Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate With Leigh Brown

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

Who came here to PAAAAARRRTYYYY!? REALTORS®, apparently! On today’s show, Jordan Scheltgen, co-founder and managing partner of Cave Social, talks about the day he realized that real estate professionals really know how to get down. He also learned the magic key to setting yourself apart from all the other REALTORS® out there – and the best way to do it using social media platforms, technology, and the one thing only YOU have: Your story. Listen in to hear more about Coyote Ugly: Realtor Edition – and get some good advice on how to get in front of your target audience.   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 Jordan, co-founder and managing partner of Cave Social, a digital advertising agency whose clients are 50% real estate professionals 01:50 – He also writes about leadership on INC 02:30 – The surprising things he found about real estate 02:35 – The complexity of

No one’s as detail-oriented as an engineer! Socar Chatmon-Thomas, a REALTOR® of 25 years in Austin, sure thought so when her client called with suspicions that his tile was off by an eighth of an inch. Socar, an electrical engineer herself, loves real estate because she sees it as a daily puzzle that puts her strategic and problem-solving skills to the test – and let me tell you, she is good. Listen in to find out how Socar satisfied her super-detail-oriented client – and how she made her latest client extremely happy.   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 Socar, a REALTOR® of 25 years with a background in electrical engineering; she is spontaneous, social, and creative 03:40 – The transition from engineering life to REALTOR® life 03:55 – Real estate is like a daily puzzle 04:10 – Socar’s CSIRE story 04:28 – A client of hers called her and said his grout was off b

Who wants to go fishing? Not Shannon Register, a REALTOR® and broker of 25 years in the Houston metro area! From a signed contract that no one noticed was $20,000 off to a surprise dog-attack that caused her to drop her client’s keys into the deep end of their pool, Shannon has seen her fair share of real estate craziness. Listen in to find out how Shannon managed to fish out the keys and what she learned from the messy $20,000 mistake. 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 Shannon, a REALTOR® of 15 years in the Houston area with three independent brokerage offices and 50 agents 01:44 – She is an educator for consumers with her radio show 02:30 – Shannon’s CSIRE story 02:44 – She has seen agents make rookie mistakes on both sides 03:03 – An agent wrote the wrong sale price on a contract and it wasn’t caught until the lender noticed the mistake; all parties had alrea

No one likes to be stuck in the middle of a sibling rivalry! Chris Stafford, a REALTOR® of 27 years in the San Francisco area, played the mediator between two brothers – and it wasn’t fun. While one brother sabotaged the sale of their home and the other was furious and fuming, Chris reflected on the lesson we could all take away from this story. Listen in to find out how Chris handled the brothers – and still got a raving testimonial at the end of the day. 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 Chris, a CPA and real estate broker who has been selling for 27 years ago in the San Francisco Bay area 01:40 – Chris’ CSIRE story 01:50 – It was an example of the dynamics of dysfunctional families; two brothers owned a $2M property and one of the brothers was an executor 02:10 – The other brother was living on the property and didn’t want to move, even though he has another

Today we’ve got a special guest who is going to discuss the market and the one piece of advice that could save you from a sour sale. Casey Angel, Director of Communications at the Raleigh Regional Association of Realtors, has got high hopes for the real estate industry and is excited to see diversity spread in his community and throughout the country. He dives in and debunks common misconceptions about realtors and why neighborhoods flourish, and gives some quick resources that are just a click away. Listen in to hear Casey’s advice on when to pick an agent – and when you should let one go. 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: 01:50 – Casey’s work within the association 02:10 – The membership is diverse and cares about their community 03:23 – The diversity in South Florida and North Carolina 03:45 – It’s exciting to see diversity spread in the community and industries 04:30 – The thin

Real estate isn’t all competition! In fact, Sarah Johnson, realtor of nearly 25 years and instructor, believes that there’s plenty to go around and that we should all support each other. Sarah’s story is a heartwarming one of persistence, mentorship, and connection when she first joined the real estate industry. Listen in to hear how Sarah landed her first job right out of school, wouldn’t take no for an answer, and still keeps in touch with her co-workers almost 25 years later.   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 Sarah, a realtor of 25 years and instructor in Wyoming; She’s in the Bighorn Basin near Yellowstone 03:00 – Sarah’s CSIRE Story 03:35 – She got into real estate in a very unconventional way; she learned lots of lessons along the way 04:15 – She was 21 and newlywed; she had an aunt who was in real estate and knew that it was what she wanted to do so she

Wanna hear a story that gives a whole new definition to the word patience? Paula Brahan, a REALTOR® in Hattiesburg, MS, spent a whole year trying to find the perfect property for a client – just to have him move in right across the street. The whole thing tested her patience –his changing needs, unrealistic expectations, electromagnetic detector (what?) – but ultimately both she and her client were happy. Listen in to find out how Paula found exactly what her client wanted – and got a nice neighbor, 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 Paula, a REALTOR® in Hattiesburg, MS; she’s been in the business for 4 years and was a nurse before 02:50 – Paula’s CSIRE story 03:00 – She’s learned that patience is key, especially in one case 03:45 – The client was referred to her, he was very particular and she was helping him find a place 04:35 – They ruled out every house

Watch out, squatter gang coming through! Brandi Underwood, realtor and Miracle Agent, had a long battle with the squatting community in her area – and that was just the beginning! Just in case the issue with the squatters wasn’t enough, she then had to deal with the county, their (big!) mistakes, and a difficult inspector (on a power trip). Listen in to hear how Brandi cleaned up this mess despite challenges that would’ve sent most people running. 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 Brandi and Miracle Homes 01:03 – Brandi’s located in Fair Oaks, CA, right outside of Sacramento; she services Sacramento, El Dorado, and Pastor Counties 01:16 – She’s a Re/Max Miracle Agent which means she donates a portion of her commission to the Children’s Miracle Network 02:30 – Brandi’s CSIRE story 02:55 – Around the holidays in 2017 she helped an old co-worker and her husband fin

Penis-shaped ice cubes, anyone? Sam Powell, real estate professional and tech nerd, found a little special something in her friend’s freezer – something so special, in fact, she decided to keep it! And just in case that story isn’t crazy enough, wait till you hear about how she and her clients accidentally crashed the Chicago marathon – two years in a row! Listen in to hear Sam’s hilarious stories and get a glimpse into the determined, passionate person she is. 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: 01:30 – Introducing Sam and her background 01:38 – She works in downtown Chicago but has connections throughout Illinois 01:50 – Their tagline is “Real answers, real people, real estate” 03:45 – Sam’s CSIRE story: Blue Penis Ice Cube Tray 04:33 – A friend passed away and she was helping the out-of-state family deal with the possessions in his property 04:50 – His friend got rid