Could the solution to all our family-life problems be to live as people did in the 20s? Today, Tracy Freeman, a REALTOR® in Maplewood, New Jersey, explains why old homes have such small bedrooms – and why that’s actually a good thing. She also sees the big picture that a lot of REALTORS® miss when it comes to law and regulation that affects the industry. Listen in to hear Tracy’s views on old bedrooms, chestnut trim, and family living spaces – and see why sharing a bathroom with a sibling isn’t the worst thing in the world.

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Time Stamped Show Notes:

• 00:45 – Introducing Tracy, a REALTOR® in New Jersey
• 01:50 – What she must educate her clients on
• 02:05 – In her market, many of the homes are old; most were built in the 1920s to 1940s
• 02:18 – The homes have bumps and bruises but they’re bought as-is; if something is major issue, you can ask the seller to cure or credit
• 03:30 – Tracy and her husband bought their home based upon the care the previous owner had taken of it
• 04:00 – Nowadays, people want move-in ready; Tracy understands what her clients want and knows when she sees a good fit
• 05:30 – Take care of your house and keep record of the maintenance you do on it
• 05:45 – If you walk in a house and see that the owner has record of every fix, it’s priceless
• 06:45 – More about Tracy and Maplewood
• 07:00 – She gets excited by things like laundry chutes and the quaintness of old homes; she must educate clients on why homes were built differently back then
• 08:45 – Rooms were built smaller because that’s not where people lived; they focused on family time in general living areas and kids didn’t escape to rooms
• 10:45 – What surprises her buyers when they come to Maplewood and South Orange
• 10:50 – They’re city people and want to be able to walk to town and the train
• 11:25 – It costs to live closer to town; people want all the bedrooms and a yard but may have to be a half mile or mile away from the train to have it
• 13:00 – The GenX way of living can exist; the homes in her area are close to everything a family could need
• 14:15 – Tracy’s advice for other REALTORS®, buyers, and sellers
• 14:45 – She appreciates agents that just put their head down and do the work
• 15:05 – She went to her first NAR conference and was shocked by how many REALTORS® there are and by what advocacy work was being done
• 15:30 – She was so focused on her local business that she didn’t see the big picture of what was happening for REALTORS® nationally
• 16:00 – Understand what bills and regulations are going through that affect your work and pay as a REALTOR®; protect your earnings
• 17:00 – How to contact Tracy
• 17:05 – Her website, Facebook, and Instagram

3 Key Points

• Recordkeeping could be the X factor to help someone move forward with a purchase.
• Understand why your home was built the way it was, especially if it’s old.
• Protect your earnings and stay educated through participation with the NAR. 

Credits

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