Good to Know Podcast

Episode 387: If you’ve ever watched a house flipper on TV and thought, "I could do that," this is the episode for you. We’re joined by Adam Kriticos of The Kriticos Group with CrossCountry Mortgage to dissect the Fix & Flip Mortgage Program, and dive deeper into purchase price, rehab budget, after-repair value, holding costs, financing, resale strategy, and why not every ugly house is a good investment. Listen now!

Episode 386: We’re joined by Nora Cullen Flaherty from HOMEstretch https://www.home-stretch.com/ to talk about prepping your home before you sell. With the fall season here, many homeowners are wondering: should we paint, clean out, replace flooring, improve curb appeal, deep clean, or just sell as-is? Nora will help us understand what sellers should focus on, what they can skip, how HOMEstretch simplifies the process, and why downsizers do not have to manage everything alone. Listen now!

Episode 385: Can your emotions handle the uncomfortable moments? We’re talking about Emotional Intelligence, but not the fluffy version. Not just being nice. Not avoiding conflict. Not suppressing feelings. Not agreeing with everyone. We are talking about what happens when pressure enters the room. When a client criticizes you. When a buyer loses the house. When a seller gets a low offer. When your spouse says something that triggers you. Are we reacting or responding? Listen now.

Episode 384: Everyone’s heard about the Millionaire Mindset, but we’re getting to the core essentials of it. Not the flashy, social-media version - the real version: the standard before the success, the habits before the income, the follow-up before the comfort, and the numbers before the excuses. Whether you are buying a home, building a business, selling real estate, paying off debt, or trying to create a better future, the question is the same: Are your current standards strong enough to carry the life you say you want? Listen now!

Episode 383: Are you waiting for the right market to buy or sell, or is an old version of you making today's decisions? This week, we unpack Dr. Joe Dispenza's “Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself” and connect it to the choice’s buyers, sellers, investors, and Realtors make every day. We are separating real market facts from familiar fear. Listen now!

Episode 382: Have you ever considered the hidden cost of staying put? Many homeowners are holding on to low mortgage rates, sitting on equity, watching taxes and insurance rise, and wondering whether they should stay, sell, renovate, downsize, or reassess. But staying is not always free. Sometimes the house still fits. Sometimes it does not. Let’s talk about “Is your home still serving your life?” Listen now! 

Episode 381: Midyear Market Reset: Summer is winding down and real estate is shifting into a different rhythm. Buyers are watching rates. Sellers are watching prices. Realtors are watching whether they are still on track to finish 2026 strong. What is this season in real estate really telling us? Listen now.

Episode 380: Learn the real deal about five mortgage myths that can keep homebuyers stuck, with special guest Adam Kriticos of The Kriticos Group with CrossCountry Mortgage https://crosscountrymortgage.com/chicago-il-3967/adam-kriticos/. Do you really need 20% down? Does your credit have to be perfect? Is a preapproval the same as a full approval? Is the lowest rate always the best deal? And should buyers really wait until rates come down? Before you talk yourself out of buying, get the facts. Listen now!

Episode 379: Let’s talk about Emotional Intelligence - not as a buzzword, but as a real-life skill. What happens when someone criticizes you? What happens when a client is upset? What happens when pressure enters the room? Do you respond with wisdom, or do you react from fear, defensiveness, frustration, or insecurity? We will look at the research, the workplace data, and of course how it relates to real estate, and why Emotional Intelligence may be one of the most important skills for building trust. Listen now!

Episode 378: Why are some young adults choosing a career path instead of college? We’re joined by our team’s youngest real estate agent at only 18 years old, talking about debt, ambition, mentorship, real estate, social media and what this younger generation might be trying to teach us all. Listen now!

Episode 377: Let’s talk about seller secrets and buyer blind spots that can blow up a closing. We’re joined by real estate attorney Joe Agnello of Agnello & Rogers (https://www.agnellolaw.com/). Who is actually on title? Was there a forbearance? Was there a loan modification? And for buyers - is your preapproval deep enough, especially if buying a condo? Before you sign, before you wire money, and before you assume the deal is safe, you need to know what can go wrong. Listen now!

Episode 376: It’s our Independence Day Edition celebrating our freedom and how to build it in our individual lives through life choices, stability, and legacy. What kind of freedom are you building? Listen now!

Linda is joined by someone very special - Ismael Sagum of Fathom Realty.

Ismael has been in real estate for about six years, which means he did not learn this business in an easy market. He came into real estate during one of the strangest, fastest, most confusing eras our industry has ever seen - the pandemic boom, historic low inventory, rising prices, rising interest rates, affordability pressure, commission conversations, and consumers who are more overwhelmed than ever.
So today, we are asking: what does a newer Realtor actually hear when he listens to this show? What has helped him? What has challenged him? And what does the post-pandemic generation of Realtors need to understand if they want to serve clients well?

This is not just a Realtor conversation. This is a conversation about listening, learning, staying humble, and becoming the kind of professional people can trust.

Episode 374: We’re answering one of the biggest questions families are facing right now: Should we rent, or should we buy? Let’s discuss both sides: rising rents, high mortgage rates, down payment fears, Chicago HomeGrown assistance up to $70,000, IHDA assistance, possible tax deductions, equity, and the investor path for people who want to become landlords. Listen now!

Episode 373: Learn about Chicago’s brand-new homebuyer program that could provide eligible buyers with up to $70,000 toward purchasing a home. Guest mortgage expert Adam Kriticos of CrossCountry Mortgage helps us unpack this HomeGrown Purchase Assistance Program. We’ll also explain other down payment assistance programs available throughout Illinois and why many buyers may qualify for help they never knew existed. Listen now! For more details visit https://crosscountrymortgage.com/chicago-il-3967/adam-kriticos/.

Should I wait... or should I move?
Buyers are wondering if they should wait for interest rates to drop. Sellers are wondering if they missed the top of the market. Homeowners are sitting on low rates and asking, "Do I really want to move?" and Realtors are trying to guide clients through mixed signals, confusing headlines, and emotional decisions.

What the market is really doing? Why waiting is not always wise? Why moving is not always urgent? How to know when the timing is right for your life, your money, and your next chapter.

Episode 371: Whether it’s athletes, business owners, entrepreneurs, church leaders, or CEO’s, many of them have one thing in common.. a coach! Liz and Linda talk about why top performers utilize coaches or mentors to increase their success. Listen now!

Episode 370: What is a Title, anyway? It’s not just another closing fee buried somewhere on the settlement statement. It’s the part of the real estate transaction that proves who actually owns the property, what debts or liens are attached to it, and whether that home can legally transfer from seller to buyer. Chris Oswald from Fidelity Title explains what title insurance does, why Illinois closings are different, what can delay or kill a deal, and how Realtors can be more proactive before problems explode five minutes before closing. This is not glamorous - but it is absolutely Good to Know. Listen now!

Episode 369: What if your showing happens before the buyer ever steps into the house? 
Annette Patko of Bordeaux Studio https://www.bordeauxstudio.com/ a professional photographer is our special guest discussing how photography isn’t just pretty pictures, it’s a marketing strategy, and it’s storytelling. In today’s real estate world, the photo may be the first handshake between the buyer and seller. Listen now!

Episode 368: Our special Mother's Day edition with guest Cindy Meza, a single mother of five who once lived at the poverty level, selling bags on the streets of Chicago just to provide for her children. Today, she is one of the top producers at Realty of America. So, the question is... what changed? What did she decide? And what can we learn from her journey? Listen now!