Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown

Now displaying: April, 2017

Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #61 with Brian Whitta 0

Apr 28, 2017

It is extremely important for those in real estate to stay vigilant at all times, especially in this day and age where technological crimes are at its peak. Imagine the pain and heartbreak a realtor goes through when he tells his elderly clients they’re put on hold at closing because of possible fraud. That’s what Brian Whitta, a realtor from the micropolitan city of Findlay, Ohio, experienced and he shares his story with us today.

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:

00:33 – Today’s episode isn’t just crazy, but heart-breaking, too
00:44 – Leigh introduces Brian Whitta
01:00 – Brian is located in Findlay, Ohio
01:14 – He got his license in 2005, but has only been full-time for the past 3 years
01:37 – A micropolitan is an honor bestowed upon a city when they are not tied to a metropolitan area
- 01:54 – The criteria for receiving the honor includes having growth projects – Findlay is the world headquarters for Marathon Petroleum, Cooper Tire, with the largest dishwasher manufacturer plant, Whirlpool
03:04 – Brian’s story starts with Bob, a family friend who asked him some real estate questions
- 03:11 – Brian went to Bob’s house and the questions were about the sale of their home
- 03:24 – Bob had medical issues and they were considering moving to a condo unit
- 03:36 – Mary was adamant about their moving to the RIGHT condo
- 03:44 – Both Bob and Mary are nearly 80 years old
- 03:51 – The first day of their house being listed, they had 5 showings
- 03:57 – One agent quickly submitted an offer above the list price
- 04:04 – The appraisal was low and the couple decided to not go through with the sale
- 04:12 – The couple already had a condo in mind, but they couldn't make the sale go through
- 04:34 – Bob needed to sell the house for the sake of their health; so, the other agent and Brian negotiated a reduction in their commission to help with reducing the closing costs
- 04:48 – They made the sale go through
- 04:54 – The seller of the condo decided they wouldn’t pay a realtor
- 05:04 – Brian and the other realtor needed the proceeds from the sale of the house to cover the costs for the purchase of the condo
- 05:14 – Bob and Mary decided they would pay Brian for the purchase of the condo
- 06:27 – At closing, the attorney mentioned about the option of wiring the proceeds to Bob
- 06:48 – Brian interrupted the attorney because they were supposed to get a cheque
- 07:23 – The attorney explained the benefits of the proceeds being wired as opposed to receiving a cheque and Bob and Mary agreed
- 07:56 – At 9am the following day, Bob called because the proceeds were still not in his account
- 08:20 – The title office assured them that the wire transfer would come that day
- 08:28 – At 11, Bob called Brian because the money wasn’t there yet
- 08:42 – Bob didn’t call at noon so Brian thought things were okay
- 08:50 – At 2pm (wire cut-off), he got a call that the money still hadn’t arrived
- 09:02 – Brian called the title office
- 09:20 – The owner advised that the wire had already been made at the account number Bob provided
- 09:47 – The owner read the email to Brian and provided the account number, the address, the names of the parties involved, and the dollar amount
- 10:18 – Brian told the owner that this was not Bob’s email address or his bank account numbers
- 10:25 – The owner said he’d call back and hung up
- 10:44 – Brian called his attorney and called Bob back regarding the wire fraud
- 11:39 – Brian informed them the title office is liable for the loss
- 11:48 – At 8pm, the office informed them the wire couldn’t be stopped and that it went through
- 12:02 – They were on hold for the closing
- 12:22 – After 13 hours, Brian got a call that the money was rejected and had been returned
- 12:57 – The title office and bank fraud department coordinated with each other
- 13:12 – The owner of the title handed over the cheque and they were able to close the condo
- 13:21 – They later learned one of the emails of the transaction was hacked
15:30 – Processes and policies do not eliminate the risk for fraud
16:00 – Wire fraud is NOT only in big markets, it can happen anywhere
17:24 – It takes a different level of care to look after elderly clients
18:21 – Call Brian at 419-701-4040
18:31 – Connect with Brian on Selling Findlay
19:18 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

There is a different level of care and concern needed to support your elderly clients.
Be vigilant with fraud by having your policies and process in place, but remember, it can happen to anyone.
Going the extra mile—in this case, negotiating a reduction in commision—is just part of getting the job done and looking out for the interests of your client.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #60 with Traci Browning 0

Apr 25, 2017

Traci Browning was only in her second deal as a real estate agent when she encountered a very, difficult client. Instead of backing down, Traci handled the situation head on and proved that she was one that could get the job done. Listen as Traci shares her crazy story and discover why Leigh says she is a shining “example of how we do real estate right.”

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:

00:41 – Leigh welcomes Traci
00:53 – Traci is a residential realtor at Marietta and Kennesaw, Georgia
01:51 – Leigh shares the two rules of the podcast with Traci
02:20 – Traci shares her crazy story
- 02:25 – Traci had a client that she helped to both buy and sell a house—the owner’s previous house was shared with her ex-fiancé
- 02:45 – Traci was able to contact the ex-fiancé who created a new email just to communicate with her because he did not want to share his information with Traci’s client
- 03:20 – After listing the house, the client rented it out without informing Traci
- 03:32 – The tenant paid only a week’s worth of rent and Traci’s client had to give an eviction notice as they found drug paraphernalia in the house
- 03:46 – Traci found an investor who was willing to buy the house provided the tenant pay his dues
- 04:00 – At the closing, the tenant brought the money he owed, but it had to be postponed and the client threw a tantrum
- 04:32 – The tenant was eventually evicted; but, before the closing was scheduled, the client told Traci that she already found a buyer on her own
- 05:05 – Traci explained that they had a contract
- 05:28 – The day before and the morning of closing, Traci could not contact her client
- 05:50 – When Traci arrived at the closing, the client had already signed and their deal was closed
- 06:05 – The ex-fiancé and brother of the client was impressed with how Traci handled this whole ordeal that they got her to sell their properties
06:32 – This was Traci’s second deal and her broker helped her through it
07:10 – Traci maintained a relationship with the ex-fiancée and he already has his own family with a baby on the way
07:44 – Traci shares another story
- 07:55 – Another agent passed a house to her as the price point was too low
- 08:06 – The agent passed 6 houses, in total, to Traci
- 08:42 – The agent did not want the house, because it was too small
- 09:22 – It was Traci’s first deal and it turned into a half a million dollar, real estate deal
09:58 – Leigh says there is no good reason for a realtor to not handle your property, as a client
10:25 – The hallmark of a true professional is understanding how important the property is to the owner
11:25 – Contact Traci at 770-820-6638 or at Marietta Home Team, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook
12:31 – Reach out to Tracy as she can sell your property and has a good sense of her community
12:52 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

Do your work properly, especially with difficult clients, and other people will take notice.
Building trust with your clients is important.
True real estate professionals understand the importance of the property to the owner.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #59 with Ray Wood 0

Apr 21, 2017

Today’s episode discusses one crazy way of doing real estate that could help sellers get TOP DOLLAR for their home when it comes to crazy bidding wars—auctions. What better way to motivate buyers than to have them compete, in-person, with other interested candidates! Leigh chats with Ray Wood, an experienced auctioneer in real estate. Tune is as they talk about both the barriers and benefits of auctioning your home.

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:

00:28 – Introduction for today’s episode
00:42 – Leigh welcomes Ray Wood
00:56 – Ray is a partner at Best Agents and Locked On
01:48 – Ray is a fourth generation, real estate agent and it was his Dad who got him into the industry
02:26 – A lot of property is auctioned in Australia and Ray got his start by auctioning different items from the back of a truck
03:45 – Buying a property is an emotional decision
04:23 – An auction is a transparent environment where the buyers can see who else wants the property and this makes them want it more
05:48 – Ray shares how there are instances in the Toronto market where 30 or more people make an offer on the same property
- 06:27 – By conducting an auction, you’ll easily be getting top dollar for your home as opposed to looking at all offers individually
06:58 – Consumers in the US and Canada are typically against auctions
- 07:05 – Consumers must be educated about how auctions can be productive
- 07:48 – An auction starts at a base amount as opposed to starting at a high amount
- 08:50 – Auctions in North America are still stigmatized because agents and sellers do not know how they work
- 09:31 – Agents should help the sellers understand the science of how it works
10:16 – An open time in Australia is 45 minutes
11:22 – Ray is big on establishing a relationship with an agent
12:07 – Ray wrote a book: How to Sell Your Home for More
12:32 – Leigh asks Ray where people can find auction specialists and Ray has no idea
13:05 – Ray says agents have a moral obligation to sellers to produce the best result—if people are hesitant about the procedure of an auction, it’s probably not considered the best option
13:50 – Leigh thinks auctioning could possibly be the answer for the current real estate problem in Charlotte as there are multiple buyers bidding for one property
14:27 – Ray says not everybody has the ability to educate sellers and buyers
14:55 – Harcourt’s work in California might be a good indication of the future of auctions
15:26 – Consumers do want innovation
16:05 – Locked On is a CRM and a cloud-based software that helps you communicate with your clients
17:07 – Contact Ray at his email and check out his podcast
17:43 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

Auctions can be valuable for both buyers and sellers—especially when it comes to having multiple, competing offers.
There is a need to educate consumers about how to do auctions for real estate.
Agents have to put the best interest of their clients, first and foremost.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #58 with Shannon Brien 0

Apr 18, 2017

When Shannon’s gut told her that something was off with a certain house, she couldn’t have been more right. A homeowner who illegally smuggles family relatives into the country to essentially work without pay is not someone you’d like to buy a home from. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Shannon Brien who has been in real estate for almost 4 years. She is a realtor with The Douglas Realty for Coldwell Banker HPW in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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:

00:21 – Introduction for today’s episode
00:40 – Leigh introduces Shannon
01:10 – Shannon has been in real estate for almost 4 years and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina
01:40 – Shannon explains the triangle of North Carolina
02:54 – Shannon starts with her crazy story
- 03:01 – Shannon’s attorney, Duane Hall, had a paralegal who wanted to buy a house
- 03:24 – They sold Kelly’s house and got it out of contract
- 03:31 – Shannon had scheduling issues so a colleague booked Kelly’s first viewing—Shannon hadn’t even seen the house yet
- 03:53 – The house was a rental property and needed to have some repairs done
- 04:11 – Kelly looked into the company who owns the house
- 04:21 – The man who owns most of the properties had gotten into trouble
- 04:31 – This man was illegally bringing in relatives to the states, making them work at his kiosks, and was not paying them in cash
- 05:05 – Shannon immediately terminated the contract
- 05:12 – Two weeks later, the property was seized by the Feds
- 05:20 – Shannon and Kelly looked into another house
- 05:27 – There were renters in the house and there was drug paraphernalia everywhere—the house was also trashed
- 06:20 – Shannon and the Kelly felt they could “roll with it” and fix it up
- 06:48 – They had their final walkthrough
- 07:19 – Shannon found out that the tenants were the sellers’ relatives
- 07:26 – The family pulled together to get the house cleaned up and sorted for the sale
08:18 – Shannon had a great relationships with the agent on the other side
09:24 – Shannon shares what she likes about the women council
10:14 – When you volunteer and get involved, there’s a huge payoff for you and your client
10:45 – Shannon shares how she reacted seeing the drugs with her client
12:14 – Shannon can be reached through social media
12:18 – Reach Shannon at 919-909-8335 and through email
13:13 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

Trust your gut—it is there for a reason.
When you volunteer and get involved, there’s a huge payoff for you and your client.
Know your local legislators and be aware on how they can help your local real estate concerns.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #57 with Bill Hamberg 0

Apr 14, 2017

Foreclosure properties can cause a lot of headaches for the average home buyer, but for an investor? That all depends. Bill Hamberg shares his crazy story entering a “Winter Wonderland” house as excessive water damage was actually forming icicles. He also offers realtors and investors first hand advice regarding investing in a foreclosure home. Leigh welcomes Bill Hamberg, who has been in real estate for 13 years and is an investor/agent in Philadelphia.

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:

00:21 – Introduction for today’s episode
00:38 – Leigh introduces Bill
00:53 – Bill and his wife are in their 13th year in real estate
- 01:05 – For the past 11+ years, they’ve been in the REO side
02:12 – Bill shares his story of the most recent crazy thing he experienced
- 02:28 – The general public doesn’t understand what a foreclosure is
- 02:47 – Bill had an assignment in Levittown, Pennsylvania
- 03:50 – When Bill visited the property, no one answered the door, but the windows were open
- 04:17 – Bill climbed through the window to make sure that the property was safe
- 04:38 – When Bill got inside, there was a water leaking from the second floor to the first floor
- 05:00 – Bill took a video of the water damage
- 05:24 – Most properties in Pennsylvania have basements
- 05:34 – The water was just accumulating on the first floor
- 06:20 – As Bill walked into the bedrooms, it looked like a winter wonderland as the water that was leaking turned to icicles
- 06:48 – Leigh asked Bill about fungal growth
- 08:03 – When Bill called the water company, already 168K gallons had been used
- 08:35 – Bill shares what will happen with the water bill
- 09:26 – The house needs to be stripped down completely because of the fungal growth
- 10:25 – In Pennsylvania, banks are not allowed to disclose too much information
- 10:42 – Bill understands that consumers need to ask about the issues with the home
- 11:40 – Bill shares about the mortgage and the foreclosure of the house
- 12:19 – The banks are also repairing the house
- 12:44 – Bill’s opinion regarding selling the property as is
- 13:42 – There are good and bad investors
- 14:27 – Bill had an investor for the Levittown house who eventually transformed the house
15:20 – Bill shares his advice in regards to purchasing a foreclosure home
- 15:25 – If you’re an investor, you really need to find an investor/real estate agent
- 17:25 – Bill prefers a quick resale value (QRV) over pursuing the after repair value (ARV)
- 18:51 – When you’re bidding on a foreclosure property, you’re bidding against other investors and not the bank
- 20:00 – You have to set good criteria
- 20:58 – Set a price that will attract lots of activity
22:15 – Realtors who want to get into the investor side of real estate need to do their research
22:57 – If you’re an investor, the first question to ask a real estate agent is, “If I purchase this property how should I cost segregate it?”
- 23:38 – Go to someone who knows what they’re doing
23:43 – Take extra classes and find a mentor to be a proficient investor/real estate agent
24:15 – What Bill loves about foreclosure homes is that there are no emotions tied to the property and everything is just about numbers
24:53 – Reach Bill through his email at bhamberg@pahouselink.com and google “Bill Hamberg”—Bill is on the top 3 results
26:35 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

Being an investor/real estate agent requires thorough study and research to be able to serve your clientele well.
An advantage of investing in foreclosure homes is that you’re dealing solely with the numbers—not the emotions.
House pricing won’t always depend on ARV—consider all your factors before sealing a deal.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #56 with David Zeitz 0

Apr 11, 2017

Natural calamities happen when we least expect them to and for Lumberton, North Carolina, it happened in October of 2016. David was one of those who responded to the call to help those who were affected by the hurricane. Until now, they are still in need of help. In this episode, Leigh welcomes David Zeits who has been in real estate for almost 15 years. He is an agent for Coldwell Banker Premier Team Realty in Lumberton, North Carolina.

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:

00:21 – Introduction for today’s episode
00:38 – Leigh introduces David
01:13 – David is from Lumberton, Southeast of North Carolina
01:33 – Lumberton is still recovering from the hurricane
01:49 – David has been a real estate broker for almost 15 years
02:29 – David shares his story which happened when he was just starting in real estate
- 02:37 – David had a call from a lady in Radcliff, Kentucky
- 02:51 – The lady was calling in regards to her inherited property; she suspected someone was squatting in the house
- 03:18 – David visited the property and when he knocked, someone answered him
- 03:36 – David was greeted by a man
- 04:00 – David asked the man how he was able to live in the house
- 04:13 – David told the man that he needed to go because he needed to sell the house
- 04:30 – David said this was the craziest thing he’s seen and he’s been chased by a turkey, at a different listing
  - 06:06 – David has been chased by all sorts of animals
- 06:18 – The buyer was not with David when he visited the house
- 06:59 – This is one of the reasons why consumers should use realtors
- 07:47 – “I sell service”
08:22 – Leigh asks David about how he copes with those who have dealt with the hurricane
- 08:52 – David didn’t have any idea of the hurricane’s magnitude
- 09:11 – David thought that it was just a storm that would pass the next day
- 09:21 – The reports were coming in about the river reaching an all-time high
- 09:37 – The levee didn’t break the water
- 10:05 – One of David’s friends had a river flowing through his house
- 10:23 – One of David’s rental properties was flooded
- 10:50 – To realtors, we are our own business
- 11:31 – David has properties in other areas
- 11:52 – David thinks they’ve taken water for granted
- 12:30 – Wendy Harris is a big help for Lumberton
13:05 – Realtors need to look for opportunities to help each other
13:16 – To consumers, when you hire one realtor, the whole association is backing you
14:25 – The realtor’s commitment to the community
14:48 – Leigh shares why she’s proud to be a realtor
15:48 – Realtors can participate in a realtor relief fund which is an outreach program that protects realtors and communities
16:26 – David is available at 401 E. 11th St., Lumberton, North Carolina 28358, through his phone at 910-536-4663, website and email
17:59 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

Realtors should always support their local community.
When a consumer hires you, you are providing them a SERVICE.
There’s a symbiotic relationship between the community and real estate associations.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #55 with Katy Caldwell 0

Apr 4, 2017

Natural disasters happen when you least expect it and having insurance can alleviate an enormous amount of stress when it comes to recovering what you’ve lost. Katy’s client never thought he would ever need insurance and was concerned that he’d have to accept a lowball offer on his flood-stricken house. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Katy Caldwell who has been in real estate for almost 11 years. She is an agent for Remax in the Baton Rouge area of Louisiana.

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:

00:21 – Introduction for today’s episode
00:40 – Leigh introduces Katy
00:59 – Katy has been a realtor for 11 years and is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- 01:09 – Katy does anything residential
02:13 – Katy shares her story starting with a big flood, in 2016
- 02:19 – 110K homes were affected and most of them did not have flood insurance
- 02:50 – There was 30 inches of rain in 48 hours
- 03:00 – There are over a million people in the metro area of Baton Rouge
- 03:43 – Some homeowners have never had flood insurance, even if they live in a flood hazard area
- 04:07 – Some elderly owners dropped their insurance because there had been no floods
- 04:23 – A 78-year old seller purchased the house with his mom
- 04:40 – The seller never had insurance and got 3 feet of water in his home
- 05:31 – Some volunteers helped him with the damage
- 05:42 – The house was gutted, but not treated for mold
- 05:58 – The seller continued to live in his house while it was molding and he did not have an AC
- 06:30 – The seller’s friend made contact with Kate about an investor
- 06:37 – The market had been flooded with investors wanting to take advantage of these damaged homes
- 07:20 – The investor offered the elderly person $75K for the house, but the seller declined
- 07:42 – Katy shares how much the house would have normally cost in a normal market
- 09:48 – The seller decided that Katy would list the house, instead
- 10:40 – The house was listed on December 22nd for $125K
- 11:48 – The seller did not believe the house could sell for $125K
- 11:52 – There was multiple offers after a few days
- 12:17 – Katy went to the property with the buyer who had memories of the house as a kid
- 12:53 – The day before closing, the seller still couldn’t believe that the house was going to sell
- 13:22 – The seller asked Katy if they can take pictures of the house and was getting very emotional about the sale
- 14:05 – Katy told the seller about the buyer to cheer him up
- 14:36 – The seller was thinking that the buyer wouldn’t actually show up on closing day
- 15:21 – On closing day, the buyer really bought the house
16:17 – Leigh was really surprised about the investors flooding in
17:34 – Leigh shares how she feels about investors
18:13 – Real estate is not a game
18:27 – There are realtors who make assumptions about their client
19:37 – Having flood insurance is a legislative issue now
19:51 – Realtors have been doing a lot of political work about a flood insurance program
20:07 – For realtors, contact Leigh to find out about the re-authorization of the flood insurance program
20:15 – For consumers, make sure to have a realtor who is aware of what’s happening in the political arena and is fighting for you
20:53 – Katy’s pet peeve
21:33 – For sellers, don’t be comfortable until everything’s done
22:53 – Reach Katy through her phone at 225-241-4113 and email at remax@gmail.com
23:09 – Katy’s website is com
23:59 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

Get a realtor who will not only protect you, but all things regarding your house as well.
As a realtor, be fair and give an honest price for a property.
Investors should not take advantage of calamity-stricken areas.

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