Real Talk with Leigh Brown

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #14 with Julie Nikolaou Oct 21, 2016

Show notes

Summary:

From crazy squatters to different animals lurking on the property…from a machete-wielding weirdo to a suspicious-looking neighbor, today's guest has seen it all. Listen as Julie Nikolaou shares her outrageous and eventful experiences with a bank owned property she's currently handling in Appleton, Wisconsin.

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 – Introducing Julie
00:59 – Julie deals with bank owned properties (OREO)
01:43 – The start of Julie's story
02:03 – The 'caretakers' were not supposed to be in the property
- 02:15 – They were squatters
- 03:05 – Turned out to be "artists"
03:40 – Julie told them "Get evicted or leave on your own"
03:55 – Meeting the executor of the estate
- 04:02 – There had been death in the property
05:11 – There were many creatures and 'habitats' in the property
- 05:37 – The pond
- 05:57 – The horses next door had been attacked by someone with a machete
06:31 – Finding about the old owner of the place
- 07:22 – People coming out to the property to take things
- 07:47 – The prior owner tried to buy a wife from Mexico
- 09:03 – Did the owner die or did something happen
10:30 – Neighbor said the prior owner tried to sell his car
- 11:37 – The executor warns Julie of the neighbor
12:35 – The squatters finally left the property
13:10 – Julie started cleaning
16:07 – Connect with Julie at RPM Homes
17:17 – Are you a listener with a crazy story to share? Ping Leigh at www.crazyshitinrealestate.com

3 Key Points

OREO properties sometimes have unwanted occupants.
You'll never know what happens on a property visit!
Foreclosures are not always readily available.

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Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #13 with Peter Brewer Oct 18, 2016

Show notes

Summary:

Have you ever driven your clients around in reverse?—Peter Brewer has. In fact, he's driven his clients around an entire island in reverse when the gearshift in his car stopped working. Hear Peter talk about that wild story and more during this week's episode of Crazy Shit in Real Estate.

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:

00:27 – Introducing Peter
01:12 – Peter is based in Brisbane, Australia has been in real estate for 35 years
- 01:21 – Started out as a regular salesman…now he's an industry leader
02:12 – Real estate is all about perseverance
02:22 – Peter's story happened Bay Islands in 1980's
- 02:56 – This is when it was about doing stuff the hard way
- 03:00 – Mostly uninhabited
- 03:15 – Selling between $7K and $8K
- 03:53 – Dumpy old cars on each island
- - 04:35 – Not only won't the car start, but it won't go into drive
  - 05:09 – Car was stuck in reverse, so Peter drove them around the island in reverse
- 05:39 – The moral of the story—Peter sold a piece of property!
05:58 – The days of the single page contract are missed!
06:47 – Today's realtors struggle to remember the days before fax machines, emails, cell phones, etc.
07:27 – We can all make excuses, but we can't all execute on expectations
- 07:54 – You're paid to drive results
08:07 – The real estate industry is about driving results for the customer, never forget it
08:27 – Australia doesn't have buying agents
08:40 – In Australia, the seller pays the commission—there's only one agent, so buy beware
09:47 – Do you need a buying agent?
- 09:58 – It depends on the resources available
10:14 – What a buyer agent would cost in Australia
- 10:31 – 1.5% or 2% of the value of the property
11:05 – Most consumers have no idea what they're doing when it comes to real estate—there's a difference between having access to information and knowing what to do with it
12:39 – How to reach Peter Brewer
- 12:48 – ThatPeterBrewer.com
14:00 – Are you a listener with a crazy story to share? Ping Leigh at www.crazyshitinrealestate.com

3 Key Points

You're in the business to make execute the deal—no excuses.
Understand that the real estate business is not universal—different countries have radically different processes.
Buying agents aren't always necessary.

Credits

Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #12 with Cassie Wells Oct 14, 2016

Show notes

Summary:

Ask yourself how it would feel to stand in the same room where an abusive husband is berating his wife about money? Can you feel the tension? Can you see the danger and the risk? Cassie Wells can because she lived that exact moment. In today's episode of CSIRE, Cassie will share her crazy story and talk about some important real estate rights you might now be aware of.

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:

00:30 – Introducing Cassie Wells
00:41 – Cassie entered real estate in 1995
00:46 – Cassie works with Crye-Leike Realtors
01:32 – Cassie's past client referred her daughter
- 02:01 – Her client refinanced the house and took the proceeds
- 02:16 – Cassie and the wife listed and sold the house
02:30 – Right before closing, Cassie was told the abusive husband was expecting cash
02:57 – Cassie prepared with the title lady
03:27 – The husband had to come in to sign for the Curtesy and Dower Rights
04:40 – Cassie had him sign and he asked where the check is
- 05:05 – The title lady explained the wife owned it before they got married and that the husband didn't have any equity
05:28 – The husband politely left the building
05:48 – It's a blessing to have different personalities in the room
06:42 – Make sure your realtors know all the elements in the equation things
08:13 – Connect with Cassie at cassie@cassiewales.com or call her at 501 993 1973 or check out her website
08:47 – Are you a listener with a crazy story to share? Ping Leigh at crazyshitinrealestate.com

3 Key Points

Always be prepared. You never know what will happen.
If you plan properly, there's always a way to get out of an abusive relationship.
Know the laws on the state you're buying property in!

Credits

Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #11 with Sharon Mcrill Oct 11, 2016

Show notes

Summary:

If you've been in real estate long enough, there's a good chance you've run headlong into a hoarders—hoarders are everywhere!—and your next client could be one. Listen as today's guest Sharon McRill shares her outrageous experiences with hoarders—from finding a single ruby earring in a room with piled up stock perspectives, to discovering photos from the 1930s and tracking down the original owner.

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:

00:30 – Introducing Sharon McRill
00:41 – Sharon is the owner and founder of Betty Brigade
- 00:58 – Sharon works with hoarders
- 01:43 – You have no idea what you'll find in a hoarder home
02:18 – Sharon got hired to an estate sale inside the house and get all the stuff out
- 02:32 – Her client hoarded stock perspectives from 1960s until she died in the 2000s
- 03:02 – There were two rooms full of perspectives
- 03:11 – The crazy part? There were actual live stock certificates and Sharon and her team had to go through each pile!
- 03:25 – They found $8,000 cash, a gold coin collection, and loose gold
- 04:36 – The daughter asked Sharon's team to find a single ruby earring in the room
- 05:08 – They found the ruby earring that had been in there for 30 years!
05:43 – Hoarding is an illness
05:53 – Sharon also worked with a lady who hoarded things she dumped out of her purse
- 06:06 – There were gum wrappers, candy, half pens, crumbs, cookie packages, and all kinds of ridiculous stuff!
- 06:35 – Sharon would put the blank receipts in the trash and the client would get it back because she couldn't let it go
07:55 – Real estate agents walk away from listing these houses
08:22 – There is a way to get the hoarded items cleared out quickly without having to put them in trash
08:36 – Calling up an estate seller is not always the best way to go
09:04 – Sharon is picky with her staff and makes sure they are fully background checked
09:16 – There is no special insurance, just a bonding certificate
10:31 – Sharon is in the tool room of another client which hadn't been cleaned for 50 years!
- 10:48 – The tool room had layers of dirt and a lot of mice
- 11:00 – Sharon found a cupboard with a tool shelf full of bank statements from the 1960s and 1970s
- 11:41 – There were photos of the home owners from the 1930s which Sharon gave to the daughter
12:17 – Reach Sharon at Betty Brigade
13:00 – Are you a listener with a crazy story to share? Ping Leigh at crazyshitinrealestate.com

3 Key Points

Hoarding is a disease.
When working with a hoarder, always return what you find.
Secure a bonding certificate to protect yourself and your clients from liability.

Credits

Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #10 with Tony Iacoviello Oct 07, 2016

Show notes

On today's episode of Crazy $hit In Real Estate, Leigh sits down for an interview with The Real Estate Geek, Tony Iacoviello. Listen as Tony talks about the time he wandered into a nudist mobile park, only to end up selling and listing many of the properties in there. Tony will also highlight other nude encounters and explain how he handles a lack of clothing in the professional setting.

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 – Tony's introduction
- o 01:00 – Tony does real estate in Toronto, Canada
- o 02:24 – Tony seems to attract nudists
03:36 – Tony's first story starts with the mobile home park
- o 04:53 – Tony started working in a nudist trailer park
- o 05:02 – Meet a lot of clients there
05:10 – Nudists don't mind if you show up wearing clothes
05:25 – "You'll hear a lot of stories there"
06:20 – Trying to be a professional, Tony took his first meeting with grace
- o 07:02 – Try your best not to stare!
07:34 – Don't talk about it (nudity) much
08:01 – Tony's friend had monopoly on the park's listings
08:26 – One gentleman from the park approached Tony
- o 08:58 – The gentleman pulls Tony to the side and starts sharing stories
09:18 – Tony and the gentleman developed a certain kind of friendship
10:05 – Tony runs into the gentleman in the bar and the gentleman buys him a drink
10:20 – Tony and Mike were sitting at the bar and Bob comes in
- o 10:43 – Mike says he gave Bob a heart attack 25 years ago
- o 14:40 – Bob makes his way to Mike and Tony at the bar
- o 14:47 – Tony quickly finishes up his beer to go home
- o 14:55 – As Tony was about to excuse himself, Bob turns to him and says, "Did Mike ever tell you the story of how he gave me my first heart attack?"
15:25 – Tony worked as a buyer's assistant with his friend on the nudist park
15:49 – Tony sold a bunch of the mobile homes
16:28 – Another nudist client emailed Tony
- o 16:53 – The client wanted to sell his home and buy one in Hamilton
- o 18:08 – The client says he wanted to be comfortable in his own home
- o 18:18 – For the listing presentation, client says he wants to be naked the entire time!
- o 18:38 – The client's name was very similar to a person Tony knows
19:00 – Tony gave it a shot
19:37 – The client seemed to get the impression that Tony was going to get naked with him!
19:45 – Tony explained that he dealt with different clients with different backgrounds
- o 20:45 – Hamilton is a multi-cultural place
21:06 – Client says he frequents one of the nudist parks – Ponderosa
21:26 – Tony declined going to Ponderosa
21:38 – Before going to the client's house, Tony phoned his friend, Conrad
- o 22:02 – "I just wanted you to know the lengths I would go to, to make you money"
- o 22:09 – Conrad got nervous so Tony told him the story –and Conrad wished him luck
22:23 – Tony went over the house and the client was actually clothed!
22:47 – Client confirms to Tony that he's okay with the nudism thing –and stripped down naked!
23:08 – They ended up the listing presentation that way and client again asked Tony if he wanted to try it
23:18 – Tony declined politely
23:57 – Find Tony through The Geeky Agent
24:06 – Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube
24:30 – Are you a listener with a crazy story to share? Ping Leigh at www.crazyshitinrealestate.com

3 Key Points

In real estate, you have to be prepared for everything—even nudist clients.
Respect other people's beliefs and their way of life.
Decline politely when offered something you don't want.

Credits

Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #9 with Wally Conway Oct 04, 2016

Show notes

Summary:

Do you smell smoke?—Wally Conway did. While one Jacksonville realtor was busy working about the house painters being able to finish their work, Wally was busy extinguishing an electrical fire that almost took a house up in flames…

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:

00:30 – Today's guest is one of the best known home inspectors in the United States, Wally Conway
00:45 – Home inspectors see crazy things, but they also HEAR crazy things
01:05 – Kids Say The Darndist Things?
- 01:15 – Well after 22 years, 30,000 homes, and 60,000 agents, Wally also knows that Real estate agents say the darndist things as well
01:36 – The craziest thing Wally has ever seen was in the Ortega neighborhood of Jacksonville
- 03:20 – No buyer at this point, just painters and the listing agent
- 03:35 – "Hey Wally, I smell smoke"
- 04:00 – Fire was coming out of the electric meter can
- 04:25 – You CAN'T secure the power, if you do, the painters won't be able to finish today
- 04:55 – If we don't cut the power, there will be no house to paint
05:40 – Should you or should you not inspect a home before listing?
- 05:55 – Homes inspected before listing sell faster and closer to the asking price
- 06:33 – As the agent, you never want to be the one to tell the home owner "your baby is ugly."
- 07:20 – MrHomeInspection.com or www.gohomepro.com

3 Key Points

Inspect before you list—it's the safe bet.
Where there's smoke there's fire, never forget it.
If you're a realtor, never lose sight of the BIG picture.

Credits

Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #8 with Jeff Baker Sep 30, 2016

Show notes

Summary:

Snakes, raccoons, dead cats?!—Those are just a few of the unsightly critters home inspector, Jeff Baker, has run into during the course of his career. Listen as Jeff takes the CSIRE audience through the oft overlooked UGLY side of home inspections.

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:

00:30 – Today's guest is Leigh's FAVORITE home-inspector in the Charlotte, NC market…please welcome Jeff Baker to the show
00:38 – Leigh and Jeff have done at least 1,500 inspections together
01:01 – He's not cheap, but he IS honest which is priceless
01:53 – The UGLY side of home inspections
01:59 – A lot of times, the ugliness is due to animals
- 02:10 – Cats under the foundation
- 02:52 – Motionless fur...andddd possibly decomposing
- 03:33 – New tub, new panels, but in one corner the panels were separating
- 04:04 – Move the panels and, sure enough, there were 3 dead cats…the cats were getting into the house but couldn't figure out how to exit the house
05:15 – Another incident with animals in the house
- 05:24 – A family of possums
- 05:41 – A family of raccoons
- 06:00 – SNAKES!
07:35 – Circling back to the cats—the home owner told Jeff, "I was wondering where those cats went!"
08:10 – Call Jeff at 704-728-9610

3 Key Points

If you're doing your own, preliminary home inspection—keep your eyes OPEN!
Home inspections are rarely fun.
More than anything, look for honesty in a home inspector.

Credits

Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #7 with Russ Hensel Sep 27, 2016

Show notes

Summary:

Think working as a home inspector is a cake-walk?—tell that to today's guest, Russ Hensel, who's been forced to endure some pretty brutal inspections including one where the home owner decided to punch him in the face.

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:

00:30 – Today's guest is a very highly regarded home-inspector—Mr. Russ Hensel out of Southwest Florida
- 00:50 – "If it needs an inspection, we do it."
01:27 – The Craziest thing?—people with the nicest houses are the WORST to do inspections for, they take everything personally
- 02:20 – One home owner punched him in the face
- 02:43 – What do you do then?—he's an 80 year old man, you can't call the cops on him, and you can't hit him back!
03:30 – Don't let your clients assault the home inspector!
04:00 – A home inspection ISN'T a personal attack, but people WILL take it that way—mentally prepare for it
04:50 – In Florida, there are a ton of retirees and retirees LOVE to try and fix-up their own homes
05:26 – Russ doesn't believe in pre-inspections
- 05:54 – Get a licensed HVAC, roofer, and electrician to check out your house pre listing
06:40 – The purchaser needs to realize, every time you pull the home inspectors attention away from the inspection, you increase the odds of something being missed
08:15 – Buyers—don't pester your home inspector, Sellers—don't take comments on your property personally
08:50 – BestInspector.com

3 Key Points

Not that we should have to say this, but don't punch your home inspector in the face.
Rather than do a pre-inspection, just hire licensed roofers, plumbers, electricians, to come out and check out your property.
If you're distracting the home inspector with questions, you're increasingly the likelihood of something being missed.

Credits

Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #6 with Kamal Cheeks Sep 23, 2016

Show notes

Summary:

Meet Kamal Cheeks, the man who's reinvigorating the metro Detroit real estate market one property at a time. Listen as Kamal takes us through dark days of Detroit real estate, when properties were selling for as little as ONE DOLLAR, to the brightening horizon of today's market.

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:

00:30 – Today's guest is one of the leading realtors from Detroit…please welcome Kamal Cheeks to the show 00:44 – Also the current president of the Detroit Association of Realtors 00:55 – Focused on preserving property rights in the Detroit area 01:05 – Detroit has been through some craziness unlike anywhere else in the nation 01:20 – Currently in the recovery stage, but struggling still 01:45 – Defining how Detroit is struggling 02:05 – The majority of properties are WAY less than you'd see across America 02:25 – Brick, 3 BR houses are selling for $500 to $1000 in property auctions 03:00 – How a foreclosure auction works 03:10 – Many of these bids are sight unseen—it requires a lot of caution 03:37 – Hire a realtor to do the due diligence 04:05 – In one block you can go from a nice neighborhood to what amounts to a demilitarized zone 05:00 – What due diligence looks like in Detroit 05:20 – Always serve a realtor who knows Detroit, specifically metro Detroit 07:35 – When shopping for property in Detroit, find a realtor that is plugged-in politically as well 08:30 – Right now there is a ton of money being invested in Detroit because the market has been so depressed 09:49 – Talking about the "Dark Times" of Detroit 10:08 – Tax foreclosure homes were selling for (literally) $1 10:35 – The Detroit Association of Realtors partnered with the Wayne County Treasurers Office to help get these homes sold 11:55 – Whatever doesn't sell in the September auction goes to the October auction 13:00 – Get in touch with Kamal via Facebook, or Google the Detroit Association of Realtors, or call him at 586-298-1229

3 Key Points

Don't quit on Detroit!
3 and 4 BR brick homes are STILL selling for as little as $500 to $1000.
If you're going to shop around Detroit, you NEED to partner with a realtor who's familiar with the metro area. This is a MUST.

Credits

Audio Production by Chris Mottram
Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives
Cover Design by Two Minds Design
Original Music by Rimsky Music

Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #4 with Nancy Minor Sep 20, 2016

Show notes

Summary:

"Real estate is a sink or swim industry" according to Nancy Minor, real estate extraordinaire for the Metro Atlanta area. Listen as Nancy shares her more than 30 years of experience, and that hilarious time her first high-priced showing went underwater…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:

00:33 – Today Leigh welcomes Nancy Minor! 00:43 – 8 agents pushed Leigh to get Nancy's story on the show 01:59 – She has been in real estate for 30 years 02:15 – Nancy's story 02:25 – Got a call offering to work with the company's president 02:44 – Nancy did everything to show off 03:15 – She got a client to preview a prestigious neighborhood 03:30 – Being a new agent, Nancy never had shown any high priced homes before 04:35 – Neighborhood agent got a page – Nancy was left with her buyer 05:22 – The dark room 05:42 – She flipped on the light and whoops! She's under water! 06:10 – Client had NO idea what happened 06:35 – Popped up laughing hysterically 07:13 – Gracefully stood up and walked away calmly 08:01 – It was hysterical 08:16 – The showings must go on! 08:26 – Clients didn't purchase 09:14 – 3 weeks later… 09:25 – Nancy received a Snorkel from her client! 10:02 – The seller was appalled on what happened and put a lock on the door 11:11 – There's always a new story 11:17 – Leigh's takeaways from Nancy's story 12:35 – Contact Nancy Minor at 404-955-SOLD

3 Key Points

Be cautious when entering dark rooms.
The showings must go on –whether soaked or dry.
Real estate is a sink or swim business.

Credits

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