Christy Gessler, the Broker/Owner of the Freedom 512 Real Estate Group, an independent brokerage in Central Texas, knows how agents can sometimes internalize their client's emotions. Listen in to hear how to navigate tough times in a healthy way, why it's so important to have good friends in your corner, and why true connection is key to success in all areas of life.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. If you're tired of doing real estate alone, enroll in Leigh Brown University and be sure to use your special "CSIRE" discount code at checkout for $10 off your subscription.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:55 - Introducing Christy, a REALTOR® in central Texas for 15 years
  • 01:20 - She was a cop before working in real estate; she started as a real estate assistant and was a local franchise owner of The Big Red company
  • 02:30 - She opened her own real estate brokerage and has been doing it for 2 years and has 14 agents
• 04:00 - Christy's CSIRE story
  • 04:20 - After being out of rehab for 2 weeks, she ran into a friend who suggested she get into real estate
  • 05:25 - She has more fun now and has grown into a leadership role; she believes awareness of the stress and struggle in the industry is important
  • 06:30 - People have a lot of emotional burdens, especially right now
• 07:17 - Her experience with rehab
  • 07:35 - At a NAR conference in Chicago, she fell down the steps outside a bar; a day later, a friend took her to the hospital
  • 08:40 - After the conference, she realized that she didn't want the life she was leading; at the time of recording, she's 1,000 days sober
  • 09:45 - Her eating, body, and emotions have changed a lot since she's been sober
• 10:30 - The reactions she gets when she's open about her past and challenges
  • 10:32 - People wonder if she wants to be social or go to Happy Hours; she can be around booze and still be happy and social
  • 11:10 - People have reached out to her asking for guidance on how to get on the journey, too
• 13:00 - On The Dependent Agent podcast; the goal is to spur conversation and connection
  • 14:40 - People can seek dependencies in times of stress and uncertainty; alcohol sales are skyrocketing through the pandemic
• 16:20 - How to contact Christy: https://www.512freedom.com/ or email her at [email protected]

3 Key Points

1. Agents sometimes internalize their client's stresses and struggles.
2. Watch out for each other.
3. Self-care is #1.

Learn more about Real Estate from the Rooftops here: https://www.leighbrown.com/podcast/real-estate-from-the-rooftops

You can find this episode on Apple Podcasts here: Real Estate from the Rooftops

"Problems are what we get to work on," says Jim Maffuccio, the co-founder and CIO of Aspen Funds. He's been in real estate since 1986, and if there's something he's learned, it's how to fail forward. Listen in to hear what Jim has learned from his decades of experience, how he stays optimistic, and the number one thing he recommends for inspired growth in life and business.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. If you're tired of doing real estate alone, enroll in Leigh Brown University and be sure to use your special "CSIRE" discount code at checkout for $10 off your subscription.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:45 - Introducing Jim; who has been in real estate since 1986 and was an engineer beforehand
• 03:00 - Jim's CSIRE story: How to Fail Forward
  • 03:12 - He's had successful failures; in his 30s he could have retired but he wanted to keep building
  • 03:50 - Everything imploded for him in the 90s; he built back up and lost significant net worth twice
  • 04:40 - He saw opportunity everywhere that was created from the mortgage crisis; he started a company with a partner that has grown substantially
• 05:00 - Jim's Company Aspen Funds
  • 06:54 - They buy junior liens, non-performing, second mortgages; they buy them on a discount and can work with borrowers to create win-win solutions
  • 07:35 - They can triple investor money; he was focused on the affordable housing space for a while so he's optimistic
  • 09:50 - They work deals out to eliminate ⅔ of people debt while making money for investors
• 11:00 - On forbearance and preparing for the other side of COVID
  • 11:45 - Less than 20 people have called to ask for relief; most people are choosing to pay their mortgage
  • 13:00 - People want to work and be productive; they've had their biggest quarter ever last quarter
• 13:45 - Jim's CSIRE story
  • 14:05 - They bought a non-performing second mortgage on a property in CA; the property was worth $750K, the borrower owned $250K and they paid $30K
  • 14:50 - They got a call from the woman's father and he was upset; they told her she hadn't paid in 7 years and he was shocked
  • 15:53 - She was supposed to be paying the second mortgage; the father ended up paying the $275K
• 16:35 - Another CSIRE story
  • 16:40 - They've bought notes on pretty properties online with houses that didn't exist
• 17:20 - Some lessons
  • 17:35 - His faith informs everything he does; oftentimes the problem is inside
  • 18:25 - Apply yourself, develop yourself, and find something that makes your heart come alive
  • 19:20 - Vet your ideas and talk to people that care about you; find mentors that are doing what you want to do and learn from your mistakes
• 21:20 - How to contact Jim: Aspen Funds

3 Key Points

1. Parents, don't assume your kids are paying the second mortgage.
2. Work on your core, your interior, first.
3. Take what you learned and move forward.

What's more fun than having to pump $12K into an investment property? Getting everything stolen and having to do it all over again! Antoine Martel, a real estate investor, entrepreneur, and owner of MartelTurnkey.com, learned a lesson the hard way when brand new major systems were stolen—twice. Listen in to hear why Antoine chose to invest in Memphis and Cleveland, and learn the key factors this 25-year-old investing powerhouse considers so he can make smart decisions for himself and his clients.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. If you're tired of doing real estate alone, enroll in Leigh Brown University and be sure to use your special "CSIRE" discount code at checkout for $10 off your subscription.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:45 - Introducing Antoine, a 25-year-old real estate investor and entrepreneur who lives in Los Angeles
  • 00:50 - He learned how to flip houses and wholesale apartment buildings and decided that investing out-of-state was best
  • 01:25 - He bought his first house in his last semester at university in Memphis, TN for $35K, renovated it for $5K, and rented it out
  • 02:05 - They now help others do the same through MartellTurnkey
• 02:50 - Antoine's CSIRE story
  • 02:50 - They bought a duplex in Cleavland, OH that came with $12K worth of major systems; the day after closing, all of it was gone
  • 04:08 - He called his insurance to tell them what happened; they couldn't prove it was after closing so they gave up
  • 05:40 - They replace everything and a week later, everything was stolen again; it was $24-25K total
  • 06:40 - They installed security cameras and waited until they got tenants to put everything back in
• 06:50 - Lessons
  • 06:55 - They don't install major systems until they have a tenant move-in date; they tell the tenants that it'll be installed before move-in
• 08:25 - Why Cleveland and Memphis
  • 08:50 - Population growth, job growth, diversity of workforce, population number, and the median home and rent price
  • 09:20 - He also looked into economic development committees and data mined different communities
  • 10:30 - He looked at past data and saw that those places hadn't spiked yet
• 11:20 - Why he lives in L.A.
  • 11:25 - His family lives in L.A. and he wants to leave the emotion out of his investment decisions
• 13:30 - He's making a website, www.Investor-List.com that lists the top 500 MSA's in the U.S. so people can decide where to invest out-of-state
• 14:40 - MartelTurnkey: They renovate and resell properties to investors
• 15:15 - Check out Antoine's book: A Millennial's Guide to Investing in Cash Flowing Rental Properties and podcast A Millenial's Guide to Real Estate Investing
• 15:28 - Connect with Antoine on Instagram

3 Key Points

1. Research your investments!
2. Consider investing out-of-state.
3. Keep emotion out of your investments.

Repeat after me: Always get a signed contract. Why? 'Cause if it ain't in writing, it didn't happen! Trevor Mauch, the CEO of Carrot, learned this the hard way after seeing his father lose big money on a handshake deal. Listen in to hear what Trevor learned about contracts and insurance, and learn the tools he uses to stay inspired, energized, and pushing forward with gratitude every day.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. If you're tired of doing real estate alone, enroll in Leigh Brown University and be sure to use your special "CSIRE" discount code at checkout for $10 off your subscription.

Time Stamped Show Notes

• 00:45 - Introducing Trevor, the CEO of Carrot and an online marketing expert for real estate investors and agents who lives in Roseburg, Oregon
  • 01:30 - He started investing as a college student; he's a buy and hold investor and usually invests in rural places and places he has lived
• 03:40 - The hardest thing about the first property investment
  • 04:00 - He was worried about not being taken seriously and couldn't get a loan because he was young and didn't have credit
  • 04:50 - He realized that other people had done it before, so he figured out that there must be a way; he had to get over limiting beliefs
  • 5:50 - He's good at building businesses and has picked up properties every 2-3 years or so
• 06:30 - The vacation rental market and COVID
  • 6:33 - Mid-April cancellations were happening at a fast pace, but now his vacation rentals are getting booked up faster than ever; it may be the best year yet
  • 06:45 - He has commercial buildings, too, and wants to be a part of changing their downtown from the inside out
• 08:00 - Trevor's CSIRE story
  • 08:12 - His dad's deal in Klamath Falls, OR was for a historical building, an old Ford auto dealership from the 1930s; it was Egyptian themed
  • 8:40 - His dad tried to make it an event center; it was a handshake deal with no contract
  • 09:05 - Within 6 months, the business partner filed that he had no claim of ownership for the property, and a snowstorm hit and destroyed ⅔ of the property
  • 09:36 - HIs dad had put in a few hundred thousand dollars at that point and ended up losing the property
• 09:50 - The lesson
  • 09:55 - No matter how smart you are, or how much you trust your business partner, always get a contract signed
  • 10:55 - Get insurance and make sure the appropriate names are on the policy
• 11:40 - Roseburg, OR; an amazing gem with two rivers running through the town
  • 12:20 - They have lots of outdoor activities like fly fishing and cycling, and have about 35 wineries
• 12:50 - The Vision Story
  • 13:05 - Trevor does a Vision Story where he envisions everything he wants to experience in the future
  • 13:35 - He gets excited about his own story; ten years ago he imagined the exact home and view he enjoys now
  • 15:10 - He reads his vision story on a quarterly basis so he can get to where he wants to go
• 17:00 - On gratefulness
  • 17:25 - His previous companies didn't energize him and he didn't feel grateful for what he had
  • 17:45 - He created the Energy Audit to determine what's giving and taking energy in his life
  • 19:00 - He can then determine what to delegate and what to spend more time doing; this is inspired by Dan Sullivan's Strategic Coach tools
• 21:03 - How to reach Trevor; go to Carrot, check out his podcast CarrotCast, and find him on Facebook
• Free Live Training: How to Attract Your Best Clients by Flipping Your Marketing to "Evergreen"

3 Key Points

1. Don't let limiting beliefs stop you from having a big vision.
2. Set a timeline for your goals.
3. Get contracts!

"Honey, is that a fake Russian policeman at the door?" Ryan Walsh, a hard money lender in New Jersey, wasn't convinced that going into business with his brother was a good idea after hearing this story. Listen in to hear what happens, what did convince Ryan to get in the game, and how a sibling team took lending to the next level.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. If you're tired of doing real estate alone, enroll in Leigh Brown University and be sure to use your special "CSIRE" discount code at checkout for $10 off your subscription.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:45 - Introducing Ryan; a hard money lender in New Jersey
  • 01:05 - Hard money lenders are like the modern-day, legal, loan sharks
• 02:00 - How it works; they're like venture capitalists that work in real estate
• 02:55 - Ryan's CSIRE story
  • 03:30 - He is partnered with his brother, who started in property management; 5 years ago his brother wanted him to join his real estate business
  • 04:55 - A Russian guy worked with them and tried to pick up a tenants 13-year old daughter; he got fired and came back in a fake Russian police uniform
  • 06:30 - He showed up at his brother's doorstep saying he was owed money; his brother called the police
  • 06:45 - His brother later gets a small claims court letter; he goes, tells the story, and they tell his brother to pay the guy half what he thinks he is owed
  • 07:45 - This is the story his brother tells him to convince him to join the business
• 08:15 - Another CSIRE story
  • 08:20 - Years later, his brother got into lending and had time and freedom; this was attractive to Ryan and he jumped in
  • 08:40 - His first deal was a triple Daisy Chain, which is when a property exchanges hands 3 times without any move-ins
• 12:05 - How to reach Ryan: (201)345-1036 [email protected]; they operate from D.C. to New Jersey and have a network anywhere else, too

3 Key Points

1. Hard money lenders are like venture capitalists for real estate.
2. Daisy Chains can happen!
3. Defend yourself.

Don't drink and Facebook, kids! Avery Carl, an agent and investor in three different markets, was recently in the middle of some messy Facebook drama. Listen in to learn how it ends, why Avery believes we must learn by doing, and how she adds value for her investor clients that keep coming back.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. If you're tired of doing real estate alone, enroll in Leigh Brown University and be sure to use your special "CSIRE" discount code at checkout for $10 off your subscription.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:45 – Introducing Avery; an agent since 2017 who focuses exclusively on investor clients who are looking to buy short-term or vacation rentals
  • 01:00 - She's in three markets in three states; the Great Smokey Mountains, TN, Destin, FL, and Gulf Shores, AL
• 02:00 – Some different aspects of the real estate she works with
  • 02:15 - Furniture is a consideration, income is a factor, and more things can go wrong
  • 03:20 - The Smokey Mountains don't really have hotels; cabins are easily rented
• 04:15 – The biggest challenges with investing
  • 04:30 - Saving for the first initial investment can be a challenge; then, don't get caught up in analysis paralysis and learn by doing
• 05:30 – Avery's CSIRE story
  • 05:35 - A property came up in the Smokey Mountain market that was a really good deal; one of her long-time clients made an offer
  • 06:30 - In TN you can make offers for two different clients as long as you disclose it; a second client of hers wanted to make a deal, too
  • 07:35 - The second client ended up using someone else and getting the property; it was someone she'd been helping for years
  • 08:08 - The first client was really bummed; the second one got on a local FB group and started goating about the great deal he got
  • 09:00 - He claimed to use Avery because he felt bad that he didn't; the first guy was upset and messaged Avery
  • 10:33 - The guy who got the property ended up having an issue, so the first guy got it anyways
• 11:20 - Avery's value-add
  • 11:50 - A bonus to working with Avery is that her team will help make the property a smooth-running vacation rental so it's ready to book by closing
• 12:00 - Another CSIRE story
  • 12:20 - She was helping an owner with a FSBO property; he liked her and was going to use her to buy another property
  • 13:30 - The man went into the woods with a roll of toilet paper and called out to her 20 minutes later, "I shit in the woods!"
  • 13:50 - He didn't want to do it in the house, so he was being polite
• 14:55 - How to reach Avery: Go to The Short Term Shop

3 Key Points

1. There's no better way to learn than by doing.
2. Don't drink and Facebook.
3. Sort term rentals can be extremely lucrative.

It ain't Halloween yet, but tenants are still coming back from the dead! Joe Sesso, the National Speaker and National Sales Director for Homes.com and author of Secrets of Top Selling Agents had quite the surprise when he visited a tenant's home to serve eviction papers. Listen in to hear what happened, how he handled it, and what he has learned about investing, property management, and cash flow through his journey in real estate.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. If you're tired of doing real estate alone, enroll in Leigh Brown University and be sure to use your special "CSIRE" discount code at checkout for $10 off your subscription.

Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 01:00 – Introducing Joe, the National Speaker and National Sales Director for Homes.com
  • 01:30 - He got his license in 2000 and is from Chicago; he has experience in investing, property management, and selling real estate
  • 03:00 - Many people became "accidental property managers" during the 2008 recession
• 04:00 – Joe's background
  • 04:20 - He was denied a loan in the late 90s; he got his license and would go to the sellers to list properties that were going to foreclose
  • 05:15 - He started investing and was buying undervalued properties; during the recession, he had to rent out his investment properties
• 07:30 - Joe's CSIRE story
  • 07:40 - When he was property managing and trying to do real estate, he learned that he needed to delegate
  • 08:10 - He had a man who was struggling to pay rent; the property was self-managed and his son and daughter-in-law lived there, too
  • 08:45 - The son called and said the man slipped outside and was in a coma in the hospital; he said they were going to be late on rent
  • 09:15 - His attorney said they had a case, a month went by, and now the son said that his father had died
  • 10:00 - He went to serve the 5-day notice and the (supposedly dead) man answered the door
• 10:30 - Another CSIRE story
  • 10:35 - A guy moved out and left his dog in the place; Joe ended up giving the dog to his parents
• 12:45 - A lesson
  • 12:50 - Cash flow has to make sense
  • 15:00 - Have a "slush fund" for maintenance, evaluate your monthly cash flow, and know your reserves
  • 18:00 - Joe's actively looking for investments; he has a good team in place
  • 19:25 - Location is important, too
• 19:55 - Joe's Book: Secrets of Top Selling Agents: The Keys to Real Estate Success Revealed
  • 21:20 - It talks about mindset, team building, investing, social media, dialogues, and more

3 Key Points

1. Be persistent and don't always take no for an answer.
2. Delegate, delegate, delegate!
3. The numbers have to make sense.

Are you a financial underdog? According to Damion Lupo, we all are — but we also have the power to reclaim control of our finances and our future. Listen in to learn Damion's investing advice, what he's doing right now, and how to land yourself a killer mentor (not just a coach) who can help you gain and learn from valuable experiences.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. If you're tired of doing real estate alone, enroll in Leigh Brown University and be sure to use your special "CSIRE" discount code at checkout for $10 off your subscription.

Show Notes

• 00:30 – Coronavirus conversation
• 04:30 - On Financial Underdogs; everyone's a financial underdog and it's about exposing the truth and giving hope and information
• 05:20 - Damion's background
  • 05:25 - He lived in Alaska; his background is in real estate and he made great money
  • 06:28 - He got an overinflated ego, lost a lot of money, was over-leveraged and had to start over; he shifted into something that's more than just money
  • 06:55 - That's how Financial Underdogs came to be and how he learned
  • 08:40 - What he did do is take action and go through the experience
• 10:00 - Damion's advice
  • 10:25 - Invest in yourself; it's not about the money, money makes us lazy and stupid
  • 11:05 - Borrow smartly and don't be average; create value and get out there to get experience
  • 13:30 - Go to MeetUp groups and just show up; make mistakes, gain lessons
• 14:40 - On EQRP
  • 14:50 - It's taking control of your money and taking it off Wall Street and onto Main Street; it's the Ferrari of 401k's
  • 15:30 - You want a diversified mix of investments
  • 16:30 - He's not buying right now; he's holding and buying things that are real and that he can understand
• 17:00 - More lessons
  • 17:30 - Be patient and know when to take a time-out
• 18:20 - How to learn more: go to EQRP.co, text EQRP to 72,000, and/or send Damion a (real) message on LinkedIn

3 Key Points

1. Own your experience.
2. Don't let your ego get in the way.
3. A coach has learned something, a mentor has experienced it.

Replacing an entire roof on the wrong house? That's quite a big OOPS if you ask me! Jenea Kennedy, a real estate veteran of 20 years, has experience working with new construction — and has seen some pretty costly blunders. But not all crazy shit in real estate is naked people, frustrations, and horror stories. Listen in to find out how Jenea met her husband, and hear how the story may or may not include some sashaying up the stairs on home tours.

Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone, and never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. If you're tired of doing real estate alone, enroll in Leigh Brown University and be sure to use your special "CSIRE" discount code at checkout for $10 off your subscription.

Show Notes

• 02:30 – Introducing Jenea, an association leader in the Atlanta, Georgia market and a veteran of 20 years
  • 04:20 - She's part of the Engel & Volkers team; she's an organization and volunteer junkie
  • 06:10 - She sold a family home to her future husband; they live in it together now and raised their kids there
• 09:45 - Jenea's background and broker challenge
  • 11:00 - She started in real estate part-time while she was working with IBM; she quit IBM and worked full-time with a firm that had great marketing and leads
  • 11:40 - The broker got greedy, the business was doing great, but then he started overspending; when checks started bouncing, they knew they had to go
  • 13:10 - She got all her money, but other agents weren't able to recover
• 14:45 - Jenea's advice
  • 14:50 - She gives real estate school and instructor suggestions; she recommends people tell people they're in real estate NOW
  • 15:55 - She tells people to ask brokers if they offer new agent training before they join one; she also advises to learn the market
• 18:35 - Her CSIRE story
  • 18:40 - She was showing a home to a couple that wanted a home in an area with new constructions; they spoke with neighbors
  • 19:40 - The neighbors weren't happy with the builders and said that the property wasn't what they thought or expected
  • 20:40 - The roof wasn't installed properly, which they realized a week before closing
  • 21:35 - Her client was driving past the house and on the day they were supposed to do the roof, no one was there even though the builder said they were
  • 21:50 - They had taken off and replaced the roof of the wrong home - the model home; they still had roof issues afterward
• 22:30 - The lessons
  • 22:40 - She shares the experience with her clients and allows them to make the decision themself
  • 24:00 - Agents are an important component of the process, even with a builder; ask your agent what their experience is with new construction
• 27:35 - How to contact Jenea, Facebook and her website

3 Key Points

1. Ask your broker how clean their accounts are.
2. Learn the market!
3. Make sure you've got someone who is experienced in your corner.