Carolyn Capalbo – The Real Story
July 13, 2010
Author’s Note: In keeping with our practice of interviewing interesting real estate industry personalities, Carolyn Capalbo is a REALTOR in Northern Virginia. But she is not the ONLY Carolyn Capalbo in the United States. (There are 4.) One of them is the mother of Ashley Dupree (the infamous “escort” of Eliot Spitzer). Almost instantly, everyone who Googled Carolyn Capalbo saw images of women in bikinis and newspaper articles about the affair. She now has the unenviable task of regaining her image so that she is comfortable having potential clients search for her name.
We caught up with Carolyn at an industry seminar and interviewed her for Real Estate Industry Watch.
EB: Hi Carolyn, you have started a bit of “buzz” in the real estate community as you work to reclaim your name when another “Carolyn Capalbo” became infamous. How is it going so far?
Carolyn Capalbo: The outpouring of support from the Realtor community has been amazing. Agents that I have not met personally have reached out to me and taken time out of their busy schedules to help me reclaim my name. It has been very heartwarming and humbling Read more
Randy Standard from VoicePad -an interview
May 19, 2010
Interviewer’s Note: When we interview people for REIW, we like to find interesting people with interesting and often unique views on the real estate industry. These are people that you would love to talk shop with over lunch and people who challenge your thinking about our industry. Randy Standard is one of those people.
He founded VoicePad – a unique integrated voice response system that has grown rapidly in the real estate industry, but that is not what sets him apart from others. What sets him apart is his unique perspective on the real estate consumer and how they want to do business. Enjoy!
Q: Tell folks a little bit about yourself and how you came to start
VoicePad?
A: My mobile Telephony career start in 1985 with a recently organized company called Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems. We were building this “new animal” called a cellular telephone system in Dallas and San Antonio, Texas. We launched service with 6 analog towers in San Antonio thinking this was all we would ever need:) The experience was extremely entrepreneurial for a 100 year old phone company. What was most interesting about the technology was knowing how it was going to affect everyone and how they connected to others…they just didn’t know it yet. Our first customers were Physicians, Attorneys, and….”bookies” (people who needed to be connected…and could afford a $2500 mobile phone and 40 cents per minute for the privilege of secure mobile communication).
Harris Real Estate University – Tim and Julie Harris
January 19, 2010
Interviewers note: I really enjoy meeting new people and the fun part of the real estate business is that there are all sorts of fun people to meet. One of the more fun people that I have met has been Tim Harris of Harris Real Estate University. Tim is bigger than life, and far more energetic.
Over the weeks since we first talked, I have grown to appreciate his zest for business and his passion for coaching. In a world of folks who do not walk the talk, Tim and Julie Harris do. Here’s a little information about them along with my interview.
Harris Real Estate University
Founded by: Tim and Julie Harris
Purpose: Educate REALTORS on the best techniques and skills of selling in today’s market.
They now reside in Las Vegas and in Laguna Beach California where they moved from their days as RE/MAX REALTORS in Ohio.
GMAC Real Estate combines with Real Living
November 11, 2009
We now know what the new brand will be for GMAC Real Estate. GMAC Realtors received an email today from Graham Badun (CEO of Brookfield) saying that Brookfield Asset Management, who bought GMAC Real Estate about a year ago, has now acquired the Real Living Franchise. Additionally, the email stated that GMAC Real Estate would be re-branded to Real Living.
Badun indicated that Real Living offered the branding needed to provide a strong future for the company.
Harley Rouda, Jr., president of Real Living, will be the new president of the combined company.
Howard Brinton – An Interview I wish we had done.
October 19, 2009
While this is not an interview per se, it is a tribute to a good man and a great person in our industry. Howard Brinton announced that due to his failing health, he is closing down the “Star Power” business that he has operated effective October 1, 2009. Although I never had the chance to meet Howard, he remains one of the most influential and intriguing teachers and sharers of marketing insight in the real estate industry over the last 30 years.
Simply put, there are few things that I regret not doing. I am checking off my “bucket list” at a pretty rapid rate these days. But for a blogger, an online newspaper enthusiast, and conversationalist and a friend of the REALTOR, Howard Brinton will remain at the top of my “Interviews I wish we had done” file.
Here’s to you, Howard!
Russell Shaw – An interview.
August 16, 2008
REPORTER’S NOTE: There are many people that we can interview for Real Estate Industry Watch. There are very few as colorful, fun and most important, as successful and experienced as Russell Shaw. REIW’s Eric Blackwell caught up with Russell (via phone) at the Star Power Seminar in Orlando Florida. This has been my favorite conversation to date.
Russell Shaw is a real estate success story. He and his team have closed over 500 sides in a single year. They year over year continue to be among the best of the best in the real estate business. His experience is proven and his smarts come from the street and years of experience.
Read more
Marnie Blanco from RE/MAX on REMAX.com
July 18, 2008
Marnie Blanco
Marnie Blanco joined RE/MAX in July 2003 as Manager of Information Technology Marketing. She was promoted to Senior Manager of eBusiness and IT Marketing in December 2005 and was named Vice President of eBusiness in June 2006.
Eric Blackwell, from Real Estate Industry Watch, interviewed Marnie about how REMAX.com’s network of broker sites and listing aggregation initiative is doing now that it is over two years old.
Read more
Louis Cammarosano, of HomeGain Interviewed by REIW
May 5, 2008
The Real Estate Industry is covered by a lot of interesting people from a lot of interesting angles. Not all of them are REALTORS. For our inaugural interview, Real Estate Industry Watch’s Wayne Long caught up with the General Manager for Home Gain, Louis Cammarosano via email and interviewed him about HomeGain, the real estate industry and where third party lead generators like HomeGain fit into the real estate marketplace. Read more
