Ever catch yourself thinking, “Maybe I should just start my own company,” and then immediately remember the paperwork, the liability, and the cost? Joe Skipper from Skipper Realty Group (brokered by eXp Realty) sits down with Cody Wilhelm from Residential Mortgage to talk through the real decision behind going solo in lending or real estate, and why having a bigger brokerage behind you can feel like a safety net you don’t want to lose. We get specific about compliance, setup headaches, and why the “keep all your commission” dream often comes with retainers, insurance, and constant oversight.

We also get candid about the emotional side of the work: the five-year career itch, job hopping, and what happens when a slow market makes you peek at “normal” jobs with a steady paycheck. Then we stack that against what’s hard to replace once you have it, like schedule flexibility, family time, and the ability to work from anywhere even if you’re never fully off.

Cody shares a quick mortgage rate update tied to the 10-year treasury, including a recent improvement of roughly a quarter percent and what might be influencing the bond market. To lighten it up, Joe turns the mic into a game show and quizzes Cody on Oregon’s most visited tourist attractions, leading to debates about Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock, surprise entries like the Oregon Zoo, and a personal story about proposing at Multnomah Falls on the way to dinner.

Subscribe to Venture With Joe And Cody, share this with a friend who’s watching rates, and leave a review if it helped. What would you like us to break down next week?