312: Commission Conversations You Need to Be Ready For
Release Date: 07/28/2025
328: Realtor Q&A: You Asked, We Answered
Hustle Humbly Podcast
Sometimes you just need another agent to say what everyone else is thinking. In this Q&A episode, Katy and Alissa are answering the real-life, in-the-trenches questions Realtors are navigating every single day. We’re talking client expectations, boundaries, broker advice that doesn’t make sense, and what actually works in today’s market. When y’all send questions to our inbox, you never disappoint. And this batch covers everything from inspections to communication issues to luxury listings to motherhood to what we’d do if we didn’t work in real estate. It’s honest, funny, and...
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327: Avoiding Surprises with Seller Net Sheets & Buyer Cost Sheets
Hustle Humbly Podcast
We’ve all heard the horror stories: buyers showing up to closing short on cash, or sellers shocked at their proceeds. Yikes. The truth? These moments don’t have to happen — not if you’re consistently using buyer cost sheets & seller net sheets. In this episode, we’re breaking down exactly how we use these powerful tools with our clients to build trust, confidence, and calm. And here’s the good news: it’s not complicated, it’s just math + mindset. We’re talking through every single line item on a net sheet, what to include, when to deliver it, and how to tailor it to each...
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326: Managing Sellers with Confidence
Hustle Humbly Podcast
Managing your sellers doesn’t have to feel like herding cats — or losing your mind. In this episode, we’re diving deep into seller client management and giving you the tools (and mindset) to confidently take charge of every stage of the listing process. From deciding whether you even want the listing, to coaching your seller through prep, pricing, updates, negotiations, and closing — this episode covers it all. And yes, we even tackle what to do when your seller flat-out ignores your advice or refuses to clean up their clutter (it happens). This episode was born from your questions —...
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325: Haunted Houses and Realtor Horror Stories
Hustle Humbly Podcast
Haunted house season is here, and we’re back with more of your haunted house real estate stories! This annual episode is equal parts creepy, hilarious, and deeply memorable — and we’re sharing everything from friendly ghosts to record players spinning in power-less foreclosures. Real estate is wild on a normal day, but when things start slamming, whispering, and levitating? That’s next-level spooky. These stories come straight from our listeners and fellow Realtors, and we’ve got it all: haunted listing appointments, ghost dogs, creepy dolls, unexplained cold spots, and even a spirit...
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324: Navigating Contingent Contracts in Real Estate
Hustle Humbly Podcast
Contingencies are back — and they’re anything but simple. In today’s market, contingent offers are popping up left and right, and we’ve got stories. From getting stuck in a 60-day stalemate to crafting creative clauses that save the deal, we’re sharing what it really looks like to handle contingent offers like a pro. This episode is not your typical contract rundown (although if that’s what you want, check out Episode 218). Instead, we’re digging into real-life examples of contingencies gone sideways and how those experiences have changed the way we approach them forever. Whether...
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323: Can AI Replace Realtors?
Hustle Humbly Podcast
In this episode, we’re diving into the truth about AI in the real estate world—and how to use it without losing the personal connection that wins you business. We’ll start with the basics: what even is AI, what does ChatGPT stand for, and how many people are really using it? (Spoiler: it’s more than 700 million weekly.) But don’t worry—we’re not here to get super technical. This is a plain-English chat for agents who want to stay ahead of the curve without losing their mind (or their clients). We’ll also cover one agent’s jaw-dropping story about losing a listing to his own...
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322: Buyer Boundaries: How to Deal with Looky Loos
Hustle Humbly Podcast
Ever found yourself halfway through a showing thinking, “This buyer has no intention of buying anything”? You, my friend, have met the infamous looky loo. They’re curious, they’re charming, and they are a black hole of time, gas money, and sanity, unless you have boundaries. In this episode, we’re going deep into how to manage the buyers who just want to look; the ones who text at 9pm with Zillow links, or who take seven years to finally make a purchase. We’re sharing real stories (some wild ones), actionable strategies, and a whole lot of permission to run your business like a...
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321: Pre-Listing Appraisals: Helpful or Hindrance?
Hustle Humbly Podcast
There’s nothing quite like walking into a listing appointment prepared, only to have the seller slide an appraisal across the table before you can even share your thoughts. In this episode, we dive deep into the sometimes-helpful, often-headache-inducing world of pre-listing appraisals in real estate. Alissa shares a couple of jaw-dropping pricing stories, including one where she was blindsided by an appraisal that came in a full $60K over her estimate—and how she ended up taking the listing anyway (spoiler: she regrets it). Katy and Alissa get real about the pros and cons of pre-listing...
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320.5: BONUS: Real South Agents Podcast Interview’s Alissa
Hustle Humbly Podcast
How do you build a real estate business that lasts? Spoiler alert: it’s not with fancy tech or paid leads. In this bonus episode, we’re sharing Alissa’s recent guest appearance on The Real South Agents Podcast with Jamie Knight. You’ll hear a fresh side of Alissa as she flips the mic and opens up about her earliest days in real estate — from waiting tables to handwriting 250 letters just to build a database. Jamie does a great job pulling out valuable takeaways for both new and struggling Realtors, and you’ll leave this conversation with a renewed sense of purpose and plenty of...
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320: How Educating Buyers Builds Trust and Business
Hustle Humbly Podcast
When Stacie Rihl hosted her first first-time homebuyer class, only 10 people showed up and she had 15 pizzas. Fast forward a few years, and she now runs a national referral business built entirely around teaching buyers how the process works. After gaining experience in both the real estate and mortgage industries, Stacie Rihl recognized a major gap in education and resources for first-time homebuyers. She went on to become an online educator for new buyers, offering free virtual classes that have helped over 20,000 people learn the home-buying process. In this episode, we chat with...
info_outlineEver been asked—by a client or another agent—to cut your commission mid-deal? Or worse, right before closing? It’s happening more and more, and in this episode we’re sharing how to respond, how to prepare, and how to protect your paycheck without losing your professionalism (or your cool).
Inspired by multiple messages and agent stories, we’re diving into what we’re calling the age of commission cutting. We’re not talking about negotiating commission upfront—we’re talking about after you’ve already agreed to terms, done the work, and someone wants you to just... give some of it away.
We walk through real examples of buyer and listing agents being pressured into taking less, how to handle those phone calls in the moment (especially when you feel totally caught off guard), and why “just being nice” can cost you big time.
Whether it’s guilt-tripping, bad math, or a last-minute closing crisis, Katy and Alissa share how to protect yourself before it happens, why mindset and boundaries matter, and some super helpful scripts and phrases you can keep in your back pocket when you need to stand your ground.
You’ll also hear:
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Why commission is not part of the buyer/seller negotiation
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What to say when someone tries to guilt you into a cut
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The biggest mistake you can make when you're feeling bad for your client
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The difference between being kind and being a pushover
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How to do the math on what your time is really worth
Get ready for a pep talk, some wild stories, and practical advice on how to stop treating your income like a favor.
Products, People & Previous Episodes Mentioned:
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Episode 295: Why Buyer Agents Struggle to Get Paid
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Episode 232: Buyer Brokerage How-Tos
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Daryl Davis quote and article referenced
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Episode 296: Peaceful Partings
Key Quotes/Takeaways
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“You’re not a victim in a real estate transaction. You agreed to the terms—stand by them.” —Katy
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“Poor planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.” —Alissa
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“Your commission isn’t a bargaining chip. It’s the price for the service you already delivered.” —Katy
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“Be kind, but stand firm. Those aren’t mutually exclusive.” —Alissa
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“I don’t need to pay you to stay in this deal. That’s not my job.” —Alissa
CTA:
If this topic hit home, take a minute to revisit your buyer consults and listing presentations. Are you clearly outlining your value? Are your clients crystal clear on how and when you get paid? Don't wait until you're put on the spot.
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