Wire fraud rears its ugly head and strikes one of Karen's clients.

Wire fraud rears its ugly head and strikes one of Karen's clients.

067 - Wire Fraud, it's a real thing

Karen and Kevin dive deep into the dark underworld of property taxes when they uncover shenanigans being played by a new home builder aimed at increasing the tax assessments on houses that had already been sold. After enlisting the help of a local journalist, they end up face to face with a surprisingly helpful representative of the Harris County Tax Office.

Karen and Kevin dive deep into the dark underworld of property taxes when they uncover shenanigans being played by a new home builder aimed at increasing the tax assessments on houses that had already been sold. After enlisting the help of a local journalist, they end up face to face with a surprisingly helpful representative of the Harris County Tax Office.

066 - Shenanigans!

Jon Rosenthal

 We normally tend to try to steer clear of discussing politics because frankly, the topic sucks, and it's not entertaining to hear people bitch and moan about what's wrong with the country.  After all, if you want to see a change in how our government works, you should run for office and do something about it instead of complaining.  This week, we bring you an example of just that.  Jon Rosenthal is a personal friend of ours who has put himself out there to run for a seat in House District 135 for the Texas State Legislature.  Regardless of your political stripe or affiliation, we think you'll enjoy the conversation we had with Jon, and we wish him nothing but success!  If you live in his district in Cypress, TX, we hope you'll pull the lever for Jon in November.

We normally tend to try to steer clear of discussing politics because frankly, the topic sucks, and it's not entertaining to hear people bitch and moan about what's wrong with the country.  After all, if you want to see a change in how our government works, you should run for office and do something about it instead of complaining. This week, we bring you an example of just that.  Jon Rosenthal is a personal friend of ours who has put himself out there to run for a seat in House District 135 for the Texas State Legislature.  Regardless of your political stripe or affiliation, we think you'll enjoy the conversation we had with Jon, and we wish him nothing but success! If you live in his district in Cypress, TX, we hope you'll pull the lever for Jon in November.

065 - Jon Rosenthal

Where have we been?  That's a good question.  Listen to this episode to find out what caused our long break from the show and what you can expect for the future.

Where have we been?  That's a good question.  Listen to this episode to find out what caused our long break from the show and what you can expect for the future.

064 - Where have we been?

Joseph Gozlan

 In today's episode, we interview Joseph Gozlan from EBG Acquisitions.  Joseph is a multifamily investments specialist. Leading group acquisitions of over $11MM in real estate and providing asset management services to a portfolio of 156 units with 97 additional units currently under contract and growing.  In our conversation, we learn more about multifamily properties, how syndication works, and how individuals can participate in these investments with their retirement dollars.    Joseph is also the author of the book,   "The Real Estate College Fund", which helps first time investors recognize the advantages and risks of investing in real estate, and offers ways to mitigate those risks.  Also in this episode, we cover some listener feedback that proves that Kevin is (occasionally) right!

In today's episode, we interview Joseph Gozlan from EBG Acquisitions.  Joseph is a multifamily investments specialist. Leading group acquisitions of over $11MM in real estate and providing asset management services to a portfolio of 156 units with 97 additional units currently under contract and growing. In our conversation, we learn more about multifamily properties, how syndication works, and how individuals can participate in these investments with their retirement dollars.   Joseph is also the author of the book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Real-Estate-College-Fund-college/dp/1520943938/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> "The Real Estate College Fund"</a>, which helps first time investors recognize the advantages and risks of investing in real estate, and offers ways to mitigate those risks. Also in this episode, we cover some listener feedback that proves that Kevin is (occasionally) right!

063 - Multifamily Syndication with Joseph Gozlan

It's been a long time since we published our last episode.  Too long.  In today's episode we catch you up on the series of unfortunate events that have kept Karen and Kevin away from the mics for so long.

It's been a long time since we published our last episode.  Too long.  In today's episode we catch you up on the series of unfortunate events that have kept Karen and Kevin away from the mics for so long.

062 - Back in the Saddle

Karen closed on a transaction she's been working on for quite some time, and shares the ups and downs of the transaction.  Listen as she shares the blow by blow of the negotiation and how it played out. Having an agent who will negotiate hard for you and protect your negotiating position is crucial, and so many agents throw their clients under the bus in the hopes of closing the transaction quickly.

Karen closed on a transaction she's been working on for quite some time, and shares the ups and downs of the transaction.  Listen as she shares the blow by blow of the negotiation and how it played out. Having an agent who will negotiate hard for you and protect your negotiating position is crucial, and so many agents throw their clients under the bus in the hopes of closing the transaction quickly.

061 - Closing Day!

Smart Zip

Today, we bring you an interview with Aaron Moore of Smart Zip.  Karen recently became a client of Aaron's because they do some pretty impressive things with applying data analytics and applying it to real estate.

Today, we bring you an interview with Aaron Moore of Smart Zip.  Karen recently became a client of Aaron's because they do some pretty impressive things with applying data analytics and applying it to real estate.

060 - Smart Zip

In this supersized episode, we talk about what we did leading up to and in the aftermath of the arrival of Hurricane Harvey. I don't think we need much more of an introduction than that.

In this supersized episode, we talk about what we did leading up to and in the aftermath of the arrival of Hurricane Harvey. I don't think we need much more of an introduction than that.

059 - Hurricane Harvey

Eric Dolan

Postnet Tomball

From time to time we like to welcome other entrepreneurs on the show to talk about their businesses and their own real estate stories.  This week, we welcome our friend Eric Dolan, who in his career has been in the Army, the Oil &amp; Gas industry, and is now in business for himself. As the owner of the PostNet franchise in Tomball, TX, Eric shares a number of stories about the challenges and rewards of starting his own business.  He talks about lessons he's learned and some interesting people he's met along the way.  He also walks us through the process he used to select his commercial storefront location. If you have any printing, shipping, or mailing needs, we highly recommend Eric.  He will take GREAT care of you.

From time to time we like to welcome other entrepreneurs on the show to talk about their businesses and their own real estate stories.  This week, we welcome our friend Eric Dolan, who in his career has been in the Army, the Oil &amp; Gas industry, and is now in business for himself. As the owner of the PostNet franchise in Tomball, TX, Eric shares a number of stories about the challenges and rewards of starting his own business.  He talks about lessons he's learned and some interesting people he's met along the way.  He also walks us through the process he used to select his commercial storefront location. If you have any printing, shipping, or mailing needs, we highly recommend Eric.  He will take GREAT care of you.

058 - Eric Dolan, Owner, Postnet Tomball

Everyone has a real estate story, and this is the podcast that gives you the information you need to keep your story from becoming a horror story!Join Houston based agents Karen and Kevin Scott as they share stories (some of them cautionary tales) of the real estate industry in Texas.  Funny, irreverent, and real, Karen and Kevin bring their own style to the show and share with you their perspectives and experiences in this sometimes crazy and other times shocking industry.You can reach the hosts by calling 832-559-0480.

In a world where real estate agents try to project themselves as perfect all the time, it’s refreshing to hear one talking from the gut. 

If I were buying or selling, I’d want an agent like Karen!

Fun, irreverent, engaging!

I love the topics that get covered on this show! Valuable information and fun hosts!!

Great show!

Everyone has a real estate story, and this is the podcast that gives you the information you need to keep your story from becoming a horror story! Join Houston based agents Karen and Kevin Scott as they share stories (some of them cautionary tales) of the real estate industry in Texas. Funny, irreverent, and real, Karen and Kevin bring their own style to the show and share with you their perspectives and experiences in this sometimes crazy and other times shocking industry. You can reach the hosts by calling 832-559-0480.

Texas Real Estate Bible Podcast

When it comes to pricing your home, the market really, truly doesn't give a shit about two things that are probably really important to you as a seller:   * What you owe on the house   * How much cash you expect to get out of the sale (for whatever reason)  We opened this episode chatting about the state of the market in Houston, and why it's not going down as many people believe.  In fact, recent sales figures for the overall market seem to indicate that the market is still strong, with inventory still below the level of what is considered a "balanced" market.  That means if your house isn't selling, it's not because of a poor marketing job, it's probably because it's priced too high for the location and condition. Many people have an idea on their heads about how much money they expect to put in their pockets after their home is sold.  Typically, this number is influenced by how much they owe on their home, how much money they need for their next house, or just flat out what the homeowner thinks it's worth. The reality is your buyer doesn't care.  Your buyer doesn't care how much your mortgage is, or how much money you need for your next down payment, or what you think you should get.  All the buyer really and truly cares about is whether or not they are willing to pay what you're asking.  If not, your house isn't going to sell, no matter how much righteous indignation you feel. Your agent's job is to be an expert in the process of selling the home; To keep you out of trouble; To make sure all of the moving pieces fall into the right places at the right time; And yes, to make sure your home sells for as close to the contract price as possible.

057 - The Market Doesn't Give A Sh!t

David Letterman had a recurring segment on his show called "Stupid Pet Tricks".  Similarly, we are introducing "Stupid Agent Tricks" as (probably) a recurring topic on the show.  In the episode, we discuss some of the "sinners" we've run in to recently.   We talk about the latest abomination from the brokers, gurus, and sales coaches who think the BINGO card pictured here is a great way to motivate their agents to do something they hate - make cold calls.  Can you imagine yourself *hoping* to get cussed out on a sales call just so you can win this game?   We also talk about one recent example of agents we both encountered in the past couple of weeks who don't know the rules of the industry in which they operate.   Finally, we explore some of the ridiculous lengths that Karen has had to go to keep her deals from falling apart because of lazy/incompetent agents on the other side.

052 - Stupid Agent Tricks

Are you a police officer, fire fighter, teacher, or EMT?  If so, you qualify to get your house for 50% off of list price by buying it from HUD!   This week, we explore a source of potential homes and investment houses that most people don't normally think of.  The US Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD for short.   When a bank forecloses on a loan that has been guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration, the government makes the bank whole and the house ends up in the inventory of homes owned and offered for sale by HUD.  If you'd like to browse the properties they're selling, you can find them all at www.hudhomestore.com.   Keep in mind though that you have to submit your bids through a licensed agent, and if your bid is accepted, you have very little wiggle room as all sales are "as-is, where is".  For this reason, we recommend that you lowball your offers.  If you don't hear back within 1 business day, you know your offer was rejected and you can resubmit a new bid if you like or move on to another house.

Are you a police officer, fire fighter, teacher, or EMT?  If so, you qualify to get your house for 50% off of list price by buying it from HUD!   This week, we explore a source of potential homes and investment houses that most people don't normally think of.  The US Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD for short.   When a bank forecloses on a loan that has been guaranteed by the Federal Housing Administration, the government makes the bank whole and the house ends up in the inventory of homes owned and offered for sale by HUD.  If you'd like to browse the properties they're selling, you can find them all at <a href="http://www.hudhomestore.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.hudhomestore.com</a>.   Keep in mind though that you have to submit your bids through a licensed agent, and if your bid is accepted, you have very little wiggle room as all sales are "as-is, where is".  For this reason, we recommend that you lowball your offers.  If you don't hear back within 1 business day, you know your offer was rejected and you can resubmit a new bid if you like or move on to another house.

053 - HUD Homes

When we were homebuyers, it was irritating to us that our agent wouldn’t answer certain questions that we thought were perfectly reasonable. Now that Karen is an agent, we know exactly why he wouldn’t provide direct answers to what we thought were simple questions. Questions like:  “What are the demographics in this area?” "How are the schools here?” “What are the crime statistics of this neighborhood?” “Is there a church nearby?” “Is this a nice neighborhood?”  If an agent were to provide a direct answer to any of these questions and others like them, they would be putting themselves at risk of running afoul of the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, sex, national origin, or religion. The best your agent can do is to provide you with places to do your own research and answer these questions for yourself. It’s unfortunate, but this is what your friendly neighborhood real estate agent has to do to stay on the right side of the law!

When we were homebuyers, it was irritating to us that our agent wouldn’t answer certain questions that we thought were perfectly reasonable. Now that Karen is an agent, we know exactly why he wouldn’t provide direct answers to what we thought were simple questions. Questions like: <ul> <li>“What are the demographics in this area?”</li> <li>"How are the schools here?”</li> <li>“What are the crime statistics of this neighborhood?”</li> <li>“Is there a church nearby?”</li> <li>“Is this a nice neighborhood?”</li> </ul> If an agent were to provide a direct answer to any of these questions and others like them, they would be putting themselves at risk of running afoul of the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, sex, national origin, or religion. The best your agent can do is to provide you with places to do your own research and answer these questions for yourself. It’s unfortunate, but this is what your friendly neighborhood real estate agent has to do to stay on the right side of the law!

048 - Questions Your Agent CAN'T Answer

Karen and I have our shows that we watch together to unwind.  One of our favorite shows is "Adam Ruins Everything".  The show, hosted by Adam Conover is a mainstay on our DVR because it shows the hidden side of many things that we just take for granted in our culture. A recent episode entitled "Adam Ruins Housing" piqued our interest because, obviously, we're in the business.  Before we watched the episode, we saw a preview of it on Facebook, and had a conversation with some friends about some crazy statements that were made in the clip. After the episode aired, we knew we had to do an episode to rebut the half truths, misstatements, and outright lies that were told about the real estate industry in the first 6 minutes of the show.  Listen in as we share the details of the conversation we had with one of the actual sources cited on the episode.  Spoiler alert: His study actually stated the opposite of what the episode said.

Karen and I have our shows that we watch together to unwind.  One of our favorite shows is "<a href="http://www.trutv.com/shows/adam-ruins-everything/index.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Adam Ruins Everything</a>".  The show, hosted by Adam Conover is a mainstay on our DVR because it shows the hidden side of many things that we just take for granted in our culture. A recent episode entitled "<a href="http://www.trutv.com/full-episodes/adam-ruins-everything/2084667/index.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Adam Ruins Housing</a>" piqued our interest because, obviously, we're in the business.  Before we watched the episode, we saw a preview of it on Facebook, and had a conversation with some friends about some crazy statements that were made in the clip. After the episode aired, we knew we had to do an episode to rebut the half truths, misstatements, and outright lies that were told about the real estate industry in the first 6 minutes of the show.  Listen in as we share the details of the conversation we had with one of the actual sources cited on the episode.  Spoiler alert: His study actually stated the opposite of what the episode said.

020: Adam Ruins Housing Rebuttal

Recently, Karen was representing a set of buyers who found a house that they really liked.  It was in the neighborhood they wanted, it was exactly the right size for their family, and it (almost) fit their budget.  Truth be told, according to the data on other similar homes that had recently sold in the neighborhood, it was overpriced by about $20,000.

Recently, Karen was representing a set of buyers who found a house that they really liked.  It was in the neighborhood they wanted, it was exactly the right size for their family, and it (almost) fit their budget.  Truth be told, according to the data on other similar homes that had recently sold in the neighborhood, it was overpriced by about $20,000.

018: Seller Commandment 2 - Thou Shalt Heed Thy Agent's Advice On Pricing Thy Home

Get ready for a wild one!  Karen blows off some steam in this episode.  After spending a lot of time and effort with a client, she was dismissed by the client with no explanation.  Obviously it's the client's decision as to who represents them, but it's basic common courtesy to explain your thinking to someone who has invested a lot of time and money into helping you find the perfect home for you, and who now will not be paid for it. Real estate agents are people with families too!  Consider this: Most people go look at houses after normal business hours and/or on weekends.  That's time people normally spend with their families.  Every hour an agent spends with you is an hour they choose to spend away from their family.  So yes, it's the right thing to do to offer an explanation so to why you're terminating your representation agreement. You might say, "Well, that's the lifestyle the agent chooses by their choice of profession."  True.  It's also true that wasted time is just a part of the cost of doing business.  However, none of that is an excuse for you as a client to be rude. Look, we get it.  This industry is filled with real estate agents who will beg, badger, plead, and otherwise devalue themselves just to get your business.  That's not Karen or any of the other agents who we have in our referral network.  If that's what you want representing you, there are plenty of agents out there to choose from.  However, if you want to work with someone who is authentic and real; if you will respect their time as much as they will respect your transaction, we want to hear from you!

Get ready for a wild one!  Karen blows off some steam in this episode.  After spending a lot of time and effort with a client, she was dismissed by the client with no explanation.  Obviously it's the client's decision as to who represents them, but it's basic common courtesy to explain your thinking to someone who has invested a lot of time and money into helping you find the perfect home for you, and who now will not be paid for it. Real estate agents are people with families too!  Consider this: Most people go look at houses after normal business hours and/or on weekends.  That's time people normally spend with their families.  Every hour an agent spends with you is an hour they choose to spend away from their family.  So yes, it's the right thing to do to offer an explanation so to why you're terminating your representation agreement. You might say, "Well, that's the lifestyle the agent chooses by their choice of profession."  True.  It's also true that wasted time is just a part of the cost of doing business.  However, none of that is an excuse for you as a client to be rude. Look, we get it.  This industry is filled with real estate agents who will beg, badger, plead, and otherwise devalue themselves just to get your business.  That's not Karen or any of the other agents who we have in our <a href="http://texasrealestatebible.com/referral-network" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">referral network</a>.  If that's what you want representing you, there are plenty of agents out there to choose from.  However, if you want to work with someone who is authentic and real; if you will respect their time as much as they will respect your transaction, <a href="http://texasrealestatebible.com/referral-network-clients" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">we want to hear from you</a>!

046 - Buyer Commandment 6 - Thou Shalt Respect Thy Agent's Time

Karen and Kevin discuss part 1 of Getting To Know Kevin. In this episode, you'll learn about what makes your host tick.  We cover his formative years through college.  After listening to this episode, you'll have the answers to the following questions: How much money did he make selling candy to his classmates in grade school? Can Kevin dance? Why did he join the Air Force at the ripe old age of 27? The answers to all this and more in this episode.

Karen and Kevin discuss part 1 of Getting To Know Kevin. In this episode, you'll learn about what makes your host tick.  We cover his formative years through college.  After listening to this episode, you'll have the answers to the following questions: How much money did he make selling candy to his classmates in grade school? Can Kevin dance? Why did he join the Air Force at the ripe old age of 27? The answers to all this and more in this episode.

016: Getting To Know Kevin (Part 1)

Brian K. Wright

The stated purpose of this podcast has from the beginning been to generate content that would eventually become a book.  As we've stressed in the past, if you want a job done right, you have to hire a competent professional to help you.  We believe this with real estate, and we took our own advice when it came to writing the book based on this show. We've been doing this for over a year now, and we have hired Brian K. Wright to ghost write our book for us.  In this episode you'll find out about Brian's background and why we think he is uniquely qualified to write for us.   Brian is also the host of his own very successful podcast, Success Profiles Radio, we recommend you give it a listen.

The stated purpose of this podcast has from the beginning been to generate content that would eventually become a book.  As we've stressed in the past, if you want a job done right, you have to hire a competent professional to help you.  We believe this with real estate, and we took our own advice when it came to writing the book based on this show. We've been doing this for over a year now, and we have hired Brian K. Wright to ghost write our book for us.  In this episode you'll find out about Brian's background and why we think he is uniquely qualified to write for us.   Brian is also the host of his own very successful podcast, Success Profiles Radio, we recommend you give it a listen.

056 - Brian K. Wright, Ghost Writer

Not all offers are the same.  There are many ways a crafty buyer can hide costs in their offer that reduce the overall value of deal for you as a seller.  This is one of the many reasons why you need a competent, detail oriented agent looking out for your best interests in your transaction. In this episode, we delve in to some of the nooks and crannies that make up the offer and walk you through your options when you're selling your home.  For example, did you know that your buyer's source of financing can have an impact on the total amount of money you end up with in your pocket?  I didn't know that either until we recorded this episode!

Not all offers are the same.  There are many ways a crafty buyer can hide costs in their offer that reduce the overall value of deal for you as a seller.  This is one of the many reasons why you need a competent, detail oriented agent looking out for your best interests in your transaction. In this episode, we delve in to some of the nooks and crannies that make up the offer and walk you through your options when you're selling your home.  For example, did you know that your buyer's source of financing can have an impact on the total amount of money you end up with in your pocket?  I didn't know that either until we recorded this episode!

023: Seller's Commandment 3 - Thou Shalt Understand the Anatomy of Thy Offer

It's common knowledge that if you're going to buy an existing home, you are more than likely going to need an agent.  What isn't as common knowledge is that agents are absolutely essential when buying a new home from a home builder too! Think about it - everything the builder does and says is intended for a single purpose: to get the most money out of you as possible.  When you deal directly with the builder, and worse yet, you use the builder's inspector, lender, title company, etc, there is literally nobody in the transaction who is looking out for your best interests.  Enter your real estate agent.  A properly trained and experienced agent will be your advocate throughout the entire process, and will provide you with the information the builder doesn't want you to know.  For instance, how much the house is actually worth based on comparable properties in the area.  Buying a house that isn't even built yet?  Your agent can provide even more value!  Best of all, the services of your agent are paid for by the builder - AT NO COST TO YOU!  Listen to the episode to learn all the details. In the interest of limiting the length of our episodes, this is Part 1 of 2 for this Commandment.

It's common knowledge that if you're going to buy an existing home, you are more than likely going to need an agent.  What isn't as common knowledge is that agents are absolutely essential when buying a new home from a home builder too! Think about it - everything the builder does and says is intended for a single purpose: to get the most money out of you as possible.  When you deal directly with the builder, and worse yet, you use the builder's inspector, lender, title company, etc, there is literally nobody in the transaction who is looking out for your best interests.  Enter your real estate agent.  A properly trained and experienced agent will be your advocate throughout the entire process, and will provide you with the information the builder doesn't want you to know.  For instance, how much the house is actually worth based on comparable properties in the area.  Buying a house that isn't even built yet?  Your agent can provide even more value!  Best of all, the services of your agent are paid for by the builder - AT NO COST TO YOU! Listen to the episode to learn all the details. In the interest of limiting the length of our episodes, this is Part 1 of 2 for this Commandment.

014: Buyer Commandment 2 - Thou Shalt Use An Agent Even If Thou Art Buying A New Build Home (Part 1 of 2)

This is part 2 of 2 of Buyer Commandment 2. From helping you avoid questionable design choices to helping you save big money on your new home, your Buyer's Agent is a key component of your new home build, and his/her services are completely free to you!  What a great deal!

This is part 2 of 2 of Buyer Commandment 2. From helping you avoid questionable design choices to helping you save big money on your new home, your Buyer's Agent is a key component of your new home build, and his/her services are completely free to you!  What a great deal!

015: Buyer Commandment 2 - Thou Shalt Use An Agent Even If Thou Art Buying A New Build Home  (Part 2 of 2)

It's been a frequently repeated position on the podcast that the barriers to entry into the real estate business are far too low, and that results in a lot of unqualified people getting their licenses.  These agents frequently get frustrated with how difficult it is to be consistently successful as agents.  They frequently take these frustrations out on their fellow agents by making transactions harder than they need to be. In this episode, we tell a number of stories of agents who refused to maintain their professionalism, and in the process ended up costing their clients money.  The upshot of these stories - as an agent, it is your JOB to be professional and dispassionate so that you can act in the best interest of your client at all times.

It's been a frequently repeated position on the podcast that the barriers to entry into the real estate business are far too low, and that results in a lot of unqualified people getting their licenses.  These agents frequently get frustrated with how difficult it is to be consistently successful as agents.  They frequently take these frustrations out on their fellow agents by making transactions harder than they need to be. In this episode, we tell a number of stories of agents who refused to maintain their professionalism, and in the process ended up costing their clients money.  The upshot of these stories - as an agent, it is your JOB to be professional and dispassionate so that you can act in the best interest of your client at all times.

022 - Agent Commandment 5: Thou Shalt Not Be A Jerk To Other Agents

As real estate dorks, we enjoy watching HGTV (well, 2 out of 3 of us do).  There are some great pieces of information you can get out of watching the many great shows on the channel.  For example, you can get a very good idea of what styles and finishes you like in homes, and you can get a great idea of what kind of layouts appeal to you.  However, while watching any television show, it's important for you to remember that pretty much everything you see is scripted, and only about half of it is true.  For example, on renovation shows it's pretty common for the contractor to give a cost estimate on the spot after eyeballing the house for 2 minutes.  This will not happen to you in real life.  Furthermore, the prices they quote differ greatly when they are on camera versus how they would answer to you in real life. Enjoy this episode as we delve in to our favorite HGTV (and other channel) shows and point out the things you should be taking with a grain of salt.

As real estate dorks, we enjoy watching HGTV (well, 2 out of 3 of us do).  There are some great pieces of information you can get out of watching the many great shows on the channel.  For example, you can get a very good idea of what styles and finishes you like in homes, and you can get a great idea of what kind of layouts appeal to you.  However, while watching any television show, it's important for you to remember that pretty much everything you see is scripted, and only about half of it is true.  For example, on renovation shows it's pretty common for the contractor to give a cost estimate on the spot after eyeballing the house for 2 minutes.  This will not happen to you in real life.  Furthermore, the prices they quote differ greatly when they are on camera versus how they would answer to you in real life. Enjoy this episode as we delve in to our favorite HGTV (and other channel) shows and point out the things you should be taking with a grain of salt.

021 - Buyer Commandment 4: Thou Shalt Remember Thou Art NOT On HGTV

In this episode we wrap up the Kevin interview. You'll learn of the triumphs and failures that shape who he is today. You'll also learn who he thinks would win in a fight between Spider-Man and Batman, and what his life would be if Star Wars had never been made.

In this episode we wrap up the Kevin interview. You'll learn of the triumphs and failures that shape who he is today. You'll also learn who he thinks would win in a fight between Spider-Man and Batman, and what his life would be if Star Wars had never been made.

017: Getting to Know Kevin (Part 2)

In this, the 10th and final Client Commandment, we cover the basics of the Closing Disclosure, and the things you really should know about before you sit down at the closing table.  We bring you up to speed about the things you should question, and the things that really are normal. We also get in to some story telling about a home warranty company that really needs to be called out for being sleazy.  Enjoy the fireworks!

In this, the 10th and final Client Commandment, we cover the basics of the Closing Disclosure, and the things you really should know about before you sit down at the closing table.  We bring you up to speed about the things you should question, and the things that really are normal. We also get in to some story telling about a home warranty company that really needs to be called out for being sleazy.  Enjoy the fireworks!

055 - Seller Commandment 4 - Thou Shalt Understand The Closing Disclosure

If you're a new agent, you will likely be approached fairly quickly by an experienced agent who wants you to join his/her team.  They pitch it to you as a great deal for you because they have a steady flow of leads from all of their existing marketing efforts, and for a cut of the commission, you can almost immediately start making some money and learning the ropes. All of that sounds great, and it would be great if that were the whole story, but sadly it's not.  Frequently, your responsibilities under this team agreement begin to sound like a job description.  Okay, that might be fine for people who need a little structure in their business.  If you're in to that kind of stuff, knock yourself out.  But the one thing that is common in these team agreements is something I simply cannot condone: On top of the requirements for you to spend a minimum number of hours prospecting for leads for the team, if your prospecting does turn up a qualified home SELLER, you are required to hand that lead over to the team leader for him/her to handle. THIS IS NEVER OKAY. While it does take a lot of work to help a client sell a home (which you can learn about in Episode 10), it's far more time intensive to represent a buyer because of all the driving to showings (and working around your buyers' schedules) that you will have to do.  The team leader will try to justify this by telling you they're sending  you all the buyers listings, but wait a minute,  you're paying the team leader a cut of all of your commissions in exchange for those leads, you don't owe them your sellers too! Why is this bad?  There's a damn good reason the team leader wants to represent sellers (and only sellers).  After selling their home, what does a seller need immediately after?  That's right!  A new home!  Typically sellers provide their agents with two transactions, a sell followed by a buy!  Sellers are also typically much lower cost clients to acquire, especially if the seller comes to you because you represented them on their original purchase.  DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR SELLERS, FOLKS!  A seller that comes to you as a repeat customer is your reward for doing a great job for them the first time around and for continuing to be in touch with them after the sale.

If you're a new agent, you will likely be approached fairly quickly by an experienced agent who wants you to join his/her team.  They pitch it to you as a great deal for you because they have a steady flow of leads from all of their existing marketing efforts, and for a cut of the commission, you can almost immediately start making some money and learning the ropes. All of that sounds great, and it would be great if that were the whole story, but sadly it's not.  Frequently, your responsibilities under this team agreement begin to sound like a job description.  Okay, that might be fine for people who need a little structure in their business.  If you're in to that kind of stuff, knock yourself out.  But the one thing that is common in these team agreements is something I simply cannot condone: On top of the requirements for you to spend a minimum number of hours prospecting for leads for the team, if your prospecting does turn up a qualified home SELLER, you are required to hand that lead over to the team leader for him/her to handle. THIS IS NEVER OKAY. While it does take a lot of work to help a client sell a home (which you can learn about in <a href="http://texasrealestatebible.com/archives/339" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Episode 10</a>), it's far more time intensive to represent a buyer because of all the driving to showings (and working around your buyers' schedules) that you will have to do.  The team leader will try to justify this by telling you they're sending  you all the buyers listings, but wait a minute,  you're paying the team leader a cut of all of your commissions in exchange for those leads, you don't owe them your sellers too! Why is this bad?  There's a damn good reason the team leader wants to represent sellers (and only sellers).  After selling their home, what does a seller need immediately after?  That's right!  A new home!  Typically sellers provide their agents with two transactions, a sell followed by a buy!  Sellers are also typically much lower cost clients to acquire, especially if the seller comes to you because you represented them on their original purchase.  DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR SELLERS, FOLKS!  A seller that comes to you as a repeat customer is your reward for doing a great job for them the first time around and for continuing to be in touch with them after the sale.

026: Agent Commandment 6 - Thou Shalt Not Join A Team That Requires You To Give Away Your Sellers

This week, we rebroadcast for you our mutual favorite episode, our rebuttal to the Adam Ruins Everything episode on real estate. Since Kevin is traveling internationally, we are broadcasting this "best of" episode from our archives.   We will return next week with a new original episode.

This week, we rebroadcast for you our mutual favorite episode, our rebuttal to the Adam Ruins Everything episode on real estate. Since Kevin is traveling internationally, we are broadcasting this "best of" episode from our archives.   We will return next week with a new original episode.

054 - (Rebroadcast) Adam Ruins Everything Rebuttal

Put yourself in the place of a couple who find a great rental on Craigslist.com.  The house was beautiful, it was in a great neighborhood, and it was being listed below market!  They were happy with the pictures they saw in the ad, so they called the number.  The landlord said there had been a lot of interest in the property, so if they really wanted it, they'd have to make a decision quickly and send in their application and application fee quickly, so they did. A few days later, they got a call from the landlord to let them know that of the 7 applications that he'd received, he'd chosen their application.  Of course they were very happy and eager to know what to do next.  The landlord said he was about to go out of town on vacation for a week, so if they'd just mail money orders constituting first and last month's rent and security deposit, he'd meet them at the house on the day the lease began to deliver the keys. On moving day, they showed up and wondered why there were other moving trucks on the street.  It turns out that the person they'd thought was the landlord actually didn't own the property, and the real owner had no idea what had been going on.  The scam artist had made the same promises to 7 different callers, and had made off with roughly $80,000 in money orders that had been sent in to cover rents and security deposits.  Even worse, the scam artist had all of their personal information from the application and stole their identities, opening credit card accounts in their names! It's scams like this that underline how important it is to have a real estate agent working on your behalf, even if you're renting a home or apartment.  Their services are completely free to you, and they have access to resources that will help to ensure you're never the victim of a scam artist.  Listen to this story and more in this episode!

Put yourself in the place of a couple who find a great rental on <a href="http://Craigslist.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Craigslist.com</a>.  The house was beautiful, it was in a great neighborhood, and it was being listed below market!  They were happy with the pictures they saw in the ad, so they called the number.  The landlord said there had been a lot of interest in the property, so if they really wanted it, they'd have to make a decision quickly and send in their application and application fee quickly, so they did. A few days later, they got a call from the landlord to let them know that of the 7 applications that he'd received, he'd chosen their application.  Of course they were very happy and eager to know what to do next.  The landlord said he was about to go out of town on vacation for a week, so if they'd just mail money orders constituting first and last month's rent and security deposit, he'd meet them at the house on the day the lease began to deliver the keys. On moving day, they showed up and wondered why there were other moving trucks on the street.  It turns out that the person they'd thought was the landlord actually didn't own the property, and the real owner had no idea what had been going on.  The scam artist had made the same promises to 7 different callers, and had made off with roughly $80,000 in money orders that had been sent in to cover rents and security deposits.  Even worse, the scam artist had all of their personal information from the application and stole their identities, opening credit card accounts in their names! It's scams like this that underline how important it is to have a real estate agent working on your behalf, even if you're renting a home or apartment.  Their services are completely free to you, and they have access to resources that will help to ensure you're never the victim of a scam artist.  Listen to this story and more in this episode!

025: Buyer Commandment 5 - Thou Shalt Not Rent From Craigslist

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