The Real Estate Mailbag

"If you're buying a house that you feel is beautiful, or you can make beautiful, makes you happy, or you can make it happy, then that's sustainable because you're probably going to live there longer." — David Baird

"People also crave community; they crave the ability to be able to walk down the street and have a place to convene with neighbors." — Ed Tinsley

What if the most sustainable home isn't the greenest one, but the one you never want to leave?

As Nashville grows, sustainability is becoming about more than energy efficiency and envi...

"We have a unique opportunity in Nashville that most cities don't have." — Mark Deutschmann

Few people have shaped modern Nashville as profoundly as Mark Deutschmann. A former marine biologist with an unexpected talent for juggling, Mark went on to become one of Music City's most influential real estate visionaries and a Nashville Entrepreneur Center Hall of Fame inductee.

In this fascinating episode of The Real Estate Mailbag, hosts Steve Morris, Angie Lawless, and Brandon Miller sit down with Mark to discuss the past, present, and future of Nashville. Together they explore the city's explosive growth, wa...

"There's a difference between having insurance and truly being made whole." — Preston Akers

Insurance is no longer an afterthought in real estate transactions — it has become one of the most important parts of protecting a property investment.

In this informative episode of the Real Estate Mail Bag, the hosts sit down with Preston Stroop of Lockeland Insurance Advisors, Preston Akers, Vice President of Centennial Roofing, and Dori Howarth, sales and project manager at Centennial Roofing with a background in public adjusting, to discuss the rapidly evolving property insurance landscape and what homeowners and real estate prof...

"When it comes to real estate specifically, the biggest thing, of course, is title—making sure you have clean title and making sure you know who owns the property." — Blaine Smith

What happens to real property when an owner dies? And how can something as simple as omitted language in a will derail a real estate closing?

In this intellectually rich but highly practical episode of the Real Estate Mail Bag, we sit down with prominent Nashville trusts and estates attorney Blaine Smith of Bass, Berry & Sims to unpack the estate planning issues that most ofte...

"As an appraiser, I feel like I'm a little bit of a private investigator—just for properties."
— Joe Pat McGuigan

Nashville has been called a "supernova city," and rapid growth means property values are constantly changing—but not always in the same way, or at the same pace.

In this episode of the Real Estate Mailbag Podcast, hosts Angie Lawless, Brandon Miller, and Steve Morris sit down with Joe Pat and Kevin McGuigan of McGuigan & Associates, two of Nashville's most respected appraisers. Specializing in residential and commercial real estate, these brothers break down how apprai...

"Real estate is not my purpose. It never will be. My purpose is to serve, love, and impact people. Real estate is just a platform to do it." — Sam Gray

What does it really take to not just survive, but thrive as a real estate professional in Music City, U.S.A.?

In this uplifting episode of the Real Estate Mailbag Podcast, hosts Angie Lawless, Brandon Miller, and Steve Morris sit down with Jaylon Patton (Compass), Marti Huntington (Keller Williams), and Sam Gray (Compass) — three of Nashville's leading young professionals — to talk about success, resilience, and wh...

"Storage is never really an option I recommend to my clients unless they're in a transition period." — Sara Fort

If you're like our show hosts, you barely noticed when the first Stanley bottle appeared on your counter — until three Owallas and a Larq joined it. Suddenly, 27 bottles of every shape and size have formed a veritable colony in your cabinets.

If that sounds familiar, you may be living through a water bottle takeover — especially if you've got school-age kids collecting every new designer brand.

On this new episode of the Real Estate Mailbag, we tal...

"Without leads, there is no business, period. You can be doing everything else, but there is no real estate business without leads." — Michael Oliveira

When markets shift, one truth remains: the smartest move is often to double down on the basics.

In this new episode of The Real Estate Mailbag, we sit down with three top professionals—Michael Oliveira and Jenilee Anthony of Compass Real Estate, and Martin Kozicki, co-founder of MyRealtyHelper. Each brings a unique approach, yet all are defined by one thing: flawless execution of the fundamentals.

Together, they unpack what "the...

"Zoning is the key to affordability in any department." — Trey Lewis

According to a number of polls, studies, and watercooler conversations, there is no more pressing issue in Music City than housing: affordable housing, middle housing, and even luxury housing. How to create more housing—and housing that is more "income-aligned" with the residents of Music City—is absolutely critical to the continued growth of Nashville. Perhaps even more importantly, it is essential to preserving the creative heartbeat of the city, which thrives in the artists, hospitality workers, and upstart entrepreneurs who are increasingly being priced out of Mus...

As Nashville edges deeper into what many now describe as a "buyer's market," sellers and real estate professionals must bring their A-game to attract attention and command top dollar.

In this episode, we go behind the scenes with three of Nashville's top home stagers to explore why staging is one of the most powerful tools in today's real estate toolkit.

Our guests include Nikki Sanders, founder of Design House Nashville and a seasoned Compass real estate professional; Molly Jones, designer and founder of Myah Staging, known for her thoughtful, detail-driven approach; and Beth Ann Seddon...

In a market often labeled "shifting" or "complicated," this episode brings clarity. Join Nashville real estate leaders Gerard Bullock, Rebekah Sampson, and Frank Miles—three Compass agents with sharp insights and bold perspectives—as they break down what's really shaping the city's real estate scene.

From zoning battles and design trends to time management, pricing strategy, and commission conversations, this episode is packed with real-world wisdom and tactical takeaways. You'll also hear candid stories of how each panelist entered the industry—and the unique "superpowers" that fuel their success.

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In this episode of The Real Estate Mailbag, we go behind the scenes with three of Music City's top developers: Brett Diaz, Founder and Managing Partner of Paragon Group; Bailey Neal, Founder and President of Legacy South and Roberto Gutierrez, Founder and Managing Partner of Jackson Builders.

Ever wondered how real estate development really works? What challenges developers face—and what makes the work worth it? These three industry leaders share the inside scoop on what it takes to bring a project to life, the many roles a developer must play, and the key lessons they've learned sha...

On this episode of The Real Estate Mailbag, we're joined by two of Nashville's top commercial real estate brokers, both principals of boutique, locally owned firms—not the "big-box" brokerages.

While residential and commercial real estate agents in Tennessee hold the same license, the similarities often end there. As Tyler Cauble puts it:

"Yes, [residential and commercial brokers] have the same license, but I like to use the metaphor that it's like hiring a divorce attorney to represent you on an operating agreement for a business."

Our guests provide insightful breakdowns of the di...

"If real estate is your profession, politics is your business." – Richard Courtney

Real estate is more than just making a living—it's an opportunity to make a difference. This special episode of the Real Estate Mailbag explores how civic and charitable engagement can enrich both communities and careers in ways that go far beyond financial success.

Our panelists—Nathan Weinberg, Jacob Kupin, and Richard Courtney—share how public service has shaped their lives and offer insight into getting involved in causes that truly matter. From volunteerism to board service, we discuss the power of real estate p...

"It's called title insurance but it acts more like a guarantee. It guarantees that when you buy a property, you are not going to have a problem; but if you do have a problem, there's going to be a Fortune 500 company behind you to help resolve the problem." — Brandon Miller, Wagon Wheel Co-Founder/Attorney

In a first of its kind episode of The REM podcast LIVE, our hosts perform double duty as the guests who unravel some of the complexities of title insurance and also discuss some of the most important issues being addressed in the context of...

"You absolutely need to serve the Hispanic community, or else your business will not be set to succeed." — Giovanna Murillo

It's often said that a business should reflect the communities it serves. In this episode of the Real Estate Mailbag, we go beyond the platitude and dive into the real implications for real estate professionals.

Our powerhouse panel includes three leaders from the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), including a founding member of NAHREP Nashville. Eva Romero, Debra Beagle, and Giovanna Murillo join us to discuss what the rapi...

"It's all about connections, no matter what you do. In real estate, especially in Nashville, it's always good to be a part of the community that you're selling homes in." — @JordanHuffman

On this new episode of the Real Estate Mailbag, we welcome two rising stars on the Nashville Metropolitan Council who are experts in housing, zoning, the upcoming traffic referendum and the un-housed in our community.  

This is a fascinating discussion for anyone interested in a deeper dive into how local laws, especially zoning laws, have profound structural ramifications on the local real estate market, esp...

"I try to turn money very fast. My goal, if I buy an apartment complex, is I want to drive up the value within 24 months to the point where I can do a refinance and have all my capital back in 24 months." -- Brandon Thornberry

On this very special episode of the Real Estate Mailbag, discover proven real estate strategies from some of Nashville's top investors. We were joined by Brandon Thornberry of Urban Gate Capital, an investment firm focusing on identifying and seizing opportunities in emerging markets, Valery Parham, Realtor/author/entrepreneur and William Wilson, a...

"My whole mission is just to affect positive change with people, and housing is such a key component to people's health, well-being, and safety." -- Andrea Prince

According to Nashville's 2021 Affordable Housing Task Force, chaired by Mayor John Cooper, the city must create 52,498 new housing units by 2030—a daunting challenge, given that only 1,344 affordable units were being built annually at the time of the report.

Today on The Real Estate Mailbag, we're joined by Matthew Wiltshire, President of Pathway Affordable Housing Corp. and former Chief Strategy Officer at MDHA, Andrea Prince, Executive Director of Rebuilding To...

 "The first secret to success is to get started." – Kortney Wilson

The conventional wisdom in real estate is that social media is increasingly important. However, understanding what social media is and how to be effective with it can be a complex topic. Many real estate professionals fail to take the most important step: getting started.

On this must-listen edition of the Real Estate Mailbag, presented by Wagon Wheel Title, our hosts and distinguished guests explore the fascinating role of social media for real estate professionals. Kortney Wilson of The Kortney Wilson Group with Compass, Maria Rec...

"There is no silver bullet to adding value to your house. All of the things that give you a list of 'do this one thing' – they are lies, and they are clickbait." — Peter Matteson

On this episode of The Real Estate Mailbag presented by Wagon Wheel Title, our hosts and distinguished guests explore the topic of home renovations. Murn Roberts with the Morrell Property Collective at Compass, Jacob Jones with MW Real Estate and Peter Matteson, co-founder of Greenwood BAM, share the good, bad, and the upside down of buying, selling and actually doing home renovations with the...

On this episode of The Real Estate Mailbag presented by Wagon Wheel Title, our hosts and distinguished guests explore the unique opportunities and challenges involved when the client is a high-profile – and often privacy sensitive - professional athlete.  Ali Noel, Amber Stormberg and Jen Daniels are all authorities when in comes to working with professional athletes.  Tune in to learn what a real estate practice with a heavy dose of this type of representation is really like: the good, the bad, and the fact that often no one will hear about either because of NDAs!  If you listen carefully, they...

On this episode of The Real Estate Mailbag presented by Wagon Wheel Title, our hosts and distinguished guests explore a topic at the center of one of Mark Twain's most oft-repeated quotes: "Buy land, they're not making it anymore."

Today's panelists, Dan McEwen, Principal Broker at The McEwen Group, and Tom Sullivan, Broker and Founder of Covey Rise Properties, are two of the most recognized in the industry for their expertise in acquiring and selling some of the largest and most expensive tracts of land in Tennessee, and for working on some of the state's m...

On this episode of The Real Estate Mailbag presented by Wagon Wheel Title, our hosts and distinguished guests explore what it's been like to be a relatively new real estate agent (less than 5 years) navigating what one panelist describes as four different markets in just the last 2 years alone!

Our panelists for this episode are Mike Grayson, senior associate broker with Tyler York Real Estate Brokers, LLC,  Lynn Smith, affiliate broker with Compass, and Kendra Nitz, affiliate broker and Director of Operations for Re/Max Homes and Estates, Lipman Group.

These age...

On this episode of The Real Estate Mailbag presented by Wagon Wheel Title, our hosts and distinguished guests explore various hot topics, but the main event is a fascinating and lively discussion about the state of Nashville's new construction home market, the unique joys and travails of focusing on new home sales, as well as a deep dive into design trends and the general state of the new construction market (with a focus on the luxury market).  A topic on the minds of many: what properties are selling in a tougher market with 7%+ mortgage interest rates?

On this episode of The Real Estate Mailbag presented by Wagon Wheel Title, our hosts and distinguished guests explore various hot topics, and the main event is a fascinating discussion regarding real estate teams by some of Nashville's leading real estate team leaders.  Our guests for this episode are real estate rockstars, trendsetters, and highly respected team leaders: Amy Gill & Pete Jones (Co-Founders of Domus Nashville and Domus Development Group),  Erin Krueger (Founder of The Erin Krueger Team with Compass), and Jennifer Weinberg (Co-Founder of Living True Home Group with MW Real Estate Co.).  While many are drawn to rea...

On this episode of The Real Estate Mailbag presented by Wagon Wheel Title, our hosts and distinguished guests explore what it takes to make it in real estate.  Our guests for this episode are true real estate rockstars and thought leaders: Brian Copeland (Founder of Doorbell Real Estate), Lisa Landyn (Founder and President of The Luxe Collective) and George Rowe (Principal Broker and Sales Manager at Compass Real Estate).  While many are drawn to real estate sales careers by the promise of greater autonomy and unlimited earnings, our panelists offer priceless advice that can only come from hard-won experience.  As...

On this new episode of The Real Estate Mailbag, presented by Wagon Wheel Title, our hosts and distinguished guests explore the concept and qualities of what "luxury" real estate means in Music City circa 2023. While Nashville hasn't had a Netflix series quite like "Selling Sunset" filming here just yet, many astute observers think the historical moment for such a hit show to flourish here has arrived. As Richard Courtney wryly observes in the discussion, "I had what I thought was a luxury listing and she [Rebecca DiNapoli] brought a buyer and they tore it down."  Rebecca humorously replies back, "T...

The Real Estate Mailbag sat down with Katie Morrell, Grant Hammond and Brandon Knox, Nashville Realtors, investors and entrepreneurs.  The panel shares their thoughts on different paths to success, how to prepare for the future financially, how to run your real estate practice like a business, and things agents can do that drive each other crazy.  They also give their predictions for what's next on the horizon for real estate (spoiler alert – there are compelling opportunities in any market for buyers, sellers, investors AND Realtors)!

Have you ever spent an hour reading real estate news and you come away feeling more confused than when you started?  Are you new to real estate and just trying to navigate the basic process, or are you a seasoned real estate professional who wants to go deeper on a recent change or something you've wondered about for years?  Either way, we're here for it.

Welcome to the Real Estate Mailbag.  Each month, your hosts – Angie Lawless, Brandon Miller and Steve Morris will answer your burning real estate questions, often through interviewing a panel of real estate exper...