Venture With Joe and Cody

Joe

Venture with Joe and Cody is a captivating journey into the lives and stories of business leaders, entrepreneurs, and pivotal community figures, revealing the essence of success through candid conversations. Tune in to discover the setbacks, triumphs, and invaluable lessons learned on the path to making a mark in the business world and beyond.

  1. 6d ago

    A Dad And Daughter Talk Home Buying Basics

    A nine-year-old asking real estate questions turns out to be the fastest way to cut through the noise. We’re joined by Cora for a relaxed, funny, and surprisingly sharp conversation that explains home buying and home selling in plain English, the way most people wish the industry talked all the time. We start with the personal side of the job: why we chose real estate in the first place, what “freedom” really looks like day to day, and how much of this business is built on being present for clients when the pressure is on. Then Cora jumps straight into the big one: why houses cost so much money. We break down the basics behind home prices, including inflation over time, construction costs, labor, and what buyers are up against when “starter homes” don’t feel starter-priced anymore. From there, we get practical. We talk staging and why it helps homes sell faster and for more, even when buyers think they can picture an empty room. We dig into home inspections, what they can uncover, and how inspection results become real negotiating power. We also get real about what it feels like when a deal closes, including that odd “breakup” moment when you go from constant texts to silence overnight. We wrap with what’s slowing the housing market down right now, how mortgage rates shape affordability, and one piece of advice we’d give any new realtor who wants to last. Subscribe to Venture with Joe and Cody, share this with a friend who’s house hunting, and leave a review. What’s the one real estate question you wish someone would answer straight?

    25 min
  2. Jun 12

    What Will You Regret More In Ten Years

    You can build a solid business and still feel weirdly terrified to spend a dime. That’s the mental whiplash of commission income, and we get candid about it: the good months feel amazing, the slow months mess with your confidence, and suddenly a family trip or a home upgrade can feel like a reckless gamble even when the numbers say you’re fine. We dig into the real question underneath “Should we save or spend?” If your kids are growing up right in front of you, what is money for if it never turns into time together? We talk through big-ticket wants like travel, summer projects, and those once-in-a-lifetime experiences, plus the less glamorous reality of medical and dental costs that show up at the same time. Along the way, we challenge ourselves with a tough hypothetical: would you rather have $100,000 more saved in ten years or have done twice as much with your family? We also hit the messy middle of credit card debt, business debt, and the difference between intentional spending and mindless swiping. Yes, Dave Ramsey comes up, and we unpack why extreme rules can feel out of touch for business owners, while still respecting the basics of responsible budgeting. We finish by zooming out to generational money habits, why our parents’ “just get by” mindset still affects us, and why being present with your kids matters more than another work win. Subscribe to Venture With Joe and Cody, share this with a friend who’s stuck in the save-versus-live spiral, and leave a review with your take: where do you draw the line between financial security and a life well lived?

    35 min
  3. Jun 5

    Mortgage Insurance Protects The Lender Not You

    Mortgage insurance is one of the most common “mystery fees” in real estate, and it quietly inflates monthly payments for years when buyers do not know their options. We break it down in plain English: what mortgage insurance is, who it protects, and why it shows up when you put less than 20% down. The biggest mindset shift is simple: PMI is not there to help you. It’s there to protect the lender, which means you should have a plan to remove it when you can. We walk through the rules that matter most for real people making real decisions, including the difference between conventional PMI and the mortgage insurance attached to FHA loans and USDA loans. We also get tactical on how PMI removal actually works, from reaching out to your loan officer to using an appraisal and documenting upgrades that can support a higher home value. If you have been waiting for PMI to “fall off” on its own, you may be leaving money on the table. Then we dig into the more strategic side of loan structuring: single premium PMI buyouts, using seller credits the right way, and why contract wording can accidentally limit what your credit can pay for. We also cover a critical refinance reality: if you pay money upfront to eliminate PMI or buy down your rate, that benefit is tied to that specific loan, and a refinance can put you right back where you started if you do not have enough equity yet. If you want a smarter mortgage payment and fewer surprises, listen through, share it with a buyer who is trying to make the numbers work, and subscribe so you do not miss what we cover next. After you listen, what question do you still have about mortgage insurance or PMI removal?

    32 min
  4. May 29

    How Virtual Tours Change What Buyers Notice First

    Your first home showing might not be a showing at all. It might be a 3D tour you watch 17 times, a video walkthrough, an aerial clip, or a quick scroll that makes you think you already know the place. We dig into how that shift is changing real estate for buyers and sellers, and what it means for making confident decisions in today’s market. Joe Skipper (Skipper Realty, Oregon) and Cody Wilhelm (Residential Mortgage) break down why curb appeal still matters, but virtual tours are often the real first impression now. We talk about what buyers can learn online, what they can’t, and why fewer physical showings does not always mean low demand when marketing is strong. Then we get practical: how to check the neighborhood, read parking and traffic patterns, and avoid falling so hard for the house that you forget to evaluate the street. We also cover the newer traps, including AI-enhanced photos, heavy editing, and virtual staging that can make a home feel brighter or cleaner than reality. We explain why 3D walkthroughs can give a more honest sense of light and layout, and why smell and overall vibe still require an in-person visit. Finally, we share a negotiation-saving reminder that too many buyers learn the hard way: assume you’re being recorded during showings, from Ring doorbells to interior cameras, and keep your reactions from becoming the seller’s leverage. Subscribe for weekly Friday episodes, share this with a friend who’s house hunting, and leave a review with your best “must-check” tip before making an offer.

    27 min
  5. May 8

    Plumbing Problems And Picky Buyers

    A single bad drill hole can ruin your day, but it can also teach you more about homeownership than any tutorial ever will. We start with the real stuff: turning a spare room into a guest room studio for podcast recording, the annoying reality of knocking pipes, and why rerouting plumbing and drain lines can get pricey fast. Then we swap war stories, including the kind of stud-finder fail that ends with a TV mount and a very unfortunate drain pipe. From there, we zoom out to what buyers and homeowners are feeling right now in real estate and mortgage lending. We talk new loan programs coming online, what “bringing it in-house” means, and why the 30-year fixed mortgage rate can swing on headlines tied to geopolitics, the 10-year Treasury, and even Federal Reserve bond buying. If you’ve been watching rates bounce and wondering whether anything is actually “normal” anymore, we put that movement into plain language. We also dig into today’s buyer behavior: why people are pickier, why some homes fly off the market while others sit, and how open houses can feel like a low-commitment workaround when buyers don’t want to sign paperwork too early. We wrap with a practical take on closing day support, why notaries and title signings can get confusing, and a quick flashback to the truly wild COVID years (yes, including the toilet paper aisle). Subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more buyers and homeowners can find the show.

    35 min
  6. May 1

    You Can’t Time The Market, But You Can Still Buy Smart

    Vegas is fun. Forgetting your own home address, not so much. We start with a little real-life chaos, then shift into what you actually came for: a clear read on the 2026 Oregon real estate market from a working agent and a working lender. The vibe right now isn’t “boom” or “bust” it’s stable but unpredictable, and that makes timing advice a lot less useful than most people want it to be. We talk through what we’re seeing with sellers who bought during the pandemic, paid a premium, and now expect another big jump. Days on market feel longer, patience feels harder, and the old seasonal rules don’t always hold. At the same time, buyers are adapting. Homes that sit for a few weeks are starting to look like opportunity, not a warning sign, and the conversation is shifting back to leverage, negotiations, seller credits, and realistic expectations around mortgage rates. We also get practical about decision-making. The housing market moves in years, not weeks, and most people don’t care until life forces a move: new jobs, kids, downsizing, landlords selling, or just being done with waiting. If the sticking point is payment or cash to close, we break down the kinds of financing tools that can help, including closing cost strategies and temporary rate buydowns. If you want more guidance, we’re also putting together a live buyers webinar in May where you can ask real questions and get real answers. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s stuck on the fence, and leave a review so more buyers and sellers can find us.

    32 min

About

Venture with Joe and Cody is a captivating journey into the lives and stories of business leaders, entrepreneurs, and pivotal community figures, revealing the essence of success through candid conversations. Tune in to discover the setbacks, triumphs, and invaluable lessons learned on the path to making a mark in the business world and beyond.