We all say we want affordable housing, but what if the real problem isn't what we think it is?

I sat down with mortgage expert Phil Ganz, and let me tell you - he did not hold back. We dig into what's actually driving affordability, what builders are doing behind the scenes, and why some of the "solutions" people push might be making things worse.

And just when you think you've got a handle on it, we get into HOAs, condo financing, and one story that proves real estate is never boring.

Key takeaways to listen for

• Why housing should be viewed as 50 separate state-level markets
• How building speed directly impacts affordability
• Reasons some states are seeing more housing growth and some aren't
• Ways builder incentives and interest rates affect monthly payments
• Why regulation slows construction and raises costs
  

About Phil Ganz

With over 26 years of experience in the mortgage industry, Phil Ganz has helped thousands of families achieve the dream of homeownership with clarity, confidence, and care. He is a nationally ranked top 1% originator and a Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist. He is passionate about building people-first businesses that empower clients, partners, and teammates alike.

Follow Phil

• Website: Make Florida Your Home | Next Wave Mortgage
• LinkedIn: Phil Ganz - Next Wave Mortgage
• Instagram: @askamortgageexpert
• TikTok: @askthemortgageexpert
• Contact Number: (617) 529-9317
• Email: phil@nextwavemortgage.com

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF
👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com
DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

This week, it's a solo episode, and I'm coming in hot.

I just got back from the REALTORS® Land Institute National Land Conference, NLC26, and one issue lit me up: the European Union Deforestation Regulation, or EUDR. It may be a European rule, but American landowners could still feel it through timber contracts, supply chain requirements, and restrictions buried in private agreements.

If you own land, timber, or even a small family tract with trees on it, you need to pay attention.

Key takeaways to listen for

• How a European regulation can impact U.S. landowners through private contracts
• Reasons even small wooded properties could be classified as "Forests"
• What "No Conversion" clauses mean for your future land use
• Why small landowners may be the most affected by this rule
• Steps you can take to protect your property
  

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF
👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com
DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

Everybody says we need more housing, but very few people understand how housing actually gets built or why it is so hard to get new neighborhoods approved in the first place.

I sat down with Brandon Cobb to talk through what really happens before the first house ever goes up. We also unpack the real gap in the market, especially for entry-level housing, and why the very things people push back on, like density, might actually be part of the solution.

If you are a REALTOR®, community leader, or just someone trying to make sense of what is happening in your area, this conversation will give you a clearer picture of how development really works and why the system feels so stuck.

Key takeaways to listen for

• Why 30% of buyers are competing for just 10% of inventory
• The real difference between "affordable housing" and entry-level housing
• How developers actually work with (not against) communities
• Why density protects rural land instead of destroying it
• How new development creates a ripple effect of jobs, tax revenue, and local business growth
• What most REALTORS® don't understand about how neighborhoods are created
• Why "not in my backyard" thinking doesn't stop growth—it just makes it worse

Resources mentioned in this episode

• https://www.hbgcapital.net/waitlist/

If you're interested in learning what Brandon does, go to https://learnlanddevelopment.com/.

About Brandon Cobb

Brandon was a former medical device sales rep before becoming a fund manager and land development coach at: LearnLandDevelopment.com.

His firm HBG Capital manages $22 Million+ of land development annually. He was featured on the cover of REI Wealth magazine, Realty 411 Magazine, and has been published in Forbes magazine. Brandon's greatest passion is developing unforgettable experiences with those he loves and sees business as a tool to do just that.

Follow Brandon

• Website: HBG Capital
• Podcast: Recession Resistant Real Estate Radio
• LinkedIn: Brandon Cobb - HBG Capital
  

About Leigh Brown
Leigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF
👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com
DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

What do you do when a seller tells you, "If you disclose the house is unstable, I'll sue you"?

In this episode, LA real estate veteran David Kramer breaks down the high-stakes world of luxury real estate where the houses are massive, but the legal risks are even bigger.

Plus, David shares a specific strategy he used to win a $50M listing before the sellers could ask him a single question. This is an episode you won't want to miss!

Key takeaways to listen for

• How to handle high-stakes property disclosures
• Reasons "Liquidated Damages" and contract knowledge are your best tools
• Why focus is the ultimate competitive advantage in real estate
• A simple but effective strategy to success in real estate

Resources mentioned in this episode

• The Real Deal
• HGTV
• ChatGPT
• Taxi Driver (1976) - IMDb

About David Kramer

David is a real estate agent unlike any other when it comes to buying and selling luxury properties in the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills areas.

With 30 years of experience in representing buyers and sellers of high-end estates throughout the area, David has the skills and knowledge to obtain the results his clients are looking for, while maintaining the highest standards of integrity, confidentiality and professionalism.

Follow David

• Website: David Kramer
• Instagram: @davidkramerre
• Phone Number: (310) 691-2400

About Leigh Brown
Leigh Brown is a keynote speaker and leadership expert who helps organizations navigate growth, conflict, and change with clarity and courage.

Her message resonates with leaders facing real-world pressure—whether that's housing challenges, organizational friction, or cultural shifts.

Her latest book, Next Is Now, equips leaders to stop reacting and start leading with intention.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF
👉 Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com
DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

If you're feeling exhausted by the constant waves of change in our industry, you aren't alone. But here is the hard truth: Exhaustion is not an excuse for paralysis.

In this episode, I chat with Keith Robinson, Co-CEO of NextHome, to talk about why so many agents are "freezing" right now and why that's the most dangerous thing you can do for your business.

Key takeaways to listen for

• Why the next 18 - 24 months are the most critical in modern real estate history
• The future of NAR and why trade associations must get back to the trade
• Reasons leadership ego is stifling the best talent in our industry
• The reality of being a "post-COVID" agent
• Ways to stay informed without letting industry noise kill your lead gen

Resources mentioned in this episode

• National Association of REALTORS®
• The Private Listing Reckoning: Who Controls Inventory Controls the Future
• Atomic Habits by James Clear

About Keith Robinson

Keith is the co-chief executive officer of NextHome, Inc. He develops and oversees the implementation of key strategic business relationships to further our national growth. He has an extensive background in real estate, including experience in national business strategy, operations, sales training, recruitment, motivation, and effective marketing. His collaborative approach fosters the development of successful, long-term results-driven partnerships for NextHome members.

Follow Keith

• Website: NextHome

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a leadership voice and keynote speaker who helps people navigate disruption and lead when the ground is shifting. Her latest book, Next Is Now, is a call to stop waiting and start leading.
👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF

Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com
DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

What if the biggest threat to your real estate business isn't the settlement… or the portals… or the headlines?

What if it's the inventory you can't see?

In this episode, I sat down with James Dwiggins, Co-CEO of NextHome, to talk about private listings, brokerage consolidation, and what happens when transparency starts to fracture.

If you care about consumer trust, your comps, and whether you'll recognize real estate five years from now, don't sit this one out.

Key takeaways to listen for

• Why private listings are expanding
• What happens if MLS influence weakens
• How consolidation reshapes competition
• The ripple effect on appraisals and lending
• Why fiduciary duty must come before recruitment strategy
• And why leadership needs a better understanding of our industry's history

Resources mentioned in this episode

• National Association of REALTORS®
• MLS.com

About James Dwiggins

James is the co-chief executive officer of NextHome, Inc. James brings to the table a sharp, innovative, and forward-focused vision. He's been in the real estate franchise business since 2006, originally joining Realty World Northern California & Nevada as director of technology and strategy, where he was promoted to vice president five years later. In May 2014, he cofounded NextHome (with Tei Baishiki) and ran both brands until 2020, when Realty World International acquired the region back. In January 2015, James (and Tei) launched NextHome as an independent national real estate franchise.

Follow James

• Website: NextHome

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a leadership voice and keynote speaker who helps people navigate disruption and lead when the ground is shifting. Her latest book, Next Is Now, is a call to stop waiting and start leading.
👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF

Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com
DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

AI can write your emails and even generate art that looks real. It's fast, efficient, and impressive. But Leigh asks a harder question: what happens when convenience starts replacing presence

In this episode, she wrestles with authenticity and why showing up imperfect still builds credibility. If you want to build a reputation that lasts in an automated world, this is an episode you won't want to miss!

Key takeaways to listen for

• Ways to use AI as a tool without letting it replace your voice
• Reasons authenticity builds trust faster than perfection ever will
• What happens when we start outsourcing our judgment
• How human creativity creates an emotional connection that algorithms can't replicate
• Why presence is your strongest business advantage

Resources mentioned in this episode

• Watch Upload - Season 1 | Prime Video
• Black Mirror (TV Series 2011– )

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a leadership voice and keynote speaker who helps people navigate disruption and lead when the ground is shifting. Her latest book, Next Is Now, is a call to stop waiting and start leading.
👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF

Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com
DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown

The real estate industry is at a tipping point, and REALTORS® are asking hard questions about representation, relevance, and trust.

In this crossover episode from Under All Is The Land (co-hosted with Rob Hahn), we unpack NAR's new strategic plan and what it signals about the future of organized real estate.

This isn't a rant. It's a leadership conversation. Because when members feel unheard, strategy alone won't fix it. Whether you're fired up or simply trying to make sense of the direction of the industry, this discussion will challenge you to think bigger about professionalism, advocacy, and who the association truly serves.

Key takeaways to listen for

• Why the gap between REALTORS® and NAR leadership feels wider than ever
• What "homeownership advocacy" should mean in today's market
• How perception and credibility impact member trust
• The difference between messaging about professionalism and living it
• What grassroots energy could mean for the future of organized real estate

Resources mentioned in this episode

• National Association of REALTORS®
• Good Neighbor Awards
• REALTORS® Relief Foundation
• NAR Accepts Its Irrelevance, Counters with Platitudes
• Race for Relevance by Harrison Coerver & Mary Byers

About Under All Is The Land

If you enjoy this conversation, subscribe to Under All Is The Land, where Leigh and Rob break down the policy, power, and politics shaping real estate — without spin.

Watch and subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@UnderAllPodcast
Referenced episode: Under All is the Land Ep. 5: The new NAR Strat Plan

About Rob Hahn

Rob Hahn ("Notorious ROB") is one of real estate's most influential industry analysts, known for challenging assumptions, poking sacred cows, and pushing the business toward deeper integrity and clearer thinking.

He focuses on Associations, MLS structures, governance, and the intersection of real estate and public policy.

Follow Rob

• YouTube: Under All Is The Land
• X: @robhahn

About Leigh Brown

Leigh Brown is a leadership voice and keynote speaker who helps people navigate disruption and lead when the ground is shifting. Her latest book, Next Is Now, is a call to stop waiting and start leading.

👉 https://amzn.to/48FKenF

Bring Leigh to your stage: https://leighbrown.com
DM Leigh on Instagram: @LeighThomasBrown