Set for Monday-Tuesday, February 24-25 at The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel, the 2025 Velocity, A FORCE Conference, is tailored for professionals in REO and the adjacent markets, including agents and brokers, asset managers, property management, attorneys, and servicers.
The name “Velocity” emerged from the collective efforts and expertise of FORCE members wanting to share knowledge and strategies on building a business that has momentum and power. Seasoned leaders, who have not only successfully endured but thrived in recent years, will curate unparalleled content, and have assembled top-notch experts to empower attendees with the tools needed to propel their business forward.
The Velocity Conference will provide targeted content, niche industry insights, and intimate networking within a relaxed environment designed to support the asset managers, vendors, and agents who specialize in REO.
Beyond receiving the tools to advance your business, attendees of the Velocity Conference will acquire transferable skills that not only enhance versatility, but also contribute to expanding market share. Moreover, recognizing that work in the REO industry thrives on collaboration, and the FORCE group is excited to introduce REO Community, an interactive game that will be played during the Velocity Conference that seamlessly combines networking and learning, offering participants tangible rewards, bragging rights, and fun!
An Historic Venue
The host facility, The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel offers contemporary comfort downtown in Sundance Square near celebrated attractions, such as the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth Stockyards and Texas Christian University. Among the amenities, The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel features a popular steakhouse, Toro Toro, headed by world-renowned Chef Richard Sandoval serving Pan-Latin dishes and innovative cocktails. And for those interested in venturing out, ample restaurant and entertainment options are just steps away from The Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth Hotel.
Keeping Abreast of the Latest in Educational Offerings
Day one of the event features an array of educational offerings, tackling hot button topics such as:
- REO Certification
- BPO & Rehab
- From Probate to Profit
- Tax Lien
- Understanding Title Issues
The “REO Certification Course” will provide the highest education that real estate agents can learn from an experienced agent and instructor. The content will cover the important markets for agents to know and opportunities for success. By learning the lifecycle of a foreclosure, you prepare yourself not just for additional opportunities but to understand the REO process from start to finish. This course is open to all conference registrants (with limited seating) and an RSVP is required (select add-on during the registration process or modifying registration to purchase and RSVP).
Instructed by Sarah Richards, Broker with Spring Mountain Realty PLLC and Jim Hastings, President of Hastings Brokerage, the “BPO & Rehab” course will provide a solid understanding of the BPO-to-Rehab process and why it is essential for REO agents. Not only is this one of the more challenging aspects of preparing a listing for return to market, but it is a constantly changing process. Learn from two experienced agents well-versed in the process to make sure you, your BPO, and your revitalization process stand out from the competition.
In the “From Probate to Profit” class, industry seasoned instructors will offer a greater understanding of the probate process, providing strategies and knowledge to change unfortunate events into opportunities for all parties. Join this course for a thorough examination of probate before you add these skills to your arsenal of revenue streams.
In the “Tax Lien” session, Gregory Jacovini, Chief Operating Officer with Pro Capital, will discuss liens imposed upon a property by law in order to secure the payment of taxes. Tax liens may be imposed for the purpose of collecting delinquent taxes which are owed on real property or personal property, or it may be imposed as a result of a failure to pay income taxes, or as a result of a failure to pay other taxes.
Originally part of the Legal League Default Servicer Certification Level 2, the “Understanding Title Issues” course will be offered separately since the content is helpful for professionals who may not be eligible for the full certification. This class contains information on key terms, title policy flow, common title issues, resolutions, and key tips, and will be instructed by Matthew Podmenik, General Counsel and Managing Partner (Southwest) with McCarthy & Holthus.
Sessions and Speakers Covering All Aspects of the REO Space
Day two of the Velocity Conference features a number of informative General Sessions an array of topics, including:
- Navigating Title Issues and Pitfalls
- Rehab—Not Just for REOs or HGTV
- The Road Ahead: Market Update 2025
- Diversify, Strengthen, and Accelerate!
- First Date, Best Date
- The Path to Becoming a Real Investor
As agents are seeing title issues more and more, “Navigating Title Issues and Pitfalls” will present common issues that might tie up listings, as well as what the circumstances and solutions to solve these issues. Knowing more about these obstacles will make you a better partner for your clients and help you prepare for the unexpected. A panel of experts, including Megan Boyd, Partner with McCarthy and Holthus LLP; Gregory Jacovini, COO with Pro Capital; and Stuart Gordan, Managing Partner REO & Closing Group with McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, will present the “Navigating Title Issues and Pitfalls” session.
Many have the team, processes, and market knowledge on rehab on REO listings to achieve maximum ROI. The “Rehab—Not Just for REOs or HGTV” session will teach you how to apply those skills and knowledge to revenue streams beyond the REO market. With your expertise and market knowledge, you understand what sells and what is most cost-effective and attractive in your market. This course, presented by the trio of Jim Hastings, President of Hastings Brokerage; Frederick Golding, Associate Broker with RE/MAX Advantage Realty; and Keith Stone, Realtor with The Keith Stone Real Estate Group, will help you find the clients that need those skills for a new revenue stream.
In “The Road Ahead: Market Update 2025” session, a panel of experts and industry leaders will discuss what lies ahead for the year 2025 and beyond in the REO space. A medicated market, a new administration, and suspiciously familiar indicators are all the factors you need to know about that will be covered during “The Road Ahead: Market Update 2025” session.
In uncertain markets, diversifying your portfolio is a must. The same is true for your revenue channels. During the “Diversify, Strengthen, and Accelerate!” session, panelists will share their tactics on how they transferred their skills from one type of real estate to another, and further, will show you how the world is yours, no matter the circumstances! Invited speakers for this session include Caroline Gim, REO Broker with Expert Real Estate & Investment; Eric Delgado, Co-Founder & Managing Director with Izinga; and Christy “CJ” Pace, Founder and CEO with Pace Probity Asset Management.
In the “First Date, Best Date” session, attendees will learn how to start off on the right foot with every client in this unique, interactive, choose-your-own-adventure session. Presented by Brynn Amaya, Portfolio Manager with Pemco Capital and Tara Dugger, Senior Operations Manager with VRM Mortgage Services, this session is a live illustration of the “dos and don’ts” of your first assignment with a new client. The players will be real-life asset managers and successful agents, living out real-life scenarios and breaking them down for those in attendance.
The final session of the day, “The Path to Becoming a Real Investor,” will feature seasoned investors discussing how to tune up your investing to go from zero to 60 with the tools you already have. Panelists Rande Johnsen, Director of Trustee Corps; Norris Bishop, Broker with Norris Bishop Realty; and Elsie Gomez, Acquisitions Manager with PEMCO Capital Management, will share pitfalls, successes, and how to use the current market to your advantage and excel in today’s marketplace.
Click here for more information and to register for the 2025 Velocity Conference in Fort Worth.
