Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate With Leigh Brown

It’s not often that someone has to kick down the door of their own home! Toria Brown, a REALTOR® of three and a half years in Shenandoah Valley, VA, had to do just that when her property was incorrectly listed as foreclosed. Luckily, she had a great network and support system and was able to clear things up with a lawyer – and still flip the property quickly! Tune in to hear Toria’s advice on what to look for when searching for your agent, lender, and inspector dream team. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:30 –Introducing Toria, her journey, and why she loves the show 01:00 – The show reminds her that she’s not alone in REALTOR® crazy town; it’s an amazing industry with variety and adventure 02:30 – She has learned to pre-game people on the home inspection 03:15 – She lives in the Shenandoah Valley in VA with an office in Augusta County; she’s been in real estate for three and a

If it’s not icicles inside a flooded house it’s a tricky sale with a prejudiced client! Bill Hamburg, a REALTOR® in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, is back on the show and ready to share another story and some more crazy shit. This time around, he’ll share how he talked someone with a “For Sale By Owner” sign to let him list their property – not without some hiccups, of course! Tune in to hear how Bill marketed a house on a highway, handled a prejudiced client, and overcame a failed septic inspection. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:30 –Bill’s last CSIRE story: “The Icicle House” 01:30 – He went to a property and heard a “waterfall” 01:50 – Water was gushing from the second floor onto the first from a broken pipe; it was February, the owner had left the water on and there were icicles everywhere 02:20 – Introducing Bill; a REALTOR® out of Horsham, PA who is associated with b

Are your assets, LLCs, and investment processes a “Royal” mess? Scott Smith of Royal Legal Solutions, a firm that provides asset protection for real estate investors, shares why his inspiration for building his business stemmed from his own need. Listen in to learn why he uses a series LLC, how he scaled quickly, and what he created so he could work smarter – not harder. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com.  Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:50 – Introducing Scott, an asset protection attorney and long-time real estate investor; he bought his first property in law school and flipped it to pay for school 02:00 – He had problems getting through his first ten properties, so he created a system and team that works; now he helps others do the same 02:30 – He worked in litigation for two years before turning towards real estate; he learned a lot about asset protection, insurance, and loopholes 04:45 – Scott’s business 05

Public Service Announcement: Please keep your junk in your pants or in your trunk. Seem obvious? Not to Katie Townsend’s client! Katie’s a long-time REALTORÒ in Parsons, Tennessee who learned a valuable lesson about safety early in her career. Tune in to hear what she saw, what she learned, and why she’s a better professional because of it. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:45 – Introducing Katie, a REALTORÒ of 15 years in Parsons, Tennessee who owns her own firm 01:45 – She will be president of her association next year 04:20 – On buying and selling real estate 04:40 – It’s a very professional business; the consumer is getting wiser and people in the industry who are professional thrive 05:20 – People don’t know what goes on at the back-end 07:30 – Katies CSIRE story 07:45 – It has to do with safety; a gentleman was paying cash and wanted to see remote properties 08:08 – On the

I’m sorry, did you say Sunset Avenue or Gun-set Avenue? Aaron Fragnito, founder of Peoples Capital Group and successful real estate investor, gives us the nitty-gritty truth about being a landlord. Tune in as he shares about his greatest challenges, biggest shocks, and most valuable lessons that have shaped the way he runs his business today.  Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:45 – Introducing Aaron, a real estate investor 01:30 – On being a landlord 01:45 – It’s not as easy as you’d think; Section 8 annual inspections, the neighborhood, and difficult tenants can make it hard to get an income from the property 03:15 – You need to pick and choose your tenants to fit what you want 03:45 – What he looks for in a tenant and why 04:00 – Credit checks and checks on evictions are a good place to start; interview them, see how they speak, and notice how they take care of their car 05:22

What makes commercial real estate interesting? Jef Conn, an industrial, office and investment specialist, reveals how a company like Chick-fil-a chooses a location and why he’s always got some cash on-hand. Listen in to hear why he calls his competitors friends, why he wants a unified platform, and why he’s a con-man. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:30 – Introducing Jef, a West Texas commercial real estate expert 01:45 – He is good with numbers and has a personality that fits industrial and commercial real estate; it’s very cut and dry 04:10 – If he comes across a homeless person or squatter, he gives them cash, respect, and asks them to leave 05:20 – On how Chick-fil-a chooses a location 05:42 – They find the best location based on demographics, neighbors, location, and average household income 06:50 – Using RPR to determine demographics 07:12 – He has access to some addition

Do you want to be your client’s real-life Wizard of Oz and give them what they never even thought possible? Steve Sims, a speaker, coach, author and master of making things happen, has some invaluable advice for REALTORS® who really want to WOW their clients in today’s solution-based economy. Listen in to learn how you can give people more than what they want – even before they know it’s possible. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:50 – Introducing Steve, a speaker, coach and author of Bluefishing 02:50 – He believes people overthink marketing; he helps people market effectively, especially those in real estate 04:40 – Communication fixes things that otherwise look complicated 04:50 – People don’t clearly ask for what they want; they ask for what they think is possible 06:06 – On giving people more than what they want 06:20 – Think, dream and vision for your clients to go beyond

Question: When do you know a listing appointment has taken a turn? Answer: When the conversation topic changes from the home to penises and circumcisions! You heard it here first, folks! Paula Brahan, a REALTOR® in Hattiesburg, MS, has been on the show before, but we had to bring her on again to share her most recent crazy shit. Listen in to find out what the heck happened – and learn what crazy things her client had been collecting. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com.  Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:20 – Introducing Paula Brahan; a REALTOR® in Hattiesburg, MS who has been in real estate for 5 years 02:20 – She was a nurse for 23 years and worked in psychiatry; she knows how to deal with crazy 02:50 – Paula’s CSIRE story 03:08 – She went to a listing appointment 30 minutes away; it was a rural community 03:30 – The cigarette odor was very strong inside; the home was neat but the woman “collected” a lot of thing

Want to imagine what a flooded home filled with 60 cats smells like? Well, no need to guess because Rod Meyer can tell you! Rod Meyer is a REALTOR® from Grand Forks, North Dakota whose whole family is in real estate. Tune in hear about the destroyed “cat house” (that sold!) and the silly things he’s had to do to get approval from FHA appraisers. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:50 – Introducing Rod, a REALTOR® of 10 years in Grand Forks, ND; he and his wife have a brokerage and he feels he’s a magnet for strange real estate happenings 01:35 – All four of his kids are in real estate in one way or another; his wife thinks everyone should sell real estate 02:40 – They all talk about real estate around the dinner table 03:00 – CSIRE stories 03:10 – His wife walked into a home when the owner said, “Come on in, it’s open” and the man was sitting on the couch in his underwear smoking

Today’s theme is “Be like Rose” – and soon you’ll find out why. Rose La Pira, a REALTOR® of 36 years in Bergen County, has some wise tips for newcomers in the industry. Listen in to learn her effective open house strategy, what she thinks about volunteer work, and why she’ll never photograph a house without a walkthrough and checklist again.  Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com.  Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:50 – Introducing Rose; she lives in New Jersey and sees New York from her home windows and has been in the business for 36 years 02:03 – She lives minutes from New York in Bergen County, New Jersey; many people want to live in that area 02:20 – She’ll get her realtor emeritus pin in 4 years; it was hard to go from 7,000 square feet to a 39th floor condo 05:20 – What Rose has experienced along the way 05:40 – To pack up anything you don’t need and make sure everything is in great condition during showings a

Don’t sign eviction papers just because a deputy asks you to! Candy Owens, a REALTOR® in Chapel Hill, was showing a home when a deputy and an official came to the door and tried serving her eviction papers – despite the fact that she wasn’t the right person to be asking. Listen in to learn how Candy finally convinced them that she – and her clients – weren’t the homeowners, and learn why it’s so important for REALTORS® to know what’s going on in local politics.  Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:50 – Introducing Candy, a REALTOR® with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices York Simpson Underwood Realty whose office is in Chapel Hill; she’s been in the business for 10 years 01:45 – For the first two years she worked part-time and helped other professionals to learn the business; she still has an ongoing mentor 04:30 – The reality in Chapel Hill 04:44 – There’s not much land left for dev

When’s the best time to discover that your spouse has 3 ex-husbands...and they’re all dead? Why, at the closing table, of course! Phil Treadwell, a regional manager and VP of development for Mason-McDuffie Mortgage, podcaster, and co-founder of the Industry Syndicate, didn’t see the black widow until her husband did, and even then, the property still closed. Listen in to find out what happened – and learn some useful parenting tips that’ll help you raise kids that aren’t assholes.  Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:50 – Introducing Phil, the VP of Development and Regional Manager for Mason-McDuffie Mortgage Corporation who has been in the industry for 15 years 01:36 – He’s the host of the Mortgage Marketing Expert podcast and co-founder of the Industry Syndicate 01:55 – He’s been all over the industry for the past 15 years 03:00 – Phil’s CSIRE story 03:15 – It’s funny how peopl

What do you do when your client has to see a dragonfly to buy a house? You keep looking until you find one, of course! Bob Tompkins, a REALTOR® from Greenville, South Carolina, thought his client was a little quirky and unreasonable when she said a dragonfly was the sign she needed to decide on a home. Listen in to find out what happened – and learn how emotions and spirituality can play a part in people’s decision-making process, too.  Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com.  Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:50 – Introducing Bob from Greenville, South Carolina; he serves the upstate area 00:55 – He’s been in real estate for 3 years, both his parents are real estate agents, and he’s been with Re/Max for a year and a half 02:30 – Bob’s CSIRE story 03:15 – He has a quirky client; he was helping her and her husband buy a house 04:05 – There was a dead dragonfly on the ground in front of a house she liked; she said she c

LeAnne Long knows when enough is enough! LeAnne, a broker, owner, and REALTOR® of 22 years, walked away from the closing table when a client was being a jerk– which turned out to be a good move. The client checked himself, signed, and now he and LeAnne are buds. Listen in to find out why it’s important to be strong and assertive for your clients and yourself. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:40 – Introducing LeAnne, a broker, owner, and REALTOR® of 22 years with RE/MAX around Atlanta out of Conyers, Georgia 03:05 – The importance of respect and asking the right questions right off the bat 03:20 – Ethics in real estate is LeAnne’s biggest pet peeve; late calls, last minute showings, people no knowing their clients are a few examples 05:30 – People want instant gratification; LeAnne handles it be keeping it light, funny, and friendly 06:40 – She helps clients understand the ser

If a client looking over her shoulder and saying, “I hope my husband doesn’t think you’re my boyfriend,” isn’t a red flag, I don’t know what is! Luckily, Tim Ogle, a long-time REALTOR® and Air Force retiree was armed and connected to people who could help and poke fun at him a little bit, too. Listen in to find out how Tim handled a drunk, suicidal, and thieving client – and why this crazy story may not be over yet. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 01:00 – Introducing Tim, a REALTOR® since 2006 when he retired from the Air Force 01:07 – He started as his wife’s assistant, but that lasted 2 week until she fired him; they split the business up, he took buyers and she took sellers 02:22 – Advice for husband and wife teams: Know and set specific job descriptions 04:30 – Tim’s CSIRE story 04:35 – It started with a client who wanted to go out to look at homes; she had to be prequalified

Are you having trouble making those W-2s look real? Shirley Matlock, REALTOR® of 28 years and Certified Residential Specialist, recently had a deal fall through because the client admitted he couldn’t make his W-2s look real! Luckily, the lender Shirley used was an honest one, and they weren’t going to let the client negatively affect himself and others. Listen in to find out the lessons Shirley learned through this experience, and find out how to build yourself and your network so you know how to avoid – or get out of – these sticky situations. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:35 – Introducing Shirley, a Maryland Howard County REALTOR® of 28 years and Certified Residential Specialist 01:45 – A “CRS” is like a real estate PhD; you must have taken certain courses and sold a certain amount to qualify 03:30 – Shirley’s CSIRE story 03:45 – The most current one is a referral story;

We’re going to play a game on today’s episode! Amy Hedgecock, a third generation property manager in High Point, North Carolina, has a crazy story of when she managed a property for some California investors who never even saw it. When the owner of the property finally flew over to see the property, he was shocked, scared, and given a knife by a tenant for protection before entering a “vacant” unit. Listen in and try to find out where, exactly, things went wrong – and learn how to make sure this never happens to you or your clients! Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:35 – Introducing Amy, a 3rd generation property manager in High Point North Carolina, who has been president of the North Carolina realtors 02:30 – Amy’s CSIRE story 03:00 – She has 500 single-family units and some apartment buildings; she enjoys bettering the properties so her investors have a better return on inves

Buy a house from Al and he’ll paint it for you! Al Block, a REALTOR® for over 30 years in the greater Detroit area, sold the wrong house but committed to making it right. Luckily, he did – by painting an ugly room and communicating with his clients in a way that was honest and reassuring. Listen in to find out why accountability is so important and how Al’s community involvement really saved the game.  Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com.  Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:35 – Introducing Al, a REALTOR® for over 30 years 01:00 - He’s an associate broker in the greater Detroit area and president of the Greater Metropolitan Association of Realtors 01:37 – He’s co-owner of ReMaxx First 02:20 – He made it in real estate at 19-years-old because he had some inheritance money and stuck with it; it was tough but he learned discipline and humility 05:20 – Al’s CSIRE story 06:00 – He was sponsoring and playing in a softball

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. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com.  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 –

Is it raining men? Nope, but it is raining inside! Sarah Gustafson, a REALTOR® of 10 years in Holden, MA, opened the door to a beautiful home she was showing to clients just to find it was...raining? Not only that, but the listing agent called shortly thereafter to find out if her clients were still interested in the house! Um, no thank you! Listen in to find out why you must know where your water main is, and how she protected her clients from buying a potentially hazardous home.  Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com. Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:45 – Introducing Sarah; a Holden, Massachusetts REALTOR® of 10 years and introvert who used to manage trade shows for companies 03:30 – Sarah’s CSIRE story 03:40 – She was showing a house to clients in the wintertime in the down market; many foreclosed homes were vacant in the winter 04:00 – She noticed a stream of water coming from the garage; she had a feeling the p