New Real Estate Commission Rules: Richard Fowler Explains What Changed
You may have seen headlines about a big lawsuit that changed how real estate commissions work. In August 2026, a federal appeals court affirmed the settlement in that case, known as Sitzer-Burnett, which quietly reshaped how homes are bought and sold across the country starting in 2024. Let me cut through the noise and tell […]
Moving to Austin, Where Should You Live? A Local Realtor’s Guide
Here is the thing most people do not realize until they get here: Austin is not one place. Living in a downtown condo is a completely different life than living in a suburb with a yard and a school zone, and the towns ringing the city each have their own flavor. We keep Austin weird […]
How to Sell Your Home the Right Way in Central Texas
Most people think selling a home is simple. You put a sign in the yard, you wait for offers, and you take the best one. That approach worked during the pandemic, when a house could get 40 offers in its first 12 minutes on the market. It does not work today. This week Jeff finally […]
Two Realtors for the Price of One: Meet the ARK Property Team
Most people hire one real estate agent and hope they picked a good one. When you work with our team, you get two, and I think that is one of the biggest advantages I can offer a client. This week I brought my partner, Donna Ciccarelli, onto the show to tell her story, because the […]
How to Choose the Right Realtor in Central Texas
The right realtor is the one who fits your personality, communicates consistently, stays in their lane, and prices your home based on data instead of your hopes. Before you hire anyone, ask about their experience, whether they work both sides of the deal, and how they handle the parts of a transaction you never see. […]
New Construction vs. Existing Homes: How to Decide What’s Right for You
After more than fifteen years helping families across Central Texas buy and sell, one of the most common crossroads I see clients reach is this: should you buy an existing home or build new? There’s no single right answer. Both paths have real advantages and real pitfalls, and the right call depends entirely on your […]
Buyer’s Market in Central Texas: What This Quarter’s Numbers Really Mean for You
Every quarter, my friend Jeff Kikel and I sit down to compare notes — him from the financial and investing side, me from the boots-on-the-ground real estate side here in Central Texas. We just wrapped our latest market update, and honestly, it’s one of the more interesting conversations we’ve had in a while. A lot […]
What Every Buyer and Seller Needs to Know About Home Inspections
If you skipped your home inspections during the pandemic frenzy just to get into a house, you already know how that story can end. Surprises. Big ones. The kind that cost thousands of dollars and a lot of sleep. As you navigate the world of home inspections, understanding the process can save you from costly […]
What Every Texas Homeowner Needs to Know About Homestead Exemptions
Part of a new series of weekly conversations between Richard and Jeff Kikel, Chief Investment Officer of Freedom Day Wealth Management LLC. ▶WATCH THE FULL VIDEO: If you own a home in Texas, or you’re thinking about buying one, you need to know about the homeowners’ exemption. This isn’t just paperwork. It’s real money you […]
How I Used AI to Save $1,400 by Protesting Property Taxes
And why every homeowner should know what their neighbor’s house actually sold for I opened my mailbox and pulled out an envelope stamped with the county seal—a property tax appraisal notice. One glance at the new assessed value, and my stomach dropped. How could it have jumped so much in a single year? This experience […]