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen

 See you next week!

In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen is joined by Conor Sen, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and Founder of Peachtree Creek Investments, to talk about the impacts of global financial markets on real estate. They talk about the challenges housing markets face in delivering homes, how interest rates are influencing home prices, and marketplace trends people should focus on and consider. 

About Conor Sen

Conor Sen is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist who writes about financial markets, the economy, housing, cities, and demographics. Conor is also the Founder of Peachtree Creek Investments and has more than a decade of experience in portfolio management and risk management. Conor has broad economic and financial market expertise and offers insights into what’s happening in all the financial markets. He’s been a contributor to the Atlantic and Business Insider and resides in Atlanta.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• Conor Sen shares his background and how he ended up writing for Bloomberg Opinion

Peachtree Creek Investments and what it provides 

Why housing markets are top of mind right now 

The cause for the growth of home builders and why big builders are efficient while the local builders aren’t 

Challenges the housing markets are facing trying to deliver homes 

Conor talks about the interest rates in the housing market and how mortgage rates are causing people to overbid for a home 

Are we facing risks that could derail our plans and expectations?

Conor talks about the millennial demographic in terms of job creation and household formation

Why investors and individuals buying properties are increasing 

2021 highlights that surprised Conor and predictions for the future 

Macro trends that people should pay attention to and macro themes people have not heard of yet

Zoom towns and mixed-use developments and the opportunities that are arising as a result

Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research

A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Conor Sen on Twitter 

Conor Sen on LinkedIn 

Bloomberg Opinion 

“Why Experience Matters in Real Estate” with Becky Babcock and Brad Nix

Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn

Altos Research

Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

https://twitter.com/altosresearch

https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen

 See you next week!

The long-awaited millennial homebuyers have finally entered the real estate market. Where are they buying homes? How are their purchases influencing the market? 

In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen sits down with Odeta Kushi, Deputy Chief Economist at First American Financial Corporation, to talk about millennial and investor real estate trends. Odeta explains why millennials wait so long to buy homes, where the real estate hot spots are, and how the data at First American demonstrates these trends.

About Odeta Kushi

Odeta Kushi is the Deputy Chief Economist for First American Financial Corporation. First American is a leading provider of title insurance settlement services and risk solutions for real estate transactions. In this role, Odeta offers analysis commentary forecasts on trends in the real estate and mortgage markets. Much of her work revolves around demographic trends, especially when it comes to millennials. Odeta monitors and analyzes the quarterly surveys and economic data related to the housing industry. Her research is regularly cited by leading businesses and trade publications like Business Insider and Housing Wire.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• Why Odeta Kushi became a housing economist
• The gap between new household formation and new house construction
• Will the underbuilding trend continue in the coming years?
• What areas of the US offer the highest return for real estate investors?
• The data at First American that helps them understand real estate trends
• Why millennials are buying homes later in life and moving out of the city
• International real estate market trends
• Why today’s market is different from The Great Recession
• How financial technology innovation is impacting the housing market
• Is the housing market contributing to inflation?

Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research

A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Odeta Kushi on LinkedIn
• Odeta Kushi on Twitter
• First American Economic Center Blog
• Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn
• Altos Research

Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

https://twitter.com/altosresearch

https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen

 See you next week!

It’s not easy to predict the future. But when you’re buying a house, it’s nice to have an idea of what could happen. How can you interpret the real estate market data to accurately forecast what’s to come?

In this episode of the Top of Mind podcast, Mike Simonsen joins Bill McBride, housing market expert and author of the blog Calculated Risk, to discuss his 2022 real estate market predictions. Bill explains how home-buying trends changed during the pandemic, why there are fewer houses for sale, and what he thinks will be the next big shift in the market. 

About Bill McBride

Bill McBride is a housing market expert and the author of the popular economics blog Calculated Risk. Nobel laureate Paul Krugman of the New York Times called Calculate Risk his “go-to website for housing matters.” Bill may be best known for accurately predicting the housing bubble in 2005 and the bottom of housing prices in early 2012.

Bill retired as a senior executive from a small public company in the '90s before becoming a full-time blogger. He holds an MBA from the University of California, Irvine, and has a background in management, finance, and economics.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• Bill McBride shares why he started the Calculated Risk blog
• How Bill predicted the 2005 housing bubble
• What risks does Bill foresee in the future real estate market?
• Why are there fewer houses for sale, and is it a problem?
• Millennial home-buying trends
• Bill’s predictions for the second half of 2022
• Real estate trends outside of the US
• Why sellers should wait for multiple offers instead of taking the first one
• What’s the next big shift in the real estate market?
• How the remote working trend is impacting the real estate market

Featuring Mike Simonsen, CEO of Altos Research

A true data geek, Mike founded Altos Research in 2006 to bring data and insight on the U.S. housing market to those who need it most. The company now serves the largest Wall Street investment firms, banks, and tens of thousands of real estate professionals around the country. Mike's insights on the market have been featured in Forbes, New York Times, Bloomberg, Dallas Morning News, Seattle PI, and many other national media outlets.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Bill McBride on LinkedIn
• Calculated Risk 
• Subscribe to the Calculated Risk newsletter
• Bill McBride on Twitter
• Mike Simonsen on LinkedIn
• Altos Research

Follow us on Twitter for more data analysis and insights:

https://twitter.com/altosresearch

https://twitter.com/mikesimonsen

 See you next week!