PREP Professional Real Estate Partners

Just heard from Tiffany Taradash Whalen over at CrossCountry Mortgage ...

The Federal Reserve held rates steady at today's meeting, a move markets were already expecting.

Inflation remained a key factor behind the Fed's decision - officials noted that elevated inflation makes it harder to justify lowering rates right now.

Labor market conditions reinforce the case for holding steady too, since unemployment hasn't climbed enough to push the Fed toward cutting.

HOWEVER, according to Andrew Ackerman at the Washington Post, Federal Reserve officials signaled today they might soon need to raise interest rates instead of cutting them, a sharp shift in thinking amid a rapid rise in inflation.

New Chair - New Chapter

All eyes are turning to this week's Fed meeting with our new chair Kevin Warsh. Markets will be listening closely for any shift in tone, particularly around inflations progress and the path of rate cuts. With oil pulling back and financial conditions easing, this may give the Fed more flexibility - but expectations are very much data dependent.

Week of June 15, 2026 compliments of City Wide Home Mortgage

There is still time to registere for this class in Flagstaff.

Time for another great book to review!
6 Steps to 7 Figures by Pat Hiban

If you’re in real estate and feeling stuck somewhere between “busy” and “burned out,” this book is a strong reminder that success is not accidental — it’s intentional, measurable, and repeatable.

Pat Hiban takes readers through the exact mindset and systems that helped him grow from earning $13,000 a year in commissions to building a billion-dollar real estate career. What makes this book different is that it isn’t just motivational fluff. It’s practical, honest, and filled with actionable ideas that agents can implement immediately.
My biggest takeaways:

• Track EVERYTHING — goals, lead sources, expenses, net worth, and time.
• Focus on dollar-productive activities instead of staying “busy.”
• Stop reinventing the wheel and learn from those already succeeding.
• Build relationships and community, not just transactions.
• Leverage systems and people so your business can grow without consuming your life.
• Long-term wealth matters more than chasing short-term commission checks.

One of the most refreshing parts of the book is that Pat openly discusses evolving from being a workaholic into someone who intentionally built more freedom and balance into his life. That message hits especially hard in today’s real estate world where so many agents feel pressured to always be “on.”

As someone who believes deeply in relationship-based business, coaching, teaching, and building a legacy beyond just transactions, this book reinforced something important for me:
👉 You do not build a 7-figure business by doing more random things.
👉 You build it by consistently doing the RIGHT things.

Some of those “right things” include:
• Lead generation every day
• Building relationships instead of just transactions
• Tracking the numbers instead of relying on emotion
• Staying visible during tough markets
• Investing in personal growth and coaching
• Creating systems that bring consistency and freedom

The one quote that really stood out for me was "Successful people do consistently what others do occasionally."

What's one business book that has truly changed the way YOU think?

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm actually thankful for the conversations agents across the country are having about protecting both homeowners AND personal information because some of the newest real estate scams are getting incredibly convincing.

Recently saw a message from a "buyer" that sounded normal. They said they were very interested in a new listing I had and preferred a Zoom meeting because phone calls at work had connection issues. Professional. Polite. Believable.

That's exactly WHY people need to be careful.

Some of these "buyers" will communicate for DAYS before suggesting a Zoom call. Then they send a fake meeting link to steal passwords, banking access, stored browser information, and personal data once someone logs in.

This is also an important reminder for homeowners thinking about selling on their own. Real Estate transactions involve sensitive information, and unfortunately, the "bad guys" know that too.

Please SLOW DOWN, verify links carefully, and never assume a professional-sounding message is automatically safe. In today's world, protecting your digital safety matters just as much as protecting your home.

Sunday Scoop Book Review

One thing I kept thinking while reading "More Than the Tattooed Mormon" by Al Carraway is how much this applies to leadership, coaching, and real estate.

In this industry, it can be easy to judge people by appearances, production numbers, confidence levels, social media presence, or first impressions. But behind every agent, client, buyer, seller, or coworker is a real human being carrying experiences, fears, struggles, hopes, and insecurities we may never fully see.

Some of the greatest agents I have known were not the loudest in the room. Some of the best clients are the ones who simply needed someone to believe in them. Some people blossom when they finally feel seen instead of judged.

Great coaching — and honestly great real estate — is not just about transactions. It is about people.
Listening.
Encouraging.
Believing in potential.
Helping others recognize their worth.

This book was a beautiful reminder that people are often capable of far more than the labels the world gives them.

Have you ever read a book that completely changed how you viewed people - or even yourself??

Time for another book review!

Rich Habits: The Routines Millionaires Use Daily That Will Help You Build Wealth

This one was pretty simple, practical, and highly actionable - especially for people like me who want to improve their financial life without feeling like they need to become Wall Street experts! Wealth is often the result of repeated daily habits - not luck. AND this book IS NOT a get rich quick book by any means - it's about building systems that compound over time. Here are my key take-aways.

Millionaires tend to:
*Wake Up Early
*Follow Routines
*Prioritize Goals Daily
*Limit Wasted Time
*Take Care of Their Bodies (I need to work on this one!)

Relationships matter tremendously and we should associate with optimistic, growth-oriented professionals and avoid negativity. We do work in real estate so this one really connects because our business is highly relationship-driven and consistency-driven!

We need to spend more time reading educational materials, listening to learning content, and improving our skills. I have this one down with all my designations & certifications and teaching CE classes really helps. I am trying to learn all the new AI but it is changing almost every day!!

We need to write down our goals, review them daily, track our progress and have a long-term vision.

Now, the hard one for me was to exercise, eat healthy, sleep, and stress management. This section becomes more meaningful as we get older because energy becomes our most valuable resource.

Small consistent actions compound over time - in wealth, relationships, health and business.

What's ONE daily habit that has positively changed your life?

Time for another book review! This one is Selling Luxury Homes by Jack Cotton.

The CORE takeaway for this book isn't about bigger homes...it's about higher expectations, deeper relationships, and elevated service. This particular book doesn't really dive deep into social media or AI which I am really doing a deep dive into that right now. The main theme is constant touches, consistent follow-up, & know the data! Luxury clients don't hire uncertainty and want everything done professionally and marketing needs to be top-notch. For instance say "San Francisco Peak views at sunrise" instead of "great home with a view!"

This one is a must-read if you want to:
*Break Into Luxury
*Elevate Your Service
*Build Long-Term High-Net-Worth Relationships

This book is older but it does fit beautifully if you have a high referral business and you respond quickly and provide white-glove service.

This book really can help provide you with a mindset shift. If you have been following this great page - ask how you can get a free copy of this one!