The Mostly Real Estate Podcast, with Declan Spring
Conversations with East Bay real estate agents, creatives, and community voices shaping today’s local market.
The Mostly Real Estate Podcast with Declan Spring spotlights the people shaping East Bay real estate — top producers, rising stars, and agents known for creative marketing or unique insight. Each conversation explores the craft, challenges, and character of this dynamic market.
Produced by Declan Spring and Denitsa Shopova, founders of The Home Factor, a Berkeley-based real-estate and creative-media team, the show celebrates collaboration, storytelling, and community across the East Bay.
CA DRE#01398898
Episodes
67 episodes
Bestie Slay! Gen Z Agents vs. The Market - #66 Emma Dolgin and Ellen Martinez
Two twenty-somethings, high stakes, and a market that refuses to sit still. I sit down with Emma Dolgin (The Grubb Company) and Ellen M...
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1:20:19
Navigating the September 17 Fed Rate Cut: A Mortgage Expert Explains - 65# Evelyn Freitas
When the Federal Reserve announces a rate cut, why do mortgage rates sometimes go up instead of down? This puzzling financial paradox sits at the heart of my insightful conversation with mortgage expert
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1:08:08
Mastering Digital Real Estate: From Barber to TikTok Sensation - #64 Roland Osage
What happens when you combine authentic passion for unique homes with consistent content creation? Roland Osage's journey from barber to real estate powerhouse with over 220,000 TikTok followers provides a masterclass in building a thriving bus...
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1:15:37
Grifters, Racists, a DeLorean, and a Mountain of LSD: Uncovering The East Bay's History with Liam O'Donoghue, Host of East Bay Yesterday - #63
Dive into the captivating underbelly of East Bay history with Liam O'Donoghue, the passionate storyteller behind the acclaimed podcast East Bay Yesterday. From corrupt political beginnings to cultural transformations, this conversation unveils ...
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1:08:45
From Meta to Real Estate: How Ellie Ridge Roared to Success on Instagram - #62 Ellie Ridge
What happens when you combine in-depth construction knowledge, real estate expertise, and authentic social media content? For Ellie Ridge, it created a phenomenon that transformed her from a recently laid-of...
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1:16:35
Decoding the Inner East Bay Housing Market: A Mid-Year Analysis - #61 Aman Daro
What happens when data nerds dive deep into the Inner East Bay real estate market? Aman Daro, Director of Operations at the Grubb Company, returns to the podcast armed with comprehensive MLS data that reveals surprising trends shaping our local...
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1:00:05
What 1,000+ Transactions Have Taught Me - #60 Andrea Gordon REalizations
What happens when you combine 27 years of real estate expertise, theatrical directing, and PhD-level thinking? You get the incomparable Andrea Gordon. Andrea doesn't just sell homes – she tackles challenging client psychology head-o...
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1:22:08
Bonds, Bills, and BS: The Truth About Your Mortgage Rate - #59 Faramarz Moeen-Ziai
What actually makes mortgage rates rise and fall? If you've been waiting for the Federal Reserve to cut rates before buying a home, you might be watching the wrong signals entirely.Mortgage expert Faramarz Moeen-Ziai pulls back the curt...
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1:28:41
Social Media Evolution, Career Growth, and AI Everything - #58 Felicia Mares-Villa
What makes the difference between surviving and thriving in today's real estate landscape? Felicia Mares-Villa has figured it out, scaling the team she co-founded to eight agents in just one year while mastering the ever-shifting world of s...
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1:46:59
From Instagram to Real Estate: How Authentic Content Creates Clients - #57 Rachel Melby
When Rachel Melby moved to El Cerrito she created an Instagram account to document her discoveries in this charming Bay Area community. What began as personal exploration blossomed into I...
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51:28
Navigating the Four Punches to the Inner East Bay Condo Market - #56 Kerri Naslund-Monday
Kerri Naslund-Monday returns to discuss the struggling Inner East Bay condo market, revealing how properties have lost a decade of appreciation.The Inner Eas...
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34:04
An Unexpected Career in Real Estate - #55 David Gunderman Interviews Me!
My journey from Dublin, Ireland to becoming a successful East Bay real estate agent unfolds in this colorful conversation with David Gunderman, part of David's series of live audience conversations titled 'Humble Beginnings'. With hesitant and ...
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1:02:59
How Berkeley's Climate Policies Are Reshaping Property Ownership - #54 Megan Micco
Berkeley's revised energy savings ordinance and a proposed fire safety ordinance will significantly impact homeowners and real estate transactions starting January 2026. Third-generation Berkeley resident and REALTOR®
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35:25
Setting the Record Straight: What The New York Times Got Dead Wrong - #53 José Fernández
What happens when one of the world's most prestigious news organizations publishes a deeply flawed hit piece on an entire profession? That's exactly what Declan Spring and guest, José Fernández, addre...
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34:06
The Data Dynamo of Inner East Bay Real Estate - #52 Mark Choi
Ever wonder what makes East Bay real estate so unique? Meet Mark Choi, a data-driven agent who's been meticulously documenting every property he visits since 2004. In this conversation, Mark explains why he t...
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48:12
Mortgage Market Chaos: Navigating Rates, Tariffs, and Policy Uncertainties - #51 Dominic Villa
What happens when global politics, tariff wars, and housing policy collide? Mortgage expert Dominic Villa pulls back the curtain on today's chaotic lending landscape, revealing truths that every homeowner and buyer needs to understand.W...
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41:29
The No-Money-Down Solution to Selling Your Home - #50 Freemodel's Renovation Rescue:
Let Freemodel remove the barriers to pre-sale renovations.Lara Richmond from Freemodel reveals how pre-sale renovations with no upfront costs can transform properties and maximize sale prices, shar...
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1:10:11
The Clear Cooperation Policy: NAR's Latest Rule Changes - #49
In this episode, we break down the heated debate over the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) Clear Cooperation Policy (CCP) and its latest update. The policy, which requires Realtors to list publicly marketed properties on the MLS within o...
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18:15
From Environmentalist and Non-Profit Business Leader to Cherished Neighborhood Broker - #48 Josh Dickinson - Property Of The Week
Josh Dickinson is not your typical broker! As a trained environmental engineer holding three advanced degrees—including an MBA from the Robert H. Smith School of Business, a Master of Science from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor of Sci...
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1:26:31
Tenaciously Piercing Through the 90's Real Estate Scene, Kerri Naslund-Monday Knows a Thing or Two About Leverage - #47
"Specialty: Tough deals and strategic negotiation. I thrive in negotiations!"Kerri Naslund-Monday is not your average REALTOR®. She's an entrepreneur through and through. To learn more about Kerri, or to reach out to her, vis...
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1:44:06
#46 - Attorney Loulena Miles - Stepped Up Basis
“A well thought out estate plan is an act of love for yourself and your beneficiaries”. So says my guest Loulena Miles. Loulena Miles has been...
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30:39
#45 David Gunderman - The Top Producer Series
During his almost 30 years in real estate, David Gunderman has become the most successful agent in his area, a true industry leader, and in 2022, the
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46:53
#44 - The Dawn Of A New Era PART II - Notes From The Field
It's been two weeks since my last podcast, The Dawn Of A New Era of Real Estate Practice. I recorded that po...
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9:30