REAL Smart with Cheryl King and Maura Neill
REAL Smart is a podcast about real estate for real estate industry folks — REALTORS®, real estate agents, lenders, closing and title folks, real estate investors, and hey, anyone looking to learn a little more about real estate…and get REAL(ly)* Smart. Join REALTOR® Maura Neill and Real Estate Attorney Cheryl King as they discuss all things real estate -- sometimes they agree, and sometimes they don't (but it's more fun that way, isn't it?). Coming to your ears October 2022, wherever you listen to podcasts! *Fellow grammar nerds...we hear you. CHERYL KING: Cheryl is a real estate closing attorney the Director of the Infinity Institute. She frequently provide presentations to attorneys, mortgage companies and real estate companies on negotiation, financing, loan fraud, contract creation, contract interpretation, cybersecurity, and social media. She is a certified instructor for the Georgia Association of REALTOR®’s Partners in Education Department. She co-hosted the Home Radio real estate radio show on iHeart Radio and currently co-hosts the REALsmart real estate podcast. She published a monthly newsletter on Linkedin and on her smartstips.com website. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Louisiana State University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Richmond School of Law. While attending the University of Richmond, she was the Managing Editor of the Journal of Law and Technology and was named the University of Richmond’s “Woman Lawyer of the Year” by the National Association of Women Lawyers. She and her husband are both Louisiana State University alumnae and there daughter is currently at LSU studying engineering and computer science. MAURA NEILL (ABR, AHWD, CRS, e-PRO, MRP, PSA, MA): Maura is a second-generation REALTOR® who combines her love for the industry with her passion for education. Before getting into the real estate business in 2001, Maura previously taught at Florida State University and the University of Phoenix. She is an active agent with RE/MAX Around Atlanta, leading her team and representing buyers and sellers on a day-to-day basis, and considers education – both clients and other real estate agents – an important part of her role as a REALTOR®. Maura is sought-after nationally for leadership training and as a real estate speaker and instructor on subjects such as emotional intelligence, problem-solving and goal setting, negotiation strategies, and customer service and client retention. She was the Lead Instructor and Subject Matter Expert for NAR’s Military Relocation Professional (MRP) certification and for the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR) elective class, “Generating Buyer and Seller Leads: Capture, Qualify, and Convert.” In 2021, she was a member of the NAR Leadership Team, serving as President Charlie Oppler’s Public and Federal Issues Liaison, and policy, RPAC, and advocacy are a strong focus in her business and work as a REALTOR® volunteer; she is involved on the national, state, and local levels. Peer recognitions include the 2020 CRS National President’s Award and the 2015 Atlanta REALTOR® of the Year. Maura is a 2016 graduate of the NAR Leadership Academy, a Platinum R RPAC investor, a member of RPAC President’s Circle, and was honored at the $50k level of the NAR RPAC Hall of Fame in 2022. Maura lives in Sandy Springs, Georgia, with her husband Ben, and their Beagles Charlie, Jarvis, and Bebe. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Free speech is a constitutional right. The REALTOR Code of Ethics is a professional obligation. But what happens when the two collide? This week, Maura and Cheryl dig into the tension between what you're legally allowed to say and what your code of ethics says you should say -- and where the line gets blurry for agents.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
~ Evelyn Beatrice Hall
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, Maura and Cheryl explore the shifting landscape of seller-offered compensation. With changes like South Carolina REALTORS® removing cooperative compensation from listing agreements—and new expectations around buyer brokerage agreements—agents and sellers alike are rethinking old norms. Should sellers still offer compensation upfront, or is it time for commission to become just another negotiable piece o...
In this episode, Maura and Cheryl tackle loan denial letters in Georgia real estate transactions—what actually qualifies as a valid denial under GAR forms and what doesn’t. They also explore how to navigate conversations with lenders who may not be familiar with Georgia’s contracts and timelines. It’s not the most glamorous topic, but understanding it can make all the difference in protecting your clients&md...
This week, Cheryl and Maura break down how buyers prove they’re serious with the two checks that matter most: earnest money and option money. But this isn’t just a conversation for drafting the initial offer, and these deposits aren’t tools for buyers alone.
Sellers and their agents need a sharp understanding of how these two very different forms of money can strengthen their position as well. When you truly un...
It's March, and this month is all about the green...money, that is. In this episode, Maura and Cheryl discuss a new federal law regulating all-cash transactions. Starting March 1, 2026, a new federal FinCEN rule requires reporting of all-cash (non-financed) residential real estate transfers to legal entities or trusts to combat money laundering. This applies to 1-4 unit properties, condos, and some land, covering LLCs, corporations...
It's not always a sales contract or client relationship that breaks down; sometimes, it's the agent-broker relationship that needs severing. This week, Maura and Cheryl dive into what agents need to know when leaving a brokerage. From contracts and clients to responsibilities and risk, they cover how to exit well and set yourself up for a smooth transition to what’s next.
Download Cheryl's Brokerage Change Self-Evaluation ...
Continuing on the theme of breaking up, this week's episode is a little more positive. This week, Cheryl and Maura focus on contracts that are on the brink -- but not done yet. They discuss when a deal is worth saving, how to de-escalate conflict, and the strategies agents and clients can use to either hold a contract together or thoughtfully let it go.
Want to know more? Click here to access Cheryl's Save the Deal Toolkit: http...
February is all about breaking up -- and this is episode 2 in this month's series. This week, Maura and Cheryl tackle what happens when the agent–client relationship isn’t working anymore. They explore how brokerage agreements can end, what obligations remain after the breakup, and how to part ways professionally and cleanly.
Check out Cheryl's Termination and Expiration Guide for even more info! Link here: tr.ee/wfF...
REAL Smart's new series format launches this month, and this is Episode 1 of "Breaking Up is Hard To Do." This week, Cheryl and Maura break down what happens when a buyer–seller contract starts to unravel. They discuss who can terminate, when termination is allowed, and how to walk away the right way, without creating bigger legal or financial consequences.
Not all contracts stay together, and not all buyers and sellers ar...
On this episode of REAL Smart, Maura and Cheryl are joined by Jack Cotton, CRS, a leading expert on luxury real estate and a REALTOR® in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Jack will be visiting the Georgia REALTORS® on September 9 at our Annual Conference to teach the Residential Real Estate Council's class, "Succeeding in the Luxury Home Market" and joined the podcast to discuss the luxury real estate market, the effects on luxury of the NA...
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