Don’t think you need an LLC as a real estate investor? Think again! Jennifer Gligoric, the owner and co-founder of Leafy Legal Services, has seen all the ugly that comes with not having your assets protected. She helps her clients put structures and layers of protection in place so they aren’t left exposed in legal situations. Listen in to hear Jennifer’s CSIRE story, and learn how the victims could’ve saved tens of thousands in legal fees had they had an LLC in place.

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:

• 01:30 – Introducing Jennifer and what she does
• 02:10 – She is the co-founder and owner of Leafy Legal services; they help real estate investors with asset protection and estate planning
• 02:30 – She started with a law firm and has been an entrepreneur for 20 years; she knows why businesses tank and it’s always HR
• 03:40 – She helps entrepreneurs put structure and layers of protection in place; lawsuits are rampant and its easy for a lawyer to put a lien against a property
• 06:00 – Why it’s important to protect your assets
• 06:20 – Lawyers look at the value of your assets, not what you owe
• 07:00 – Jennifer’s CSIRE story
• 07:00 – This wasn’t her personal story, but she dealt with in an ancillary way
• 07:15 – A realtor sold a home that was never disclosed to have been a meth house
• 07:20 – The family who moved in started to get sick, as did the neighbors, and the landlord got sued
• 07:40 – The lawyers attached lien after lien to every piece of property they could – none of their property was protected
• 08:00 – The people had to spend $62,000 of legal fees just to prove they didn’t know the house was a meth house
• 08:30 – How the mess could have been less messy
• 08:40 – The family was decimated by legal fees just to prove they didn’t know; they had to hire great lawyers because the suing family also had great lawyers
• 09:00 – Jennifer’s firm could’ve helped avoid liens; she could’ve set them up from the beginning so their assets were protected
• 10:00 – With Leafy, there would’ve been nothing for the lawyers to “get” and lien
• 10:50 – On having an LLC
• 11:00 – You want anonymity; you want to transfer house deeds out of your name as soon as you buy them
• 12:30 – How to contact Jennifer (she can work in all 50 states!)
• 13:00 - Go to leafylegalservices.com to book a consult
• 13:30 – Type in the code crazyshit2019 for $51 off

3 Key Points

• It’s always HR!
• You DO need to protect yourself and your assets.
• Get an LLC and protect your assets!

I know, I know, you hate politics! But stay with me and don’t forget that politics directly impact you and your clients! Emily Chenevert, Chief Executive Officer at the Austin Board of REALTORS®, is a passionate lobbyist who gets the importance of having the people’s best interest in mind. She understands the power of negotiation and recognizes that we must learn to give and take when making big decisions. Listen in to learn what makes REALTORS® a unique group and learn some things to ask the elected public officials in your city. 

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:

• 01:30 – Introducing Emily, the Chief Executive Officer at Austin Board of REALTORS® and Host of the ScratchThat podcast.
• 01:50 – She is a self-proclaimed “Association Junkie” and does lots of political advocacy work
• 03:50 – She understands that politics are important to have the people’s best interest at hand; the best REALTORS® pay attention
• 05:00 – Emily’s CSIRE story
• 05:15 – She is a young and female lobbyist in Texas, which is rare; her second child had medical issues so she was in the hospital for 6 weeks
• 05:40 – While in the hospital, she led over 8 independent expenditure campaigns in elections for city council; she took phone calls and meetings 
• 06:00 – The questions we should be asking elected officials
• 07:15 – In Austin, TX the concern is for quality of life; Austin has grown so rapidly and is struggling with the infrastructure to support this new growth 
• 08:30 – How Emily sets aside her personal beliefs in order to speak for the community and be productive rather than divisive
• 08:45 – Her father was an elected official and her whole family are democrats; her father thought she had sold her soul to the devil when she joined the association as a lobbyist
• 08:52 – He thought all REALTORS® are Republican and conservative; this is untrue
• 09:11 – Emily believes “we are a purple power REALTOR® party”; there are times she has to shelf her own beliefs
• 09:30 – There’s a lot of grey area; negotiation, give and take are necessary for growth overall
• 11:10 – We’ve lost mutual respect and healthy discourse; we want purists but we are a nuanced population
• 13:10 – Lean into relationships and connection with the same power as you do in politics and sides; this can change the world 
• 14:30 - REALTORS® are a 50/50 split and on both sides of the isle; that makes for good public policy positions 
• 15:10 – Emily’s experience when buying her house
• 05:25 – They built their first house with an 80/20 loan at 100% with a balloon note on the second part of the home; they thought home ownership was for everyone
• 16:10 – She learned a lot about how/why transactions are structured the way they are; they rented it out for a while and had hard times 
• 17:35 – How to contact Emily: by phone at (512)454-7636 ext.1000, by email at echenevert@abor.com, and on Instagram

3 Key Points

1. Politics affect you so pay attention!
2.  The best REALTORS® are an inch wide and a mile deep. They have a tight niche that they serve passionately. 
3. We need to bring back mutual respect and healthy discourse!

We needed some spunk so we’ve invited Marki Lemons to the show! Marki Lemons, a REALTOR®, broker, educator, and speaker has got something to say about the fact that REALTORS® are entrepreneurs and need to start thinking like it! She’ll discuss the importance of having a business plan and niche to really succeed as a REALTOR®. Tune in to hear how education plays a role in everyone’s career, how it played a role in hers, and learn how you can network and learn at the same time.

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:

• 00:30 – Introducing Marki, a broker, educator, and speaker who has been in real estate since 1999
• 01:20 – Marki came in on the lending side then transitioned over to the selling side 
• 04:13 – She’s in high demand for speaking and teaching; she got real-world experience before teaching 
• 06:42 – She loves real estate but is grounded in education; she is happy within her niche
• 09:00 – She understands the importance of educating the public as well as those within the real estate industry; she is precise and gives real answers
• 12:30 – On REALTORS® being entrepreneurs
• 12:47 - REALTORS® need a business plan and a niche to really shine; they should continue learning for the entirety of their career 
• 13:30 – You can learn something new in every education opportunity; you can also network through those opportunities
• 15:15 – On how she obtained her broker’s license and what she learned 
• 15:50 – She learned that she could make more money with fewer transactions with a broker’s license
• 16:35 – She learned about the MLS ID number and the local realtor’s association when she was first starting out and learned it was going to cost $1,200
• 17:30 – She realized that she didn’t know anything despite the fact that she studies what she needed to get the license
• 18:40 – On trying to get on the board of directors at the Chicago realtor’s association 
• 19:45 – She wasn’t picked three times; they picked someone who wasn’t in the industry
• 20:20 – She was told that she didn’t volunteer enough and that she should become a licensed real estate educator
• 21:00 – She was put on the schedule to teach and got on the board of directors 
• 22:50 – How to reach Marki: Type in her name across all channels and you’ll find her!

3 Key Points

1. Acknowledgment that you don’t know everything makes you open to learn more. 
2. Invest in your education!
3. Not all REALTORS® are created equal. 

Credits

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