From Gold Jackets to YouTube Real Estate Nerd (and Podcast Guy Too)
Michael Poczynek’s love affair with real estate started when he was 11—not because he was precocious, but because his neighbour rocked a shiny Century 21 gold jacket and cruised around in a Lincoln Town Car like a suburban legend. That was it—real estate looked cool.
At 13, while other kids were riding bikes and playing Nintendo, Michael was tagging along with his mum as she cleaned a real estate office to make ends meet after a divorce. He wasn’t scrubbing floors though—he was obsessing over MLS® books, property cards, and house listings like they were hockey cards. Selling homes at 13 wasn’t exactly legal, so he started a little business instead and by 17—already living on his own—he dove into the world of computers and opened Micro-Shop (Hamilton, Ontario), his first tech company.
From there, Michael collected adventures like most people collect socks. He ran businesses, wrote tech manuals, and got his advanced amateur radio license at 20 (yes, he speaks fluent geek). He even set out to visit every country in the world—he made it to 70 before realizing airports are just fancy waiting rooms with expensive sandwiches.
Despite all that, real estate never left his system. Since 1998, he’s been with Century 21—yes, still with the same broker—and now calls Prince Edward Island home. His mission? To help people make smart, confident decisions in real estate without jargon, fluff, or salesy nonsense. Just facts, experience, and the occasional sarcastic comment.
Michael lives, eats, and breathes PEI real estate, and it shows on his long-running YouTube channel (launched in 2007, before it was cool) with almost two-thousand videos, and millions of views. He also co-hosts The Michael and Patty Show—a no-fluff, real-talk podcast where he and REALTOR® Patty Castle dive into the weird, wild, and wonderful world of PEI real estate, with a side of laughs and storytelling.
When he's not filming, podcasting or negotiating deals, you’ll find him volunteering at the PEI Humane Society, supporting local food banks, or doing what he can to help those in need. He’s a firm believer that honesty matters, people deserve respect, and no commission cheque is worth selling out your ethics.
If you’re looking for a real estate agent who tells it like it is, isn’t afraid of hard work, and still gets giddy about MLS® listings like it’s 1989, you’ve found your guy.
Honesty is a very expensive gift. Don’t expect it from cheap people. - Warren Buffet
