Real estate isn’t all competition! In fact, Sarah Johnson, realtor of nearly 25 years and instructor, believes that there’s plenty to go around and that we should all support each other. Sarah’s story is a heartwarming one of persistence, mentorship, and connection when she first joined the real estate industry. Listen in to hear how Sarah landed her first job right out of school, wouldn’t take no for an answer, and still keeps in touch with her co-workers almost 25 years later.  

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 01:00 – Introducing Sarah, a realtor of 25 years and instructor in Wyoming; She’s in the Bighorn Basin near Yellowstone
• 03:00 – Sarah’s CSIRE Story
• 03:35 – She got into real estate in a very unconventional way; she learned lots of lessons along the way
• 04:15 – She was 21 and newlywed; she had an aunt who was in real estate and knew that it was what she wanted to do so she took classes
• 05:00 – Their car and truck broke down and she needed to go to her real estate class; her family arranged a ride for her with another realtor
• 06:00 – She heard people talking about the broker that recruited or sponsored them; she didn’t have that and didn’t have a plan
• 06:40 – She passed the test and went to find herself a broker; the first broker was nice but didn’t hire her because she was young and still had a lot to learn
• 07:30 – He gave her a referral to another broker who had a training program in her office
• 08:15 – She entered the broker’s office but she was out for weeks; the clock was ticking because she had to activate her license within 90 days of passing the test
• 09:30 – A week later, she was finally in the office; Sarah caught her on her way out the door and insisted to speak with her and ride with her to the job site she was visiting
• 09:50 – Sarah was insistent on the car ride and ask that she take a chance on her; this was her first lesson in sales
• 10:45 – She asked the woman to sign her application so her schooling wouldn’t expire and she did; a week later she started working for her and being mentored
• 11:30 – She would listen to the other realtors talk about their day and sales; she learned the most by doing that and being mentored by senior realtors
• 12:15 – The others in the office mentored her even though she was a young stranger
• 13:30 – Providing mentorship to others
• 13:45 – Sarah loves to teach others because of the mentorship she was given at that first office
• 14:30 – Being an instructor is one of her favorite things; she doesn’t think she would’ve made it had those people not invented in her
• 15:30 – It’s good to always have an experienced mentor so you don’t have to learn everything the hard way
• 17:50 – We get stuck in our way of thinking if we aren’t constantly trying to level up and grow
• 18:40 – How to reach Sarah: email sarah@johnsonhomeandland.com or through her website com

3 Key Points

• Be kinder to others.
• Persistence is key!
• Mentorship is forever invaluable. 

Credits

• Audio Production by Chris Mottram
• Show Notes provided by Melissa Valder

Wanna hear a story that gives a whole new definition to the word patience? Paula Brahan, a REALTOR® in Hattiesburg, MS, spent a whole year trying to find the perfect property for a client – just to have him move in right across the street. The whole thing tested her patience –his changing needs, unrealistic expectations, electromagnetic detector (what?) – but ultimately both she and her client were happy. Listen in to find out how Paula found exactly what her client wanted – and got a nice neighbor, too!

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:50 – Introducing Paula, a REALTOR® in Hattiesburg, MS; she’s been in the business for 4 years and was a nurse before
• 02:50 – Paula’s CSIRE story
• 03:00 – She’s learned that patience is key, especially in one case
• 03:45 – The client was referred to her, he was very particular and she was helping him find a place
• 04:35 – They ruled out every house for one reason or another; the budget and scope changed often
• 05:10 – The client would bring out an electromagnetic reader everywhere they went; he had young kids and didn’t want them to be around certain frequencies
• 06:15 – He was looking in the $500,000 - $700,000 range; she finally found a house that was perfect but he said it was too good to be true
• 07:10 – The next day he emails her and said there was a sewer treatment lagoon near the house so they can’t move there; the next house had a concrete plant nearby
• 08:08 – She suggests he get an estimate to build a house
• 08:50 – She bet him a steak dinner that the bid to build wasn’t going to be less than $700,000, and she was right
• 09:10 – A contractor in her neighborhood custom build his home but then decided to sell it; they began to negotiate with the builder/seller but he was asking too much
• 10:25 – That back and forth went on for months; then another neighbor who just moved in as well told her he wanted to sell
• 11:40 – One year after meeting this client, they had a contract drawn up and now he lives across the street; it’s one of the largest transactions Paula has closed
• 12:30 – Everyone has different needs that we should respect
• 13:15 – In neighborhoods where homes are custom built, comps and appraisals can be challenging
• 13:50 – She wanted him to see the value of the homes she was showing him; the bids helped give the client perspective
• 16:17 – The builder was never able to sell his home and is now neighbors with the buyers
• 16:54 – How to contact Paula: call/text (601)606-6686, reach her at the office at (601)268-1600, or on her website http://www.paulabrahancan.com/ 

3 Key Points

• Patience is key!
• Respect the needs of others.
• Communicate what you want but be flexible with changes.

Credits

• Audio Production by Chris Mottram
• Show Notes provided by Melissa Valder

Watch out, squatter gang coming through! Brandi Underwood, realtor and Miracle Agent, had a long battle with the squatting community in her area – and that was just the beginning! Just in case the issue with the squatters wasn’t enough, she then had to deal with the county, their (big!) mistakes, and a difficult inspector (on a power trip). Listen in to hear how Brandi cleaned up this mess despite challenges that would’ve sent most people running.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 01:00 – Introducing Brandi and Miracle Homes
• 01:03 – Brandi’s located in Fair Oaks, CA, right outside of Sacramento; she services Sacramento, El Dorado, and Pastor Counties
• 01:16 – She’s a Re/Max Miracle Agent which means she donates a portion of her commission to the Children’s Miracle Network
• 02:30 – Brandi’s CSIRE story
• 02:55 – Around the holidays in 2017 she helped an old co-worker and her husband find their first home
• 03:28 – They found a home in a less-than-desireable neighborhood; they walked-through and everything looked good
• 04:02 – They got into contract for the home; she had to call because the offer had gone into a spam folder
• 04:30 – They went into escrow and she was working with their lender, someone she hadn’t worked with much before
• 05:10 – Their first time back to the property there were squatters who had damaged a lot of things like doors, windows, and carpet
• 06:35 – The investment group selling the home could get the repairs done quickly; the buyers had to be ok with the damage even though it would be fixed
• 07:15 – The house kept having squatter issues; the buyers had to make nuisance calls to the police to get them out
• 08:43 – Why the buyers moved forward despite the issues
• 09:06 – The man was set on making it work; he knew they were part of the revitalization of the neighborhood and the house was beautiful
• 09:55 – The seller’s agent was great and made sure the house was repaired before move-in
• 10:40 – Liens had to be cleared on the property and the escrow was about 45 days
• 12:00 – Afterwards, she went to the property and there were signs saying the house was condemned; the buyer was panicking
• 12:50 – She learned that the county could be incorrect; a county inspector said he needed a proof of recording, which she showed
• 13:40 – He said that it was impossible because he had already recorded a lien on the parcel, so it couldn’t have closed
• 14:15 – He went back to the county office to research the permits; he said the county was wrong and recorded everything on the wrong parcel number
• 15:00 – He had already looked inside the home, though, and had a laundry list of things to fix before move-in
• 16:20 – She had to tell everyone – buyer and seller – what happened; Brandi helped them through
• 17:45 – The county wasn’t helpful and the homeowners couldn’t move in because of all the things the inspector said needed to be done
• 18:20 – They had to redo everything in the home and could finally move in 4 months later
• 20:30 – How Brandi continued to help her clients
• 21:00 – She stuck through with them even beyond what she had to
• 21:50 – They are happy and love the house now
• 22:45 – How to contact Brandi: by phone (916)792-2635 or by email at brandisellscahomes@gmail.com

3 Key Points

• Be proactive when sending an offer – and make sure they receive it!
• Tenacity and savviness is necessary in a realtor!
• Safety first!

Credits

• Audio Production by Chris Mottram
• Show Notes provided by Melissa Valder

Penis-shaped ice cubes, anyone? Sam Powell, real estate professional and tech nerd, found a little special something in her friend’s freezer – something so special, in fact, she decided to keep it! And just in case that story isn’t crazy enough, wait till you hear about how she and her clients accidentally crashed the Chicago marathon – two years in a row! Listen in to hear Sam’s hilarious stories and get a glimpse into the determined, passionate person she is.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting The Leigh Brown Experience. 

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 01:30 – Introducing Sam and her background
• 01:38 – She works in downtown Chicago but has connections throughout Illinois
• 01:50 – Their tagline is “Real answers, real people, real estate”
• 03:45 – Sam’s CSIRE story: Blue Penis Ice Cube Tray
• 04:33 – A friend passed away and she was helping the out-of-state family deal with the possessions in his property
• 04:50 – His friend got rid of pornography and personal items before the family arrived
• 05:03 – The family came and took what they wanted; Sam helped offer the rest on org and people came all day to pick up what they wanted
• 05:45 – She found a blue penis ice cube tray and decided to keep it to remember her friend
• 06:25 – The friend had passed away in his home; they learned a lot about the process through this experience and the family was very appreciative of their help
• 06:50 – Disclosing a death on a property
• 06:54 – It’s not a disclosure in Illinois or North Carolina; the man had passed away in his bed and had become a biohazard
• 08:00 – How the family took to their help
• 08:15 – Sam knew it was going to be tough for the family and she had everything necessary to make it a smooth process
• 08:40 – The family welcomed the help
• 09:45 – Another CSIRE story: Make a Run for It
• 10:00 – Right when she finished setting up an open house, she stepped in a fresh pile of dog poop; she was traumatized and considered cancelling the open house
• 11:13 – This was a clothing malfunction for the books, but she’s also had a bra unclip while she was speaking onstage (no one knew but her!)
• 12:00 – Pushing through as a professional realtor
• 12:30 – Realtors must suck it up and push through rough times because clients are depending on you
• 12:45 – Another CSIRE story
• 12:48 – She was crossing the street with clients and 10,000 runners come down the street; it was the Chicago marathon
• 13:00 – They had to cross at a diagonal, with the runners, to get across the street; one year later, the same thing happened with the same buyers
• 13:24 – She started volunteering for the marathon so she could guarantee she wouldn’t try to show clients those days
• 14:30 – How to contact Sam and her team: Her website is com; Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube

3 Key Points

• Be kinder and more trusting of your neighbors.
• Push through personal discomfort when clients are depending on you.
• Volunteering is good for the community – and can help you remember important events!

Credits

• Audio Production by Chris Mottram
• Show Notes provided by Melissa Valder

You haven’t seen crazy ‘till you’ve been physically assaulted by a co-worker for answering a phone, amiright? Harry Corcell, newbie realtor, comedian, and expert tech wiz, has got all the reasons why you absolutely should NOT contact him – and there are plenty! Harry is eager to please his clients and will do anything necessary to sell in the fastest and smoothest way possible. Listen in to hear how Harry’s skills from the corporate tech world transferred into real estate and how he’s using technology to his advantage.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting The Leigh Brown Experience.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:45 – Introducing Harry
• 00:50 – He’s a father of three and located in Boston; he started doing real estate part-time while he was a stand-up comedian
• 01:13 – Harry’s CSIRE story
• 01:30 - He was renting apartments for a company; they didn’t have internet and did everything manually
• 02:10 – The phone in the office kept ringing while he was with a client so Harry picked it up; his co-worker told Harry’s client to leave and began assaulting Harry
• 02:15 – 20 years later, after working a corporate job, he got laid off and looked into getting his real estate license
• 03:00 – Why people shouldn’t work with Harry
• 03:22 – He’s high-profile on social media, he works with a mentor to offset his rookie mistakes, and he’s great at follow-up
• 05:20 – He’s been in real estate for a short time, but his skills from working in technology are transferrable
• 06:00 – He’s used to tough negotiations and is comfortable working harder to get the best results
• 06:20 – The emotion evolved in real estate
• 06:45 – Every transaction is personal
• 07:50 – What Harry loves about real estate today
• 07:58 – Technology makes deals easier
• 08:50 – People are anxious to click through without reading, but technology does save lots of time
• 10:15 – The convenience factor of online
• 10:45 – Realtors know the community and neighborhood
• 12:00 – How to reach Harry: LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter; he works with Engel & Völkers 

3 Key Points

• Every transaction in real estate is personal.
• Technology is great when used properly.
• Realtors know the community like a generic website doesn’t. 

Credits

• Audio Production by Chris Mottram
• Show Notes provided by Melissa Valder