Clever Authors

Clever Real Estate is the nation’s leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors. We do the research, gather the data, and write the content — so YOU can make smarter real estate decisions! Here, you can meet the team of writers, analysts and real estate experts who power our platform.

Alex Long

Alex Long

Content Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Alex Long is a Content Writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate platform for buyers, sellers, and investors.

Before joining Clever, Alex received his PhD in Literature, Theory, and Culture from Purdue University. He has taught classes on Film, Literature, and Composition, and he has published in a variety of peer reviewed journals on topics related to Literature and Pop Culture.

When he is not writing, Alex enjoys playing sports, shooting pool, going to Trivia night, and spending time with his wife and newborn son.

Amy Beardsley

Amy Beardsley

Contributing Writer

Amy Beardsley is a content writer at Clever Real Estate. She has expertise in writing about real estate, insurance, and technology, and has worked with various reputable brands, including NerdWallet, Robinhood, LendingTree, Engel & Völkers, Opulence International Realty, Insurify, Legal & General, and NEXT Insurance. 

Andrew Whytock

Andrew Whytock

Project Team Lead @ Clever Real Estate

Andrew Whytock is a Project Team Lead at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Andrew specializes in researching and writing about emerging real estate tech companies like iBuyers and home trade-in services. 

Ashley Johnson

Ashley Johnson

Copy Editor @ Clever Real Estate

Ashley Johnson is a Copy Editor at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

At Clever, Ashley and the rest of the Research Department work to create an in-depth library of real estate data and information to enrich Clever's content and customer experience.

Prior to Clever, Ashley was a Content Creator and Editor at a regional media company. She worked in both print and digital media, including magazines, advertisements, and social media for a variety of clients.

Ashley enjoys sewing, catching up on classic TV shows, and exploring with her husband and toddler.

Education

  • MA English and Creative Writing, Southern New Hampshire University

  • BS English, United States Air Force Academy

Ashley Simon

Ashley Simon

Content Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Ashley Simon is a content writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to Clever, Ashley worked as a freelance writer for brands like AmeriLife and Autodesk. She has written extensively about home design, civil engineering, architecture, and construction technology.

When she isn't writing about real estate, Ashley can be found reading, trying out a new recipe, or planning her next road trip.

Education: B.A. English & Writing and A.A. Sign Language Interpreting, Bethel University in Indiana.

Ashley Sweren

Ashley Sweren

Content Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Ashley Sweren is a content writer at Clever Real Estate, crafting articles to help customers navigate the home buying and selling processes.

Prior to Clever, Ashley leveraged 10+ years in tech PR to deliver compelling copy for clients as a freelance writer. With a concentration in finance and small business topics, she’s written web content for companies including LendingTree and Nav.  

Ashley's bought and sold several properties, and has orchestrated a cross-country move. 

Ashley attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she graduated with a major in Communication and minors in Art History and Socio-cultural Linguistics.


Bailey Peterson

Bailey Peterson

Content PM @ Clever Real Estate

Bailey Peterson is Clever's resident expert on real estate costs, fees, and commissions. He's focused on harnessing the power of research and data to provide insights that lead to better outcomes for home buyers and sellers.

Prior to Clever, Bailey worked as a Senior Research Analyst for ValuePenguin and LendingTree, where he wrote expert advice about credit cards and auto insurance. Bailey has a wide range of experience researching real estate and personal finance topics, including interviewing state legislators about insurance policy.

Bailey’s writing and research have been featured on CNBC, NBC News, Houston Chronicle, and the National Transportation Safety Board.

When he isn’t writing about real estate, Bailey can be found prepping for the Boston Marathon, brewing award-winning beers, or tending to his iOS app BeerChef.

Education

  • BA Mathematics, Minor in Computer Science - Occidental College
Ben Mizes

Ben Mizes

Co-Founder & CEO

Bill Gassett

Bill Gassett

Featured Author @ Clever Real Estate

Bill is a nationally recognized Real Estate leader who has been helping people move in and out of the Metrowest Massachusetts area for the past thirty-three plus years. He is also an accomplished writer who publishes content on many prestigious publications including The National Association of Realtors, RISMedia, Inman News, Today, ASHI and others.

Brad Babendir

Brad Babendir

Content Writer

Brad Babendir is a Content Writer at Clever Real Estate. He writes to help home buyers and sellers understand complex issues. 

Prior to joining Clever, Brad worked as a freelance writer and a Menu Quality Specialist at ezCater. 


Brendan Rigney

Brendan Rigney

Content Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Brendan is a Content Writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Before joining Clever, Brendan worked as a freelance reporter, writer, and researcher for media outlets, nonprofits, and private businesses. He earned his B.A. at La Salle University and his Master of Public Administration degree at DePaul University, focusing on metropolitan affairs and policy.

Brentnie Daggett

Brentnie Daggett

Writer and Contributor

Brian Davis

Brian Davis

Featured Author @ Clever Real Estate

G. Brian Davis is a real estate investor and co-founder of SparkRental.com, which helps everyday people build rental income and reach financial independence. In addition to free courses and investing tools, they also provide free landlord software. Brian spends ten months of the year living abroad, loves good wine and bad jokes, and is easy to reach through SparkRental’s website or social media!

Brian Fink

Brian Fink

Freelance Writer

Brian Fink is a Michigan-based freelance writer who’s sold four homes in the past decade using many of these tricks.

Casey Hughes Wade

Casey Hughes Wade

Strategic Partnerships Director

Casey Hughes Wade, a long-time champion of the mortgage industry, currently functions as Strategic Partnerships Director at Clever Real Estate. Casey has extensive experience building long-term relationships in the financial services industry. Throughout her career in the mortgage industry, she holds roles in business development, functioning as a leader and sales executive at companies. She spends her time personally as a mother to her two boys while professionally focusing on empowering people to be more effective and efficient in their work.

Catherine Collins

Catherine Collins

News Contributor

Catherine Collins is a freelance financial writer and author based in Detroit. She's the co-founder of MillennialHomeowner.com and author of the book Mom’s Got Money: A millennial mom’s guide to managing money like a boss. She has written for US News, Business Insider, Investopedia, Entrepreneur, Go Banking Rates, and many other publications.

Clever Real Estate

Clever Real Estate

Organization

Clever Real Estate is a platform that guides you through the process of interviewing real estate agents to find the right one for you.

Our service is completely free — and can save you thousands.

How it works:

Trusted Local Agents: we proactively recruit thousands of the top-performing real estate agents in local markets across the country (including most rural areas!)
Thousands in Savings: in order to join our platform, agents agree to work for our competitive commission model – we offer just 1.5% listing commission to sellers, and up to $10K back in cash rewards for buyers


Concierge Service: our Licensed Team of Real Estate Experts is dedicated to helping you find the right agent for your needs! We check in throughout the process to answer questions, make new agent introductions, and make sure you are having a seamless selling or buying experience.

Craig Donofrio

Craig Donofrio

Content Writer

Craig Donofrio is a content writer at Clever Real Estate, the leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to joining Clever, Craig worked as a journalist, editor and copywriter specializing in finance and real estate. His work has appeared in realtor.com, LendingTree, TheStreet, Atlas Obscura, Make Change and Work+Money. 

Craig attended Western Connecticut State University where he graduated with a degree in English. 

When he isn't writing, Craig can be found wrestling with his three dogs and binging '80s action movies. 

Danetha Doe

Danetha Doe

Economist + Spokesperson @ Clever Real Estate

Danetha Doe is an economist and spokesperson at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

An internationally respected economist, Danetha has been recognized as a personal finance expert and millennial thought leader by TIME, the Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs.

Danetha is the creator of Money & Mimosas, a personal finance site.

When she's not thinking about Economics or real estate deals, you can find Danetha curled up reading a mystery novel or enjoying a bottomless mimosa brunch with her girlfriends.

Education: B.A. Economics, Spanish & Mass Communications (double-minor) - DePauw University

Daniel J. Goldstein

Daniel J. Goldstein

News Contributor

Daniel J. Goldstein is a realtor in Frederick, Maryland, and is licensed in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia. He is a regular contributor to Clever Real Estate's news coverage. He has written for Bloomberg News, The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch and Realtor.com.

Daniela Andreevska

Daniela Andreevska

Featured Author @ Clever Real Estate

Daniela Andreevska is Marketing Director at Mashvisor, a real estate analytics tool which helps real estate investors quickly find traditional and Airbnb investment properties. A research process that’s usually 3 months now can take 15 minutes. Mashvisor provides all the real estate information in easy-to-understand visualizations.

Darrell Davis

Darrell Davis

Project Team Lead

Darrell Davis is a Project Team Lead at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to Clever, Darrell was the SEO Manager for The Penny Hoarder, one of America's largest personal finance sites. He also previously worked as Associate Director of SEO and Content at Cardinal Digital Marketing, leading projects for clients in real estate, healthcare, legal and other industries. 

Darrell's writing has been featured on Search Engine Journal, SEMrush and MarketingProfs. 

When he isn't researching and writing about real estate, Darrell can be found foraging for bbq, curating items for his frog collection or serving as a vassal to his cat, Turtle. 

Education

  • BA Media Communications - North Central University
Dennis Shirshikov

Dennis Shirshikov

Real Estate Agent Analyst

Dennis believes everyone should have a great real estate experience. That's why he's dedicated his efforts to finding the top agents in every city in America. His research skills, financial modeling education, real estate, writing, and teaching experience create a unique blend of skills suited for this task.

Doug Whiteman

Doug Whiteman

Featured Author @ Clever Real Estate

Doug Whiteman is the editor-in-chief of MoneyWise.com. Previously, he was a senior editor with Bankrate.com, and before that he was a reporter and editor for The Associated Press and the consumer news editor for AP Radio. He has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and CNBC.com and has been interviewed on Fox Business, ABC Radio Network and the syndicated TV show "First Business."

Dr. Francesca Ortegren

Dr. Francesca Ortegren

Data Science & Research PM @ Clever Real Estate

Dr. Francesca Ortegren, PhD is the Data Science & Research Product Manager at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

A widely-cited expert on real estate, personal finance, and the economy, Dr. Ortegren began her career as a Professor and Researcher at the University of Southern Indiana, and later McKendree University, focused on research methods and statistics.

At Clever, Dr. Ortegren directs Clever’s Data Center, compiling original data and conducting studies that have been published on major publications including Yahoo Finance, CNBC, Business Insider, Forbes and more.

When she’s not researching the real estate industry, Francesca can be found outdoors hiking, biking, running, kayaking with her 2 cute dogs — or possibly pursuing another certification in research, software engineering, or data science.

Education

  • BA Psychology - Texas Tech University
  • MA Experimental Psychology - Texas Tech University
  • PhD Cognitive & Experimental Psychology - Texas Tech University
  • Web Development Certification - LaunchCode
  • Data Science Certification - LaunchCode
Elizabeth Boyd

Elizabeth Boyd

Contributing Writer

Elizabeth Boyd is a freelance writer who enjoys helping people understand complex subjects through her online content. She has a diverse employment history, working as a paralegal, real estate associate, English tutor, and material control government contractor in the past. She has also lived abroad and traveled extensively due to her military family background.

She segued from paralegal work to writing in 2008 when she assumed the role of Associate Editor for Wickstom Publishing in Denver, CO. Since then, Elizabeth has developed an expansive writing portfolio crafting content for many industries on numerous topics.

Elizabeth studied journalism at the University of Maryland, Munich Campus, Germany, and earned her AA in paralegal studies from Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs. 

Elizabeth enjoys reading, cooking, singing, traveling, watching TV, and spending time with family in her free time.

Emily Kordys

Emily Kordys

Content Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Emily Kordys is a Content Writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to joining Clever, Emily was a real estate writer who wrote about laws and regulations impacting the industry, education, and property management. She also previously worked as a journalist and producer at news stations throughout Southern California. 

Emily attended California State University, Fullerton, where she graduated with a major in Communications and a minor in History. 

When she isn't writing about real estate, Emily can be found savoring a cup of tea, reading a good book, listening to classic rock, or discovering new hiking spots. 

Eylul Tekin

Eylul Tekin

Featured Author @ Clever Real Estate

Eylul is a Summer Associate working in Clever Real Estate's research department. Eylul is a PhD candidate at Washington University in St. Louis' Memory Lab, studying cognitive psychology, human learning, and memory. Eylul applies her rigorous analytical skills to various real estate research projects at Clever using R and other coding languages. She gathers invaluable insights from large data sets, conducts surveys, and details her findings in succinct reports.

Felicia Oliver

Felicia Oliver

Content Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Felicia Oliver is a Content Writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Before joining Clever, Felicia was an editor and social media manager with the International Code Council, and a senior editor with Professional Builder, Custom Builder, and Housing Giants magazines.

Felicia received her masters in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, and a bachelor of arts in communications from Loyola University of Chicago.

In her spare time she enjoys working out, word games, and trying out new restaurants in the Chicago area.

Franklin Schneider

Franklin Schneider

News Contributor

Franklin Schneider is a writer based in New York City. His writing has appeared in the Washington Post, the Guardian, Gawker, Kotaku, and other outlets.

Galina Velgach

Galina Velgach

Content Editor @ Clever

Galina is a content editor at Clever Real Estate, the leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to joining Clever, Galina worked with professional services companies to support their content marketing and communications. She graduated with a BA in media and rhetoric from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Gerelyn Terzo

Gerelyn Terzo

Contributing Writer

Gerelyn is a freelance journalist covering real estate and institutional investing. She has reported on commercial real estate, SMB loans, the capital markets, fintech, DeFi and more. Gerelyn resides in Woodland Park, CO.

Greg Isaacson

Greg Isaacson

Content Writer

Greg Isaacson is a Content Writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Jaime Dunaway-Seale

Jaime Dunaway-Seale

Data Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Jaime Dunaway-Seale is a content writer at Clever Real Estate, the leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to joining Clever, Jaime worked full time as a journalist. Her writings about education, government, business, and sports have appeared in Slate, The Associated Press, The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, and Advocate Media.

Jaime graduated with an MA in journalism from the University of Missouri and a BA in journalism and international relations from the University of Arkansas.

When she isn't writing about real estate, Jaime can be found rock climbing, planning her next home renovation project, or calling the Hogs at an Arkansas sporting event. 

Jamie Ayers

Jamie Ayers

Content PM @ Clever Real Estate

Jamie Ayers is a Content Product Manager at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

At Clever, Jamie’s research focuses on the process of finding a real estate agent or broker — in particular, evaluating agent matching services and discount brokerages to help people make more informed choices (and save) when buying or selling a home.

Prior to Clever, Jamie managed digital publications for leading businesses in a range of industries, including real estate technology, commercial development, insurance, financial services, building and construction, and more.

Jamie’s writing, research, and expert advice have been featured across a wide range of publications, including Forbes, Inc., Entrepreneur, and BiggerPockets.

When he isn’t doing research and writing about real estate services, Jamie can be found training for his next marathon, hanging with his dog Gracie, or recording “music” in his home studio.

Education

  • BA Music Composition & Technology - Skidmore College
Jasmine Mainguy-Seers

Jasmine Mainguy-Seers

Specialized Moving Concierge

Jasmine is a specialized moving concierge at MovingWaldo, a moving app allowing you to organize your move, save time and money and access all the resources necessary for a smooth move. 

Jenny Rollins

Jenny Rollins

Content Editor @ Clever Real Estate

Jenny Rollins is an award-winning writer, editor, and content producer. She is a content editor for Clever Real Estate, where she edits and prepares quality articles to help people navigate the complex world of real estate. She previously worked at Business.org, KSL.com, and Harvard Business Review.

Jenny earned a bachelor's degree in English from Brigham Young University and a master's degree in journalism from Boston University. She lives in Utah with her husband, son, dog, and hedgehog. Her hobbies include reading and having dance parties with her toddler.

John Schlander

John Schlander

Director of News @ Clever Real Estate

John Schlander is the director of news for Clever Real Estate. His team publishes real estate news and guidance for buyers, sellers, and investors -- from dreaming through closing.

He started at Clever in June after serving six years as managing editor at The Penny Hoarder, a leading personal finance brand. Before that, he worked in various editing roles at the Tampa Bay Times newspaper and website, ending there as the digital general manager.

John lives in Florida and Georgia with his wife, Lana, and puppy, Willow. 

Jon Stubbs

Jon Stubbs

Content Writer

Jon Stubbs is a Content Writer for Clever Real Estate. He writes to help empower home buyers and sellers with the knowledge to make smart real estate decisions.

Education: B.A. Journalism, Pennsylvania State University; M.A. English, West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Joseph Hogue

Joseph Hogue

Featured Author @ Clever Real Estate

Joseph Hogue is a real estate investor and online entrepreneur. Born and raised in Iowa, he worked in corporate finance and real estate before starting a career in investment analysis. He has appeared on Bloomberg and CNBC and led a team of equity analysts for a venture capital research firm. He holds a master’s degree in business and the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation.

Josiah Wilmoth

Josiah Wilmoth

Project Team Lead

Josiah Wilmoth is a Project Team Lead at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors. He specializes in researching and writing consumer guides about discount real estate brokers.


Education

  • BA History - Regent University
  • Master's in Computer Science - University of Pennsylvania (in progress)
Katherine Peach

Katherine Peach

Content PM @ Clever Real Estate

Katherine Peach is a Content Product Manager at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to Clever, Katherine served as Managing Editor for Investor Junkie, where she helped investors of all levels learn the best ways to grow and maintain their wealth. Aside from stocks and alternative investments, she has also written extensively about antiques, art, travel, music, folklore, and lifestyle.

Katherine’s work has appeared on TheStreet.com, Antique Week, Money Done Right, the New England Antiques Journal, AmericanStyle, and many other online and in-print publications.

When not writing about the real estate industry, Katherine can be found collecting and selling vinyl records and cassette tapes, walking in the woods, making music, or crocheting.

Education

  • BA Classical and Ancient Studies - University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Katie Rothman

Katie Rothman

Contributing News Writer

Prior to joining Clever, Katie worked as a freelance writer for several startups and was an in-house copywriter at GUESS. She has written extensively about e-commerce, home design, pop culture, and real estate.

When she isn’t writing, Katie is usually working on a new interior design project, scouring the internet for the latest home & fashion trends, or coming up with new ways to entertain her two daughters.  

Katie graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Communication Studies and Merchandise Marketing.

Katy Byrom

Katy Byrom

Content Writer

Katy Byrom is a content writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to joining Clever, Katy worked for a variety of startups and nonprofits as a writer, editor, content manager, and marketing director.

Katy studied theatre and religion at San Diego State University before going on to earn an M.A. in psychology from Pepperdine University.

When she isn't writing for Clever, Katy can usually be found scouring used book stores, exploring new hiking trails with her cocker spaniels, or making trouble with her 13 nieces and nephews.

Kelsey McKeon

Kelsey McKeon

Contributing Writer

Kelsey McKeon is a Brooklyn-based content marketer with experience writing across a variety of industries, including SaaS technology, marketing, and packaging. Most recently, she published a first-of-its-kind data-driven white paper at Squarespace. You can find her past work on Clutch.co, The Manifest, Squarespace, and G2.

Kristen Herhold

Kristen Herhold

PR Editor

Kristen Herhold is the PR Editor at Clever Real Estate.

Kristen Klempert

Kristen Klempert

Lead Research Specialist @ Clever Real Estate

Kristen Klempert is the Lead Research Specialist at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

At Clever, Kristen and the rest of the Research Department work to create an in-depth library of real estate data and information to enrich Clever's content and customer experience.

Prior to Clever, Kristen was a Content Creator and Social Media Specialist. She worked with clients on a variety of topics, including HR tech, education, and entrepreneurial leadership.

When she isn’t doing research or writing about real estate, Kristen enjoys reading, binge watching, and getting into staring contests with her dog River.

Education

  • BA Philosophy, Neuroscience, and Psychology, Minor in Writing, Magna Cum Laude - Washington University in St. Louis
Kristine Cameron

Kristine Cameron

Content Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Kristine Cameron is a content writer at Clever Real Estate, crafting articles to help customers navigate the home buying and selling processes.

Prior to Clever, Kristine graduated with high distinction from the University of Minnesota, Crookston, in May of 2021. She majored in Communication, with an emphasis on Organizational Communication and Public Relations, and minored in Writing.

During her time as a student, Kristine worked as a freelance writer and editor for a variety of organizations. With a special focus on small businesses and digital marketing strategies, she helped brands develop case studies, email campaigns, technical documents, blog posts, and more.

When Kristine isn't reading or writing at work, you can usually find her reading and writing for fun. She also enjoys playing piano, baking, and searching for oddities at thrift shops.

Kristy Snyder

Kristy Snyder

Content Editor @ Clever Real Estate

Kristy Snyder is a Content Editor at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to joining Clever, Kristy was a managing editor for some of the web's leading financial and banking sites, including The Simple Dollar, Bankrate, NextAdvisor, and more. She also spearheaded content efforts for a wide range of clients, including Instacart, JPMorgan Chase, Confie, Aceable Real Estate School, and many more.

In addition to focusing on real estate content, Kristy has written for many companies throughout her content creation career, including Foot Locker, Loyola Medicine, American Addiction Centers, Clever Girl Finance, and Norwegian Cruise Line.

When she's not creating content about the real estate industry, Kristy enjoys reading, practicing yoga, drinking beer, and hiking. 

Education

  • BA English — Allegheny College


Laura Chapman

Laura Chapman

News Contributor

Laura Chapman is a contributing writer at Clever Real Estate. She has 15+ years experience in news reporting, corporate communications, and non-profit marketing. Today, she divides her time between content writing and publishing fiction. Laura has a bachelors of journalism degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with minors in English and history.

Leandra Beabout

Leandra Beabout

Contributing Writer

Leandra Beabout is an independent journalist and content writer based in Indiana and India. She covers real estate, travel and health, often through the lens of sustainability. Leandra's work has appeared in The Guardian, REALTOR® Magazine, CNN, Reader's Digest, and more.

Lindsay Stefan

Lindsay Stefan

Project Team Lead

Lindsay Stefan is a Project Team Lead at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to Clever, Lindsay was the Content Manager for a digital marketing agency, overseeing consumer-focused content for real estate developers and mortgage lenders. She has also covered complex topics in engineering, health care, and science. 

Lindsay has eight years of experience writing, editing, and copywriting for various websites, publications, and advertisements.

When she isn't writing about real estate, Lindsay is often rock climbing, biking, or otherwise running around outside in Bozeman, Montana. 

Education

  • BA Journalism - University of Oregon
Luke Babich

Luke Babich

Co-Founder & CEO @ Clever Real Estate

Madison Smith

Madison Smith

Featured Author @ Clever Real Estate

Madison Smith is a personal and home finance expert at BestCompany.com that has been featured in Forbes, Finder, and more. She works to help others make positive financial strides in their lives by providing expert insight on anything from credit card debt to home-buying tips.

Follow her on Twitter @maddie_mingus for weekly doses of thought provoking financial content and a chance to connect — don’t be shy!

Mark Sette

Mark Sette

Content Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Mark Sette is an investing and personal finance expert, helping individuals achieve insight and peace of mind through financial education for over 10 years. At Clever Real Estate, Mark empowers buyers, sellers, and investors of all backgrounds by making real estate knowledge more accessible to everyone.  

Prior to his time at Clever, Mark began his career at MassMutual before joining Wealthsimple, where he played a leadership role in scaling a nationwide investing and financial services platform to thousands of clients and millions in assets managed. Mark's writing has been featured on well known platforms such as Investopedia, Wealthsimple, Capitalize, Yahoo Finance, and The Balance. 

In his spare time, Mark moonlights as a DJ and runs a real estate management company. He has a Certified Financial Planner designation and graduated from Liberty University with a Bachelors in Finance in 2010.

Mary T. Prenon

Mary T. Prenon

Clever News Contributor

Mary T. Prenon is an award-winning journalist with a 35-year career in media, communications and public relations. She now specializes in real estate and is a freelance news writer for Clever Real Estate.

After receiving a B.A. in Journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia, she began her career as a broadcast reporter, radio show host and news anchor in suburban New York City. During her radio career, she received two Associated Press Broadcast Awards.

She later transitioned into print reporting for the Westchester Business Journal, Westchester Commerce  Magazine, Realogy Magazine, and many other local publications.

Later, she joined the largest advertising agency in suburban New York City as an account manager, handling publicity for various clients. Currently, she is the director of communications for a Realtor association in the Hudson Valley, NY where she writes for Real Estate In Depth newspaper.

Prenon is also a freelance writer and reporter for The Epoch Times and Chicago Agent Magazine. 

Matt Brannon

Matt Brannon

Data Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Matt Brannon is a Data Writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Before joining Clever, Matt worked as a journalist for Redding.com, where his coverage earned California Journalism Awards for in-depth reporting, investigative reporting, writing, and coverage of local government. His work has appeared in USA Today, MSN, and Yahoo! News. He is a former USC Annenberg Health Journalism Fellow and intern at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Matt served as an editor at the country's largest student-run newspaper, The Independent Florida Alligator, based in Gainesville, Fla. He graduated with a journalism degree with high honors from the University of Florida.

Meaghan Hunt

Meaghan Hunt

Contributing Writer

Meaghan Hunt is a writer and editor based in Oklahoma City. She has over a decade of experience writing and editing for the web, magazines, and print publications, and has spent the last several years focused on personal finance topics including real estate. She is a contributing writer for HerMoney Media. Hunt holds an MLIS degree and believes in empowering homebuyers and sellers by connecting them with accessible, digestible, and authoritative information.

Michael Warford

Michael Warford

Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Michael Warford is a Content Writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to joining Clever, Michael worked as a freelance writer for a variety of digital and print publications, including Homes & Land Magazine Edmonton and Yellow Pages Canada. He was also the Assistant Manager of Content Production at Higher Education Marketing in Montreal, where he developed content for leading colleges and universities.

He studied English at Concordia University in Montreal where he received a B.A. and M.A.

When not writing, Michael enjoys reading, drawing, traveling, and exploring Montreal's neighborhoods and cafes.

Michael Yessis

Michael Yessis

Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Michael Yessis is a Writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to Clever, Michael covered real estate as the editor of Work+Money. He also previously worked as an editor at Aol and USA Today. 

Michael attended UCLA, where he graduated with a major in English.

When he isn't writing about real estate, Mike can be found hiking, biking, and listing to a lot of podcasts. 

Michelle Delgado

Michelle Delgado

Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Michelle Delgado is a Content Writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to Clever, Michelle was a self-employed journalist and consultant to software and media clients including Atlantic Media, Knowable Magazine, and CNN's Courageous Studio. 

Michelle's writing about graphic novels, internet subcultures, DIY communities, and DC's small business scene has appeared in The Atlantic, Vox, Smithsonian, Washington City Paper, and numerous other local and national outlets. 

When she isn't writing about real estate, Michelle can be found reading sci-fi, collecting vinyl records, and lovingly tending her Stardew Valley farm.

Education

  • BA English and American Studies — University of Virginia
Sam M. Huisache

Sam M. Huisache

Data Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Sam M. Huisache is a Data Writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Before Clever, Sam worked as a research analyst and writer for several tech startups, non-profit organizations, and pop culture outlets. Sam's work has been featured in publications like Forbes, The Guardian, Computerworld, and USA Today.

Their professional focus has been on studying technological developments and their impact on socioeconomics in the United States. Sam's work at Clever allows them to create engaging content that makes exploring real estate topics accessible to everyone.

Education

  • BA, Politics — New York University
  • MPA, Social Enterprise & Non-Profit Management — The George Washington University
Sam Radbil

Sam Radbil

Featured Author @ Clever Real Estate

Sam Radbil is the content manager and a contributing author at ABODO. Sam previously worked as a content and media specialist at an Austin, Texas software startup. He has a Bachelor's degree from St. Cloud State University and a Master's degree in strategic communication from American University in Washington, D.C.

ABODO's research and writing has been featured in Forbes, Huffington Post, Washington Post, HousingWire and other real estate and national publications. 

Seamus Roddy

Seamus Roddy

Contributing Writer

Seamus Roddy is a writer based in Washington, D.C. He's written about real estate, tech, business, sports and music.

Shannon Whyte

Shannon Whyte

Contributing News Writer

Shannon Whyte is a freelance copywriter and social proof strategist who helps businesses authentically connect with their audience.

A former clinical psychologist, she writes content on various topics including real estate, mental health issues, relationships, and e-commerce.

Steve Nicastro

Steve Nicastro

Content Team Lead @ Clever Real Estate

Steve Nicastro is a Content Team Lead at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to joining Clever, Steve helped buyers and sellers navigate a challenging real estate market in Charleston, S.C., closing $6 million in transaction volume for 2020 and 2021. 

Steve also worked as a personal finance writer for NerdWallet for over 6 years. His work has been published at USA Today, The Associated Press, U.S. News, and the New York Times, among other online publications.

Steven Porrello

Steven Porrello

Contributing Writer

Steven Porrello is a regular contributor at Clever. When he's not writing about real estate and investing, Steven spends his time surfing, reading on the beach, and traveling.

Taelor Candiloro

Taelor Candiloro

Research Analyst @ Clever Real Estate

Taelor Candiloro is a Research Analyst at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

As part of the PR team, Taelor collaboratively creates surveys, analyzes data, and builds compelling data-driven narratives about personal finance topics and real estate. Taelor's work has appeared in various local and national outlets, such as CNBC, USA Today, MSN, Black Enterprise, and Yahoo News.

Education: B.S. Cultural Anthropology, Linguistics Minor — Utah State University

Thomas O'Shaughnessy

Thomas O'Shaughnessy

Head of Growth @ Clever Real Estate

Tommy O’Shaughnessy is the Head of Growth at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors. 

An expert in home buying and real estate finance, Tommy graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Missouri’s Columbia Journalism School and started his career in real estate education at Veteran’s United, a major VA mortgage lender.

At Clever, Tommy leads a team of Editors and Research Analysts. Tommy’s writing and research have been featured in a host of publications including the LA Times, CNBC, Yahoo Finance, Business Insider and Forbes.

When he’s not reading and writing about real estate, Tommy is probably finishing up the renovations around his own house, or playing a match on the St. Louis handball courts.

Education

  • BA Journalism, Magna Cum Laude - University of Missouri, Columbia Journalism School
Trent Seigfried

Trent Seigfried

Content Writer

Trent Seigfried is a content writer at Clever Real Estate, crafting articles to help customers navigate the home buying and selling processes.

Trent has more than ten years experience explaining financial and lifestyle topics in easy-to-understand terms.  His writing has appeared in Business Insider, Christian Science Monitor, US News and World Report, and many other places.  

Trent graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in computer science and biology.

Trevor Wallis

Trevor Wallis

Writer @ Clever Real Estate

Trevor Wallis is a Content Writer at Clever Real Estate, the nation's leading real estate education platform for home buyers, sellers, and investors.

Prior to joining Clever, Trevor was a freelance writer who wrote about personal finance, insurance, and e-commerce, among other topics. He also worked as a marketing strategist for industrial and manufacturing companies at Gorilla 76.

Trevor's writing has appeared on Bankrate, The Simple Dollar, NextAdvisor, TechInsurance, A Better Lemonade Stand, and many other online publications.

When not writing about real estate, Trevor can be found savoring a cup of coffee, binge-watching 90s sitcoms, and chasing his toddler around his house. 

Education

  • BA Biblical Studies — Maranatha Baptist University