Open House with Pat Roach

Pat Roach

I’m Patrick Roach, President and Co-Founder of Southwestern Real Estate. When I started in 2007, I was brand new to the business and set out to learn by interviewing top brokers. I built my career on principles that kept me focused, client-first, and committed to doing the work well. Open House is where I share the lessons, stories, and hard-earned truths from life in real estate—what I’ve learned, what I’m still learning, and what I think more people in this business need to hear.

  1. JAN 7

    44. Boomers, Baby Bust, and 2026 Gameplan

    Pat and Andres kick off 2026 with sponsor thanks, travel and health updates, and a lively Hot Finds before diving into three stories that point in the same direction. A record sale in Massachusetts, NAR’s outlook on boomers and buyers with kids, and a surprising list of places adding families set up the takeaway for agents. The second half lays out a clear plan for where the business is headed and how to position yourself to win. Hot Finds – [00:13:59] Andres’ picks: The Kingkiller Chronicle (starting with The Name of the Wind) and a rewatch of Peaky Blinders. Pat’s pick: Pluribus on Apple TV, created by Vince Gilligan and starring Rhea Seehorn, with a hive-mind premise that sparks a philosophy tangent. Rip From the Headlines – [00:26:43] Former Obama summer estate tops Massachusetts sales at $37M on Martha’s Vineyard. NAR lens on boomers and 2026: retirees hold the cards, and only 25% of current buyers have children living at home. Where household size is shrinking fastest and where it is rising: some markets see smaller households as retirees move in, while places like Kokomo, IN attract families with incentives, including down payment help up to $50k. Main Topic – [00:44:17] The next ten years will be won by agents who build real relationships with boomers and with people who influence boomers. Context for newer agents: first-time buyers are a smaller slice than they used to be, so your sphere has to expand beyond your own age group. Practical moves: grow a referral network that includes adult children of boomers, stay consistent on touchpoints, and be ready with clear plans for relocations and right-sizing. Closing tag:Have questions for us? Submit them here: openhousewpr@gmail.com

    59 min
  2. 12/24/2025

    43. Google Home Search; Florida’s No-Property-Tax Pitch; Alex Peterson’s Road to Relationship-First Real Estate

    Pat and Andres open with sponsor thanks to Fidelity National Title, quick life updates, and Hot Finds. They move into headlines on Google testing home listings, November sales slipping in most major markets, and Florida floating a no-property-tax idea for primary homes. Then they welcome Alex Peterson from Southwestern Real Estate to share how he shifted from getting lost in the weeds to a relationship-first business built on systems, clear goals, and service. He closes with a win for a first-generation buyer who became a homeowner. Follow Alex on Instagram: @the1alexpeterson Check out his Real Estate Podcast on Instagram: @whiskey.and.real.estate Watch it on YouTube Listen on Spotify Hot Finds – [00:08:41] Pat’s pick: a skin-care PSA on photodynamic therapy as a gentler alternative to freezing spots or chemo cream, plus a shout to Casa de Crepes in Oakbrook Terrace and Mexican coffee. Andres’ pick: Freeland Spirits rye whiskey from Portland, about $109, saved for special occasions, with an honorable mention to Bull Run. Rip From the Headlines – [00:21:37] November scoreboard: transactions fell in 38 of 40 major markets. Cleveland and Phoenix were up. Steepest drops included San Jose (about -20%) and Austin (about -9%). Google enters the portal game with a controlled experiment that shows listings and a “Request a tour” button. Zillow shares dipped on the news. Florida proposal: eliminate property tax for homestead residents and replace revenue with tourism, higher transfer stamps, non-homestead taxes, and population growth. The pitch is zero property tax and zero income tax for primary residents. Main Topic – [00:33:37] Meet Alex Peterson and his systems and service playbook for building a career in a choppy market. Shift from transactions to relationships with consistent calls, notes, and pop-bys. Compete with your own past work rather than 20-year veterans. A first-generation client gets FHA single-unit approval on a condo after another lender said no and then closes. Homeownership can be for anyone. Have questions for us? Submit them here: openhousewpr@gmail.com

    1h 21m
  3. 12/17/2025

    42. Inheriting a Home 101: Taxes, Loans, Siblings

    Pat and Andres check in, thank Fidelity National Title, and roll into Hot Finds before tackling headlines on Tucker Carlson’s Qatar move and why buyer-agent commissions have ticked up. Then the back half gets practical: what really happens when you inherit a house—how step-up basis works, what to do if there’s a mortgage or a reverse mortgage, and how to handle it when siblings disagree. It’s a clear, street-level guide with a quick legal note to always loop in your tax pro. Hot Finds – [00:12:46] Pat’s pick: “J. Kelly” on Netflix — a George Clooney and Adam Sandler film Pat calls a genuine surprise with clever in-jokes and a reflective lead character arc. Andres’ picks: a short Hafez poem (“God and I have become like two giant, fat people…”) and a Stormlight Archive quote on choosing the path over the destination. Rip From the Headlines – [00:23:40] Tucker Carlson in Doha: plans to buy a home in Qatar spark reactions and irony about “freedom” abroad. Buyer-agent commissions tick up: average rises from 2.36% → 2.42% as agents set fees directly with buyers post-rules change. Main Topic – [00:39:35] Hook: So you inherited a house—now what? Start with taxes, loans, and who else has a say. Step-up basis: you inherit at fair-market value on the date you receive it; taxes apply to gains above that when you sell. Loans and traps: check for a mortgage, possible assumption, or a reverse mortgage that may have eaten the equity; if it’s underwater, a short sale might be the play. Siblings & solutions: cash buyouts, promissory notes, or—in a stalemate—a court partition; best avoided with a living trust set up ahead of time. Have questions for us? Submit them here: openhousewpr@gmail.com

    1h 7m
  4. 12/10/2025

    41. 2026 Housing Forecast: “It Depends”

    Pat and Andres celebrate the show’s Wrapped stats, trade a wild closing-and-permits story (hello, transfer stamps and retroactive inspections), and explain earnest money with a quick Fidelity shout before zooming out: what 2026 might really look like for housing. They unpack national forecasts, the “silver tsunami” of downsizing boomers, and why the only honest answer is regional—some markets warm, some cool, most just… depend. Hot Finds – [00:32:02] Andres’ pick (comical): a “Trump ear” curiosity—either miraculous healing or world-class plastic surgery; he lays out the facts and lets listeners infer. Pat didn’t bring a Hot Find this week—calls an audible for a Cold Find: Spindrift Cranberry (hard pass). Rip From the Headlines – [00:42:14] 2026 previews everywhere; Pat wants less clickbait, more context. Consensus forming on mortgage rates hovering ~6–6.3% in 2026. National home-price forecasts cluster near flat-to-low growth; the real story is local. Main Topic – [00:49:12] Hook: “For 2026…the answer is it depends—where you live matters most.” Silver tsunami ≠ crash: more likely a gradual tide as boomers age in place, downsize slowly, and inventory releases over years, not months. Takeaway: real estate is hyper-local; use national numbers as background noise and make decisions with neighborhood data and a pro who’s in it daily. Closing tag:Have questions for us? Submit them here: openhousewpr@gmail.com

    1h 13m
  5. 11/26/2025

    39. The Ethics Case: Vanishing Offers & Real Consequences

    Pat and Andres open with a sponsor nod and a pair of Hot Finds, then sprint through headlines (Compass v. Zillow hearing, NAR’s 2026 rebound call, and a shrinking agent pool) before digging into a rare inside look at a real Code of Ethics case—told as a “hypothetical” to honor confidentiality—where an unpresented offer triggers a grievance, a hearing, and actual penalties. Hot Finds – [00:08:46] Pat’s pick: Spindrift Tropical Lemonade (neck-and-neck with POG; yes, he bought cases). Andres’ pick: John Mayer – Live at the Nokia Theatre (2007) — “top five” solo performance with a blues stretch that still hits. Sponsor: Thanks to Fidelity National Title for re-upping support (“Fridays are casual”). Rip From the Headlines – [00:16:23] Compass v. Zillow: the first hearing kicks off (Nov 18), and the coverage is “pretty spicy.” NAR forecast: Lawrence Yun sees a 2026 rebound (≈14% more sales) if rates average ~6%; builders perk up sub-5.8%. Agent count: NAR membership drifting from 1.6M (2022) → 1.4M (2025) → ~1.28M (2026); fewer agents may mean healthier balance. Main Topic – [00:23:49] The “Mysterious Case of the Vanishing Offer” — when a listing agent doesn’t promptly present a full-price buyer offer. How it works: Realtors must present offers as quickly as possible; failure can trigger a grievance and a board hearing. Outcome (told carefully): panel finds a violation and levies education hours, a hearing fee, and a $2,000 fine—real consequences meant to protect buyers and industry trust. Have questions for us? Submit them here: openhousewpr@gmail.com

    1h 1m
  6. 11/19/2025

    38. Cold Finds, Zillow Lawsuit & the 50-Year Mortgage?!

    Pat and Andres open with a quick sponsor nod (Fidelity National Title) and a personal update on Pat’s pending ethics-case verdict, then flip the script: no Hot Finds this week—only Cold Finds. From there, they rip through fresh headlines (a new Zillow lawsuit, a San Francisco MLS study, and the 50-year mortgage chatter) before a light-but-revealing main topic: just how much the top solo agents in America really sell and what that says about network, systems, and scale. Hot Finds – [00:15:55] No Hot Finds this week. The guys call an audible for “Cold Finds” instead. Andres’ Cold Find: The Bachelor (Season 27) a full-season hate-watch that sparks a rant on values and reality TV. Pat’s Cold Find: His new HP printer/scanner + warranty runaround (and “Stupid Staples” energy). Rip From the Headlines – [00:27:09] Zillow lawsuit: Alleged steering to Zillow Home Loans tied to agent lead access; RESPA and consumer-harm claims. Off-MLS hurts sellers: SF study shows MLS listings sold for about $302k more on average (~18.6%) than off-MLS deals. 50-year mortgages: Lower payments, but slower equity; critics say it misses the real issue...supply. Main Topic – [00:47:29] How big is “big”? A top-10 tour of solo agents by 2024 sales volume. From Boston to Palm Beach to NYC: multi-hundred-million producers (and even a $1.12B solo year). The outliers: flat-fee/MLS-entry models and the builder-platform machine cranking 7,722 transactions / $3.9B. Have questions for us? Submit them here: openhousewpr@gmail.com

    1h 5m
5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

I’m Patrick Roach, President and Co-Founder of Southwestern Real Estate. When I started in 2007, I was brand new to the business and set out to learn by interviewing top brokers. I built my career on principles that kept me focused, client-first, and committed to doing the work well. Open House is where I share the lessons, stories, and hard-earned truths from life in real estate—what I’ve learned, what I’m still learning, and what I think more people in this business need to hear.