Tech with Ty

🤖[T]echnology: Too Much AI
🎓 [E]ducation: Wars by Mailers
📝 [C]oaching: Bezos Pizza
📹 [H]ow To: Start a YouTube Channel

[T]echnology: 

There’s literally too much AI to keep up with.

Here’s what caught my eye this week:

Teams of AI agents working together to conduct deep research across multiple sources. One agent gathers data while another analyzes and a third writes reports.

Coding/creating is becoming ridiculously easy.

But the above is a lot to take in, especially for non AI savvy…that’s where Emergent comes in. 

I put in a very simple prompt, and was able to create an AI news site that aggregates all of my favorite news sources into bite-sized previews…not only did it create the site, but it TESTED it for errors too - this has been my biggest headache in development. While things I’ve created may look shiny on the outside, the real test is creating the backend servers and databases…it does that! Stay tuned, I’ll be launching that soon!

But first I need a domain name, so of course I asked ChatGPT Agent to find me one that isn’t $1000’s. It’s working on it now and because I’m ridiculous…I haven’t found the perfect one yet (only reason it’s not launching today).

Imagine what you can create for your community? For buyers and sellers…

[E]ducation:

This week I received this letter from Homes.com in the MAIL.
Yes, real mail. ✉️ Paper. Envelope. The whole thing.

Which means they spent millions to get this message into the hands of agents across the country. And when you read it, it’s clear why.

Homes.com, which is owned by CoStar Group—yes, the same CoStar that completely took over the commercial real estate world with LoopNet and CoStar Pro—is officially done playing nice. 

The letter accuses Zillow of leveraging its market power to:

• Bully agents

• Ban listings

• Scoop up leads

According to Homes.com, if you don’t upload your listing directly to Zillow within 24 hours, it gets flagged as off market ❌—even if it’s live in the MLS. That means buyers see it as unavailable, and agents lose out on leads they should have had in the first place.

💥 And it gets messier. Homes.com says Zillow is:

• Misleading consumers

• Reselling agent leads without permission

• Encouraging sellers to avoid using agents altogether

• Forming cozy alliances with Redfin and Realtor.com through what CoStar is calling an “anticompetitive partnership model”

It’s the kind of accusation that would normally stay in boardrooms, but they’re mailing it straight to agents. That’s how serious this is.

Then came the second act. CoStar has filed a lawsuit against Zillow, alleging systematic photo infringement. You can check out the full article here. The claim? Zillow allegedly built its business on pirated listing photos and misused intellectual property to fuel its entire platform. 

🔥 This is no longer just a tech turf war. This is a full-scale legal and marketing battle between two industry giants over:

• Who controls the consumer experience

• Who gets the lead

If you think this doesn’t affect you, think again. These portals are fighting over the very listings and buyer eyeballs 👀 that drive your business.

👀 Keep your eyes open. This is the future of listings, and it’s unfolding fast.

[C]oaching:

Let me just start with… I don’t think Jeff Bezos is the greatest guy out there 🙃. But when it comes to how he runs meetings at Amazon, I have to admit—the man is onto something. 💡

His rules are simple:

🍕 Keep meetings small enough to feed everyone with two pizzas.
🚫 Ditch the PowerPoints.
🤫 Start with silence so everyone’s on the same page.
🪑 Always leave a seat for the customer.
⚡ Encourage disagreement early.
✅ End with clear ownership.

Now, I know what you’re thinking—this doesn’t really apply to real estate agents. We’re not holding weekly board meetings with the VP of widgets. But if you’ve ever worked in a corporation, you’ve probably sat through meetings that went on forever ⏳ and solved absolutely nothing. And unfortunately, some of that has bled into our industry too. 

We got too used to the idea that every decision needs a big meeting. The more people in the room, the better. But what actually happens?

⏱️ You waste time.
⚙️ You lose momentum.
🪤 You start using meetings as a crutch instead of a tool.

This has been a pet peeve (funny enough, so is the word “peeve” 😂) of mine for years, which is why I was so proud when a few of our agents created something called Collabaluncheon.

It’s their own mastermind-style lunch meetup where they:

🏆 Share wins
💡 Swap ideas
🛠️ Talk about what’s working (and what’s not)

I don’t go. Not because I don’t want to, but because I want it to stay agent-led. I want them to speak freely without me in the room, turning it into a training session. 

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Wow, I could use something like that,” then start one. It doesn’t need to be fancy:

👥 Grab two or three other agents.
📅 Meet once a month.
📝 Share scripts.
📈 Compare marketing ideas.
💬 Talk shop.

Keep it casual and focused. No slides. No fluff. Just agents helping agents.

Because that kind of collaboration? It moves the needle way more than another bloated meeting ever will. 

📌 Take the graphic above… Print it. Tape it to your wall. Send it to anyone you'd like to join your meeting.
🚀 Then go build something better with your time.

[H]ow To: With Abby

YouTube is actually not my forte. I find long-form YouTube videos to be extremely oversaturated. Back in 2010–2015, it wasn’t as hard to gain traction with your YouTube videos, but now it’s tricky because there are so many people posting to YouTube every day (about 2,500 videos a minute).

However, YouTube Shorts are not nearly as saturated as long-form videos. I find it just as easy to gain views on YouTube Shorts as I do on TikTok videos. The demographic is similar, as is the style of video content.

🎯 Step 1: Define Your Channel Purpose

Before creating your channel, be clear on what your audience will gain from your videos. Pick a niche and stick with it. To help narrow down your niche:

• Think about your target demographic. What videos would they be interested in?

• Consider what you enjoy filming related to the industry. The more passionate you are, the easier filming will be.

🛠 Step 2: Set Up Your Channel

1. Create a Google Account (if you don’t already have one).

2. Go to YouTube.com and click your profile picture → Create a channel.

3. Add your branding:

   • Channel Name: Include your name and/or market (e.g., Abby Sells Dayton Homes).

   • Profile Picture: Use a professional headshot.

   • Banner: Create a banner with your logo, tagline, and posting schedule (Canva works great for this).

   • About Section: Write a short bio that highlights your expertise and service area.

4. Add your contact info and links (Linktree, website, social media).

🎥 Step 3: Plan Your Content

Outline 4–6 video ideas to launch with:

• "Cost of Living in [Your City]"

• "Top 5 Mistakes First-Time Buyers Make"

• "Touring [Neighborhood] in [City]"

• "2025 Housing Market Update in [City]"

• "Day in the Life of a Realtor" 

💡 Pro Tip: Start with search-friendly topics that potential clients are Googling. Film multiple videos in one day and simply change outfits between shoots to save time. 

🎬 Step 4: Get Your Equipment

You don’t need a huge budget to start:

• Smartphone with a good camera (most iPhones/Androids work great)

• Ring light or softbox lighting

• Microphone (like a Rode Wireless Go or a simple lav mic)

• Tripod for stability

• Video editing software (CapCut, iMovie, or Canva for beginners)

🧑‍💻 Step 5: Film & Edit Your Videos

• Film in natural light whenever possible.

• Keep videos short (5–10 minutes for most topics, 15–30 seconds for Shorts).

• Add captions and text overlays for key points.

• Include B-roll footage (neighborhood shots, house tours, etc.).

• Edit with jump cuts and upbeat music to hold attention.

🏷 Step 6: Optimize for Search (SEO)

• Title: Use keywords buyers or sellers would search for (e.g., "Living in Dayton, Ohio – 2025 Pros & Cons").

• Description: Write a detailed summary and include links to your website or contact info.

• Tags: Add relevant keywords (e.g., "Cincinnati real estate," "buying a home in Dayton").

• Thumbnail: Create bold, clickable designs in Canva.

• Chapters: Break up your video into sections to improve watch time.

📅 Step 7: Create a Posting Schedule

• Start with 1 video per week for consistency.

• Batch film several videos at once to save time.

• Post on the same day each week (YouTube rewards consistency).

📢 Step 8: Promote Your Channel

• Share your videos on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and in email newsletters.

• Embed videos on your website or blog.

• Collaborate with local businesses or lenders for cross-promotion.

• Promote your channel on other platforms and encourage people to subscribe.

📊 Step 9: Track Analytics

• Monitor your views, watch time, and click-through rate.

• Identify which videos perform best and create more of that content.

• Double down on topics that generate leads or high engagement.

🚀 Step 10: Convert Viewers into Clients

• Include a call-to-action in every video:“If you’re thinking about buying or selling in Cincinnati, I’d love to help. My contact info is in the description below.”

• Offer free resources (like a buyer guide) to capture email addresses.

• Engage with commenters to build trust and relationships.

Like I mentioned above, YouTube can be tricky. Unlike TikTok, YouTube has been around for a long time. This has given many creators a head start. But that doesn’t mean you can’t start posting now. People still use YouTube to find informative videos—especially in an older demographic that isn’t on TikTok.

Want high commission, a low cap, and real support to grow your business? Aspire is our exclusive program for motivated agents who are ready to scale fast with elite coaching and next-level tools

-Ty Morton + Abby G