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🤖[T]echnology: OMG
🎓 [E]ducation/Entertainment: Deep Research
đź’Ş[C]oaching: NSFW
đź“ą [H]ow To: Easily Edit a Video
Sometimes, this email is easier to write than others. This one was ridiculously easy because the news below is insane…
[T]echnology:
It takes a lot for me to say OMG. This is one of those times…
A new competitor in the AI wars has entered the ring: Manus.
If you didn’t watch the video above, now is your chance…
If you don’t understand the implications of this, I’ll break it down: AI can do everything you do in a fraction of the time, can do it better than you, and is not bound by fair housing restrictions. 🤯
However, I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: AI will not replace agents, but agents that utilize AI will.*
This time, I’m putting a giant asterisk next to that statement. I’m not saying it won’t ever. I’m saying that much like cryptocurrency, there is still a massive learning curve, and until my mom can use it, YOU as an agent have a tremendous opportunity, but the timeline is getting shorter. ⌛
[E]ducation:
Rocket Mortgage—the largest mortgage lender in the U.S.—just bought Redfin for $1.75 billion in stock. That means Redfin’s website (with its millions of monthly visitors) and its real estate brokerage (with 2,200+ agents) now belong to Rocket. 🤯
Think of it this way: Imagine if Zillow also owned the biggest mortgage company in the country. That’s basically what’s happening here.
Why Did Rocket Buy Redfin? ⬇️⬇️
Simple: Power, profits, and pipelines.
More Homebuyers, More Loans – Instead of waiting for people to apply for mortgages, Rocket now owns a home search site where buyers start their journey. Guess who they’ll be pushed to for financing?
One-Stop Shopping – Redfin users can browse homes, get a mortgage, schedule tours, and close—all inside one platform. No more jumping between sites.
More Purchase Loans – Rocket was built on refinancing, but refis have slowed. Buying Redfin helps them grab more purchase mortgages, where the real money is now.
What Does This Mean for Agents? ⬇️⬇️
If you’re a Redfin agent, this could mean more leads and faster transactions (since buyers will already be pre-approved through Rocket). But... if you’re an independent agent, Rocket-Redfin is now your biggest competitor. 👊
Expect fewer referrals from Rocket Mortgage—because why send leads to outside agents when they now have their own in-house brokerage?
What About Buyers and Sellers? ⬇️⬇️
It could mean a smoother, cheaper experience—especially for sellers. Redfin already charged lower commissions, and Rocket might double down on that to undercut traditional brokers.
But… will this limit choices for buyers? Will Rocket make it harder to use outside lenders? That’s what regulators will be watching.
The Big Picture 🖼️
This changes the game. Zillow, Realtor.com, and traditional brokerages have to respond. Either they double down on agent relationships, or they start making their own big moves.
Are we heading toward a few mega-platforms controlling everything—or does this shakeup actually help consumers?
Time will tell. But one thing’s for sure: real estate just changed forever.
This is a mere summary of deep research performed by ChatGPT, which is written in my tone. If you want to read the entire sixteen-page research report, you can do so HERE.
[C]oaching
Since the other two sections were fairly intense this week. I figured I would tone it down double down on intensity but keep to 12 seconds.
Warning! This video contains language NSFW (not safe for work).
Want a masterclass on marketing? 👇
Moral of the story: Go record a video!!!
Advice from a TikTok Superstar!
[H]ow To: With Abby
Something fun that I’ve been noticing is that more and more agents are editing their own content instead of asking me to do it for them. While that’s exciting, it also makes me a little sad because I actually enjoy editing! But in all honesty, you don’t necessarily need someone like me to edit your videos. Sure, it saves time, but if you don’t have someone in your brokerage who does it for free, it can be pretty expensive. 💰💰
So, I’m going to teach you the only editing tools you need to create a postable video!
Step 1: Download CapCut
First, download CapCut onto your computer. It’s 100% free unless you want to use Pro features.
Step 2: Set Up Your Project
Create a user account.
Go to the top left and click File > New Project.
Then, go back up to the top left and click File > Import.
Find where you saved your video and click Import.
Your video will now appear in the Library (top left). Click and drag it down to the editing timeline where it says, "Drag material here and start to create."
Step 3: Editing Your Video 🖥️
Honestly, there are only two main editing skills you need to know: Splitting Scenes and Adjusting Audio.
1. Splitting Scenes (Cutting Out Mistakes) ✂️
This tool helps remove mistakes, awkward pauses, or retakes.
Hover your mouse over the exact part of the clip where you want to make a cut.
Click the black space above the clip where you want the play button to stop. A vertical line will appear over the video.
Look just above your video on the left—there will be a set of buttons. Click this symbol...
Repeat this process at the end of the section you want to remove.
Click the section you just cut and hit Delete. Boom! Mistake removed.
2. Adjusting Audio (Adding Background Music) 🎶
After cutting out errors, I like to add background music to make the video more engaging.
Click Audio (top left), then search for music.
I recommend searching for “lofi hip-hop beats”—they’re great background sounds without feeling like elevator music.
Click the small album cover next to a track to preview it.
Once you find one you like, click, hold, and drag it into your timeline.
To adjust the volume, find the audio waves below your clip. Hover over them until you see two arrows on top of each other. Click and drag to adjust the volume up or down.
Step 4: Exporting Your Video
Once you’re happy with your edit:
Go to the top right and click Export.
Name your video.
Click Export (bottom right).
And that’s it! Now you can do basic video editing on your own—no excuses! 🚀
-Ty Morton + Abby G