Host Tracey Hawkins delves into the critical role of negotiation leverage in real estate transactions, focusing on how to protect your client’s interests at the negotiating table. Joined by experts Matthew Rathbun and Amy Steele, discover key strategies to avoid common pitfalls, safeguard your client's bargaining power and enhance your negotiation skills. Learn about the impact of digital security, social media and AI on real estate transactions, and gain practical tips to ensure both safety and success.

 Meet the Guests

Matthew Rathbun, ABR, CRS, is a broker with Coldwell Banker Elite in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He serves as the 2025 president-elect of the Fredericksburg Area Association of REALTORS® and the 2025 president of the Real Estate Business Institute (REBI), an NAR affiliate organization. Rathbun is an instructor of NAR’s Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE) certification course.

Amy Steele, ABR, SRS, is an agent with JPAR Real Estate in Grapevine, Texas, who also is licensed in California. The owner of a short-term rental property, Steele focuses her real estate expertise on investment properties and vacation homes. She has a personal library of more than 3,000 books.

Protecting Your Client’s Negotiation Leverage: Real Estate Safety Tips