Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate With Leigh Brown

Sometimes the roles and responsibilities of realtors can be a bit fuzzy. Not only do they liaise on your behalf when it comes to selling or buying a home, but for Sarah Vander Vloet, they also become instant babysitters! Listen as today’s guest, Sarah Vander Vloet shares her hilarious experience with Leigh that expresses just how much trust a client can have in their realtor.  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:  00:43 – Leigh welcomes today’s guest, Sarah Vander Vloet 01:35 – Sarah has been a licensed realtor in London, Ontario since 2011 01:42 – She works alongside her husband, Mike, who’s been in real estate for 10 years 01:47 – They sell real estate and comanage the StreetCity Realty Inc, a Canadian owned corporation 03:06 – Sarah’s story has 3 parts: a home that took extra time and effort to sell, patient sellers, and trusting buyers 03:21 – This happened last Febru

Realtors help people buy, sell, or lease their homes, but when do their services and responsibility to the client end? A closing or a successfully sold property does NOT necessarily mean the realtor’s job is done. Leigh interviews Steve Weiss, a realtor of 32 years, shares about an after-sale issue where he sends his clients on a nice dinner out so that he could investigate a peculiar smell coming from under the house. 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:  00:37 – Leigh welcomes today’s guest, Steve Weiss 00:56 – Steve lives in San Luis Obispo 01:26 – It’s located on the central coast, in between San Francisco and LA 01:49 – Steve has been in residential real estate for almost 32 years 02:58 – After 32 years in real estate and with tons of stories, Steve found it difficult to just pick one story 03:16 – San Luis Obispo is a college town 03:44 – Their real estate community

Home inspections prove to be an important part of a home buying process – it’s simply an opportunity to know a full, unbiased disclosure of the property you’re getting. Today’s guest, Pat Tasker from Milwaukee, Wisconsin shares her crazy story of a home inspection that will send you through the roof—or in this case, through the second floor, literally.  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 00:38 – Leigh welcomes Pat Tasker 00:58 – Pat is from Milwaukee, Wisconsin 01:06 – She has been in real estate for 28 years 01:58 – Pat shares about the most crazy home inspection ever: 02:05 – A couple was buying their first home – a Cape Cod house 02:30 – Pat has always attended inspections because of 2 things: 02:43 – She likes to know what the home inspector says 03:01 – She’ll have to negotiate any problems 03:21 – Mr. Buyer was followin

Alyssa did not think that leaving her keys behind would result in her breaking and entering in on her client’s condo unit..let alone that this would happen on her first showing ever. Bad luck? Perhaps. Either way, it was a lesson learned. Leigh welcomes Alyssa Hellman who has been in real estate since 2010. She is the head coach of Bamboo Realty, in North Carolina. 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 00:40 – Leigh introduces Alyssa 01:26 – Alyssa is the head coach at Bamboo Realty 01:31 – Alyssa is not currently active in selling homes, but she has a team of agents 01:54 – Alyssa started as an assistant in 2010, and grew her career from there 02:40 – The difficult time in real estate helped mold Alyssa 02:53 – “When you come in and the market is low, you know, sometimes you’re having conversations with people that really aren’t e

Back in the day, when dealings for a home went down in person, you’d experience the joy, firsthand, from sellers and buyers alike, when they finally closed that deal. Pauline Relkey was able to share in the joy of a first-time homebuyer as they closed a deal in-person with the seller. However, everyone in that room got a little bit more than they bargained. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Pauline Relkey who has been in real estate for 26 years and is from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  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 00:43 – Leigh introduces Pauline 00:55 – Pauline is located in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada 01:00 – Pauline has been selling residential real estate for 26 years now 01:30 – Pauline always likes to see the funny side in everything 01:37 – Pauline’s story started back in the day, when they would still make offe

Having multiple customers at one time is part of the job in real estate—but, how about when you have 2 customers ready to make an offer on the SAME HOUSE? This is when things can get tricky...not too trick for guest, Missi Howell. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Missi Howell who has been selling real estate for almost 10 years in Northeast Florida.  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  00:35 – Leigh introduces Missi  00:50 – Missi has been selling real estate for 10 years   00:54 – Prior to selling, Missi retired from her 30-year real estate banking business  01:02 – Missi realized that she needed to explore a world outside real estate banking  01:50 – Missi’s market is the NorthEast Florida market  02:05 – The inventory is really low in Florida   03:00 – A year before listing a certain property, the seller call

Andre is a superman when it comes to sales, but came into the industry of real estate with zero experience and zero knowledge. Regardless of this, Andre still managed to build his own successful real estate enterprise. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Andre Fajardo, owner of Advantage Realty Enterprise, which he started 4 years ago in Raleigh, North Carolina. 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 00:47 – Leigh introduces Andre 00:58 – Andre is with Advantage Realty Enterprise which opened up 4 years ago in Raleigh, North Carolina 01:08 – Advantage Realty Enterprise specializes in new construction 01:17 – Advantage Realty Enterprise consider themselves as a specific brokerage 02:01 – Andre’s marriage is a testament to how a successful realtor can do so much more 02:18 – Andre shares his journey to becoming a realtor in Raleigh, North C

It is extremely important for those in real estate to stay vigilant at all times, especially in this day and age where technological crimes are at its peak. Imagine the pain and heartbreak a realtor goes through when he tells his elderly clients they’re put on hold at closing because of possible fraud. That’s what Brian Whitta, a realtor from the micropolitan city of Findlay, Ohio, experienced and he shares his 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:  00:33 – Today’s episode isn’t just crazy, but heart-breaking, too 00:44 – Leigh introduces Brian Whitta 01:00 – Brian is located in Findlay, Ohio 01:14 – He got his license in 2005, but has only been full-time for the past 3 years 01:37 – A micropolitan is an honor bestowed upon a city when they are not tied to a metropolitan area 01:54 – The criteria for receiving the honor includes having growth projects

Traci Browning was only in her second deal as a real estate agent when she encountered a very, difficult client. Instead of backing down, Traci handled the situation head on and proved that she was one that could get the job done. Listen as Traci shares her crazy story and discover why Leigh says she is a shining “example of how we do real estate right.” 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 welcomes Traci 00:53 – Traci is a residential realtor at Marietta and Kennesaw, Georgia 01:51 – Leigh shares the two rules of the podcast with Traci 02:20 – Traci shares her crazy story 02:25 – Traci had a client that she helped to both buy and sell a house—the owner’s previous house was shared with her ex-fiancé 02:45 – Traci was able to contact the ex-fiancé who created a new email just to communicate with her because he did not want to share his information with Traci’

Today’s episode discusses one crazy way of doing real estate that could help sellers get TOP DOLLAR for their home when it comes to crazy bidding wars—auctions. What better way to motivate buyers than to have them compete, in-person, with other interested candidates! Leigh chats with Ray Wood, an experienced auctioneer in real estate. Tune is as they talk about both the barriers and benefits of auctioning your home.  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: 00:28 – Introduction for today’s episode 00:42 – Leigh welcomes Ray Wood 00:56 – Ray is a partner at Best Agents and Locked On 01:48 – Ray is a fourth generation, real estate agent and it was his Dad who got him into the industry 02:26 – A lot of property is auctioned in Australia and Ray got his start by auctioning different items from the back of a truck 03:45 – Buying a property is an emotional decision 04:23 – An aucti

When Shannon’s gut told her that something was off with a certain house, she couldn’t have been more right. A homeowner who illegally smuggles family relatives into the country to essentially work without pay is not someone you’d like to buy a home from. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Shannon Brien who has been in real estate for almost 4 years. She is a realtor with The Douglas Realty for Coldwell Banker HPW in Raleigh, North Carolina. 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 00:40 – Leigh introduces Shannon 01:10 – Shannon has been in real estate for almost 4 years and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina 01:40 – Shannon explains the triangle of North Carolina 02:54 – Shannon starts with her crazy story 03:01 – Shannon’s attorney, Duane Hall, had a paralegal who wanted to buy a house 03:24 – They sold Kelly’s house and got it out of

Foreclosure properties can cause a lot of headaches for the average home buyer, but for an investor? That all depends. Bill Hamberg shares his crazy story entering a “Winter Wonderland” house as excessive water damage was actually forming icicles.  He also offers realtors and investors first hand advice regarding investing in a foreclosure home. Leigh welcomes Bill Hamberg, who has been in real estate for 13 years and is an investor/agent in Philadelphia.  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 00:38 – Leigh introduces Bill 00:53 – Bill and his wife are in their 13th year in real estate 01:05 – For the past 11+ years, they’ve been in the REO side 02:12 – Bill shares his story of the most recent crazy thing he experienced 02:28 – The general public doesn’t understand what a foreclosure is 02:47 – Bill had an assignment in Levittown

Natural calamities happen when we least expect them to and for Lumberton, North Carolina, it happened in October of 2016. David was one of those who responded to the call to help those who were affected by the hurricane. Until now, they are still in need of help. In this episode, Leigh welcomes David Zeits who has been in real estate for almost 15 years. He is an agent for Coldwell Banker Premier Team Realty in Lumberton, North Carolina. 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 00:38 – Leigh introduces David 01:13 – David is from Lumberton, Southeast of North Carolina 01:33 – Lumberton is still recovering from the hurricane 01:49 – David has been a real estate broker for almost 15 years 02:29 – David shares his story which happened when he was just starting in real estate 02:37 – David had a call from a lady in Radcliff, Kentucky 02

Natural disasters happen when you least expect it and having insurance can alleviate an enormous amount of stress when it comes to recovering what you’ve lost. Katy’s client never thought he would ever need insurance and was concerned that he’d have to accept a lowball offer on his flood-stricken house. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Katy Caldwell who has been in real estate for almost 11 years. She is an agent for Remax in the Baton Rouge area of Louisiana. 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 00:40 – Leigh introduces Katy 00:59 – Katy has been a realtor for 11 years and is from Baton Rouge, Louisiana 01:09 – Katy does anything residential 02:13 – Katy shares her story starting with a big flood, in 2016 02:19 – 110K homes were affected and most of them did not have flood insurance 02:50 – There was 30 inches of rain in 48 ho

Greeted by a man in his boxers, a woman in bed, and the smell of marijuana in the air is not a great way to make an impression at a house viewing. It’s actually a great reason for prospective clients to pass on a house. Aurora Guiragossian discusses two unsettling real estate stories that express just how little control realtors can have on their day-to-day job. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Aurora Guiragossian, a realtor for Heller Coley Reed of Long & Foster Real Estate in the DC, Metro Area. 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: 00:40 – Leigh introduces Aurora 01:28 – Aurora is from downtown, Maryland 03:05 – Aurora has 2 crazy stories 03:08 – Years ago, Aurora showed a house to a couple 03:22 – A deal is not always a deal because there can always be a catch 03:31 – The property was only walking distance from the metro station 03:40 – When Aurora got there, the l

Taking the leap from a part-time to full-time realtor isn’t an easy decision. However, for Patti, a decision had to be made and she hasn’t looked back since. In this episode, Leigh welcomes Patti Sherwood, a realtor from Charlestown, West Virginia who just started in the industry 4 years ago. 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:  00:45 – Leigh introduces Patti 01:04 – Patti is from Charlestown, West Virginia 01:22 – Patti has been licensed in West Virginia for 4 years now 01:40 – Patti thought she would’ve gone full-time earlier, but it was a leap of faith to do so 03:06 – Patti shares the first positive, but crazy thing that happened to her 03:20 – Patti had a call from a buyer relocating to West Virginia 03:35 – The woman learned about Patti from a local real estate magazine and she thought Patti looked friendly and easy to deal with 03:54 – Patti was taken aback and

In this episode, Leigh interviews Tracey Hicks, a realtor and co-owner of All Things Real Estate Store. Realtors are indeed entrepreneurs, but Tracey’s story and career shows you that there are a lot more opportunities out there than just listing and selling homes in real estate. Tune in to see how Tracey turned drab real estate signage into a business opportunity.  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 00:44 – Leigh introduces Tracey Hicks 01:03 – Tracey is located in Portland, Oregon and she’s co-owner of All Things Real Estate Store 01:19 – Tracey’s store sells marketing products, signs, and etc 01:48 – Tracey founded this store because she was tired of the ugly and boring real-estate supplies available 03:01 – Tracey has been in real estate for 12 years before she founded her business and she still owns 50% of a brokerage, to th

In this episode, Leigh interviews Nicole Solari, a realtor from Napa Valley, California who has made a remarkable record selling 191 real estate units in just 1 year. Listen as Nicole shares two nerve-wracking experiences with the same house—she discovers the house’s dark past and not-so-bright future, as she had to shoo away a hooker and her client out of the house during a showing. 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 00:27 – Leigh introduces Nicole Solari 00:50 – Nicole is a Boston qualifier 01:04 – She has been in real estate for 3 years 01:08 – Nicole is based in Napa Valley, in California 01:30 – She sold 191 units last year amounting to $68M in sales 01:44 – The average realtor sells 10 houses in a year 02:49 – This story is the most shocking one in Nicole’s career: 03:00 – One of Nicole’s very first listings was a home tha

In this episode, Leigh interviews Joe Battisto, an NYS licensed property inspector from Syracuse who works for Haven Environmental. Joe founded Haven Environmental in 2015, and they’re trying to raise the bar for home inspection. Listen to Joe’s advice as an expert in the field and hear how he rescued a couple from buying a problematic house that was a far cry from what was shown in photos. 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. Joe Battisto President Haven Environmental www.havenenvironmental.com Up here in Central New York I did one last week I had to post on the company Facebook page.   The homeowner started using cardboard boxes as HVAC duct work after his metal ducts starting rotting away.  Then he used old bed rails as structural support posts to hold up the floor from falling into the basement.   He was asking low 6 figures for the hot mess.  The prospective buyers were making an offer based o

In this episode, Leigh interviews Kristina Rhodes, a realtor from Indiana who works for FC Tucker Emge. Kristina has been in real estate for 17 years and, at the same time, has volunteered for Make a Wish. Listen to find out how realtors are making the effort to help their communities while hustling in the world of real estate. Kristina also shares how being a volunteer to Make a Wish has impacted Kristina’s real estate brand, career, and life. 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 00:34 – Leigh introduces Kristina Rhodes 00:58 – Kristina works for FC Tucker Emge, in Indiana, and has been in real estate for 17 years 01:46 – Kristina contacted Leigh to share about the Good Neighbor Program 01:53 – The program is exclusively for realtors 02:00 – Every year, 5 out of 1M realtors are chosen to be awarded 02:07 – The award is reserved f