In this episode of the Neighborhood Realtor Podcast, we delve into effective tax strategies for real estate investment with our guests, real estate guru Brian Davis from Spark Rental, and seasoned investor Josh Smith of the Fulton Group.Brian opens the discussion with insights from his article "7 Ways to Avoid Taxes on Real Estate Investments." He highlights the 1031 exchange, a tax-deferring strategy for property sales, and shares his shift towards 'lazy 1031 exchanges' in passive investments, emphasizing the benefits of depreciation write-offs.We then move into discussing the advantages of Roth self-directed IRAs, which allow for tax-free growth in diverse real estate investments. The episode is a treasure trove of tips for minimizing taxes in real estate, making it a must-listen for investors and real estate professionals at all levels. Tune in to uncover the secrets of navigating real estate taxes with Brian Davis and Josh Smith, here on the Neighborhood Realtor Podcast.None of the information contained herein constitutes a recommendation that any particular security, portfolio, transaction, or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. All viewers agree that under no circumstances will Neighborhood Loans. its subsidiaries, partners, officers, employees, affiliates, or agents be held liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information obtained.The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 🔑 Treadstone Funding: https://www.treadstonemortgage.com/🔑 Neighborhood Loans: https://neighborhoodloans.com🔑 Real Estate Marketing Guide: https://www.amazon.com/TAG-Tangible-Action-Guide-Marketing/dp/1698339747📲 Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 🏛️ Treadstone Funding propelled by Neighborhood Loans NMLS 222982 “Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee No. MB.6759826. neighborhoodloans.com/licensing/  For licensing information, go to www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org”

Experience trumped all in today’s episode — our hosts and guests had a combined 75 years of experience in Real Estate, and our guest Nate Martinez with RE/MAX explained not only how he built a sustainable business but also provides tips for longevity in an industry where the only constant is market volatility. The conversation covers the importance of mindset and consistency in the real estate industry. It highlights the success of agents who are committed to doing the work and executing their strategies. The topics discussed include the power of mindset, the effectiveness of open houses, the benefits of farming, and the value of building relationships through agent referrals. The key takeaway is that success in real estate requires a positive mindset, consistent effort, and a commitment to building relationships and providing value to clients and fellow agents.Connect with Nate Online: https://the-nate-martinez-team-glendale-az.remax.com/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 🔑 Treadstone Funding: https://www.treadstonemortgage.com/🔑 Neighborhood Loans: https://neighborhoodloans.com🔑 Real Estate Marketing Guide: https://www.amazon.com/TAG-Tangible-Action-Guide-Marketing/dp/1698339747🔑 Connect with Josh May: https://marketgrandrapids.com/📲 Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 🏛️ Treadstone Funding propelled by Neighborhood Loans NMLS 222982 “Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee No. MB.6759826. neighborhoodloans.com/licensing/  For licensing information, go to www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org”

In this captivating episode of "The Neighborhood Realtor" podcast, your hosts Matt Muscat and Josh May, sit down with real estate newcomer Ryan Cecil, a rising star in the Louisville market. Ryan's journey is nothing short of inspiring; she entered the real estate industry in 2020 after a setback in her logistics career due to her authentic use of TikTok. Little did she know that her authenticity would be the key to unlocking unprecedented success.Join us as Ryan shares her story of exponential growth, from just starting out to over 75 transactions in a single year. Discover how she harnessed the power of social media, especially TikTok, to build her brand and double her business year after year. Ryan's approach isn't just about generating leads but transforming them into meaningful relationships, proving that every lead can be a potential goldmine.In this lively conversation, we also explore the importance of showcasing your personality through video and educating prospective homebuyers about your local area. Josh explains how leveraging platforms like YouTube can boost SEO and attract valuable warm leads.If you're a real estate agent looking to leverage social media, turn leads into lasting relationships, and supercharge your growth, this episode is a must-listen. Tune in now for valuable insights and inspiration from Ryan Cecil's incredible journey in the world of real estate.Connect with Ryan online: https://www.tiktok.com/@bestlouisvillerealtorhttps://www.homepagerealty.com/agents/ryan-cecil/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 🔑 Treadstone Funding: https://www.treadstonemortgage.com/🔑 Neighborhood Loans: https://neighborhoodloans.com🔑 Real Estate Marketing Guide: https://www.amazon.com/TAG-Tangible-Action-Guide-Marketing/dp/1698339747📲 Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 🏛️ Treadstone Funding propelled by Neighborhood Loans NMLS 222982 “Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee No. MB.6759826. neighborhoodloans.com/licensing/  For licensing information, go to www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org”

In this episode of The Neighborhood Realtor podcast, we dive deep into the world of property inspections with a true industry expert. Our guest is not just any property inspector; he's someone who started his journey with a deal on his very first day in the industry and has since grown his brand to become synonymous with excellence in property inspections. This episode has marketing ideas for agents, inspection tips, and ways to partner with your inspector or home expert. We love talking to true entrepreneurs like Nick! Join us as we uncover the remarkable story behind his rise to success, from humble beginnings to inspecting over 2,000 properties each year. Discover the marketing strategies he employed to set himself apart from the competition, including targeting untapped markets.But it's not all about personal success—our guest also shares valuable insights into the latest inspection trends and how realtors can partner with inspectors to add significant value to their clients. If you're a real estate agent looking to enhance your services and provide top-notch experiences for your clients, this episode is a must-listen.Tune in now to gain a fresh perspective on property inspections and learn how to build more meaningful partnerships in the real estate industry. Don't miss out on this episode filled with invaluable tips and stories from The Neighborhood Realtor podcast!Connect with Nick: https://www.yourwrightchoice.com/https://www.instagram.com/yourwrightchoice/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 🔑 Treadstone Funding: https://www.treadstonemortgage.com/🔑 Neighborhood Loans: https://neighborhoodloans.com🔑 Real Estate Marketing Guide: https://www.amazon.com/TAG-Tangible-Action-Guide-Marketing/dp/1698339747📲 Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 🏛️ Treadstone Funding propelled by Neighborhood Loans NMLS 222982 “Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee No. MB.6759826. neighborhoodloans.com/licensing/  For licensing information, go to www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org”

In today’s episode Matt is joined by not one but 2 powerhouse agents who shared strategies for operating differently in a different market. Both agents were around for 2007-2010’s market and came out thriving because of the seeds they put down when others buried their heads in the sand. We discuss a different approach to team compensation that Nevin has always used, and discussed how he treats his clients like gold bars that he isn’t willing to part with. Josh and Nevin expounded on the idea that clients don’t “need” you to sell their house but they do NEED you to sell their house for top dollar, keep them out of hot water, and counsel them throughout the process. This episode was chock full of tangible take aways.Connect with Nevin: https://nevinrealestate.com/Connect with Josh: https://marketgrandrapids.com/ The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 🔑 Treadstone Funding: https://www.treadstonemortgage.com/🔑 Neighborhood Loans: https://neighborhoodloans.com🔑 Real Estate Marketing Guide: https://www.amazon.com/TAG-Tangible-Action-Guide-Marketing/dp/1698339747📲 Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 🏛️ Treadstone Funding propelled by Neighborhood Loans NMLS 222982 “Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee No. MB.6759826. neighborhoodloans.com/licensing/  For licensing information, go to www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org”

In this episode Matt talks with Blair Dinkins an expert agent in Colorado who moved her business from one state to another but didn’t lose her momentum. By applying systems and going after big opportunities she was able to make the move and grow to new levels. Her business is best described as tactically fun. She got her start by reaching out to top agents and simply asking what they were doing that is working. We discussed how even though she moved during the pandemic she was still able to meet people, including those who were motivated to move! Something that is very important to be on the lookout for in any market. Blair isn’t afraid to door knock and cold call, but she does so with a purpose and makes her door knocks a win-win-win strategy.   Connect with Blair: https://coloradoteam.com/our-team/blair-dinkins/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

In this episode we connect with Megan Walters a NAR 30 under 30 agent for 2022. In only 6 years as a REALTOR , Megan has built up a serious business and is on track to beat her 2022 and do more in 2023. Megan’s Strategy? Spotting areas in her market and in her marketing where other’s weren’t competing From Google Business to reels on Instagram Megan has built many marketing avenues out of areas that others weren’t tapping into. When you have multiple sources of business you don’t need to rely on any 1 as much. This year Megan came up with a genius strategy to market to a builder, show extra value and land their business. Finally we discussed how Megan worked through the objection of being too young, partially by getting a haircut – but trust me there’s more.Connect with Megan: https://waltersteamrealty.com/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

In this episode we talk to a Seattle area top producer who despite the “locked in” effect that everyone else is talking about has continued to grow his business this year. He and his small team did over 120 units and 80 million in production last year and are on pace to beat it by a tad this year.Although 20 years of practice doesn’t hurt Jon’s biggest secret to real estate sales is in networking with networkers and professionals. Most Realtors network but network in all the wrong places. Jon seeks out people in professions who share mutual clients, and who he can add value to as well. He then layers into their life/professionally and personally to stay top of mind. In addition to focusing on professionals he also stays in constant contact with his sphere of influence by layering in new marketing and touch points – including being personally present in the areas he markets. Jon is coached professionally by the CORE coaching program and has been for over 10 years where he gets to meet agents from around the country and get new ideas.Get in touch with Jon: https://jonbye.com/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

Back by popular demand is one of our best guests of all time, Stefanie Lugo with My Home Group in Scottsdale, AZ. Stefanie and her husband Bryce are top performing agents who went all in on their database. Their business is 100% repeat and referral and they use social media to spread the word from those already in their network to those just 1 connection away. In this episode we discuss how social media is changing and why what worked for lead gen in 2019-20 isnt working anymore. Stefanie reveals her new secrets for how she makes Instagram deliver results. Stefanie is also the owner of The Market Authority podcast and coaching program where she offers current tips and tricks of what is working for her real estate business in real time.Get in touch with Stephanie: https://www.stefanielugo.com/ The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

Bombshell episode! Today we feature a dynamo Realtor and Broker Owner Sasha Tripp from Charlottesville, VA. Sasha originally got into real estate because she wanted to educate herself on the home buying process. For her first two years before she had the business, she spent her time learning about the market and creating content. After these bedrocks were set the rest was history! In our episode we discuss “partying with a purpose” - how to network with specific and tangible goals. We also discussed her journey that brought her to a 2022 that had over 285 closed units. As an introvert she makes a concerted effort to go into every phone call with a plan.The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

This week the Neighborhood Realtor Podcast welcomes Bi-Coastal Realtor and industry thought leader Cara Ameer. Over her 20 year career in real estate Cara has developed niches in both Southern California and Florida. She uniquely plays her skill sets in both areas and markets tax and social advantages in each state to market herself as the expert for clients looking to go from 1 sunny state to another. Cara and Matt discuss how she started her career with tactics like door knocking, calling expired listings and a host of other tried and true methods—this hard work and approach carried her through not only the recession but are now helping her to grow even in a tight inventory market. Every market has its challenges, but the magic bullet is putting in the effort! We go on to discuss how to write a winning offer, and tips to get them accepted. Finally, we discuss a loan program that has become her secret weapon to unlocking the market for many buyers.The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

On most episodes we focus on lead gen strategies that are old school and low tech – today we flip that on its head and talk with Chris Johnstone – master real estate tech marketer who we go deep with on all things AI. We discuss the importance of learning the prompts to feed AI to get the information that you want! We talk about what tools you can use to generate leads with the help of AI and how to use it as a booster for your current marketing rather than as a replacement.  Connect with Chris online (or ask Bard for information):  https://www.connectionincorporated.com/ The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

In this episode Matt chats with real estate veteran Josh Smith in Arizona, who discusses why agents need to have a mix of both long and short term lead generation strategies. So many marketing ideas focus on nurturing leads over time, but those don’t pay the bills right now – his approach is to utilize a mix of strategies that can feed you now and in the long term. Josh is also the host of the GSD Mode real estate podcast – he is also a real estate broker, fitness fanatic, and entrepreneur. Josh’s unofficial tagline when it comes to real estate is to “get sh*t done!”Connect with Josh online: https://www.gsdmode.com/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

If anyone tells you that 2023 is a tough market, just have them call Ali Garced, a “special” agent out of Tucson, AZ. In only her 2nd calendar year as a Realtor, Ali has already closed 50 units and is on track to close 65-70. Ali’s secret is to be tactical as well as methodical. She is the queen of going deeper with her clients by way of probing questions followed up with meticulous note taking. She uses her CRM to store any piece of data possible because any piece of intelligence can be used either to spot a buying sign or to use to start a future conversation. Ali has been known to jump into her CRM while at the grocery store to look up intel on a client she sees walking around before she approaches them to chat and catch up!She is also methodical about tracking the conversations she has daily because she knows that 6 conversations per day equals 42 per week and 2100+ per year! Conversations lead to closings!Connect with Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ali_the_agent/Want more from Ali? Check out The Agent Goldmine, an agent-focused podcast she hosts alongside Shelby Johnson.The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

Its all about networking! Shelby (Osborn) Johnson started her professional life in the military. Over time, she realized that she wanted a career that would give her more freedom while also giving her potential to grow with no ceiling. After reading Rich Dad Poor Dad she decided to go into real estate investing, and a  short year later, she took all of the discipline from the military and pivoted it to closing 50 units and winning KW’s Rookie of the Year. A large part of her success was starting “Pints and Properties” in Charlotte, NC to host and casually meet up with other real estate industry professionals (and clients). Over the next 4 years, she doubled and tripled her business and her income. Pints and Properties became infinitely scalable, and she provides the event template & strategy to other agents at no cost.She moved to create a traditional team, Five Pillars Realty Group, which closed 500+ transactions in the first 2.5 years. In mid-2021, Five Pillars evolved out of the traditional team and into what it is today — “Five Pillars Nation.”Five Pillars Nation is where Agents go to stop being Agents & start being Business Owners. It’s not a firm, it’s not a team. It’s an entrepreneur incubator that allows individuals to grow their empires alongside peers. Shelby also has years of experience flipping, wholesaling, and acquiring rentals (both short-term and long-term). Want more from Shelby? Check out The Agent Goldmine, an agent-focused podcast she hosts alongside Ali Garced.Connect with Shelby:https://www.instagram.com/theshelbyshow__/https://bemore-agents.com/https://www.theagentgoldmine.com/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

Today’s episode listens like an episode of Selling Sunset or the most salacious real estate show available on streaming—only it's all real and all took place in one agent's career between the mid 80’s and today. Nico Lundborg-Griffith is a top producing real estate agent listed in the RE/MAX Hall of Fame. Nico is not only an award winning and top producing REALTOR but is also the award winning author of Pandora’s Lockbox: A Wild and Wacky Real Estate Memoir.While reading her book, originally for amusement, I found hundreds of nuggets and comparison to today’s real estate market. Nico outlines how she coped with high rates in the 80’s and thrived despite them. She also covers her unique strategy for “people farming” instead of farming geographic neighborhoods. With more unique and funny stories than usual in this episode, we hope you enjoy!Read Nico's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Pandoras-Lockbox-Wacky-Estate-Memoir/dp/1737719924The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

Do you treat your real estate like a side hustle or like a business? There is a big difference between those who passively take clients as they come in and then sit around when there arent people to sell houses to VS those who are regimented and have a plan that they follow, know their numbers etc. In this episode we talk to Louisiana broker Antonio Cousin about his journey to becoming a top performing agent/broker. We discuss everything from how to leverage closed Facebook groups to keep clients engaged to marketing the concept of house hacks to convert more renters to buyers.Connect with Antonio here: https://www.service1stre.com/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

What is the one thing that AI can't do? Do you really think you are smarter than a system that can catalog all of the real estate knowledge in the world and deliver it back in 2 seconds? The big differentiator between you and a machine is the ability to empathetically think and come up with ways to imbue customized excitement and positive emotion into the real estate transaction and into your client relationships. Jay O’Brien , NAR 30 under 30 Realtor and founder of Client Giant joins us to explain how he transformed his business into a referral machine by going deep for his clients and creating experiences so memorable that clients referred him with passion. Jay explains the difference between passive and active referrals and dives deep into the idea that most referrals are passive and the person referring you doesn’t seriously care whether their referral uses you or not. He provides ideas for ensuring that your clients are so hyped about you and their experience working with you that they shout your name from the rooftops.Connect with Jay online at: clientgiant.comThe Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

Some people use family and having children as the excuse for why they couldn’t do more business or for other things that go wrong in life or their career — our guest does the opposite! In today’s episode, Mary relays how her family is actually her greatest business asset. From past client events that focus on kids, to having customized kids listing agreements she leverages the power of family to make both her business and her community a better place. We also touch on the importance of having a plan when it comes to social media, and she explains how to use the tool Answer The Public to get ideas for social media and video content. Finally Mary and Matt discuss how to build credibility when you are new, and specifically how to work with strangers when your own friends and family don’t trust you yet.Find Mary Harmon online:https://www.pritchett-moore.com/real-estate/agents/mary-harmon-younghttps://www.instagram.com/maryharmonyoung/?hl=enThe Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

You don’t have to spend lots of money on online leads! Just take your current clients and find ways to go deeper with them. It's easier to get more referrals from people who already know and like you! In this episode we sit down with Brian Tash, REALTOR with The Agency in St. Louis, MO. A career Realtor for 18 years, Brian kills it in his local suburban market where in 2022 he sold 60+ homes for over $20,000,000. Having a small team of administrative staff helps Brian go deeper with the clients they work with, and truly make them his number one referral source.Connect with Brian online:https://www.theagencystl.com/team/brian-tash-licensed-real-estate-agentBrian@TheAgencyStl.com // 314-893-7870https://www.instagram.com/briantash.saintlouisrealtor/?hl=enThe Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

In this episode, Matt chats with Kendra Cooke, coach to the real estate industry’s top 1%. To get to the top, Kendra recommends creating your own inventory because it puts you in control, and can be planned. Everything in real estate comes down to having a plan and sticking to it, and in this short episode Matt and Kendra cover numerous topics that with planning and accountability can take your business to the next level. Kendra Cooke relocated to middle Tennessee from southern Illinois in 1988 to pursue a career in law, but quickly changed paths and immersed herself in real estate. Over the last 28 years, Kendra developed a successful real estate career, delivering great service to more than 100 families annually while working less than 40 hours per week. In August 2017, Kendra took on additional responsibility at CORE headquarters as senior leadership of the Realtor® coaching program and providing leadership and mentorship to the sales team. The old cliché, “If you want something done, give it to a busy person,” rings true for this southern belle, who still finds time to run, read, and volunteer for several non-profits. You can connect with Kendra here:https://www.thecoretraining.com/kendra-cooke/https://www.thecoretraining.com/thesummit/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Learned something new, or have a suggestion? Message Matt Muscat on Instagram! 

In this episode we talk to a guy with a seriously cool character story. Syed Mohsin immigrated to the US when he was a high schooler in 2006, he experienced culture shock upon starting school in Detroit realizing that real America didn’t look like the Disney and Marvel world he had seen on TV. He found a love for technology early on that he pivoted into real estate. Over the years Syed has built his business up and refined his strategies for generating, converting and closing online leads. Now armed with a database of over 100,000 people in his community Syed and his team consistently convert 5-10 per month into closed clients, all while generating more leads. On this episode, Syed discusses not only his story but the logic behind why he goes about real estate and lead generation in this way. Agents who are new to an area, or whose families don’t trust them early on enough to send them business will resonate!Connect with Syed on social media:https://www.facebook.com/thesuccessbroker/https://www.instagram.com/thesuccessbroker/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 

Short Easy Episode Alert!! There are two crucial elements to good marketing – a target audience and a message to deliver. In this episode we learn about a super “sticky” message that real estate professionals can first understand and then market. HUD Homes. These were the big thing in all conversations among agents, clients and lenders back in the last recession but as the market got stronger and stronger they fell out of vogue. However as the market has gotten more competitive, our guest Jeremy Drobeck found that HUD Homes were the perfect option for many of his clients who were losing out. In this episode Jeremy answers all things HUD Homes and explains how your client could get keys in their hand for as little as $100 down, and in some cases even wrap some repairs into their loan. Some questions that he answers include:What is a HUD home?Where can I find a list of HUD homes for saleWhat kind of financing options are available?With these being foreclosed homes aren’t they in bad shape? What options are available if they need repairs?I read something about lead based paint being a problem with HUD homes, can you tell me about that?What do I do if I want to see a hud home?How do I make an offer on a HUD home?Can I buy a HUD home as an investor?How do I get preapproved for a HUD home?If you have a client moving to Kalamazoo, MI or the surrounding area, Jeremy Drobeck is always looking for new clients and is a great referral partner. You can find him online at 1stclassmortgageservice.comThe Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon.

Josh first came to North Carolina in 2002 and began his career as a NASCAR mechanic. A dream job for many, after 13 years he was looking for an exit strategy. Over the years Josh has leveraged his industry connections into a career in real estate. Although it didn’t start out as luxury, over time Josh has cultivated and nurtured his brand ad now sells $30,000,000+ per year in luxury real estate. He has a social media presence that is admirable not only for its quality but also for the amount of qualified business he earns off of it. We discussed how you can't just start out in luxury, you have to build trust first! He talks about how luxury isn’t necessarily a price point but a lifestyle. He even goes in depth to cover how he uses Instagram templates for reels to attach to current trends and get in front of the right buyers/sellers.  Make a donation! https://www.lakenormanhumane.org/  Instagram @JoshTucker_RealtorWebsite https://www.corcoran.com/real-estate-agents/detail/josh-tucker/109573/regionId/113The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 

Holy production batman! We have been lucky to interview many top producing agents and teams but this episode features Andrew Undem who is in a league of his own!In 2022 Andrew’s Sure Group team closed 504 units for over $192,000,000 in volume. He not only knows his numbers but shares many of his philosophies and secrets to how he and his team achieved these numbers. In this episode we cover a myriad of gold mine laden topics including:How to ask the right questions, the importance of having processes, secret hacks for your CRM (his is BoomTown)The difference between a client database and a lead databaseWhy we should all stop calling them “past” clientsLeveraging AI to find data in your databaseWhy pies are dumbWhy most agents rely on the “list and pray” method and in essence gamble with their clients moneyYou can find Andrew Undem online at https://www.suresalesgroup.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/undem/.The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon.

In this episode I had the privilege of interviewing Matt Laricy, the #1 Realtor by units in Chicago. In 2022 he and his team ended the year with over 550 units sold for $295,000,000. He walked us through his story starting – Matt is a 3rd generation Realtor but didn’t have anything handed to him, other than the notion that real estate could be a great career.  He was a practicing Realtor within 24 hours of graduating college in 2006. Over the years Matt has developed the reputation as the hardest working Realtor in Chicago – he sets rigorous standards for himself and his team – and those standards lead to delivering consistent marketing, communication and results for their clients and themselves. We discussed the importance of being at the forefront of technology, and even more so the importance of developing deep knowledge of the neighborhoods that you serve or plan to serve.Find Matt Laricy online: https://mattlaricy.com/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 

Talk about a powerhouse team! In this episode The Neighborhood Realtor interviews two powerhouse real estate professionals who work separately but as dynamite referral partners: Ryan McKee, top producing agent and 20 year veteran serving Southern California, and Greg Iverson, mortgage lender and team leader with Neighborhood Loans in St. Louis, MO. This episode is packed with nuggets on a variety of topics which include.  Growing your referral business by meeting people and staying in touch. How 2 people on opposites sides of the country kept a relationship going that has led to millions in business. Why every agent needs to master their craft, whether by starting with a mentor, in a family business, or through shadowing other agents or teams! The best agents find a way to work on every single piece of the real estate process. Who are you chasing? Who are you surrounding yourself with?2023 Plan: Get Lean & Chase Rockstars. Find Opportunities, Leverage Them, Repeat . How to market to, work with and leverage relationships with investors. Creating opportunity for your clients. Don’t send out an opportunity then wait for an email back, if it’s a good one follow up via phone. It shows you are serious. Using video messages to convey the excitement of opportunities. Creating opportunities for all of your business partners on every transaction will lead to more business for all of you, and more referrals back to you from all of them.Tracking engagement to see which of your clients/sphere contacts care and then doing more with them!Property overview videos with opportunities for both clients and investors. Find Greg: https://neighborhoodloans.com/greg-iverson/Find Ryan: https://www.mckeeregroup.com/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon.  

Double the guest count, double the value. In this episode Matt chats with Washington DC area Realtor turned social media influencer Chris Perry who closed over $20m and 50+ units in 2022 off of strategic and focused social media. He is joined by Michigan based lender Mallory Strotheide who has consistently used social media to stay top of mind with her existing friend list, and who has leveraged social to help her business grow to over $50,000,000 in annual production. They discuss strategies for time blocking social media, how to create content, apps to use, as well as how to add calls to action that actually work.Find Chris on social media:https://www.instagram.com/chrisperryrealestate/?hl=enhttps://linktr.ee/chrisperryrealestateFind Mallory on social media:https://www.instagram.com/mortgage.mama/?hl=enhttps://linktr.ee/mallorystrotheideThe Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 

In this episode we talk to John Muhammad, a Loan Officer in Texas who after making the decision to move his family to a new state, rebuilt his successful book of business. He shares his strategies for what worked and what didn’t. We also discussed the art of setting your own personal schedule/timeblock and sticking to it. Finally he shares an idea for a client and business partner event he did that helped him to go deeper and to be more memorable with his database.The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 

In this episode we sit down with 20 year real estate veteran Joe Fitzpatrick in Rhode Island. Joe literally serves the smallest state in the US from coast to coast, but his real claim to fame is being present in those communities in which he and his team serve. We discuss a myriad of topics including but not limited to: How to generate business without a budget using social media and open houses, how to sponsor something and how not to sponsor something, how to get more referrals from other agents, and how to earn more business from your past clients.Read more about Joe: https://fitzpatrickteamremax.com/team/joseph-fitzpatrick/ The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 

 In this episode of The Neighborhood Realtor, Texas Realtor Monica Brito shares her easy to execute strategy for staging homes for free, and actually making a profit on the staging side. Monica’s passion for interior design and staging is something she was excited to marry to her career in real estate. Marrying these passions and finding applications for their intersection helps her to add more value to both her clients and her own life.Monica Brito can be found on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/simplyhouselove/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon.

On this episode of The Neighborhood Realtor Podcast you get a 2-1. We interview not 1 but 2 top producing professionals at the same time. Phil Puma, top producing Realtor in North Carolina, and Brendan O’Driscoll , top producing Loan Officer and Co-Owner of Treadstone Funding in Grand Rapids, MI. In this episode we talk all things scripting for the current market.  Sometimes its not about the leads you generate but rather the leads you convert. In this episode Brendan and Phil role play and script all of the burning questions that professionals are currently getting from prospective buyers and sellers on the state of the market and interest rates.Phil Puma can be found at https://www.pumahomes.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/pumahomes/The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon.

On this episode of The Neighborhood Realtor, Matt Muscat talks with Josh May, an outstanding Realtor, speaker, and networker in Grand Rapids, MI. Josh May has been a licensed real estate agent for 22 years. He started as a college student trying to get by as a football player at Grand Valley State University. He fell in love with business instantly and began selling commercial real estate. Although, Josh realized quickly a massive opportunity as a college-aged Realtor: all of his friends, classmates, and professional network would all be buying homes in the next 5-10 years. He dove straight into residential real estate and never turned back. That decision proved to be instrumental in his career.  When the housing market crashed in 2008, Josh had a few years under his belt learning the ropes of the industry. Being a newer agent in 2008 gave him a big advantage in the market to stay nimble, and shift quickly with buyers as conversations & sales changed— seemingly overnight. Josh makes many comparisons between the 2008 housing crash and today’s market—while they are still very different markets, some of the fundamental themes remain the same. Some of the same strategies that haven’t worked since 2008 are working once again.  In a changing market, leadership wins. Buyers gravitate toward the Realtors who are positive, excited, and bold. In 2022 & 2023, that couldn’t be more important. Josh speaks intensely to the style of communication needed with clients, and the importance of leadership in marketing. Leaders talk, leaders are transparent, and leaders motivate! In the housing market, Realtors must be a strong leader to survive (and thrive) in a shifting market. Practical conversions and honest education will what wins buyers and sellers over. It’s a Realtor strategy that wins! A theme that Josh refers to multiple times throughout this episode is the importance if discipline and sticking to your plans. Write your goals down on paper, and tell friends and family about them. Break down those goals into bite-sized chunks or do anything you need to do. Just don’t get behind them, don’t ignore them, and stay true to those goals. Do everything in your power to achieve those goals, since they are non-negotiable. Josh credits this discipline-first Realtor strategy to much of his career’s progress. The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 

On this episode of The Neighborhood Realtor, Matt Muscat sits down, face-to-face, with Mark Brace, a well-known and legendary real estate agent in Grand Rapids, MI.Mark built his business from nothing—literally. He had no special connections, no support, and no referrals. He learned how to hustle, and he learned quickly, since 2006 marked the beginning of his career in real estate. Mark built an admirable business despite the market conditions of the recession. It was the mindset that got Mark through; half of all realtors left the business during the recession because of fear, but Mark saw it as an opportunity. Today, Mark’s business closes $125m in deals each year with a team of seven agents.Of all the skills that Mark has improved and mastered over the years, mindset is the number one skill he attributes to his success. Your mindset, not your skill or luck, can be contagious, and benefit (or attract!) clients. When interest rates are high, you become the Realtor who’s happy they’re not any higher. When home values are down 15%, you’re grateful they’re not down 25%. When everyone says it’s a bad time to buy, you see the opportunity and help your clients win—and win big. You’re not just offering a product or service, but instead, you’re giving your clients hope & a good mood. Mark is a believer in the law of attraction—genuine salesmen attract genuine clients, and sour marketing will attract sour clients. Trust your gut and trust your intuition to make the best decisions to build the best business possible, and always rely on your coach (get one, if you don’t already) for leadership advice & long-term strategy. Mark has moved his personal business further into the luxury market over the past several years and continues to expand his business, team, and abilities. He may be considered successful now, but there’s a long road ahead! Built all on a foundation inspired by a recession. The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 

In eight short years, Athena went from being an avid interior designer to a real estate agent closing $22 million in real estate sales—all while battling serious health issues. She’s created a career in real estate by being clever, creative, and learning to love the art of helping people. Her business is based in Denver, Colorado, and she’s proven herself as a wealth of information and a skillful coach. Growing up, Athena grew up being around real estate. Her dad was a residential developer, and she wanted nothing to do with housing or real estate. Instead, she went to school for interior design—a profession that allowed her to work closely with people with a creative outlet. After several years in the interior design business, she realized she wanted to push herself more. To do more, and to create a larger impact. Athena catapulted herself into real estate, which was the perfect fit for her skills. Athena is a people-person. She keeps in touch with her clients, no matter what! Even during times of serious health issues, she spent her hospital time writing letters and messages to her database, but also writing offers! She became unstoppable. She asks questions—lots of them. Why? Because she cares. It shows you (the Realtor) is invested and are genuine in your guidance and answers. As an interior designer, Athena also works with her clients (for free!) on their interior design, giving guidance, bringing up things to think about, and sharing ideas.  The CORE’s Greatness Tracker is one of the important tools that Athena uses to track her business, and to stay motivated—the excel spreadsheet she keeps lets her visualize and correlate the long hours she spends writing notes and posting on social media, with the business and referrals she receives. When business gets chaotic or too large to mindfully manage, the simple task of organizing your progress and wins makes a world of difference. Athena’s business is set up for the long-haul. Anyone can learn from her skills and processes!  The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon.

On this episode of The Neighborhood Realtor, Matt Muscat talks with Chris Cusimano, a top-performing Realtor in Boca Raton, Florida. Chris began in real estate in 2005 and emerged from the 2008 financial crisis a wildly successful Realtor and business owner. His business has been built by clever innovations and creative pivoting when markets change. Even after nearly two decades in real estate and a track record of successes, Chris finds himself driven by giving back & providing for his family.Chris closes ~100 deals a year, but doesn’t keep track of his production. It’s not an important metric to him — rather, he loves the process, the grind, and helping people achieve incredible goals. Neither money signs nor production goals motivate him. In this episode, Chris describes one of his most powerful secrets: the “Dream 300” client database. Since he started in real estate, he’s kept a list of 300 of his best clients, colleagues, and contacts 20 of them each day with a meaningful message: text, call, Facebook comment, anything. No spam. Not sales pitches. It keeps him in touch with his closest clients, all while building meaningful friendships and relationships — a recurring theme on The Neighborhood Realtor. Focusing on direct communications with his clients, Chris has kept his business out of the social media algorithm, which is a powerful tool & advantage in today’s digital world. It’s old school. Chris hates boring marketing. It’s not effective, and everyone hates it, so why do it? Instead, Chris lives to give back, so he’ll load a Starbucks gift card and text it to a dozen people at once. He’ll buy a $500 gift card at a restaurant and pick up the tab for everyone there. He’ll send funny Father’s Day t-shirts to his Dream 300 database. It’s cheaper than Zillow ads, and it produces incredible amounts of business. People love it. Giving goods is only one of the thing Chris gives — he also gives information! During the pandemic, Chris began a Facebook group for coaching real estate professionals, for free. It’s called Suit Up Agent, and every week he hosts a live stream to give away his best secrets. He gives away scripts, data sources, processes, marketing ideas, and more. It’s attracted an amazing following, created well-deserved national awareness for Chris’ business. Chris is a wealth of information, and a joy to listen to. There’s no shortage of useful information in this episode of The Neighborhood Realtor. The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon.

Moriah Taliaferro is a Sarasota real estate agent and recognized as a brilliant 30 under 30 entrepreneur.  Jumping from college intern to licensed agent, Moriah began her career selling timeshares. She was sucked into the real estate industry, and began building relationships. Her internship turned into a sponsored real estate licensing opportunity—an opportunity she seized! She built the foundations of her career on timeshares.  By the time she was 22, she partnered with a local developer building new, luxury homes. That developer trusted her enough to let her begin selling for them, but she had to prove herself as a realtor, let alone a 22 year-old, to build a meaningful business with them. For Moriah, it was baptism by fire. She won the trust of this low-inventory, high-end developer, and forged her way into a profound career.  Moriah built a niche for herself in the luxury markets, and produced $29 million in 2021. One of her biggest wins was an $85 million luxury construction project she co-sold. Old school tactics is how Moriah won in the local construction real estate market. She found limited help in modern data reporting tools, and even the MLS was nearly useless for her work! Many times, when it came to her knowledge of her niche in the market, she was in the dark. Instead, she opted to pick up the phone to talk to other real estate agents, build relationships, and share information— a tried and true strategy from days past. Moriah eventually built a reputation for having a pulse on the market like no other agent in town.  She also creates an experience for her buyers like few other agents do. Every phone call she makes, she asks herself— is this worth their time? Luxury clients do not need to be sold, nor do they want to be sold. They’ll let you know when they’re ready. They call you first, and it will never be the other way around.  Moriah also hosts a variety of events to cater to all different types of clients and interests. It allows her to get to know her clients, and her clients to get to know each other. Luxury is an experience, not a price.  For people looking to break into the real estate industry, Moriah has one main piece of advice: become an assistant. Don’t jump in, but get as close to the fire as possible. This will force you to find a mentor and become a sponge for information and tactics. All of the rewards with none of the risk. Relationships are practically handed to you.   Connect with MoriahThe Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon.

In this episode of Marketing in Other Markets, Matt Muscat introduces a new name for the podcast: The Neighborhood Realtor! The Realtors interviewed on this podcast have reiterated time and time again that cultivating relationships and digging deep into your community is the most important part of building a successful business in real estate. Our new name has been forged from dozens of conversations, to better reflect the intention of this real estate podcast.It remains our goal to share tangible, actionable tips for real estate agents, far and wide! Without further ado, The Neighborhood Realtor is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon.

Bethany Nolan is a Real Estate Agent based in Longview Texas—she’s one of NAR’s 30 under 30 Realtors, an Instagram sensation, and a brokerage owner. Above all else, she’s a community-first Realtor. Bethany has been in real estate for 5 years, and has already garnered an amazing level of success in the industry. A smash hit! In 2021, Bethany did 54 transactions, with a total value of $14.2 million. A majority of her work comes in the form of small town & rural deals, bringing her average deal size well under the Texas state average, making her production results extra impressive. Her boutique brokerage is named Nolan Properties, LLC., a small, but powerful brokerage, with offices in several Texas locations and a fantastic team of agents. Bethany’s brokerage was a pandemic project for her, and it allowed her to niche down on what she really wanted to do in the real estate industry—cultivate relationships and build her community. Their motto is “We Sell Texas”. It might be a large shoe (boot, rather) to fill, but Nolan Properties fills and exceeds the expectations in their ambitious motto.In a place like small—town Texas, the lower average deal price is both a blessing and a curse. Bethany believes it is a great asset to her business, as it allows her and her business to serve more clients. The math is simple: after a decade of helping double the clients, your database will be massive, and your name will be known. Community is one of the main drivers for Bethany. She believes there is “no excuse” for not being active in a community, especially as a real estate agent. It’s not for the business—it’s for you. Bethany is proud to be an enthusiastic member of multiple local organizations, including the Rotary Club and the local softball Junior League. It helps her keep tabs on her market, her clients, and the community at large, which helps her serve better! She doesn’t show up to events and gatherings with a name tag or tell everyone she’s a realtor. Instead, she builds friendships. The rest is history. The string that pulls everything together is social media. Bethany has garnished over 30,000 followers on Instagram alone in the last year, harnessing the power of reels and short-form videos. Her approach is simple: educate! Every time a client asks a question, she writes it down and makes a video about it. Whether she meets a client at a softball game or gets introduced via phone call, her Instagram and Facebook pages keep her database engaged and interested in her work. As a bonus, her content reduces client questions and increases trust, all while making it easy to find her anywhere you look. All in all, Bethany is a community-first Realtor, a non-stop content creator, and an amazing business owner.  Marketing in Other Markets is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans. For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. 

On this episode of Marketing in Other Markets, Matt Muscat talks to Stefanie Lugo, a Real Estate Agent in Phoenix, AZ.Stefanie works with her husband Bryce, as a husband/wife powerhouse duo, and have built their real estate business to $18 million in 9 years in business.One main thing powers their business: Empathy.The modern Realtor has become comfortably snug in the perks of their business living in the cloud; email, Zoom calls, and e-signed documents unintentionally distance Realtors from their clients. Stefanie finds that empathy and relationships have allowed her to build their business, paired with her passions, friendships, and more.Empathy can take on a variety of forms, but for Stefanie, it’s friendships.Showing up and being present is the best thing you can do as a real estate agent! Knock on doors, dine with clients and partners, and make friends. You will build a business (and relationships) you are proud to have. Closing should be the start of your relationship with a client.Stefanie employs a range of other techniques and ideas that play into her strategy of operating with extreme empathy to win over clients. Social media, bonuses for high-end clients, and more! In the end, invest in your current and past clients—not new clients. Inverting the sales funnel is one of the most important things a realtor can do to build a sustainable business. There is immense value in narrowing your search for new clients (or stopping it altogether).Through this, Stefanie’s business is one she is immensely proud of.Stefanie continues the relationship and friendship-building online, just as much as she does in-person. On Facebook and Instagram, she’s constantly engaged in conversions on her friends’ & followers’ posts, while she purposely creates less content to post to her feeds. From her perspective, the relationships for realtors are better suited for comments and direct messages than news feeds. Cut the boring real estate talk and focus on the people!Marketing in Other Markets is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Funding and Neighborhood Loans.For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon. Connect with Stefanie below!Instagram - @BryceandStefanieYouTube - www.youtube.com/stefanielugoFacebook - @officialstefanielugoLinkedIn- @StefanieLugo

On this episode of Marketing in Other Markets, Matt Muscat talks to Jess Lenovuel, also commonly known as “the Canadian who moved to the Bahamas”. Jess has experienced every part of the real estate rollercoaster, experiencing the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows. Each twist and turn of her journey produced valuable lessons, which she’s been able to articulate into incredible advice for anyone who listens! Whether or not you’re a Realtor, Jess is a wealth of information for advancing your career, especially in avoiding Realtor burnout. With Jess’ experience, there are three main reasons why people choose the real estate agent career path: ceiling-free income, freedom in daily schedules, and the opportunity to simply help people. Unfortunately, almost nobody successfully reaches a perfect balance of those three.The only way to achieve those three goals, is to build systems, processes, and structures to take care of all aspects of your business—otherwise you’ll drown in it. That includes building a team and anticipating anything that could pop up, good or bad. No real estate agent is motivated 100% of the time. Nobody is. When your real estate business becomes reliant on your motivation, it is destined to fail; burnout is the kiss of death! Build your business on a platform separate from your motivation and excitement! At the end of the day, your clients will work with the experts they enjoy working with. If you don’t enjoy your business, your clients will notice. Those systems can’t exist without one thing: a vision. If you don’t know where you’re going, how are you supposed to get there? You’ll work endlessly in no direction, unless you have a single, guiding direction. That vision could be anything you want it to be; after all, it is your vision. No matter the team size or number of automations, a vision is the only way to build anything meaningful or fulfilling (and to avoid burnout!). Jess’ advice? Plan out a 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year vision. Make every decision based on whether you’re getting closer or further away from your goals. If you do that, you’ll be able to avoid the “shiny object syndrome”, and your progress will be unstoppable. She also follows Tim Ferriss’ advice: Eliminate, Automate, and Outsource. Eliminate time wasters, distractions, and un-important tasks. Automate anything that can be automated (especially repetitive tasks). Outsource everything else! However, marketing is an extremely difficult task to automate, and probably shouldn’t be automated by new agents (and likely don’t have the capital to outsource). Marketing is one of the toughest, but most important aspects for new agents to master. Understand marketing before mastering any other part of your business. Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok— they all get the job done, but they all take huge amounts of work (and that’s okay). Jess asked many brilliant questions in this episode: How can you share your excellent thoughts with 100,000 people instead of 1? How much are you worth an hour, and are your tasks worth your time? How can you increase your bandwidth with high-leverage activities?At the end of our lives, no person wishes they had worked more. Few real estate agents build a life without regrets. Don’t be one of them! 

In this episode of Marketing in Other Markets, Matt Muscat talks to Barry Karch, a veteran real estate professional and top-performing agent.Barry has a whopping 37 years in the real estate industry and has built his business into a small empire in El Paso, Texas. In 2021, Barry managed over 400 transactions between 25 Realtors, with an average deal size of $275,000! He’s the real deal.Barry’s secret weapon? He’s an introvert. Seriously. He turned being an introvert into a tool to build his business—being an introverted Realtor is his greatest asset as a manager and salesman.Realtors far and wide are known to be pushy, aggressive, and overly excited to get your business. It’s the defining characteristic of salespeople across the board—Car Salesmen, Real Estate Agents, Loan Officers, and Sales Reps are all hungry to close the deal. After nearly four decades of business, Barry has figured out that doing the exact opposite as the traditional salesman is the key to success. As a salesperson and/or Realtor, building trust and putting your clients at ease should be the top priority.As a Real Estate Agent on a sales call, you should be listening—not selling. An introverted Realtor spends at least half their time listening to the client and letting them speak their mind. When a client gets on the phone with a soft-spoken, introverted Real Estate Agent, they immediately realize they are talking to a normal, friendly, regular person. Not a hungry salesman. The introverted Realtor isn’t pushing anything onto the client that they don’t need or want, but instead is strategizing a way to help meet their goals. It’s a trust-building sales tactic to play the long-term game.Realtors often receive cold leads online, whether it’s through organic discovery or paid lead generation. Those leads, who are real people, don’t need an instant race to the closing table, but rather prefer someone to help them through the process. When receiving those leads, Barry’s advice is not to rush, push, or overly excite the process. Don’t brag about your business or credentials. Introverts win at winning over cold leads every time.Networking can be tough as an introvert, but it is vital to building a real estate business (or any business)! When you’re out in the world meeting people for the first time, one of the best tactics to gain business is to talk to other people about themselves. You heard right—don’t talk about you, but rather talk about them. But stay in contact with them. Friend them on Facebook, follow them on Instagram. People latch onto the people who are interested in them. Shut up and listen!One of the other strengths of an introverted Realtor is the focus on taking care of current clients, instead of trying to source new leads. Barry no longer advertises for new clients, nor has he advertised in years. It’s not profitable to spend money on people who have no clue who you are. Instead, reward the folks who do.Barry’s top trick is giving away Girl Scout Cookies each year to his clients. For $5 a client, he wins over past clients year after year, and it makes the Girl Scouts ecstatic, too. Barry’s referral business increased exponentially the year he started giving away cookies door-to-door.Long story short, being an introverted Realtor is a superpower.If you’re a Realtor: shut up and listen. Take care of your clients. Build meaningful relationships. Reap the rewards of a fulfilling career.

This week we were excited to interview Erin Bradley, Host of the pursuing freedom podcast, a lender, branch manager, speaker and overall connector in the real estate industry. She founded the Tribe of All Stars group which coaches both Realtors and Lenders. Along with her team she did over $75m in production in 2021. She tells the story of how in 2007 in her second year in the business she had to ride her bike to a client coffee appointment only to realize that her cards were maxed out and the client had to buy the coffee. Erin struggled with “traditional” sales tactics that her bosses and colleagues were advising her on, they just weren’t for her. Then in 2011 she read the “Go Giver” and that set her on the path that she is on now – to give more than she gets which naturally helps you get more anyways! We discuss the importance of being genuinely curious on every phone call and how you can ensure that your business doesn’t become a whale in a bathtub with life squished around on the edges.https://www.pursuingfreedom.com/

Jessica Lenouvel is known around the world for helping Realtors get their dream business started. From one-on-one consultations to mentoring on how to best manage growing teams, she knows how to make anyone's real estate business boom. So, how does Jessica do it? For starters, she embraces the "People buy People" mentality. When someone wants to invest in your business or trusts you with one of the biggest purchases of their life, they aren't just buying your services as a real estate agent, they are investing in you, your character, and your ability to get them where they dream to be. Listen in today as we dive into Jess's "Listings Lab” and hear some of her genius tangible tips. Marketing in Other Markets is proudly sponsored by Treadstone Mortgage and Neighborhood Loans.For more tangible tips in real estate marketing, check out Matt's book, The Tangible Action Guide for Real Estate Marketing available on Amazon.