Keys to Real Estate

October Research, LLC

An industry-centric podcast, Keys to Real Estate features in-depth conversations for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of the real estate ecosystem. Listeners can take charge of their self-learning in business-critical information and key topics that are central to thriving under the ever-changing demands placed on businesses today. Our long-form conversations featuring today’s newsmakers and thought-leaders, allow listeners to engage with each episode at the time and place of their choosing.

  1. 1d ago

    Your Next Buyer Has Crypto. Now What? - John Ioannou | S3E35

    CryptEscrow Founder and CEO John Ioannou walks through how a transaction flows from contract through closing and highlights their newest business partnership. After undergoing a thorough vetting process conducted by First American, John proudly proclaimed that the process produced nothing to suggest any sort of title risk associated with his company’s business model. He and October Research Chief Knowledge Officer Mary Schuster went on to discuss a variety of practical considerations for real estate businesses considering whether to become open to transactions involving cryptocurrencies. Chapters: 0:00 Welcoming John Ioannou Back for Part 2 of our Discussion 2:30 Step One: Begin the KYC Process 4:47 Step Two: Customer Agreement and Wallet Verification 5:46 A $4 Million Closing in 49 Seconds 7:05 Closing and Disbursements Work Like a Cash Transaction 7:47 Verification Letters and Proof of Funds 9:11 Why U.S.-Based Regulation Matters 10:06 Handling Canceled Deals and Returned Funds 11:08 When Sellers Want to Receive Cryptocurrency 12:10 Using Crypto for Other Real-World Assets 12:54 How Title Underwriters Evaluate Crypto Transactions 15:25 No Transaction Caps for Licensed Operations 16:37 How Title Companies Can Become Crypto-Friendly 17:23 Final Takeaways and Next Steps Get In Touch… CryptEscrow website: www.cryptescrow.com Guest email: john@cryptescrow.com Host email: mschuster@octoberresearch.com To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com. Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

  2. Oct 22

    Closing Crypto Deals Without Being a Crypto Expert - John Ioannou | S3E34

    The idea of involving cryptocurrency in a real estate transaction still gives many professionals pause. But that has not stopped companies like CryptEscrow from developing platforms agents can use to handle deals involving digital assets without needing to be a crypto expert. CryptEscrow Founder and CEO John Ioannou spoke with October Research Chief Knowledge Officer Mary Schuster about his company, which sits in the middle and creates what is, for all intents and purposes, a cash transaction from the perspective of the title/settlement agent. For those who want to service this market but are leery of the risks and/or compliance concerns, companies like CryptEscrow are looking to offer an effective solution. Think of them like a Sec. 1031 intermediary company, handling all the details that can trip up an agent. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction to CryptEscrow 1:54 The Opportunity for Legitimate Crypto Buyers 2:40 Why Crypto Is Difficult to Use in Real Estate 3:06 Regulatory Compliance, Wallet Checks and Proof of Funds 4:36 Why Title Agents Don’t Need Crypto Expertise 6:06 Reaching a Global Buyer Market 7:10 Money Transmitter Licensing and Compliance 8:53 Addressing Fraud, Anonymity and Volatility Concerns 11:19 Why the Seller Doesn’t Need to Know 12:37 Converting Cryptocurrency into Good Funds 13:32 Managing Volatility with Immediate Conversion 15:02 Where the Transaction Risk Resides 16:20 State and Federal Licensing Requirements 17:04 A New Way to Conduct Real Estate Business 18:01 Exchange Limits, Speed and Institutional Pricing Get In Touch… CryptEscrow website: www.cryptescrow.com Guest email: john@cryptescrow.com Host email: mschuster@octoberresearch.com To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com. Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

  3. Oct 15

    How Better Education Strengthens the Transaction - Susan Nicolson | S3E33

    In Part 2 of our discussion with Arizona Department of Real Estate Commissioner Susan Nicolson, she explains how Arizona is using broader, more practical education to raise the quality of real estate agents and strengthen the marketplace as a whole. The conversation covers education around deed fraud, water, wildfire, insurability and fair housing, efforts to improve the quality of CE itself and the broader need for better cybersecurity and secure communications across the real estate transaction. Chapters: 0:00 Welcome back Susan Nicolson of Arizona’s Department of Real Estate 2:05 The importance of cybersecurity and secure transaction portals 6:12 Arizona’s educational initiatives and licensee training programs 10:05 Water rights, insurability, and regional water information 14:08 Fair housing education and fair housing disputes 18:05 Legislative efforts and the model of Arizona’s department 22:11 The future of real estate regulation and education 27:16 Final thoughts: serving the public with integrity and bravery Get In Touch… Arizona’s Early Real Estate Sales Alert System to help combat Deed Fraud: https://earlyalert.azre.gov/ Information on Arizona’s CE required courses on Firewise, Deed Fraud and Water https://azre.gov/divisions/education Host email: mschuster@octoberresearch.com To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com. Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

  4. Oct 8

    What Proactive Regulation Looks Like in Practice - Susan Nicolson | S3E32

    Arizona Department of Real Estate Commissioner Susan Nicolson discusses what proactive regulation can look like – from breaking down agency silos to working across government and industry to solving problems before consumers are harmed. The conversation focuses particularly on Arizona’s multifaceted approach to deed fraud, including the state’s new Early Real Estate Sales Alert System and the role title and escrow professionals can play in prevention. Chapters: 0:00 Introduction to Susan Nicholson and Arizona’s real estate approach 2:08 Surprising insights from a former real estate practitioner turned regulator 3:57 Breaking down silos: a collaborative approach to consumer protection 8:01 The role of education in preventing real estate fraud 11:51 Innovative tools and systems for fraud detection and prevention 15:57 Deed fraud schemes and how Arizona is responding 20:01 Protecting property owners with early alert systems and new laws 23:52 The importance of cybersecurity and secure transaction portals Get In Touch… Arizona’s Early Real Estate Sales Alert System to help combat Deed Fraud:https://earlyalert.azre.gov/ Information on Arizona’s CE required courses on Firewise, Deed Fraud and Waterhttps://azre.gov/divisions/education Host email: mschuster@octoberresearch.com To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com. Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

  5. Oct 1

    What’s Really Keeping the Housing Market Stuck? - Nick Friedman | S3E31

    Mary and Nick shift to existing homeowners and move-up buyers, beginning with the continued lock-in effect created by pandemic-era mortgage rates. They discuss whether there is a rate that could bring more homeowners back into the market, the life circumstances that are already overcoming rate lock-in and the greater flexibility existing homeowners have because of accumulated equity. The conversation touches on why accessing that equity before selling has become more important, the difficulty of home-sale contingencies in the current market and “Buy Before You Sell” as one tool for addressing that problem. The discussion then moves to one of the more surprising findings in the HomeLight report: loan officers say property-related problems – including inspection, title, zoning and property-condition issues – are causing more active purchase loans to fail than financing issues such as debt-to-income surprises or appraisal gaps. They close with a broader discussion of economic uncertainty, consumer hesitation, AI/job anxiety and what Nick hopes lenders and the housing market will look like by next summer. Chapters: 2:18 - Why homeowners are locked in by low rates 4:27 - Life changes that force homeowners to move anyway 6:52 - Accessing equity before the current home sells 8:36 - Property problems derailing more deals than financing 10:44 - Economic uncertainty as sentiment, not always a concrete barrier 12:23 - AI anxiety, adaptation and why human guidance still matters 14:39 - What will hopefully change by next summer Get In Touch… HomeLight’s website: https://www.homelight.com/ HomeLight’s Q3 Lender Insights and Predictions Report: https://active.homelight.com/q3-2026-lender-insights-report Host email: mschuster@octoberresearch.com To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com. Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

  6. Sep 24

    The New Math of Becoming a Homeowner - Nick Friedman | S3E30

    To provide better context about what lenders are seeing in the early stages of the homebuying process among different cohorts, HomeLight President Nick Friedman and October Research Chief Knowledge Officer Mary Schuster discussed findings about how borrowers are trying to save a buck amid elevated home prices and rates, as described in HomeLight’s latest Lender Insights & Predictions report. Loan officers from 57 lending companies indicated what they view as the biggest obstacle facing first-time homebuyers – even greater than mortgage rates or down payment/closing costs. Nick and Mary discussed how buyer expectations are shifting, as well as practical and creative solutions for making the home purchase transaction more affordable. Chapters: 0:45 - Why loan officers see affordability differently than the headlines 2:59 - Starter home shortage overtakes rates as the main barrier 4:58 - What the modern starter home really looks like 8:26 - Starting with monthly payment and building backward 10:21 - Seller concessions and closing cost strategy 12:49 - Auto loans and credit card debt as qualification obstacles 15:57 - Why lenders are moving from rate advertising to solution selling 17:01 - Move-up buyers and using equity before the sale Get In Touch… HomeLight’s website: https://www.homelight.com/ HomeLight’s Q3 Lender Insights and Predictions Report: https://active.homelight.com/q3-2026-lender-insights-report Host email: mschuster@octoberresearch.com To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com. Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

  7. Sep 17

    Run the Business You Have, Not the One You Remember - Chuck Cain | S3E29

    Next, we turn from industry disruption to what title professionals can actually control. Listen as industry veterans Chuck Cain and Mary Schuster talk about the importance of knowing your numbers, finding overlooked sources of business, managing costs and marketing more intelligently, while also preparing now for the fully digital mortgage before lenders begin expecting capabilities your operation may not be ready to deliver. Chapters: 0:43 – Introduction 2:54 - Why the residential market may stay flat for months 3:51 - Commercial business as the stronger lane for 2026 and 2027 6:13 - How to use KPIs to know your business by the second week of the month 8:12 - Blue Ocean Strategy and finding business outside crowded pools 9:59 - Calculating daily overhead and shaving cost from the business 13:21 - Why the old market is not coming back anytime soon 15:20 - Rising E&O, cyber, and AI costs, and how to think about them 18:18 - The fully digital mortgage and why 2027 matters 24:16 - How to ask lenders what you can do to lower their cost 28:44 - Hope is not a plan: why now is the time to build one Get In Touch… The Chuck Cain Show: https://fnfunplugged.buzzsprout.com/ Guest email: charles.cain@fnf.com Host email: mschuster@octoberresearch.com To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com. Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

  8. Sep 10

    When Title Insurance Goes Away, Where Does the Risk Go? - Chuck Cain | S3E28

    In this episode, industry veterans Chuck Cain and Mary Schuster examine the growing use of title waivers and attorney opinion letters and the bigger question behind them: where does the risk go when traditional title insurance goes away? We also discuss lender adoption, what could happen when defaults begin testing these models and what title agents need to consider before participating in waiver transactions. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 3:00 - Federal signals and policy shifts toward reduced insurance reliance 4:09 - The rise of title waiver programs and their expansion potential 5:29 - How lenders and title companies are responding to new costs 7:00 - The economic outlook and the long-term risk of title waiver overuse 10:10 - Downturn scenarios: Title problems and the risk of default 14:44 - The looming impact of reduced insurance and market disruptions 16:04 - The importance of embracing technology and digital closing processes 18:00 - The critical role of insurance as a foundation of real estate value 20:05 - The emerging storm: risks from underinsured loans and legal issues 22:22 - AOLs, title insurance and legal standards 27:00 - Navigating state and federal regulatory complexities 29:00 - The role of cybersecurity, fraud prevention and process efficiencies Get In Touch… The Chuck Cain Show: https://fnfunplugged.buzzsprout.com/ Guest email: charles.cain@fnf.com Host email: mschuster@octoberresearch.com To find more episodes of “Keys to Real Estate” or learn more about October Research – the nation’s leading independent provider of market intelligence, industry news, expert analysis and regulatory information for professionals in the real estate, title, financial and settlement services industries – visit https://www.octoberresearch.com. Episode sponsored by TrustLink – https://www.trustlinkservices.com Episode produced by October Research – https://www.octoberresearch.com

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

An industry-centric podcast, Keys to Real Estate features in-depth conversations for anyone interested in deepening their understanding of the real estate ecosystem. Listeners can take charge of their self-learning in business-critical information and key topics that are central to thriving under the ever-changing demands placed on businesses today. Our long-form conversations featuring today’s newsmakers and thought-leaders, allow listeners to engage with each episode at the time and place of their choosing.

Information

  • Creator
    October Research, LLC
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    76
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Show Website
    Keys to Real Estate