In this episode, I sit down with Carter Dorsch, Co-Owner at 98 Real Estate Group, to talk about real estate on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. We get into Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Hurricane Michael, what makes the area so unique, and how Carter went from sitting in empty open houses with a chair and flyers to helping build one of the top real estate brands in the market.

We also talk about branding, newsletters, handwritten letters, AI listing descriptions that sound like a robot had too much coffee, Ed Ball, the St. Joe Company, college football, local food spots, and why “don’t half-ass it” is solid life advice. Carter is sharp, honest, and easy to talk to, and this was a really fun one for anyone interested in real estate, marketing, or coastal towns.

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Chapters:

00:00 Intro
02:24 Carter Dorsch Joins the Show
02:54 Running 98 Real Estate Group
03:43 Florida’s Forgotten Coast
04:45 COVID and Coastal Demand
06:09 Hurricane Michael and Mexico Beach
08:30 Building Codes and Stronger Homes
12:15 Rebuilding After the Storm
14:36 Getting Started at 98
17:31 Early Pressure and Eating What You Kill
21:43 Buying Into the Business
23:34 Lessons From Ownership
25:03 Branding and Visibility
26:52 Newsletters and Referrals
28:40 AI in Real Estate
31:34 Smarter Direct Mail
34:51 Fastest-Growing Coastal Markets
37:27 Recruiting Agents and Protecting the Brand
40:59 Ed Ball, DuPont, and George Washington
43:25 The St. Joe Company
53:17 The Future of the Forgotten Coast
59:45 Carter’s Long-Term Vision
1:02:34 College Football
1:05:52 Rapid Fire
1:10:29 Handwritten Letters Still Work
1:14:08 Famous Clients
1:15:32 Don’t Half-Ass It
1:17:35 The Myrtle Beach Closing Story
1:19:53 Where to Find Carter