This One Time in Real Estate...

Hosted by Mark Gellman

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Episodes

180

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Real Estate Agent & Team Leader Mark Gellman recall things he's learned over the years along with memorable events and people he's met along the way.

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60 recent

August 21, 2026Episode 819 min

How To Finish The Year Like A Champion

Stop waiting for interest rates to drop or the market to fix itself; your year isn't over yet. In this episode, we’re calling out the excuses and breaking down why the next 90 selling days are your most critical window to finish strong, build momentum, and secure your financial future. What You'll Hear in This Episode: The "One Shot" Mindset: Tuning out market noise to focus entirely on execution. Two Types of Agents: Those waiting for the market vs. those taking action to win in it. 90-Day Reverse Engineering: Working backward from closing goals to daily activities. Action vs. Hope: Why showing up daily beats waiting around for conditions to improve. Building Future Momentum: How today's work powers your Q4 and year-end success. Stop planning for a future comeback when you have active opportunities sitting right in front of you. Cut out the noise, tune into this episode, and take massive action today!

August 14, 2026Episode 8013 min

Stop Getting Ready To Get Ready

Too many people wait for the perfect moment, more confidence, more experience, or more certainty before taking action. In this episode, we discuss why waiting is holding you back and why success comes from taking action, learning through experience, and improving along the way. Confidence doesn’t come before action. Confidence is built because of action. Whether it’s growing your business, investing in real estate, becoming a better leader, or making a major life decision, the biggest cost is often not failure, it’s doing nothing. What you'll learn: Stop Over-Aiming: Planning years ahead halts progress today. The Confidence Loop: Action > Experience > Competence > Confidence. The Jeff Bridges Lesson: Waiting for 100% certainty destroys opportunity. The Cost of Inaction: Doing nothing is riskier than making a mistake. Marathon Mindset: Scale methodically to sustain momentum long-term.

August 7, 2026Episode 7914 min

No One Wants More Money On Their Deathbed

Are you waiting for "someday" to finally start living your life? In this powerful episode, we dive into why postponing your health, family, and personal joy for work is a trap that too many high achievers fall into. Life is unpredictable, time moves fast, and no amount of money can buy back missed moments. If you’ve ever caught yourself saying "I’ll take that trip when work slows down" or "I’m available 24/7," this episode is the exact reality check you need. Learn how to stop letting business consume your entire existence and start holding yourself accountable to a schedule that honors both your professional drive and your personal life. In this episode, we cover: The 24/7 Trap: Why working around the clock damages performance and quality of life. The 90-Day Calendar Audit: How your schedule reveals and resets your true priorities. Money vs. Time: Why building wealth shouldn't cost you your present. Intentional Living: How to schedule family, health, and rest without losing your professional edge. Stop waiting for life to become uncomplicated or for the "perfect time" to enjoy what matters most. Tune in, get intentional, and start scheduling what truly counts today.

July 31, 2026Episode 7819 min

Bridge. Empower. Elevate.

Ever look at your annual real estate association dues statement and wonder, “Where is my money actually going?” In this episode of This One Time in Real Estate, Kayla shares her journey through leadership, from getting started in the Young Professionals Network (YPN) at age 23 to serving on the National Advisory Board, and breaks down her presidential platform: B.E.E. ( B ridge, E mpower, E levate). Together, we explore the tangible ROI for REALTORS®, from policy wins and protected property rights to land banks and continuous education. What You’ll Learn: ROI vs. A Bill: Why viewing association dues as an investment protects your business and changes how you value your board. The B.E.E. Platform: Breaking down the strategy to B ridge communities, E mpower members, and E levate industry transparency. Real-World Advocacy Wins: How local board advocacy directly impacts housing inventory, ADUs, and property rights. Education = Conversions: How continuous tech and contract training boosts agent confidence and conversion rates. Purposeful Leadership: Why stepping into association leadership is about guiding the next generation, not filling a resume.

July 24, 2026Episode 7720 min

Math Is The Path

Forget the social media hype about owning 100 units right out of the gate. Unlike buying a personal home, real estate investing isn't emotional; it’s strictly a numbers game. Keep it simple, strip away the noise, and remember: Math is the path. In this episode, we break down how to stop chasing home runs, build your core team of local experts, and land your very first property with confidence. In this episode, we cover: Hit Singles, Not Home Runs: Why starting small beats chasing massive, risky deals. The Condo Trap: Why rising HOA fees and insurance spikes make condos risky for beginners. Building Your Team: Why local bankers, not just standard mortgage brokers, are key to financing. The "Below-Market Rent" Trap: How to spot agent sales tactics and calculate true rehab ROI. Why Self-Manage First: How managing your first properties saves money and builds vital experience. House Hacking 101: How living in one unit of a duplex can slash your personal housing costs. The cost of striking out in real estate far outweighs the benefit of hitting a home run. Strip away the emotion, focus on hitting singles, and let the numbers guide every decision.

July 17, 2026Episode 7612 min

Buy What You Know

In real estate, the golden rule is buy what you know . But that rule doesn’t just apply to properties: it applies to your time, your energy, and your relationships. In this episode, we dive into what it truly means to invest heavily in what you know: your local community, your team, and your core audience. It’s easy to get caught up chasing thousands of random social media likes, but real success comes from knowing exactly who your people are and pouring value directly into them. From profiling a hidden gem of a St. Louis coffee shop to dealing with internet trolls who tell you "no one cares," we break down why sticking to your mission and serving your people is the ultimate strategy for long-term impact. What you'll learn: Hyper-Local Investing: Highlighting small businesses brings massive value to your community, even if it only impacts one person. Knowing Your Audience: It’s better to have a handful of hyper-engaged followers who trust you than thousands of strangers. Trolls vs. True Impact: When you know your worth and focus on adding value, online critics can't derail your momentum. Agent-Centric Leadership: Retain top talent by "buying into" your team’s success through marketing, exposure, and elite support. The Discipline of Consistency: Showing up Friday after Friday, even when you're slammed, is the ultimate investment in your listeners.

July 10, 2026Episode 7511 min

When You Give, You Get More In Return

In a world obsessed with "what's in it for me," true success comes from turning the equation upside down. Whether you’re lifting up a local business, supporting your real estate team, or just showing up consistently for your audience, a give-first mindset always wins. In this episode, we dive into why you need to stop chasing vanity metrics and start chasing real, human impact. It's time to shift your focus to what really matters. When you focus on adding value to just one person, the returns are greater than you could ever imagine. In this episode, you'll learn: The ROI of Generosity: Why lifting up local businesses and your community drives the deepest, most authentic engagement. Tuning Out the Noise: How to handle the online critics without letting them steal your drive to do good. The "Town Center" Perspective: A powerful reminder about empathy, social media filters, and being grateful for your own journey. Agent-Centric Leadership: Why giving your team members maximum exposure and branding value is the best way to retain top talent. Too many people focus on the gratification and the impact they're having based on the wrong things. If you can just make an impact on one person, two people, five people, that’s all that matters. When you give, you get a lot in return.

July 3, 2026Episode 748 min

Don’t Skip the Hard Questions

In this episode, we break down why the most successful agents and team leaders don’t rush to “yes." They slow down and lean into the hard questions that others avoid. From interviewing potential agents to sitting with sellers, it’s easy to assume you know what the other person is thinking. But assumptions lead to missed objections, missed expectations, and ultimately missed opportunities. We talk about why top performers take a non-traditional approach: asking direct questions about competing interviews, for-sale-by-owner considerations, and true motivations before moving forward. On the recruiting side, it’s about curiosity over pressure. On the listing side, it’s about uncovering objections before they surface too late. The takeaway is simple: when you stop skipping the hard questions and start leading with curiosity, your clarity improves, your objections get easier to handle, and your conversions go up.

June 26, 2026Episode 7316 min

Half the Year is Gone. Now What?

It’s the last Friday in June. Half the year is officially behind us, and the clock is ticking on the rest. If you’re in real estate, you already know the brutal truth about lead times: you don't have six months left of selling. What you choose to do over the next five months will completely dictate whether your December feels like a celebration or a season of regret. Whether you’re crushing your goals or feeling burnt out and left behind by the first half of the year, this is your wake-up call to take action and get back to the fundamentals. In this episode, we break down: The Pipeline Reality Check: Why the actions you take right now are directly building your January and February 2027 business. Lessons from Jon Cheplak: Embracing the willingness to take losses, checking your ego at the door, and mastering the mundane. The "Body Cam" Test: A hard, honest question about how you honor your time away from your family. The Failure of the "Hope Method": Why real estate isn't college; you cannot cram for a relationship-driven business. Stop looking at what everyone else is "crushing" on social media. Put your head down, refine your cadence, and get into action. Today is the tomorrow you talked about yesterday. What are you going to do about it?

June 19, 2026Episode 7221 min

Real Connection is Your Competitive Advantage

In today’s market, where transaction volume is down 40% but the agent count remains the same, the casual, "just checking in" approach is officially dead. More agents are fighting over fewer deals, which means the gap between average performers and top producers isn't talent or intelligence; it's communication, skill, and deep relationship-building. In this episode, we cover: Ditch the Friction-Based Texting: Stop trying to explain complex contracts or handle objections over text. Pick up the phone. Top agents use text for quick conversations but use the phone to eliminate friction and build real trust. The Power of Value-Driven Follow-Up: If you aren't sending market updates, hyper-local insights, or video content that answers questions before they are asked, don't send anything at all. Lessons from a 76/80-Year-Old Power Couple: We look at Ryan Young’s (Founder of Fello) parents, the undisputed #1 agents on his team. We break down the 5 simple, fundamental principles they use to consistently outperform agents half their age. Mastering Ryan Serhant’s H.E.A.R.T. Method: A deep dive into the acronym that defines elite client relationships. Get out of judgment and into curiosity. Top agents aren't lucky, and they don't have a secret weapon. They just execute the fundamentals with heart, empathy, and education. Success leaves clues. Are you following them?