Do you ever find yourself thinking, “Wouldn’t it be cool if...” – just to shut your dreams right back off again? Erin Bradley, the founder of Pursuing Freedom, decided to keep her dreams top-of-mind and pursue her freedom. She hit rock-bottom and pulled herself right back up again by learning how to leverage passive income from real estate investing. She now has a podcast, blog, book, and online course to teach others how to do the same. Listen in to hear how Erin did it and learn what she does to get past life’s inevitable hurdles.

• 01:00 – Introducing Erin, the founder of Pursuing Freedom, and her journey
• 01:30 – They have a podcast, blog, book, and online courses to help people build a life they don’t need a vacation from
• 01:50 – She knew what she didn’t want from a job; she rode her bike to meet a client and her credit card got declined for a cup of coffee
• 03:40 – She asked her father how he did it and he said that she needed to do “whatever it takes”
• 04:20 – They ended up being able to use the passive income from real estate investing to live the life of their dreams
• 06:45 – Erin’s CSIRE story
• 07:00 – She didn’t find joy in the process of sales but pushed through; in 2011 she was gifted the book “The Go-Giver”
• 07:50 – She built a services directory and called family and friends for input and to remind them that she wanted to provide more value than just mortgage lending
• 08:50 – She built a “tribe” to better serve her “village” and vice versa
• 09:15 – She now teaches the strategy that was the foundation for her business’s success so that others can build a business that supports the life they want
• 11:00 – Getting past hurdles
• 11:05 – She read many books and focuses on what she’s grateful for to manifest more of it
• 13:00 – She practices active gratitude and strategic energy management
• 14:15 – One takeaway from Erin
• 14:30 – When you goal-set, write , “Wouldn’t it be cool if...”
• 15:00 – Allow your mind to daydream, then think about why you want it
• 15:40 – The path will unfold if you focus on it every day with gratefulness and intention
• 16:45 – How to find Erin: pursuingfreedom.com, on Instagram
• 17:00 – Check out her podcast and book titled Pursuing Freedom

3 Key Points

• Keep learning and educating yourself.
• Gratitude is the key.
• Do the damn work!

Credits

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

There’s nothing like starting the morning off right with beer, cigarettes, and an episode (or ten) of Jerry Springer! Sean Carpenter, a speaker, educator,  trainer, and REALTOR®  of 21 years never knew the winning morning routine – until he had his very first transaction. He kept his cool (and his sense of humor) throughout the tour and knew it was right to be respectful and courteous despite the oddities he encountered around the house. Sean lives by the motto that real estate should be about building relationships, solving problems, and having fun – which is exactly what he’s done. Listen in to learn the value of communication and why a relationship is worth much more than a commission check.  

• 01:00 – Introducing Sean, a speaker, educator, trainer, and REALTOR® from Ohio
• 01:20 – He’s been in real estate for 21 years and previously worked playing golf professionally and selling beer
• 02:20 – He loved coaching and training but hated managing
• 02:41 – His company is called Sean Speaks, LLC and he sells occasionally, too
• 03:10 – His parent’s REALTOR® was his first mentor; he transitioned from selling beer to real estate to have more balanced hours and to start a family
• 05:25 – Sean’s CSIRE story
• 05:31 – It was his very first transaction with a client from the beer company; they were looking at rural properties
• 06:00 – There were cars in the overgrown yard and the TV was blaring with two men sitting on the floor watching Jerry Springer
• 06:40 – It was midmorning and they had empty beer bottles all over the coffee table and overflowing ashtrays
• 07:05 – The men told them to look around – that they were just renting – and that their “old ladies” were in the kitchen
• 07:30 – The ladies had even more cigarette butts and there was a huge pile of dirty dishes; it was a spectacle
• 07:45 – There was a Rottweiler chained to the bed in the master bedroom and 3.5 inches of dryer lint across the entire basement floor
• 10:00 – Afterwards, the listing agent asked if the tenants were home and what they were watching; he was happy it was Jerry Springer and not porn like the day before
• 11:25 – Another CSIRE story
• 11:35 – The property was near the Ohio State campus; they tried opening the front door but it was wedged shut
• 11:55 – The back door was open and they walked in; a student was passed out, drunk and naked, laying against the front door
• 12:15 – The client said he had an appointment so he walked over the guy and kept touring the place
• 13:00 – Communication is important – between REALTORS® and clients, clients and showing coordinators, sellers, and buyers
• 13:55 – Be respectful to the homes and the people in them when you show a home
• 14:55 – A tip for 2020
• 15:10 – Real estate is about 3 things: Building relationships, solving problems and having fun
• 16:09 – REALTORS®, remember that relationships last longer than a commission check and consumers, look for a REALTOR® that values your relationship
• 16:15 – How to contact Sean: go to www.seancarpenter.com, his blog https://www.carpscorner.net/, on Twitter or on all other social media channels

3 Key Points

• Having a sense of humor is a must in real estate!
• Be respectful – no matter what crazy shit you see.
• Real estate is about building relationships, solving problems and having fun.

Credits

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

Is your open house sign-in sheet information safe? Ron Schurr, a software guy turned REALTOR®, saw that it definitely wasn’t – especially when written down with pen and paper. He learned that traditional sign-in sheets risked being captured by rogue agents and technologically captured lists risked information being shared and profiled without the consent of the consumer. Ron saw that the real estate industry desperately needed a solution to sketchy sign-in sheets so he created it! Listen in to learn about OHGuests and why it’s critical to ask where all that personal information is going.

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 Ron; he previously worked in software sales and got into real estate in 2000
• 02:30 – 60,000 agents came in at the same time, they were taught not to trust each other at that time
• 03:35 – On distrust in the industry
• 03:55 – A leader told new agents not to trust each other, which probably perpetuated competition and distrust that didn’t need to be there in the first place
• 04:45 – An old colleague of Ron’s took one of his clients; they had to backtrack and prove he had first contact at a time before cell phones
• 05:50 – Technology over paper
• 06:25 – Why people don’t sign in at an open house: Agents don’t ask, consumers don’t want nosey neighbors, there are looky-loo’s, and there are rogue agents
• 10:00 – The benefits of digital signing
• 10:05 – There are digital platforms that capture sign-ins without risking and sharing the consumers information
• 10:45 – There’s a gray area when it comes to collecting consumer data and there are negatives and positives to the consumer when they release their information
• 14:30 – Open house concerns
• 15:10 – Men can also be targeted; be aware and safe
• 15:55 – Ron’s software: OHGuests
• 16:08 – It is the most powerful open house management platform and they’re the first to market with a safety feature that allows the agents to alert people if they feel at-risk
• 16:40 – They have many security features and other beneficial tools
• 18:25 – Visit ohguests.com to learn more or email Ron at ronnie@ohguests.com

3 Key Points

• Hold yourself and others accountable.
• Go digital but be respectful with consumer data.
• Sign ins are important at open houses – but always ask how the information is being used.

Today, I’d like to introduce you to the longest-surviving mortgage person I’ve ever met! Marilyn Richardson has been in the mortgage industry for 52, yes, 5-2 years! She became the first female partner of Mason-McDuffie in 1979 – and she did it despite the resistance she received from many people at the time. Marilyn was never afraid to ask for what she wanted, work hard, and seek mentorship from the best– and she recommends the same to anyone wanting to up-level their life. Listen in to learn how Marilyn lasted and what she does every day to stay sane.

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 Marilyn
• 01:20 – She’s been in the mortgage industry for 52 years
• 01:30 – How Marilyn has evolved with the times
• 01:50 – She’s flexible to change and goes with the flow; she knows what it takes to prevent stress
• 02:15 – Marilyn’s journey
• 02:30 – She started as a receptionist, when new openings would come up, she’d ask for them; she worked shipping, closing, processing, underwriting, etc.
• 03:00 – All the jobs were “female jobs” until she started getting management jobs; they saw her potential and were willing to give her a shot
• 03:25 – She had a mentor and helped make departments more efficient; a senior partner (mentor) insisted she get partnership
• 04:20 – She became the first female partner of Mason-McDuffie in 1979; they had to have partnership meetings in a new location that allowed women
• 04:40 – Her mentor appreciated her value and fought for it
• 05:38 – In the late 70s there weren’t many female loan officers; women had the supporting roles and fit a certain “look”
• 06:20 – Until 1974, to use a woman’s income to qualify for a loan, the woman had to write a letter stating her intention for having children
• 06:44 – The Fair Housing bill put a stop to that
• 07:30 – Other changes she’s seen in the industries
• 07:42 – When she started they could only do FHA loans
• 08:00 – There are more services and programs now; applications had to be handwritten by the borrower
• 08:22 – Documentation is much easier and now there were no brokers then
• 09:00 – Lessons from market downturns
• 09:20 – Look at the risk factor and what the implications are of risky loans; be prepared to change quickly
• 10:05 – When the crisis hit in 2007-2008 they switched immediately to FHA loans and it was easy because they had already been doing them elsewhere
• 11:25 – Marilyn’s tips for finding a mentor
• 11:45 – Find someone who’s successful and offer to help them, shadow them, and learn from them; be of value
• 13:20 – Get a mentor who is the best and thrives on your success; mentorship is a two-way street and the mentee has to do the work, too
• 14:50 – What to do if you’re bored in business
• 15:10 – Look for different ways to do things; spend a lot of time learning new techniques to stay fresh
• 15:45 – Take ownership
• 17:00 – The legacy Marilyn wants to leave
• 17:10 – She wants people to remember her as a teacher, especially to females
• 17:55 – One thing to practice daily to have a happy life
• 17:57 – Meditation
• 18:18 – Remember, you’re responsible for your own success
• 19:40 – How to contact Mason-McDuffie
• 19:50 – Click here to visit their website

3 Key Points

1. Be flexible to change and go with the flow.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.
3. You are responsible for your success.

Do you – or your clients – need credit restoration? Luisa Deason, the owner and operator of Deason Consulting Services, helps people restore their credit so they can move forward, especially when it comes to buying a home. Luisa’s team of lawyers work hard to leverage the Fair Credit Reporting Act on behalf of their clients to eliminate wrong or negative reports – and they do it affordably. Listen in to find out how and learn her top tips for building and maintaining good credit starting today.

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 Luisa from Houston, TX
• 01:20 – She’s a sponsor on the Real Estate Radio Rat-Pack show in Houston; Leigh was a guest on their show
• 01:35 – She owns and operates Deason Consulting Services, a company that specializes in credit restoration
• 01:45 – They help real estate agents and loan officer clients help their clients repair their credit and get into the home they want
• 04:00 – The backstory behind bad credit
• 04:15 – Oftentimes a life-changing event damages your credit, whether it be divorce, a medical issue, or job loss
• 04:25 – Luisa first assesses why a client’s credit is bad and what their scores are through Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
• 05:00 – The credit report companies work independently from one another
• 05:45 – Sometimes, people from other countries don’t understand how credit works
• 06:15 – How to build credit from the beginning
• 06:30 – Get at least two small credit cards; you need revolving debt from Visa or Mastercard
• 07:33 – Luisa’s company offers a card to help people build their credit
• 08:30 – The things that improve and damage your score
• 08:36 – It’s imperative that you pay your bills on time
• 08:55 – They look at risk factors and if a person has 30% of their credit used
• 10:11 – Don’t carry a high debt to income ratio, especially if you’re trying to buy a house
• 11:40 – Interest rates will drown you if you can only pay minimum amounts
• 12:05 – How to get good credit with Deason Consulting Services
• 12:15 - Loan officers look at a 12-month history of positive payments
• 12:20 – Luisa’s company has a program called “Credit my Rent” that boosts your credit score
• 12:45 – They do credit restoration which is a legal fight using the leverage of the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1971 to fight bureaus that are wrong or negative
• 13:10 – Their lawyers are out of a non-profit organization; It’s $188 for the first month and $89/month thereafter with no contract
• 14:00 – Their attorneys are licensed to work in all 50 states
• 14:40 – How to contact Luisa: by phone at (832)244-2488 or on her website at deasonconsultingservices.com

3 Key Points

1. It’s good to have a trustworthy credit restoration company in your corner.
2. Pay your bills on time!
3. You – and your clients – can have good credit!