Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio

Despite the fact that Atlanta has a river flowing through the center of it, it isn't known as a river city. We are hoping that changes with the Chattahoochee River Project and Atlanta embraces the river the way that Chattanooga, Tennesse or Greenville, South Carolina have creating areas where the public can interact with the river. Chattahoochee Program Director Walt Ray, PLA, AICP with Trust for Public Land joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the Chattahoochee River Project. On the All About Real Estate segment, Ray chats with host Carol Morgan about how the public can access the river and ways to get involved with the project. Walt Ray, PLA, AICP is a professional landscape architect and part of the American Urban Planners Association. Growing up on a quaint farm on the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania, Ray spent most of his time exploring along the river – starting his passion for the outdoors and riverside culture. Ray holds a degree in landscape architecture from Clemson Universi

Dan O’Dwyer, the founder of O’Dwyer Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as part of the Legends of Real Estate series. O’Dwyer chats with host Carol Morgan about his decades of experience in the home building industry, working through the Great Recession and his involvement in the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA). Known as the kid in his childhood neighborhood that built the most excellent playhouses, O’Dwyer has always had a passion for construction. O’Dwyer was part of one of the country’s earliest building construction management programs at Michigan State University earning a degree in construction. O’Dwyer said, “I remember carpenters working on my folk’s home when I was 12 years old and telling them, ‘I want to do what you do.’” Meeting in the eighth grade and becoming college sweethearts, O’Dwyer’s wife Kathy serves as his right-hand and an essential part of the O’Dwyer Homes. Kathy is head of marketing and model homes at the home building company, taking on virtuall

Executive Officer Robin Wallace with the Greater Columbus Home Builders Association (GCHBA) joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the Columbus housing market. On the All About Real Estate segment, Wallace sits down with host Carol Morgan to chat about their unique Careers in Construction program and how to get involved in the community. Originally from Illinois, Wallace grew up in a small farming community where she lived a sheltered life that began her passion for workforce development. Wallace earned a degree in mass communications, started her career in radio and worked within the broadcasting industry for over 15 years. In 2003, Wallace became the marketing director of the Columbus Civic Center - where she managed and directed several events. Later, she became an executive officer at the Greater Columbus HBA in 2019 after being approached by a builder who encouraged her to apply! Wallace said, “I feel the Greater Columbus HBA is exactly where I need to be…I love the amazing people

Director of Research and Communications Katie Fidler with St. Bourke joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share a glimpse into the Atlanta housing market. Fidler sits down with host Carol Morgan to discuss lot shortages, development updates and her predictions for the remainder of the year on the All About Real Estate segment. Living in the Atlanta area for most of her life, Fidler graduated from the University of Georgia and has over a decade of experience in the Atlanta real estate industry. Starting in office and leasing, Fidler shifted paths in 2015 to residential investment and has focused heavily on the development side of real estate ever since. Fidler is currently transitioning roles to move back under the umbrella of St. Bourke’s parent company Drapac Capital Partners and refocus on the investment side of the business. Fidler said, “I’m a jack-of-all-trades in terms of Atlanta real estate. I love this market and living in Atlanta!” When comparing the first quarter of this year to the

Farrell Middleton, president of The Bell Curve of Life, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss his new company, The Bell Curve of Life program. Middleton sits down with host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment to share what The Bell Curve of Life offers and who can benefit from the program. Originally from Savannah, Georgia, Middleton currently resides in Atlanta with his wife, Cathy, and is a proud father of two adult daughters, living in the area. Middleton graduated with honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned his degree in building construction. After graduating, Middleton entered the Atlanta home-building industry and had a long, successful 36-year career. In early 2022, Middleton decided to start his long-awaited second career as a teacher, coach and mentor. Middleton said, “The Bell Curve of Life has been a goal of mine for most of my adult life, and I have been loosely working on the concept for many years!” Switching careers at 57 years ol

Carl Riden, the founder of Redmont Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as part of the Legends of Real Estate series. Riden sits down with host Carol Morgan to touch on his decades of experience, working in the Great Recession and his time in the home building industry. Riden was born and raised on a small cotton farm near Bostwick, Georgia. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in agricultural engineering, Riden served in Vietnam with the United States Army and later worked for the Georgia Power Company as a salesman, selling electricity to builders. Riden began his career in the real estate industry working with a local apartment developer, which led him to start his own business in 1977, Carl Riden Homes – which later became Harcrest Homes. Starting his building career in the late 1970s, Riden sold his first home for $49,000. In the early days his first homes featured 1,600 square feet of living space and were brick or stucco structures. With split-level house

Melanie Burruss, leasing and marketing with Ranch Cottages for Rent, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss unique home plans and community amenities. On the All About Real Estate segment, Burruss chats with host Carol Morgan about Ranch Cottages for Rent’s new mascot, Dogwood. With almost 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, Burruss has worked for several local builders in the metro Atlanta area as an on-site agent and had the pleasure of working with Jim Chapman Communities for the past six years – with a focus on Ranch Cottages for Rent for three of those years. Ranch Cottages for Rent comprises of multiple rental communities boasting beautiful homes that feature one- to two-car garages, accommodating floor plans and impeccable attention to detail. The luxury rentalsare one-level, attached single-family homes developed with millennials, seniors, Gen X and active adults in mind. Each cottage community offers five different floor plans highlighting open-level living, a

President Stephen Haines with Artisan Built Communities joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss new and upcoming communities and give updates on popular neighborhoods, including Heritage Pointe at The Georgian, Stratford at NatureWalk and Serenity in Hapeville. Haines joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment. A familiar face in the homebuilding industry, Haines has been a part of the industry from a very young age and has had the opportunity to work for many big builders throughout his 25-year career. He joined the Artisan Built Communities team four years ago and now leads the organization and its growth efforts.  Founded in 2012, Artisan Built Communities specializes in constructing residences that buyers proudly call home. The builder takes special care to create stunning exteriors, focus on architecture and specialize in a home’s finer touches.  Haines said, “While we are a production builder, we like to build things that are a notch above and [Serenity] is no ex

Gene Eidelman, the co-founder of Azure Printed Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss founding a 3D home printing company and how the process revolutionizes the home building industry. Eidelman chats with host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment. Originally from Ukraine, Eidelman relocated to Atlanta in the mid-1980s and has lived in the eclectic city for over 20 years. With a background in real estate development and construction, Eidelman and his business partner founded Azure Printed Homes three years ago to build more affordable housing with a positive environmental impact at a faster pace. After building homes using traditional measures, the Azure team shifted to 3D printing methods. In the past two years, Azure Printed Homes has worked hard to perfect its 3D printing practices by trying different computer methods, finding the best equipment to print units and much more! Eidelman and his team delivered their first printed home unit last year. Eidelman said, “I

Managing Partner Mike Vahle with Capital Growth StoreGuard joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss his focus on community and the growth within the self-storage industry. On the All About Real Estate segment, Vahle joins host Carol Morgan to share an overview of what Capital Growth StoreGuard offers. With a background in real estate development, Vahle has worked with small businesses and large companies such as Walmart and Publix Storage. In January of 2023, Vahle and his business partner, Eric Buchalter, launched Capital Growth StoreGuard – a real estate development and acquisition company focused on self-storage. Capital Growth StoreGuard is an Atlanta-based company that provides solutions to customers seeking more space to store their valuable goods. After a few months in, Vahle and his team acquired a facility in Georgia where they continue to expand and add amenities to modernize the offering. The company is also working on several development projects in the metro Atlanta area and

Vice President of Safety and Training Tony Cann with HB Next joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the partnership between the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA) and the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta. Cann chats with host Carol Morgan about the importance of work force development and what the HBA is doing to help solve the problem. A member of the HB Next team for the past decade, Cann is also a proud member of the HBA for eight years and counting. As a safety environmental compliance company, HB Next works with builders to enhance worker protection through citations, OSHA inspections and environmental compliance. The GAHBA is partnering with the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta to pilot a program for the National Association of Home Builders’ Workforce Development Initiative in conjunction with sponsors Ford Foundation and Ford Next Generation Learning. Atlanta is one of the 10 pilot cities nationwide with the mission to introduce the next generation to const

Senior Land Development Manager Myles Cardenas with McKinley Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio show to detail his day-to-day as a land development manager, upcoming developments and more! Cardenas joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and shares how young professionals can get involved within the industry. Celebrating his fourth anniversary with the award-winning company in July, Cardenas has previous experience working for CalAtlantic Homes, starting as an intern during his senior year at Kennesaw State University (KSU). Three to four months after celebrating his graduation, the company announced a significant merger with Lennar Homes, where he continued to partner with the company for two-and-a-half years before joining the McKinley Homes team. While at Lennar, Cardenas gained valuable land development experience for a prominent public builder and built two townhome communities in Druid Hills as a construction manager. Cardenas said, “I had the opportunity to get more

Rick Porter, president of Richport Properties and director of the Master of Real Estate Development program at the Georgia Institute of Technology, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as part of the Legends of Real Estate series. Porter chats with host Carol Morgan to touch on his decades of homebuilding experience, working in the Great Recession and his role in education. A third-generation worker in construction and development, Porter grew up in the industry and was encouraged by his Uncle and mentor to take the architecture path. Gaining a unique way of thinking about design in the real estate realm, Porter earned his degree in Architecture at the Georgia Institute of Technology. With encouragement and support from his family, the architect designed and built his first project fresh out of school – which happened to be a home for his fraternity brother. After working as a sole proprietor for several years, Porter and his wife joined forces in the early 1980s to bring Richport Properties to

Vice President of Sales & Marketing Amy Kessler with Traton Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss new and upcoming communities and exciting incentives. On the All About Real Estate segment, Kessler chats with host Carol Morgan to provide an overview of where Traton Homes is building in Florida. With 20-plus years of experience within the real estate industry, Kessler has spent many years working with local Atlanta builders. Kessler became the vice president of sales and marketing for Traton Homes in 2019 after starting her career with the building company as a real estate agent. Traton Homes is a homegrown Atlanta builder with 50 years of experience building within the Atlanta housing market. With incredible design opportunities and an impressive design center, Traton Homes is well-known for delivering high-quality homes perfectly personalized to the buyers' wants and needs. Kessler said, “Our neighborhoods stand the test of time.” Only three months into the year, the Traton Hom

Broker Peggy Slappey with Peggy Slappey Properties, Inc. joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss her decades of real estate and political experience serving the Northeast Georgia and metro Atlanta areas. On the 12th installment of the Legends of Real Estate series, Slappey joins host Carol Morgan to touch on checking in daily with your joy meter and putting a smile on your face in good times and bad. Slappey moved to Atlanta in 1972 with her husband, Tommy, to bring his building company to an area where creative and contemporary housing was embraced. Growing up in the industry, Slappey studied interior design and later gained her real estate license to work with her husband – making her a third-generation Realtor. Slappey said, "Whatever it takes. That has been my motto forever!" After receiving her real estate license, Slappey began working with incredible brokers, such as local broker Buddy Weston and senior broker Johnny Isakson. Wanting to support her husband, Slappey began Peggy Sla

Government Affairs Director Garrett Wiley with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the growing housing affordability crisis. On the All About Real Estate segment, Wiley joins host Carol Morgan to discuss the increase in moratoriums nationwide, the revised Atlanta tree ordinance and more. With an extensive background in politics, Wiley’s first job out of college entailed working for a Georgia state senator, which led to working on several political campaigns, including a United States senate campaign in Louisiana and a mayoral race in Jacksonville. Wiley later served in economic development and government affairs for the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and Jackson EMC. After working in business development for a commercial construction firm, Wiley transitioned back to government affairs for the GAHBA and has been there for two years. Wiley said, “It’s been a blast! We have a great team and I love working with our members.” As part

Executive Director Mandy Crater with HomeAid Atlanta joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss volunteer and support opportunities, including the Essentials Drive. Crater joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment. Starting her career with HomeAid Atlanta in April 2015, Crater has been with the organization for eight years. HomeAid first appeared in the Atlanta market in 2001 and has made an incredible impact on the community with the mission to build lives for families and individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness through construction, education and community outreach. Working with existing non-profits that provide housing for the homeless, HomeAid Atlanta receives discounts and donations from the building industry when non-profit partners have construction needs. With the average age of individuals experiencing homelessness in metro Atlanta being around nine years, several mothers, children and babies are in difficult living situations. Crater said, “It’s abo

Maurice Lester, vice president of construction with J.W. Collection, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss working alongside John Wieland. Lester joins host Carol Morgan to chat about influencing buyer decisions through branding, current community offerings and his recent appointment as the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association President (GAHBA) on the All About Real Estate segment. Working with his father in South Georgia on building and remodeling projects, Lester began his construction career at a young age. After graduating from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Construction Management, Lester worked in commercial construction at Turner Construction, where he contributed to projects such as the Grady Hospital expansion and the Georgia Institute of Paper Science. Lester has over 30 years of metro Atlanta homebuilding experience dedicated to John Wieland companies. Lester said, “I have worked all over metro Atlanta…I have had a great time and have worked with a lot of

President and CEO Scott Shelar with Construction Ready joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the program’s many benefits and the critical growing skills gap. Shelar joins host Carol Morgan to discuss the upcoming Construction Ready CareerExpo on the All About Real Estate segment. Celebrating his 25th anniversary with Construction Ready this year, Shelar and his team want to ensure that people know the incredible opportunities provided within the construction industry and help participants gain the credentials and training needed to pursue successful careers. Shelar said, “I love what I do. It’s what keeps me going!” Available to people from all ages and backgrounds, Construction Ready provides youth, adult and four-week programs that allow individuals to kickstart their journey in the construction industry. Starting the conversation with individuals as young as elementary school level, the organization provides hands-on activities and training to anyone and everyone. Shelar said, “We d

Chief Customer Experience Officer Kimberly Mackey with New Homes Solutions joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss “traction” for builders. Mackey joins host Carol Morgan, Founder and President of Denim Marketing, to chat about the Traction Scorecard strategy, predicting sales paces and more on the All About Real Estate segment. Before starting New Homes Solutions in 2007, Mackey worked with many large regional and national home builders within every aspect of the home building industry, including building homes! In addition to training individuals on the sales process, Mackey works with businesses behind the scenes to ensure that every system, policy and procedure align and support the sales process. Mackey said, “I like to say that I’m the person people call when they want sales to be the engine that drives the train rather than running it off the track.” Created to reduce firefighting within the home building industry, Traction is an Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) that requires b