If your clients have access to the same AI tools you do, what happens when they start fact-checking your expertise in real time?

Ed Averette and Terence Guess tackle one of the most pressing questions facing real estate professionals today: Is artificial intelligence making agents smarter or eliminating the need for them entirely? Using Terence's memorable fruit cocktail analogy, the hosts explore AI as an enhancement tool versus a dangerous crutch that threatens to replace human expertise. They dive into the uncomfortable reality that clients now have access to the same AI programs agents use, raising critical questions about professional value and relevance. The conversation expands beyond real estate into lending, music, and the broader cultural shift toward automation, while examining the irreplaceable human elements that AI cannot replicate—compassion, exceptions, and the personal touch that defines client relationships. Ed and Terence wrestle with the paradox of efficiency versus authenticity, ultimately landing on a crucial warning: lean too heavily on AI and risk becoming indistinguishable from a vegetable in a field of automation.

Are real estate professionals inadvertently pushing unprepared buyers toward financial disaster by selling the dream of future refinancing that may never materialize?

Terence Guess and Ed Averette deliver an unfiltered examination of buyer preparedness and professional accountability in today's real estate market. The hosts tackle the uncomfortable truth about agents who push unprepared buyers into homeownership with promises of future refinancing opportunities that statistics suggest won't materialize. With interest rate predictions averaging 6.375% for the coming year, Terence challenges the industry's commission structure, proposing a controversial model where agents receive partial payment upfront and the remainder based on loan performance—mirroring the early payment default penalties he faces as a lender. The conversation navigates through the harsh realities of rising insurance costs, the dangerous psychology of desperate buyers who overlook red flags, and the fundamental question of affordability versus desire. Ed and Terence emphasize that preparedness isn't just about qualifying for a loan, but about honest self-assessment of what buyers can truly sustain long-term. They discuss the evolving market landscape, from remote work rollbacks forcing employees back to offices, to the importance of not letting professionals rush anyone's personal homebuying timeline, all while maintaining their signature commitment to straight talk over political correctness.

Why do so many real estate deals fall apart before closing, and what does being "prepared" really mean when the person sitting across from you has zero dollars in their account but believes they're ready to buy a house?

In this candid and no-holds-barred conversation, Terence Guess and Ed Averette pull back the curtain on why real estate transactions terminate before reaching the finish line. With refreshing honesty, they tackle the uncomfortable truth that many buyers enter the market completely unprepared—lacking not just down payment funds, but even basic earnest money deposits. The hosts dissect the dangerous misinformation circulating in the market from what they call "misfits," those giving false hope about programs and gimmicks that don't actually exist for people with zero capital. Terence breaks down the actual mathematics of home affordability, explaining how a $54,000 annual income translates to real purchasing power and how down payment assistance programs actually work versus how they're being misrepresented. The conversation extends beyond buyers to challenge real estate agents and lenders who aren't being real with their clients from the start, creating a culture where deals fall through simply because no one had "skin in the game." This episode serves as both a wake-up call and a roadmap for entering 2026 with integrity, preparation, and realistic expectations in real estate.