Ice hockey rink to Los Angeles real estate: Maxim Sidelnik joins Forward One hosts Paul Mark Morris and Josh Spitzen to share how 12 years of competitive hockey built an agent now closing about 1.5 deals a month. Maxim explains why you still need a buyer’s agent even when you found the house on Zillow yourself, plus how to win repair negotiations, price a listing the right way, and get your offer accepted in a multiple-offer battle. When mortgage rates drop, he shows what that really means for your monthly payment, and why waiting on the sidelines can cost you more than the rate does.

Chapters:

0:00 Maxim Sidelnik, Los Angeles real estate agent

2:12 From ice hockey to real estate

4:01 Real estate license exam prep

5:06 Getting your first deal: cold calling

9:51 Tips for new real estate agents

13:57 Athlete mindset in real estate sales

15:30 How many deals an LA agent closes

18:58 Mortgage rates and your monthly payment

23:24 Buying a home in a slow market

25:41 Repair requests after a home inspection

27:52 Real estate negotiation tips

30:46 Do you need a buyer’s agent?

31:55 How to win a bidding war

37:04 Negotiating an $8 million home

41:18 Why agent reputation matters

44:57 Selling a home in a slow market

49:36 How to price your home

53:38 Home appraisal tips for sellers

56:24 Home inspection tips

59:55 Communicating with sellers

1:03:07 Mentoring new real estate agents

1:05:59 Rapid-fire questions

#RealEstateTips #HomeBuyingTips #LosAngelesRealEstate

A telecom store manager from Texas got his real estate license in 2018. In 2025, he closed just under $50M, and he has sold more than $130M in his career. On this episode of the Forward One podcast, hosts Paul Morris and Josh sit down with LA agent Derek Smith to break down how he did it. In this episode, he shares his real strategies for getting and closing millions in deals.

Timestamps

0:00 Welcome

0:15 How Derek got into real estate

1:20 Reality TV vs. the real work

2:36 $50M in 2025, $130M career

4:08 How he got business as a new agent

4:55 "Follow the money"

6:35 How to stand out with investors

8:32 The cold-call script (live role-play)

11:09 Building trust and the Brentwood deal

12:17 Forcing your way into top neighborhoods

12:58 Niche vs. jack of all trades

16:28 Why new agents should start in a niche

17:37 Branding and negotiation

18:42 Staying accountable without a boss

19:19 Weekly goals: five offers, one or two escrows

21:24 What he does when he misses the week

23:15 Finding inventory through other agents

26:07 The sticky-note accountability idea

28:03 Rapid-fire round

Lynette Marble joins the Forward One podcast to break down the real estate social media strategies she uses to turn TikTok views into new clients and sold homes. From music and editing tools to her 80/20 content formula, she shares the tested tactics that drive sales and build relationships. But her strategy doesn’t end when she puts her phone down. It ties directly into her face-to-face relationships in Ventura County.00:00 Welcome to Forward One with Lynette Marble

00:11 Her real estate journey: starting from ground zero

01:24 Life events that drive buying and selling

02:28 Why real estate is a relationship business, not "churn and burn"

03:32 Two lead-gen models: high-volume vs. relational

04:59 Ventura County roots and community trust

05:33 Turning relationships into business: authenticity and volunteering

06:53 Starting on social media as a new agent

07:44 Targeting first-time home buyers on TikTok

08:37 The 80/20 content formula

09:14 What is a TikTok duet?

10:15 How much business comes from social media (it took 3 years)

10:58 Tracking analytics to see what works

11:35 Social proof vs. lead generation

12:46 Why 99% of buyers use online tools

14:09 Educating viewers vs. "just listed, just sold" posts

15:29 Meeting your audience where they are

16:06 The "How Did We Do It?" series

16:54 The most affordable one-bedroom in Ventura County post

17:59 Editing tools: CapCut and Canva

19:54 Instagram vs. TikTok vs. Facebook: every platform is a language

21:36 Learning new platforms with YouTube

22:21 Running ads from TikTok content

22:50 Why social media skills win over any client

24:05 Filming listings and timing music to video

25:05 Offering to film other agents' home tours

25:52 TikTok affiliate program

26:43 Why she won't sell to her audience

27:35 The next two years: consistency and phone calls

28:04 Marketing-enhanced prospecting

28:29 Her open house system

29:32 Final thoughts