All Forum Posts by: Bryan L.

One thing to remember is that you can often make good money on "un-motivated" leads by referring them to a good Realtor.  I often make over $1000/hr by doing this.

Hey, you can also make some side-money by making referrals to the other agents in your office (and the broker/firm benefits from this too).  I often make $1000/hr or more by making referrals like this.

Tell me if y'all are seeing this. Lately, I've been seeing a problem with businesses/service providers who are just really dropping the ball. For example, I signed up for a new program and it took them 2 months to get anything to me (after I contacted them twice to remind them). Then, I had a phone call with the executive director of this program and he said that he was going to have John Doe call me (that hasn't happened after waiting 2 weeks). I found a similar group online and put in a contact request through their contact form on their website - you guessed it - crickets. And just this morning I had a question for someone at my church. I went to their website and to the contact page and got the general contact email address and sent an email.  Guess what, it was returned/kicked-back as not deliverable. 

Guys, it really doesn't take much at all to stand out from the crowd. Especially when the crowd is doing so little and performing so badly in regards to customer service. You'll stand head-and-shoulders above the rest if you will just have contact systems that actually work and if you will just actually return calls/messages and actually do what you have told your customers you will do.

This is going to vary from state to state based upon state law.  In TN we have to take some courses (and pass them) before taking the exam.  I can't remember the details.  A google search should give you the details for your state.

I mean - would any of you even refer to a FB group as an "online community"?

First, I'll say that I think that Bigger Pockets is an awesome community.  But let me ask everyone's thoughts on this question:  Would you consider a private Facebook Group to be an "online community"?  I came across two different  life/business coaches recently and one other organization that advertised their "online community".  As it turns out, once you pay to get in, all it really is is a private Facebook group.  Now, the cost was not too much to get in ($50 a month or less), but there's just a friggin FB group.  I'm a little older, so I was involved with some great online communities before FB was even born.  The FB group thing, the format, structure, and content are just lousy compared to a true online community like BiggerPockets.  What do y'all think?  Is it just cause I'm not used to FB groups?

Get the license.  If you don't want to do any Realtor work (or not much), you don't have to.  Refer your Realtor leads to a Realtor in your office who has a history of success and make referral commissions.  In my area, referral commissions run 25% of the side (for example, 25% of 3% and then split that with the broker).  You do the math, but you can earn hundreds (or maybe thousands) of dollars per hour by making referrals on the side.  You will have about 2-3K per year in expenses, but you can easily make that up and more with referrals and by selectively working with friends and family.

Well, not exactly. But I got my start in this biz by buying a bank-owned fixer. After we got it rehabbed and moved in, we then went and got a HELOC on the equity and used it to start flipping/investing.

Man, back before the crash, I had a small local bank that would would do cash-out refis for me at 85% of the tax card (the property tax appraisal).  It was sweet!  I knew how much I could pull out of a house before I ever even bought it.  I often pulled out more than I had invested.  Then everything crashed.  Party ended.  Wow, it was fun while it lasted though.

@Greg H.  Maybe you were thinking of the Realtor Code of Ethics Standard of Practice 1-3 which I have copied below.  But I think that the intent with this SoP is to keep Realtors from telling a seller that their house is worth 200k (when it's really only worth 150) just to get the listing. 

• Standard of Practice 1-3

REALTORS®, in attempting to secure a listing, shall not deliberately mislead the owner as to market value.