The Real Estate Sessions

Joe Rand tackles another listener voicemail on Randing and Raving. This week, Joe also attacks me for my "middle to low brow" taste in movies. I can't deny that.

 THE REAL ESTATE SESSIONS PODCAST

Episode 280: 

Host: BILL RISSER

Guest: NINA FABBRI

Episode Summary:

Our guest today is Nina Fabbri, Director of the Business Partnership Group with HomeServices of America. Her role involves putting together the right partnerships in the Real Estate space to bring the most value to agents in the HomeServices of America.

In this episode, I sit with Nina, based in Miami, Florida but originally from Nicaragua. She describes her experiences starting in Real Estate and shares an overview of her work so far.

Top Takeaways: 

"I didn't realize until years later what they meant was it's the country of opportunity, right? You come here, and you start from nothing, and it's up to you. You can be whoever you want in the United States."

- [Nina Fabbri]

"There are lots of agents who say, 'How do I get into the Luxury market?', and a lot of times, it is right place right time."

- [Bill Risser]

"I think it's important to recognize the opportunities and not be afraid to take that plunge."

- [Nina Fabbri]

"You need to find a niche and fill it in order to be successful in Real Estate."

- [Nina Fabbri]

"We're at a crossroads within the Real Estate industry, right? With technology companies coming in and changing the way that the consumer buys homes."

- [Nina Fabbri]

"I feel like people are so focused on the next client that they don't focus on the current client."

- [Nina Fabbri]

"I'm a giver, just by nature, and I love to help people."

- [Nina Fabbri]

"Getting into the Real Estate industry at first is hard, but it's the hard that makes you great."

- [Nina Fabbri]

Episode Highlights:

[00:30] Intro

[01:12] Introducing our guest on today's episode, Nina Fabbri. 

[02:10] Nina narrates how she moved to Miami.

[06:28] About Miami, Florida, and the popular misconceptions people hold.

[07:40] Fisher Island Miami; A millionaire playground.

[09:07] How Nina started her Real Estate career, and the journey till now.

[17:37] The Real Estate Loyalty Gap 

[21:00]Being a global brand, What are some of Berkshire Hathaway's advantages to agents in the US?

[22:14] What are some of the key characteristics you're looking for when putting together a potential partnership with the company. 

[24:30] Nina describes her motivation for engaging in volunteering. 

[26:36] What one piece of advice would you give a new agent just getting started in the business?

[27:20] How to contact Nina

[28:02] Outro

Episode Notes: 

Although born in Nicaragua, Nina narrates the events that led to her finally moving to Miami, Florida, following the unrest in her place of birth that forced them out. One of the biggest misconceptions held about Miami is that Miami is dangerous. To an extent, the impression created by the violence in the TV series "Miami Vice" may be responsible for this perception. 

Nina is part of a community called "Fisher Island," a private island in Miami only accessible by ferry or private yacht. With the membership of the private club of the island at $250,000 per annum, the island is inhabited by high net worth individuals. Also within the island is a golf course, private beach, Spa, tennis court, and other facilities.

Like many others who work in Real Estate, the profession was not the initial choice for Nina. After graduating with a business degree, she started law school with plans to work full time and got introduced to a team that was working on Fisher Island at the time. The team needed help with the legal side of their work, which was her main focus till she developed a love for Real Estate in the process and joined them. 

Emphasizing the importance of recognizing opportunities, Nina explains she had plans for cyber law but saw the chance that came her way, even though it was in Real Estate instead. She became a partner, and the name of the company changed to "Ocean Insiders." Another opportunity she observed was the need for property management since most inhabitants did not stay on the island full time. This prompted her to start a concierge property management service, which later became rentals and sales of property.

She then saw the opportunity to bring Asian investors into Miami, creating a Chinatown community, by working with AREAA. This was the journey that led her to connect with the leadership at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. 

The Real Estate Loyalty Gap: In an article by Chris Stuart, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, a study showed that 90% of buyers report they would prefer to work with the same person who helped buy their home when they were ready to sell, but in reality only a few do. With a background in Bioscience, Chris developed the IQ system, focusing on developing and sustaining an effective and influential relationship with the consumer. 

The world view of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has the benefit of connecting agents with international clients, which is one of the ongoing projects now, involving agents from different countries worldwide. 

When creating a potential partnership with the company, Nina explains that the first step is to identify cultural synergies between both parties, including good reputation, ethics, and similar pillars in business. The second is an innovative technology to help agents and brokers compete efficiently on a global scale. Another important consideration is the ability of the partner to support such an extensive network. 

Nina shares that she naturally is interested in volunteering, as one who loves to give and help people. She has been involved with several programs, including AREAA, "Fisher Island 5k", "You and Me Together." 

Nina's advice to new agents: Start with the end in sight. How do you want to be known in the industry? Find that niche and fill it. Getting into the Real Estate industry at first is hard, but it's the hard that makes you great.

Resources Mentioned:

Connect: 

Find | THE REAL ESTATE SESSIONS

At www.therealestatesessions.com

Find | Bill Risser

At [email protected]

On Twitter

On Facebook

On Youtube

Find | Nina Fabbri

At www.homeservices.com 

Book: The Real Estate Influence by Chris Stuart

RATE & SUBSCRIBE 

At Ratethispodcast.com/REsessions

On Apple Podcasts

On Google Podcasts

On Stitcher 

This week on Randing and Raving, Joe Rand encounters an interesting dilemma. You know who sent the question to voicemail, and that person is your boss. What do you do?

THE REAL ESTATE SESSIONS PODCAST

Episode : 279

Host: BILL RISSER

Guest: SCOTT LINCICOME

Episode Summary:

Meet today's guest from Pinehurst, North Carolina, Scott Lincicome, one of the partners in Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Lifestyle Property Partners. With his background as a former professional golfer, Scott is an expert in golf properties and other Pinehurst facilities.

In this episode, I feature Scott Lincicome as he narrates his journey to Real Estate, including his different passions, especially for sports, and how he leveraged his interests to create a successful Real Estate career.

Top Takeaways: 

"Lots of resort towns have lots of hotels and lots of rooms and lots of stuff, that is not Pinehurst."

Bill Risser

"It doesn't matter if it's one agent or a hundred agents. If you got somebody underneath you, it's a management role as well."

Scott Lincicome

"You've got all the pieces and parts...one day you're going to get out of it, and nobody behind you is going to be Scott Lincicome."

Scott Lincicome

"Niche yourself, you've got to be the expert in whatever it is you're going to do, and you've got to like being around the people you're going to help."

Scott Lincicome

Episode Highlights:

[00:25] Intro

[02:10] For someone who grew up in Atlanta, Why Pinehurst?

[03:50] Scott narrates his journey through other sports and how he got started in golf.

[15:01] How did Real Estate enter the picture for you?

[20:35] Scott describes Pinehurst, North Carolina.

[22:50] How Scott got connected with 'Better Home and Gardens'.

[27:08] What kind of advice would you give somebody who knows what they're doing but wants to get specific in Real Estate?

[31:52] What one piece of advice would you give a new agent just getting started?

[33:06] Outro

Episode Notes: 

Although Scott grew up in Atlanta, he shares that he has now spent 21 years in Pinehurst, North Carolina, with no initial goal. 

Sharing his experience golfing, Scott discusses how he started with an initial interest in baseball as a kid and didn't play much golf competitively till his late 20s. He also had a passion for snowboarding earlier on and later managed a snowboarding business in Aspen, mainly working in the sales and tech aspect; however, the pay was small.

Moving up to Pinehurst, where the family house was, Scott and his wife, who was also his caddy, spent most of the time living from the car for about a year.

Scott narrates his experience before becoming a Realtor in Pinehurst for 16yrs. He describes that the money involved in golf as a sport at the time was also not much, especially in Pinehurst, and he was not ready to leave Pinehurst. This prompted him to move back into sales which he had a great interest in. After working with a Spanish TV company for over a year, he was introduced to Real Estate. 

Nowadays, many people move to Pinehurst because it's an incredible place to live. Scott describes Pinehurst as "Mayberry in color" with 50 golf courses. The community has also been voted the safest city to live in North Carolina for close to 23 years. 

Describing how he started working with Better Homes and Gardens, Scott shares that while starting in Real Estate with golf properties, he realized he was a better salesperson than a manager and needed help on the management side and worked with Lori to create a brand.

For agents who want to get very specific, finding your niche is to know what you're passionate about and talk to the people interested in that field.

Scott explains that a significant change in the market is that Millennials are now more interested in buying properties than renting. This is causing shortages since the pool of Millennial buyers is large. Aside from that is the advent of remote working following the pandemic, which means people don't particularly have to live in urban centers. Additionally, there is the acquisition of properties for business purposes. 

Scott's advice for new agents: Niche yourself, you've got to be the expert in whatever it is you're going to do, and you've got to like being around the people you're going to help.

Resources Mentioned:

Connect: 

Find | THE REAL ESTATE SESSIONS

At Tresonline.com

Find | Bill Risser

At [email protected]

On Twitter

On Facebook

On Youtube

Find | Scott Lincicome

At [email protected] 

Website: www.lifestylepropertypartners.com 

Phone: 910-315-7856

On Facebook 

RATE & SUBSCRIBE 

At Ratethispodcast.com/REsessions

On Apple Podcasts

On Google Podcasts

On Stitcher 

Once again, Joe Rand, author of How To Be A Great Real Estate Agent, lets loose after another listener voicemail is played. Without giving away the caller's identity, this episode stretches out some 20 minutes. Can you guess the Caller's name?

REAL ESTATE SESSIONS PODCAST

Episode 278: 

Host: BILL RISSER

Guest: LYNN JOHNSON

Episode Summary:

Meet our guest for today, Lynn Johnson, a business-minded entrepreneur from North Carolina who runs the "My Southern View Real Estate Team."

In this episode, I sit with Lynn. She introduces Rayleigh Durham, North Carolina, sparing no effort to describe the features unique to this environment from a Real Estate perspective and address other Real Estate-related issues.

Top Takeaways: 

"It's always been a deep-rooted love for Real Estate and all things related, for me."

- [Lynn Johnson]

"When I was a teacher, my biggest idea was you've got to reach'em before you can teach'em."

- [Lynn Johnson]

"I just want to establish a relationship and start from there because that's what lays the true foundation for a good working and business relationship."

- [Lynn Johnson]

"I don't want to be a manager of people...I want people to want to work and love what they do because that's what I do."

- [Lynn Johnson]

"You've got to want it to make it happen for your clients."

- [Lynn Johnson]

"Loving on people and having those good relationships is the foundation for any successful business. If you love on your people, and you show how much they mean to you, then they're going to show you how much they respect you and you mean to them in return."

- [Lynn Johnson]

Episode Highlights:

[00:32] Intro

[01:13] Introducing today's guest, Lynn Johnson.

[06:15] Why should we be in Rayleigh Durham, North Carolina?

[13:25] Was Real Estate always the plan for you?

[21:31] What does it look like in the future for "My Southern View"?

[24:38] Talk about the importance of the connections you have built through that community.

[27:03] Lynn discusses business today, especially with the Pandemic.

[33:10] What one piece of advice would you give a new agent just getting started?

[34:05] How to contact Lynn

[35:18] Outro

Episode Notes: 

Bill starts by appreciating Lynn's accent and her background in North Carolina, which she admits is a plus since she has always lived there and is well informed about Real Estate in the area.

Lynn talks about the Raleigh Durham area of North Carolina, highlighting one of the landscape's critical qualities. She describes the features, including the mountains, the Piedmont region, and the beach. She also notes the provision for sports such as the hockey team.

Also of note is the Research Triangle area, which has had massive development, with more ongoing. The beach is mainly a center of attraction, a number one place for people to retire, and a choice location for movie producers shooting such scenery.

Another point of interest is the Campbell University in North Carolina, where she studied. Lynn explains that she got a scholarship to the university based on her interest in cheerleading and accepted it, mainly because of the campus's proximity, even though she got into other schools. Over time, the university has grown tremendously, accommodating the medical school, law school, pharmacy school, a football team, some of which weren't there during her stay.

In high school, Lynn had wanted to be an architect, but following a desire to give back, she decided to be a teacher, which she did for a year after graduating from the university. She was then introduced to Real Estate. There are certain gigs that people have before becoming a Realtor, notably Bartending and Teaching; Bill points out that these gigs build qualities like listening and patience which make for a good Real Estate agent. 

Building relationships before initiating business transactions are also emphasized as Lynn employs her methods used in teaching. "You've got to reach'em before you can teach'em." Her background in family studies and other life skills also contributed immensely to her work in Real Estate.

Lynn describes her team and explains that the name's motive was to reflect Real Estate from a southern perspective. Also, she had intentionally avoided using her name as the team name to allow for members' individuality while sharing a common Real Estate goal. She also shares that she doesn't see the team getting bigger because of the difficulty with managing people, and she would instead focus on leveraging the business better.

Lynn shares that the real estate business was considered essential in North Carolina during the pandemic lockdown, although standard safe health practices were fully implemented. However, the current state of the market is best described as "the hunger games," and Lynn explains that this may leave agents who lack the grit by the wayside.

The cost of due diligence seems to be a growing problem as it scares off first-time homebuyers; the Real Estate Commission may have to get involved to even the playing field. Meanwhile, the plan, for now, is to ride the wave and hold on. 

For New Real Estate Agents: Focus and love on your people. When you have that first client and build that relationship with them, you love on them so much that they're going to love you in return and send business your way. Loving on her clients is how Lynn runs her business with a 100% referral system.

Resources Mentioned:

Connect: 

Find | THE REAL ESTATE SESSIONS

At Tresonline.com

Find | Bill Risser

At [email protected]

On Twitter

On Facebook

On Youtube

Find | Lynn Johnson

At [email protected] 

At www.mysouthernview.com 

Text - 919-279-8169

On Instagram

RATE & SUBSCRIBE 

At Ratethispodcast.com/REsessions

On Apple Podcasts

On Google Podcasts

On Stitcher 

Once again, a listener voicemail is played for Joe Rand, Chief Creative Officer of Howard Hanna Rand Realty, and Joe answers as only Joe can. Will this be the week the question strays from real estate? Tune in and find out!

THE REAL ESTATE SESSIONS PODCAST

Episode 277: 

Host: BILL RISSER

Guest: TAMI BONNELL

Episode Summary:

Today's guest, Tami Bonnell, is the Exit Realty Corporation International CEO and has been so since 2012. She is a speaker at conferences and has a significant online presence, using videos to pass her message about "Being Human."

In this episode, I sit with Tami, who shares the depth of her work in the Real Estate field starting from the age of 13 until she is appointed CEO of Exit Realty. She discloses vital strategies that have contributed to her immense success so far.

Top Takeaways: 

"Being that guide on the side, if I keep putting the right leadership in front of people, they'll crave wanting to be that type of leadership."

- [Tami Bonnell]

"Information without implementation equals poverty."

- [Tami Bonnell]

"We figured that assets of a Real Estate organization are agents."

- [Tami Bonnell]

"There's two things a disruptor cannot disrupt, and that is Skillset and Great Relationships."

- [Tami Bonnell]

"The biggest thing that I did differently is that I did as much homework on the person as I did on the product."

- [Tami Bonnell]

"The biggest investment most people will make is their home. And that's where they have such a big nest egg, so we have to really be conscientious about not just doing everything reactive based on technology and getting reactive based on algorithms. We have to do it based on relationships".

- [Tami Bonnell]

"There's such a big difference between happiness and fulfillment, and I think that we fulfill a lot of people's dreams if we're doing the right stuff for the right reasons."

- [Tami Bonnell]

Episode Highlights:

[00:24] Intro

[00:56] Meet today's guest, Tami Bonnell, CEO of Exit Realty Corporation International. 

[05:95] Growing up in Massachusetts.

[09:45] How Tami started her career in Real Estate.

[12:53] How did you join Exit Realty International?

[14:57] What makes Exit Realty special?

[21:55] The problem of Dehumanizing in Real Estate.

[25:22] How do you use technology, particularly videos, in and outside the business?

[33:07] Tami's family of Taekwondo black belters.

[34:43] What one piece of advice would you give a new agent just getting started?

[38:06] Outro

Episode Notes: 

Tami talks about Bob McKinnon, Director of Leadership Development at Exit Realty, who was interviewed on episode 275 of the podcast. She describes him as a huge addition to the company, highlighting a program called ambassador training where he brings in people and trains them for two days on public speaking. Rather than be a sage on the stage, he has been a guide on the side to help people with leadership.

She describes growing up in Massachusetts and how she sold her first house at the age of 13, following which she sold homes on-site for builders until she was old enough to get her Real Estate license. Narrating the events in detail, Tami explains she had started out cleaning houses for people to move into when there was an issue with a buyer at one of the houses, and she convinced the builder that she could sell homes.

Even with no formal education in Real Estate, she focused on building brands by selling franchises and teaching mergers and acquisitions. She had excellent business acumen, which seemed to be lacking among people in Real Estate.

Joining Exit Realty was a follow-up to a job she had been trying to work on, and she worked her way up the ranks till she became CEO, noting that Tami was already doing the job and developed a love for it even before she became CEO. 

She describes the factors that make Exit Realty special, which followed a strategy by the founder to research and find out what other industries were offering that wasn't available in Real Estate and what most agents wanted at the time. 

The first of these unique requirements by people was leadership. Under Bob Mckinnon's guidance, this fostered the installment of leaders in provinces and states so that there's someone there that can help grow purpose and productivity.

Another general need was Education, and the company started to create avenues for educational advancement right from the point of getting a license.

The third was technological assistance since, more often than not, the problems were user-based. So efforts had to be directed at teaching specific technical skills particular to Exit Realty and additional tools that would be useful generally.

They also needed help with the details, so a single-entry method was applied for all aspects, and technology is user-friendly.

Additionally, there was a need for a marketing program that can be tracked, so the technology was made to be intuitive. The innovative technology also made it possible for clients to get information about the property and agents. Also, agents could get information about clients interested in a house.

People also expressed that they wanted "Image." Hence the focus and energy are directed at being the most innovative and most forward-thinking Real Estate company, so workers are proactive rather than reactive.

Lastly, there was a need for vested interest. A strategy implemented was that any agent, broker, or regional owner that introduces an agent into the company, would receive the equivalent of 10% of the gross commission every year for as long as they are in the company. Also, considering retirement, they make 7% of that income, with the remaining 3% going to the company, and following the death of an agent, the beneficiary gets 5% of that income. 

The problem with dehumanizing in Real Estate: Tami explains that a critical technique she applies, which broke over seven world records in sales, is that she does as much homework on the person as she does on the product. "I found out what was important to you."

Discussing her use of videos, Tami shares she was initially intimidated but understood that part of her job is to show people who they can become. She observed that people want to see human beings, as this makes them feel genuine care. 

Tami explains her view on the pandemic being "Indifference". The pandemic's panic has pushed people to distance themselves, and consequently, services to be indifferent to consumers, basically just accepting things as they are rather than connecting more with people.

Tami's advice for new agents: Do as much homework on the person as you do on the product because when you can walk in and add value to a person's life, they're going to remember that. Secondly, regarding "Bringing a blueprint to life", Tami recommends having an action plan, planning, and ensuring it is a life plan, not just a business plan. The goal is to maximize the experiences for yourself, your family, and your client.

Resources Mentioned:

Connect: 

Find | THE REAL ESTATE SESSIONS

At Tresonline.com

Find | Bill Risser

At [email protected]

On Twitter

On Facebook

On Youtube

Find | Tami Bonnell

At [email protected] 

Text - 85377-Tami (to get her mobile business card sent to your phone)

RATE & SUBSCRIBE 

At Ratethispodcast.com/REsessions

On Apple Podcasts

On Google Podcasts

On Stitcher 

Week 2 brings another question sure to rile up one of the best ranters in the real estate biz. Joe Rand, Chief Creative Officer of Howard Hanna - Rand Realty grabs the mic, clears the floor for his trademark pacing, and gets a random voice mail played just for him. The results are always educational, loud, inspiring and downright hilarious.

Listen in ad don't forget to subscribe to The Real Estate Sessions so you do not miss a single Friday of Randing and Raving.

Connect: 

Find | THE REAL ESTATE SESSIONS

At TheRealEstateSessions.com

Find | Bill Risser

At [email protected]

On Twitter

On Facebook

On Youtube

at [email protected]

on Twitter

on LinkedIn

On Facebook

Purchase "How to be a Great Real Estate Agent"

Purchase "Disruptors, Discounters, and Doubters - A Guide for the Client Oriented Future of the Real Estate Industry

March is colorectal cancer awareness month. As a colon cancer survivor, I feel it is my duty to help spread the message of the importance of getting screened via a colonoscopy at age 45 (this has been recently lowered from 50) or earlier if there is family history of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is 94% curable if caught early, yet is the number 2 cancer killer in the US.

A few stats from the Colorectal Cancer Alliance:

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the US, and the second leading cause of cancer death. It affects men and women of all racial and ethnic groups, and is most often found in people 50 years or older. However incidence in those younger than 50 is on the rise. This disease takes the lives of more than 50,000 people every year; we’re here to educate people on how to prevent this disease and lower that statistic.

This episode of The Real Estate Sessions podcast refers to posts I wrote during the screening, diagnosis and treatment for Stage 3B colon cancer in 2012-2013. Some of the stats I mention have changed a bit since then. Please refer to the website for the Colorectal Cancer Alliance for the most up to date information.

Here are the links to all eight posts located on The Phoenix Real Estate Guy

Three Words You Do Not Want To Hear

My Top Ten Takeaways From Colon Cancer Surgery

Therapy Treatment Begins

Chemo and Caffeine - A True Story

It's About the People, Not the Cancer

Bumps in the Road

And Down the Stretch They Come

Elephants, Ants and Gelato

Connect: 

Find | THE REAL ESTATE SESSIONS

At Tresonline.com

Find | Bill Risser

At [email protected]

On Twitter

On Facebook

On Youtube

RATE & SUBSCRIBE 

At Ratethispodcast.com/REsessions

On Apple Podcasts

On Google Podcasts

On Stitcher