September 21, 2024 • 25 mins
9/21 Shelly Gardner, Keller Williams Louisville East and Eric Pohler, Precision Home Inspections
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to the Chamber Connection on Talk Radio ten eighty,
a program designed for small business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and
community members who are eager to learn more about the
intricacies of running a successful business, hosted each week by
the dedicated staff of the Chamber of Saint Matthews. Now
here's your host for this week, Virginia Heart. COO.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Good afternoon, and welcome to the Chamber Connection. Like you said,
I'm Virginia Heart, your host for today. Today in the studio,
we have with us famous Shelley Garner, the Rhonda Roberts
team at Keller Williams Louisville East, and Eric Poehler with
Precision Home Inspection. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Hey, Virginia, Hey Virginia, thanks for having us.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Thank you all for being here today. We're going to
start out real quick with Shelley and Eric are both
in the real estate industry. They both have history with
that industry. So why don't you tell me a little,
Shelley about who you are, what you do, how long
you've been in the industry.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Okay, So I am a realtor and I have been
in the industry. I'm in my sixth year now. And
I'm a second generation realtor. My mom was a realtor
just north of Tampa.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
And yeah, it's great, it's graty in a realture.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Awesome. All right, Eric, what about you?
Speaker 6 (01:17):
I started up my home inspection business about seven years ago.
I've been in the home industry as far as all
realms of selling and advertising for homes over the years,
and decided to start a home inspection business at that time.
I've built it up to what it is today and
look forward to continue.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
To grow it.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
And I know both of you came from the service
industry before you started in this industry of real estate.
How did that journey get you to where you are today?
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Well, I did grow up living in a hotel and
a restaurant. My family owned that. And you know, hospitality
translates very well to buying and selling houses. So it
doesn't matter whether I'm selling food or selling houses. That
basic underlying principle of I'm here to help you find
what you want that carries through.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Most definitely, Eric, your customer service is great. I know,
talk a little bit about that and how, like Shelley said,
how did that translate for you start in your company?
Speaker 6 (02:16):
Well, I started out in sales, as most people know,
and with sales, you have to build that rapport with
the customer. They don't really buy a product, they buy
from you, and they want to know that person. So
I always build that relationship with the client before I
get into any type of product sales, and that just
translates into my inspections because I also educate and talk
(02:38):
through the inspection and let them know exactly what's going
on with the house and the health and the sturdiness,
and even on the more educational pieces where everything comes together.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Awesome, Great Shelley, What is one of the things that
you love about what you do?
Speaker 4 (02:55):
There are so many things I love about being a realtor.
My very favorite piece of it is handing somebody keys
on closing day. I mean I have been known to
get teary eyed and cry at the table because it's
a big thing. Especially if you're a first time home buyer.
You thought maybe you could never afford a house, You
(03:16):
thought maybe it was without you know, it was out
of your reach. People would be amazed to know and
how many instances that they actually could buy a house
and to hand them keys. I mean, it's better than Christmas.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
Morning. It's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
You are fulfilling a dream for them one hundred percent.
So Eric, about your industry, people will overlook you. I
don't I hate to say that, but they just say,
I don't need a home inspection. Why do they need
a home inspection?
Speaker 6 (03:43):
Well, it's if you look at the national average on
purchasing of homes, the ones that do not get a
home inspection, they usually find at least between fifteen and
twenty thousand dollars worth of issues. And that's not talking
about cosmetics, that's not painting and that type of stuff.
After a home inspection, that actually cuts down to about
four to eight thousand dollars whether I actually have where
(04:07):
they might have little fixes that might not need to
be negotiated through the home process of the selling process
or buying process. So basically, I'm helping people save a
ton of money because that little crack in the basement
might not just be a little crack. It could be
something major or a thirty thousand dollars fix, which I've found.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
So a lot of times does that make the seller
or the buyer walk away from a contract Shelley if
they find something within.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
That Well, it depends on what the thing is. So
part of what I do as a realtor is negotiate
on behalf of my buyers and in all cases I
have their back and I like to educate them on
what they're seeing. And with the help of Eric, who
is a home inspector I work with all the time,
(04:57):
and there's a lot of trust there. I know he's
not going to let me down, so you know, I
come from a place of education, and we talk through
what's realistic and then I give them the information and
then they get to make the choice if they want
to continue in that contract with that house or maybe
that's not the right decision for them, and then maybe
they leave the contract.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
And both of you, in your industry, respect is a
huge thing. You know, you're selling yourselves, You're not just
selling a widget, and you've both done a very good
job at earning that respect throughout the community. What do
you think, Eric, that sets you apart from your competitors.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Well, again, I go back to the education piece.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
Just like Shelley said, is I work really very well
with first time home buyers and it doesn't matter if
they're buying their first house or their tenth house. I
go over all the aspects of the where the shutoff
owls are for your main water shut off to the
gas shut offs. I even taught have taught people how
to change furnuce filters, especially for the first time home
(05:59):
buyer that's never owned anything. So that's more of what
I do. And I do a full walk through, and
I also educate them on all the defects that I find.
And that's why I work very well with Shelley because
she'll know all the defects ahead of time as far
as what it could be possibly wrong. And I also
talk to the client about what type of potential fixes
(06:23):
that is. And now I don't get into costs and
all that because I'm not a contractor, but I will
discuss potential fixes then it could be expensive, and I
let them know that up front without scaring them with
a cost. That way they can make their best decision
on their biggest investment that they're going to make. And
that's why I love what I do, because I'm helping
(06:44):
people actually understand their home that they're buying so they
can take that house and make it into a home.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Great. That's a great asset. Shelley, how do you stand
out as a relature because there are tons of realtors
in our market. What makes you stand out above the rest.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Something that I like to do as a realtor is
come from a place of education, and that's why I
appreciate Eric because he does the same thing. You know,
I have a house. I'm there to help my client
find their house, and you know, I will go through
what they told me they're looking for, make sure it's
you know, it checks their boxes, and we'll go see it.
(07:22):
If it's not for them, I'm not going to make
a buy house they don't want right, So when we
talk about it and I educate them and above all,
they are the final decision maker. So that's what I
always strive for. And I think that might set me
apart from some of my contemporaries.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Well you notice too that when I introduced Shelley to
the show, I said, famous Shelley. Do you want to
talk about why they call you famous? Shelley?
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Well, usually I tell everybody they have to google me
if they want to find out why I'm famous. But
I was the sales and catering director at Famous Dave's
and I was with that organization for eighteen years, and
so I do know. Having grown up in the industry,
I was with for fifteen years, Famous Daves for eighteen years.
I know something about hospitality, customer service and taking care
(08:08):
of people.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
And she was known for Famous Shelley for so long
you couldn't take it away.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
I was Famous Shelley and I just kept it so
it served me.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Well, it's a great name. Let's talk about how you
two met. So Shelley, you want to talk about how
you met Eric.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
So, you know, back in the day when I was
still selling ribs and catering weddings, we were proud members
of the Chamber of Saint Matthew's and I think I've
been a member, I don't know, ten twelve years something
like that at this point. And Eric was a member
when he started his business and we became friends. And
then once I became a realtor, it was a natural fit,
(08:48):
you know, because he could help me, I could help him,
and we each knew the other was going to give
good service to the client.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Awesome, and I will say Famous Shelley Gardner is also
the president of our chamber just so happens to be,
and Eric is a board member. They have been with
the Chamber they have been big cheerleaders of the chamber. Eric,
what is the most value that you find at the chamber?
Speaker 3 (09:13):
The same assis chamber.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
It's more of a community or a family, And that
word family is thrown around a lot, But when you
get together with the same Assage Chamber, no matter what
type of networking event it is, everybody kind of knows everybody,
even if it's the first time meeting, they kind of
feel welcomed. And that's what I really like, and that's
why I really collect with Josh suit Or our CEO
(09:36):
and the rest of the team. And I know faces
have changed over the years, but it's a great commradity
of people and there's a wide range of businesses. And
also we're one of the chambers that grew during COVID.
A lot of people don't know that. Josh Suitor and
his team and Virginia have really kept this team together
(09:56):
and got us through COVID by pivoting and doing a
lot of his new and that bet something to us.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Yeah, it was a great challenge during COVID, I will say,
because small businesses didn't know what was going to happen next,
didn't know what we were going to do, and it
affected everybody's market across the board. And I will say
we have worked really hard for our culture at our chamber.
In our culture, I think is what sets us apart.
Share you anything to say of that.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
You know, as I'm not a native Kentucky and I've
been here thirty you're almost thirty years, so I might
as well be at this point. But my family is
not in Kentucky. So the chamber, Eric said it just
a minute ago, the Chamber acts like family. For me,
the Chamber really is family. It's the family that I
have created for myself. So in addition to be a
(10:44):
fantastic business aspect business aspect, it's really been great for
me personally because like I said, it's the family I've
built for myself.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
And I love the fact that our circle continues to
grow and we accept everybody in. Like Eric said when
we were networking, you know, you may be a stranger
when you walk in, but you're not a stranger when
you walk out the door. And to me, I love
the Chamber and everything about it. I can say I
met Shelley. I've been a Chairer member for almost fourteen
years ago, and Eric it's been almost eight ten years
(11:15):
since you've been around, so you all have been a
great asset to this chamber. So all right, stay with us.
We will be right back with more from Shelley and
Eric on Talk Radio ten eighty.
Speaker 7 (11:34):
Does your business need health insurance? The Benefits Firm is
here to help with a Saint Matthew's Chamber insurance plan.
We can help your small business with health insurance. Our
plants to the Saint Matthew's Chamber cover between two and
two and fifty employees. We offer high quality anthem health
insurance with the best statewide and national networks. You do
not need to wait for your annewal. If you're interested,
please contact me Billy Fowler, President of the Benefits Firm,
(11:57):
at five zero two four six eight one nine to
four or email me at Billy at the Benefits Firm dot.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Com, Talk Radio ten eighty Real News, Real Talk, and
iHeartRadio Station.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Welcome back, Welcome back, Shelley and Eric. We're talking about
the real estate industry, home inspections and the big changes
in your market. Shelley, let me talk about first time buyers.
Those you and Eric love first time buyers. Tell us
about some of the things that first time buyers should
be prepared for when they're looking at a house. You know,
(12:34):
should they figure out how much they can afford already?
Should they already be pre approved? What are some things
that they could do to set themselves up for success?
Speaker 4 (12:43):
So I love first time home buyers. I love all
time home buyers, to be clear, but there's something special
about working with first time home buyers.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
Let me tell you how a lot of people do it,
and then I'm going to tell you how they should
do it.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
So a lot of people are sitting on their couch
watching Netflix, phone in hand, scrolling and going ooh, I
like that house that mends pretty, and then they get
a realtor, and then they get the lender. Last, in actuality,
they need the lender first because the lender is going
to help them establish a budget. They're going to be
(13:16):
able to know how much money they can spend, how
much money they want to spend, and what kind of
loan they're available, you know, what kind of loan is
available for them. And then they get the lender or
I'm sorry, then they get the realtor and then we
go house hunting. So a lot of people do it backwards.
They find their house first, and that's not really house
(13:36):
that they should do it. They need to do money first,
then realter, then house.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Yeah, because that dream house is always bigger than they
actually can afford.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
Yeah, and then they say, well, I don't want a
three thousand dollars a month mortgage payment. Well, then let's
let's get a lender. And then once you get that lender,
if the timing is right for them to start searching,
because some people get all their ducks in a row
and maybe they're not ready for six months, which is
perfectly fine. But once they get their ducks in a
row and they're ready to go, yeah, they need to
(14:06):
know that just because they're approved for a four hundred
thousand dollars house, maybe they don't want that big of
a payment. And so then they figure out where they're
most comfortable, and then we go when we look at
houses in their range, in their budget.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Eric, you said you love first time buyers too. When
do you meet the buyer, do you meet the buyer
with the realator, do you meet the buyers separately? Where
do you come into this dance?
Speaker 6 (14:31):
Well, typically through home inspections. Most of the home inspectors
get their referrals through the realtor, because if you ask
anybody out there on the street, you know, do you
know a realtor? Most everybody knows a realtor. Then you
ask them, you know a home inspector. Nobody knows a
home inspector. So that's where most of my referrals come in.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Now I do.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
I'm in business so long that it's I'm getting referral
business off of my clients because they trust me and
now they're friends and family are buying houses. But for the
first time home buy I don't want to say it's
a fine line because you know, they're so excited about
that new house, and then I come in and start
crushing their dreams when I find major things wrong. So
(15:11):
it's that camarad of me really educating them again, going
back to the education piece that hey, this isn't as
bad as it sounds, because I mean, they see a
crack in the foundation, it's just maybe a surface crack,
and they're freaking out because now the foundation's bad.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
That's not necessarily the case some case that it is.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
But overall that education and getting them to continue to
be excited and if that house doesn't work for them,
I know the reals especially Shelley, is going to find
that next house and we're going to continue working that relationship,
because not all houses the first time around is the
right house just because of the issues, and they might
(15:52):
not have an extra you know, twenty to thirty thousand
sitting in a bank account to fix something. And if
the seller is not going to budge, you know, then
it's on to the next And because the way I
treat my clients, I usually get that second call if
the first one doesn't work out.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Two points to what you just said, Shelley, he said,
sometimes it's not the first house. On average, how many
houses does a person looking for a new house look at.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
That's a great question.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
It really depends gosh, it depends on the house, It
depends on their budget. But I'm going to kind of
answer your question cock Eye. Though, for houses that go
under contract currently in this market, about twenty three percent
of houses, so about one in four, will fall out
of contract.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
Frequently it's due to inspections.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
There's other reasons why people won't continue in the contract,
but about twenty three percent of houses fall out. So
during the pandemic, we saw people not having home inspections,
thinking that that was a competitive tactic that the seller
would say, Oh, they're not going to have a home inspection,
I'm going to pick their offer. That is a terrible
(17:07):
idea because you're buying a used house, unless you're buying
a brand new build up from the ground kind of house,
which I still recommend home inspection for. FYI, you're buying
a used house, you need a home inspector to tell
you what he or she sees.
Speaker 5 (17:27):
Issues with the house.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
It's hugely important, and as a realtor, I insist on
home inspection every time.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
She just opened the door for you, Eric, So, how
long do you spend in a house when you do
a home inspection and what are some typical things that
you're looking for and looking at well.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
A typical homespace.
Speaker 6 (17:43):
Depending on the size of the house, of course, and
also the amount of issues or defects that I'm finding,
it's usually anywhere between two and three hours. If it's
a larger house, it could take up four The largest
I've or the longest I've ever been in a house
is eight and that was on a ten thousand square
foot house, So it depends. There's been some twelve hundred
square foot house I've been three hours because I'm in
(18:05):
a cross space for an hour because of the issue.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
So are you going through every room, every closet, every
light switch? What are you going through? What are some
of your checklists?
Speaker 6 (18:14):
If you basically look at my report, I consider it
around a three hundred point touched inspection. So I'm in
the cross spaces, I'm in the attics, I'm in the
closets and bedrooms, interior, exterior. I look at everything. If
I can get to the outlets, I'm testing them. With
my master certification that I have through in Anachi, I
(18:36):
have a little bit more education, so I'm not referring
out to you know, electrician as HVAC and all that.
I have that extra education where I can pretty much
pinpoint if there's an issue and then I would recommend
a license electrician or repair it and note what the
problem is.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Well, let's talk about some of those silent issues that
come up. I just had a friend that dealt with
black mold. And black mold I know grows slow and
can be hidden for a good while. And I know
you have a product or was it right on for
the air quality and black mode that you have.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
Well, radar is a totally separate issue the mold, and
when we go into a house, even if we see
something growing, and chance of it being black mold is
kind of slim, but it is a possibility. There are
thousands and thousands of different species and familiar of the mold,
(19:29):
so I can't necessarily call it mold. I usually call
it a biological growth, and then I recommend it having
it tested, and then I'm allowed to do that testing.
I'm certified at mold testing, so I do some air quality,
I can do swab testing, and then I send it
up to a lab where it gives me the breakdown
of the exact species and what it exactly is. And
(19:51):
there's a lot of molds out there that could be harmful.
Black mold is one of them, but you have to
be careful calling it black mold because just because it
is black doesn't mean it is that type of mold.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
It could be anything. But they can't pinpoint.
Speaker 6 (20:05):
What each person is allergic to because there's so much
different types of mold spores out there. You could be
allergic to one or not the other.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
So good point. It very depends. But radar is a
whole different subject.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Okay, well, let me ask you tell us about a
little bit about radon, Well, how much time to be
two minutes?
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Right on?
Speaker 6 (20:24):
Is that invisible gas that seeps up from the ground. Now,
when you say invisible gas, everybody has gives you that. Okay, look,
but what it is. It's basically the uranium in the limestone.
So when that uranium starts to decay, it releases a
gas and it seeps up through the cracks and all
that through the slab of the home. So uh, most
(20:45):
people recommend if you have a basement, but I usually
recommend it on any type of house, cross space slab
because there's radar in all houses. Now, Kentucky is also
located in the Zone one category, which is the highest
level of the raid on the country.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Because of the limestone that we have.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
The EPA state said anything over four point oh pigo carries.
Now I'm not going to get into the science of
all that because we just don't have the time, but
especially in pigo carries and if that's over a four
point zero then EPA says it should be mitigated.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
And when we get into those.
Speaker 6 (21:21):
Levels, and I use high tech equipment, I don't buy
the thirty nine dollars thing at home depot. Those are
only about forty percent accurate, and they have to sit
there for a very long time. The equipment I use
is very expensive and certified by the EPA, and I'm
also certified through the EPA, and that to do rate
on testing awesome.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Well, that was a lot of information that I did
not really even realize that we were in that zone
one area, which is kind of scary.
Speaker 6 (21:49):
If I also may include that I'm not here to
scare anybody, but rate On is the number one calls
of one cancer and healthy adults.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
The next is smoking.
Speaker 6 (22:00):
So if you've never spoke to day in your life,
you have issues with your lugs, it could be that
invisible gas seeping up from your basement.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
So what you're saying is home inspection, home inspection, home inspection. Absolutely, Shelley,
I know of a lot has changed in your market. There's
a little bit of a flux in your market. Should
I say, over the last little bit, do you want
to talk about some changes that are coming down the pipeline?
Speaker 5 (22:21):
Yeah, we can talk a little bit about it.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
The National Association of Realtors is currently still.
Speaker 5 (22:28):
Involved in a settlement.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
It spans the entire country, all fifty states, and a
couple of things that are really important for buyers to know.
When you're a seller, you hire an agent to be
your listing agent, and then he or she sells your house.
Up until just recently, as a buyer, I think buyers
(22:50):
were possibly less choosy about their realtors. It was just
whoever answered the phone if they didn't know a realtor.
But now as a buyer, you're absolutely hiring a buyer's agent.
You will be required to sign a buyer's brokerage agreement
and that allows me, as a buyer's agent, to take
(23:12):
you into a house and we work together.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
I'm your agent, you're my client.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
And there's also some things that have changed toward compensation.
If the seller has decided they don't want to pay
for compensation, the buyer may be able to pay. Maybe
they can, maybe they can't. But that is all negotiable.
It's always been negotiable, it remains negotiable, and it just
(23:38):
starts with a basic conversation. Is also nothing for anybody
to be afraid of. It's just, you know, we are professionals.
No matter where there were listing agents or buyers agents,
and we're here to help.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
So you're here to help the client GOLs down to
So both of you have reached over that five year
hump and small business. So I'm going to ask Eric,
what is one tip that you could give a new
person that is starting out in the small business industry?
What tip could you give them to help them out?
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Just keep grinding.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
I know sometimes it's hard you get if you don't
have the right type of client or the business is slow.
I know there's a lot of times where sitting at
home watching TV and saying I got a day off
is you know, that's going to sound like a good day,
but you're also not making money. So I get every
chance I have, I go out networking. That's why I
(24:34):
love the Chamber. They do over three hundred different events,
so I'm typically networking through them. We're different organizations. But
just keep grinding, that's all I can say.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Awesome, Shelly, what about you?
Speaker 4 (24:46):
For anybody thinking of becoming a realtor, and you pass
your test, a lot of people think, oh, I've passed
my licensing exam, Yeah, I'm a realtor now. Well, the
test teaches you how to pass. The test doesn't teach
you how to be a realtor. So what you need
to do is affiliate yourself with an amazing brokerage. Keller
williams Oville East is where I am. They're fantastic, very
(25:08):
education oriented. But that's what you need. You need somebody
or a team to teach you how to be a realtor.
Much easier to go on a team than going on
your own as a solo agent in my opinion.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Awesome, awesome.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Well.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
I would like to thank Shelley Gardner with the Rhonda
Roberts Team, Keller William Louisville East, and Eric Poehler with
Precision Home Inspections for being our guest today. If you're
interested in more information on the Chamber of Saint Matthew's,
check out our website at St matthewswit An Schamber dot com,
or find us on Facebook and LinkedIn. Please join us
(25:42):
next week when we hear from another staffer on something
Welcome to the Chamber Connection on Talk Radio ten eighty,
a program designed for small business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and
community members who are eager to learn more about the
intricacies of running a successful business, hosted each week by
the dedicated staff of the Chamber of Saint Matthews. Now
here's your host for this week, Virginia Heart. COO.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Good afternoon, and welcome to the Chamber Connection. Like you said,
I'm Virginia Heart, your host for today. Today in the studio,
we have with us famous Shelley Garner, the Rhonda Roberts
team at Keller Williams Louisville East, and Eric Poehler with
Precision Home Inspection. Welcome, Welcome, Welcome.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Hey, Virginia, Hey Virginia, thanks for having us.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Thank you all for being here today. We're going to
start out real quick with Shelley and Eric are both
in the real estate industry. They both have history with
that industry. So why don't you tell me a little,
Shelley about who you are, what you do, how long
you've been in the industry.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Okay, So I am a realtor and I have been
in the industry. I'm in my sixth year now. And
I'm a second generation realtor. My mom was a realtor
just north of Tampa.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
And yeah, it's great, it's graty in a realture.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Awesome. All right, Eric, what about you?
Speaker 6 (01:17):
I started up my home inspection business about seven years ago.
I've been in the home industry as far as all
realms of selling and advertising for homes over the years,
and decided to start a home inspection business at that time.
I've built it up to what it is today and
look forward to continue.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
To grow it.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
And I know both of you came from the service
industry before you started in this industry of real estate.
How did that journey get you to where you are today?
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Well, I did grow up living in a hotel and
a restaurant. My family owned that. And you know, hospitality
translates very well to buying and selling houses. So it
doesn't matter whether I'm selling food or selling houses. That
basic underlying principle of I'm here to help you find
what you want that carries through.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Most definitely, Eric, your customer service is great. I know,
talk a little bit about that and how, like Shelley said,
how did that translate for you start in your company?
Speaker 6 (02:16):
Well, I started out in sales, as most people know,
and with sales, you have to build that rapport with
the customer. They don't really buy a product, they buy
from you, and they want to know that person. So
I always build that relationship with the client before I
get into any type of product sales, and that just
translates into my inspections because I also educate and talk
(02:38):
through the inspection and let them know exactly what's going
on with the house and the health and the sturdiness,
and even on the more educational pieces where everything comes together.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
Awesome, Great Shelley, What is one of the things that
you love about what you do?
Speaker 4 (02:55):
There are so many things I love about being a realtor.
My very favorite piece of it is handing somebody keys
on closing day. I mean I have been known to
get teary eyed and cry at the table because it's
a big thing. Especially if you're a first time home buyer.
You thought maybe you could never afford a house, You
(03:16):
thought maybe it was without you know, it was out
of your reach. People would be amazed to know and
how many instances that they actually could buy a house
and to hand them keys. I mean, it's better than Christmas.
Speaker 5 (03:28):
Morning. It's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
You are fulfilling a dream for them one hundred percent.
So Eric, about your industry, people will overlook you. I
don't I hate to say that, but they just say,
I don't need a home inspection. Why do they need
a home inspection?
Speaker 6 (03:43):
Well, it's if you look at the national average on
purchasing of homes, the ones that do not get a
home inspection, they usually find at least between fifteen and
twenty thousand dollars worth of issues. And that's not talking
about cosmetics, that's not painting and that type of stuff.
After a home inspection, that actually cuts down to about
four to eight thousand dollars whether I actually have where
(04:07):
they might have little fixes that might not need to
be negotiated through the home process of the selling process
or buying process. So basically, I'm helping people save a
ton of money because that little crack in the basement
might not just be a little crack. It could be
something major or a thirty thousand dollars fix, which I've found.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
So a lot of times does that make the seller
or the buyer walk away from a contract Shelley if
they find something within.
Speaker 4 (04:37):
That Well, it depends on what the thing is. So
part of what I do as a realtor is negotiate
on behalf of my buyers and in all cases I
have their back and I like to educate them on
what they're seeing. And with the help of Eric, who
is a home inspector I work with all the time,
(04:57):
and there's a lot of trust there. I know he's
not going to let me down, so you know, I
come from a place of education, and we talk through
what's realistic and then I give them the information and
then they get to make the choice if they want
to continue in that contract with that house or maybe
that's not the right decision for them, and then maybe
they leave the contract.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
And both of you, in your industry, respect is a
huge thing. You know, you're selling yourselves, You're not just
selling a widget, and you've both done a very good
job at earning that respect throughout the community. What do
you think, Eric, that sets you apart from your competitors.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Well, again, I go back to the education piece.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
Just like Shelley said, is I work really very well
with first time home buyers and it doesn't matter if
they're buying their first house or their tenth house. I
go over all the aspects of the where the shutoff
owls are for your main water shut off to the
gas shut offs. I even taught have taught people how
to change furnuce filters, especially for the first time home
(05:59):
buyer that's never owned anything. So that's more of what
I do. And I do a full walk through, and
I also educate them on all the defects that I find.
And that's why I work very well with Shelley because
she'll know all the defects ahead of time as far
as what it could be possibly wrong. And I also
talk to the client about what type of potential fixes
(06:23):
that is. And now I don't get into costs and
all that because I'm not a contractor, but I will
discuss potential fixes then it could be expensive, and I
let them know that up front without scaring them with
a cost. That way they can make their best decision
on their biggest investment that they're going to make. And
that's why I love what I do, because I'm helping
(06:44):
people actually understand their home that they're buying so they
can take that house and make it into a home.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Great. That's a great asset. Shelley, how do you stand
out as a relature because there are tons of realtors
in our market. What makes you stand out above the rest.
Speaker 4 (07:01):
Something that I like to do as a realtor is
come from a place of education, and that's why I
appreciate Eric because he does the same thing. You know,
I have a house. I'm there to help my client
find their house, and you know, I will go through
what they told me they're looking for, make sure it's
you know, it checks their boxes, and we'll go see it.
(07:22):
If it's not for them, I'm not going to make
a buy house they don't want right, So when we
talk about it and I educate them and above all,
they are the final decision maker. So that's what I
always strive for. And I think that might set me
apart from some of my contemporaries.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
Well you notice too that when I introduced Shelley to
the show, I said, famous Shelley. Do you want to
talk about why they call you famous? Shelley?
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Well, usually I tell everybody they have to google me
if they want to find out why I'm famous. But
I was the sales and catering director at Famous Dave's
and I was with that organization for eighteen years, and
so I do know. Having grown up in the industry,
I was with for fifteen years, Famous Daves for eighteen years.
I know something about hospitality, customer service and taking care
(08:08):
of people.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
And she was known for Famous Shelley for so long
you couldn't take it away.
Speaker 5 (08:12):
I was Famous Shelley and I just kept it so
it served me.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Well, it's a great name. Let's talk about how you
two met. So Shelley, you want to talk about how
you met Eric.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
So, you know, back in the day when I was
still selling ribs and catering weddings, we were proud members
of the Chamber of Saint Matthew's and I think I've
been a member, I don't know, ten twelve years something
like that at this point. And Eric was a member
when he started his business and we became friends. And
then once I became a realtor, it was a natural fit,
(08:48):
you know, because he could help me, I could help him,
and we each knew the other was going to give
good service to the client.
Speaker 2 (08:55):
Awesome, and I will say Famous Shelley Gardner is also
the president of our chamber just so happens to be,
and Eric is a board member. They have been with
the Chamber they have been big cheerleaders of the chamber. Eric,
what is the most value that you find at the chamber?
Speaker 3 (09:13):
The same assis chamber.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
It's more of a community or a family, And that
word family is thrown around a lot, But when you
get together with the same Assage Chamber, no matter what
type of networking event it is, everybody kind of knows everybody,
even if it's the first time meeting, they kind of
feel welcomed. And that's what I really like, and that's
why I really collect with Josh suit Or our CEO
(09:36):
and the rest of the team. And I know faces
have changed over the years, but it's a great commradity
of people and there's a wide range of businesses. And
also we're one of the chambers that grew during COVID.
A lot of people don't know that. Josh Suitor and
his team and Virginia have really kept this team together
(09:56):
and got us through COVID by pivoting and doing a
lot of his new and that bet something to us.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Yeah, it was a great challenge during COVID, I will say,
because small businesses didn't know what was going to happen next,
didn't know what we were going to do, and it
affected everybody's market across the board. And I will say
we have worked really hard for our culture at our chamber.
In our culture, I think is what sets us apart.
Share you anything to say of that.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
You know, as I'm not a native Kentucky and I've
been here thirty you're almost thirty years, so I might
as well be at this point. But my family is
not in Kentucky. So the chamber, Eric said it just
a minute ago, the Chamber acts like family. For me,
the Chamber really is family. It's the family that I
have created for myself. So in addition to be a
(10:44):
fantastic business aspect business aspect, it's really been great for
me personally because like I said, it's the family I've
built for myself.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
And I love the fact that our circle continues to
grow and we accept everybody in. Like Eric said when
we were networking, you know, you may be a stranger
when you walk in, but you're not a stranger when
you walk out the door. And to me, I love
the Chamber and everything about it. I can say I
met Shelley. I've been a Chairer member for almost fourteen
years ago, and Eric it's been almost eight ten years
(11:15):
since you've been around, so you all have been a
great asset to this chamber. So all right, stay with us.
We will be right back with more from Shelley and
Eric on Talk Radio ten eighty.
Speaker 7 (11:34):
Does your business need health insurance? The Benefits Firm is
here to help with a Saint Matthew's Chamber insurance plan.
We can help your small business with health insurance. Our
plants to the Saint Matthew's Chamber cover between two and
two and fifty employees. We offer high quality anthem health
insurance with the best statewide and national networks. You do
not need to wait for your annewal. If you're interested,
please contact me Billy Fowler, President of the Benefits Firm,
(11:57):
at five zero two four six eight one nine to
four or email me at Billy at the Benefits Firm dot.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Com, Talk Radio ten eighty Real News, Real Talk, and
iHeartRadio Station.
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Welcome back, Welcome back, Shelley and Eric. We're talking about
the real estate industry, home inspections and the big changes
in your market. Shelley, let me talk about first time buyers.
Those you and Eric love first time buyers. Tell us
about some of the things that first time buyers should
be prepared for when they're looking at a house. You know,
(12:34):
should they figure out how much they can afford already?
Should they already be pre approved? What are some things
that they could do to set themselves up for success?
Speaker 4 (12:43):
So I love first time home buyers. I love all
time home buyers, to be clear, but there's something special
about working with first time home buyers.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
Let me tell you how a lot of people do it,
and then I'm going to tell you how they should
do it.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
So a lot of people are sitting on their couch
watching Netflix, phone in hand, scrolling and going ooh, I
like that house that mends pretty, and then they get
a realtor, and then they get the lender. Last, in actuality,
they need the lender first because the lender is going
to help them establish a budget. They're going to be
(13:16):
able to know how much money they can spend, how
much money they want to spend, and what kind of
loan they're available, you know, what kind of loan is
available for them. And then they get the lender or
I'm sorry, then they get the realtor and then we
go house hunting. So a lot of people do it backwards.
They find their house first, and that's not really house
(13:36):
that they should do it. They need to do money first,
then realter, then house.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
Yeah, because that dream house is always bigger than they
actually can afford.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
Yeah, and then they say, well, I don't want a
three thousand dollars a month mortgage payment. Well, then let's
let's get a lender. And then once you get that lender,
if the timing is right for them to start searching,
because some people get all their ducks in a row
and maybe they're not ready for six months, which is
perfectly fine. But once they get their ducks in a
row and they're ready to go, yeah, they need to
(14:06):
know that just because they're approved for a four hundred
thousand dollars house, maybe they don't want that big of
a payment. And so then they figure out where they're
most comfortable, and then we go when we look at
houses in their range, in their budget.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Eric, you said you love first time buyers too. When
do you meet the buyer, do you meet the buyer
with the realator, do you meet the buyers separately? Where
do you come into this dance?
Speaker 6 (14:31):
Well, typically through home inspections. Most of the home inspectors
get their referrals through the realtor, because if you ask
anybody out there on the street, you know, do you
know a realtor? Most everybody knows a realtor. Then you
ask them, you know a home inspector. Nobody knows a
home inspector. So that's where most of my referrals come in.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Now I do.
Speaker 6 (14:50):
I'm in business so long that it's I'm getting referral
business off of my clients because they trust me and
now they're friends and family are buying houses. But for the
first time home buy I don't want to say it's
a fine line because you know, they're so excited about
that new house, and then I come in and start
crushing their dreams when I find major things wrong. So
(15:11):
it's that camarad of me really educating them again, going
back to the education piece that hey, this isn't as
bad as it sounds, because I mean, they see a
crack in the foundation, it's just maybe a surface crack,
and they're freaking out because now the foundation's bad.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
That's not necessarily the case some case that it is.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
But overall that education and getting them to continue to
be excited and if that house doesn't work for them,
I know the reals especially Shelley, is going to find
that next house and we're going to continue working that relationship,
because not all houses the first time around is the
right house just because of the issues, and they might
(15:52):
not have an extra you know, twenty to thirty thousand
sitting in a bank account to fix something. And if
the seller is not going to budge, you know, then
it's on to the next And because the way I
treat my clients, I usually get that second call if
the first one doesn't work out.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Two points to what you just said, Shelley, he said,
sometimes it's not the first house. On average, how many
houses does a person looking for a new house look at.
Speaker 5 (16:20):
That's a great question.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
It really depends gosh, it depends on the house, It
depends on their budget. But I'm going to kind of
answer your question cock Eye. Though, for houses that go
under contract currently in this market, about twenty three percent
of houses, so about one in four, will fall out
of contract.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
Frequently it's due to inspections.
Speaker 4 (16:46):
There's other reasons why people won't continue in the contract,
but about twenty three percent of houses fall out. So
during the pandemic, we saw people not having home inspections,
thinking that that was a competitive tactic that the seller
would say, Oh, they're not going to have a home inspection,
I'm going to pick their offer. That is a terrible
(17:07):
idea because you're buying a used house, unless you're buying
a brand new build up from the ground kind of house,
which I still recommend home inspection for. FYI, you're buying
a used house, you need a home inspector to tell
you what he or she sees.
Speaker 5 (17:27):
Issues with the house.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
It's hugely important, and as a realtor, I insist on
home inspection every time.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
She just opened the door for you, Eric, So, how
long do you spend in a house when you do
a home inspection and what are some typical things that
you're looking for and looking at well.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
A typical homespace.
Speaker 6 (17:43):
Depending on the size of the house, of course, and
also the amount of issues or defects that I'm finding,
it's usually anywhere between two and three hours. If it's
a larger house, it could take up four The largest
I've or the longest I've ever been in a house
is eight and that was on a ten thousand square
foot house, So it depends. There's been some twelve hundred
square foot house I've been three hours because I'm in
(18:05):
a cross space for an hour because of the issue.
Speaker 2 (18:08):
So are you going through every room, every closet, every
light switch? What are you going through? What are some
of your checklists?
Speaker 6 (18:14):
If you basically look at my report, I consider it
around a three hundred point touched inspection. So I'm in
the cross spaces, I'm in the attics, I'm in the
closets and bedrooms, interior, exterior. I look at everything. If
I can get to the outlets, I'm testing them. With
my master certification that I have through in Anachi, I
(18:36):
have a little bit more education, so I'm not referring
out to you know, electrician as HVAC and all that.
I have that extra education where I can pretty much
pinpoint if there's an issue and then I would recommend
a license electrician or repair it and note what the
problem is.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
Well, let's talk about some of those silent issues that
come up. I just had a friend that dealt with
black mold. And black mold I know grows slow and
can be hidden for a good while. And I know
you have a product or was it right on for
the air quality and black mode that you have.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
Well, radar is a totally separate issue the mold, and
when we go into a house, even if we see
something growing, and chance of it being black mold is
kind of slim, but it is a possibility. There are
thousands and thousands of different species and familiar of the mold,
(19:29):
so I can't necessarily call it mold. I usually call
it a biological growth, and then I recommend it having
it tested, and then I'm allowed to do that testing.
I'm certified at mold testing, so I do some air quality,
I can do swab testing, and then I send it
up to a lab where it gives me the breakdown
of the exact species and what it exactly is. And
(19:51):
there's a lot of molds out there that could be harmful.
Black mold is one of them, but you have to
be careful calling it black mold because just because it
is black doesn't mean it is that type of mold.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
It could be anything. But they can't pinpoint.
Speaker 6 (20:05):
What each person is allergic to because there's so much
different types of mold spores out there. You could be
allergic to one or not the other.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
So good point. It very depends. But radar is a
whole different subject.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
Okay, well, let me ask you tell us about a
little bit about radon, Well, how much time to be
two minutes?
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Right on?
Speaker 6 (20:24):
Is that invisible gas that seeps up from the ground. Now,
when you say invisible gas, everybody has gives you that. Okay, look,
but what it is. It's basically the uranium in the limestone.
So when that uranium starts to decay, it releases a
gas and it seeps up through the cracks and all
that through the slab of the home. So uh, most
(20:45):
people recommend if you have a basement, but I usually
recommend it on any type of house, cross space slab
because there's radar in all houses. Now, Kentucky is also
located in the Zone one category, which is the highest
level of the raid on the country.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Because of the limestone that we have.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
The EPA state said anything over four point oh pigo carries.
Now I'm not going to get into the science of
all that because we just don't have the time, but
especially in pigo carries and if that's over a four
point zero then EPA says it should be mitigated.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
And when we get into those.
Speaker 6 (21:21):
Levels, and I use high tech equipment, I don't buy
the thirty nine dollars thing at home depot. Those are
only about forty percent accurate, and they have to sit
there for a very long time. The equipment I use
is very expensive and certified by the EPA, and I'm
also certified through the EPA, and that to do rate
on testing awesome.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Well, that was a lot of information that I did
not really even realize that we were in that zone
one area, which is kind of scary.
Speaker 6 (21:49):
If I also may include that I'm not here to
scare anybody, but rate On is the number one calls
of one cancer and healthy adults.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
The next is smoking.
Speaker 6 (22:00):
So if you've never spoke to day in your life,
you have issues with your lugs, it could be that
invisible gas seeping up from your basement.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
So what you're saying is home inspection, home inspection, home inspection. Absolutely, Shelley,
I know of a lot has changed in your market. There's
a little bit of a flux in your market. Should
I say, over the last little bit, do you want
to talk about some changes that are coming down the pipeline?
Speaker 5 (22:21):
Yeah, we can talk a little bit about it.
Speaker 4 (22:22):
The National Association of Realtors is currently still.
Speaker 5 (22:28):
Involved in a settlement.
Speaker 4 (22:30):
It spans the entire country, all fifty states, and a
couple of things that are really important for buyers to know.
When you're a seller, you hire an agent to be
your listing agent, and then he or she sells your house.
Up until just recently, as a buyer, I think buyers
(22:50):
were possibly less choosy about their realtors. It was just
whoever answered the phone if they didn't know a realtor.
But now as a buyer, you're absolutely hiring a buyer's agent.
You will be required to sign a buyer's brokerage agreement
and that allows me, as a buyer's agent, to take
(23:12):
you into a house and we work together.
Speaker 5 (23:15):
I'm your agent, you're my client.
Speaker 4 (23:18):
And there's also some things that have changed toward compensation.
If the seller has decided they don't want to pay
for compensation, the buyer may be able to pay. Maybe
they can, maybe they can't. But that is all negotiable.
It's always been negotiable, it remains negotiable, and it just
(23:38):
starts with a basic conversation. Is also nothing for anybody
to be afraid of. It's just, you know, we are professionals.
No matter where there were listing agents or buyers agents,
and we're here to help.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
So you're here to help the client GOLs down to
So both of you have reached over that five year
hump and small business. So I'm going to ask Eric,
what is one tip that you could give a new
person that is starting out in the small business industry?
What tip could you give them to help them out?
Speaker 3 (24:10):
Just keep grinding.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
I know sometimes it's hard you get if you don't
have the right type of client or the business is slow.
I know there's a lot of times where sitting at
home watching TV and saying I got a day off
is you know, that's going to sound like a good day,
but you're also not making money. So I get every
chance I have, I go out networking. That's why I
(24:34):
love the Chamber. They do over three hundred different events,
so I'm typically networking through them. We're different organizations. But
just keep grinding, that's all I can say.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Awesome, Shelly, what about you?
Speaker 4 (24:46):
For anybody thinking of becoming a realtor, and you pass
your test, a lot of people think, oh, I've passed
my licensing exam, Yeah, I'm a realtor now. Well, the
test teaches you how to pass. The test doesn't teach
you how to be a realtor. So what you need
to do is affiliate yourself with an amazing brokerage. Keller
williams Oville East is where I am. They're fantastic, very
(25:08):
education oriented. But that's what you need. You need somebody
or a team to teach you how to be a realtor.
Much easier to go on a team than going on
your own as a solo agent in my opinion.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Awesome, awesome.
Speaker 1 (25:20):
Well.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
I would like to thank Shelley Gardner with the Rhonda
Roberts Team, Keller William Louisville East, and Eric Poehler with
Precision Home Inspections for being our guest today. If you're
interested in more information on the Chamber of Saint Matthew's,
check out our website at St matthewswit An Schamber dot com,
or find us on Facebook and LinkedIn. Please join us
(25:42):
next week when we hear from another staffer on something
Popular Podcasts
Bookmarked by Reese's Book Club
Welcome to Bookmarked by Reese’s Book Club — the podcast where great stories, bold women, and irresistible conversations collide! Hosted by award-winning journalist Danielle Robay, each week new episodes balance thoughtful literary insight with the fervor of buzzy book trends, pop culture and more. Bookmarked brings together celebrities, tastemakers, influencers and authors from Reese's Book Club and beyond to share stories that transcend the page. Pull up a chair. You’re not just listening — you’re part of the conversation.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com