REBarGR Sessions & Facilitators

Days

Hours

Minutes

Seconds

Each learning session you will have 4 options to choose from for topic discussions- one large session or 3 breakout discussions.

Large sessions are your typical conference-style learning, where you will listen to a presentation by an expert speaker. Breakouts are more of a discussion among attendees led by a facilitator, allowing you to get up close and personal. The choice is yours!

Session 1

12:20-1:05pm

The Settlement

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new” — Socrates

Join this session, designed to help REALTORS navigate the NAR settlement. We’ll provide a clear overview of the settlement, explore new opportunities for innovation and growth, and offer practical tips to adapt and thrive in the evolving market. Turn the NAR settlement into a chance for growth and success—let’s embrace this change together!

Fresh Start Room – Lower level, large room through the doors by the bar

Paul Bunce, Broker/Owner of Paul Bunce Real Estate, brings over 16 years of diverse professional experience spanning operational, manufacturing, and client service roles across prominent retail, food processing, recycling, and real estate sectors. As a third-generation real estate investor and broker, Paul founded Paul Bunce Real Estate in 2014. Paul earned his BBA in Marketing from Grand Valley State University. His career includes significant roles in customer relations with major companies like Nestlé, SpartanNash, Tomra, and RE/MAX. A recognized expert in real estate, Paul has actively contributed to the Greater Regional Alliance of REALTORS (GRAR) and Michigan REALTORS (MR), currently serving as President of GRAR, the MLS Exchange Board, and as an RPAC Trustee for Michigan REALTORS. Known for his dynamic, visionary leadership, Paul is dedicated to enhancing business performance through employee, customer, and growth development. His expertise in key account management and delivering measurable results is driven by his ability to engage employees and business partners effectively.

Scott is the Broker/Owner at GreenSquare Properties. With over 20 years in the industry, including Mortgage, Title, & Real Estate Sales, Scott brings an array of industry knowledge. Scott is a GRARLA graduate, has severed as Chairperson on numerous GRAR committees, and his been a GRAR Board of Director since 2022. Scott was honored to win the GRAR Circle of Excellence award and was named 2023 GRAR Realtor of the Year. As the incoming GRAR President in 2025, Scott looks forward to further raising the bar of professionalism within our industry. Outside of real estate, Scott enjoys great food, wine, and travel with his wife. And to unwind, spending quiet time around his farm with their garden & animals serves him well.

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Understanding Gen Z and Buying Habits Between Generations

Join as we look at understanding bias with all living generations! We will then step into the world of decoding Gen Z. You will walk away with an understanding of why they are who they are, what they are doing in the real estate space and how to motivate them.

Consumers Credit Union Loft – Upper level, Up the stairs and immediately on your right

Maria Kauffman is the Director of Training and Development Strategy and an Associate Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan. Her corporate responsibilities include the training and development of hundreds of real estate agents a year throughout the state of Michigan and Indiana. You can often find her in live zoom sessions with fellow agents, speaking at public and internal events about real estate, development, strategy and marketing, or in a brainstorming session. She has participated as an active member of the GRAR for over 7 years, billing over $45 million in sales volume. Along with many designations and certifications, she has been voted a Top Realtor by the GRKids.com Grandtastic community and Grand Rapids Magazine (publicly voted) over past years and she is a GRARLA (Leadership Academy) Alumni. Before Real Estate Maria had a lengthy career in Marketing and Brand Management including a large media agency in Chicago, a start-up in Seattle and a Proctor and Gamble subsidiary in New England. She has her MBA from Loyola University in Chicago and loves spending her down time with her husband and two school-aged girls.

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Unlock the Power of Referrals: Build a Continuous Business Growth Machine

Are you ready to transform your real estate business into a referral powerhouse? This presentation will equip you with the strategies from Ninja Selling to create structured systems for generating a steady stream of referrals. Learn how to build deeper relationships, stay top-of-mind with your clients, and implement proven processes to ensure a continuous flow of high-quality leads.

Dart Bank Beer Garden – Lower level beer garden, Outside near the bar

Danielle is the Broker and Owner at RE/MAX SunQuest. In the business since 1996, Danielle became a licensed real estate professional in 2000 and obtained her broker license in 2015. She’s built an impressive business where 99% of her clients are from referrals or returning clients! For the past decade, Danielle has been deeply committed to Ninja Selling principles. Her dedication to providing exceptional value to clients who know, like, and trust her underscores her success with returning and referral business. Beyond real estate, Danielle is a proud mom of two college boys, a live music enthusiast who never says no to a concert invite, and can often be found on a Grand Rapids patio with a cold glass of bubbly.

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Price It Right- Every Time

Win more listings with advanced comping strategies.

Denali Title Lounge- Upper level, Down the hall straight ahead

Actively selling real estate for 10 years, Kindell has sold over 500 homes. She primarily works with listings and is certified with Keller Williams to teach at a Regional level. She loves being at the lake and reading in her spare time.

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Session 2

1:30-2:15pm

Activities You Probably Aren't Doing

Hear from past GRAR Young Professionals of the Year about the prospecting activities they routinely do! Consistency is everything! Learn about sales activities from the pros that you probably aren’t doing!

Fresh Start Room – Lower level, large room through the doors by the bar

Chad began his real estate career in 2014 at Apex Realty Group, working as a solo agent under the mentorship of his friend and broker, Brian DeSmit. Since then, Chad has become a nationally recognized top producer, completing over 500 transactions and selling more than $150 million in residential real estate. In 2021, he was honored as a National 30 Under 30 by NAR. Chad’s business is built on strong communication, relationships, and friendships, as he personally works with every client. In addition to his real estate achievements, Chad is actively involved with GRAR. He graduated from the GRAR Leadership Academy in 2017, was named Young Professional of the Year in 2023, and has served on various committees, including Government Affairs and Grievance. Outside of work, Chad has been a high school basketball coach for over 10 years and enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and attending sporting events.

Kendra is the Partner and Associate Broker for Bellabay Realty’s Grand Rapids office. Kendra is a graduate of GRARLA, a past chairperson of YPN at GRAR, and GRAR's Young Professional of theYear in 2021. She is passionate about building and nurturing relationships, both professionally and personally. Not only is Kendra dedicated to providing exceptional service to her clients and helping them achieve their real estate goals, she also passionate about helping her fellow agents succeed at their goals as well.

Rachel Major is the CEO and Associate Broker of Major Homes, established in 2014. Real estate is where she has found her passion! Her business model is based on her commitment to educate her clients on the current real estate market so that they can make informed confident decisions. She was raised in the local Grand Rapids area and attended NorthPointe Christian High School. A graduate from Davenport University with a Bachelors in Business Management. In addition to her real estate career, she has developed a 20 acre parcel into a 17 lot community, owns and manages a portfolio of investment properties, runs a real estate team, and has served on numerous committees at the local board. Rachel and her husband Denny have two kids. They love spending time at the lake and playing beach volleyball.

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Top Fair Housing Violations

Minimize your liability by understanding and applying the law!

Consumers Credit Union Loft – Upper level, Up the stairs and immediately on your right

Liz provides technical fair housing training to the housing industry and information on fair housing rights to the community at large. In addition, she is responsible for coordinating the Center's Annual Luncheon & Workshop Series, the Annual Lakeshore Friends of Fair Housing Breakfast, Fair Housing Book Clubs, and other special events.

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Unlocking the Power of AI for Real Estate Agents

Ready to take your real estate marketing to the next level but need some help getting it done? Imagine having a virtual assistant to handle the busy work so you can focus more on your clients. In this informative workshop, Kevin will provide a foundation for taking advantage of generative AI and show you how tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Co-Pilot can revolutionize the way you work.

Here’s what you’ll learn:

AI for Real Estate: Discover how AI can make writing property descriptions, creating eye-catching social media posts, and crafting compelling marketing content easier and faster.
The Four Ps and Rise Method: We’ll break down two simple frameworks—The Four Ps (Prime, Prompt, Polish, Publish) and the Rise Method (Role, Input, Steps, Expectations)—to help you get the best results from AI, every time.
Personalization and Compliance: Learn how to tweak AI-generated content to match your unique voice and ensure it’s compliant with real estate regulations.

Whether you’re just getting started with AI or looking to sharpen your skills, this workshop is packed with practical tips and real-world examples to help you get the most from AI.

Dart Bank Beer Garden – Lower level beer garden, Outside near the bar

Kevin Swanson is a seasoned marketing and design expert with over 24 years of experience, including successfully running his own design agency. He’s passionate about helping brands and agents thrive, whether through strategic marketing or bringing bold ideas to life. Kevin’s expertise spans multiple industries, where he's known for his creative problem-solving and innovative approach. He thrives on collaboration, working closely with agents to craft something truly special, and is eager to bring his energy and expertise to the real estate professionals at REBar 2024.

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Post-NAR Settlement Financing Options

This session will go over buyers agents commissions as they relate to financing- loan programs you will need to know about and changes on seller concessions.

Denali Title Lounge- Upper level, Down the hall straight ahead

Mike is a loan originator at CrossCountry Mortgage. Over his 23 years in the industry he has worked through many changes and seen every kind of deal. He has earned a reputation locally of being able to get deals done when everyone else says no. His straightforward, tell it like it is approach can also be seen weekly in his controversial video segment Milanowski vs. Everybody.

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Session 3

2:40-3:25pm

Stop Prospecting – Start Creating Deals

2024 has been different. It isn’t enough to be a REALTOR® who can take people into homes once they are on the market and calmly negotiate an easy deal for your clients. Agents who want to control their business today need to create deals and opportunities for their clients.

This session will give agents examples of specific ways that they can do just that. Put yourself back in the driver’s seat of your income!

Fresh Start Room – Lower level, large room through the doors by the bar

Matt is the Marketing Director at Treadstone and has had the unique privelige of meeting with over 3500 Realtors over the last 13 years. Through that he has learned the ins and outs of what does and doesn’t work in real estate marketing. He is also the host of the podcast The Neighborhood Realtor and author of The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing. Don’t want to talk marketing? Matt will also talk your ear off anytime about wine, food and traveling with kids.

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Statistics & Stories

“Numbers have an important story to tell. They rely on you to give them a voice.” – Stephen Few

Unlock the power of numbers! In this discussion, we’ll dive into how real estate statistics aren’t just data—they’re the key to telling compelling stories that empower your clients. Learn how to translate market trends into actionable insights, boosting your clients’ confidence and driving success in every transaction.

Consumers Credit Union Loft – Upper level, Up the stairs and immediately on your right

Jim is a veteran Realtor, a recovering attorney, and the manager of the Greenridge Realty Summit Office in Northeast Grand Rapids. His personal mission is, "To create confidence, so that opportunity leads to action." Whether applying that statement to his clients in the housing market, agents in his office, or even his own son and daughter, he wants everyone he interacts with to feel confident that they have the information and skills they need to take action when opportunities arise. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Rockford, a unit leader in Scouting America, and an occasionally competent golfer. If you're ever looking for a fourth to play golf, give him a call.

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Navigating the Short-Term Rental Market

We will be covering:

Best markets to invest and best markets to avoid
Necessary amenities to make your STR stand out
Setup and Design tips
Best programs to help analyze, market and manage properties in the STR market

Dart Bank Beer Garden – Lower level beer garden, Outside near the bar

Jordan started in real estate in 2010 and opened the Keystone Home Group Realty in 2018. He has developed and sold multiple short-term rentals. In 2021, he started the property management company Book N' Gather. Currently, he is focusing on multifamily conversions to short term rentals and motels for investments.

Tony Stancato spent over a decade in the manufacturing industry. Learning the ins and outs of operations and lean manufacturing. His real estate background includes single family long term rentals, fix and flips, multifamily, and operating short term rentals. He is the operations manager for the vacation rental management company Book N’ Gather.

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Behind the Appraisal

Have you ever wondered how appraisers adjust for differences between properties? Well, they have a couple of different methods for this: Paired Sales (for features or amenities) & Allocation (for site value differences). At Kevin’s session, he will walk you through each concept with a real-world example of each.

Denali Title Lounge – Upper level, Down the hall that is straight ahead

After graduating from WMU in April of 1989 (and a very brief stint with Rietberg Companies), Kevin has been appraising real property in West Michigan since 1990. Back then, it was a Real Estate Sales License that was required to be an appraiser; but starting in 1992, that changed with FIRREA and the S & L Bank crisis. Over the years, he’s appraised a wide range of property types, successfully appealed assessed values, and worked with a number of outstanding real estate agents and loan officers. After moving from New Jersey in high school, both his home and his heart are firmly rooted in the great state of Michigan.

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