Want to Help Buyers? Here’s How to Get Them Up to $31,500 for a Down Payment w/ Johnita Herndon
Release Date: 02/18/2025
What It Actually Takes to Succeed After You’re Licensed w/ Craig Grant
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The hard truth about real estate is that getting your license doesn’t prepare you to sell homes. It only makes you legally allowed to try. Pre-licensing only teaches us consumer protection. We learn nothing about lead generation, building a brand, running a database, using a CRM, or building a real business with staying power. Real estate success doesn’t come from passing a test or “figuring it out as you go”; it comes from systems, support, and real education. The kind you get from strong instructors, the right broker environment, and intentionally building skills you weren’t taught...
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The Real Reason You Can't Get a Mentor (Stop Doing This)
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One of the most common questions I hear in real estate is, “Will you mentor me?” Here’s the truth: most people asking that question haven’t done a single thing to earn mentorship. They don’t know us, we don’t know them, there’s no shared work or contribution, just an expectation that access should be free because they asked nicely. Let’s clear something up. Mentorship doesn’t come from chasing people down hallways or sending hopeful DMs; it comes from contribution. What most agents miss is the ultimate power move that doesn’t seem like one at first. It puts you in...
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The Human–AI Combo That Gives Real Estate Agents an Edge w/ Blair Knowles
Social Selling Made Simple
One of the biggest misconceptions in real estate right now is the belief that AI should take agents completely out of the process. We constantly hear agents asking, “How do I automate this so I never have to touch it again?” But that’s the wrong mentality, and it’s actually where you start losing money instead of making more of it. Because AI isn’t at a point where it can replace us, and more importantly, we don’t want it to get there. The real power of AI isn’t replacement; it’s acceleration. It collapses the time it takes to write, plan, organize, produce content,...
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AEO Is the New Gateway to Real Estate Leads: Here’s How to Use It w/ Ken Tucker
Social Selling Made Simple
For years, we’ve been taught that SEO was the key to being found online, write the blogs, keep the website fresh, get your backlinks, and trust the process. But there’s a new shift happening in real estate that most agents haven’t caught onto yet. AEO, or Answer Engine Optimization, is quietly becoming more powerful than traditional SEO. And it makes perfect sense. Buyers and sellers aren’t searching the way they used to. They’re asking full questions out loud into their phones, their cars, and their AI tools. They don’t want links…they want answers. AEO is built for...
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The Modern Agent’s Advantage: Systems That Sell Homes While You Sleep w/ Dave Charest and Stephanie Alonso
Social Selling Made Simple
Most agents think marketing has gotten harder, that technology, AI, and algorithms have made everything too complicated. But the truth is, it’s never been easier to be a marketer and to actually get results. You can create video content without showing your face. You can automate your emails, SMS, and social posts in minutes. You can turn one idea into ten pieces of content that generate leads while you sleep. Yet most agents still struggle to grow; not because the tools are hard, but because they’re doing what everyone else is doing… or worse, doing the bare minimum. In today’s...
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Chicago REALTORS® Hall of Fame: What It Means to Me
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Real estate ain't just about buying and selling houses, it's about people. The families we help, the communities we build, the dreams we make possible through ownership. Anybody can chase closings. But being a REALTOR® means something deeper; it means showing up with integrity, protecting consumers, and building trust one deal, one class, one conversation at a time. And let's get one thing straight, mentorship isn't a Facebook post. It's not about being seen. Mentorship is a promise. It's about opening doors, not hoarding keys. It's not proximity, it's access. Don't just sit beside someone...
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How to Build a Retirement-Ready Real Estate Business with AI w/ Glennda Baker
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Most agents are a little freaked out by AI, but here’s the truth: it’s not here to replace the real estate professional. It’s here to replace inefficiency. For years, real estate has rewarded the agents who grind harder, not smarter. The ones who show up earlier, stay up later, and never stop hustling. But the next wave of top producers will be the ones who out-automate everyone else. When most agents hear “AI,” they think job loss. But what if it’s actually the key to something real estate’s never offered: predictable income and real financial freedom? What if it’s the missing...
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From Invisible to Irreplaceable: How to Stand Out in Today’s Real Estate Market w/ Knolly Williams
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“Secret agents don’t get found, and closed mouths don’t get fed.” It’s more than a catchphrase; it’s a survival strategy for today’s market. In an environment where inventory is scarce, clients are cautious, and other agents are everywhere, invisibility will keep you from earning more. If you aren’t proactively creating opportunities, asking for business, and showing up where consumers are, you’ll get overlooked every time. That’s why differentiation isn’t a luxury; it’s the core of winning in real estate right now. And the sharpest ways to position...
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The AI Playbook for Winning Buyer Loyalty in a Post-NAR Settlement World
Social Selling Made Simple
For a long time, buyer representation was an afterthought. Agents leaned on MLS commission notes, dodged tough conversations about compensation, and hoped clients would just go along. But after the NAR settlement, that safety net vanished. Now, if we can’t clearly show our value and lock in a signed buyer rep agreement, we’re at risk of losing clients, income, and even putting ourselves in a legal bind. Here’s the twist: AI isn’t just a cool extra. When we use it right, it can be our sharpest edge in this new reality. With ChatGPT, predictive analytics, and the right...
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The Rise of the Rookie: Why New Agents Are Outpacing Experienced Agents
Social Selling Made Simple
The real estate world has shifted, and whether we like it or not, there’s no going back. Too many agents are still treating the changes as an extinction event, but here’s the truth: if you adapt, we still have the opportunity we’ve had to grow market share in years. Since the settlement, more agents have entered the industry. That means more competition, but also more proof that complacency kills careers. The new agents are hungry, willing to try what others won’t, and most importantly, they’re not afraid to embrace tools like AI to move faster and smarter. I’ve been in...
info_outlineNo matter what anyone says, owning real estate is still the most powerful way for families to build wealth and transfer it to the next generation. A lot of people would love to own a home, but can’t afford some of the costs that come with the purchase.
Well, there is a solution…down payment assistance gifts from family, work or even your church. A lot of people are sitting on equity or cash reserves that could be the perfect down payment assistance gift for first time home buyers.
This is a great way to put the wealth vehicle that is real estate in motion, and help more people build wealth for themselves. Real estate agents who are knowledgeable about these programs are more likely to win buyers and get paid what they’re worth, which goes a long way right now.
What should we ask every buyer we talk to? What are some of the pockets of funds first time buyers have access to? In this episode, CRA Residential Loan Officer at Associated Bank, Johnita Herndon shares how buyers can get up to $31,500 in down payment assistance, and all the funds that are available right now.
Things You’ll Learn In This Episode
- Down payment assistance dos and don’ts
When it comes to down payment assistance gifts, every lender and home loan type is different. How do we make sure we meet the requirements?
- The gift of homeownership
From churches and employers to family members, there are many sources of down payment assistance. How can real estate professionals use this to increase their value proposition and help their communities?
- Homeownership is still important
Our ancestors built their wealth by owning houses. How can we pass this wealth on to the next generation?
Guest Bio
Johnita Herndon is a CRA Residential Loan Officer at Associated Bank, she has over 10 years of banking experience, having served in various capacities within residential lending. Johnita is passionate about working with First Time home buyers, down payment assistance programs, homebuyer education, and rehab/new construction. As a community loan officer, Johnita also works as a liaison to nonprofit organizations that provide homeowner education to low- and moderate-income families. The focus is to create a successful homebuyer through education and counseling. Johnita Grew up on the Westside of Chicago and currently resides in Maywood, IL. Johnita has been a mortgage and loan professional for more than 10 years. Graduating from Olivet Nazarene University with a degree in Economics & Finance. To learn more, call or text 312-401-0702. You can also follow Johnita on Instagram and Facebook.
About Your Host
Marki Lemons Ryhal is a Licensed Managing Broker, REALTOR® and avid volunteer.
She is a dynamic keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, both on-site and virtual; she's the go-to expert for artificial Intelligence, entrepreneurship, and social media in real estate. Marki Lemons Ryhal is dedicated to all things real estate, and with 25+ years of marketing experience, Marki has taught over 250,000 REALTORS® how to earn up to a 2682% return on their marketing dollars. Marki’s expertise has been featured in Forbes, Washington Post, http://Homes.com , and REALTOR® Magazine.
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