More Than A Mortgage

Each episode brings you inspiring conversations, personal breakthroughs, and the deeper meaning behind buying a home. Because for us, it's not just about closing deals — it's about opening doors to connection, community, and change.📌 New episodes monthly🎙️ Real people. Real stories. Real relationships.

More Than A Mortgage is a business podcast hosted by Gavin Sessions, with 44 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Gavin Sessions hosts More Than A Mortgage, a business show with 44 episodes published.

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  More Than A Mortgage

  How an 18-Year-Old Real Estate Agent Built a Business Through Social Media

  Sep 29, 20261h 10m

  What happens when you get your real estate license at just 18 years old—but don't have the experience, network, or sphere of influence to immediately build a business? In this episode of More Than A Mortgage, Gavin Sessions sits down with Idaho real estate agent Jonah Rae to unpack his unconventional journey from getting licensed straight out of high school to building a successful real estate career through lessons learned outside of real estate. Jonah shares what it was like starting young, working under his grandmother, and learning the business while also working other jobs. He explains why building a sphere of influence can be especially difficult when you're young—and why mentorship can make such a difference. The conversation then takes an unexpected turn into Jonah's experience with drop shipping and e-commerce. Those lessons eventually became valuable when Jonah returned his focus to real estate and began recognizing the power of TOO YOUNG TO SELL?

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  More Than A Mortgage

  He Lost Millions in the 2008 Crash—Here’s How He Rebuilt

  Sep 24, 20261h 2m

  What does it take to build a lasting career in real estate when the market crashes, business partners disappear, and the path you planned takes more than a decade? In this episode of More Than A Mortgage , Gavin Sessions sits down with John Cotner , a longtime Idaho homebuilder and developer with nearly 30 years of experience in residential construction and land development. John takes us through the 2008 housing downturn , when the other builders in one of his developments went bankrupt and he was left with a 65-lot subdivision and a $1.8 million development loan. Instead of walking away, John changed his strategy, identified a target market, reduced costs, and spent years building homes primarily to service the debt. The conversation also covers John's experience building mortgage-free homes for veterans, his transition from homebuilding into land development, the opportunities he saw during COVID, and how he is now using his experience to mentor younger builders. Most importantly, John shares the lessons he learned about relationships, financial leverage, reputation, integrity, perseverance, opportunity, and playing the long game in real estate.

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  More Than A Mortgage

  Why Are Homes So Expensive? Builders Break Down the Real Cost of Housing

  Sep 17, 20261h 12m

  Why are new homes so expensive and how much of that price actually comes from the builder? In this episode of More Than A Mortgage with Gavin Sessions , Gavin sits down with three experienced voices from the Southwestern Idaho housing industry: Adam Capell, EVP of Land & Development at Tresidio Homes and president of the Building Contractors Association of Southwestern Idaho; Jenna Englund, president of Berkeley Building Company and past BCA president; and realtor Jenn Hickey of Spotlight Real Estate. Together, they take a closer look at the real factors behind housing prices and challenge the idea that builders simply set high prices because they want bigger profits. The conversation breaks down the cost of land, construction materials, labor, government fees, regulations, financing, supply and demand, and the risks builders take years before a home is ever completed. They also discuss how changing requirements, development timelines, density restrictions, and rising fees can affect the final price of a home. The group also explores what “affordability” actually means, including the relationship between median household income and home prices. They discuss why entry-level homes, condos, and townhomes are increasingly important for first-time buyers and why getting that first property can be an important step toward building equity and moving into future homes.

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  More Than A Mortgage

  The Real Estate Strategy That Turns Clients Into Referrals

  Sep 4, 20261h 5m

  What happens when a real estate agent chooses relationships over transactions? In this episode of More Than a Mortgage , Gavin Sessions sits down with Tina Upton , a local real estate agent who built her business almost entirely through referrals, relationships, and honest communication. Tina shares how she unexpectedly found her way into real estate, initially planning to use her license to pursue real estate investments with her husband. What started as a practical decision quickly became a career she genuinely loved. She also opens up about the challenges of getting started, working Zillow leads, learning what type of clients she serves best, and eventually realizing that a referral-based business aligned much better with her personality and values. The conversation also includes a real-world example of the power of referrals: one client relationship led to multiple additional transactions and even more referrals—all because Tina was willing to have an honest conversation about the client's home's market value. Gavin and Tina discuss improvements such as solar, generators, and other upgrades—and why something can be attractive to a buyer without necessarily adding the same amount of value in an appraisal.

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  More Than A Mortgage

  How He Turned One Construction Business Into 55 Rental Units

  Aug 21, 202647 min

  What does it take to go from working in construction to building a real estate portfolio of 55 rental units and eventually becoming a boutique custom home builder? In this episode of More Than A Mortgage , Gavin Sessions sits down with Jake Stone of Tetelestai Homes to talk about entrepreneurship, real estate investing, homebuilding, cash flow, and the unconventional path that helped Jake build his business and investment portfolio. Jake shares how his background working in construction eventually led him to start his own company, including the challenging early months when he lived off a credit card while waiting for his first projects to come together. He also explains how he began investing in real estate, house hacking, remodeling properties, adding ADUs, and eventually building a portfolio of 55 rental units. Jake and Gavin also discuss an important reality of real estate investing: buying one rental property isn't necessarily the same thing as building a profitable portfolio. They talk about cash flow, leverage, appreciation, active income, financing, and why investors need to make sure the numbers actually make sense before buying.

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