Real Estate Called Out
You've heard the press releases. You've seen the headlines. You've watched the industry smile for the camera and tell you everything is fine.
It's not always fine. And somebody needs to say so.
Real Estate Called Out is the evolution of The Real Estate Replay, reborn with one mission: to tell consumers the truth about what's actually happening in real estate, every single week, without corporate sponsors, without soft-pedaling, and without pretending the PR spin is the whole story.
Hosted by Wendy Gilch, a real estate industry veteran who has spent years watching the same playbook run on the same people, this show exists for buyers, sellers, and anyone who has ever signed something and wondered if they got the full picture. Spoiler: you probably didn't.
Every episode is 20 minutes. One topic. One thing the industry was hoping would float right past you. We dig into the latest news, the mortgage gimmicks, the fine print, and the corporate moves that look great in a headline and tell a very different story underneath it.
No fluff. No favors. No "on the other hand, they make some good points."
The PR machine is loud, but we're louder.
These are my personal opinions, formed after years of watching the real estate industry from the inside. They do not reflect the views of my real jobs, the Consumer Policy Center, or any organization I work with. I wear a lot of hats, this podcast is just where I take them all off."
Real Estate Called Out
A honest conversation with the real estate "Boogey (Wo)man," aka the Appraiser
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This buyer swears their offer was market value, but was shocked to see the appraisal come back $100,000 below their offer. While the buyer and the agent point their fingers at the appraisal, it made us realize that we don't ever really get to hear the appraisers side of the story. We don't see them, we don't talk to them, but are they really the bad guys in the buying process?
To dissect the world of appraisals, we asked a reputable appraiser to join us for this epsiode.
This appraiser has been in the appraisal business since the late 1990's. Not only did she help with forensic audits during the housing crash in 2008, she also periodically serves as a hearings officer for various counties making recommendations to the board of commissioners as to property values when home-owners are appealing their assessed values. She believes that appraisers are there to best protect consumers, but that the industry has placed them far away from the very people they are supposed to help.
Things she explains in this episode:
The difference of certification in an appraiser vs realtor
Why we can't see or talk to them
Who gets a cut of the appraisal fee we pay
How appraisers judge value
How often do appraisals match the contracted offer
How your renovations don't equal that same added value
How to dissect your appraisal
What to do if you think your appraisal is wrong
How the industry isn't putting consumers first
State laws and regulations may vary.
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