June 24, 2025 • 22 mins
Lauren House shares valuable insights from her extensive real estate experience across Arizona, California, and Florida, focusing on maintaining consistency through market fluctuations and building authentic client relationships. She reveals practical strategies for navigating different market requirements while keeping transactions seamless for clients.
• Save money and live below your means, especially during market highs
• Don't lose your edge or relax when business is good—work harder when you put properties under contract
• Maintain daily non-negotiables regardless of how busy or successful you become
• Create trust through no-fluff, direct communication with clients
• Ask clients how they prefer to receive information for better communication
• Mirror your clients' communication style to build rapport
• Everything in life is just "an accessory" if you're not happy with yourself first
• Real estate isn't easy—success requires consistent work over years
• Over-communicate processes to clients since what seems obvious to you is new to them
• Consider hiring specialized support like transaction coordinators when entering new markets
Instagram: @laurenmhouse
Website: https://laurenmhouse.com/
Contact: 305-434-5800
lauren@laurenmhouse.com
Sponsored by: Waiz Ahmed
Contact: 416-876-9960
waiz.ahmed@gmail.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
That's the cycle, the roller coaster that we're
talking about.
Right, it's like, oh yeah, I'mthe man.
And then you come down here andyou're like, oh shit, I have no
money or business.
That's the cycle that we'retrying to prevent.
So you just have to have yournon-negotiables every day and
keep them level, and no matterhow much money you have or how
many deals you have undercontract at once, you have to
keep going through.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Welcome to the 5 Questions Podcast, where we
unlock real estate and businessinsights one question at a time.
Welcome to the 5 QuestionsPodcast.
I am your host, mario Lamar.
Our guest on today's show is anexperienced real estate
(00:46):
professional with licenses inArizona, california and Florida.
She combines her expertise inthe fast-paced Miami market with
the luxury Scottsdale scene,offering practical, no-nonsense
advice to help others succeed inbusiness and life.
Welcome, lauren House Lauren.
(01:08):
Welcome to the show today.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Mario, it's nice to be here.
I appreciate you having me.
The concept of the podcast,Lauren, is very simple Five
questions, either about businessor real estate and we get
straight to the point.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
You ready Love it.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Very direct.
Let's start with the first one.
Lauren, you've navigated realestate in Arizona, california
and Florida.
What do you find is the biggestdifference in these markets and
how do you adjust your approachaccordingly.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
The biggest difference is understanding the
contract, the lingo, whatancillary documents you need,
because our job as a real estateagent is to make sure that the
transaction feels seamless.
So when you step into a newmarket, you might know the laws,
such as do you have to discloseif someone's been murdered or
if there's a suicide in thehouse?
(02:05):
Because that's always the firstthing I try to learn.
But other than that, everythingis so detailed and it's so
different and I hate to say thatit's really hard not to compare
.
So as you're moving alongthrough the transaction, you're
understanding how it does workin your primary market, and then
you're sitting there in yoursecondary market or I don't work
(02:26):
in my third market, but in mysecondary market I'm like this
doesn't make sense, like how doyou get this done?
Why is it like this?
And I feel like that is thebiggest change.
And so if anybody is planning onworking in another state and
another city, like be openminded, try not to compare
everything, just take it forwhat it is.
My biggest blessing is that Ihired a transaction coordinator
(02:50):
in Florida so that I didn't haveto take time to like sit and go
through the process in pain.
I could just have her doeverything, make it look
seamless upfront, and then inthe behind the scenes, I'm
sitting there asking all myquestions.
I'm trying to understand whatis going on, because what you
learn in school is not what youlearn in real real life, as we
(03:11):
all know, and so, yeah, sothat's that's.
The hardest piece is makingyourself feel like an expert
when you're brand new in themarket but not new to real
estate.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
You know you said something and I truly agree with
you is you have to make thetransaction seamless to the
client.
So, knowing how to shift, youknow the process and what the
things you have to do behind thescenes so the client doesn't
realize you know, oh, you workalso in Florida or Miami or
(03:44):
Arizona or whatever the state is.
That is the experience thatpeople are looking for.
That's what makes thedifference between a good real
estate agent and a great one.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, it's.
I will be very honest.
It is tricky and you have toalmost unlearn what you know but
at the same time, keep likeyour sharpness, your edge.
Yeah, have that sophisticationto you that makes you feel like
the expert.
I mean, you can like sorry, butyou can like shit.
(04:16):
Your pants behind the scenesright, like, oh my God, what is
going on right now?
As long as you have somebodywho is like super sturdy to lean
on, so yeah, for me, that hasbeen my biggest shift.
Have somebody who is like supersturdy to lean on, so yeah, for
me, that has been my biggestshift within the markets is like
I learned one thing and now Ihave to take on something else,
but still remember how it goesin both markets is the same but
very different absolutely.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
That brings us to our second question.
You describe yourself as a nofluff meets real talk.
How does this mindset shape theway you approach your real
estate deals and clientrelationships?
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Okay, I would say that the no fluff meets real
talk, merges at this place oftrust and relatability and when
people have those two things,they feel like they can work
with you, because the no fluffmeans that they're going to get
(05:13):
somebody who's very direct andwho's very honest.
Very direct and who's veryhonest.
The real talk means that I'malso not going to sugarcoat and
pretend that things aren't whatthey are and I have no problem
having the hard conversations,because once you do enough deals
and you've been in the businesslong enough, hard conversations
are a good chunk of yourbusiness, and learning how to
(05:37):
really reflect on what has beenmessed up in the past and how
you can take those lessons andstart implementing them to
anticipate the needs of whatpeople are going to need in the
future is what is going to helpyou get there.
But I think because I do thatafter every transaction it helps
me become relatable andtrustworthy transaction.
(06:02):
It helps me become relatableand trustworthy.
Yeah, sometimes you have tomirror too.
I don't know if you mirror yourclients, but when you mirror
somebody, if they're dropping alot of F-bombs, I'll drop an
F-bomb, and sometimes they'relike whoa, whoa, you cut, what
are you doing?
And that makes them feel seenand heard because we're on the
same level, rather than I'msuper professional and they're
themselves, so you also have tolevel with them.
So I found that mirroring isalso a really good tactic.
(06:24):
If you don't use it, you shouldprobably consider it.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, that's a great sales tactics that a lot of top
salesmen use.
You need to mirror your clients, but you know that's I deal
with a lot of investors, right,and?
And investors, that's whatthey're looking for.
A real estate agent.
That is true and will also nothide the fact that maybe they
(06:52):
shouldn't buy this buildingbecause the area sucks for what
they're trying to achieve.
Knowing your client and beingable to give them proper
counsels is key to beingsuccessful.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Yeah, and when you say not buying the building,
that's for your personal opinion, your professional opinion.
And then what you see on paperMaybe it's in an inspection
report, maybe it's the area isnot that great or they can't get
the rent that they want Likethere's a lot of pieces that go
into why they shouldn't buy thebuilding.
And if you can convey it,obviously in a professional
(07:28):
matter, but in a trustworthy,relatable, no fluff way, I don't
know.
It's also another little thingI've been doing lately is asking
the client when I haveinformation to deliver to them,
I'll ask how do you like toreceive information?
And every single person laughsand they feel very put on the
spot, which is not the goal.
And they laugh and they're likeI don't know, no one's ever
(07:49):
asked me that before and theykind of get like, especially the
girls, they get a little giggly.
I'm like okay, and then I givethem examples.
I'll say do you want somethingdirect?
Do you need something fluffy?
Do you need it throughanalogies, through examples and
stories, like paint a picture,what is it that you need?
And every single person, everysingle time, will say just just
shoot me straight, just give itto me directly.
And that helps because that'show I communicate.
(08:11):
But if you give somebody theoption and you lay it out and
paint the picture of all thedifferent ways they can receive
information, they they don'twant the bullshit.
They want it because it'syou're're dealing with money,
you're dealing with theirproperties, you're dealing with
their investments, and so I feellike that softens the blow.
Also, you need to deliver amessage.
So I'm always trying new things, but those are the two things.
(08:34):
No fluff for me, and I alwayswant to be real.
Those are my two things and itworks for me.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
No fluff for me and I always want to be real.
Those are my two things.
And it works for me.
Yeah, absolutely.
I think it's the best way.
Just tell me how it is and thenwe'll deal with it.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Yes 100%.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
That brings us to our third question, and you've been
in the industry since 2008.
You've seen market crashes,rebounds.
What key lessons do you learnfrom these tough times that help
you build your current success?
Speaker 1 (09:09):
That's a loaded question.
To be honest with you.
Number one which every personsays that's probably been in the
business a lot longer than youis to save your money and live
below your means.
Because when you have a high,such as COVID days, those highs
don't last for very long and ifit's the first curve you're
going through, you don't knowany better.
(09:32):
You're so excited you see allthis money in your bank account
oh my gosh, I can affordeverything, no problem.
And then all of a sudden timechips away your dollars chip
away, and then you're at thebottom of this and you're like,
oh shit, I have no business.
I thought I could live largefor a little while.
I relaxed right Like somebody,this very seasoned agent in
(09:52):
Scottsdale.
When I first got in the businessI was in a networking group
with quite a few people and shehad made a comment that really
stuck with me, which is, when Iput something under contract, I
work harder.
And I feel like most people putsomething, even if it's just
one, under contract and you'relike, oh, I can relax for a
little while, no problem, I haveone under contract.
(10:12):
And it's like when you do themath for what you, what it is
that you have to give away andwhat you actually take home it's
so minimal.
So you need to learn to saveyour money and you need to learn
to live below your means,because that money will run out.
Um, I would say number two isdon't lose your edge.
Try to stay sharp.
(10:32):
Start, try to stay competitive,like not to the point where
you're going to kill yourself,but, you know, try to to to stay
with it, cause I think it'seasy to get relaxed and that's
the cycle, the rollercoasterthat we're talking about.
Right, it's like, oh yeah, andthe man.
And then you come down here andyou're like, oh shit, I have no
money or business.
That's the cycle that we'retrying to prevent.
(10:55):
So you just have to have yournon-negotiables every day and
keep them level, and no matterhow much money you have or how
many deals you have undercontract at once.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
You have to keep going through.
You know you said somethingkeep your edge.
And I don't want to break theprocess of the five questions
podcast, but I'm going to throwan extra little question.
You know how important is itfor someone to get with the
changes, to keep the edge.
Like you know, some people havebeen doing it for a long time.
(11:28):
They use paper, they use boards, they use, you know, signs to
promote themselves, and nowwe're at an age where, if you
don't use social media, if youdon't use AI, you're left behind
.
What's your thought on that?
Speaker 1 (11:45):
I feel like I've been that person where it's like I
was resistant to the changebecause I didn't want to change.
I liked what I was doing.
It worked for me.
I didn't really see a reason tochange.
I'm not that old that Ishouldn't have been open to
change, but it was just a like,you're comfortable where you are
, and if that is not using AI,now, if somebody's you know 65
(12:07):
and they're like, oh, I want togo get on Instagram, I'm
probably going to suggest thatthey don't.
That's probably not going to betheir bread and butter, if you
will.
But I do think that there'scertain things that you should
be open-minded about tounderstand how it can benefit
your business, and it's liketurning that switch on to
receive the information.
(12:28):
Now, if you receive theinformation and you don't feel
like it's going to do anythingfor you, totally fine.
But it's not going to hurt totry, or to give it three months
and at least see what theexperience is, because if you
can open your mind, whichunlocks more business like, why
wouldn't you do that, you know?
So, yeah, ai is a tricky onebecause not everybody's open to
(12:48):
it.
It still feels like new, eventhough it's been around for a
while.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
I know.
I know that brings us to ourfourth question.
Your book EntrepreneurialInsights is filled with powerful
quotes.
Which one has had the mostsignificant impact in your
journey?
Speaker 1 (13:09):
So I put some personal quotes in there, both
from myself and from my father,and something he told me when I
was growing up is you he put itin shopping terms, which are
Lauren terms, which iseverything in life is just an
accessory If you're happy withyourself and I love that because
(13:32):
it's telling me that thefoundation of life, of
everything relationships,business, friendship, whatever
that's the foundation If you'renot happy with you, then you're
going to see the world in adifferent place.
You can go get the car, you cango get the haircut, you can go
make the money.
You can go get the car, you cango get the haircut, you can go
(13:52):
make the money, you can gowhatever.
But like, none of those thingsare going to make you happy
because the foundation is sobroken.
And so when I think about kindof going through life with, like
you know, my fake shopping cart, like pulling in, like oh, I
like this car, oh, I want thisexperience, it's like, am I
doing this to fill a void or amI doing this because it's going
to enhance and enrich my life?
And I think asking that questionis a hard one and it's hard to
(14:16):
admit if you're not that happyor you're a little broken and
empty.
But it also should beencouraging to do some work and
find out who you are, what yourgoals are, morals, ethics, who
like.
That's where confidence comesin right.
Like, how can you be confidentif you don't know who you are,
what your goals are, morals,ethics that's where confidence
comes in right.
How can you be confident if youdon't know who you are?
So, although that's by nobodyfamous, that is my favorite
(14:37):
quote in the book.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Listen, don't say nobody famous, because he's
famous to you and see you sharedhis quote.
That might probably help a lotof people out there.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
So he is famous.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
But you know your dad was right If you don't start by
being well within yourself,feel confident, how can you have
a successful business, how canyou have a successful
relationship?
It starts within you.
Everything is, it's true.
It's just extra right, and alot of people try to portray a
(15:16):
life, a life that you know, they, they, they have, with
successful stuff, a lot of toys,but really, how are you?
I know for a lot of people thatare successful and we're not
always like that their successcame where, when they started
thinking of themselves first andmaking sure they were OK, and
(15:40):
then their life took off.
So yeah, I agree on represent.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
It's definitely easier said than done in the
trying time it is.
It's challenging, you know, ifyou feel defeated, if you feel
like, what am I doing here?
Am I worthy of this?
You know what's your moneystory.
There's so many things to workon and so many angles to take
this depth of your character,and so that's why it's very
(16:08):
important to really dig deep andget to know who you are,
without the distractions,because we live in a world of so
many distractions and it's sadbecause it's very easy to just
try to fill happiness by buyingthings and having experiences
and at the end of the day, yougo shopping, you come home and
(16:30):
you have $10,000 worth ofhandbags and shoes on the floor
and you're like I feel no better.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
And I just wasted 10 grand.
You know, you said anotherthing you said that I love is
it's not easy.
I, and I think automatically Ithink of athletes at the
Olympics.
It's not easy to get there.
You don't see all the work thatthey do, you just see the
week-long shows that they put onTV.
(16:57):
But if it was easy, everybodywould be an athlete.
But there's only a handful ofpeople that are there.
So it is not easy.
The same of becoming a greatperson that fulfills you for who
you are and that brings yousuccess.
It's not easy.
It's going to take work.
It's going to take changes inyour life.
(17:19):
It's going to take one of mymentors how does he put it?
You've got to be willing to dothe things now for the life that
people are not willing to do,for the life that people want to
live tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
I have heard that that is a good one.
That's a great reminder.
Yeah so that is a greatreminder, Well.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Lauren, we got to go to the fifth question for today,
final one what's the one thingyou wish more real estate
professionals knew when startingout and that could help them
avoid costly mistakes?
Speaker 1 (18:03):
I mean, do I have to choose one thing?
Speaker 2 (18:05):
You can, I'll give you three.
You can say three things.
You can, I'll give you three.
You can say three things.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I think number one would be that real estate is not
easy.
It's just not.
And I think, going back to whatwe were just talking about,
which is people think that youget a real estate license, not
only does the business come, butyou get a million followers on
social media, you're popular,you're famous, you have a TV
show and you're making millionsof dollars every year, and it's
(18:31):
not like that.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
We all want to be Ryan.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
I know.
But think about how much workthat he put into it, you know,
like it didn't just happen.
He didn't just wake up one dayand say this is the empire I
want.
He worked on it and it takesdecades to get there.
So yeah, so I think that'snumber one I just had.
I just had that experience withan agent myself, so that's why
it's fresh in my head.
The other one is communication,and it's not just communication
(18:55):
with your client, but checking.
I'll get back to you.
It's so easy, rather than justnot responding or especially
leaving it on read and notresponding.
And then, on the other hand,you've got clients who have
(19:24):
maybe never purchased as I'mexperiencing right now in the
United States or they've neverpurchased in that state in
general because they're fromsomewhere else, or maybe they're
just brand new to buying realestate.
Right, when you have thosefirst time buyers coming in,
it's so important to explaineverything to them.
And even if they're seasoned, ifthey're not buying left and
right or at least a property ayear, they don't know what to
(19:45):
anticipate and they're scared.
And they are scared and your jobis to prevent the mystery
because there's nothing tangibleabout real estate except for
the house and the keys.
There's only two things, andeverything else just feels like
this cluster along the way.
So if you aren't organized togive people the smooth
transaction that we talked about, then it's not a good
(20:07):
experience and you're not goingto have the repeat business.
But I think most of it stemsfrom communication, because you
and I are in this business allday, every day, almost two
decades over here, which meansthe things I don't think I need
to explain are probably thethings I need to explain the
most.
They feel obvious to me becauseI live, breathe, see, dream,
(20:29):
eat real estate Right, but forthem it's brand new.
And so finding a way to makesure that your clients feel
comfortable and over communicatewithout overwhelming them, but
always make sure that you're intouch with them I feel like that
would just help everybody a lotmore.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Lauren.
It was a great conversation wehad together today.
I wish that I will not wish.
I hope that some people willtake a piece of your wisdom with
them on their journey, and Ihope that we'll get to talk to
each other soon again.
I'm sure we will.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Yes, thank you, mario .
Thank you for sticking aroundand watching.
Appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Thanks for tuning into the five questions podcast.
If you enjoyed today's episode,don't forget to subscribe, like
and hit the notification bellon our YouTube channel so you
never miss an episode.
Stay tuned for more insightsand tips to transform your real
estate and business game.
See you next time.
That's the cycle, the roller coaster that we're
talking about.
Right, it's like, oh yeah, I'mthe man.
And then you come down here andyou're like, oh shit, I have no
money or business.
That's the cycle that we'retrying to prevent.
So you just have to have yournon-negotiables every day and
keep them level, and no matterhow much money you have or how
many deals you have undercontract at once, you have to
keep going through.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
Welcome to the 5 Questions Podcast, where we
unlock real estate and businessinsights one question at a time.
Welcome to the 5 QuestionsPodcast.
I am your host, mario Lamar.
Our guest on today's show is anexperienced real estate
(00:46):
professional with licenses inArizona, california and Florida.
She combines her expertise inthe fast-paced Miami market with
the luxury Scottsdale scene,offering practical, no-nonsense
advice to help others succeed inbusiness and life.
Welcome, lauren House Lauren.
(01:08):
Welcome to the show today.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Mario, it's nice to be here.
I appreciate you having me.
The concept of the podcast,Lauren, is very simple Five
questions, either about businessor real estate and we get
straight to the point.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
You ready Love it.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Very direct.
Let's start with the first one.
Lauren, you've navigated realestate in Arizona, california
and Florida.
What do you find is the biggestdifference in these markets and
how do you adjust your approachaccordingly.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
The biggest difference is understanding the
contract, the lingo, whatancillary documents you need,
because our job as a real estateagent is to make sure that the
transaction feels seamless.
So when you step into a newmarket, you might know the laws,
such as do you have to discloseif someone's been murdered or
if there's a suicide in thehouse?
(02:05):
Because that's always the firstthing I try to learn.
But other than that, everythingis so detailed and it's so
different and I hate to say thatit's really hard not to compare
.
So as you're moving alongthrough the transaction, you're
understanding how it does workin your primary market, and then
you're sitting there in yoursecondary market or I don't work
(02:26):
in my third market, but in mysecondary market I'm like this
doesn't make sense, like how doyou get this done?
Why is it like this?
And I feel like that is thebiggest change.
And so if anybody is planning onworking in another state and
another city, like be openminded, try not to compare
everything, just take it forwhat it is.
My biggest blessing is that Ihired a transaction coordinator
(02:50):
in Florida so that I didn't haveto take time to like sit and go
through the process in pain.
I could just have her doeverything, make it look
seamless upfront, and then inthe behind the scenes, I'm
sitting there asking all myquestions.
I'm trying to understand whatis going on, because what you
learn in school is not what youlearn in real real life, as we
(03:11):
all know, and so, yeah, sothat's that's.
The hardest piece is makingyourself feel like an expert
when you're brand new in themarket but not new to real
estate.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
You know you said something and I truly agree with
you is you have to make thetransaction seamless to the
client.
So, knowing how to shift, youknow the process and what the
things you have to do behind thescenes so the client doesn't
realize you know, oh, you workalso in Florida or Miami or
(03:44):
Arizona or whatever the state is.
That is the experience thatpeople are looking for.
That's what makes thedifference between a good real
estate agent and a great one.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, it's.
I will be very honest.
It is tricky and you have toalmost unlearn what you know but
at the same time, keep likeyour sharpness, your edge.
Yeah, have that sophisticationto you that makes you feel like
the expert.
I mean, you can like sorry, butyou can like shit.
(04:16):
Your pants behind the scenesright, like, oh my God, what is
going on right now?
As long as you have somebodywho is like super sturdy to lean
on, so yeah, for me, that hasbeen my biggest shift.
Have somebody who is like supersturdy to lean on, so yeah, for
me, that has been my biggestshift within the markets is like
I learned one thing and now Ihave to take on something else,
but still remember how it goesin both markets is the same but
very different absolutely.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
That brings us to our second question.
You describe yourself as a nofluff meets real talk.
How does this mindset shape theway you approach your real
estate deals and clientrelationships?
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Okay, I would say that the no fluff meets real
talk, merges at this place oftrust and relatability and when
people have those two things,they feel like they can work
with you, because the no fluffmeans that they're going to get
(05:13):
somebody who's very direct andwho's very honest.
Very direct and who's veryhonest.
The real talk means that I'malso not going to sugarcoat and
pretend that things aren't whatthey are and I have no problem
having the hard conversations,because once you do enough deals
and you've been in the businesslong enough, hard conversations
are a good chunk of yourbusiness, and learning how to
(05:37):
really reflect on what has beenmessed up in the past and how
you can take those lessons andstart implementing them to
anticipate the needs of whatpeople are going to need in the
future is what is going to helpyou get there.
But I think because I do thatafter every transaction it helps
me become relatable andtrustworthy transaction.
(06:02):
It helps me become relatableand trustworthy.
Yeah, sometimes you have tomirror too.
I don't know if you mirror yourclients, but when you mirror
somebody, if they're dropping alot of F-bombs, I'll drop an
F-bomb, and sometimes they'relike whoa, whoa, you cut, what
are you doing?
And that makes them feel seenand heard because we're on the
same level, rather than I'msuper professional and they're
themselves, so you also have tolevel with them.
So I found that mirroring isalso a really good tactic.
(06:24):
If you don't use it, you shouldprobably consider it.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Yeah, that's a great sales tactics that a lot of top
salesmen use.
You need to mirror your clients, but you know that's I deal
with a lot of investors, right,and?
And investors, that's whatthey're looking for.
A real estate agent.
That is true and will also nothide the fact that maybe they
(06:52):
shouldn't buy this buildingbecause the area sucks for what
they're trying to achieve.
Knowing your client and beingable to give them proper
counsels is key to beingsuccessful.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Yeah, and when you say not buying the building,
that's for your personal opinion, your professional opinion.
And then what you see on paperMaybe it's in an inspection
report, maybe it's the area isnot that great or they can't get
the rent that they want Likethere's a lot of pieces that go
into why they shouldn't buy thebuilding.
And if you can convey it,obviously in a professional
(07:28):
matter, but in a trustworthy,relatable, no fluff way, I don't
know.
It's also another little thingI've been doing lately is asking
the client when I haveinformation to deliver to them,
I'll ask how do you like toreceive information?
And every single person laughsand they feel very put on the
spot, which is not the goal.
And they laugh and they're likeI don't know, no one's ever
(07:49):
asked me that before and theykind of get like, especially the
girls, they get a little giggly.
I'm like okay, and then I givethem examples.
I'll say do you want somethingdirect?
Do you need something fluffy?
Do you need it throughanalogies, through examples and
stories, like paint a picture,what is it that you need?
And every single person, everysingle time, will say just just
shoot me straight, just give itto me directly.
And that helps because that'show I communicate.
(08:11):
But if you give somebody theoption and you lay it out and
paint the picture of all thedifferent ways they can receive
information, they they don'twant the bullshit.
They want it because it'syou're're dealing with money,
you're dealing with theirproperties, you're dealing with
their investments, and so I feellike that softens the blow.
Also, you need to deliver amessage.
So I'm always trying new things, but those are the two things.
(08:34):
No fluff for me, and I alwayswant to be real.
Those are my two things and itworks for me.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
No fluff for me and I always want to be real.
Those are my two things.
And it works for me.
Yeah, absolutely.
I think it's the best way.
Just tell me how it is and thenwe'll deal with it.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Yes 100%.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
That brings us to our third question, and you've been
in the industry since 2008.
You've seen market crashes,rebounds.
What key lessons do you learnfrom these tough times that help
you build your current success?
Speaker 1 (09:09):
That's a loaded question.
To be honest with you.
Number one which every personsays that's probably been in the
business a lot longer than youis to save your money and live
below your means.
Because when you have a high,such as COVID days, those highs
don't last for very long and ifit's the first curve you're
going through, you don't knowany better.
(09:32):
You're so excited you see allthis money in your bank account
oh my gosh, I can affordeverything, no problem.
And then all of a sudden timechips away your dollars chip
away, and then you're at thebottom of this and you're like,
oh shit, I have no business.
I thought I could live largefor a little while.
I relaxed right Like somebody,this very seasoned agent in
(09:52):
Scottsdale.
When I first got in the businessI was in a networking group
with quite a few people and shehad made a comment that really
stuck with me, which is, when Iput something under contract, I
work harder.
And I feel like most people putsomething, even if it's just
one, under contract and you'relike, oh, I can relax for a
little while, no problem, I haveone under contract.
(10:12):
And it's like when you do themath for what you, what it is
that you have to give away andwhat you actually take home it's
so minimal.
So you need to learn to saveyour money and you need to learn
to live below your means,because that money will run out.
Um, I would say number two isdon't lose your edge.
Try to stay sharp.
(10:32):
Start, try to stay competitive,like not to the point where
you're going to kill yourself,but, you know, try to to to stay
with it, cause I think it'seasy to get relaxed and that's
the cycle, the rollercoasterthat we're talking about.
Right, it's like, oh yeah, andthe man.
And then you come down here andyou're like, oh shit, I have no
money or business.
That's the cycle that we'retrying to prevent.
(10:55):
So you just have to have yournon-negotiables every day and
keep them level, and no matterhow much money you have or how
many deals you have undercontract at once.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
You have to keep going through.
You know you said somethingkeep your edge.
And I don't want to break theprocess of the five questions
podcast, but I'm going to throwan extra little question.
You know how important is itfor someone to get with the
changes, to keep the edge.
Like you know, some people havebeen doing it for a long time.
(11:28):
They use paper, they use boards, they use, you know, signs to
promote themselves, and nowwe're at an age where, if you
don't use social media, if youdon't use AI, you're left behind
.
What's your thought on that?
Speaker 1 (11:45):
I feel like I've been that person where it's like I
was resistant to the changebecause I didn't want to change.
I liked what I was doing.
It worked for me.
I didn't really see a reason tochange.
I'm not that old that Ishouldn't have been open to
change, but it was just a like,you're comfortable where you are
, and if that is not using AI,now, if somebody's you know 65
(12:07):
and they're like, oh, I want togo get on Instagram, I'm
probably going to suggest thatthey don't.
That's probably not going to betheir bread and butter, if you
will.
But I do think that there'scertain things that you should
be open-minded about tounderstand how it can benefit
your business, and it's liketurning that switch on to
receive the information.
(12:28):
Now, if you receive theinformation and you don't feel
like it's going to do anythingfor you, totally fine.
But it's not going to hurt totry, or to give it three months
and at least see what theexperience is, because if you
can open your mind, whichunlocks more business like, why
wouldn't you do that, you know?
So, yeah, ai is a tricky onebecause not everybody's open to
(12:48):
it.
It still feels like new, eventhough it's been around for a
while.
Speaker 2 (12:52):
I know.
I know that brings us to ourfourth question.
Your book EntrepreneurialInsights is filled with powerful
quotes.
Which one has had the mostsignificant impact in your
journey?
Speaker 1 (13:09):
So I put some personal quotes in there, both
from myself and from my father,and something he told me when I
was growing up is you he put itin shopping terms, which are
Lauren terms, which iseverything in life is just an
accessory If you're happy withyourself and I love that because
(13:32):
it's telling me that thefoundation of life, of
everything relationships,business, friendship, whatever
that's the foundation If you'renot happy with you, then you're
going to see the world in adifferent place.
You can go get the car, you cango get the haircut, you can go
make the money.
You can go get the car, you cango get the haircut, you can go
(13:52):
make the money, you can gowhatever.
But like, none of those thingsare going to make you happy
because the foundation is sobroken.
And so when I think about kindof going through life with, like
you know, my fake shopping cart, like pulling in, like oh, I
like this car, oh, I want thisexperience, it's like, am I
doing this to fill a void or amI doing this because it's going
to enhance and enrich my life?
And I think asking that questionis a hard one and it's hard to
(14:16):
admit if you're not that happyor you're a little broken and
empty.
But it also should beencouraging to do some work and
find out who you are, what yourgoals are, morals, ethics, who
like.
That's where confidence comesin right.
Like, how can you be confidentif you don't know who you are,
what your goals are, morals,ethics that's where confidence
comes in right.
How can you be confident if youdon't know who you are?
So, although that's by nobodyfamous, that is my favorite
(14:37):
quote in the book.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
Listen, don't say nobody famous, because he's
famous to you and see you sharedhis quote.
That might probably help a lotof people out there.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
So he is famous.
Speaker 2 (14:50):
But you know your dad was right If you don't start by
being well within yourself,feel confident, how can you have
a successful business, how canyou have a successful
relationship?
It starts within you.
Everything is, it's true.
It's just extra right, and alot of people try to portray a
(15:16):
life, a life that you know, they, they, they have, with
successful stuff, a lot of toys,but really, how are you?
I know for a lot of people thatare successful and we're not
always like that their successcame where, when they started
thinking of themselves first andmaking sure they were OK, and
(15:40):
then their life took off.
So yeah, I agree on represent.
Speaker 1 (15:45):
It's definitely easier said than done in the
trying time it is.
It's challenging, you know, ifyou feel defeated, if you feel
like, what am I doing here?
Am I worthy of this?
You know what's your moneystory.
There's so many things to workon and so many angles to take
this depth of your character,and so that's why it's very
(16:08):
important to really dig deep andget to know who you are,
without the distractions,because we live in a world of so
many distractions and it's sadbecause it's very easy to just
try to fill happiness by buyingthings and having experiences
and at the end of the day, yougo shopping, you come home and
(16:30):
you have $10,000 worth ofhandbags and shoes on the floor
and you're like I feel no better.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
And I just wasted 10 grand.
You know, you said anotherthing you said that I love is
it's not easy.
I, and I think automatically Ithink of athletes at the
Olympics.
It's not easy to get there.
You don't see all the work thatthey do, you just see the
week-long shows that they put onTV.
(16:57):
But if it was easy, everybodywould be an athlete.
But there's only a handful ofpeople that are there.
So it is not easy.
The same of becoming a greatperson that fulfills you for who
you are and that brings yousuccess.
It's not easy.
It's going to take work.
It's going to take changes inyour life.
(17:19):
It's going to take one of mymentors how does he put it?
You've got to be willing to dothe things now for the life that
people are not willing to do,for the life that people want to
live tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
I have heard that that is a good one.
That's a great reminder.
Yeah so that is a greatreminder, Well.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Lauren, we got to go to the fifth question for today,
final one what's the one thingyou wish more real estate
professionals knew when startingout and that could help them
avoid costly mistakes?
Speaker 1 (18:03):
I mean, do I have to choose one thing?
Speaker 2 (18:05):
You can, I'll give you three.
You can say three things.
You can, I'll give you three.
You can say three things.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I think number one would be that real estate is not
easy.
It's just not.
And I think, going back to whatwe were just talking about,
which is people think that youget a real estate license, not
only does the business come, butyou get a million followers on
social media, you're popular,you're famous, you have a TV
show and you're making millionsof dollars every year, and it's
(18:31):
not like that.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
We all want to be Ryan.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
I know.
But think about how much workthat he put into it, you know,
like it didn't just happen.
He didn't just wake up one dayand say this is the empire I
want.
He worked on it and it takesdecades to get there.
So yeah, so I think that'snumber one I just had.
I just had that experience withan agent myself, so that's why
it's fresh in my head.
The other one is communication,and it's not just communication
(18:55):
with your client, but checking.
I'll get back to you.
It's so easy, rather than justnot responding or especially
leaving it on read and notresponding.
And then, on the other hand,you've got clients who have
(19:24):
maybe never purchased as I'mexperiencing right now in the
United States or they've neverpurchased in that state in
general because they're fromsomewhere else, or maybe they're
just brand new to buying realestate.
Right, when you have thosefirst time buyers coming in,
it's so important to explaineverything to them.
And even if they're seasoned, ifthey're not buying left and
right or at least a property ayear, they don't know what to
(19:45):
anticipate and they're scared.
And they are scared and your jobis to prevent the mystery
because there's nothing tangibleabout real estate except for
the house and the keys.
There's only two things, andeverything else just feels like
this cluster along the way.
So if you aren't organized togive people the smooth
transaction that we talked about, then it's not a good
(20:07):
experience and you're not goingto have the repeat business.
But I think most of it stemsfrom communication, because you
and I are in this business allday, every day, almost two
decades over here, which meansthe things I don't think I need
to explain are probably thethings I need to explain the
most.
They feel obvious to me becauseI live, breathe, see, dream,
(20:29):
eat real estate Right, but forthem it's brand new.
And so finding a way to makesure that your clients feel
comfortable and over communicatewithout overwhelming them, but
always make sure that you're intouch with them I feel like that
would just help everybody a lotmore.
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Lauren.
It was a great conversation wehad together today.
I wish that I will not wish.
I hope that some people willtake a piece of your wisdom with
them on their journey, and Ihope that we'll get to talk to
each other soon again.
I'm sure we will.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Yes, thank you, mario .
Thank you for sticking aroundand watching.
Appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Thanks for tuning into the five questions podcast.
If you enjoyed today's episode,don't forget to subscribe, like
and hit the notification bellon our YouTube channel so you
never miss an episode.
Stay tuned for more insightsand tips to transform your real
estate and business game.
See you next time.
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