About this episode
In this episode, I sit down with Carter Dorsch, Co-Owner at 98 Real Estate Group, to talk about real estate on Florida’s Forgotten Coast. We get into Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe, Cape San Blas, Hurricane Michael, what makes the area so unique, and how Carter went from sitting in empty open houses with a chair and flyers to helping build one of the top real estate brands in the market.
We also talk about branding, newsletters, handwritten letters, AI listing descriptions that sound like a robot had too much coffee, Ed Ball, the St. Joe Company, college football, local food spots, and why “don’t half-ass it” is solid life advice. Carter is sharp, honest, and easy to talk to, and this was a really fun one for anyone interested in real estate, marketing, or coastal towns.
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Chapters
- 00:00 Intro
- 02:24 Carter Dorsch Joins the Show
- 02:54 Running 98 Real Estate Group
- 03:43 Florida’s Forgotten Coast
- 04:45 COVID and Coastal Demand
- 06:09 Hurricane Michael and Mexico Beach
- 08:30 Building Codes and Stronger Homes
- 12:15 Rebuilding After the Storm
- 14:36 Getting Started at 98
- 17:31 Early Pressure and Eating What You Kill
- 21:43 Buying Into the Business
- 23:34 Lessons From Ownership
- 25:03 Branding and Visibility
- 26:52 Newsletters and Referrals
- 28:40 AI in Real Estate
- 31:34 Smarter Direct Mail
- 34:51 Fastest-Growing Coastal Markets
- 37:27 Recruiting Agents and Protecting the Brand
- 40:59 Ed Ball, DuPont, and George Washington
- 43:25 The St. Joe Company
- 53:17 The Future of the Forgotten Coast
- 59:45 Carter’s Long-Term Vision
- 1:02:34 College Football
- 1:05:52 Rapid Fire
- 1:10:29 Handwritten Letters Still Work
- 1:14:08 Famous Clients
- 1:15:32 Don’t Half-Ass It
- 1:17:35 The Myrtle Beach Closing Story
- 1:19:53 Where to Find Carter