June 4, 2025 • 46 mins
Thinking about getting your real estate license or curious about what it really takes to succeed in the industry?
In the Season 2 finale of Work Hard, Play Hard, and Give Back – A Real Estate Podcast, we sit down with Michael Aharoni, Branch Manager of the Coldwell Banker American Homes Farmingdale office and certified instructor for the Real Estate School of New York State (RESNYS). With a unique blend of in-the-field expertise and classroom insight, Michael breaks down the process of getting licensed, pursuing designations, and building a lasting career in real estate.
From education to execution, this episode is packed with guidance for aspiring agents and veterans alike. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to sharpen your skills, Michael shows you the way.
Thank you for listening
Stay connected with us:
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Visit our website:
Interested in a career in real estate?
- Join our team: careers.cbamhomes.com
Need to get licensed?
- New York Real Estate Salesperson Classes: resnys.com/77-hr-new-york-real-estate-salesperson-classes-cb/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hi and welcome to the Work Hard, Play Hard and Give
Back a real estate podcast.
I'm Mike Litzner, broker ownerof Colwell Banker American Homes
.
I'm here at the studio atAmerican Homes in Smithtown.
Today's guest we have MikeAharoni, or Macaroni as we call
him.
Right, Hell yeah, he's theoffice manager of the Colwell
Banker American HomesFarmingdale office and lead
(00:26):
instructor, or certifiedinstructor of the Resnice Real
Estate School.
Yeah, I said that.
Right, correct, oh, 100%.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
You got it Exactly.
I love how you pronounce mylast name too.
It's perfect, there we go, theright inflection, right.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Exactly Perfect.
Well, welcome to the show, Mac.
Thank you Appreciate it.
Before we get started, I justwant to remind our audience
please, if you like what you'reseeing here today like subscribe
.
We'd love to have you here forfuture episodes and remember to
stay to the end for the drop themic question.
We always have a lot of funwith that.
So, mac, may I call you Mac?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Please, everyone does call me Mac.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Do you want some cheese with that, that's it
Everyone calls me Mac.
There we go.
So, mac, you've had a longsuccessful journey here in real
estate.
What originally drew you to theindustry I loved houses.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I loved the aspect of real estate and being an owner
of myself, being independent.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
When you say aspect of real estate, what aspect
really caught your attentionWorking?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
with buyers, sellers.
Most importantly, changingpeople's lives, being the
catalyst between somebody'sbiggest purchase of their life
watching a family take the nextstep in their lives.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
It's the changing of the lives.
That really got me.
Yeah, it is, it islife-changing.
It's interesting to see hownormal families stress over all
the details that go in, becauseit does affect their life going
forward for potentially decades,right, so it's very important.
So you manage the Farmingdaleoffice for Coldwell Banker
American Homes.
How would you describe yourleadership style?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I'm all about culture , and when I bring agents in and
I build an office, I reallyemphasize on the fact that I
want to build a different typeof culture, right, and that's
the leadership.
It's more than just keepingpeople accountable, it's more
than just watching over someoneand training them.
(02:22):
It's the culture behind it.
It's the family-orientedorientation that I want people
to feel when they walk into anoffice.
So we design the office andhave particular people in the
office where, when you walk in,you feel at home and I want that
, and I've worked for otherbrokerages and when I walk into
(02:44):
an office, I feel like I'm in anoffice, right.
I feel like, oh well,everyone's like this and people
are all on top of each other.
It's the culture behind it,because you have to love what
you do and you have to love thepeople you work with as well.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Yeah.
So what unique challenges doyou kind of run into as office
manager?
You know, for our audiencethat's maybe not in real estate,
maybe describe the differencebetween the role an office
manager takes in the real estatetransaction as opposed to, say,
the agent Sure.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
You know.
So the agent's alltransactional right.
The agent is focused on thetransactional side of the
business getting the businessgoing out there, showing the
property, the clientrelationship, the client
relationship where we, asmanagers, oversee that.
We are here to motivate ouragents.
We are here to be theirpsychiatrist, their psychologist
(03:37):
, their admin, their mentor,their trainer right.
So we play a role in an agent'slife more than just the manager
.
It's like their work, family,right oh 100%, and I want to be
that person for that agent whereI have an open door policy hey,
(04:00):
come to me.
If you just want to chat, cometo me.
It doesn't have to only just bereal estate, right, and that's
the just.
If you just want to chat, yeah,come to me.
It doesn't have to only just bereal estate, yeah, right, and
that's the leadership role thatI want to take.
It's the mentorship, it's thefriendship, it's the culture
that I bring to the office.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
That really is different so you're in a unique
situation, mac, and so far forour audience and so far is that
um, you actually have to managethe top individual agent in the
company and yet you also havebrand new agents that come into
the business all the time.
What unique challenges doesthat pose for a manager?
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, no, you hit it right, I manage, as you said,
the number one agent, and then Ialso have the newbies.
So there's such a difference ofwhat do I do to?
Hey, leave me alone, I knowwhat I'm doing.
Right.
And there's the old school wayof thinking and the new school
way of thinking, right?
So our top agent is all aboutpaper, right, he loves his paper
(05:00):
, and when he listens to thishe's going to laugh, because
when you go into his office andwhen he listens to this, he's
going to laugh because when yougo into his office, there's
paper everywhere.
So it's funny.
But then you have your newbies,who are younger, where I say
listen, everything is paperless,everything is on the cloud.
And we do as Coldwell BankerAmerican Homes.
(05:26):
We have a huge and an amazingtechnology base and platform
that we provide our agents thatallow that to happen.
So you have the number oneagent who still turns to me as
many years as he's in thebusiness and still looks for
guidance.
Hey, can you help me with this?
Can you help me with that?
I'm his sounding board, in asense, and that's where my
coaching comes in, because I'm acoach, I'm a nationally
accredited trainer and I loveRight, and that's where my
coaching comes in.
Because I'm a coach, I'm anationally accredited trainer
(05:46):
and I love to coach.
And that's why being in theposition that I'm in is amazing
for me, because I love to teach.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah.
So you just touched onsomething that's, I think,
really important, maybeoverlooked in our industry.
So coaching.
You know agents go to licensingschool to get licensed right,
and then they come into thebusiness and say, okay, I'm
licensed, like I'm ready to go,and we always say that's where
your learning actually starts.
(06:16):
So what's the differencebetween being trained for a new
agent, for a licensed agent, andbeing coached?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
That's a very deep question.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Yeah, I know, we may not have enough time for the
full answer.
You don't have to give a classon it.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Exactly.
I'll try to keep it as short aspossible.
So when I teach the 77-hourclass here in New York, I tell
everybody listen, 95% of thestuff that we're learning today
is for the pass, the state test.
It's what you said.
It's when you get your license,that's when you start learning,
(06:53):
that's when the fun begins.
The practical application 100%and there's a lot of brokerages
out there we won't name themthat bring on newbies and don't
train or don't have the righttraining, and that's where
agents fail.
Most agents fail in the firstsix months because they don't
have the right guidance.
So one of the things that Ipride on and why I love newbies
(07:17):
and I love newbies is I teachthem.
We need to build a foundation,just like real Right.
If there's no foundation, youcan't build anything on.
Right, I'm not going to bringyou into my office and say, okay
, here's all your tools, now goget it.
Yeah, there's no guidance,right Like, for example, I had
someone that's been licensed alittle under a year, that was
(07:39):
with another brokerage.
Yeah, recruited him in noguidance at all, brought him in
the first two weeks.
He's doing rentals, he's doinglistings already.
Because it's the coaching, it'sthe training that you mentioned
.
It's different.
It's okay, let's take what youhave and now let's break it down
.
Who do you know?
What foundation do you have,what training do you need?
(07:59):
This is how you do it.
I always say to my agents,regardless of experience or not,
this is on the job training,very much so it's on the job
training.
You learn as you go and youcoach me in the position.
Coach as you go, yeah, socoaching and training is very
critical in a new person in areal estate career that you're
(08:23):
just starting.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
So let's switch around a little bit here,
because you touched on yourinstructor position.
So you're a certifiedinstructor with New York State
and you represent Resnice RealEstate School, right?
Resnice stands for what?
Real Estate School of New York.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
State.
I'm one of the lead instructorsthere.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
And that's all of New York State.
So essentially, anywhere fromBuffalo to Montauk, you could
train agents to get licensed.
Is that correct?
That is correct, okay, awesome.
So what inspired you to beginteaching and what do you love
most about it?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
It stems from, again, the managerial role.
Right, it's.
I love helping people, I lovewatching people become
successful because of the helpthat I give them.
Right, all right, and I justlove to teach.
I just have a passion in doingthat.
It's just.
It's just something that I love.
It's.
I love to speak, I love topresent, I love to just be out
(09:17):
there and coach and get someonefrom zero to hero, as we say in
our company, but it's watchingthe students understand and
start a new career and succeedin that new career and grow.
It's very rewarding.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Yeah, definitely emotionally rewarding, yes.
So let's talk about Resnice.
It offers a range of courses,correct and certifications, ce
classes, et cetera.
Right, what are some of themost in-demand topics right now
and why do they matter?
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Sure.
So, first and foremost, it'syour 77-hour course.
Right, that's your salespersoncourse that you need to take.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
That's the entry level for anyone layperson who
wants to start in real estatecorrect In New York State.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
They require a 77-hour course, either in person
, online, self-paced, which weoffer, where you have to get
your license.
Other courses are yourcontinuing education courses.
So in New York State theyrequire you, once you do have
your license, every two yearsyou need to take 22 and a half
(10:25):
hours of continuing education.
Part of those 22 and a halfhours are your mandatory classes
.
So you have to take fairhousing, implicit bias, legal
competency, ethics, just to namea few Right, those are, of
course, always in high demand,right.
And then you have the remainingof your electives.
Now, I also teach for NAR, theNational Association, always in
high demand, right.
And then you have the remainingof your electives.
(10:45):
Now, I also teach for NAR, theNational Association of Realtors
.
So part of what Resnice does iswe offer NAR classes,
designations and certifications.
Right, those are also in demand.
So think of, like your master'sand your PhDs, it's the letters
after your name, right?
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Are there any NAR classes or designations that
jump off the page that you say?
You know this is more for anexperienced agent, so not for
someone brand new, I would say.
But if there is, which onewould you maybe you know
advocate for?
Speaker 2 (11:19):
So experienced agents , I think, should always get
their GRI, the Graduate ofRealtor Institute, right.
That's one of the few I don'thave.
I have many designations andcertifications If you see my
signature.
I have like 20 of them, but aGRI is like a PhD right, Someone
(11:39):
really experienced.
That is something that theycould do.
That is something that theycould do, but I think the number
one course that any agentshould take, I think is
definitely of utmost importancein today's real estate industry.
Yeah, is the ABR course.
Okay, the Accredited BuyerRepresentative course.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Now does that take higher?
Speaker 2 (12:07):
priority now, since the NAR changes were forced upon
our industry back in August of24?
.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
I definitely think so it's a two-day course.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
I definitely think it's worth taking and you really
can understand.
How do I work with a buyer, howdo I sign up a buyer, what
value do I bring?
Speaker 1 (12:23):
to a buyer.
I think some of the mostimportant points and tell me if
I'm wrong.
Representation and fiduciaryduty 100%.
It seems like it getsoverlooked or misunderstood, but
when that clicks in their brain, when they fully understand
that they are so much morevaluable to their clients,
(12:44):
Agreed.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I always say old car, old car, right Obedience,
loyalty, disclosure,confidentiality, accountability,
reasonable care, right it'singrained.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Yeah, yeah, all the teaching right.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
That's your fiduciary duties, yeah, but there's so
many different courses andclasses that you can take
through Res Nice, the RealEstate school of New York State,
that are important, and then,of course, you have your
coaching right.
We offer the coaching, we offerthe training as well.
So picking a school with theright instructor and the right
(13:14):
classes is definitely key.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yeah, absolutely.
If someone was an individualwho was thinking about getting a
real estate license, whatadvice would you give them?
Speaker 2 (13:27):
I'm going to try to phrase this in a nice way Get
your license for the rightreason.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Because I see that a lot of people and I was one of
them, right, truthfully speaking.
I ran out of college, I sawdollar signs and I said let me
go get my real estate license.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Right, there's a lot of money to be made in real
estate.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
I was one of them, Right, so I understand that.
And I went into real estate andI was a naive 21 year old kid
thinking that it would all cometo me and I would be making
these dollars.
I went into it for the wrongreasons, Right, and I worked for
the various companies and Idecided listen, it's harder than
(14:09):
I think.
And then I switched toinsurance and I did insurance
for many, many years Becausethat's much easier right and
then, reality came.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
It's work If I want to earn money.
I have to work.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
So choose, choose my path, yep, and then, and then my
grandfather passed away in 2017and I know I'm going off
tangent a little bit, but thisthis answers your question.
Yeah, um, and he had a wholemilitary funeral, okay, and
something just clicked right.
I wanted to do something in hishonor, I wanted to give back to
our military and I said you,you know what?
I got into real estate for thewrong reasons back then Right,
(14:49):
but now is my time to make itright, right.
So if you're going to get yourlicense, do it for the right
reasons.
Make sure that you have thetime to commit to it.
Make sure that this is, in fact, something that you want to do,
because the industry is endless.
You can do anything really withyour real estate.
So I got back into real estate.
(15:10):
I testified in front ofCongress, passed a bill, became
New York State's VA home loancounselor, became an instructor
for Resnice, teaching theclasses, mentoring the students,
became a manager.
There's endless opportunitiesin real estate if you get the
license.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
And you're not even touching on the investment
potential.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Oh yeah, not even touching.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Ownership, rental property, income properties 100%
.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
That's why you have to align yourself not only with
a great school like Resnice, buta great company like American
Homes, because we have thetraining and support to provide
that to the agent.
So they're not scrambling,figuring out what's happening in
this society, what's happeningin this industry.
We're already on top of it forthem.
100% 100%.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
So can you tell our audience who is thinking about
getting a license what stepsthat we'd need to take?
Sure, so call me now.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Okay, easiest answer right, call me.
So if you're thinking ofgetting a license, you got to
find a school, right?
Of course we're here for you.
Real Estate School of New YorkState.
You first need to figure outhow do I want to take the course
.
Am I someone that wants to takeit in person?
Am I someone that's okay online?
(16:29):
Am I someone that is self-paced?
You need to figure out what'syour learning style.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Okay, and there's different costs based on that
learning style.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
There is yeah wait In person is, of course, a little
more money than self-paced.
Every school has a differentcost.
Resnice is definitely withinthat field.
We definitely have competitivepricing.
Correct, and you have me, butyeah, so I just made myself
(16:59):
laugh.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Well, no one else is laughing.
Ouch, ouch.
Okay, we've got to leave thecomedy for Gallagher.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Okay, yes, yes, so, yeah, so you find yourself a
school like Resnice.
Yeah, you sign up for thecourse, you attend the course.
Yeah, you go through the 77hours.
However you're doing it, youtake the school exam, then you
take the state exam Right, andthen you find yourself a broker.
One of the things that we prideon as an instructor with Real
(17:27):
Estate School of New York Stateis we help the agent find that
right broker Right.
Because not every broker isright for that agent Correct
Right.
So you have to find your rightspace.
But we do job placement as well.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
We make sure that we take the agent from hey I want
to get to get my license to heynow get me my first check.
Yeah, yeah, no, that's awesome,I like that.
You see a lot of people gettinginto real estate as a second
career.
What is the new agent orlicensee look like?
Where are they coming into?
Because they they're lookingfor a career or they're looking
or they're coming in with asecond career.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
One of the things I believe and I forgot who said it
in our leadership team is someagents are not part-time.
They're dual career.
Yeah, and I like that.
Right, and that rang a bell.
They're dual career.
Yes, in my office I know I canspeak of my office I would say
85% 90% are dual career.
Okay, because it is hard to getinto real estate, which is not
(18:33):
a guaranteed income.
Right, and leave your jobCommission based.
It's commission based, yeah.
So if you can't supportyourself on commission right
away, you need that second dualcareer, you need that second job
.
And a lot of agents come andwhen they sit down and say, can
I do this part-time?
And that's a tricky questionand we get that a lot Can you do
(18:57):
this part-time?
And you can ask yourself andany other agent and every other
manager we all may havedifferent opinions I say it
doesn't matter if you're doingthis full-time or part-time.
What matters is how much timeyou put into it.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
So you see a lot of new agents coming in, especially
from licensed school.
For our audience out there thatmaybe is working in another job
or industry, are there certainindustries that translate better
into real estate sales thanothers that translate?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
better into real estate sales than others?
That's a great question.
So, people business, right?
Okay, the business of people,the first responders, okay, the
individuals that are nurses andteachers and firefighters in the
service business, yeah,hairstylists, nail salons I've
heard Nail stylists, bartenders,bartenders right nail salons
(19:47):
I've heard nail stylists,bartenders, bartenders right
anybody that's in the serviceindustry in a sense.
Yeah, that works with people.
Right, are great for realtors.
Yeah, I love hairstylists andbartenders and teachers because
you are in front of so manypeople yeah, they have to
communicate for a living.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
100 or already.
Yeah, have to communicate for aliving 100% or ready.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
You've got to communicate for a living.
Yeah, it's the service businessand the service industry.
That, I think, is, if you'realready in there, you can easily
I shouldn't say easily, you caneasily transition More easily,
more easily.
There we go More easilytransition into real estate,
(20:26):
because real estate is to aservice industry.
Yeah, yeah, you said a very keyword and I tell people this is
not a sales position.
Right, you're not sellinganything, right, right, again,
this may be an opinion, buthouses sell themselves.
Yes, right, it's what you bringto the table.
Your value is what's going tochange it.
(20:48):
Yeah, you're not sellinganything.
You're bringing a service.
You're bringing a value.
Why are you going to choose meover somebody else?
Why are you going to use arealtor to begin with?
Right, right, it's the serviceand the value you bring.
This is not a sales industry.
Right, this is a serviceindustry.
This is a and I go back towhich I trademarked.
(21:09):
My saying is it's changinglives.
Yeah, right, it's the businessof changing lives.
If you wrap your mind aroundthat and understand that concept
that you're not selling, you'reservicing, yeah, that would
make a whole difference.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
I always look at it as that we don't get paid to
sell.
We get paid a lot of money tohelp people.
So it's that service.
You help them through theprocess of either buying or
selling the property and it'sway more complicated than people
think on the outside.
They don't know what they don'tknow.
They don't realize if the dealwent through smoothly.
A realtor did a great job.
(21:47):
You know, it's that simple.
It's like, wow, that lookedeasy.
And my answer is you're welcome.
Yeah, so you know.
Having been around thisbusiness a long time, you
realize how valuable and howmuch work and effort goes into
making it look easy.
Agreed, so you know real estatecan be 24-7, mac.
Right.
(22:07):
How do you unwind when you'renot wearing manager or
instructor hat?
Speaker 2 (22:13):
If you ask my wife this question and she's going to
be watching this and I knowshe's going to want me to say
this I don't unwind.
No.
I am always on 24-7, and that'sone of the faults or good
things.
However you look at it Right,I'm a workaholic, I am.
My agents can reach out to meliterally 24-7, unless I'm on
(22:35):
vacation or sleeping.
Yes yes, but I have a very hardtime putting it down because
it's a passion.
Yeah, but when I'm able toright my family is everything.
Yeah, you know I love my family, my wife, my kids yeah, you
have two kids.
Right, I do my family, my wife,my kids.
Yeah, you have two kids.
Right, I do.
I have two kids, my son and mydaughter, and we just love to,
(23:01):
we love to be out, we love to dothings.
Right, we're an active family,so it may be going to the beach
on during the summer or aventure land um, they should
sponsor this.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Now that I'm talking about, yeah, I'm thinking the
realtors, and I want to go tobeach because I like waterfront
property.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Yeah yeah, anything that is active, that we can do
together as a family bike ride,whatever the case may be, is
unwinding, or as simple as justsitting on the couch and
watching TV.
It's the simple things in lifethat I like to do, as long as
I'm surrounded by the peoplethat I care about.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Yeah, that's a beautiful thing.
It's a beautiful thing.
So I wanna pivot here, butbefore I do, I just wanna remind
our audience again that if youlike and are into what we're
doing here and hope you are tolike, subscribe to our channel.
Right, we'd love to have you atfuture episodes.
As we're winding down seasontwo, we have a tremendous lineup
for season three, which isgoing to start right after Labor
(23:55):
Day.
So a hell of a lineup coming uphere.
And again, don't forget to stayfor the drop the mic question.
I'm excited for that.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
You never know what I'm going to say.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Drop the mic, I am mic.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
And you're mic.
I didn't say drop the Mac.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Mac.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
So, Mac, you're known for your fashion sense.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Oh, great there you go.
I knew this was going to happen.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
So, as our audience can see, now, you are colorblind
, and so where do you get your?
Speaker 2 (24:28):
inspiration for your wardrobe.
You're funny.
I'm a very colorful person.
Okay, I like to wear color.
I just like to stand out.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Good job.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Thank you, thank you.
My wife yells at me and sayswhy are you wearing that?
There's no answer to thatbesides the fact of I just I'm a
colorful person.
I want to stand out and I liketo just be the center of
attention, all right.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
well, good, I need to call special attention to the
fact that you're wearing yourwife's sneakers.
Does she know you have them outof the house right now.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
I love my Gucci shoes .
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Thank you, oh those are Gucci's.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Yes, I thought they were Burberry.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
No stop picking on me .
I'm admiring your fashion senseright now.
Come on, I understand you.
With your family just bought anew house.
We did All right, so this isexciting.
I used a great realtor.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
Trying to figure out who?
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Well, first we want to say congratulations, thank
you, Thank you.
It's always exciting to get tothe finish line and move in, so
can you share with our audiencewhat was the experience like
being on the other side of thetransaction?
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Yeah, it really shows you how much work and
dedication a realtor brings tothe deal, right, right.
And it's unfortunate thatsociety may have a different
view on realtors, where somepeople may think, oh, we just
turn the key and walk in.
Right Right, there's so muchmore involved.
(26:00):
Yeah, and being on the thisside where I sold my house and
bought a house, yeah, which iseven more complicated because
you're trying to all the timingRight there's.
There's so much that happens.
Did you say in the same schooldistrict.
Same school district, literallyseven minutes away.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Well, that part makes it easier, because if you have
to change schools and try tocoordinate the timing of that
with the kids, so there's a lotof nuance that goes into this.
Oh, and there's a lot of movingparts.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Yeah, and if you don't have someone like a good
realtor on your side and helpingyou through this, it can be
very overwhelming.
We were overwhelmed and I'm inthis industry right, I live it
and it's still overwhelming, andI'm still in the process of
moving, doing renovations andthis, and that it's a very big
(26:48):
project, but it brings a lot oflight and it shows that realtors
really are needed.
Yeah, right, the industry isneeded.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Was there an aha moment through that whole
transaction that you wentthrough?
But you, like again, you getkind of I don't wanna say
complacent, but you kind of.
You're used to real estate andthe transaction and issues that
pop up as home buyer, slashseller, now Right.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
I actually learned a lot.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Yeah.
So give us, yeah, give us someaha moments for our audience.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
It's fascinating because here in downstate New
York, and for those of youwanting to become realtors,
here's a one-on-one for yourstate test.
For downstate New York, we'rean attorney state, right, we're
not an escrow state.
So you go to Florida or you goto Texas, wherever the case may
be, the agent, the realtor, does99% of the work.
(27:43):
We're here in downstate NewYork.
Us realtors really stop at thepoint of contracts.
We don't do really contracts.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
No, we don't do the contracts, but there's a lot of
nuance in there meeting theterms and conditions.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Yes, Putting the offer together facilitating it,
mortgage contingencies,appraisals, exactly, and we have
to know all of that.
But it was fascinating seeingit from an attorney perspective,
from a title perspective, ofhow the attorney side works, of
how the title insurance works,of getting really deeper into
(28:18):
the mortgage process too, howthat really works, being the
buyer, ourselves going through amortgage process, so being on
that side, it really we learneda lot.
Why does this happen, or whydoes the title do this, or what
are title fees and what's themortgage and what's credit and
how can I lower my rate, stufflike that where a buyer may ask
(28:42):
you, the realtor, where you needto know the answers.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
So as If you ask something there like how do I
lower my rate?
The other, the follow upquestion is is that something I
should do?
Because when you have an askthere's a cost to it, so it's a
pay now or pay later typequestion.
I don't think most peopleunderstand that.
(29:07):
So it costs you to get a lowerrate.
What is the cost?
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Yeah, and, as realtors, you need to know that,
yes, you may not be in themortgage industry, you may not
need to be a mortgage broker,but you still, as a realtor,
need to understand the conceptsof all that.
Yes, because your buyers aregoing to come to you.
You're the catalyst ofeverything.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
So it was a very eye-opening, amazing experience.
Mind you, yeah, it was great,but you learn a lot and you take
what you've learned and youbring it back to your agents and
you teach them.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Now, even stuff like title people don't understand,
even especially in a time whereidentity theft is, there's so
many scams going on out there.
You know, having a clean titlewhen you close hugely important,
you know.
Oh yes, so it ensures thepassage of title over.
So people don't understand whatis this title?
(30:11):
What am I paying for?
You know.
So you run into the ones.
I love is the you know I alwayscall them the rut row moments.
You know where it's like.
Oh, we have an out ofpossession All of a sudden.
You know what affects title.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Sometimes it could be fence lines or I had the same
issue my house out of possession.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Shocking.
It's amazing how much thatcomes up.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
It's crazy, but yeah, you have an issue, we know it.
It's there, but yeah, you havean issue we know it.
It's there.
So we as realtors need toreally understand.
It's more than just hey, lookat this house.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
It's pretty.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
There's a lot more that goes into it.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Yeah.
So if you had a full day offwith no emails, no calls, let's
even say no kids, nice.
What does Mac do?
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Be outside.
I love the outside.
Maybe go ride a bike, go to thebeach.
If I had more than one day, I'dgo to Florida.
We love Atlantis.
I know you said no kids andfamily, but I like to be outside
.
I like to just enjoy nature.
Maybe go for a walk just toease the mind and get away from
(31:29):
society for a little bit, butthat's what I would do.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Well, it's important to have that work-life balance.
It is, and it is a challenge inreal estate when you're not
punching the proverbial timeclock that it doesn't matter if
it's Sunday morning, Sundayafternoon or a weekday.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
It's definitely a big challenge, especially when
you're in the managerial roadand you have agents wanting you
on the weekends.
Hey, I need this, I need this,I need that.
So I try to find that work that, yeah, you know.
So I try to find that work-lifebalance.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
And it is definitely hard.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
It is.
Yeah, but it's as long as youfind the time to be with your
family to enjoy yourself andtake care of yourself.
Right, you need to come first.
Yes, right, and whatever thatentails.
Right, you need to come first.
Yes, right, and whatever thatentails.
You need to make sure that youare on top of your game.
(32:24):
So when you switch that workmode on, right, it's you're
giving your full, your fullattention to it.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
No, I appreciate that .
So I like to talk a little bitabout giving back, because it's
such an important part of theculture at American Homes.
So you've done an amazing workproviding real estate services
to veterans and you're thefounder of Home at Last.
Do I get that right?
You got it All right.
Can you share with our audiencewhat a Home at Last?
(32:52):
Mission statement, really isSure.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
So a brief about how it actually began and I
mentioned it before with mygrandfather passing away in the
military, I found thatunfortunately, a lot of lenders
and realtors out there in thenation take advantage of our
veterans.
They don't really understand VAloans.
There are banks, which we'renot going to name, that have
(33:16):
been sued for millions ofdollars for overcharging
veterans on their VA loans.
There are stories of realtorsthat had no idea how to work VA
loans and screwed out theveteran.
There's a dime a dozenorganizations out there that
focus on veterans that need helpand they do an amazing job
(33:36):
right.
The ones that may be homelessor disabled or need that extra
push, and they all do amazingright.
But there's not a lot oforganizations that focus on
those that actually can achievethe American dream of home
ownership right.
So we started home at last.
I flew down to Puerto Rico andI met the first Hispanic woman
(33:59):
to be a general in the armedforces by the name of Marta
Carcana.
She ran the Puerto RicanNational Guard.
I pitched her this idea that Ihad.
She became my partner Fastforward.
Home at Last is the largestmilitary real estate
organization in the nation wherewe provide counseling to
veterans where, if they arelooking to achieve the American
(34:22):
dream of home ownership, we arethere guiding them on how to
work the process.
One of the things I wanted todo was testify in front of
Congress, and I passed a billhere in New York State becoming
New York State's VA home loancounselor.
So any military veteran thatdoes go for a VA loan, in their
(34:44):
lending disclosures, their loandisclosures all our information
is on it.
I want to be able to provideveterans a source where they can
go to, besides the VA, besidesonline, where they can go
somewhere and get the servicesand counseling they need to
protect themselves whileachieving the American dream of
homeownership, and that's ourmission.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
That's great.
Now again, just for clarityhere Home at Last, is a
nonprofit, correct, correct,it's not a for-business.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
Correct, it is a nonprofit 501c3.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
Yeah, perfect.
So its sole mission is for theaid, veterans and the support of
homeownership.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Counseling yeah, exactly, that's awesome.
We are here to support you andmake sure that you're not being
taken advantage of by predatorylenders and or realtors.
Speaker 1 (35:33):
Are there any particular veteran success
stories that you'd be open tosharing?
Uh, that particularly moved youoh, 100.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
So there's two quick stories, perfect on on both
perspectives.
One I have and this happens alot um, I have a veteran that
calls and says, hey, I'm withsuch and such bank, we're not
going to make any, we won't nameany names.
I'm with such and such bank.
They're charging me $5,000 inloan fees and they're also
(36:06):
telling me that I need to pay aVA funding fee.
Now, the VA funding fee is afee that the VA charges for you
to use the loan, but if aveteran has a 10% disability
rating or higher, you're exempt.
(36:27):
This particular veteran had adisability rating, so not only
was the bank charging them loanfees, they were also charging a
funding fee when they weren'tsupposed to and they were
increasing the rate.
Why is my rate so high?
So, as a loan counselor for VA,they come to me and say, hey,
can you look at my loandisclosures?
And I said, first and foremost,you should not be paying any
(36:47):
loan fees.
All the banks that we associateourselves with through our
not-for-profit do not chargebank fees.
Banks make their money.
Yes, they do.
They don't need to charge overand above for veterans.
My opinion, yes, my opinion.
So, first and foremost, I savedthat veteran $5,000, and I got
them to a right bank, a rightlender that did not take
(37:10):
advantage of them with the rateand the funding fee.
So right off the bat we savedthem close to $7,000.
That's one side of the spectrum.
Yeah, them close to $7,000.
That's one side of the spectrum.
The other side of the spectrumof what we do, which is very
rewarding and this happens quiteoften as well is a lot of our
military deployed.
They're overseas.
So I get a lot of calls fromoverseas, mostly husbands, but
(37:31):
sometimes wives as well,boyfriends, girlfriends,
whatever the case may be andthey say listen, I would love to
have a home to go to when Ireturn I'm supposed to be
returning four months from now.
I would love a home.
My wife, my spouse, my husband,is back in the States.
(37:53):
Can you do me a favor and guideher and help her and find this
home so I can come to someplace?
Because a lot of the times whenmilitary families are deployed,
the person that stays backstays with family.
Yeah, okay.
So it is very rewarding when youtake a spouse.
You bring them, you protectthem, you educate them, you find
(38:13):
them that house through ourvendors that we have Correct and
you can tell our militaryveteran overseas hey, we found
yourself a house.
And not only did we findyourself a home, we've also
saved you in the bank fees.
We've got a great rate for you.
We've helped you and helpedyour spouse here, right when you
can focus on protectingyourself and protecting us
(38:36):
overseas.
We're going to focus onprotecting your spouse here and
it's very rewarding seeing thatmilitary veteran come home and
now they have that house becauseof all the work that we've done
.
And that's the other side ofwhat we do as well, very
rewarding.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Don't you think it's one of those things where the
people that put the most on theline for our country's
independence, our freedoms,right, should enjoy one of its
core principal values, which ishome ownership?
Speaker 2 (39:09):
I think every veteran should achieve the American
dream of home ownership and it'svery unfortunate that a lot of
sellers and realtors out theredon't really understand the VA
loan and I think there needs tobe more education surrounding
that so we are able to allow ourveterans who fight for us
(39:30):
achieve the American dream ofhome ownership, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (39:32):
Now, if there's a veteran out there that wants to
find out how to take advantageof the services of Home at Last,
right, it's a free service,correct, correct?
How do they find Home at Last?
Speaker 2 (39:44):
Yeah, so there's three ways well, multiple ways,
but there's three main ways thatyou can do so.
First, if you're already in theloan process, all of our
contact information is in yourloan disclosures.
Okay, so you'll be able to seeit.
It's a counseling page, right?
The second way to do it isthrough our website,
homeatlastus, all written outH-O-M-E-A-T-L-A-S-Tus, so
(40:08):
homeatlastus, great.
And third, if you do call NewYork State Department of Veteran
Services or you do call yourlocal vet centers or you do call
the VA, they have you come tous anyway, because we're VA
counselors.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
All right.
As an instructor, you'reshaping the next generation of
agents.
What role do you thinkeducation plays in creating a
culture of service in realestate?
Speaker 2 (40:31):
I love education and that's why I went back to school
and I got all my licenses, allmy certifications, all my
designations.
I have a slew of it Right, andI think there is I want to bring
it towards the service side ofit.
Speaker 1 (40:43):
So how do you create a culture of?
Speaker 2 (40:46):
service.
Education is key.
You always need to be on top ofwhat you provide and what
service that you bring.
Right, and I think theeducation aspect of it helps you
get to that level.
Yeah Right, because you canprovide as much service as you
can, but you also need to havethe knowledge, yeah Right.
And I think education can betwo sides.
(41:06):
Education one could be yourblack and white, your terms,
your definition, right, and theneducation can be service.
It can be.
How does this happen?
Right, how do I treat a client?
How do I treat a client?
How do I work a client?
How do I provide that serviceto that client?
And that's one of the reasonswhy we have that 22 and a half
(41:27):
hours of education, why we havethe electives, because I think a
lot of the courses that agentsshould take is not only need to
know my terms and definitions,but how do I actually work the
industry?
How do I provide the servicethat I need to on a level that I
(41:48):
can sustain?
Speaker 1 (41:49):
Right.
So what advice would you giveto new agents, or really any
agents who want to use theirskills to make an impact beyond
just transactions?
Speaker 2 (41:59):
It is more than a real estate, is more than a
people business.
Right, it is a forever business.
In a sense that I tell myagents your relationship starts
when you close a deal.
It frustrates me when realtorswork so hard in the deal and
(42:21):
then their client doesn't hearfrom them forever.
It's the relationship beyondthe transaction.
Using your words, your question, it's more than just a
transaction.
It's a relationship.
You're building a long-lastingfriendship.
So you do the transaction, butwhat you really need to focus on
(42:43):
as a realtor is what happensafterwards, because that one
person, that one client, thatone customer, if you did the
right job, could lead you to somany other clients, so many
other customers.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
If you've done a good job.
I always say referrals happenby design, not by accident.
So you just want a fan.
But if that fan doesn't knowhow important referral business
is to you, it's not their fault,it's your fault as the agent.
Speaker 2 (43:08):
I just got a message a Facebook message yesterday,
from a client that I helped buya house 10 years ago.
He just reached out to me.
I called him after ourconversation here.
He may want to sell.
Okay, now, mind you, I haven'tbeen in the transactional world
in a while.
Right, I've been teaching, I'vebeen the managerial side, but
10 years ago I did something,right, yeah, right, if you
(43:31):
remember me from 10 years agoand you're reaching out to me,
you have so many other optionsyou have so many other options.
Yeah, so it's the advice that Iwould give an agent, which I've
said, and I reiterate, is yourrelationship starts at the
closing table.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Yeah, absolutely.
So Mac it's time for us to pivotto the Drop the mic question,
but before we do, I just want toremind our audience if you like
what we're doing here, pleaselike and subscribe to our
channel.
So, mac, uh-oh, our audience to.
(44:06):
If you like what we're doinghere, please like and subscribe
to our channel.
So, mac, oh what, I've seenyour episodes.
All right, come on, it's nottoo bad.
It's not too bad.
So what's one of the mostunexpected questions or left
field questions a student hasever asked you during a res nice
class?
Speaker 2 (44:15):
one of the weirdest questions.
Yes, number one one of them.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
I'm thinking why did you wear that shirt?
Speaker 2 (44:20):
I'm thinking.
There's so many.
I'm thinking of how to answerthis question.
This is a powerful question.
Yeah, two questions that haveme shake my head.
Yeah, the first question is howfast can I make money in this
industry?
That is probably the mostcommon question.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
And the question that makes me shake my head a lot,
yeah, and the other question ispeople asking well, what do I do
with my license?
What do you mean?
What do you do with yourlicense?
Right, like, how do you want meto answer that question?
Yeah, and this is, mind you,this is after the 77 hours.
Okay, this is after the 77hours.
Okay, right, this is after the77 hours.
They go.
Okay, now what they do they not, I don't know?
(45:04):
Go on a boat, go on a vacation.
What do you mean?
Speaker 1 (45:06):
now I know they're supposed to speak to a broker
and affiliate now what?
Speaker 2 (45:11):
yeah, right now.
What do I do now?
I took my 77 hours, okay, okay.
Well, don't you want to getinto real estate?
Yeah, find yourself a broker.
Start, start promoting yourself, start marketing yourself.
We've been through 77 hours ofthis.
Yeah, and it's okay.
Now what?
Well, you should already knowthe now what?
Speaker 1 (45:28):
All right.
Well, I had a lot of fun heretoday, mac.
I'm glad you joined us, thankyou.
If anyone out there in ouraudience wants to meet or reach
out to Mac Aharoni, whether it'sfor real estate, so Coldwell
Bank, american Homes,farmingdale and or Resnice Real
Estate School, so how do theyreach out to you?
Speaker 2 (45:48):
So I'll keep it simple.
You can reach me on my cellphone 631-612-8556.
Or you can send an email.
I'll give the school email,since that's the easiest.
It's info at r e s n y s dotcom.
Perfect, so info at r e s n y sdot com, or my cell phone, like
(46:12):
I said, 631 612-8556.
I'm always here to answer anyquestions that you may have.
Speaker 1 (46:18):
Again, Mac, thank you so much for being here today.
You're a great interview and Ijust want to remind our audience
this is a wrap for season two,so thank you for taking a ride
with us and we will be back intwo months.
So join us for season three.
We have a great, great lineupof interviews.
Hi and welcome to the Work Hard, Play Hard and Give
Back a real estate podcast.
I'm Mike Litzner, broker ownerof Colwell Banker American Homes
.
I'm here at the studio atAmerican Homes in Smithtown.
Today's guest we have MikeAharoni, or Macaroni as we call
him.
Right, Hell yeah, he's theoffice manager of the Colwell
Banker American HomesFarmingdale office and lead
(00:26):
instructor, or certifiedinstructor of the Resnice Real
Estate School.
Yeah, I said that.
Right, correct, oh, 100%.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
You got it Exactly.
I love how you pronounce mylast name too.
It's perfect, there we go, theright inflection, right.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
Exactly Perfect.
Well, welcome to the show, Mac.
Thank you Appreciate it.
Before we get started, I justwant to remind our audience
please, if you like what you'reseeing here today like subscribe
.
We'd love to have you here forfuture episodes and remember to
stay to the end for the drop themic question.
We always have a lot of funwith that.
So, mac, may I call you Mac?
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Please, everyone does call me Mac.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
Do you want some cheese with that, that's it
Everyone calls me Mac.
There we go.
So, mac, you've had a longsuccessful journey here in real
estate.
What originally drew you to theindustry I loved houses.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I loved the aspect of real estate and being an owner
of myself, being independent.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
When you say aspect of real estate, what aspect
really caught your attentionWorking?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
with buyers, sellers.
Most importantly, changingpeople's lives, being the
catalyst between somebody'sbiggest purchase of their life
watching a family take the nextstep in their lives.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
It's the changing of the lives.
That really got me.
Yeah, it is, it islife-changing.
It's interesting to see hownormal families stress over all
the details that go in, becauseit does affect their life going
forward for potentially decades,right, so it's very important.
So you manage the Farmingdaleoffice for Coldwell Banker
American Homes.
How would you describe yourleadership style?
Speaker 2 (02:01):
I'm all about culture , and when I bring agents in and
I build an office, I reallyemphasize on the fact that I
want to build a different typeof culture, right, and that's
the leadership.
It's more than just keepingpeople accountable, it's more
than just watching over someoneand training them.
(02:22):
It's the culture behind it.
It's the family-orientedorientation that I want people
to feel when they walk into anoffice.
So we design the office andhave particular people in the
office where, when you walk in,you feel at home and I want that
, and I've worked for otherbrokerages and when I walk into
(02:44):
an office, I feel like I'm in anoffice, right.
I feel like, oh well,everyone's like this and people
are all on top of each other.
It's the culture behind it,because you have to love what
you do and you have to love thepeople you work with as well.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Yeah.
So what unique challenges doyou kind of run into as office
manager?
You know, for our audiencethat's maybe not in real estate,
maybe describe the differencebetween the role an office
manager takes in the real estatetransaction as opposed to, say,
the agent Sure.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
You know.
So the agent's alltransactional right.
The agent is focused on thetransactional side of the
business getting the businessgoing out there, showing the
property, the clientrelationship, the client
relationship where we, asmanagers, oversee that.
We are here to motivate ouragents.
We are here to be theirpsychiatrist, their psychologist
(03:37):
, their admin, their mentor,their trainer right.
So we play a role in an agent'slife more than just the manager
.
It's like their work, family,right oh 100%, and I want to be
that person for that agent whereI have an open door policy hey,
(04:00):
come to me.
If you just want to chat, cometo me.
It doesn't have to only just bereal estate, right, and that's
the just.
If you just want to chat, yeah,come to me.
It doesn't have to only just bereal estate, yeah, right, and
that's the leadership role thatI want to take.
It's the mentorship, it's thefriendship, it's the culture
that I bring to the office.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
That really is different so you're in a unique
situation, mac, and so far forour audience and so far is that
um, you actually have to managethe top individual agent in the
company and yet you also havebrand new agents that come into
the business all the time.
What unique challenges doesthat pose for a manager?
Speaker 2 (04:35):
Yeah, no, you hit it right, I manage, as you said,
the number one agent, and then Ialso have the newbies.
So there's such a difference ofwhat do I do to?
Hey, leave me alone, I knowwhat I'm doing.
Right.
And there's the old school wayof thinking and the new school
way of thinking, right?
So our top agent is all aboutpaper, right, he loves his paper
(05:00):
, and when he listens to thishe's going to laugh, because
when you go into his office andwhen he listens to this, he's
going to laugh because when yougo into his office, there's
paper everywhere.
So it's funny.
But then you have your newbies,who are younger, where I say
listen, everything is paperless,everything is on the cloud.
And we do as Coldwell BankerAmerican Homes.
(05:26):
We have a huge and an amazingtechnology base and platform
that we provide our agents thatallow that to happen.
So you have the number oneagent who still turns to me as
many years as he's in thebusiness and still looks for
guidance.
Hey, can you help me with this?
Can you help me with that?
I'm his sounding board, in asense, and that's where my
coaching comes in, because I'm acoach, I'm a nationally
accredited trainer and I loveRight, and that's where my
coaching comes in.
Because I'm a coach, I'm anationally accredited trainer
(05:46):
and I love to coach.
And that's why being in theposition that I'm in is amazing
for me, because I love to teach.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
Yeah.
So you just touched onsomething that's, I think,
really important, maybeoverlooked in our industry.
So coaching.
You know agents go to licensingschool to get licensed right,
and then they come into thebusiness and say, okay, I'm
licensed, like I'm ready to go,and we always say that's where
your learning actually starts.
(06:16):
So what's the differencebetween being trained for a new
agent, for a licensed agent, andbeing coached?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
That's a very deep question.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Yeah, I know, we may not have enough time for the
full answer.
You don't have to give a classon it.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Exactly.
I'll try to keep it as short aspossible.
So when I teach the 77-hourclass here in New York, I tell
everybody listen, 95% of thestuff that we're learning today
is for the pass, the state test.
It's what you said.
It's when you get your license,that's when you start learning,
(06:53):
that's when the fun begins.
The practical application 100%and there's a lot of brokerages
out there we won't name themthat bring on newbies and don't
train or don't have the righttraining, and that's where
agents fail.
Most agents fail in the firstsix months because they don't
have the right guidance.
So one of the things that Ipride on and why I love newbies
(07:17):
and I love newbies is I teachthem.
We need to build a foundation,just like real Right.
If there's no foundation, youcan't build anything on.
Right, I'm not going to bringyou into my office and say, okay
, here's all your tools, now goget it.
Yeah, there's no guidance,right Like, for example, I had
someone that's been licensed alittle under a year, that was
(07:39):
with another brokerage.
Yeah, recruited him in noguidance at all, brought him in
the first two weeks.
He's doing rentals, he's doinglistings already.
Because it's the coaching, it'sthe training that you mentioned
.
It's different.
It's okay, let's take what youhave and now let's break it down
.
Who do you know?
What foundation do you have,what training do you need?
(07:59):
This is how you do it.
I always say to my agents,regardless of experience or not,
this is on the job training,very much so it's on the job
training.
You learn as you go and youcoach me in the position.
Coach as you go, yeah, socoaching and training is very
critical in a new person in areal estate career that you're
(08:23):
just starting.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
So let's switch around a little bit here,
because you touched on yourinstructor position.
So you're a certifiedinstructor with New York State
and you represent Resnice RealEstate School, right?
Resnice stands for what?
Real Estate School of New York.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
State.
I'm one of the lead instructorsthere.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
And that's all of New York State.
So essentially, anywhere fromBuffalo to Montauk, you could
train agents to get licensed.
Is that correct?
That is correct, okay, awesome.
So what inspired you to beginteaching and what do you love
most about it?
Speaker 2 (08:55):
It stems from, again, the managerial role.
Right, it's.
I love helping people, I lovewatching people become
successful because of the helpthat I give them.
Right, all right, and I justlove to teach.
I just have a passion in doingthat.
It's just.
It's just something that I love.
It's.
I love to speak, I love topresent, I love to just be out
(09:17):
there and coach and get someonefrom zero to hero, as we say in
our company, but it's watchingthe students understand and
start a new career and succeedin that new career and grow.
It's very rewarding.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Yeah, definitely emotionally rewarding, yes.
So let's talk about Resnice.
It offers a range of courses,correct and certifications, ce
classes, et cetera.
Right, what are some of themost in-demand topics right now
and why do they matter?
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Sure.
So, first and foremost, it'syour 77-hour course.
Right, that's your salespersoncourse that you need to take.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
That's the entry level for anyone layperson who
wants to start in real estatecorrect In New York State.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
They require a 77-hour course, either in person
, online, self-paced, which weoffer, where you have to get
your license.
Other courses are yourcontinuing education courses.
So in New York State theyrequire you, once you do have
your license, every two yearsyou need to take 22 and a half
(10:25):
hours of continuing education.
Part of those 22 and a halfhours are your mandatory classes
.
So you have to take fairhousing, implicit bias, legal
competency, ethics, just to namea few Right, those are, of
course, always in high demand,right.
And then you have the remainingof your electives.
Now, I also teach for NAR, theNational Association, always in
high demand, right.
And then you have the remainingof your electives.
(10:45):
Now, I also teach for NAR, theNational Association of Realtors
.
So part of what Resnice does iswe offer NAR classes,
designations and certifications.
Right, those are also in demand.
So think of, like your master'sand your PhDs, it's the letters
after your name, right?
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Are there any NAR classes or designations that
jump off the page that you say?
You know this is more for anexperienced agent, so not for
someone brand new, I would say.
But if there is, which onewould you maybe you know
advocate for?
Speaker 2 (11:19):
So experienced agents , I think, should always get
their GRI, the Graduate ofRealtor Institute, right.
That's one of the few I don'thave.
I have many designations andcertifications If you see my
signature.
I have like 20 of them, but aGRI is like a PhD right, Someone
(11:39):
really experienced.
That is something that theycould do.
That is something that theycould do, but I think the number
one course that any agentshould take, I think is
definitely of utmost importancein today's real estate industry.
Yeah, is the ABR course.
Okay, the Accredited BuyerRepresentative course.
Speaker 1 (12:06):
Now does that take higher?
Speaker 2 (12:07):
priority now, since the NAR changes were forced upon
our industry back in August of24?
.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
I definitely think so it's a two-day course.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
I definitely think it's worth taking and you really
can understand.
How do I work with a buyer, howdo I sign up a buyer, what
value do I bring?
Speaker 1 (12:23):
to a buyer.
I think some of the mostimportant points and tell me if
I'm wrong.
Representation and fiduciaryduty 100%.
It seems like it getsoverlooked or misunderstood, but
when that clicks in their brain, when they fully understand
that they are so much morevaluable to their clients,
(12:44):
Agreed.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
I always say old car, old car, right Obedience,
loyalty, disclosure,confidentiality, accountability,
reasonable care, right it'singrained.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Yeah, yeah, all the teaching right.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
That's your fiduciary duties, yeah, but there's so
many different courses andclasses that you can take
through Res Nice, the RealEstate school of New York State,
that are important, and then,of course, you have your
coaching right.
We offer the coaching, we offerthe training as well.
So picking a school with theright instructor and the right
(13:14):
classes is definitely key.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Yeah, absolutely.
If someone was an individualwho was thinking about getting a
real estate license, whatadvice would you give them?
Speaker 2 (13:27):
I'm going to try to phrase this in a nice way Get
your license for the rightreason.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Because I see that a lot of people and I was one of
them, right, truthfully speaking.
I ran out of college, I sawdollar signs and I said let me
go get my real estate license.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Right, there's a lot of money to be made in real
estate.
Speaker 2 (13:48):
I was one of them, Right, so I understand that.
And I went into real estate andI was a naive 21 year old kid
thinking that it would all cometo me and I would be making
these dollars.
I went into it for the wrongreasons, Right, and I worked for
the various companies and Idecided listen, it's harder than
(14:09):
I think.
And then I switched toinsurance and I did insurance
for many, many years Becausethat's much easier right and
then, reality came.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
It's work If I want to earn money.
I have to work.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
So choose, choose my path, yep, and then, and then my
grandfather passed away in 2017and I know I'm going off
tangent a little bit, but thisthis answers your question.
Yeah, um, and he had a wholemilitary funeral, okay, and
something just clicked right.
I wanted to do something in hishonor, I wanted to give back to
our military and I said you,you know what?
I got into real estate for thewrong reasons back then Right,
(14:49):
but now is my time to make itright, right.
So if you're going to get yourlicense, do it for the right
reasons.
Make sure that you have thetime to commit to it.
Make sure that this is, in fact, something that you want to do,
because the industry is endless.
You can do anything really withyour real estate.
So I got back into real estate.
(15:10):
I testified in front ofCongress, passed a bill, became
New York State's VA home loancounselor, became an instructor
for Resnice, teaching theclasses, mentoring the students,
became a manager.
There's endless opportunitiesin real estate if you get the
license.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
And you're not even touching on the investment
potential.
Speaker 2 (15:34):
Oh yeah, not even touching.
Speaker 1 (15:35):
Ownership, rental property, income properties 100%
.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
That's why you have to align yourself not only with
a great school like Resnice, buta great company like American
Homes, because we have thetraining and support to provide
that to the agent.
So they're not scrambling,figuring out what's happening in
this society, what's happeningin this industry.
We're already on top of it forthem.
100% 100%.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
So can you tell our audience who is thinking about
getting a license what stepsthat we'd need to take?
Sure, so call me now.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
Okay, easiest answer right, call me.
So if you're thinking ofgetting a license, you got to
find a school, right?
Of course we're here for you.
Real Estate School of New YorkState.
You first need to figure outhow do I want to take the course
.
Am I someone that wants to takeit in person?
Am I someone that's okay online?
(16:29):
Am I someone that is self-paced?
You need to figure out what'syour learning style.
Speaker 1 (16:34):
Okay, and there's different costs based on that
learning style.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
There is yeah wait In person is, of course, a little
more money than self-paced.
Every school has a differentcost.
Resnice is definitely withinthat field.
We definitely have competitivepricing.
Correct, and you have me, butyeah, so I just made myself
(16:59):
laugh.
Speaker 1 (17:01):
Well, no one else is laughing.
Ouch, ouch.
Okay, we've got to leave thecomedy for Gallagher.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
Okay, yes, yes, so, yeah, so you find yourself a
school like Resnice.
Yeah, you sign up for thecourse, you attend the course.
Yeah, you go through the 77hours.
However you're doing it, youtake the school exam, then you
take the state exam Right, andthen you find yourself a broker.
One of the things that we prideon as an instructor with Real
(17:27):
Estate School of New York Stateis we help the agent find that
right broker Right.
Because not every broker isright for that agent Correct
Right.
So you have to find your rightspace.
But we do job placement as well.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
We make sure that we take the agent from hey I want
to get to get my license to heynow get me my first check.
Yeah, yeah, no, that's awesome,I like that.
You see a lot of people gettinginto real estate as a second
career.
What is the new agent orlicensee look like?
Where are they coming into?
Because they they're lookingfor a career or they're looking
or they're coming in with asecond career.
Speaker 2 (18:12):
One of the things I believe and I forgot who said it
in our leadership team is someagents are not part-time.
They're dual career.
Yeah, and I like that.
Right, and that rang a bell.
They're dual career.
Yes, in my office I know I canspeak of my office I would say
85% 90% are dual career.
Okay, because it is hard to getinto real estate, which is not
(18:33):
a guaranteed income.
Right, and leave your jobCommission based.
It's commission based, yeah.
So if you can't supportyourself on commission right
away, you need that second dualcareer, you need that second job
.
And a lot of agents come andwhen they sit down and say, can
I do this part-time?
And that's a tricky questionand we get that a lot Can you do
(18:57):
this part-time?
And you can ask yourself andany other agent and every other
manager we all may havedifferent opinions I say it
doesn't matter if you're doingthis full-time or part-time.
What matters is how much timeyou put into it.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
So you see a lot of new agents coming in, especially
from licensed school.
For our audience out there thatmaybe is working in another job
or industry, are there certainindustries that translate better
into real estate sales thanothers that translate?
Speaker 2 (19:24):
better into real estate sales than others?
That's a great question.
So, people business, right?
Okay, the business of people,the first responders, okay, the
individuals that are nurses andteachers and firefighters in the
service business, yeah,hairstylists, nail salons I've
heard Nail stylists, bartenders,bartenders right nail salons
(19:47):
I've heard nail stylists,bartenders, bartenders right
anybody that's in the serviceindustry in a sense.
Yeah, that works with people.
Right, are great for realtors.
Yeah, I love hairstylists andbartenders and teachers because
you are in front of so manypeople yeah, they have to
communicate for a living.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
100 or already.
Yeah, have to communicate for aliving 100% or ready.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
You've got to communicate for a living.
Yeah, it's the service businessand the service industry.
That, I think, is, if you'realready in there, you can easily
I shouldn't say easily, you caneasily transition More easily,
more easily.
There we go More easilytransition into real estate,
(20:26):
because real estate is to aservice industry.
Yeah, yeah, you said a very keyword and I tell people this is
not a sales position.
Right, you're not sellinganything, right, right, again,
this may be an opinion, buthouses sell themselves.
Yes, right, it's what you bringto the table.
Your value is what's going tochange it.
(20:48):
Yeah, you're not sellinganything.
You're bringing a service.
You're bringing a value.
Why are you going to choose meover somebody else?
Why are you going to use arealtor to begin with?
Right, right, it's the serviceand the value you bring.
This is not a sales industry.
Right, this is a serviceindustry.
This is a and I go back towhich I trademarked.
(21:09):
My saying is it's changinglives.
Yeah, right, it's the businessof changing lives.
If you wrap your mind aroundthat and understand that concept
that you're not selling, you'reservicing, yeah, that would
make a whole difference.
Speaker 1 (21:25):
I always look at it as that we don't get paid to
sell.
We get paid a lot of money tohelp people.
So it's that service.
You help them through theprocess of either buying or
selling the property and it'sway more complicated than people
think on the outside.
They don't know what they don'tknow.
They don't realize if the dealwent through smoothly.
A realtor did a great job.
(21:47):
You know, it's that simple.
It's like, wow, that lookedeasy.
And my answer is you're welcome.
Yeah, so you know.
Having been around thisbusiness a long time, you
realize how valuable and howmuch work and effort goes into
making it look easy.
Agreed, so you know real estatecan be 24-7, mac.
Right.
(22:07):
How do you unwind when you'renot wearing manager or
instructor hat?
Speaker 2 (22:13):
If you ask my wife this question and she's going to
be watching this and I knowshe's going to want me to say
this I don't unwind.
No.
I am always on 24-7, and that'sone of the faults or good
things.
However you look at it Right,I'm a workaholic, I am.
My agents can reach out to meliterally 24-7, unless I'm on
(22:35):
vacation or sleeping.
Yes yes, but I have a very hardtime putting it down because
it's a passion.
Yeah, but when I'm able toright my family is everything.
Yeah, you know I love my family, my wife, my kids yeah, you
have two kids.
Right, I do my family, my wife,my kids.
Yeah, you have two kids.
Right, I do.
I have two kids, my son and mydaughter, and we just love to,
(23:01):
we love to be out, we love to dothings.
Right, we're an active family,so it may be going to the beach
on during the summer or aventure land um, they should
sponsor this.
Speaker 1 (23:06):
Now that I'm talking about, yeah, I'm thinking the
realtors, and I want to go tobeach because I like waterfront
property.
Speaker 2 (23:11):
Yeah yeah, anything that is active, that we can do
together as a family bike ride,whatever the case may be, is
unwinding, or as simple as justsitting on the couch and
watching TV.
It's the simple things in lifethat I like to do, as long as
I'm surrounded by the peoplethat I care about.
Speaker 1 (23:33):
Yeah, that's a beautiful thing.
It's a beautiful thing.
So I wanna pivot here, butbefore I do, I just wanna remind
our audience again that if youlike and are into what we're
doing here and hope you are tolike, subscribe to our channel.
Right, we'd love to have you atfuture episodes.
As we're winding down seasontwo, we have a tremendous lineup
for season three, which isgoing to start right after Labor
(23:55):
Day.
So a hell of a lineup coming uphere.
And again, don't forget to stayfor the drop the mic question.
I'm excited for that.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
You never know what I'm going to say.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Drop the mic, I am mic.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
And you're mic.
I didn't say drop the Mac.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Mac.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
So, Mac, you're known for your fashion sense.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
Oh, great there you go.
I knew this was going to happen.
Speaker 1 (24:19):
So, as our audience can see, now, you are colorblind
, and so where do you get your?
Speaker 2 (24:28):
inspiration for your wardrobe.
You're funny.
I'm a very colorful person.
Okay, I like to wear color.
I just like to stand out.
Speaker 1 (24:39):
Good job.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Thank you, thank you.
My wife yells at me and sayswhy are you wearing that?
There's no answer to thatbesides the fact of I just I'm a
colorful person.
I want to stand out and I liketo just be the center of
attention, all right.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
well, good, I need to call special attention to the
fact that you're wearing yourwife's sneakers.
Does she know you have them outof the house right now.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
I love my Gucci shoes .
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Thank you, oh those are Gucci's.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
Yes, I thought they were Burberry.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
No stop picking on me .
I'm admiring your fashion senseright now.
Come on, I understand you.
With your family just bought anew house.
We did All right, so this isexciting.
I used a great realtor.
Speaker 2 (25:21):
Trying to figure out who?
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Well, first we want to say congratulations, thank
you, Thank you.
It's always exciting to get tothe finish line and move in, so
can you share with our audiencewhat was the experience like
being on the other side of thetransaction?
Speaker 2 (25:37):
Yeah, it really shows you how much work and
dedication a realtor brings tothe deal, right, right.
And it's unfortunate thatsociety may have a different
view on realtors, where somepeople may think, oh, we just
turn the key and walk in.
Right Right, there's so muchmore involved.
(26:00):
Yeah, and being on the thisside where I sold my house and
bought a house, yeah, which iseven more complicated because
you're trying to all the timingRight there's.
There's so much that happens.
Did you say in the same schooldistrict.
Same school district, literallyseven minutes away.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
Well, that part makes it easier, because if you have
to change schools and try tocoordinate the timing of that
with the kids, so there's a lotof nuance that goes into this.
Oh, and there's a lot of movingparts.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Yeah, and if you don't have someone like a good
realtor on your side and helpingyou through this, it can be
very overwhelming.
We were overwhelmed and I'm inthis industry right, I live it
and it's still overwhelming, andI'm still in the process of
moving, doing renovations andthis, and that it's a very big
(26:48):
project, but it brings a lot oflight and it shows that realtors
really are needed.
Yeah, right, the industry isneeded.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Was there an aha moment through that whole
transaction that you wentthrough?
But you, like again, you getkind of I don't wanna say
complacent, but you kind of.
You're used to real estate andthe transaction and issues that
pop up as home buyer, slashseller, now Right.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
I actually learned a lot.
Speaker 1 (27:18):
Yeah.
So give us, yeah, give us someaha moments for our audience.
Speaker 2 (27:22):
It's fascinating because here in downstate New
York, and for those of youwanting to become realtors,
here's a one-on-one for yourstate test.
For downstate New York, we'rean attorney state, right, we're
not an escrow state.
So you go to Florida or you goto Texas, wherever the case may
be, the agent, the realtor, does99% of the work.
(27:43):
We're here in downstate NewYork.
Us realtors really stop at thepoint of contracts.
We don't do really contracts.
Speaker 1 (27:51):
No, we don't do the contracts, but there's a lot of
nuance in there meeting theterms and conditions.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Yes, Putting the offer together facilitating it,
mortgage contingencies,appraisals, exactly, and we have
to know all of that.
But it was fascinating seeingit from an attorney perspective,
from a title perspective, ofhow the attorney side works, of
how the title insurance works,of getting really deeper into
(28:18):
the mortgage process too, howthat really works, being the
buyer, ourselves going through amortgage process, so being on
that side, it really we learneda lot.
Why does this happen, or whydoes the title do this, or what
are title fees and what's themortgage and what's credit and
how can I lower my rate, stufflike that where a buyer may ask
(28:42):
you, the realtor, where you needto know the answers.
Speaker 1 (28:46):
So as If you ask something there like how do I
lower my rate?
The other, the follow upquestion is is that something I
should do?
Because when you have an askthere's a cost to it, so it's a
pay now or pay later typequestion.
I don't think most peopleunderstand that.
(29:07):
So it costs you to get a lowerrate.
What is the cost?
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Yeah, and, as realtors, you need to know that,
yes, you may not be in themortgage industry, you may not
need to be a mortgage broker,but you still, as a realtor,
need to understand the conceptsof all that.
Yes, because your buyers aregoing to come to you.
You're the catalyst ofeverything.
Speaker 1 (29:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
So it was a very eye-opening, amazing experience.
Mind you, yeah, it was great,but you learn a lot and you take
what you've learned and youbring it back to your agents and
you teach them.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Now, even stuff like title people don't understand,
even especially in a time whereidentity theft is, there's so
many scams going on out there.
You know, having a clean titlewhen you close hugely important,
you know.
Oh yes, so it ensures thepassage of title over.
So people don't understand whatis this title?
(30:11):
What am I paying for?
You know.
So you run into the ones.
I love is the you know I alwayscall them the rut row moments.
You know where it's like.
Oh, we have an out ofpossession All of a sudden.
You know what affects title.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
Sometimes it could be fence lines or I had the same
issue my house out of possession.
Speaker 1 (30:30):
Shocking.
It's amazing how much thatcomes up.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
It's crazy, but yeah, you have an issue, we know it.
It's there, but yeah, you havean issue we know it.
It's there.
So we as realtors need toreally understand.
It's more than just hey, lookat this house.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
It's pretty.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
There's a lot more that goes into it.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
Yeah.
So if you had a full day offwith no emails, no calls, let's
even say no kids, nice.
What does Mac do?
Speaker 2 (31:04):
Be outside.
I love the outside.
Maybe go ride a bike, go to thebeach.
If I had more than one day, I'dgo to Florida.
We love Atlantis.
I know you said no kids andfamily, but I like to be outside
.
I like to just enjoy nature.
Maybe go for a walk just toease the mind and get away from
(31:29):
society for a little bit, butthat's what I would do.
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Well, it's important to have that work-life balance.
It is, and it is a challenge inreal estate when you're not
punching the proverbial timeclock that it doesn't matter if
it's Sunday morning, Sundayafternoon or a weekday.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
It's definitely a big challenge, especially when
you're in the managerial roadand you have agents wanting you
on the weekends.
Hey, I need this, I need this,I need that.
So I try to find that work that, yeah, you know.
So I try to find that work-lifebalance.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
And it is definitely hard.
Speaker 2 (32:03):
It is.
Yeah, but it's as long as youfind the time to be with your
family to enjoy yourself andtake care of yourself.
Right, you need to come first.
Yes, right, and whatever thatentails.
Right, you need to come first.
Yes, right, and whatever thatentails.
You need to make sure that youare on top of your game.
(32:24):
So when you switch that workmode on, right, it's you're
giving your full, your fullattention to it.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
No, I appreciate that .
So I like to talk a little bitabout giving back, because it's
such an important part of theculture at American Homes.
So you've done an amazing workproviding real estate services
to veterans and you're thefounder of Home at Last.
Do I get that right?
You got it All right.
Can you share with our audiencewhat a Home at Last?
(32:52):
Mission statement, really isSure.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
So a brief about how it actually began and I
mentioned it before with mygrandfather passing away in the
military, I found thatunfortunately, a lot of lenders
and realtors out there in thenation take advantage of our
veterans.
They don't really understand VAloans.
There are banks, which we'renot going to name, that have
(33:16):
been sued for millions ofdollars for overcharging
veterans on their VA loans.
There are stories of realtorsthat had no idea how to work VA
loans and screwed out theveteran.
There's a dime a dozenorganizations out there that
focus on veterans that need helpand they do an amazing job
(33:36):
right.
The ones that may be homelessor disabled or need that extra
push, and they all do amazingright.
But there's not a lot oforganizations that focus on
those that actually can achievethe American dream of home
ownership right.
So we started home at last.
I flew down to Puerto Rico andI met the first Hispanic woman
(33:59):
to be a general in the armedforces by the name of Marta
Carcana.
She ran the Puerto RicanNational Guard.
I pitched her this idea that Ihad.
She became my partner Fastforward.
Home at Last is the largestmilitary real estate
organization in the nation wherewe provide counseling to
veterans where, if they arelooking to achieve the American
(34:22):
dream of home ownership, we arethere guiding them on how to
work the process.
One of the things I wanted todo was testify in front of
Congress, and I passed a billhere in New York State becoming
New York State's VA home loancounselor.
So any military veteran thatdoes go for a VA loan, in their
(34:44):
lending disclosures, their loandisclosures all our information
is on it.
I want to be able to provideveterans a source where they can
go to, besides the VA, besidesonline, where they can go
somewhere and get the servicesand counseling they need to
protect themselves whileachieving the American dream of
homeownership, and that's ourmission.
Speaker 1 (35:05):
That's great.
Now again, just for clarityhere Home at Last, is a
nonprofit, correct, correct,it's not a for-business.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
Correct, it is a nonprofit 501c3.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
Yeah, perfect.
So its sole mission is for theaid, veterans and the support of
homeownership.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
Counseling yeah, exactly, that's awesome.
We are here to support you andmake sure that you're not being
taken advantage of by predatorylenders and or realtors.
Speaker 1 (35:33):
Are there any particular veteran success
stories that you'd be open tosharing?
Uh, that particularly moved youoh, 100.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
So there's two quick stories, perfect on on both
perspectives.
One I have and this happens alot um, I have a veteran that
calls and says, hey, I'm withsuch and such bank, we're not
going to make any, we won't nameany names.
I'm with such and such bank.
They're charging me $5,000 inloan fees and they're also
(36:06):
telling me that I need to pay aVA funding fee.
Now, the VA funding fee is afee that the VA charges for you
to use the loan, but if aveteran has a 10% disability
rating or higher, you're exempt.
(36:27):
This particular veteran had adisability rating, so not only
was the bank charging them loanfees, they were also charging a
funding fee when they weren'tsupposed to and they were
increasing the rate.
Why is my rate so high?
So, as a loan counselor for VA,they come to me and say, hey,
can you look at my loandisclosures?
And I said, first and foremost,you should not be paying any
(36:47):
loan fees.
All the banks that we associateourselves with through our
not-for-profit do not chargebank fees.
Banks make their money.
Yes, they do.
They don't need to charge overand above for veterans.
My opinion, yes, my opinion.
So, first and foremost, I savedthat veteran $5,000, and I got
them to a right bank, a rightlender that did not take
(37:10):
advantage of them with the rateand the funding fee.
So right off the bat we savedthem close to $7,000.
That's one side of the spectrum.
Yeah, them close to $7,000.
That's one side of the spectrum.
The other side of the spectrumof what we do, which is very
rewarding and this happens quiteoften as well is a lot of our
military deployed.
They're overseas.
So I get a lot of calls fromoverseas, mostly husbands, but
(37:31):
sometimes wives as well,boyfriends, girlfriends,
whatever the case may be andthey say listen, I would love to
have a home to go to when Ireturn I'm supposed to be
returning four months from now.
I would love a home.
My wife, my spouse, my husband,is back in the States.
(37:53):
Can you do me a favor and guideher and help her and find this
home so I can come to someplace?
Because a lot of the times whenmilitary families are deployed,
the person that stays backstays with family.
Yeah, okay.
So it is very rewarding when youtake a spouse.
You bring them, you protectthem, you educate them, you find
(38:13):
them that house through ourvendors that we have Correct and
you can tell our militaryveteran overseas hey, we found
yourself a house.
And not only did we findyourself a home, we've also
saved you in the bank fees.
We've got a great rate for you.
We've helped you and helpedyour spouse here, right when you
can focus on protectingyourself and protecting us
(38:36):
overseas.
We're going to focus onprotecting your spouse here and
it's very rewarding seeing thatmilitary veteran come home and
now they have that house becauseof all the work that we've done
.
And that's the other side ofwhat we do as well, very
rewarding.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Don't you think it's one of those things where the
people that put the most on theline for our country's
independence, our freedoms,right, should enjoy one of its
core principal values, which ishome ownership?
Speaker 2 (39:09):
I think every veteran should achieve the American
dream of home ownership and it'svery unfortunate that a lot of
sellers and realtors out theredon't really understand the VA
loan and I think there needs tobe more education surrounding
that so we are able to allow ourveterans who fight for us
(39:30):
achieve the American dream ofhome ownership, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (39:32):
Now, if there's a veteran out there that wants to
find out how to take advantageof the services of Home at Last,
right, it's a free service,correct, correct?
How do they find Home at Last?
Speaker 2 (39:44):
Yeah, so there's three ways well, multiple ways,
but there's three main ways thatyou can do so.
First, if you're already in theloan process, all of our
contact information is in yourloan disclosures.
Okay, so you'll be able to seeit.
It's a counseling page, right?
The second way to do it isthrough our website,
homeatlastus, all written outH-O-M-E-A-T-L-A-S-Tus, so
(40:08):
homeatlastus, great.
And third, if you do call NewYork State Department of Veteran
Services or you do call yourlocal vet centers or you do call
the VA, they have you come tous anyway, because we're VA
counselors.
Speaker 1 (40:22):
All right.
As an instructor, you'reshaping the next generation of
agents.
What role do you thinkeducation plays in creating a
culture of service in realestate?
Speaker 2 (40:31):
I love education and that's why I went back to school
and I got all my licenses, allmy certifications, all my
designations.
I have a slew of it Right, andI think there is I want to bring
it towards the service side ofit.
Speaker 1 (40:43):
So how do you create a culture of?
Speaker 2 (40:46):
service.
Education is key.
You always need to be on top ofwhat you provide and what
service that you bring.
Right, and I think theeducation aspect of it helps you
get to that level.
Yeah Right, because you canprovide as much service as you
can, but you also need to havethe knowledge, yeah Right.
And I think education can betwo sides.
(41:06):
Education one could be yourblack and white, your terms,
your definition, right, and theneducation can be service.
It can be.
How does this happen?
Right, how do I treat a client?
How do I treat a client?
How do I work a client?
How do I provide that serviceto that client?
And that's one of the reasonswhy we have that 22 and a half
(41:27):
hours of education, why we havethe electives, because I think a
lot of the courses that agentsshould take is not only need to
know my terms and definitions,but how do I actually work the
industry?
How do I provide the servicethat I need to on a level that I
(41:48):
can sustain?
Speaker 1 (41:49):
Right.
So what advice would you giveto new agents, or really any
agents who want to use theirskills to make an impact beyond
just transactions?
Speaker 2 (41:59):
It is more than a real estate, is more than a
people business.
Right, it is a forever business.
In a sense that I tell myagents your relationship starts
when you close a deal.
It frustrates me when realtorswork so hard in the deal and
(42:21):
then their client doesn't hearfrom them forever.
It's the relationship beyondthe transaction.
Using your words, your question, it's more than just a
transaction.
It's a relationship.
You're building a long-lastingfriendship.
So you do the transaction, butwhat you really need to focus on
(42:43):
as a realtor is what happensafterwards, because that one
person, that one client, thatone customer, if you did the
right job, could lead you to somany other clients, so many
other customers.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
If you've done a good job.
I always say referrals happenby design, not by accident.
So you just want a fan.
But if that fan doesn't knowhow important referral business
is to you, it's not their fault,it's your fault as the agent.
Speaker 2 (43:08):
I just got a message a Facebook message yesterday,
from a client that I helped buya house 10 years ago.
He just reached out to me.
I called him after ourconversation here.
He may want to sell.
Okay, now, mind you, I haven'tbeen in the transactional world
in a while.
Right, I've been teaching, I'vebeen the managerial side, but
10 years ago I did something,right, yeah, right, if you
(43:31):
remember me from 10 years agoand you're reaching out to me,
you have so many other optionsyou have so many other options.
Yeah, so it's the advice that Iwould give an agent, which I've
said, and I reiterate, is yourrelationship starts at the
closing table.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Yeah, absolutely.
So Mac it's time for us to pivotto the Drop the mic question,
but before we do, I just want toremind our audience if you like
what we're doing here, pleaselike and subscribe to our
channel.
So, mac, uh-oh, our audience to.
(44:06):
If you like what we're doinghere, please like and subscribe
to our channel.
So, mac, oh what, I've seenyour episodes.
All right, come on, it's nottoo bad.
It's not too bad.
So what's one of the mostunexpected questions or left
field questions a student hasever asked you during a res nice
class?
Speaker 2 (44:15):
one of the weirdest questions.
Yes, number one one of them.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
I'm thinking why did you wear that shirt?
Speaker 2 (44:20):
I'm thinking.
There's so many.
I'm thinking of how to answerthis question.
This is a powerful question.
Yeah, two questions that haveme shake my head.
Yeah, the first question is howfast can I make money in this
industry?
That is probably the mostcommon question.
Speaker 1 (44:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
And the question that makes me shake my head a lot,
yeah, and the other question ispeople asking well, what do I do
with my license?
What do you mean?
What do you do with yourlicense?
Right, like, how do you want meto answer that question?
Yeah, and this is, mind you,this is after the 77 hours.
Okay, this is after the 77hours.
Okay, right, this is after the77 hours.
They go.
Okay, now what they do they not, I don't know?
(45:04):
Go on a boat, go on a vacation.
What do you mean?
Speaker 1 (45:06):
now I know they're supposed to speak to a broker
and affiliate now what?
Speaker 2 (45:11):
yeah, right now.
What do I do now?
I took my 77 hours, okay, okay.
Well, don't you want to getinto real estate?
Yeah, find yourself a broker.
Start, start promoting yourself, start marketing yourself.
We've been through 77 hours ofthis.
Yeah, and it's okay.
Now what?
Well, you should already knowthe now what?
Speaker 1 (45:28):
All right.
Well, I had a lot of fun heretoday, mac.
I'm glad you joined us, thankyou.
If anyone out there in ouraudience wants to meet or reach
out to Mac Aharoni, whether it'sfor real estate, so Coldwell
Bank, american Homes,farmingdale and or Resnice Real
Estate School, so how do theyreach out to you?
Speaker 2 (45:48):
So I'll keep it simple.
You can reach me on my cellphone 631-612-8556.
Or you can send an email.
I'll give the school email,since that's the easiest.
It's info at r e s n y s dotcom.
Perfect, so info at r e s n y sdot com, or my cell phone, like
(46:12):
I said, 631 612-8556.
I'm always here to answer anyquestions that you may have.
Speaker 1 (46:18):
Again, Mac, thank you so much for being here today.
You're a great interview and Ijust want to remind our audience
this is a wrap for season two,so thank you for taking a ride
with us and we will be back intwo months.
So join us for season three.
We have a great, great lineupof interviews.
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