Paid Testimonials, Gift Cards & a 3.5 Hour Drive: What Really Happens When You Fight Big Money at the Capitol

Paid Testimonials, Gift Cards & a 3.5 Hour Drive: What Really Happens When You Fight Big Money at the Capitol

From Real Estate Called Out by Wendy, Founder of Selling Later

March 9, 2026 · 18 min

About this episode

Wendy shares her experience testifying at the Pennsylvania State Capitol regarding a bill on home equity investments amidst controversial practices by a Silicon Valley company.

What happens when a Silicon Valley company offers homeowners $50 Amazon gift cards to submit favorable testimony to a state legislature, and doesn't disclose it? I watched it happen in real time. In this episode, I'm telling the full story of the day I drove 3.5 hours to the Pennsylvania State Capitol to testify in support of HB 2120, a bill that would require home equity investments (HEIs), also called shared appreciation agreements or home equity sharing agreements, to be regulated as mortg...

People in this episode

Host: Wendy

Topics covered

  • testimony
  • legislation
  • home equity investments
  • shared appreciation agreements
  • politics
  • consumer advocacy

Keywords

  • testimonials
  • gift cards
  • home equity
  • legislation
  • Pennsylvania State Capitol
  • consumer rights
  • political advocacy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Silicon Valley company

Places: Pennsylvania

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