The Jason Theory
Jason Stratton of KlopasStratton Team, a top 20 team in the nation with over 1.5 billion sold , sits down with weekly guests to talk about becoming successful, the real estate market, and crazy stories/people we run into. Visit www.klopasstratton.com to see more!
The Jason Theory
S4 E6 - What Makes Certain Sales People Thrive When Others Just Survive?
Maggie shares her journey from corporate life in marketing to becoming a successful real estate agent, highlighting how relationship-building and immersion in the craft creates sustainable success rather than chasing quick transactions.
• Left corporate job in marketing and graphic design after feeling creatively stifled
• Started at eXp but quickly realized the need for proper mentorship and training
• Learned the business by covering inspections, showings, and open houses for other agents
• Built client base primarily through open houses - doing up to four every weekend
• Finds deeper satisfaction in relationship-based business versus transactional models
• Values boutique brokerage environment where collaboration trumps competition
• Emphasizes the importance of being present at inspections to build knowledge and credibility
• Plans to focus on organization, consistent client outreach, and social media presence
• Believes in investing in learning over chasing higher commission splits as a new agent
• Started with buyers through open houses, now transitioning to more listing business as clients return
I think it was more so. Just like covering everyone's stuff. I covered everyone's inspection, everyone showing. I feel like I still do that, but like, that's like how you learn.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's like picking up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just like picking up everyone's showings or open houses. Yeah, just like you have to start, like getting yourself into the industry, and I think I feel like covering inspections for me was like the most I've ever learned, just because, whether it's like a condo or a single family home, like they're so different, there's so much to learn from it.
Speaker 2:What's the five P's? Do you remember it?
Speaker 1:Proper preparation prevents poor performance.
Speaker 2:There you go. It doesn't matter how much money we get, If we don't close it's no money right? So no, close is no money. I'm everything that I am because of my dad's death, and I wouldn't be as successful without his death. Hello, welcome to the Jason Theory. We are in season four. I can't remember the episode number, but we are joined with a new member, our newest member of the Clopas Stratton team, Maggie. And Maggie, give us a little bit of your bio quick.
Speaker 1:Okay, I have been an agent now for a little bit over four years. I just moved to Clopas Stratton team in I don't know a month and a half ago.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I moved to Jamison Sotheby's in October. I was at Compass for a while and loving it.
Speaker 2:How was you know four years ago? You're getting involved. So did you get involved right before COVID or right after COVID?
Speaker 1:2021.
Speaker 2:So you were after.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:So were we. I don't know my dates. That whole time is like, was it still shut down? Like, could you?
Speaker 1:Shut down. I actually had a full-time job when I first started real estate.
Speaker 2:Okay, what were you doing?
Speaker 1:I was doing marketing and graphic design for this like high-end hardware company. Okay, corporate life was not for me, so I went to real estate. Okay, what didn't you like about corporate life? Everything, I think, too. I I don't know a lot. Okay.
Speaker 2:You didn't like working for someone else.
Speaker 1:Didn't like working for someone else. I didn't like sitting behind a computer all day. I was in like a creative field and then just like kind of lost like the ability to be creative.
Speaker 2:Oh, I like that. Okay, yeah, because real estate is a creative field, that people don't understand that. But you're constantly trying to find different ways to market, different ways to get like you're constantly. It's not a consistent business. You're constantly changing who you are, which is a creative force.
Speaker 1:Right, right Right.
Speaker 2:Okay, I like that. Okay, so you're working there. You hate it. How did you transition to real estate? Like, did you have some? Did someone like? Someone that's out there wants to get involved in real estate Cause they hate listening to someone else or want to work for themselves? What was like the process of moving to real estate?
Speaker 1:I think it was definitely something that I was like thinking about for so long and I was like, if I were to do something on my own, I definitely want to get into real estate, like, obviously, who doesn't love homes?
Speaker 1:Who doesn't like looking at properties and I think, just me building connections with people and like being able to like work directly with people and not behind like a screen all day, where I was like I think that was something that I was like. Okay, I know I can like kind of do this on my own. I'm good with people.
Speaker 1:I like meeting people in person and it's not like a product that I'm selling, you know, it's not like a same, like everyone's, like oh, go to sales, but I'm like I don't want to keep selling the same product over and over, yeah. Where it's like, especially, too, if I don't love the product or if I don't like believe in the product. I feel like people get into these like sales roles so you hated the tools you were selling.
Speaker 1:Oh I was like I hated everything about that company and I even liked competitors better than us. But like it kind of got me into the real estate world a little bit like how, just because like I we worked with like high-end door, sliding door systems and like high-end cabinetry, so like I'll go into like a high-end kitchen and know the hardware.
Speaker 1:No, that's cool so I can know and like I I used to be like I was really good at like I could figure out like hinges and like how to build cabinets. So it was a little bit different of an industry but it kind of like led me into this.
Speaker 2:I could see you at a showing being like you see this, this here. We're going to take this hinge down. We're going to move this here. This door is, this is your. This should have four hinges, not three. Look at the weight.
Speaker 1:Actually there was a showing I was at last summer with one of my clients and the agent wasn't with us. Like I was taking a buyer out and she, they had this sliding door system that I didn't even touch it and the whole thing fell off the track. And I called the agent and I was like hey, the sliding door broke and the owner came in and she was so pissed off and she was like you need to fix this door and I was like I think you have the wrong track system on here. Your door is too heavy for the track. And it was just, I think you have the wrong track system on here, like your door is too heavy for the track. And it was like this, like it was just a crappy track she probably got it.
Speaker 1:I mean I had to be. It was probably like from home Depot that she ordered it.
Speaker 2:And it was like you should have followed up on that.
Speaker 1:Well, the agent was like, don't worry about it. I mean it was. I honestly didn't do anything, we just shut the door. It was like I don't know, it was just like a two-door system.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was just garbage.
Speaker 1:And it was garbage. And the second that the two doors touched, the whole track fell off.
Speaker 2:Oh, my God. So it's just like- All right, we'll get back to that. We'll get back to the crazy things that happened to a house. But did you talk to anybody Like there, there's gotta be something that's like hey, I, I love real estate. I want to get into this Like, what was, what was the push?
Speaker 1:I honestly would say, because I was in this industry, I would go to like the kitchen and bath shows.
Speaker 2:And you're like this is what I can do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it was just more so like I was like I love this industry. I think I started following more people that were in the industry and I was like this is something I enjoy. Yeah, Plus, we live in Chicago, so it's so dense of a community that it's there's so much real estate. It's not like you're in the suburbs where it's like, oh, I'm just going to like work on my neighborhood or work on my little town I'm going to.
Speaker 2:you know there's there's, there's 400 homes. I'm going to fight with 20 other agents for the 400 homes.
Speaker 1:So then it's like you can get get into rentals and it was an easy transition to start so you got licensed yes I had my other job, but working from home at my other job okay so then I was. Where did I?
Speaker 2:I actually started at exp okay, so you were doing you and did you keep the the the other job?
Speaker 1:yeah, you know, I wasn't trying my hardest though I get you. You you had checked out. Yeah, I was checked out. So then I was like, okay, I'm going to like build up my like learning and everything, but eXp probably wasn't the best way to start, just because you're very on your own, okay.
Speaker 2:So they're going to hate us now, but it's okay. Who eXp? All right, nothing against eXp, no, no. Who EXP?
Speaker 1:Nothing against you.
Speaker 2:No, no, okay. So you go there, you start there. Yeah, you start. You have your other job Because a lot of people want to get in the industry. So this is what's really interesting. You've been in for four years. You joined at a really hard time, which then became a very lucrative time, and you have your job. That you're obviously just. Hey, listen, let me do enough to get a paycheck because I have aspirations for something else. Correct, you're going off to those aspirations. You join eXp. You're kind of on your own. At what point were you like I need some fucking direction?
Speaker 1:It was probably eight months into eXp and they really try and sell you on. You know you're getting, you're taking way more money home with you, but you're also. You're taking way more money home with you, but you're also.
Speaker 2:You have zero training, or you just do videos and it's very.
Speaker 1:What is their thing it's? It's like you're for like, once you start, you get 80% split until you hit a certain number, and then it's like a hundred percent or whatever it is All right.
Speaker 2:So you have to pay. That's how Keller Williams is, too Like. You pay a certain amount of, and then it's all yours.
Speaker 1:But how it?
Speaker 2:used to be.
Speaker 1:I don't know if it's still that way, but we started with 80%, so I'm like thinking like, oh, I'm going to take home way more than anyone else offering me.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But you don't have the marketing, you don't have the training. Once I went to compass I was like, okay, I'm going to go on a team.
Speaker 2:Figure things out.
Speaker 1:Everyone. It was just like a totally different way to approach this.
Speaker 2:Whenever the money up front is a lot, it's that way. Because they're in any job, right. Because they're not offering you anything else, right, we have to pay these people so much money because there's no future, yeah, right.
Speaker 1:So like, yeah, I mean, I get it. Or it's like you have to be completely on your own. So like, especially as a new agent, I think that there's so much to experience and learn and that you just need training.
Speaker 1:You need to be below someone Like I even had a mentor at EXP. They were like hire this mentor and I would call him like 800 times a day and he was like stop calling me. So it like just was like not a fit and I was like I have to go on a team, take a lower split and learn the proper way.
Speaker 2:A hundred percent.
Speaker 1:So that's like where it flipped after eight months.
Speaker 2:And I love that you're saying that, because you're like hey, I'm not worried about the upfront money, it's the backend money, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's like hey, I don't need a building with a ton of rent upfront, I want a lot of money in the backend on the building itself. Like you're, you're, you're doing, that's the right way to do it. So you go to compass, you start surrounding yourself with other agents. There's a vibe. You start to learn. How do you start? Obviously, the group you were with was a larger group that gave you lead generation, but by the end, not till later.
Speaker 1:Not my first group, not my first group at all. Your first group, no, okay.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you go to compass your first group. How does? How do you start getting your feet wet.
Speaker 1:I think what I loved I actually loved the structure of the first group.
Speaker 2:I was at.
Speaker 1:Ashley Donay was the lead. She just really trained us, I feel like in the best way possible. We were all on our own, but we did have a person marketing doing all the marketing. We had someone doing the social media for us, but we were I think it was more so just like covering everyone's stuff. I covered everyone's inspection, everyone's showing. I feel like I still do that, but like that's like how you learn yeah, it's like just picking up yeah, just like picking up everyone's showings or open houses.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just like you have to start, like getting yourself into the industry, and I think I feel like covering inspections for me was like the most I've ever learned, just because, whether it's like a condo or a single family home, like they're so different, there's so much to learn from it.
Speaker 2:So like looking, looking at where you are now I mean, there's just so many great things you just said. So, looking at where you are right now and looking back, isn't it odd that there are groups and there are agents that never go to inspections, never go to the showings, go to their showings? I'm like, how do you and this is not you, I'm talking about them how do they get better when they're not immersed in their, in their industry?
Speaker 1:and immersed in that knowledge. I don't get it.
Speaker 2:I don't think you can.
Speaker 1:I don't think I think two other, I think what's what kind of separated my mind with it too is there were people two on the team that were like oh, this agent is so successful and they don't ever go to their own inspection, so therefore, like I'm a new agent, I'm not going to go to my own inspection either. I think, like people catch on to what other people are doing and you have to separate yourself and be like okay, just because that agent's so successful and they're not doing their own showings, or like they're not covering their own inspection. People like that's not going to make every single person successful well, so like, I feel, like you have to like like, figure out your own avenue and like whether someone's already successful.
Speaker 1:It's like well, they probably covered inspections when they first started. Like that, well it's also relative, right.
Speaker 2:so, like, like, that person that's talking to you is saying, oh my God, that person is so successful and they don't do X, y and Z. I would come back to that person and say, well, how successful would they be if they did X, y and Z? So, like it's, depending on the person that's looking at that person, that success is relative to them, because someone else could look at that guy, that person that doesn't do their inspections, and I would look at them and be like man, they could be so much more successful if they did this. So it you don't what you said. You don't want to look at that person and say, that's like the peak, that's the mountain where I want to be, when you know that they're not doing the work. Like I can look at an athlete and say, man, that person is amazing and they never work. What a shame.
Speaker 2:I wouldn't look at them and be like, oh, I'm like, I wouldn't look at them with. I wouldn't look at them and be like, oh, I'm like, I'm like I wouldn't look at them and be like that's great. I would look at them and go what a shame, right, like all this talent and you could be this, but you're this. It's still great, yeah, but your real goal in life is here. That's where you should be.
Speaker 1:So I just think like that's like the whole. I think just like putting yourself in any position that you can in real estate, like covering anything, even with buildings. It's like you may not want to cover someone's like 15 minute showing somewhere that is not close to your house or whatever, but then it gets you an idea of that building. So then when you have clients in the future talking about it, you're like oh, I know that building, or like I know you know where this is. It just gives you a little bit more credibility. I think when you're with your future clients.
Speaker 2:So knowledge is credibility.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So you're just assessing knowledge which makes you more credible, which then, in the long run, is going to make you extremely successful. I mean, think about it, you've been in it for four years. You're pretty successful for four years in Think of where you're going to be in another six when you've got another thousand transactions. You've seen another 10,000 buildings.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:You've had another 400 doors fall off their tracks.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, like all that stuff. I think that's what people don't understand. Like well, I'm a buyer's agent, I'm a seller's agent. I'm like how are you negotiating against a seller when you've never been a seller? Like I don't, I don't want that.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like, if you haven't slept with the enemy, how do I know how you know how to defeat them? Right, that's like.
Speaker 1:that's like rule one yeah, know your enemy Right.
Speaker 2:You're. Just, you don't know the tricks because you've never played them on the other side, so you're going to demolished by anyone that's on both sides, that's played both sides the buying and the selling, the thing with the inspection and people not going to the showings. I don't get it and I don't get the buyers and sellers that continue to go back to those people because you're not getting true service, you're getting dollar service and you, you're basically a number to them, right in and out. Right, so you were on your second. So when did you? How long? So you're? You're, it's 2021, we're, I think we're in lockdown so now we're in 20.
Speaker 1:I think it was so exp was during covid that, yes, and then I compass was 2022, like january 2020. My team all split up in like April so I was there for like four months I like the Beatles so and then went to another like small team. But, that was mainly like just covering, like little.
Speaker 2:Hey, let's all help each other out.
Speaker 1:Kind of like, but more so like oh you co-list, you know you take full, you take on the full property, pretty much.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And I thought that that was just like not the way I wanted to work either. It was kind of like it was focusing on someone else's business.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Where I'm doing all the coverage, where I'd rather focus on like getting my own clients- yeah, at this, during this time, how are you building up your book of business Like?
Speaker 2:what are you doing in terms of like for an agent? That's two years in trying to get? What tasks are you doing? What things did you find that gave you success as you got in to your second and third year?
Speaker 1:Open houses were like my number one thing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I would probably do yeah.
Speaker 1:I'd probably do at least like four a weekend or try to definitely two. But I think when I first started I was like trying to do two Saturday, two Sunday because I feel I'm not someone to like take up the phone and like cold call. I'd rather like meet someone in person.
Speaker 2:I mean I. So I did a, we did a mastermind session and I'm speaking and I'm like, listen, I can't fucking cold call people and I'm like I just can't. I said I know who I am and that's what I said. I said, once I got you in front of my face, I'm like I will, I can talk to anybody, I just can't cold call. So I was for for the first 12 years minimum four open houses. And then sometimes I did Fridays, like if it was like at an L stop area I would do like a Friday at like five o'clock and I would get people. But that's how I got my name out. And then, once you have that rapport, it's like oh, here's my number.
Speaker 1:Then it's like, yes, yeah, and I, I think too, because I start off with open houses. You obviously start with buyers, and I think that's how I got the majority of my buyers for sure and that then it started to flip, I think like early last year. All those buyers are calling me like, hey, we're ready to sell. So then like I had, I mean for being like three years in the business, I was getting all these sellers, so then it kind like got. That's when I started to kind of like balance both.
Speaker 2:Yes, more.
Speaker 1:You always want to be a listing agent. Yeah, you always want that you always want the inventory. Yeah, yeah, but that's how I think. That's like how I best started to perform with like gaining clients and like even just referrals and whatever it was like, mainly starting from open houses.
Speaker 2:What tactics have you done over the last year? Now that you've got all this going on, how do you stay in touch with those clients?
Speaker 1:Well, I'm still trying to like be better about it.
Speaker 2:Have you finished your reach?
Speaker 1:yet no, I have like 5,000 contacts. I know, but I told you it's like you could do a hundred a week I know, and there's a lot of contacts that I just don't know, like I had to just get rid of them but. I you have to purge I'd say like I definitely like the whole. I think social media is big too.
Speaker 1:Like I think, just staying in touch with people on social media, like that's a reach out, yeah, like if their story pops up and I'm like I love your, your dog, or whatever, like cool, wherever you are, like love this. You know like I think just like staying top of mind is really important, so like little touches like that, even through Instagram, I think is big. And then texting, you know like hey, I'm in the neighborhood or whatever. How are you? You just had a kid, kind of thing.
Speaker 2:Okay, and do you keep yourself accountable, like do you say, hey, I'm going to do three this day for this day?
Speaker 1:Or you just you're not there yet. Yeah. I gotta be more organized.
Speaker 2:That's the next step is the organization. The organization is what's really going to take you to the next level, Like think about that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like, like, think about that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like when I was talking to Sophia and we're talking to you, I'm like, I mean I'm like listen, I go Sophia, I met with her, she does an incredible amount of business and she's completely disorganized.
Speaker 1:That's because my brain's like eight different directions at a time.
Speaker 2:Me too. If she could just get this down to a pace, forget it, and then on top of it, you just create so much more time. When you're like, okay, pop up, up, up. Oh, okay, I'm done with this stuff now yeah, no, I definitely.
Speaker 1:That's like my one goal and that's like too like why I wanted to join a team just be, have like a little more structure and be able to like learn from you both, who are like so good at reaching out and having your organization down.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean I can't put my clothes away, but I can keep my work organized. So you then switched to a big team.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:What did you like, and we don't have to name teams, because there's just interest to me. So, what did you like for someone that's like, hey, I'm getting in the industry, like there is good, that came from being from a team You've had teams. You're at a big team now. That's a lead gen team.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:What did you like about it and what did you find the shortcomings are with the bigger team.
Speaker 1:I liked a lot of the people on the team.
Speaker 2:That's huge.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I also didn't like that. It was so big that you don't have a relationship with most people on a team, so it's like you're in these team meetings and it's like who are you? Yeah, and then I feel like you kind of get lost in like this, like it, to me it doesn't feel as tight knit or structured, it just seems like it's too, like there's no organization to the team.
Speaker 1:It just seems like it's more so like transactional, and that's kind of like what I wanted to get away from. I didn't want my business to feel transactional, where we were like this big team trying to get a big number.
Speaker 2:Well, that's that team, that's it. There's nothing wrong with it either. I always tell people like oh, I'm like, listen, I'm like. That concept is not relationship based, it's transactional based, it's in and out and out. My only problem and with anything like that is that that has an end.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like it only takes Zillow saying F you compass, and then all of a sudden you're like oh yeah, you know what I mean, like I've just I always think you know, because the the I was a floor trader and seeing trillions of dollars, like trillions of dollars, traded hands every day. And if I organize, if a, if a, if a company, if a, it's the wrong word. If a total, what's the word? If a total business? If a total industry, that's the right word. If a total industry can change in two weeks that trades trillions of dollars a day, how long does it take for real estate or any other industry?
Speaker 2:to change like this Right Right. I mean, I saw people making so much money to like broke.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Instantly, because they all relied on how this industry was run Right and you knew it was going to change. So my problem with lead gen is like man, if you build no relationships it's a conversation I had this morning with somebody If you don't build relationships and it's all transactional, which I love, the fact one of the things you said to me is when we met is like I don't even use those leads. Yeah, I was like ding, ding, ding ding. I'm like this person's an actual agent.
Speaker 1:Well, I just I feel like I noticed like, once you start, it's almost like you're you meet these people who don't know you, they don't trust you, and then you're driving around for so long you're taking them around, and then I'm like, and then I feel like it's more so, like they're like okay, thanks, like don't need to talk to you again. And then I'm like I'd rather meet someone in an open house, build that relationship, have them trust me, and then get 10 more referrals from them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, or then I'm like, okay, and you're making such a small split of like what you could be making, just because it's so quick and like transactional with the lead generation. So I'm like I'd rather sit at 10 open houses and may maybe talk to like two good people and have that be someone that's twice the money. Yeah, twice the money, or like even three times the money, like, and then they're.
Speaker 1:They trust me where they're like hey, my friend's also looking. Or you know, like it's and I've always they trust me where they're like hey, my friend's also looking.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:You know like it's and I've always been someone just to like meet people in person.
Speaker 2:It's a lasting formula.
Speaker 2:It's a lasting business because you're building relationships in all of life is relationships and that's it. So, like, I do agree with you and that's my one, my one. Like and listen they, these huge groups that do all this, that's fine, but like it when you look and it could be because of my past experience when you look at your business and you're like 80% of my business comes from one thing that I can't control. Ooh, that freaks me out. Yeah, I would. I'd be vomiting every night. Like I would be like, okay, so this company can close and I can't feed my kids. I would freak out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I think that's what a lot of agents struggle with doing the opposite, where they're like I'm so used to this lead gen where it's like okay, I think it just makes you feel busy, Cause it's like okay, I think so many people are like, well, if I don't have that extra stuff in the back.
Speaker 2:It's a crutch.
Speaker 1:Coming in yes.
Speaker 2:So you don't become good.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So like that was like a big. I just didn't like it. And I think that's what I also love about real estate is that there's so many different avenues to take and you kind of just like find what you fit into and you kind of just like find what you fit into.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, there's, that's the great thing, right Is the pie, does it? I always thought everything and this was just my own, without a lack of a better word mental masturbation. There's, like I, my philosophy should say it all the time Like, yeah, half of life is mental masturbation. You just sit there and think and there's like no outcome from it. So, so like I, I like, I like the fact that you can like you can take a look at these teams and you can take a look at EXP. You could take a look at us, you could take a look at all these different people. We all do it differently and I always thought it was a zero sum game, because I came from an industry where it was if that person's losing money, I'm making money. If I'm making money, if I'm losing money, someone's taking my money. That's the industry I was at.
Speaker 2:So I always thought everything was zero sum game. About 10 years ago, seven years ago, I'm like it's really not. You could just continue to open up the pie and everyone can do what they do and everyone could be happy in what they do. I could not. I could look at somebody and say I just don't understand how you would want to be transactional. There's no, there's no heart in that. Like there's no accomplishment, there's no relationships. Like to me, that's what. Like getting up in the morning and thinking about all these great people we talk to that are so nice, that's what makes life worth living.
Speaker 1:Right, right.
Speaker 2:And then just being like I'm going to go in, look at 10 leads never talk to people again.
Speaker 1:Yeah, which I'm like that's fine If that's how you want to operate, yeah. Totally fine. That's just not like the way that I saw myself and, plus, like I was four years in and then I was like I started getting more unorganized. I felt like I was just trying to do, you know, like cover all these things and I'm like, well, I want to focus on my clients. And I feel like, too, when you surround yourself with some people who are not doing the same thing as you, then it just gets messy.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, yeah, you got to do now. You went, you, you left that big group, we had our conversation, and then you went to Jameson and you were a solo agent, solo, okay. You were solo for several months. What was was like like I would be lonely.
Speaker 1:Yes, so that's the thing.
Speaker 2:I need to see someone's face.
Speaker 1:Well, I would go into the office a lot.
Speaker 2:Which is a beautiful office.
Speaker 1:It's a gorgeous office and I love. I love Jameson Sotheby's like from Compass because Compass is huge and like the. I love Jameson Sotheby's from Compass because Compass is huge and the office just I don't know wasn't my vibe.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you had to bring your own paper. Yeah.
Speaker 1:I just-, you want to know how broke.
Speaker 2:Compass is you have to bring your own paper to print out listings.
Speaker 1:Every time I had to print something, the printers were not working, and it used to drive me insane, so I no admin left Nothing and I it used to drive me insane, so I nothing like it and.
Speaker 2:I would always every time I see those things like, oh, we're doing this, we're doing this in the back of my head, I'm like dude. I know people that work there. You guys are broke.
Speaker 1:There are so many days Like on a Saturday. I would like text the guy who worked at the front desk. I'm like this isn't working again, like screaming at him and he's. He's like I don't know what to do. I thought we fixed the ink on Friday and I'm like no. So I went to Jameis and saw the vase. I loved this, like I love the boutique feel of it.
Speaker 2:Oh man, it's so nice and it's so different. Like I love going to the office. The energy is crazy and everyone like when you look around, you're like it's just ballers.
Speaker 1:Everyone's so like welcoming and friendly where I feel like compass was like this team against this team, I think when you get real, that's so amazing.
Speaker 2:You say that I think when you get to a point where you have, like, real successful people and I'm not talking like, I'm talking real success- success like personal success, like like happiness.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 2:You like, I don't get. You don't get jealous.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:Like I want to say like 10, seven years ago, I stopped getting jealous and I started like really like rooting for others.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Jameson has that. I'm rooting that this person sells this $10 million home, like I love that Nancy sells a $6 million home every month Like you just love it.
Speaker 1:That's how everyone seems to be, like they're like I'm so excited you came from compass and like everyone wants to see me succeed and like they.
Speaker 2:everyone has like the same energy about them, so and the company's focus is on that success where everyone else is pulling back.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:They're focusing in on that. Where everyone else is pulling back right, they're focusing in on that. I do agree with you.
Speaker 1:That's what I felt too yeah, and just even like with jim miller, all the training he does with the agents like no one else is doing that. No other managing broker I've ever met has ever been as involved he's passionate yes so that kind of comes across yeah I I've been with managing brokers.
Speaker 1:I'm like I don't even think you know my name, so it's just a totally different feel. But I would start going into the office, but I think I was dealing with so many. I had like a couple crazy deals and I think it was like a lot of like these sellers and like the market was just weird.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Once it was like winter, I guess like late fall late election year, right?
Speaker 2:so it was like every election year. Is the world gonna explode?
Speaker 1:yeah, and I didn't and it's just like these listings that obviously like there's so many crazy things that come up all the time in real estate, but it's so nice to be able to collaborate with a team member because otherwise I'm like bothering everyone in the office or like they're doing their own stuff and I'm like I don't need to like keep calling you or whatever. Like you have your own busy life going on. So I think it was more so like it does get lonely. So then you're like what I think it helps, like motivate you to when you're on a team, or like just to get ideas, like have marketing, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think you always need someone to like to check you too, like and be like hey, listen like like how you're like, how many reach have you?
Speaker 2:It just can't. Like there's only a select few percentage of people that are like just consistently holding themselves accountable. Yeah, like you get to a point where, like I, I like I'd like to think that I'm extremely, I hold myself to an extreme accountability, but it's, it's nice to have people around you say, hey, did you do this? Did you do this? Did you do this? Like I had a mentor like that too, like who would like I would say I did this, this, this, and he would be like all right, well, now you got to go here.
Speaker 1:Right yeah.
Speaker 2:Like you're here, you need to do here.
Speaker 1:And to get there.
Speaker 2:you need to do these things consistently, hold yourself accountability, and then, all of a sudden, you see the progress.
Speaker 2:So again I think it is like more so, like accountability and organization and just like things that I don't know or that I could learn from someone who's a lot better at it than I am. And we're all like you said, like we're all salesy and we're all, we're all collaborative and we're all in that like let's figure out how to do this, let's figure out how to do this. We don't have like a lot of us don't have that other side of the brain.
Speaker 1:that's like yes, yeah like there's not many agents that are like that can do that and then also do that, because I think it's just two different personalities yeah, and it's just nice, like I think too, just with how much crazy stuff comes up within a transaction, that's like how do we solve this?
Speaker 1:yeah, I agree with you there's, I think, just the amount of things that were just like right in a row for me, or like with every deal I was like, oh my god, I just like need one smooth transaction, but it it takes a lot like for me. Then you get so caught up in your mind and it's like when you're like by yourself that rather than just like being like, hey, this is, this is a shit show of a deal, especially you're young by yourself that rather than just like being like, hey, this is, this is a show of a deal, especially you're young, right, you've only been doing it for years.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so you haven't had all those mistakes and bullshit and all that. And then all of a sudden, you're in the industry 10 years. You're like, oh, that's happened to me twice, this happens to me this time, this happens to me this time. I mean, I had a deal yesterday um, actually two days ago, and the contract was signed. This, this, this, this guy is the most he can't like. If I text him within 30 seconds, he's constantly this this, this. We write a contract, he's my buyer, you write a contract, I send him a text, blah, blah, blah. I don't hear from five hours just off that I knew he was canceling.
Speaker 1:Wait why?
Speaker 2:I just I. You see things happen so many times.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And then I'm like this has happened to me six times the six times that that someone that communicates nonstop stops communicating with me after we sign a contract. All those six times someone cancels.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, and then I call him at nighttime. He's like oh, I'm sorry, ghosted you this, this, this this morning. Cancellation.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But I knew it right and I didn't stress Like if that was the first time it happened to me. I'd be like what the fuck? This, this, this, this? I just sat back, my heart didn't move, I didn't move, I go. I know he's canceling, I'm just going to wait until it happens.
Speaker 1:I think there was that day that Sophia came into the office and she was like we have this place in the PLN. Like these buyers came in. Her buyer came in or something, promised this deal, they went under contract and then it was like canceled and I was like like the I forgot like all that went into it beforehand. But it was like I was like oh my God, I don't even know how I would call, like how I would relay that to the sellers, you know. And she was like I'm so mad at whatever situation it was like with the buyer and I'm like God, like it. Just it's stressful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I always like, when I have an uneasy feeling, I always like I don't let it percolate, I attack it right away. Hey, I don't let it percolate. Yeah, I attack it right away. Yeah, hey, I don't feel good about this buyer, I don't feel good about this seller. This is the way it should be progressing and it's not. Yeah, and I'm just letting you know that there's something that's not kosher, something's not moving the right way. But that also allows me to relax and not be like okay, like you're more, you're totally at ease.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:It's not that I don't care.
Speaker 1:You're ready for it to happen?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm like, well, it's just like. It's like, okay, you know I'm, I'm, there's nothing. I like there's nothing I can do about it. Like we have a project that that was supposed to be delivered a month ago. Developers, like you know, two contracts have gone through their time frame, so now they can cancel with no penalty. And he's freaking out and I'm like, hey, man, there's nothing we can do. We ran through their days. If they want to cancel, they can cancel.
Speaker 1:If they don't want to, they'll stay, but us sitting here and freaking out is not accomplishing anything.
Speaker 2:I'm like, just stay the course, yeah. Get the building done Right, stay the course. Yeah, all right. So interesting that you worked for Compass. You came to Jameson, yes, so let's talk about this ongoing war between Zillow and Compass, which Compass will lose? And I think now here's the issue. I've spent three and a half hours alone with Robert Revkin in my life, okay. Well, what's the fear?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I've talked to this guy pretty intimately more than most people that probably work for his company other agents, let's just say, not his higher up management. So I know this guy's mentality, you know. He told me what he was trying to accomplish. After meeting him for three hours I walked out and I said this company's not going to make it. He doesn't know what he's doing. The stock opened up, close, he thought close to 20. I don't know it's like at four it bounces around His thoughts on clear cooperation. I don't care one way or the other, I just don't. I don't think it's going to affect my business. I were, not me and you are not Zillow, reliant.
Speaker 2:I think that people in the top 10 that are Zillow people there's like four of them that are just all Zillow I would be in an absolute panic attack, but they're not that much Like everyone thinks companies they're actually I just chat GPT that they're less than 10% of the market. So life's not going to change for anybody if they decide not to show their listings. But what they're selling is and I want everybody to understand this what they're selling. This totally reminds me when I met with them too. What they're selling is that they are going to take the listings, shop it only to their company. So out of a hundred agents, only eight are going to see it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And they're saying that this is great for the seller because you can test the market and not accrue listing days. I want everybody to know that this is already out there.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And this is a perfect example of Revkin telling people he's going to produce something that's already there.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like when he told me about this technology, we're going to take all the listings and put them together and it's one spot for them. Because he's from New York and the East Coast, I'm like, bro, we have that already, it's called the MLS. You're not inventing anything.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So this is another thing that he thinks he's inventing, that he's not. However, how could anybody in their right mind say I don't want to be on the market which I get?
Speaker 1:I actually think that there's a great place for the private market, but the real private market not Compass.
Speaker 2:The private market the private market everybody that has a broker sees it. All the brokers see it. The only people that don't see it are people that are not working with brokers. However, if you send that out, then you can get proper data. The private market is basically let me test a price and see what the reaction is. And you test a high price. That's the norm and the market's either moved to that price or it's telling you haven't and you don't sell it. You can then take that product, change the price, put it on the market at a different price and have no market time.
Speaker 2:Revkin is telling everyone that he invented this. This has been going on for three years and maybe even longer Top agent network and the MLS private market. So if you do the Compass coming soon and don't go on the private MLS market, which just gives you more exposure than Compass with the same results and the same protections, they will pull your listing off of Zillow. Compass is set to lose 50% of their listings on Zillow, which means 50% of their listings will never, ever be on Zillow ever again. And others are following Zillow.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Who in the right mind does this?
Speaker 1:Right, but because they want to have everything in-house they want to like-.
Speaker 2:Well, they need the fees. They're broke. They want the both sides of the fees. They can't afford ink. I'm being honest with you People don't understand the amount of money that's made from that filing fee, that 450 fee. He needs both sides, Guys. It's a publicly run company and if you don't think they're broke, you can just download the SEC docs. You could see their books. So he needs that money. This is his all in. I'm putting all my chips in. If it fails, I'm pulling the plug.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but what buyer would do that?
Speaker 1:I don't know, but I also don't know what sellers would want to do.
Speaker 2:I mean what sellers, not buyers, what sellers would want to do that?
Speaker 1:Because they just, I don't know. And what are they telling these people? I don't even know how you would persuade a seller and say like, hey, because I'm Compass. I think the only benefit they have is a buyer's agent saying, hey, we have exclusive listings that no other agent can see.
Speaker 2:So I get you from a lighter price.
Speaker 1:Unless you are a Compass agent. So the only people benefiting are the people working with Compass buyers agents, because they're like okay, there's like yeah, but then you're screwing your seller. Oh, 100% Like all the sellers are screwed. Anyone having a seller, they're screwed. I'm just saying the only benefit-.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're finding them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, One side, because the buyer is going to get Exactly, the buyer is going to get exactly the buyer is going to get it for less money or like they're going to yeah, they're going to get a few more listings that a normal buyer with an agent on the MLS private network is not seeing.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Because it's only Compass to Compass. So they're trying to like brand. I think they're trying to like brand this, so it's Compass exclusive. So like if you're working with a compass buyer's agent, you're getting a little bit more than anyone else.
Speaker 2:I do like that analysis. That is the one but, but. But that is zero sum. So whoever there's, they're screwing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but they're still screwing at the other side Like no matter what whoever owns that property that they're showing.
Speaker 2:I mean, we just went through a massive lawsuit and he's literally setting himself up.
Speaker 1:There's no way they're not going to get sued. Yeah.
Speaker 2:There's no way, because you're not. You're only giving your. They're like six to 7% of the market, which means that you're like hey, let me give you good data from seven out of a hundred people versus 80 out of a hundred, which produces the same results. There's no market time.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:That's just nuts to me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I just don't know how they're. I don't know how anyone's signing a listing agreement being like yep.
Speaker 2:I would love to see how they present it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:That like I want to hear the BS that they're being like. I want to know the training.
Speaker 1:I've even I've even thought about it myself, Cause I'm like I even talk to. Anytime you talk to a seller and you're like, hey, do you want to list privately? Like I have a listing coming up, we're going to list privately just because they're in this process of moving and that's what fits their.
Speaker 2:But every broker is getting it.
Speaker 1:That's what I'm saying, but that's like fits their needs, so I get it. And then we're like let's go live, no matter what.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Because I want to get as many eyeballs on this property as possible. I don't know. I can't even think of what an agent's telling their seller, being like hey, this is only going to be.
Speaker 2:Now the Burbs now, which I like. The Burbs puts it on private, but you're not allowed to see it. Yeah, the Burbs puts it on private, but you're not allowed to see it. Yeah, so the Burbs now, which are so insane? The Burbs will put everything on the private network. On Monday. It's private, but then they go active on Thursday.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And then it's open house Friday afternoon, Saturday, Sunday offers. But that private is just to get the brokers to give the listings to all their clients. Yeah, but they're still going. They're still going on the MLS active on that Thursday. So they don't even take because I've tried. They don't even take like really hard. They won't even take offers on the private. Some of them don't even to make it even better, which I think is really smart. I mean. The amount of panic that it creates is amazing.
Speaker 1:I also just think as someone representing a seller, I would never say like, unless you have an incredible offer that's over asking and they're serious and the sellers are happy. But like, if you, if you have a ton of interest and you're so excited you know you want to just accept the first offer that comes in and there's still so much interest after that, I just feel like you're doing such a disservice to any seller.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I like that. They're doing that, yeah, and they won't even do all the photos. Yeah.
Speaker 2:So sometimes I'll see a place listed, let's say today, with just a front photo. Oh, they're like. Oh, we're not listing for three weeks. They leave that front photo.
Speaker 1:That drives me nuts.
Speaker 2:Can I just get it. But then my buyers are like when's this coming on?
Speaker 1:I have. I'm in that situation now with a buyer. This has been. It's just the front photo. It's been listed on the PO.
Speaker 2:That's the Burbs man. Is it burbs? No, it's, I mean, it's here port yeah, so it's chicago but it's, it's just the front of the house.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's been listed now for a couple weeks and I've been calling the agent. She's like june, june, you can see it. So of course, june one hits my buyer's like we gotta go see it. I'm like not yet, can't see it yet, and it's just like this delayed gate.
Speaker 2:I mean she knows that I'm like on my toes, ready to see this place I hate it as a buyer but, I think that's great, but everything that we're talking about that just creates this interest and creates this pressure. Price pressure is everything that Compass is doing the other way.
Speaker 1:Right yeah.
Speaker 2:They're literally eliminating all of that, right? I mean, it's just like they never heard of supply and demand. It's like this little thing in Econ 101. Like if you don't have that demand and it's constant, the price doesn't rise. It's just something else to me on that aspect All right, switching a little bit of gears. Aspect All right, switching a little bit of gears. So let's talk about, over the last three years, three things that happened to you where you were like, oh my God, and not the brick through your window, cause someone hated that you left compass.
Speaker 1:Brick through and rock and rock Right Two.
Speaker 2:Okay, I just think that's a bad breakup. Yeah Well you know, people just love you man.
Speaker 1:They're like she can't have it, I'm going to break shit. Yeah, I'm going to break shit, all right, so three things, so like career, though.
Speaker 2:Career yeah, not the, not your car, not the car swipes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, I also had my car totaled, so I think just that car was bad.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that car was bad yeah, um so during covid, during the lockdowns, and you're doing showings, what's something that you remember that happened, that you were like oh my lord like as a learn, I'm trying to think I mean I don't know, you run into like the craziest stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like I'm I'm trying to think I don't know. I mean I've definitely had. I think like the biggest, like eye-opening thing was right before I joined the team, I was talking to you and I was like this deal has fallen out in and out of contract.
Speaker 2:Oh, that one, that one top floor thing yeah.
Speaker 1:And it was like I had one deal that fell in and out of and I was like I don't, and it was always after the inspection, so like stuff, like that happens. But I'm trying to think of something that's a little more like like that happens.
Speaker 2:But I'm trying to think of something that's a little more like like something that happened to you where you're like okay, I'm going to remember that and actually changed maybe how you do business, or changed certain thoughts and how you do things. Like, even if, even if that place that one out of contract a gazillion times, what did you learn from that and what would you change If you could go back? What would it change? What would you change?
Speaker 1:I honestly don't think going back it's so hard. Because that's like really tough too. I think when you have like multiple offers that you're looking at and you're like, okay, this person sounds so great on paper or whatever. This person may be offering a lot more money. And I think too, sometimes it's not always, and I people say this all the time, but like it's not always, and I people say this all the time, but like it's also a way to talk to your sellers and say like you know, maybe it's not always about who's offering the most, but like I don't know, I mean I don't know if I would really change anything with that one. It was just like would you not?
Speaker 2:would you not have a little bit more prep work? And ask questions hey, what about this, what about this, what about this? Like, what kind of prep work? And ask questions hey, what about this, what about this, what about this? Like, what kind of prep work? Looking forward Cause that one had inspection item issues. What type of prep work looking for? Like all the places that fall apart for me, my deals that fall apart for me, like I look like this deal that fell apart today. Like, all right, you know, like I assumed that this person understood some basic things. Yeah, you know, shame on me for thinking that I'm going to make sure I really hammer in on these instances next time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean I don't know, because it's also a way to kind of talk to your seller. Don't you think how your seller is going to approach it? Kind of talk to your seller, don't you think like how your seller is going to approach it? Because if there's like a major issue and you're like, hey, let's get this contractor and fix this issue before it comes up again, and your contract and your and your seller says no, I don't want to.
Speaker 2:Then what do you?
Speaker 1:say yeah or yeah or like hey, this was fixed during this time and that's all I'm gonna. That's all I have for you. You know, I think it's kind of like a battle a little bit, cause it's like sometimes where I'm like let's just get everything fixed, I'm more so like let's, if there's issues, let's fix them. I think there's always a solution to everything, thank God.
Speaker 2:But if the solution is something your client's not willing to do.
Speaker 1:Yeah, At what point would you say I can't work with you anymore? Have you ever fired anybody? I've stopped working with buyers, not a seller?
Speaker 2:Okay, and why did you stop working with the buyer?
Speaker 1:Oh, I've actually had a few. Just, you know, it's like hey, just not communicating rude. Is that more lead gen?
Speaker 2:people. No, this was actually a referral to me. Just not communicating rude, is that more?
Speaker 1:lead gen people that you know. This was actually a referral to me. I'm thinking about one person in particular.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:Um tell me the situation.
Speaker 2:We'll land on that situation.
Speaker 1:She was a referral to me and she and she wanted me to go places like way up North and like Gurney yeah, oh, how to fire a fire to that and and um what's it antioch like far far.
Speaker 1:I don't even know where antioch is, but the name alone, yes, correlates I came in and I was like yes, and I came in, I'm like I'm in anatoc and the guy's like you're not from here, and I was like no, I don't even know how to say it. And every so she would call me on like a Saturday morning and be like I need to get into this place today at two, and I would be like I can't. Like I told you like I need at least two days at least in advance to schedule, and then she would send me like an email Friday night at like midnight, as if I'm checking my emails at midnight like any day. And then she'd like I need to get into this property tomorrow at like 8am, and it was just this back and forth battle with her. Everything was my fault.
Speaker 1:And then sometimes I would hire agents who lived in that area and be like hey, can you cover a show way? And they would. Then she's like I don't even know who I'm working with, like is it you, is it this other person? I'm like I'm just trying to get you in the property. And it was just like this battle back and forth that came down to like an offer that we were going to put on or put down on this property and I mean, I don't know, this woman was like the devil.
Speaker 2:Well, how did you break it?
Speaker 1:I was just like I. I, she wanted me to come to this, like whatever. Then it was like when we all switched there, we had to have the buyer Agreement Agreement filled out prior and she wouldn't sign it. Bye-bye, yeah. And I was like, and then she was like screaming at me, sending me like hate messages, and I was like, no, good luck, good luck.
Speaker 2:Did you talk to? Did you talk to the person that referred you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I was like, listen, I was like she and I like we don't mesh, but I guess like I was like the fourth agent that she's been with.
Speaker 2:Oh Jesus.
Speaker 1:That'd be information you should have got from the beginning. Yeah, but I don't think it was like. I don't. I don't think she's made any kind of move.
Speaker 2:All right. So three things that you plan on doing this year that you haven't done yet, that are going to affect your business in a positive way.
Speaker 1:Um doing my reach out.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And, I think, just being more organized about it.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And then definitely like CRM.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:I really got to tackle that.
Speaker 2:Tackle that okay and get organized um, and how are you gonna do that? Can you make on film? Can you make a declaration of how you're gonna do that and then hold yourself accountable to it?
Speaker 1:I don't know, I mean it's a number. I'm going to do 10 a day or five, I would say I'll, I would probably put it down to three a day. Okay, three a day, because sometimes I don't, you know, sometimes I think too. I don't want it to seem too like hi, I'm just, you know, not like genuine.
Speaker 2:No, no know, not like genuine. No, no, I mean organizing your reach.
Speaker 1:Oh, oh, oh, no, no organizing, I should do like 20 yeah, the three a day is perfect for reaching out yeah, yeah yeah, if I don't do them, I just I put them down to the next day.
Speaker 2:And then I say I didn't line it out and I'm like, all right, now it's six. Yeah, sometimes it gets up to 12, and I'm like, oh, I just have to sit there for two yeah and your third thing so crm. Reach outs. Yeah, organize your, I just have to sit there for two weeks, yeah. And your third thing so CRM reach outs yeah.
Speaker 2:Organize your well, one you have to do. First you have to organize, then you do the reach outs. And what's the third thing you think you would do that would really help your business this year?
Speaker 1:I got to get back on social media. Okay, like, that's like my one thing that I've. Yeah, you were, and then it's such. I mean, it really is like I had so many times where I'm like okay, I got to post three times a week.
Speaker 2:Have you seen the stuff that Erica does with Melissa? I know?
Speaker 1:I know, so I was like I got to get you know three times a week or whatever.
Speaker 2:You have to block time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it just like falls through the cracks, like if something comes up I'm like all right, screw it, not today not today or whatever.
Speaker 2:It's just blocking time and being like I'm not, like this is what I'm going to do.
Speaker 1:I think like really getting into social media. That's probably like my number one thing that I want to.
Speaker 2:I think social media is probably your top priority. And then come down from there, cause everything right now is is just getting that. You know it's getting your personality out there and what you do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah All right, awesome, all right. Maggie, thank you so much for your time. Thank you, thanks so much for everybody hanging out with us. Maggie, four years in the business she's been with, oh man, you've been with a small group, a super group and now basically with us, which is your individual, with, you know, with in a in a collaborative sense, yeah, and and she's done great. And if you guys listen to her journey, I just really want you to think about the first 20 minutes when she talked about four open houses, basically mastering your craft and getting as much data and as much information you can about your craft to maintain that confidence and to get confident and then to have that confidence come out when you meet people in situations and be able to get them as clients. That's what I gained from it.
Speaker 1:You nailed it.
Speaker 2:Right on, all right, be good guys. I'll see you soon.