Make Yourself at Home

Deana Brummett

Step into real estate with a host who truly knows it. With 18 years of experience since 2008 and millions in sales, she brings real-world insight to every episode. From Keller Williams to REMAX and now Coldwell Banker, Make Yourself at Home is a consumer-focused podcast offering clarity and confidence for buyers, investors, and the curious. Featuring nationwide experts, the show covers markets, legislation, investing strategies, and life in Charlotte—helping you make smarter decisions and maximize ROI.

  1. 9h ago

    Real Estate Scaling & High-Stakes Deals: Lessons from Pro Golf | Joey Lamielle

    ⛳ Former pro golfer and U.S. Open competitor Joey Lamielle breaks down how elite athletic discipline drives success in high-stakes real estate. In this episode, host Deana Brummett talks with Joey about the reality of flipping houses while on tour, why golf pressure pales in comparison to client conversations, and how turning down a bad deal generated an $11 million real estate portfolio. 🎙 What you will hear in this episode: ✔️ Transitioning from competitive sports to high-volume real estate ✔️ Protecting client interests over closing short-term commissions ✔️ Hidden valuation metrics inside private vs. public golf communities ✔️ Operational infrastructure needed to scale your investment portfolio ✔️ Leveraging land deals, AI, and creative financing in modern markets _____________ 🎧 HOSTED BY: Deana Brummett 👤 GUEST: Joey Lamielle: Real Estate Advisor & Team Lead | Former Professional Golfer & Two-Time U.S. Open Competitor Joey Lamielle is a real estate advisor and team lead of The Lamielle Group at RE/MAX Alliance Group in Sarasota, Florida. A former professional golfer and two-time US Open competitor, he brings competitive discipline to his real estate practice. As a long-time Sarasota resident holding GRI, ABR, and SRS designations, he specializes in luxury, waterfront, and investment properties. _____________ 👉🏻 CONNECT WITH Joey Lamielle • Website: https://joeyl.remax.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeylamiellesarasotarealestate • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joeylamiellerealestate/ 👉🏻 FOLLOW DEANA BRUMMETT • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AtHomeintheCarolinas/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HomeintheCarolinas Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬below! 💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

    Real Estate Scaling & High-Stakes Deals: Lessons from Pro Golf | Joey Lamielle

  2. Jul 30

    How to Sit in Your Dark, Rewire Your Brain, and Reclaim Your Life | Craig Sotkovsky

    💪 What if your greatest struggle became the reason you found your purpose? 🔑 Craig Sotkovsky returns to the show to share how surviving cancer transformed not only his health, but also his mindset, relationships, and approach to entrepreneurship. Through deeply personal stories, Craig explains why healing starts from within, how limiting beliefs keep us stuck, and why becoming the person you want to be is more powerful than simply chasing success. 🎙 In this episode, you'll learn: ✔️How cancer changed Craig's perspective on life and business ✔️Why healing your inner world changes your outer results ✔️The mindset shifts that help overcome limiting beliefs ✔️Daily habits that build resilience and gratitude ✔️Why true wealth is about who you become, not what you own 🎧 HOSTED BY: Deana Brummett 👤 GUEST: Craig Sotkovsky: Mindset Coach & Real Estate Investor | International Speaker & Author Craig Sotkovsky is an international speaker, mindset coach, and real estate investor with three decades of experience helping entrepreneurs reclaim their purpose. He inspires clients to break free from limiting beliefs and achieve authentic success, while also mentoring them in real estate investing as a pathway to financial freedom and legacy building. _____________ 👉🏻 CONNECT WITH CRAIG SOTKOVSKY • Website: https://www.craigsotkovsky.com/ • LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/craig-sotkovsky-001/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myyucatan/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/craigsotkovsky/  👉🏻 FOLLOW DEANA BRUMMETT • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AtHomeintheCarolinas/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HomeintheCarolinas Don’t forget to LIKE 👍 SUBSCRIBE 🔔 COMMENT 💬below! 💎 Produced by Icons of Real Estate https://iconsofrealestate.com/

    How to Sit in Your Dark, Rewire Your Brain, and Reclaim Your Life | Craig Sotkovsky

  3. Jul 22

    How to Spot Expensive Home Problems Before You Buy

    🚀 Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll ever make—and a home inspection can save you thousands of dollars. In this episode, home inspector Matt Balius, owner of Bolt Certified Home Inspection, shares how his unique background in construction and healthcare helps him uncover hidden defects that others might miss. From structural issues and electrical hazards to radon, thermal imaging, and common problems in brand-new homes, Matt explains what every buyer, seller, and real estate professional should know before closing. 🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett 👤 Guest: 🏡 Matt Balius – Owner & Certified Home Inspector, Bolt Certified Home Inspection Matt Balius is the owner of BOLT Certified Home Inspection. Combining a background in construction and medicine, he conducts highly detailed home inspections and provides comprehensive, easy-to-read reports. He holds numerous industry certifications and is actively working toward his Certified Master Inspector designation, prioritizing straightforward, high-quality service over upselling. 💡 What You'll Learn: ✔️ Why even brand-new homes should always have a home inspection ✔️ How thermal imaging and specialized tools uncover hidden problems ✔️ The biggest electrical, plumbing, and structural issues buyers should watch for ✔️ Why radon testing is one of the most important inspections you can order ✔️ How to interpret inspection reports without unnecessary fear or panic 🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights! 💼 Connect with Matt Balius: 🌐 Website → https://www.boltcertifiedhomeinspection.com/ 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565865452570# 🎧 Follow Deana Brummett: 📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/AtHomeintheCarolinas/ 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HomeintheCarolinas 📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

    How to Spot Expensive Home Problems Before You Buy

  4. Jul 16

    How to Buy a Home in Today's Market Without Overpaying

    🚀 Thinking about buying or selling a home in the Charlotte area? In this episode of Make Yourself at Home, host Deana Brummett sits down with Scott Byerly, a Charlotte native and experienced RE/MAX broker, to discuss the realities of today's housing market. From navigating changing interest rates and understanding buyer psychology to identifying hidden growth markets around Charlotte, Scott shares practical advice that every buyer, seller, and investor should hear. Whether you're purchasing your first home, upgrading to luxury real estate, or planning your next investment, this conversation is packed with valuable insights to help you make smarter real estate decisions. 🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett 👤 Guest: 🏡 Scott Byerly – Licensed Real Estate Broker | RE/MAX Executive Scott Byerly is a licensed real estate broker with RE/MAX serving the Charlotte and Harrisburg areas of North Carolina. A former American Red Cross professional, he leverages his deep local market knowledge and relationship-first approach to guide buyers and sellers through residential transactions across all price points. 💡 What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why Charlotte continues to be one of the strongest real estate markets in the Southeast ✔️ How interest rates affect buyers—and why waiting may cost more than buying today ✔️ The biggest mistakes sellers make when pricing their homes ✔️ Hidden communities around Charlotte offering excellent long-term value ✔️ Why communication and relationships remain the most important part of every real estate transaction 🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, or homebuyer, this episode offers valuable insights! 💼 Connect with Scott Byerly: 🌐 Website → https://sbyerly.remax.com/ 📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/scott.byerly.remax 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/ScottByerlyREMAX 🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-byerly-8409975/ 🎧 Follow Deana Brummett: 📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/AtHomeintheCarolinas/ 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HomeintheCarolinas 📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

    How to Buy a Home in Today's Market Without Overpaying

  5. Jul 9

    The Estate Planning Strategy Every Property Owner Needs

    Estate planning is about much more than preparing legal documents—it's about protecting your family, your real estate investments, and the legacy you leave behind. In this episode, Deana Brummett sits down with estate planning attorney Cecilia Amo to discuss why every homeowner, investor, and business owner should have a comprehensive estate plan. Cecilia shares practical strategies for avoiding probate, protecting rental properties, preserving generational wealth, and ensuring your loved ones aren't left navigating unnecessary legal battles. She also explains the importance of asset alignment, digital estate planning, privacy protection, and why trusts are one of the most powerful tools available for long-term wealth preservation. 🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett 👤 Guest: Cecilia Amo – Estate Planning Attorney, Speaker, Author & Founder of Amo Law Cecilia Amo is an estate planning attorney, speaker, and the author of Your After-Credits Scene: A Nerd's Guide to Wills, Trusts, and Legacy. As the founder of Amo Law, she serves clients across California including Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego counties focusing on asset protection and intergenerational wealth. 💡 What You'll Learn: ✔️ Why every real estate investor should have a living trust ✔️ How trusts help avoid probate, preserve privacy, and protect assets ✔️ Strategies for passing wealth to future generations responsibly ✔️ The dangers of DIY estate planning and online legal templates ✔️ How to organize digital assets, business interests, and investment properties for your heirs 🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, homeowner, or entrepreneur, this episode provides practical estate planning strategies to help you protect everything you've worked so hard to build. 💼 Connect with Cecilia Amo: 🌐 Website → https://amo-law.com/ 👻 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/amolawlegacyplanning 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/amolaw.legacyplanning/ 🔗 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/amo-law-legacy-planning/ 🎧 Follow Deana Brummett: 📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/AtHomeintheCarolinas/ 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HomeintheCarolinas 📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

    The Estate Planning Strategy Every Property Owner Needs

  6. Jul 2

    How Passive Income Can Replace Your Paycheck Faster Than You Think

    🚀 Is the traditional retirement plan still the best path to financial freedom? In this episode, Deana Brummett welcomes Chris Miles, founder of Money Ripples and author of The Work Optional Blueprint, to discuss why he left the traditional financial advising industry and embraced passive income investing. Chris shares his personal journey from Wall Street strategies to real estate investing, breaks down the myths surrounding 401(k)s and retirement planning, and explains why creating cash flow—not simply accumulating wealth—is the key to becoming financially free. Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, or simply looking for a smarter way to build wealth, this conversation is packed with practical insights. 🎧 Hosted by:Deana Brummett 👤 Guest:🏡 Chris Miles – Founder of Money Ripples, Financial Educator & Author Chris Miles is the founder of Money Ripples, host of the Money Ripples Podcast, and author of The Work Optional Blueprint. A former traditional financial advisor, Chris now helps entrepreneurs and professionals create passive income through real estate and alternative investments, allowing them to achieve financial freedom and become work optional. He has been featured by CNN Money, BiggerPockets, and Entrepreneur on Fire. 💡 What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why traditional retirement planning often leaves people financially unprepared ✔️ The difference between accumulating wealth and creating lasting cash flow ✔️ How passive real estate investing can generate income without becoming a landlord ✔️ What to look for when evaluating investment opportunities and operators ✔️ Chris' "Get Lean, Get Liquid, Get Out" blueprint for financial freedom 🎵 Whether you're an entrepreneur, investor, real estate professional, or someone planning for retirement, this episode offers valuable strategies for building lasting wealth. 💼 Connect with Chris Miles: 🌐 Website → https://moneyripples.com 💼 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/moneyripples 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/moneyripples 💼 LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriscmiles 🎧 Follow Deana Brummett: 📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/AtHomeintheCarolinas/ 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HomeintheCarolinas 📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

    How Passive Income Can Replace Your Paycheck Faster Than You Think

  7. Jun 25

    How to Choose a Real Estate Agent Without Regret

    🚀 In this episode, Deana Brummett sits down with Alex Mayer, a multi-award-winning real estate agent serving Rochester, Minnesota, and co-author of the Amazon bestseller Top Producer Secrets. Alex shares his journey from auto sales to becoming one of Rochester's top agents and explains why he abandoned the traditional team model to focus on direct client representation. The conversation explores the dangers of hiring agents based solely on online visibility, the importance of working with experienced professionals, common mistakes buyers and sellers make, and how misinformation from social media and AI is impacting today's real estate market. Alex also provides valuable insights on relocation, probate and inheritance sales, responsiveness, negotiation strategies, and building long-term wealth through real estate. 🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett 👤 Guest:🏡 Alex Mayer – Award-Winning Real Estate Agent & Real Estate Author Alex Mayer is a multi-award-winning real estate agent specializing in the Rochester, Minnesota market. Operating under a "Direct Representation Model," he works personally with clients and specializes in first-time homebuyers, relocating professionals, and local sellers. He is also the co-author of the 2024 Amazon best seller, Top Producer Secrets. 💡 What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why direct representation can outperform large real estate teams ✔️ How responsiveness and communication impact successful transactions ✔️ Common relocation pitfalls and how to avoid them ✔️ Why local lenders often outperform national online lenders ✔️ The role AI and online misinformation play in real estate decisions ✔️ Practical strategies for building long-term wealth through homeownership 🎵 Whether you're an investor, agent, homebuyer, or seller, this episode offers valuable insights into navigating today's real estate market with confidence. 💼 Connect with Alex Mayer: 🌐 Website → https://rochesterareahomesbyalex.com/ 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/homesbyalexmayer/ 🎧 Follow Deana Brummett: 📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/AtHomeintheCarolinas/ 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HomeintheCarolinas 📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

    How to Choose a Real Estate Agent Without Regret

  8. Jun 18

    How to Protect Your Home From Wildfires Before It's Too Late

    🚀 Wildfires are becoming one of the biggest threats to homeowners across California and other high-risk states. In this episode, Jim Sprouse, co-founder of Ember Pro and Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist, shares how homeowners can reduce wildfire risk through home hardening, defensible space planning, and innovative wildfire defense systems. Jim also explains the growing insurance crisis, new regulations affecting property owners, and what the future of wildfire protection looks like. 🎧 Hosted by: Deana Brummett 👤 Guest:🏡 Jim Sprouse – Co-Founder of Ember Pro & Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist Jim Sprouse is an entrepreneur with a degree in environmental studies and a certified wildfire mitigation specialist. He is the cofounder of Ember Pro, a company focused on helping protect homes from wildfire risk through mitigation strategies and defensible space planning. 💡 What You’ll Learn: ✔️ The difference between home hardening and defensible space ✔️ Why embers cause most home losses during wildfires ✔️ How wildfire risks are impacting homeowners insurance ✔️ New regulations and building codes homeowners should know ✔️ Practical steps to protect your home and improve insurability 🎵 Whether you're a homeowner, real estate professional, insurance expert, or investor, this episode offers valuable insights into protecting homes from wildfire risk. 💼 Connect with Jim Sprouse: 🌐 Website → https://emberprousa.com/ 📸 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/emberprousa/ 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/emberprousa 🎧 Follow Deana Brummett: 📷 Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/AtHomeintheCarolinas/ 📘 Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/HomeintheCarolinas 📌 Don’t Forget to LIKE 👍, SUBSCRIBE 🔔 & COMMENT 💬 Below!

    How to Protect Your Home From Wildfires Before It's Too Late
See All (34)

Trailer

About

Step into real estate with a host who truly knows it. With 18 years of experience since 2008 and millions in sales, she brings real-world insight to every episode. From Keller Williams to REMAX and now Coldwell Banker, Make Yourself at Home is a consumer-focused podcast offering clarity and confidence for buyers, investors, and the curious. Featuring nationwide experts, the show covers markets, legislation, investing strategies, and life in Charlotte—helping you make smarter decisions and maximize ROI.

Information

  • Creator
    Deana Brummett
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    34
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Deana Brummett
  • Show Website
    Make Yourself at Home