February 12, 2025 • 39 mins
What does it take to turn a life-changing decision into a 20-year real estate career? This week on Work Hard, Play Hard, and Give Back – A Real Estate Podcast, we sit down with Marie Asher, a dedicated Real Estate professional who went from being a nurse to one of Massapequa Park’s most trusted realtors.
Marie shares:
✅ Her “aha” moment that helped her breakthrough in year two
✅ Why mentorship & continuous learning are crucial for success
✅ How building relationships over transactions makes a difference
✅ The company culture of giving back and her role in Heart of American Homes
This episode is full of real-world insights for anyone in real estate (or considering it). If you’re looking for inspiration, Marie’s journey is one to watch!
Thank you for listening
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Interested in a career in real estate?
- Join our team: careers.cbamhomes.com
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Welcome to the Work Hard, play Hard and Give Back a
real estate podcast.
I'm Mike Litzner, broker ownerof Coldwell Banker, and today I
have my guest Maria Asher,realtor extraordinaire from
Massapequa Park and surroundingareas.
Welcome to the show, maria.
Welcome to season two.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Thank you for having me, Mike.
I'm happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Yes.
So before we jump in, I justwant to remind our audience to
stick around to the end.
We always have a drop the micquestion.
We always like to catch it.
Oh, no, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So, maria, how long have youbeen in real estate now?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
20 years 20 years.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
It's been quite a ride right, A beautiful ride.
Good good, you built aremarkable career in real estate
.
Take us back to the beginning.
What did it look like?
What got Marie Asher into realestate?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
That's so funny, mike , because I was a nurse, I was
an LPN and I went to college andgot a degree in community
health.
But my grandmother got sick andI was 42 years old so that's 20
years ago and I decided Ineeded to do something, that I
could take care of her.
And I opened up the paper andit said make your own hours.
(01:13):
I didn't know it was 24-7.
So I went down to your Levittownoffice and the manager took me
in.
He's like okay, go to school.
And I went home and I was likewent home and I'm like I'm hired
, I'm going to be a realtor.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
And.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
I just I had to make it work and I worked hard.
The first year was scarybecause nothing was happening.
And then I thought about it andI said I'm going to see myself
sell 20 houses in the next 12months.
I want to see it and I alwaysI'm a big believer in if you see
it, you'll be it.
(01:51):
And that second year I did Isold 22 houses.
Yeah, that's awesome.
And I never looked back.
I mean it's just been a greatride.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Yeah.
So what was the aha moment Like?
When you finally get to yearone and you know, I think
there's a lot of people outthere, by the way, and you and I
probably have talked about thisthey see HGTV and there's a lot
of real estate shows out thereit's like, oh, this looks like a
lot of fun.
And like then they get alicense to go oh, this seems
like a lot of work, right, right, yes, so it's that getting your
(02:22):
feet under you in the test, butit doesn't really teach you the
fundamentals of running abusiness, and real estate is a
business.
So what was your biggest ahamoment in, you know, at the end
of year one, when you looked andsaid, okay, I have a new goal,
I focus, you know what.
What changed or switched on?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I.
There was an aha moment in theLevittown office.
I was sitting in my cubby.
I did not want to go home andtell my children I failed.
I just couldn't fail, and I waslucky enough to become an
assistant to a top producer.
And it was the same thing.
I said I'm going to do this.
I saw it and all of my lifesince then, if I wanted to reach
(03:06):
a goal, I see it, I affirm itand it happens.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
You know, I just I remember crying in the Levittown
office that day.
It was that day and I said I'mnot failing at this, I can't
fail.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Right.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
So that was my.
That was really an aha moment,yeah yeah, Now you have two
girls right?
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Yes, they're now a little more mature, married
One's married, right.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Okay, megan's married .
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
She has three boys Right my Landon Harrison and
Brady.
Yeah, Allison's getting marriedin June.
That's what it is.
Yes, and both my children,through all of this, have
received doctorates Awesome, I'mvery proud of them.
They really lift my head up.
You know, we didn't have aneasy road.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
But it has been a great road.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah.
So how do you balance like thewhole single mom, take care of
the kids, be that all supportivefigure and then also balance
real estate, which is thisall-encompassing People think
don't realize it's seven days aweek sometimes.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, it is so.
How do you balance that?
So in the beginning I tookAllie to showings.
I would say, Allie, come Justhang out with the family that
we're showing houses to anddon't open your mouth, Don't say
anything.
Don't say anything bad aboutthe house.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Don't say anything bad about the house, don't say
anything good about that's just,we have to do this and um, did
you ever get one of?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
those you know whoops moment where valley's like,
look, mom, there's water leaking, you know, or anything?
No, no one buyer said to me um,you're always showing us houses
in levittown and you live inhicksville.
Like, why are you, why do you,you know, keep showing us houses
in levittown?
I really fell in love withlevittown and Allie, that was
the one time she said, when I'm18 years old, my mom's going to
buy me a car and we're going tomove to Levittown.
And I was like Allie, but thatwas no, she was really good.
(04:55):
My kids, they have been very,they've been great and like
right now, like I go to work, Ido some charity work.
Like right now, like I go towork, I do some charity work.
But you know, I go over toMegan's house in the evening and
I play basketball with Landonand Sonic the Hedgehog with
Harrison, so I make sure Ibalance it.
(05:16):
I have time for my friends.
I just figure it out.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Like most really good agents, you make it work.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I make it work.
I make it work yeah Well, mostreally good agents.
You make it work, I make itwork.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I make it work.
Yeah Well, you know what'sinteresting.
In preparation for this, wewent on your own real estate
website and what was superimpressive was the extreme high
number of testimonials you hadfrom past clients.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
All right and they were impressive.
You know anyone can go to yourwebsite.
Your website is what MarieAsher.
Marie Asher at cbamhomescom Allright, perfect, and I know
there was more than 70 of themon there.
Yep, you know.
So what do you do to set youapart from other real estate
professionals?
Speaker 2 (05:59):
I think that it's really important to show that
you care and really care aboutthe people that you deal with,
but I'm also not above or beyondcleaning the toilet or you know
just people when they selltheir houses, they need
emotional support.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
And I try to be there .
You know, if someone calls, Itry to pick up the phone right
away.
So if there's a worry, what'sgoing to happen next?
I try to prepare my people towhat's the process, to make them
feel comfortable about what'sgoing to happen.
So, yeah, I really.
Actually I always say at mylistening appointments listen,
(06:39):
if I'm going to take care ofyour home, I'm going to take
care of it like it's my own homeor if it's one of my classmates
that give me a referral andit's their parents' house.
You know, I'm going to take careof your mother's house like
it's my mother's house, and Ithink that that's you have to be
emotionally connected to yoursellers and your buyers and just
be there for them.
(07:00):
It's very simple, it's when youget it.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
So I don't think a lot of people understand is that
the average person doesn't wakeup and say, hey, honey, let's
put the house on the markettoday.
You know it's not just a kneejerk decision, you know, it's
usually something is inspiringand it could be something good.
Many times it could be bad, youknow.
Sometimes it's there's death,there's divorce on one side.
(07:25):
On the other side there'ssurprise, we're having twins,
we're outgrowing the house andit sounds good, but then you've
got twins and you're trying tolive your life and then real
estate agents are showing up andyou're going to keep the house
or stage the house.
So there's really a lot ofemotional stress on the family
to go through it.
So the personal touch that youare referencing, I think, is so,
(07:50):
so important and again it getsoverlooked.
One of the best teaching points.
We always talk about this.
I know you and I have had thisconversation.
People have said you know aboutsales and I never pictured us
being in sales.
I always said you know what?
We get paid a lot of money tohelp people, right, right, if
you help them with theirproblems, yes, we get paid, but
(08:13):
at the end of the day it's a waydifferent approach.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Right, we're not saying anything bad about car
salesmen.
I mean they spend a day withyou.
We spend months, Spend months,Spend years with people and you
know you have to be emotionallyconnected to them and care.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Yeah, well, hopefully you're not spending months upon
months, but I think even thattime from you know people don't
realize from contract to closing, you're managing the
transaction through the pipeline, so to speak, to get there, and
there's a lot of handholdingthere, right, right?
So, murray, you have a greatreputation as someone who's
(08:51):
always quick to jump in and help, and that's great with both
Obviously part of our give back,where we have a culture of
charity and community.
But what I find also impressiveis that you're one of the first
people to jump in with a newagent.
You know you tend to be thefirst person to offer the mentor
(09:11):
, you know so where does thatcome?
From.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
It's funny, I think, because I was mentored and
people.
You know it's not easy when youfirst start and I just I like
helping people learn and youknow, talk about my experiences
and you know, like Yvette in myoffice, one time when she first
(09:35):
came, we went to a house andthere's a lock on certain doors
that you have to pivot up thedoor handle and then you can
lock it and people don't realizethat these simple little things
a new agent may not know.
And she actually went and did awalkthrough for Stella and there
was was that doorknob and shekept thanking me for it.
(09:57):
And like when I first startedand agents would take me out to
broker open houses, I didn'tknow what an extension was, I
didn't know what a dormer wasand sometimes people when they
first start, they're afraid toask questions, they don't want
to appear stupid.
So I kind of like feel thatit's important to share any
knowledge that I have and, likeI always look at the office as
(10:20):
like a whole, Like I want to dowell, but I want my office to do
well.
Yeah, so if people are helpedalong the way and I can help
them build their business, I'mhappy to do it.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Yeah Well, I always hear these comments.
You know about you and yourgiving nature, which is great,
so where does your work ethicand work philosophy come from?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Well, my dad worked hard, my mom worked, they both
worked hard.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
And my father was an electrician and when I was 12,
he would take me on jobs becauseI could sneak through an attic
and snake the wire, so I neverminded getting dirty, it was
fine with me.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
No child labor laws there.
I think he gave me $25 for thewhole job.
And.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
I worked.
I started working when I was 12years old to buy my own clothes
because we were not well offand I'm not afraid to work.
My children are afraid to work.
We all have a good work ethic.
I enjoyed my work, you know Ienjoy it.
Like if I have a day off andthere's no appointments, I'll
still buzz into the office a lotof times just to see what's up
(11:30):
and see if I can help what can Ido to help?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
They say if you love what you do, right, you never
really worked the day in yourlife.
It's true.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Ever since I started real estate, I don't feel like,
oh, I got to go to work or oh,this is awful.
I don't ever feel that waybecause when I was a nurse and I
worked in the naval daycareswhen I was younger, you know
nursing's tough, it's hurtfuland this is not hurtful.
(12:02):
There's nothing hurtful abouthelping people buy a house.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Yeah, you just gotta comfort them and be there for
them, and it's easy.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
It's an easy job.
I mean, I don't want to eversay that listen, it's work, it's
work, but it's a different kindof work yeah, one of the things
I always liked is just theinteresting people you meet.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
We do get to meet people from all walks of life
and different personalities,right?
Speaker 2 (12:16):
yes, I just had on one of my listings we just had I
was fascinated by.
We do get to meet people fromall walks of life and different
personalities, right?
Yes, I just had one of mylistings we just had.
I was fascinated by what thisguy did.
He's a grave digger.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Really.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
And he was retiring, and I've met TSA workers, all
kinds of people from all kindsof walks of life, and that is
one of the interesting parts ofour job.
Yeah, it's true.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
So, marie, a piece of advice If someone is new
starting out in the businesstoday, what would, marie, I
should tell them the biggestsingle thing to focus on.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Well, when I first started I would go to the
Levittown office every Wednesdaynight for classes and Tom
Gallagher worked at an officeback then and he would pop his
head in and he said spear ofinfluence, your spear of
influence, tell them what you do.
Do not be a secret agent.
Talk to the people that youknow.
And for me, you know, there wasa worry, like people would
(13:10):
think oh, she's the nurse youknow why, would she be a realtor
?
But I hooked up with someonethat knew what he was doing.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
And you know I was able to like if somebody was
thinking about selling.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Right.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Because I talked about it.
I would say listen, you know, Iknow I'm new, but I have
someone that knows what he'sdoing.
He's been doing it for a longtime and I don't work by myself.
So back then, american Homesalways said you know, you should
really bring somebody.
And you know, I think you hadto bring somebody like five
times and it wasn't mandatory,but it was really like
Encouraged.
Encouraged Because you reallyyou learn when you work with
(13:44):
someone else and I think thatyou know, speaking to your
sphere of influence, workingwith somebody that knows what
they're doing.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
And then you learn so much.
And it's so surprising becauseafter that second year I was
like, wow, look what I know.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
I know what a dormer is.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
I know what extension is.
And it's just important to bearound people that know what
they're doing, the classes, thetraining that you guys have
always had from 20 years ago.
I left for about 18 months,smarty pants, going to go work,
be a manager and a little momand pop, and I came back with my
(14:21):
tail between my legs because Irealized that, working for a big
company, you guys had the toolsthat I needed for my sellers,
for myself, for the buyers yeah,things and the training, and
it's just.
If that was anything I wouldtell anybody just stay with our
big company.
This is the right place to be.
It's a great place to be.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
One of the things that shocks me is that we do
take great pride in our trainingprograms, because it is way
more difficult to be successfulin real estate than the average
person believes, right?
So we've made a really robustprogram, as you've referenced,
and Deb Asher is our Director ofBusiness Development who runs
that program for us.
(15:02):
We have the ability to get thecomplete 22 and a half hours
within that program ofcontinuing education and, again,
there's no cost.
We believe that agents need tobe or our agents need to be the
most educated, to be the mostprofessional, and we wanted to
remove all excuses why theywouldn't be educated.
(15:24):
And the one thing thatsurprises me is that an agent
will pay to go to real estateschool and get a license and
then not show up for freetraining.
So, to piggyback on what you'resaying, if I'm a new agent
going into this, show up everytraining.
I think you said this earlieryou went to every training.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Five times over.
But, I have experience.
I've been doing this 20 years.
I go to training, I go totraining.
I've been going to a lot oftraining lately and it's
important because—.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Everything changes, it changes.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
It changes and we've got to change with it.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Yes, everything changes, it changes, it changes
and we've got to change with it.
Yes, whether it's beentechnology over the years, the
way we communicate or justindustry changes and this year
has been a— A lot, a big, bigpivot in the industry that we've
seen right I would say 2024 wasthe biggest set of changes I've
seen in any one short period oftime.
You know, outside of a COVIDthing, but that's not really a
(16:16):
change, it was really acondition.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yeah, it was an industry thing.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Yeah right, Something we had to navigate.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
But this company prepares us for the changes that
I don't feel stressed out by it.
I feel like it's the training'sthere.
Yeah, I'm fine.
Yeah, just take advantage of it, just take advantage of it,
it's all good.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Yeah, great of it, just take advantage of it.
It's all good, yeah, great,great.
So, murray, before we go on, Ijust want to remind our audience
to, if you like what you'reseeing and hearing, we'd love to
have you like and subscribe ourchannel here at the Work Hard,
play Hard and Give Back RealEstate Podcast.
So one of our topic is playhard.
We know there's a human side torealtors.
Like sometimes the public getsto see the serious side, but
(16:57):
there's a human side of it.
So what's one thing you dopersonally that you know outside
of real estate that rechargesyour batteries.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
It's definitely playing with my grandchildren.
I mean, you know, 10 years agoit would have been something
different.
But you know, playingbasketball with Landon and, like
I said before, playing Sonicthe Hedgehog with Harrison.
You know, it's just a differentlife now and I love it, you
know.
Yeah, going to the white postfarms to see the animals with
the kids, it's really what makesme tick yeah, but your
(17:31):
grandkids are close to you likeyeah.
Geographically yes they live inNorth Massapequa yeah and so
you, they're at a great age.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
That's a blessing right.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Yeah, it is.
It's really wonderful.
They're two, four and six.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
The other thing that makes me happy is, you know,
it's kind of work-related, butit's not Like every day in my
office we have lunch together.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
It's like Sunday dinner every day.
I can't even begin to explainhow fun and important that is to
me.
I just love the people that Iwork with and it really like
it's that old-fashioned Sundaydinner that nobody does anymore.
Whoever's in the office itcould be four people, it could
be six people, it could be 12people we kind of talk about
(18:19):
life and then real estate too,too Like if we have problems, we
talk it out.
So you know, I don't know Ihave, I don't go out at night.
I'm not a party animal.
If that's what you're trying tofind out, it's just I kind of
have a minimalist life, a simplelife, that's okay.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
That's all good.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
I have a chihuahua at home, my little Toby, yeah, and
you know, I think it's just asimple life.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
That's okay.
But what I like is that yousaid is and it gets overlooked
is how important company cultureis.
Right, and it's.
In some offices it can behyper-competitive and that can
come out negative and at thesame time, you can have a
positive culture and you know, Ithink there's such growth
(19:03):
potentials individually, like wegrow from interacting with
other people and sharing theirproblems and brainstorming
through it.
So it seems, since COVID right,you know, everything's been
more remote.
We've gotten into Zoom, youknow, or you know, video
conferencing and, yes, it offersefficiency.
(19:23):
But sometimes I feel like theoffice should be an anchor and
it's something that's missing ina lot of places.
But, yes, I noticed MassapequaPark has extremely strong
culture, barbecues, right.
Oh yeah, oh, you're famous foryour barbecues, yeah, what about
the Massapequa Park?
Is it street fairs?
(19:45):
They have.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Yes, so we all got it .
You know we're very, very tightand they're family to me.
Yeah, all of them, and youcan't put a price on that.
Like work, culture is soimportant If you love going to
work and the people around youand you feel safe with them.
I mean, there's nocompetitiveness, like we all
(20:05):
like want to see each other dowell.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
You root each other on.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
We root each other on and every Wednesday we have a
round table at four o'clockwhere the agents just sit around
and we go back and forth aboutproblems that we're having or
even talking about all thechanges that we just have been
through as realtors.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Are there changes in real estate?
Oh yes, there is.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
And you know we got, we're getting through it
together.
Yeah, you know we like we'll besitting in the office and
someone will shout out hey, youknow the new matrix, how do you
do this?
And then we'll gather togetherand try to figure it out.
And it's a great office.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
Yeah Well, you got a good ringmaster over there, tom.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Murtaugh yes.
He keeps us going.
He's very, very good.
You know, I always said I Inever want to work for a manager
that knows less than me.
Right, and I have that in him.
Yes, I have to admit it.
He knows more than I do and I'mhappy to be there with him.
It's just it's.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Is it okay if he sees this episode and now knows?
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Yeah, well, his head might get better.
It's all right, we can handlehim.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
He's good yes.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
So, murray, how about you share a story, something
from your youth, something thatpeople wouldn't really know or
expect out of you?
Someone's always got a funnystory right.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
I have a funny story, yes, okay.
So when I was in high school asenior in high school I was on
the Honor Society.
I was a geek.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Yeah, a goody two-shoe.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Yeah, I was a goody two-shoe and I had a bunch of
friends that were goodytwo-shoes.
So one night in 1980,Hicksville put in a beautiful
fountain in the middle ofHicksville.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Okay, so you did something to the fountain.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Yeah, we went and got laundry detergent and put it,
and the bubbles just flew overinto the Broadway and all over
the place, and that was, likeprobably one of the great things
that I did, so that's whereyour nickname Bubbles came from.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
I do actually have somebody call me that.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Bubbles yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Oh, that's good.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Yeah, but that's you know.
I'm sorry, I wish I could tellyou something else, but you know
that's as serious as it gotyeah.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah, so all right.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
So we, we, we know real estate's pretty
encompassing, but tell, tell usabout any type of hobby or
interest of yours that's outsideof real estate.
What's something that mightsurprise people?
Speaker 1 (22:31):
I don't know, I'm not a pole dancer, mike I don't
know.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
I don't know.
I'm trying to think what isdifferent about Marie Asher?
I don't have a good answer forthat.
I wish I did.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
You know why I ask?
Because, having more than 1,000agents tied to the American
Homes family, there are a lot ofunique personalities and
sometimes we have our game faceon too much.
But at the end of the day we'reregular people.
We laugh, we cry, we work hard,we give back.
So I know giving back is apassion of yours, which
(23:08):
evidenced by this past weekend.
Didn't you tell me on Saturdaywhere were you?
Speaker 2 (23:12):
The Ronald McDonald House.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Yeah, why don't you share with our audience a little
bit about that experience?
How did that come together inthe first place?
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Well, I have to tell you.
So I was really like this isout of my comfort zone to get in
front of a camera, but I washoping we'd lead into some kind
of talk about the charity workthat I get involved with Because
, as you know, the heart ofAmerican Homes is very important
to me.
Well, I know we're going totalk about that.
I hope, because that's why I'mhere, Otherwise I would never do
this.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
We will.
It's a passion of yours, andours.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Yeah, I'm so grateful .
My children have the samepassion that I do for charitable
work and my Megan, with a bunchof people from Northwell, went
to the Ronald McDonald House toserve brunch.
As soon as she left there thatday, she called me up and she
said Mom, this is right up youralley and right up your
company's alley.
So she gave me the contactinformation and it took a while
(24:09):
to get a date because I wanted aSaturday.
So some of the people that workfull-time, that are in our
office, that are part-timerealtors I knew that they would
want to do something like thisand I have to tell you it's one
of the best things that I'veever been involved with the
Ronald McDonald House.
What we did was we purchasedthe food.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
We brought the food to the home.
You know 9, 15 in the morning.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
And it's local, here on Long Island, right New High
Park, right next to Cohen'sChildren's Hospital, yeah, good.
And we prepared the food.
Tom Rattau was a chef, mariaHolm was a chef, willie
Sanfilippo was the chef.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
He really was a chef back in the day.
He was really a chef and he letus know it too.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Yeah, so we all had our own jobs and we were
seamlessly perfect at beingthere.
And then they gave us a tour,and the tour was very emotional
for all of us.
It's truly the house that lovebuilds.
And when we all left, everyagent that went had the same
question when can we go back?
Speaker 1 (25:07):
So hope to do a barbecue during the summer.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
But I have to say the agents that went, there's
agents in our office thatthroughout the year at our
office meetings we contributemoney for our charitable things
that we're going to do.
So you know, everybody in theoffice had a part in going to
the Ronald McDonald.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
House Fantastic For our audience that doesn't
necessarily know what RonaldMcDonald House really does.
Can you share their mission?
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Just give us insight.
So people that have childrenthat are being treated at
Cohen's right here in New HighPark, there's Ronald McDonald
houses all throughout thecountry.
But, this one in particular thatwe went to is associated with
the Cohen's Children's Hospitalin New High Park and some people
come from all over the placeand they need some place to stay
overnight or they just mightwalk over from the hospital to
(25:54):
take a shower, to be fed.
There were siblings runningaround of you know the sick
children and you know they weredoing crafts with the children.
There's lots of volunteersthere.
It's just a place for peoplethat have children that are ill,
that there's someplace where ahaven that they can go to.
(26:16):
And I have to tell you it justwas a beautiful, loving
atmosphere.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
It was really a gift to be able to do what we did
this past Saturday.
That is awesome.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
That's awesome.
I know you're deeply involvedwith the foundation, the Heart
of American Homes.
That's our company's ownin-house internal foundation and
I would just say you're notonly involved and again, we have
agents and people all acrossthe company that are involved
but you personally are chairmanof the Family Services Committee
of the Heart of American Homes.
(26:49):
Can you talk about what thecommittee does and how they
determine what cases to assistin.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
So the Heart of American Homes is a foundation
that you and Tom opened in 2017.
And it's really about helpingpeople that need help in a
crisis situation.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Right.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
So from word of mouth , from the agents in the company
, we'll get cases and the casesI vet them, I interview them and
I get documentation.
Sometimes I visit homes andthen I go back to my committee
Sheila Olson, joe Rico and TomGallagher and we kind of decide
(27:30):
like what would be appropriatehelp for this family.
So we're not like amultimillion-dollar foundation,
you know, so it could be.
You know they're not big grantsbut it's enough to help a
family that might be in need.
So once we determine the amountthat we think is good and a
good recommendation, we go outto the board and we email them
(27:51):
and say do you agree with this,are you okay with this?
And if they agree, then wedistribute the money.
We distributed money to funeralhomes, cemeteries recently.
You know people in trouble thatyou know like people have house
fires and the homeowners willcover the house, you know, and
things in the contents of thehouse.
But that week, that first week,when they're trying to get
(28:14):
meals on the run, and you knowthe kid one kid lost his
computer and he was going backto college.
I mean, it's just things thatcome up.
And you know, last year we hada case where it was.
We had a.
The mama was a hairdresser.
Dad had a really good job.
The child had cancer.
Mom couldn't work anymore, sobut there's no help for people
(28:34):
like that.
Because dad has a good job, sothey don't.
They're over the threshold ofincome for social services to
step in and help them with someday-to-day stuff, and mom's lost
her entire income.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
Yeah, the impact on the family.
It goes beyond the emotional.
You know, dealing with theactual illness.
Right, you know it impacts themfinancially on multiple levels.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
A lot and we've had close to 200 missions that we've
helped.
We're very lucky because therealtors at Coal Banker American
Homes contribute money out oftheir commission checks to help
this foundation keep growing andhave money available if we need
it for somebody, becauserecently and you know about this
case a single mom lost herfive-year-old.
(29:19):
Nobody has a bank accountprepared to bury their child and
you know the mother had reachedout to other foundations in
December and they were sayingwe're out of money.
We've been blessed because ofyou and Tom Gallagher and these
agents and attorneys that areinvolved with us, always
donating to us.
We run the fundraisers.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Our mortgage guys have made some significant
contributions.
Mortgage guys have beenincredibly wonderful.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
We have money, a little, you know, not a lot of
money.
I just want everybody to know.
I wish it was amultimillion-dollar foundation,
but it's not.
Yes, yes, but we're local, yeah, we're local.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
You know what Just a characterization and framework
for our audience is that I don'twant them to think it's $10
either.
Literally we're talking aboutthousands of dollars going
around just because it's nottens or hundreds.
But the foundation does raise$100,000, plus a year, yes.
So we just try to spread it outand help as many people as
(30:15):
possible.
Yeah, and it's a testament.
I wanted to make sure ouraudience understood, because the
agents really they step up.
Step up yeah, exactly, and makeit happen.
So, and I think it's extremelyimportant, the committee run
from my vantage point, becausewhat is the need and you know,
we want to make sure it's a realneed, legitimate and, again,
(30:36):
understanding what's theappropriate amount so that,
again, we protect the assets ofthe foundation, so that we can
help more people, but we alsomake sure that we bring
something impactful to the table.
So, having had a front row seatand watching it, it's like,
yeah, it's a beautiful thing.
So I commend you for puttingthe extra time in.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
I'm honored to be part of it.
Yeah Well, you play anextremely important role in so
much.
And I just want to say oneother thing about the foundation
that is very, very important tome.
I know a lot of people donateto other charities and there are
great charities.
No one gets paid the board,they're all volunteer, the
chairman volunteer, everybody.
(31:19):
Nobody gets paid.
There's no salary.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Well, one of the things I always look for when we
donate to any type of charityis what percentage goes back to
help.
And yes, we're a localizedorganization or charitable
organization, but 100% of themoney goes back out.
100%.
There's no employees, right?
Right, it's housed within ouroffices, rent-free.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
Right, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Yes, there you go, but even our accountant, I think
, does the books reconciliationsas a courtesy.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Right.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
So there's, you know, whatever fundraisers we're
running, you know obviously thecost of the fundraiser, but the
net money is 100% of that moneygoes back in the community and I
think that's something that'sreally impactful and it's a
beautiful thing to see, you know, from a front row seat.
So one of the things I want tocall out to our audience about
(32:09):
is you know, every year we have,you know, with over 1,000
agents.
Right, we have our awardceremony and you were picked as
the humanitarian of the year.
I think it was 2018.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Yes, so it was one person out of the entire
organization and stuff.
So how did it feel to be, youknow, acknowledged for that?
Speaker 2 (32:32):
I have to tell you that night I was shocked and
Barbara Mullaney was up therewith you and she leaned over and
she hugged me and she saidenjoy this.
This is really, reallyimportant and I have to tell you
I've gotten a lot of realestate awards but there's
nothing compared to beingrecognized as a humanitarian.
But I want to say that being ahumanitarian is not a one-woman
(32:56):
show or one-man show.
It's not.
You know, when I first came tothe company we'd do blood drives
and you know the offices theoffice I was in was very helpful
Rosalie that's in ourHicksville office, the admin.
She kept things in order andhelped me get what I wanted to
do with the blood drives.
When we did the Making StridesAgainst Breast Cancer walk my
(33:17):
office.
You know they're all in withall of this and the admins
Josephine Amerik, maria Holm,kathy Maestrick they jump in.
They will do stuff after hours.
When you know, just to help me,help us all be humanitarians.
I mean, I've been lucky enoughto go around to a lot of the
(33:39):
offices and talk about the partof American homes and this
company is full of humanitarians.
Thank you, it's just it comesfrom the top down, I know it.
It's like walking into theDisney store and everybody's
happy.
Yeah, it's just you and Tomattract good.
Happy, it's just you and Tomattract good.
(34:00):
And so I'm humbled by theHumanitarian Award.
But there's a lot of peoplebehind me and Tom Murtaugh.
When I came up with the RonaldMcDonald House, he's always like
all right, how can I help?
Speaker 1 (34:13):
And I'm like you got some money, Exactly.
But that's actually justtouched on something and I
really wanted to make sure ouraudience understood that.
So when you have a Humanitarianof the Year award, there's a
lot of people who qualify, whocontribute, who step up.
So when you're acknowledged thepeople who win that award each
year they're standing out from acrowded field.
(34:38):
So it should be something Iknow, I'm proud of.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
I'm so proud of it.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
Yeah, it's an awesome accomplishment and we love the
work that you do and the exampleyou set for the company.
It's fantastic.
So how can others get involvedin the foundation or any of the
work?
What's your advice to them?
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Well, it's every office, you know, because I've
said, I've gone to a lot ofoffices talking about the
foundation and every office doeshave a thing.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
You know.
So it's just to reach out tothe people that started because
they need help.
I definitely I could not dowhat we do without the
Massapequa Park office.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
Yes, but it's like ringleaders you got to have a
ringleader, all right.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
So when I was younger I didn't have a lot of money
and I would take Megan she wasseven years old and I would go
to give blood and I'd make herstand in the room and say,
listen, we don't have money butwe can help.
We can give blood, we can savelives.
So you don't have to have money.
You could just jump in and help, because in every office, like
(35:47):
the East Meadow office, thoseladies it's time to adopt a
family.
They are shopping and if youdon't want to shop, give them
some money to shop.
But there's something to do, youknow, in every single office
and you just have to find theringleader or talk to the
manager, because you know likethe foundation turns over board
(36:08):
members and if you're interestedin something like that, talk to
your manager because he knowswho to talk to.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
What about some of the fundraisers?
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Okay.
So the fundraisers?
Okay, the fundraisers are great.
We do raffle tickets and do alottery tree, and then people
buy tickets to try to win thelottery tree.
We have night at the races.
There's different things thatwe do, and that's the blessing
in this company is that wealways get a packed house.
(36:38):
It's helping.
You're part of it.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
You know what's amazing to me it's like being
get a packed house.
It's helping.
Yeah, you're part of it.
You know what's amazing to me?
It's like, uh, being at one ofthese fundraising you.
You're there with severalhundred people having a
fantastic time, right, laughingyour ass off right, and it's
like, oh, by having a great time, we actually did something good
, right.
So it's it's, you know, it'sit's work, but at the same time,
(36:59):
it doesn't have to be heavylifting, so to speak.
Right, it's true, so, yeah, sowhat would you say?
The advice is that come have agood time with us.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Come have a good time .
Speaker 1 (37:09):
With us.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
Get involved.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
Yeah, yeah, let's do good together, right.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
Because the money you're spending it's going to a
family that's in need.
Yeah exactly All right.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
Marie, it's time for our Drop the Mic question.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
All right, so you ready.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
If you could try any career for a day, just for a day
, just for fun, what would it beand why?
Speaker 2 (37:31):
That's a good question, mike, I think.
I think I would like to be asinger.
A singer and you can ask Marieat home in my office, because I
sing all day in the office andshe.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Can you hold a tune really?
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Well, I was in chorus when I was younger.
Okay, so it doesn't meananything.
But, I think I'm average.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
But I'm not a singer-singer, but if I could
just be a real singer and it wasbeautiful and that would be
wonderful.
But yeah, I've been caughtsinging Jingle Bells in August
and it's just.
I guess I would like to be asinger.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
I'm going to have to check with Maria Holmes on this.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
I think you better she don't like it.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
See how close you are to that dream.
They don't like it, they don'tlike it.
So, maria, give us a couple oflines of Jingle Bells for our
audience.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
Okay, this is for Marie at home, dashing through
the snow in a one-horse opensleigh.
All the fields we go laughingall the way, wait, wait.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
Ma-ha-ha-ha was not laughing, I swear he's not
laughing.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
Oh my gosh, that's great, that's great, that's
great.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
So, Marie, if anyone wants to reach out and do
business with or reach MarieAsher, how do they find you?
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Definitely call me myself phone number 516-353-2177
.
Or you can email me at masherat cbamhomescom.
Okay, can they visit yourwebsite?
Yes, go to marieasher at cbamMhomescom.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Okay, can they visit your website?
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Yes, go to Marie Asher at CBAM homescom.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Well, marie, thank you for joining the work hard,
play hard and give back realestate podcast.
You've been a lovely guest andI thank you for sharing all your
personal feedback and insights.
You know, I think there's a lotof people in our audience that
can get a lot of value of whatyou had to share.
I think there's a lot of peoplein our audience that can get a
lot of value of what you had toshare, and thank you for all
your work and giving back,especially Thanks for having me,
(39:23):
mike.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
You're an inspiration .
Well, I love you.
And Tom, just thank you foreverything.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
Okay, so thank you for joining the.
Work Hard, play Hard and GiveBack a real estate podcast.
And just remember we'll be backhere in two weeks for our next
episode.
We'll look forward to.
Welcome to the Work Hard, play Hard and Give Back a
real estate podcast.
I'm Mike Litzner, broker ownerof Coldwell Banker, and today I
have my guest Maria Asher,realtor extraordinaire from
Massapequa Park and surroundingareas.
Welcome to the show, maria.
Welcome to season two.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Thank you for having me, Mike.
I'm happy to be here.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
Yes.
So before we jump in, I justwant to remind our audience to
stick around to the end.
We always have a drop the micquestion.
We always like to catch it.
Oh, no, yeah, yeah, yeah.
So, maria, how long have youbeen in real estate now?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
20 years 20 years.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
It's been quite a ride right, A beautiful ride.
Good good, you built aremarkable career in real estate
.
Take us back to the beginning.
What did it look like?
What got Marie Asher into realestate?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
That's so funny, mike , because I was a nurse, I was
an LPN and I went to college andgot a degree in community
health.
But my grandmother got sick andI was 42 years old so that's 20
years ago and I decided Ineeded to do something, that I
could take care of her.
And I opened up the paper andit said make your own hours.
(01:13):
I didn't know it was 24-7.
So I went down to your Levittownoffice and the manager took me
in.
He's like okay, go to school.
And I went home and I was likewent home and I'm like I'm hired
, I'm going to be a realtor.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
And.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
I just I had to make it work and I worked hard.
The first year was scarybecause nothing was happening.
And then I thought about it andI said I'm going to see myself
sell 20 houses in the next 12months.
I want to see it and I alwaysI'm a big believer in if you see
it, you'll be it.
(01:51):
And that second year I did Isold 22 houses.
Yeah, that's awesome.
And I never looked back.
I mean it's just been a greatride.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Yeah.
So what was the aha moment Like?
When you finally get to yearone and you know, I think
there's a lot of people outthere, by the way, and you and I
probably have talked about thisthey see HGTV and there's a lot
of real estate shows out thereit's like, oh, this looks like a
lot of fun.
And like then they get alicense to go oh, this seems
like a lot of work, right, right, yes, so it's that getting your
(02:22):
feet under you in the test, butit doesn't really teach you the
fundamentals of running abusiness, and real estate is a
business.
So what was your biggest ahamoment in, you know, at the end
of year one, when you looked andsaid, okay, I have a new goal,
I focus, you know what.
What changed or switched on?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
I.
There was an aha moment in theLevittown office.
I was sitting in my cubby.
I did not want to go home andtell my children I failed.
I just couldn't fail, and I waslucky enough to become an
assistant to a top producer.
And it was the same thing.
I said I'm going to do this.
I saw it and all of my lifesince then, if I wanted to reach
(03:06):
a goal, I see it, I affirm itand it happens.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
You know, I just I remember crying in the Levittown
office that day.
It was that day and I said I'mnot failing at this, I can't
fail.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Right.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
So that was my.
That was really an aha moment,yeah yeah, Now you have two
girls right?
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Yes, they're now a little more mature, married
One's married, right.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Okay, megan's married .
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
She has three boys Right my Landon Harrison and
Brady.
Yeah, Allison's getting marriedin June.
That's what it is.
Yes, and both my children,through all of this, have
received doctorates Awesome, I'mvery proud of them.
They really lift my head up.
You know, we didn't have aneasy road.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
But it has been a great road.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah.
So how do you balance like thewhole single mom, take care of
the kids, be that all supportivefigure and then also balance
real estate, which is thisall-encompassing People think
don't realize it's seven days aweek sometimes.
Speaker 2 (04:07):
Yeah, it is so.
How do you balance that?
So in the beginning I tookAllie to showings.
I would say, Allie, come Justhang out with the family that
we're showing houses to anddon't open your mouth, Don't say
anything.
Don't say anything bad aboutthe house.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Don't say anything bad about the house, don't say
anything good about that's just,we have to do this and um, did
you ever get one of?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
those you know whoops moment where valley's like,
look, mom, there's water leaking, you know, or anything?
No, no one buyer said to me um,you're always showing us houses
in levittown and you live inhicksville.
Like, why are you, why do you,you know, keep showing us houses
in levittown?
I really fell in love withlevittown and Allie, that was
the one time she said, when I'm18 years old, my mom's going to
buy me a car and we're going tomove to Levittown.
And I was like Allie, but thatwas no, she was really good.
(04:55):
My kids, they have been very,they've been great and like
right now, like I go to work, Ido some charity work.
Like right now, like I go towork, I do some charity work.
But you know, I go over toMegan's house in the evening and
I play basketball with Landonand Sonic the Hedgehog with
Harrison, so I make sure Ibalance it.
(05:16):
I have time for my friends.
I just figure it out.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Like most really good agents, you make it work.
Speaker 2 (05:24):
I make it work.
I make it work yeah Well, mostreally good agents.
You make it work, I make itwork.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I make it work.
Yeah Well, you know what'sinteresting.
In preparation for this, wewent on your own real estate
website and what was superimpressive was the extreme high
number of testimonials you hadfrom past clients.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yep.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
All right and they were impressive.
You know anyone can go to yourwebsite.
Your website is what MarieAsher.
Marie Asher at cbamhomescom Allright, perfect, and I know
there was more than 70 of themon there.
Yep, you know.
So what do you do to set youapart from other real estate
professionals?
Speaker 2 (05:59):
I think that it's really important to show that
you care and really care aboutthe people that you deal with,
but I'm also not above or beyondcleaning the toilet or you know
just people when they selltheir houses, they need
emotional support.
Speaker 1 (06:16):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
And I try to be there .
You know, if someone calls, Itry to pick up the phone right
away.
So if there's a worry, what'sgoing to happen next?
I try to prepare my people towhat's the process, to make them
feel comfortable about what'sgoing to happen.
So, yeah, I really.
Actually I always say at mylistening appointments listen,
(06:39):
if I'm going to take care ofyour home, I'm going to take
care of it like it's my own homeor if it's one of my classmates
that give me a referral andit's their parents' house.
You know, I'm going to take careof your mother's house like
it's my mother's house, and Ithink that that's you have to be
emotionally connected to yoursellers and your buyers and just
be there for them.
(07:00):
It's very simple, it's when youget it.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
So I don't think a lot of people understand is that
the average person doesn't wakeup and say, hey, honey, let's
put the house on the markettoday.
You know it's not just a kneejerk decision, you know, it's
usually something is inspiringand it could be something good.
Many times it could be bad, youknow.
Sometimes it's there's death,there's divorce on one side.
(07:25):
On the other side there'ssurprise, we're having twins,
we're outgrowing the house andit sounds good, but then you've
got twins and you're trying tolive your life and then real
estate agents are showing up andyou're going to keep the house
or stage the house.
So there's really a lot ofemotional stress on the family
to go through it.
So the personal touch that youare referencing, I think, is so,
(07:50):
so important and again it getsoverlooked.
One of the best teaching points.
We always talk about this.
I know you and I have had thisconversation.
People have said you know aboutsales and I never pictured us
being in sales.
I always said you know what?
We get paid a lot of money tohelp people, right, right, if
you help them with theirproblems, yes, we get paid, but
(08:13):
at the end of the day it's a waydifferent approach.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
Right, we're not saying anything bad about car
salesmen.
I mean they spend a day withyou.
We spend months, Spend months,Spend years with people and you
know you have to be emotionallyconnected to them and care.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Yeah, well, hopefully you're not spending months upon
months, but I think even thattime from you know people don't
realize from contract to closing, you're managing the
transaction through the pipeline, so to speak, to get there, and
there's a lot of handholdingthere, right, right?
So, murray, you have a greatreputation as someone who's
(08:51):
always quick to jump in and help, and that's great with both
Obviously part of our give back,where we have a culture of
charity and community.
But what I find also impressiveis that you're one of the first
people to jump in with a newagent.
You know you tend to be thefirst person to offer the mentor
(09:11):
, you know so where does thatcome?
From.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
It's funny, I think, because I was mentored and
people.
You know it's not easy when youfirst start and I just I like
helping people learn and youknow, talk about my experiences
and you know, like Yvette in myoffice, one time when she first
(09:35):
came, we went to a house andthere's a lock on certain doors
that you have to pivot up thedoor handle and then you can
lock it and people don't realizethat these simple little things
a new agent may not know.
And she actually went and did awalkthrough for Stella and there
was was that doorknob and shekept thanking me for it.
(09:57):
And like when I first startedand agents would take me out to
broker open houses, I didn'tknow what an extension was, I
didn't know what a dormer wasand sometimes people when they
first start, they're afraid toask questions, they don't want
to appear stupid.
So I kind of like feel thatit's important to share any
knowledge that I have and, likeI always look at the office as
(10:20):
like a whole, Like I want to dowell, but I want my office to do
well.
Yeah, so if people are helpedalong the way and I can help
them build their business, I'mhappy to do it.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Yeah Well, I always hear these comments.
You know about you and yourgiving nature, which is great,
so where does your work ethicand work philosophy come from?
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Well, my dad worked hard, my mom worked, they both
worked hard.
Speaker 1 (10:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
And my father was an electrician and when I was 12,
he would take me on jobs becauseI could sneak through an attic
and snake the wire, so I neverminded getting dirty, it was
fine with me.
Speaker 1 (11:02):
No child labor laws there.
I think he gave me $25 for thewhole job.
And.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
I worked.
I started working when I was 12years old to buy my own clothes
because we were not well offand I'm not afraid to work.
My children are afraid to work.
We all have a good work ethic.
I enjoyed my work, you know Ienjoy it.
Like if I have a day off andthere's no appointments, I'll
still buzz into the office a lotof times just to see what's up
(11:30):
and see if I can help what can Ido to help?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
They say if you love what you do, right, you never
really worked the day in yourlife.
It's true.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
Ever since I started real estate, I don't feel like,
oh, I got to go to work or oh,this is awful.
I don't ever feel that waybecause when I was a nurse and I
worked in the naval daycareswhen I was younger, you know
nursing's tough, it's hurtfuland this is not hurtful.
(12:02):
There's nothing hurtful abouthelping people buy a house.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Yeah, you just gotta comfort them and be there for
them, and it's easy.
Speaker 2 (12:05):
It's an easy job.
I mean, I don't want to eversay that listen, it's work, it's
work, but it's a different kindof work yeah, one of the things
I always liked is just theinteresting people you meet.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
We do get to meet people from all walks of life
and different personalities,right?
Speaker 2 (12:16):
yes, I just had on one of my listings we just had I
was fascinated by.
We do get to meet people fromall walks of life and different
personalities, right?
Yes, I just had one of mylistings we just had.
I was fascinated by what thisguy did.
He's a grave digger.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
Really.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
And he was retiring, and I've met TSA workers, all
kinds of people from all kindsof walks of life, and that is
one of the interesting parts ofour job.
Yeah, it's true.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
So, marie, a piece of advice If someone is new
starting out in the businesstoday, what would, marie, I
should tell them the biggestsingle thing to focus on.
Speaker 2 (12:47):
Well, when I first started I would go to the
Levittown office every Wednesdaynight for classes and Tom
Gallagher worked at an officeback then and he would pop his
head in and he said spear ofinfluence, your spear of
influence, tell them what you do.
Do not be a secret agent.
Talk to the people that youknow.
And for me, you know, there wasa worry, like people would
(13:10):
think oh, she's the nurse youknow why, would she be a realtor
?
But I hooked up with someonethat knew what he was doing.
Speaker 1 (13:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
And you know I was able to like if somebody was
thinking about selling.
Speaker 1 (13:21):
Right.
Speaker 2 (13:21):
Because I talked about it.
I would say listen, you know, Iknow I'm new, but I have
someone that knows what he'sdoing.
He's been doing it for a longtime and I don't work by myself.
So back then, american Homesalways said you know, you should
really bring somebody.
And you know, I think you hadto bring somebody like five
times and it wasn't mandatory,but it was really like
Encouraged.
Encouraged Because you reallyyou learn when you work with
(13:44):
someone else and I think thatyou know, speaking to your
sphere of influence, workingwith somebody that knows what
they're doing.
Speaker 1 (13:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
And then you learn so much.
And it's so surprising becauseafter that second year I was
like, wow, look what I know.
Speaker 1 (13:59):
I know what a dormer is.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
I know what extension is.
And it's just important to bearound people that know what
they're doing, the classes, thetraining that you guys have
always had from 20 years ago.
I left for about 18 months,smarty pants, going to go work,
be a manager and a little momand pop, and I came back with my
(14:21):
tail between my legs because Irealized that, working for a big
company, you guys had the toolsthat I needed for my sellers,
for myself, for the buyers yeah,things and the training, and
it's just.
If that was anything I wouldtell anybody just stay with our
big company.
This is the right place to be.
It's a great place to be.
Speaker 1 (14:41):
One of the things that shocks me is that we do
take great pride in our trainingprograms, because it is way
more difficult to be successfulin real estate than the average
person believes, right?
So we've made a really robustprogram, as you've referenced,
and Deb Asher is our Director ofBusiness Development who runs
that program for us.
(15:02):
We have the ability to get thecomplete 22 and a half hours
within that program ofcontinuing education and, again,
there's no cost.
We believe that agents need tobe or our agents need to be the
most educated, to be the mostprofessional, and we wanted to
remove all excuses why theywouldn't be educated.
(15:24):
And the one thing thatsurprises me is that an agent
will pay to go to real estateschool and get a license and
then not show up for freetraining.
So, to piggyback on what you'resaying, if I'm a new agent
going into this, show up everytraining.
I think you said this earlieryou went to every training.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Five times over.
But, I have experience.
I've been doing this 20 years.
I go to training, I go totraining.
I've been going to a lot oftraining lately and it's
important because—.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Everything changes, it changes.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
It changes and we've got to change with it.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
Yes, everything changes, it changes, it changes
and we've got to change with it.
Yes, whether it's beentechnology over the years, the
way we communicate or justindustry changes and this year
has been a— A lot, a big, bigpivot in the industry that we've
seen right I would say 2024 wasthe biggest set of changes I've
seen in any one short period oftime.
You know, outside of a COVIDthing, but that's not really a
(16:16):
change, it was really acondition.
Speaker 2 (16:18):
Yeah, it was an industry thing.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Yeah right, Something we had to navigate.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
But this company prepares us for the changes that
I don't feel stressed out by it.
I feel like it's the training'sthere.
Yeah, I'm fine.
Yeah, just take advantage of it, just take advantage of it,
it's all good.
Speaker 1 (16:33):
Yeah, great of it, just take advantage of it.
It's all good, yeah, great,great.
So, murray, before we go on, Ijust want to remind our audience
to, if you like what you'reseeing and hearing, we'd love to
have you like and subscribe ourchannel here at the Work Hard,
play Hard and Give Back RealEstate Podcast.
So one of our topic is playhard.
We know there's a human side torealtors.
Like sometimes the public getsto see the serious side, but
(16:57):
there's a human side of it.
So what's one thing you dopersonally that you know outside
of real estate that rechargesyour batteries.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
It's definitely playing with my grandchildren.
I mean, you know, 10 years agoit would have been something
different.
But you know, playingbasketball with Landon and, like
I said before, playing Sonicthe Hedgehog with Harrison.
You know, it's just a differentlife now and I love it, you
know.
Yeah, going to the white postfarms to see the animals with
the kids, it's really what makesme tick yeah, but your
(17:31):
grandkids are close to you likeyeah.
Geographically yes they live inNorth Massapequa yeah and so
you, they're at a great age.
Speaker 1 (17:39):
That's a blessing right.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
Yeah, it is.
It's really wonderful.
They're two, four and six.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:44):
The other thing that makes me happy is, you know,
it's kind of work-related, butit's not Like every day in my
office we have lunch together.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
It's like Sunday dinner every day.
I can't even begin to explainhow fun and important that is to
me.
I just love the people that Iwork with and it really like
it's that old-fashioned Sundaydinner that nobody does anymore.
Whoever's in the office itcould be four people, it could
be six people, it could be 12people we kind of talk about
(18:19):
life and then real estate too,too Like if we have problems, we
talk it out.
So you know, I don't know Ihave, I don't go out at night.
I'm not a party animal.
If that's what you're trying tofind out, it's just I kind of
have a minimalist life, a simplelife, that's okay.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
That's all good.
Speaker 2 (18:33):
I have a chihuahua at home, my little Toby, yeah, and
you know, I think it's just asimple life.
Speaker 1 (18:40):
That's okay.
But what I like is that yousaid is and it gets overlooked
is how important company cultureis.
Right, and it's.
In some offices it can behyper-competitive and that can
come out negative and at thesame time, you can have a
positive culture and you know, Ithink there's such growth
(19:03):
potentials individually, like wegrow from interacting with
other people and sharing theirproblems and brainstorming
through it.
So it seems, since COVID right,you know, everything's been
more remote.
We've gotten into Zoom, youknow, or you know, video
conferencing and, yes, it offersefficiency.
(19:23):
But sometimes I feel like theoffice should be an anchor and
it's something that's missing ina lot of places.
But, yes, I noticed MassapequaPark has extremely strong
culture, barbecues, right.
Oh yeah, oh, you're famous foryour barbecues, yeah, what about
the Massapequa Park?
Is it street fairs?
(19:45):
They have.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
Yes, so we all got it .
You know we're very, very tightand they're family to me.
Yeah, all of them, and youcan't put a price on that.
Like work, culture is soimportant If you love going to
work and the people around youand you feel safe with them.
I mean, there's nocompetitiveness, like we all
(20:05):
like want to see each other dowell.
Speaker 1 (20:07):
You root each other on.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
We root each other on and every Wednesday we have a
round table at four o'clockwhere the agents just sit around
and we go back and forth aboutproblems that we're having or
even talking about all thechanges that we just have been
through as realtors.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
Are there changes in real estate?
Oh yes, there is.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
And you know we got, we're getting through it
together.
Yeah, you know we like we'll besitting in the office and
someone will shout out hey, youknow the new matrix, how do you
do this?
And then we'll gather togetherand try to figure it out.
And it's a great office.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
Yeah Well, you got a good ringmaster over there, tom.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
Murtaugh yes.
He keeps us going.
He's very, very good.
You know, I always said I Inever want to work for a manager
that knows less than me.
Right, and I have that in him.
Yes, I have to admit it.
He knows more than I do and I'mhappy to be there with him.
It's just it's.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
Is it okay if he sees this episode and now knows?
Speaker 2 (21:10):
Yeah, well, his head might get better.
It's all right, we can handlehim.
Speaker 1 (21:14):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
He's good yes.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
So, murray, how about you share a story, something
from your youth, something thatpeople wouldn't really know or
expect out of you?
Someone's always got a funnystory right.
Speaker 2 (21:25):
I have a funny story, yes, okay.
So when I was in high school asenior in high school I was on
the Honor Society.
I was a geek.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
Yeah, a goody two-shoe.
Speaker 2 (21:35):
Yeah, I was a goody two-shoe and I had a bunch of
friends that were goodytwo-shoes.
So one night in 1980,Hicksville put in a beautiful
fountain in the middle ofHicksville.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
Okay, so you did something to the fountain.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Yeah, we went and got laundry detergent and put it,
and the bubbles just flew overinto the Broadway and all over
the place, and that was, likeprobably one of the great things
that I did, so that's whereyour nickname Bubbles came from.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
I do actually have somebody call me that.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Bubbles yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Oh, that's good.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Yeah, but that's you know.
I'm sorry, I wish I could tellyou something else, but you know
that's as serious as it gotyeah.
Speaker 1 (22:15):
Yeah, so all right.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
So we, we, we know real estate's pretty
encompassing, but tell, tell usabout any type of hobby or
interest of yours that's outsideof real estate.
What's something that mightsurprise people?
Speaker 1 (22:31):
I don't know, I'm not a pole dancer, mike I don't
know.
Speaker 2 (22:33):
I don't know.
I'm trying to think what isdifferent about Marie Asher?
I don't have a good answer forthat.
I wish I did.
Speaker 1 (22:43):
You know why I ask?
Because, having more than 1,000agents tied to the American
Homes family, there are a lot ofunique personalities and
sometimes we have our game faceon too much.
But at the end of the day we'reregular people.
We laugh, we cry, we work hard,we give back.
So I know giving back is apassion of yours, which
(23:08):
evidenced by this past weekend.
Didn't you tell me on Saturdaywhere were you?
Speaker 2 (23:12):
The Ronald McDonald House.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
Yeah, why don't you share with our audience a little
bit about that experience?
How did that come together inthe first place?
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Well, I have to tell you.
So I was really like this isout of my comfort zone to get in
front of a camera, but I washoping we'd lead into some kind
of talk about the charity workthat I get involved with Because
, as you know, the heart ofAmerican Homes is very important
to me.
Well, I know we're going totalk about that.
I hope, because that's why I'mhere, Otherwise I would never do
this.
Speaker 1 (23:41):
We will.
It's a passion of yours, andours.
Speaker 2 (23:45):
Yeah, I'm so grateful .
My children have the samepassion that I do for charitable
work and my Megan, with a bunchof people from Northwell, went
to the Ronald McDonald House toserve brunch.
As soon as she left there thatday, she called me up and she
said Mom, this is right up youralley and right up your
company's alley.
So she gave me the contactinformation and it took a while
(24:09):
to get a date because I wanted aSaturday.
So some of the people that workfull-time, that are in our
office, that are part-timerealtors I knew that they would
want to do something like thisand I have to tell you it's one
of the best things that I'veever been involved with the
Ronald McDonald House.
What we did was we purchasedthe food.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
We brought the food to the home.
You know 9, 15 in the morning.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (24:33):
And it's local, here on Long Island, right New High
Park, right next to Cohen'sChildren's Hospital, yeah, good.
And we prepared the food.
Tom Rattau was a chef, mariaHolm was a chef, willie
Sanfilippo was the chef.
Speaker 1 (24:45):
He really was a chef back in the day.
He was really a chef and he letus know it too.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
Yeah, so we all had our own jobs and we were
seamlessly perfect at beingthere.
And then they gave us a tour,and the tour was very emotional
for all of us.
It's truly the house that lovebuilds.
And when we all left, everyagent that went had the same
question when can we go back?
Speaker 1 (25:07):
So hope to do a barbecue during the summer.
Speaker 2 (25:08):
But I have to say the agents that went, there's
agents in our office thatthroughout the year at our
office meetings we contributemoney for our charitable things
that we're going to do.
So you know, everybody in theoffice had a part in going to
the Ronald McDonald.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
House Fantastic For our audience that doesn't
necessarily know what RonaldMcDonald House really does.
Can you share their mission?
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Just give us insight.
So people that have childrenthat are being treated at
Cohen's right here in New HighPark, there's Ronald McDonald
houses all throughout thecountry.
But, this one in particular thatwe went to is associated with
the Cohen's Children's Hospitalin New High Park and some people
come from all over the placeand they need some place to stay
overnight or they just mightwalk over from the hospital to
(25:54):
take a shower, to be fed.
There were siblings runningaround of you know the sick
children and you know they weredoing crafts with the children.
There's lots of volunteersthere.
It's just a place for peoplethat have children that are ill,
that there's someplace where ahaven that they can go to.
(26:16):
And I have to tell you it justwas a beautiful, loving
atmosphere.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:23):
It was really a gift to be able to do what we did
this past Saturday.
That is awesome.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
That's awesome.
I know you're deeply involvedwith the foundation, the Heart
of American Homes.
That's our company's ownin-house internal foundation and
I would just say you're notonly involved and again, we have
agents and people all acrossthe company that are involved
but you personally are chairmanof the Family Services Committee
of the Heart of American Homes.
(26:49):
Can you talk about what thecommittee does and how they
determine what cases to assistin.
Speaker 2 (26:55):
So the Heart of American Homes is a foundation
that you and Tom opened in 2017.
And it's really about helpingpeople that need help in a
crisis situation.
Speaker 1 (27:09):
Right.
Speaker 2 (27:09):
So from word of mouth , from the agents in the company
, we'll get cases and the casesI vet them, I interview them and
I get documentation.
Sometimes I visit homes andthen I go back to my committee
Sheila Olson, joe Rico and TomGallagher and we kind of decide
(27:30):
like what would be appropriatehelp for this family.
So we're not like amultimillion-dollar foundation,
you know, so it could be.
You know they're not big grantsbut it's enough to help a
family that might be in need.
So once we determine the amountthat we think is good and a
good recommendation, we go outto the board and we email them
(27:51):
and say do you agree with this,are you okay with this?
And if they agree, then wedistribute the money.
We distributed money to funeralhomes, cemeteries recently.
You know people in trouble thatyou know like people have house
fires and the homeowners willcover the house, you know, and
things in the contents of thehouse.
But that week, that first week,when they're trying to get
(28:14):
meals on the run, and you knowthe kid one kid lost his
computer and he was going backto college.
I mean, it's just things thatcome up.
And you know, last year we hada case where it was.
We had a.
The mama was a hairdresser.
Dad had a really good job.
The child had cancer.
Mom couldn't work anymore, sobut there's no help for people
(28:34):
like that.
Because dad has a good job, sothey don't.
They're over the threshold ofincome for social services to
step in and help them with someday-to-day stuff, and mom's lost
her entire income.
Speaker 1 (28:45):
Yeah, the impact on the family.
It goes beyond the emotional.
You know, dealing with theactual illness.
Right, you know it impacts themfinancially on multiple levels.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
A lot and we've had close to 200 missions that we've
helped.
We're very lucky because therealtors at Coal Banker American
Homes contribute money out oftheir commission checks to help
this foundation keep growing andhave money available if we need
it for somebody, becauserecently and you know about this
case a single mom lost herfive-year-old.
(29:19):
Nobody has a bank accountprepared to bury their child and
you know the mother had reachedout to other foundations in
December and they were sayingwe're out of money.
We've been blessed because ofyou and Tom Gallagher and these
agents and attorneys that areinvolved with us, always
donating to us.
We run the fundraisers.
Speaker 1 (29:40):
Our mortgage guys have made some significant
contributions.
Mortgage guys have beenincredibly wonderful.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
We have money, a little, you know, not a lot of
money.
I just want everybody to know.
I wish it was amultimillion-dollar foundation,
but it's not.
Yes, yes, but we're local, yeah, we're local.
Speaker 1 (29:53):
You know what Just a characterization and framework
for our audience is that I don'twant them to think it's $10
either.
Literally we're talking aboutthousands of dollars going
around just because it's nottens or hundreds.
But the foundation does raise$100,000, plus a year, yes.
So we just try to spread it outand help as many people as
(30:15):
possible.
Yeah, and it's a testament.
I wanted to make sure ouraudience understood, because the
agents really they step up.
Step up yeah, exactly, and makeit happen.
So, and I think it's extremelyimportant, the committee run
from my vantage point, becausewhat is the need and you know,
we want to make sure it's a realneed, legitimate and, again,
(30:36):
understanding what's theappropriate amount so that,
again, we protect the assets ofthe foundation, so that we can
help more people, but we alsomake sure that we bring
something impactful to the table.
So, having had a front row seatand watching it, it's like,
yeah, it's a beautiful thing.
So I commend you for puttingthe extra time in.
Speaker 2 (30:57):
I'm honored to be part of it.
Yeah Well, you play anextremely important role in so
much.
And I just want to say oneother thing about the foundation
that is very, very important tome.
I know a lot of people donateto other charities and there are
great charities.
No one gets paid the board,they're all volunteer, the
chairman volunteer, everybody.
(31:19):
Nobody gets paid.
There's no salary.
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Well, one of the things I always look for when we
donate to any type of charityis what percentage goes back to
help.
And yes, we're a localizedorganization or charitable
organization, but 100% of themoney goes back out.
100%.
There's no employees, right?
Right, it's housed within ouroffices, rent-free.
Speaker 2 (31:40):
Right, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Yes, there you go, but even our accountant, I think
, does the books reconciliationsas a courtesy.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Right.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
So there's, you know, whatever fundraisers we're
running, you know obviously thecost of the fundraiser, but the
net money is 100% of that moneygoes back in the community and I
think that's something that'sreally impactful and it's a
beautiful thing to see, you know, from a front row seat.
So one of the things I want tocall out to our audience about
(32:09):
is you know, every year we have,you know, with over 1,000
agents.
Right, we have our awardceremony and you were picked as
the humanitarian of the year.
I think it was 2018.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Yes, yes.
Speaker 1 (32:24):
Yes, so it was one person out of the entire
organization and stuff.
So how did it feel to be, youknow, acknowledged for that?
Speaker 2 (32:32):
I have to tell you that night I was shocked and
Barbara Mullaney was up therewith you and she leaned over and
she hugged me and she saidenjoy this.
This is really, reallyimportant and I have to tell you
I've gotten a lot of realestate awards but there's
nothing compared to beingrecognized as a humanitarian.
But I want to say that being ahumanitarian is not a one-woman
(32:56):
show or one-man show.
It's not.
You know, when I first came tothe company we'd do blood drives
and you know the offices theoffice I was in was very helpful
Rosalie that's in ourHicksville office, the admin.
She kept things in order andhelped me get what I wanted to
do with the blood drives.
When we did the Making StridesAgainst Breast Cancer walk my
(33:17):
office.
You know they're all in withall of this and the admins
Josephine Amerik, maria Holm,kathy Maestrick they jump in.
They will do stuff after hours.
When you know, just to help me,help us all be humanitarians.
I mean, I've been lucky enoughto go around to a lot of the
(33:39):
offices and talk about the partof American homes and this
company is full of humanitarians.
Thank you, it's just it comesfrom the top down, I know it.
It's like walking into theDisney store and everybody's
happy.
Yeah, it's just you and Tomattract good.
Happy, it's just you and Tomattract good.
(34:00):
And so I'm humbled by theHumanitarian Award.
But there's a lot of peoplebehind me and Tom Murtaugh.
When I came up with the RonaldMcDonald House, he's always like
all right, how can I help?
Speaker 1 (34:13):
And I'm like you got some money, Exactly.
But that's actually justtouched on something and I
really wanted to make sure ouraudience understood that.
So when you have a Humanitarianof the Year award, there's a
lot of people who qualify, whocontribute, who step up.
So when you're acknowledged thepeople who win that award each
year they're standing out from acrowded field.
(34:38):
So it should be something Iknow, I'm proud of.
Speaker 2 (34:43):
I'm so proud of it.
Speaker 1 (34:44):
Yeah, it's an awesome accomplishment and we love the
work that you do and the exampleyou set for the company.
It's fantastic.
So how can others get involvedin the foundation or any of the
work?
What's your advice to them?
Speaker 2 (35:02):
Well, it's every office, you know, because I've
said, I've gone to a lot ofoffices talking about the
foundation and every office doeshave a thing.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
You know.
So it's just to reach out tothe people that started because
they need help.
I definitely I could not dowhat we do without the
Massapequa Park office.
Speaker 1 (35:22):
Yes, but it's like ringleaders you got to have a
ringleader, all right.
Speaker 2 (35:27):
So when I was younger I didn't have a lot of money
and I would take Megan she wasseven years old and I would go
to give blood and I'd make herstand in the room and say,
listen, we don't have money butwe can help.
We can give blood, we can savelives.
So you don't have to have money.
You could just jump in and help, because in every office, like
(35:47):
the East Meadow office, thoseladies it's time to adopt a
family.
They are shopping and if youdon't want to shop, give them
some money to shop.
But there's something to do, youknow, in every single office
and you just have to find theringleader or talk to the
manager, because you know likethe foundation turns over board
(36:08):
members and if you're interestedin something like that, talk to
your manager because he knowswho to talk to.
Speaker 1 (36:13):
What about some of the fundraisers?
Speaker 2 (36:17):
Okay.
So the fundraisers?
Okay, the fundraisers are great.
We do raffle tickets and do alottery tree, and then people
buy tickets to try to win thelottery tree.
We have night at the races.
There's different things thatwe do, and that's the blessing
in this company is that wealways get a packed house.
(36:38):
It's helping.
You're part of it.
Speaker 1 (36:39):
You know what's amazing to me it's like being
get a packed house.
It's helping.
Yeah, you're part of it.
You know what's amazing to me?
It's like, uh, being at one ofthese fundraising you.
You're there with severalhundred people having a
fantastic time, right, laughingyour ass off right, and it's
like, oh, by having a great time, we actually did something good
, right.
So it's it's, you know, it'sit's work, but at the same time,
(36:59):
it doesn't have to be heavylifting, so to speak.
Right, it's true, so, yeah, sowhat would you say?
The advice is that come have agood time with us.
Speaker 2 (37:08):
Come have a good time .
Speaker 1 (37:09):
With us.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
Get involved.
Speaker 1 (37:10):
Yeah, yeah, let's do good together, right.
Speaker 2 (37:12):
Because the money you're spending it's going to a
family that's in need.
Yeah exactly All right.
Speaker 1 (37:19):
Marie, it's time for our Drop the Mic question.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
All right, so you ready.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
If you could try any career for a day, just for a day
, just for fun, what would it beand why?
Speaker 2 (37:31):
That's a good question, mike, I think.
I think I would like to be asinger.
A singer and you can ask Marieat home in my office, because I
sing all day in the office andshe.
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Can you hold a tune really?
Speaker 2 (37:44):
Well, I was in chorus when I was younger.
Okay, so it doesn't meananything.
But, I think I'm average.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (37:51):
But I'm not a singer-singer, but if I could
just be a real singer and it wasbeautiful and that would be
wonderful.
But yeah, I've been caughtsinging Jingle Bells in August
and it's just.
I guess I would like to be asinger.
Speaker 1 (38:04):
I'm going to have to check with Maria Holmes on this.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
I think you better she don't like it.
Speaker 1 (38:09):
See how close you are to that dream.
They don't like it, they don'tlike it.
So, maria, give us a couple oflines of Jingle Bells for our
audience.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
Okay, this is for Marie at home, dashing through
the snow in a one-horse opensleigh.
All the fields we go laughingall the way, wait, wait.
Speaker 1 (38:30):
Ma-ha-ha-ha was not laughing, I swear he's not
laughing.
Speaker 2 (38:35):
Oh my gosh, that's great, that's great, that's
great.
Speaker 1 (38:38):
So, Marie, if anyone wants to reach out and do
business with or reach MarieAsher, how do they find you?
Speaker 2 (38:46):
Definitely call me myself phone number 516-353-2177
.
Or you can email me at masherat cbamhomescom.
Okay, can they visit yourwebsite?
Yes, go to marieasher at cbamMhomescom.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Okay, can they visit your website?
Speaker 2 (38:59):
Yes, go to Marie Asher at CBAM homescom.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
Well, marie, thank you for joining the work hard,
play hard and give back realestate podcast.
You've been a lovely guest andI thank you for sharing all your
personal feedback and insights.
You know, I think there's a lotof people in our audience that
can get a lot of value of whatyou had to share.
I think there's a lot of peoplein our audience that can get a
lot of value of what you had toshare, and thank you for all
your work and giving back,especially Thanks for having me,
(39:23):
mike.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
You're an inspiration .
Well, I love you.
And Tom, just thank you foreverything.
Speaker 1 (39:28):
Okay, so thank you for joining the.
Work Hard, play Hard and GiveBack a real estate podcast.
And just remember we'll be backhere in two weeks for our next
episode.
We'll look forward to.
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