Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown

Now displaying: June, 2017

Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #74 with Karen Cruz 0

Jun 30, 2017

Imagine coming to a home where you’re scheduled to have an open house. You walk in to find that the house is a complete disaster and the only person to help you out is a young guy with no pants on. Unfortunately today’s guest, Karen Cruz, stumbled upon this very stressful scenario and had to find a way to make this boy hustle and get things done. Dubbed as the Queen of Investment Properties, Karen Cruz has been in real estate for 20 years. Tune in to find out just how hard a realtor will hustle for their client...

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:

00:35 – Leigh welcomes today’s guest, Karen Cruz
00:50 – Karen is located in Moorestown, New Jersey and has bought and invested in real estate for 20 years; she has now decided to help friends and family buy and sell property
01:10 – Leigh says there are more people trying to figure out investment in realty
02:07 – Karen was approached by another agent to do an open house of a town house in Moorestown, New Jersey as she had to go out of town unexpectedly
- 02:25 – Karen was getting ready for the open house but the room where the signs were was locked, so she asked her husband to get her some from the store
- 02:42 – Karen arrived at the house and there was a young man who did not have his pants on
- 03:14 – It was 30 minutes to open house and the house was littered with beer cans, empty wrappers, nerf guns and the like
- 03:40 – Karen and the guy had to clean the house really fast
- 04:31 – After cleaning the kitchen, Karen checked the rooms and all the rooms were a mess
- 05:22 – Karen was cleaning the room and a curtain rod fell on her head
- 06:02 – After cleaning the rooms, Karen asked the guy why his parents did not tell him about the open house
- 06:18 – Karen realized she was in the wrong unit
- 06:57 – All the houses all looked the same and there was a shared driveway
- 07:18 – Karen arrived at the right house and saw a woman come in from the hallway who turned out to be the owner
08:08 – Karen says realtors get things done under pressure
08:37 – Leigh says the movie American Beauty shows a scene where Annette Benning’s character was realtor
09:11 – The house is still under listing
10:02 – After what happened, Karen thought she had to share her story with Leigh
10:39 – Agents do not know what will happen during an open house and their spouses also play a role as Karen called her husband to help her out
11:27 – Karen says the support system of realtors include their spouses
11:42 – If you a buyer or a seller, you have to respect your realtor’s time with their partner
12:35 – Karen says if you are looking at buying your first property: do your research, reach out to an expert and educate yourself
13:03 – Leigh says find a mentor if you want to go into investment property and join courses
14:07 – Contact Karen at 856-359-4971
15:05 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

Always check if you are at the right unit or you might end up cleaning someone else’s house.
Make time for your partner as they are part of your support system.
Do your research, look for a mentor and educate yourself if you want to start investing in property.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #73 with David Burke 0

Jun 27, 2017

David Burke has been in real estate for close to 20 years and has had to create a system for showing homes near water. Long story short—he keeps towels and umbrellas stocked in his car for his clients. David shares two CRAZY stories that show the playful side of real estate, but also express the importance of being prepared! Leigh welcomes David Burke of Team Paradise, Think Naples, Pelican Bay and Grey Oaks.

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:

00:38 – Leigh welcomes today’s guest, David Burke
01:00 – David has been in real estate for close to 20 years; he’s owned a real estate company and has also survived 2 crashes
02:16 – David shares his most interesting story while working with a high end client in Gulf Shore Boulevard of Naples
- 02:45 – David was working with a couple looking at the 3 and 4 million dollar range elevated residences
- 03:33 – They were walking along the pool area when the wife exclaimed that she was feeling hot and needed to cool off
- 04:03 – When David turned around, he saw that the wife was already in the pool with her clothes on and all the other residents were looking at David
- 04:28 – The husband told David that his wife does this all the time and asked him if he had a towel in his car
- 04:47 – After the wife cooled off, they went for a walk at the beach where David called his assistant to bring him towels
- 05:22 – The wife was not wearing underwear and it showed when her outfit got wet
05:51 – Within the same week, David also got to work with someone who was selling their property
- 06:07 – While they were looking at the property, the client’s Shar Pei gets out because it saw the neighbor’s pot-bellied pig
- 06:21 – The client was a mid-70 year old retired sergeant who just laughed at the scene
- 06:44 – The dog’s hair was sticking to David’s all black outfit while the pig wanted to come in through the dog door
- 07:35 – The pig was a family pet and was large; it couldn’t fit through the dog door
08:19 – David now keeps towels, four umbrellas, a lint roller and a breath mint in his car
09:33 – David says he likes his clients to experience the whole experience of living in Naples and the beach
09:58 – The couple bought a unit in the building and ended up also buying a penthouse
10:17 – When the condominium had its open house, those who witnessed the incident told the story of the woman and they are a well-loved resident of the area because they are down to earth
11:25 – David had a conversation with the Shar Pei owner about how to handle showings in the future
11:57 – David said he was more concerned about the safety of the dog rather than wondering if the client was offended
12:24 – David says he used the experience to have a bonding moment with the client
12:34 – Leigh says realtors are also thinking about the safety of your dogs so it is just better to take them to a safe place away from the house when you have a showing
13:14 – David says to ask your client if they have a pet and what the personality of their pet is
14:03 – As a realtor, you can offer to reimburse the fee for the dog day care up to a certain number and clients will appreciate this
14:49 – Realtors can bring that personable factor and provide solutions when you want to sell your house as opposed to just posting it on a website
15:18 – Check out David’s team at Team Paradise, Think Naples, Pelican Bay and Grey Oaks and call him at 239-784-2831
16:07 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

If you are a realtor who’s selling beachfront properties, always have a towel ready in your car.
Think fast and act just as quickly for whatever the situation calls for.
Realtors bring that human factor to selling your home as opposed to just posting your property on a website.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #72 with Terry Smith 0

Jun 23, 2017

Three decades in real estate means countless experiences of CRAZY to share. Listen as today’s guest Terry Smith shares how her dinner date with her clients turned into an emergency situation with the police as their star guests. Terry is a realtor from Fort Worth, Texas who believes sharing a ride (and dinner) with your clients is the best way to make a connection.

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:

00:34 – Leigh welcomes today’s guest, Terry Smith
00:39 – Leigh met Terry online with a group of tech savvy realtors
01:01 – Terry lives in Fort Worth, Texas
01:07 – She’s been in real estate for 30 years
01:54 – Terry’s experience happened when she was showing a property in Texas
- 02:03 – They decided to eat dinner on their way back
- 02:09 – As soon as they pulled into the parking lot, the driver (buyer’s husband) got into a conversation with a biker who just pulled up
- 02:22 – They didn’t know what was going on so the wife jumped out of the car to support her husband
- 02:26 – Terry called 911
- 02:39 – She saw 2 men running across the street with guns – and she realized they were the police
- 02:57 – Later, they found out the wife had a gun in the car
- 03:05 – The biker guy was just pulling something out of his vest when the police came running down the street
- 04:22 – The couple bought the house
- 05:09 – There was another instance with the couple where their truck got stuck in the mud and the husband had to dig the truck out
05:40 – Leigh believes driving with your clients is the best time to get into a conversation with them regarding the house
06:08 – Terry prefers to have her clients ride with her
07:24 – 10 years ago, it was said that the internet will replace real estate
08:02 – It’s hard for agents to know the market pricing in rural areas
08:33 – Terry sells real estate in neighborhoods in Fort Worth
09:07 – Google is a wonderful resource to know more about real estate
10:03 – Connect with Terry on her phone 817-715-7577, on her website, or on her email terry@terrysmith.com
10:49 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

You never know what to expect in real estate, so always be prepared.
Make ways to connect with your clients so that you can hear their feedback.
Leverage the internet as a resource to learn more about real estate.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #71 with Terri Jeffries 0

Jun 13, 2017

Realtors shouldn’t be under a parent-child relationship with employers. Terri empowers realtors and agents to be entrepreneurs! Terri began a support/mastermind group of realtors who act as accountability partners and offer support to one another to accomplish their goals. This is changing the industry for this team and fostering an environment of camaraderie as opposed to competition. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Terri Jeffries who has been in real estate for 23 years. She is a managing broker of United Real Estate Chicago in the suburb area in Chicago.

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 introduces Terri
01:05 – Terri is the managing broker of United Real Estate Chicago
01:18 – Terri currently has 225 agents in the Chicago area
01:23 – The brand rolled out in the Chicago market 5 years ago
01:31 – Terri has been in real estate for 23 years
01:54 – It’s now Terri’s job to empower her entrepreneurs
02:24 – Some companies like to setup a parent-child relationship
02:49 – Agents are entrepreneurs
03:25 – In 1996, Terri signed up to Brian Buffini’s coaching program as an agent
03:44 – 27 years later, as a managing broker, Buffini’s company had a program called “heat performers”
04:17 – Terri adopted Buffini’s program and asked who wanted to participate
- 04:28 – There were 9 women who joined Terri and Terri had her mentorship certification
04:58 – Terri’s 12-week program started with the ladies’ business plan
- 05:07 – In a few weeks, the plan will be solidified as a group
- 05:17 – The ladies came up with the group name “P.O.W.E.R”
- 05:48 – After the 12-week program, everyone had to write down on the wall where they needed help and wanted to be coached in
- 06:23 – There were 9 big sticky notes with the ladies’ units and income goals
- 06:30 – They’re still meeting after the 12-week program
- 07:20 – The crazy thing is that they’ve set a common goal which is 182 closed transactions for the year
- 07:44 – The group is already at 127 closed transactions
08:05 – Mastermind groups are everywhere in real estate
08:16 – What’s amazing with Terri’s group is they’re all in the same office
08:40 – Most realtors don’t talk about where they can grow their skill set
09:00 – The ladies in Terri’s group have become friends
09:08 – 2 ladies from the group, Melissa and Tracy, are competing and yet they love each other
- 09:37 – When they come to meetings, they’ll talk about how it was competing on the same listing and why they didn’t get the listing
- 09:53 – The reasons can be talked about as a group and as a means to help each other
10:12 – The group created a closed Facebook group for updates and support
10:42 – Ruth, who has been in the same mentorship program with Terri, helps Terri when there’s a problem with the program
11:11 – The consumer is also the real winner
12:15 – There are realtors ranting about agents or other people on Facebook
- 12:54 – “Put your own house in order”
14:19 – Terri will roll out another group in the third week of June
14:53 – An “Entrepreneurial mindset is so important”
15:39 – Reach Terri by phone at 630-514-1459 and email
16:38 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

Mastermind groups are everywhere, but finding the right one for you takes a bit of trial and error.
Realtors and agents are also entrepreneurs and they should treat every listing as their own business.
It is important for realtors to help and learn from one another—it is not only nurturing for them and their career but also healthy for the industry.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #70 with Paula Monthofer 0

Jun 6, 2017

It’s the final walkthrough, everyone is happy and excited about the home, until one hears shrieks coming from the clients. Paula and her clients did not anticipate what would be in the freezer that merited a very deep clean of the home upon purchase. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Paula Mathofer, president of Arizona Association of Realtors. She is a realtor in Flagstaff, Arizona and shares her crazy 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:

00:21 – Introduction for today’s episode
00:36 – Leigh introduces Paula
01:25 – Leigh thanks Paula for all that she does for realtors in Arizona
01:58 – Paula practices real estate in Flagstaff, Arizona
02:06 – Paula lives on the mountain that had a ski resort that just closed down
03:01 – Paula is a practicing realtor and a mom
03:12 – Paula will finish her term as the president of Arizona Association of Realtors this year
04:48 – Paula shares her Flagstaff story
- 05:02 – Paula is 5’2 and she’s very good at climbing
- 05:40 – Paula can fit through dog doors
- 06:54 – Paula was in a house having a final walkthrough with clients
- 07:04 – The clients came out of the house freaking out and panicking
- 07:20 – The clients found a dead cat covered in tin foil on a cutting board in the freezer
- 07:38 – The house was vacant and there was nothing left
- 08:21 – Throughout the whole transaction, Paula was working with the seller’s sister
- 08:45 – The cat was actually the previous home owner’s pet that she wanted to bring and bury at her new place
- 09:34 – Paula and her partner did a deep clean of the house
11:58 – Paula has donated her dyed hair in the past
13:58 – AAR plays a one-on-one game with every member of congress and senate
- 14:06 – Realtors play a big role in the overall economy
14:38 – Realtors, as a culture and people, are hard-workers
15:30 – Find Paula at her website and email
16:32 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

Being small in size is an advantage for realtors – they can get into almost anything.
It’s important to deep clean the house you’re putting up for sale, especially before the final walkthrough.
Realtors play a significant role in the success and stability of our economy.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #69 with Laura Czerwinski 0

Jun 2, 2017

You know those nails pops—the bumps or blemishes on a wall caused by wood studs shrinking—imagine having thousands of them on your newly constructed home. Laura Czerwinski anticipated a few as they’re common with new builds, but THOUSANDS? Throw a new baby into the mix of transitioning into a new home and having repairmen coming in and and out, and you’ve got yourself a crazy story. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Laura Czerwinski, one of Leigh’s favorite clients who has a passion not just for building a house, but making it a home that you want to live in.

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
00:48 – Leigh introduces Laura
01:25 – Laura and her husband decided to build their house in 2014 after the birth of their son
- 01:33 – It was Laura’s third time building a house and her husband’s first
01:40 – Laura and her husband didn’t have any idea what would happen after closing
01:55 – “Real estate is not a moment in time, it’s the craziest thing in our lives”
02:32 – Leigh was very supportive of Laura after what had happened to them after moving in
- 02:57 – They encountered a lot of nail pops in their new home that needed to be repaired
- 03:02 – They had thousands of nail pops, only after a few months
- 03:59 – Laura did not have this problem with her first 2 homes to this extent
- 04:20 – Laura has a newborn premature baby at home and people are constantly coming in for repairs
05:13 – Laura’s builder is a giant national builder and they had decent communication with the project manager until closing
- 05:42 – Laura had 3 project managers through the entire process of building
05:56 – Laura suggests being persistent and to keep notes while building your house
06:00 – Laura stayed positive and thought of her family to keep her going
06:11 – Leigh told Laura that it’s better that the nail pops are happening now rather than later
06:44 – Everything is not sitting well for Laura’s husband either
07:26 – Laura always wants her house to be ready for a re-sell and to do things the right way
08:39 – Laura enjoys building a house
08:56 – “Home is where you make memories, it’s where you build your life”
09:12 – Laura feels that it’s her responsibility to take care of the house
09:34 – Laura converted a part of her previous house as a movie room when she and her husband got married
10:02 – Laura’s previous house design was her interpretation of the things that make her happy
- 10:28 – Every time we travel, every part of the hotel that we stay in should make us feel happy and relaxed
- 10:56 – Laura wanted to replicate that feeling when she’s home, she wants to relax and rest
11:07 – Laura goes crazy on articles stating how to make something look expensive or high-end
- 11:28 – It’s about having a place of honor in your home
- 11:38 – “It doesn’t have to be that you’re trying to pull off something looking expensive”
- 12:26 – “I’m not trying to look expensive, I’m trying to look my style”
- 12:34 – Go with things that make you feel good
13:20 – Laura got a lot of great feedback from the desk manager at her previous home
13:48 – Buyers look for something different in their house
13:58 – Laura built the desk manager because she had an awkward hallway that didn’t make sense
14:55 – “When you think of those little details on how you live every day, that makes sense”
15:41 – There’s a lot of ideas online for designing and this is where Laura gets most of her ideas
16:11 – Laura started a Facebook page, Cookie Cutter to Custom
- 16:17 – People come together and give advice to each other for real projects that they can do
- 17:09 – It’s a free website and there’s no need to purchase anything
- 17:22 – Laura can give people recommendations that are low-budget and easy to do projects
- 17:30 – There are also people who share what they’ve accomplished
- 17:40 – Laura’s goal is for people to love where they live
18:28 – There are also people who will talk on Laura’s channel on how to protect your home, how to decorate and where you can purchase things
19:13 – Laura wants people to share and show off what they’ve done well
19:27 – Follow Laura on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube
21:22 – Laura’s house is now doing great and she has moved forward
22:59 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

Be patient, persistent and keep notes while in the process of building your house.
Create a home where you want to build your memories with your family.
There are people who have great ideas, but may be too shy to share—having a online group is a great space to do this.

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