March 12, 2025 • 48 mins
In this episode of Work Hard, Play Hard, and Give Back - A Real Estate Podcast, we sit down with Jim McKenna Sr. and Jim McKenna Jr., the dynamic father-son duo behind The Jims Team in Northport, NY.
With decades of combined experience, they share:
✅ How they built a thriving real estate business together
✅ The challenges and rewards of working as a family
✅ Their success in both residential resale and new construction
✅ The importance of client-first service and community involvement
✅ How giving back through organizations like Kiwanis and the American Legion has shaped their careers
Thank you for listening
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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 (00:06):
Welcome to the Work Hard, play Hard and Give Back a
real estate podcast.
I'm Mike Litzner, owner broker,coldwell Banker, american Homes
, and here we are in the studioin Franklin Square at American
Homes.
Please remember to like andsubscribe.
We'd love to have you join ourchannel and please stay around
for the drop the mic question atthe end.
We always have some fun and Ihave the pleasure of having the
(00:28):
Jim's team Jim McKenna Sr andJim McKenna Jr one of our top
teams in real estate, let alonethe Huntington Market area.
So welcome to the show, jim's.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Thank you, there we go.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Excited to have you guys in here because, again, you
guys bring a unique experience,generational experience as well
as teamwork, which is obviouslyvery important.
So, jim Sr, why don't we juststart with you?
Sure, so how long you've beenpracticing real estate?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
In 1984, I worked for a design firm and I used to
work with Centex Pulte US Home.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
New construction.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Sales offices all right throughout the country,
for all these major players,okay.
And I used to work with Centex,pulte, us Home, new
construction Sales offices allright, throughout the country,
for all these major players,yeah, all right.
Then the world ended if youwere in real estate, yeah, okay.
So then I went to a localbrokerage little Adderley Buyers
little one shop place, and Iknew the owner, who was a member
of the art club with me, and hegoes come down here, I'll print
(01:25):
you up some business cards,right?
So my training was a businesscard and a phone all right and
back and back of those days youhad the Bible, all right.
It was live it every week, withsupplements coming in, all right
.
So that's how I got startedback in getting licensed in 1984
.
So I've been doing it for alittle while Just a couple years
(01:46):
.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
All right, I got my license in college, okay.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So what year was that ?
Speaker 4 (01:51):
97 or 98.
Okay, I was still in collegeand I worked with my dad during
the summer.
One of the reasons I got it wasI also started work on the
website which back then was DialUp and we had one of the first
websites on Long Island for realestate and Dad mentioned the
name of the company was AdelaideBuyers.
(02:13):
So we actually got a coupleinquiries from Australia where
they were looking to buy out inAdelaide and the Internet was
that new I guess they didn'tknow that they were dialing
internationally.
But it just goes to show youwhere we start and kind of where
we go.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Now we know why they call it the World Wide Web.
Yeah right, wwwwhat.
That's a funny story for that.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
But yeah, we have one of the first websites on Long
Island and that's because I wasstudying computers at Albany.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Yeah, so did you stay for what?
Four years?
Speaker 4 (02:47):
I actually did four and a half years, oh you're on
the extended program.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
One of those super graduates, yeah exactly.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
I look at Jim Sr.
I'm going ouch, no wonderyou're still working, Still
paying off those student loans.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Definitely.
I graduated in 99, and thencame to work with Dad pretty
much full-time since then,really Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Did you work as a team right away?
Speaker 4 (03:12):
or you worked in the same office as Dad.
He was nice enough to bring mein as a team.
But I'm also what?
22, 23 at that point?
Yeah, I don't know if you cantell now, but I was very shy.
I can tell I thought I neededto know everything about
everything before I walked outwith a customer which you should
know some stuff, but don't holdyourself back getting out there
.
So I did all the back officestuff.
(03:33):
I did the.
You know the paperwork and the.
You know different proceduralstuff setting up.
Yeah, what was stuff we stilluse today.
You know the buying processhasn't changed that much.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
No, everything but the paper.
I've been trying to retrainmyself to call it documents.
We need the documents, not thepaperwork.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Yeah, it's still paperwork to me.
I hear you, I hear you, butit's a mental adjustment.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Trust me, I'm trying to change myself.
But how long were you in itbefore you made your first sale,
Jim, as like a solo?
Yeah, but how long were you init before you made?
Speaker 4 (04:04):
your first sale, jim, as like a solo, yeah, a lot of
the stuff.
So dad was the point at thatpoint and you know I would do,
I'd help him with the openhouses or I'd be there for the
inspections.
It didn't have to be stuff likethat.
But I guess my first real salewas to my cousin, okay, in
probably 2000, 2001.
(04:26):
So it probably took me about,I'd say, about a year to go and
then do a solo right, right,looking back seems like a really
long time, but at the time itwasn't right I hear you.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
There's so many, so many changes over the years.
You know from everything withtechnology, as you're saying,
and social media, and just theway we communicate.
The one constant that has notchanged is the average age of a
realtor was always 54 years oldand outside of a little
variation here we are 40 yearslater and it's still 54 years
old.
I'm like I'm finally aboveaverage.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
You'll find out Junior soon enough, you'll be
above average one day too, godwilling right.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
So, jim Junior, we're going to pivot here real
quickly.
So what's the biggest advantageand challenge working as a
father-son duo?
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Well, I can only speak from our experience, and
he is a saint.
I've heard that before you knowthat my joke is 99% of the time.
It's wonderful.
It's because we compliment eachother so well.
Dad's a morning person, he's.
(05:35):
I don't want to say the nittygritty of it, but the backbone
of it.
I'm a little bit later.
I deal now more with the buyers.
I'm more up front with thelistings.
Dad jokes that I'm a chauff.
Bit later I deal, you know, nowmore with the buyers.
I'm more up front with thelistings.
Dad jokes that I'm a chauffeurnow.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
I hope we go out on an appointment.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
But it's if it was anybody else.
You know there's the love andthe.
I don't want to say forgiveness, but it's the.
You know everybody's trying todo their best, right, and if
something comes up we'll fix it.
You know there's a challenge,we pivot, or if there's this or
there's that and ourpersonalities, I think, are just
(06:11):
such that we're just easy toget along, Compliment each other
.
We both have a passion for itand we both want to do as best
as we can for all of our clients.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
So it's not just compliment each other like you
know who's the best looking Jim.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
You are no you are no you are.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
So let me go to Jim Sr real quickly.
But we are a very strongcustomer first, yes, okay,
client first, it's safe to saywe both share the same
philosophy.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Yeah, and we don't chase dollars.
Yes, all right, all right, Ilike that.
Yes, and we can give youmultiple examples.
We had a gentleman last summer,all right, who wanted us to
take a listing as super secretagents.
Okay, yeah.
So we told him no, that's notthe best way, no, no, no, but
(07:01):
they're the boss, they're theones making the choices.
So we did it.
We had a number of offers, okay, and I'll turn it over to Jimmy
, because he does all thenegotiations now.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Okay, does he?
Yes, I step back.
He learned from the best.
Matter of fact, where's mywallet Hang?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
on.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
How'd you get that out of my pocket?
That's some stiff negotiationsthere.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
So we ended up as Dad said.
He wanted us basically to do itprivately.
So we listed it as an exclusive.
Yeah, agents from our office,agents from other offices, cold
Banker showed it.
I personally showed it likefive times over a weekend.
We were listed at $679.
We had a $660 offer.
That was our own unrepresentedbuyer, so we would have had both
(07:44):
sides of the 660.
And he said what should I do?
And I said please, please, letus bring it to market, let us do
what we do, let me go out andreally push this.
So begrudgingly, he agreed thenext week, same thing.
We pushed it out.
We do our normal, normalmarketing plan.
Come that Sunday after the openhouse we ended up with 12 more
(08:08):
offers.
There you go 750, all cash, wow.
So we got a ninety thousanddollars more and we made half.
But I sleep very well at nightknowing that we were able to do
that for our client.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
you know it's something interesting I've heard
over the years.
You know agents create theselittle sayings and it's like.
You know buyers are liars.
You know there's no loyalty inthis business and you just hit
on exactly what the root of theproblem is, or the challenge is
that buyers aren't liars.
They don't always know whatthey need or want.
So it's up to a good agent toget that out of them.
(08:41):
And if they're notcommunicating their information,
it's the agent's fault, not theconsumer's fault.
They don't know what they don'tknow.
And, even more importantly,there is loyalty out there.
You just have to earn it andwhat you just hit in is perfect.
So I believe a trap certainagents fall into is that they
(09:01):
chase the short-term dollars andthe double deal and at the
expense of going above and thedouble deal and at the expense
of going above and beyond forthe client at the end of the day
.
And when you go above andbeyond that client, you kind of
own that client for life.
They're strong advocates, andthat's always the easy business
right, the referral business.
And it happens by design, notby accident.
(09:22):
So I commend you for nailingthat and I think that just is
the perfect snapshot to explainthat to anyone in the audience
who is in real estate and tryingto build a referral business.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
For sure.
The other thing that I take outof that and we might have to
cut this out is that there are alot of homeowners out there
that said my house sold in a day.
There are a lot of homeownersout there that said my house
sold in a day and I got you knowat or above asking or whatever
it happens to be, and they'rehappy with that.
My seller, uneducated, wouldhave been happy with that 660.
(09:55):
Right, he would have been veryhappy that we got that for him.
And you know, using ourknowledge of the market and you
know, using that as an advantage, we're able to get that much
more.
Yeah, and they wouldn't haveeven realized that they would
have been able to get that.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
But what you just hit on also is that, first of all,
from a sales point, I've hadpeople ask me about sales.
And what about sales?
And you sell people?
No, actually, actually, one ofthe biggest things we have to
sell people on is we have tosave them from themselves right,
yes, here you had somebodywho's hiring a professional
right and then not followingyour advice, very frustrated.
(10:36):
Very well, yeah, and you provedthe value of your advice was
worth ninety thousand dollars.
You know, and it getsfrustrating right and tell me if
I'm wrong on this like,sometimes you're competing with
another broker and it's like, oh, they'll do it for less000,.
You know, and it getsfrustrating, right and tell me
if I'm wrong on this Like,sometimes you're competing with
another broker and it's like, oh, they'll do it for less yeah
but you know, you don't want tobe the guy who drives five miles
out of the way to save fivecents on a gallon of milk, right
To how much did you burn intime and gas?
(10:56):
right?
And that's what they'll do Liketry to sell.
I saved some money, but I costmyself $90,000.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
That's a great lesson in there.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Obviously, I appreciate you sharing that,
because I think that's awonderful lesson for anyone in
our audience who's either apotential seller or even an
agent who wants to learn how todo business like a professional.
Great, great story.
I know you guys as the Jim'steam, right?
Yes?
Speaker 4 (11:23):
There's a story here.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
How did you get to be the Jim's team?
Speaker 4 (11:25):
right?
Yes, and there's a story here.
How did you get to be the Jim'steam?
So we tried to market ourselvesmany different ways the McKenna
team and Team McKenna andthere's a Team McKenna I think
it's teammckennacom out of Texas, that wasn't using the website,
so we didn't want to do that.
And there's another McKennateam on Long Island, so we had a
(11:46):
listing and it was back when ittook a little while to sell a
listing.
This is going back probablyabout 15 years ago, about 15
years.
Different market right.
So, we were helping them lookfor a house while we were trying
to sell their house.
So this little boy, aiden, whonow I think has graduated high
school to open houses, we wouldbring balloons.
Dad had these huge coloringbooks that we would bring, so we
(12:08):
would always bring himsomething and he would run over
to us and he was so excitedevery time we came over.
So it's probably about a monthinto our trying to sell this
house that I went over by myself.
He comes running over and he'sjust so disappointed he's like
Mom, I thought you said the gymswere coming and my heart just
(12:30):
sinks right.
And I mean Dad's a lovable guyright so my heart sinks and he
walks away and I go and I tellDad the story.
So about a week or two laterhe's over there without me.
Same thing.
He comes running over and he'sdisappointed that we're not both
there.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
yeah, and he is what four he's four.
Speaker 4 (12:51):
Yeah, so it turns out the mom would say, hey, the
gyms are coming, the gyms arecoming.
He'd get all excited and comeover.
So I don't know if we take givecolleen the credit or a little
aid in the credit for calling usthe gyms right.
I just thought that was itstuck it did, it stopped.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
so do you have the domain name?
The gyms we do, is it thegymscom?
Speaker 4 (13:13):
it is yeah, team, uh the gymscom all right yeah all
right.
Awesome and Aiden wanted us tomove in the new house which room
is for the gyms we had been inall the showings when they're
moving in.
This little kid was thefunniest kid.
He wanted to know where we wereand what room we were.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
We had when he gets out of college is one of two
things here.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
You're either going to sell him his first house, or
you're going to recruit him tothe gyms team.
It's the gyms and the aid team,right?
So please watch right now.
Call the gyms.
They'll tell you how to getinto real estate school.
We'll get you hooked up with.
It's the Jims and the 8-inchone, right?
So please watch right now.
Call the Jims, they'll tell youhow to get into real estate
school.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
We'll get you hooked up with Coldwell Banker American
Homes, so I love that story.
Let me pivot a little bit here.
So you guys have had tremendoussuccess in resale market of
residential properties.
But what's a difficult marketto cut into, especially on Long
Island because of the limitedopen land opportunities, is new
(14:07):
construction.
So you've also had success inthat.
So why don't you share whatunique challenges and
opportunities come with eachpath?
Speaker 4 (14:17):
It takes a certain amount of knowledge and then
also the opportunity, right.
So, dad, having you knowknowledge with new construction
through Pulte, and that helps.
And then you know what got usthe availability was our
networking.
Okay, so I happen to know thebrother of one of the developers
(14:39):
.
Okay, we came in and weinterviewed a whole bunch of
different agents.
Right, they were doing a21-unit subdivision in Northport
, okay, which is great.
It's a onesie, it's probably aonce-in-a-lifetime opportunity,
right, right.
And what they did is they gaveus three listings, okay, and
(15:00):
said good luck.
They gave another brokeragethree listings and same thing,
okay, so, and plus, everybodyelse out there in the world can
now sell these things too, andwe're also in competition with
the builder, right, okay, okay,and we've been working on it
since 2020.
We all know what happened in2020 right before the road was
(15:23):
cut in, before any models wereup, I was walking through the
woods with a tree map.
You know what a tree map is?
Speaker 2 (15:32):
No, being from New York.
Is there a tree of them?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
That's all I know.
T-r-e.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
So in one of the things of a subdivision they
have to mark every tree.
They mark and number every tree, okay.
So you go of the things of asubdivision.
They have to mark every tree,mark and number every tree, okay
, okay.
So you go around the tree 2,734and you say, according to the
survey and the tree map and ourtop, as we're looking at all
these things, here's about whereyour property is going to start
.
Let's go walk 150 feet that way.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Or actually 125.
Walk 125 feet that way there's.
Or actually 125.
Walk 125 feet that way.
There's where your property isgoing to end.
And we walked to the back.
So we ended up selling.
We sold 14 in total of the 21.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, that's more than three right.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Every time we sold one, we got another one, yeah,
okay.
Every time we sold one, we gotanother one, yeah, okay.
Um, so we ended up selling likesix or seven before the road
was even in.
Okay, so it was.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
It was a remarkable experience and have another
realtor in competition with us,which we don't mind competition
at all.
Right, all right.
But I kept saying to jimmybecausetor, you know, wasn't
doing what he should be doing,okay, I said, just keep doing
what you're doing.
Yeah, that's it, let them dowhat they do, all right.
Okay, and the builders realizedthe difference between the two
(17:02):
shingles drastically.
All right, and we ended up withall the listings from then on,
because Jimmy and I'm a veryproud father he would walk that
property in the snow, in therain, taking buyers out.
This other agent would say, oh,I can't show the property.
(17:22):
The builder would call Jimmy,this is so-and-so's buyer, can
you show them the property?
He said, yes, he didn't make adime for it, but that's our
client, our client's asking usto do something Going above and
beyond, above and beyond and endof story.
You know they're not on theproject at all.
Yeah, all right.
(17:42):
So we just have to keep doingwhat we feel very strongly about
.
All right, client first, clientfirst, client first.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Yeah, Now, Client first.
Client first, client first.
Yeah, Now, one of thechallenges is the length of time
.
You know, obviously you hadCOVID where this started from,
but was it the buildingdepartment?
Building permits?
Speaker 4 (18:01):
Well, yeah, the town of Huntington shut down, okay.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
With COVID, with COVID, so that added the length
on, right?
Speaker 4 (18:06):
So that added probably a good year and a half
for the road approval, okay,probably a good year and a half
for the road approval, okay.
And then you know it's all thethings you don't know.
You don't even know, right,yeah, so how long does it take
to cut in the road?
How long does it take to bringin the utilities and all this
stuff?
So we started on the project inSeptember 2020.
(18:28):
And the question is how quicklycan we get one at the contract,
right?
And they were gonna hold me toit and I said I don't know, I'm
walking through the woods.
They already had they alreadyhad two sold before I started on
the project.
Okay, and those were on alreadythe main road, which is, which
(18:53):
is gun club, right then.
So it took me until aboutJanuary of 21 to put the first
one in contract.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Okay, okay, so a couple months, but it's walking
people through the woods andtrying to sell them on a road
that isn't even there yeah, howhard, how hard is it to
coordinate between people comingin and knowing that if I buy a
resale, I can be in typically 60, 90 days, right, right, and I
(19:22):
imagine, because I know theprice point on these was a
million plus, was it we?
Speaker 4 (19:26):
started with the lowest model at a million one.
Okay, the larger model was amillion 350 350 maybe.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
So it wasn't traditionally first-time buyers
moving in, correct, there were acouple.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
There were a couple.
We ended up not losing one.
Interest rates went from belowthree to seven, didn't lose one
contract and everybody was okaybecause we kept in constant
communication with them of theroad.
Approval isn't in yet.
We're still waiting on the time.
We're still waiting on that.
(20:00):
So when you set the expectation, not only for the client but
for the buyer, where there werea bunch of nonrepresented buyers
that knew that we worked forthe builder, right, right, so I
was the communicator to them,right, and they, they could walk
down the street and everybody'swaving, hey jim, the whole road
(20:24):
is in.
And then we still have threeunder contract on another little
, another little offshoot, butyeah and what was the last one
you put into contract for $4million there?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
we go.
Prices went up a little bitthere and he got both sides of
it.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
There you go.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
That was a one.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
That's a very unique house, but the price points
ended up going over two for thatsame 1-1 model was now 1-6 by
the end of the project, and theone that was basically 1-1 model
was now 1-6 by the end of theproject, and the one that was
basically 1-4 is now at 2.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Wow, and I sold it to a friend of mine.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Yes, it's got to be a beautiful house, though.
Right, We'll see in about ayear.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
He's crazy, but they want what they want.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Yes, absolutely, absolutely.
What are the challenges withregards, to say, new
construction?
Obviously communicating thetime frame and, obviously,
coordinating the sale of theirhouse in order to you know so
they wouldn't be homeless whilethey're waiting for construction
.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
So there were a bunch that came from the city and
then we ended up really onlywith one local person that we
were able to help.
They lived one town over.
We were able to help them withtheir sale also, but the
majority of people there wasfour first-time homebuyers and a
(21:43):
bunch that came from the cityor Nassau you know a little
further out and you don't wantto be pushy right.
So I'm not greedy.
I was very happy with thebusiness that we got.
Yes, I would, and this one wasdifferent than over the years.
We've done other minorsubdivisions, a four and a five
(22:05):
and it really comes back tohaving the knowledge and the
opportunity and the networking.
Yeah, and the work, the and thework.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
The work.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
The work.
It's more work, jimmy isincredible with his work ethic.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Yeah Right, he doesn't let anything.
Once it's in our pipeline, itdoesn't get lost, yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I think a lot of agents would look at new
construction and say, oh, thisis a great opportunity.
You know the building, they'redoing multiple transactions and
yet it's never as easy as itsounds like.
You know, on the surface.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Right Very challenging, yeah, the first
paycheck we got was 2023, andwe've been working on it since
2020.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Yeah, so you put a lot of time and money.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
A lot of money.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Yeah, so you had to really bank that time.
Speaker 4 (22:53):
Well, we did.
We didn't let it affect ourother business.
But, as you know, the last twoyears in real estate sales are,
you know, the volume of salesare down.
Yeah, you know a lot of a lotof people are hurting out there.
Yeah, um, and it just sohappened.
The timing of this is these areclosing now yeah, so it works
out pretty good.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
It works, yes, there you go you know, what's
interesting is um, I have umfriends and maybe you you can
verify this, but you know theyhear hearing that we're still
having bidding wars and yeah,you know, we're still getting
six, eight, ten offers on ahouse, correct, yes, and you go.
It must be great to be in realestate.
I'm like you know, and I try toliken it to the lack of
(23:31):
inventory.
It's like I feel like sometimeswe're running a store and I
have plenty of buyers walkingthrough, my consumers walking
through my store, but my shelvesare half empty.
So if you don't have stuff onthe shelf to sell them, then
your sales aren't going to be up, and that's the challenge with
the marketplace.
It's not that it's not a robustmarketplace.
It's not demand, it's thesupply.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
Very well said.
A lot of people just think thatit's easy, like oh, you're
selling it in a weekend or aweek or whatever happens to be,
but they don't see all thebehind the scenes stuff.
Yeah, it took three years ofnurturing that relationship to
be able and advising themthroughout the whole way to get
that listing.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Any other projects on the back burner with this
builder?
You should?
Speaker 3 (24:18):
have a lot of goodwill in the bank.
This is the low end of hisconstruction right.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Yeah, the actual builder does a lot of work out
in the Hamptons Okay.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
In the $10 million range.
Speaker 4 (24:31):
We can handle that.
Yes, we can.
Out in the Hamptons, okay, inthe 10 million range.
Yeah, we can handle that, yes,we can.
And he's also actually referredus a couple of clients already
for resales, not for newconstruction, good, but for
resales, because that's how muchthey respect and like us.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
That's a big compliment and for those in our
audience who don't reallyrecognize why, I want to make it
clear for them Builders are atough nut to crack you know, so
they can be demanding and theyknow they have desirable
inventory, especially in amarket that's tight and it can
be very demanding.
On that, and for them to havethat level of trust and respect
(25:11):
for you guys and paying itforward speaks volumes for those
and again in our audience whodon't realize what that
statement meant.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
so congratulations and we have worked with a number
of builders over the years.
Yeah, right, and I don't wantto make a blanket, but these
guys are true to their word.
Yeah, if they say something,they don't pull it back.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Yeah, all right, yeah , they're.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
They're the best builders I've ever worked with
and I've worked with a lot ofbuilders Best builders ever so
we lucked out there.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
You know, I've looked every day.
I have a search set upspecifically for land.
There you go, I got you.
It's real to me we haven'tfound something that works yet,
so anyone in our audience whohas land for sale we got
builders, not a one or a two.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
We need a decent number of views.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Something subdivisible yes.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
Right, okay.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
I'll take any land.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
He's like Dad, you guys don't limit us.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Let me worry about those standalone onesies,
onesies and twosies.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Yeah, so we'll make it work.
So I want to pivot a little bitbecause I know you guys are
obviously very well-known andentrenched in the Huntington and
Northport markets.
What makes those communitiesspecial for someone who's
looking?
Speaker 3 (26:24):
I could talk for two days on Northport.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Well, you got five minutes, but it's a normal
Rockwell town.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
We know the mayor, the police chief.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Is that Northport or is it a village?
Right, it's the village.
Huntington has its own villagetoo, right?
Yes, it does.
There's two separate villages.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
But Northport has its own police department.
It's on highway department, youknow, it's very self-sufficient
.
Yeah, and the rules inHuntington are not the same.
Rules in Northport and therules in Huntington are not the
same.
Rules in Northport, the rulesin Northport override the rules
in Huntington.
Like, accessory apartmentpermits are not allowed in the
village.
They're allowed in the town ofHuntington but they're not
allowed in Northport Village.
(27:03):
So there's a lot of littleintricacies such as that.
And we're very blessed, thefirst vice commander of American
Legion, post 694, which has abuilding right across from the
police department In Northport.
In Northport, yes, okay, wehave 220 active members.
Good, all right.
And we do a lot for thecommunity, all right, yeah, I
(27:25):
probably spend 15, 20 hours aweek.
All right, you know I'm aservice officer.
Yeah, I'm the first vicecommander, all right.
And people don't realize allthe things that the american
legion does, not just forveterans, right, which we're.
That's our primary focus.
But right now we're interviewingfor boys and girls state.
Boys and girls state wasstarted in 1931, all right, we
(27:49):
bring children, juniors, allright from the three high
schools in our area and we payfor a week for them to go up to
Morrisville for the boys Okay,the Marines run the camp for
them.
They learn how the state of NewYork's government works Okay,
all right.
And you talk about wanting tothink about what the future
(28:13):
holds.
Yeah, you interview these youngmales and females and you're
knocked over by how smart theyare and how caring they are.
Yeah, all right.
So we just did the interviewslast week and now we're making
decisions on who we're going tochoose to go up to these
colleges in the summer and learnabout the workings of the New
(28:37):
York State.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
And that's all done through the.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
American Legion.
American Legion started thisover 100 years ago.
That's amazing, Isn't thatamazing?
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Yeah it is, and people don't realize that.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
And we also sponsor the football team.
We also sponsor two scouttroops.
Plus, we do a ton of work forour veterans.
So Northport VA Hospital isright in Northport.
I'm over there probably twotimes a week talking to Joe
Sledge and we're makingdonations and we do all kinds of
(29:09):
other stuff for them.
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
This gentleman is certainly that guy, or, I'm sure
, everyone who comes in contactwith him.
An Eagle Scout, someone whoserved in Vietnam as a forward
air commander, a vice commanderat the North Port American
Legion, a Qantas member and pastpresident, 35 years a member.
He runs multiple fundraisersand donates hundreds of hours
(29:34):
each year on projects like anannual golf outing, Cal Harbour
Day, food drives and workingwith youth at the Key Club and
high schools.
He's just a wonderful guy, awonderful dad and grandpa, a
loving husband of 50 plus years,a wonderful realtor and friend
and please, if you will help me,congratulate our 2023
(29:54):
Humanitarian of the Year, JimMcKenna Sr.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
Thank you, I don't know if you can hear me, If I
may say it on behalf of ourwhole audience and Coal Bank
(30:18):
American Homes thank you foryour service.
It's a wonderful thing and weneed to, as a society, be more
respectful of our veterans.
We need to do more for them,because they put their lives on
the line for us.
And they still are doing that.
Yes, exactly, exactly, jim Jr,what would you say?
Are you in Northport also?
Speaker 4 (30:36):
I do.
I live in the village ofNorthport, a block away.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
You guys got a lot of togetherness here you sure you
guys aren't getting tired ofeach other.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
What makes.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Northport and Huntington whatever that whole
area up there in Northport whatmakes it special to you For me?
Speaker 4 (30:54):
I mean I'm biased, if you're allowed to say it I grew
up in Northport so it's what Iknow.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
I went to college came back.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
I like walking downtown.
I like going down Main Street,you know.
Going in the shops, people knowyou.
Going on the bars, people knowyou.
We have two waterfront parksthat are dog friendly.
I've been told that the onlywaterfront parks dog friendly in
the area.
You see a lot of dogs.
(31:25):
Maybe we should cut that.
But yeah, it's just, it'sliving there to be able to, you
know we'll, walk downtown, graba bike.
It's just living there to beable to walk downtown, grab a
bike.
It's really you know the senseof community.
I know Dad mentioned the Legion, but we're also on the board of
members for Kiwanis.
Yeah, past president, I waspresident for five years until I
could find somebody to take itover I was to take it over.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
I know you're familiar with that.
Yes, yes, tom and I have bothlongstanding Kiwanians for over
30 years, so we have a lot ofrespect for our community, just
for our audience for ourclarification, you can explain?
Speaker 4 (31:57):
So Kiwanis is a there we go yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Just so anyone who's interested in joining.
I mean you could reach out toany one of us, including Tommy,
who's not here right now.
But Kiwanis is anon-denominational community
charitable organization,community charitable
organization, so it's morefocused on community, where each
club has their local communityand they try to contribute and
engage in that community inpositive ways.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
That's better than.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
I could have said it Okay, there you go.
And we give out scholarships,right?
Yes, our local club raisesabout $30,000 a year and Jimmy,
like I said, is a past president.
I'm a past president.
We're both right now veryactive board members, all right.
And we give out scholarships.
We give $4,500 to the NorthportHigh School in scholarships and
(32:45):
all kinds of other stuff.
So it's you know, with thesetwo different organizations, I
really feel as though we aregiving back, which is one of our
mantras.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
We want to be thankful for everything we have
and give back, and it fits in somuch with our company
philosophy.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
I could not be more proud to say when people say,
where do you work?
I work at American Homes.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Coldwell Banker.
We have a fantastic team hereand it feels like family, you
know.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
Dad and I were saying the same thing as we were
driving here of I wonder whatMike's going to ask us, and I'm
like it probably is going to be.
You know how we feel we fitwithin the company.
It really it is.
It's more of a family feel.
As Dad mentioned, we started atAdelaide Buyers when I joined
him, but shortly after that weknew that in order to support
(33:36):
two households we would have togo to a bigger brokerage.
So we were with Prudential LongIsland Realty way back when.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yeah, which eventually became Douglas
Elliman.
Speaker 4 (33:47):
We weren't planning on moving.
We were very happy we werethere 18 years Wow 17, 18 years
and we knew Daddy personally andwe met with one of your
managers, bill McCartney yeah,and it was the best decision we
ever made.
Now, that was before you guyshad bought the company.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Yeah, yeah, and merged together with ours.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Yeah, we enjoyed where we were.
It was a different atmosphere.
And then, a couple years later,you and Tom bought it and it's
just gotten even better.
Well, good.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Thank you for saying that it's the only place to work
.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Yeah, and I didn't mean to say that I will tell you
we have the best agents and Ilook in the camera and tell our
audience.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
we've got some great people here, we really do.
Oh, it is.
We've got some great peoplehere, we really do.
So you want to hear one of thecommon threads I'm noticing as I
go through the podcast.
And yes, we've been talking toa lot of agents, getting agents'
views and managers' views andthe caring.
You know you can look at aresume or a homeowner can look
at a resume and you can see whatqualifications or skills maybe
(34:54):
people bring to the table.
But how do you recognize andvalue caring?
That's the hard part, despitebecause it doesn't always
there's not a yeah.
It doesn't translate on a resumesheet but it comes out in the
everyday personality and workethic.
And what have you?
Speaker 4 (35:12):
it does.
For sure, everybody can saythey're great.
They might look great on paper,but yeah that's.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
You know what's really great is when someone
goes the extra yard, you know,or the extra 125 feet in the
woods you know, whatever it is,rain or shine, you know because
they care and that's what jumpsout.
So you guys have it.
You know hands down on that.
So I, I love that and we have apassion for what we do.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
Yeah, and we see that same passion in you and tom
yeah, thank you all right, andthat's what drives us.
That's awesome that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Um, I do want to go to uh senior for a second just
to kind of get this uh angle outhere.
So because you're a vet,obviously you have some unique
experiences.
What's one thing maybe youlearned by serving?
That translates over into thereal estate business.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Life is very short.
Okay, I joined the Air Force toavoid the Army.
I land at Benoit Air BaseOctober 22nd 1967.
Yeah, and they go radiocommunications.
I said yes, we're inserting youinto the 3rd Brigade, 1st and
5th Division.
You're going to be the forwardair controller, All right.
So I saw, every time there wascombat they dropped me off there
(36:25):
, All right.
And I was 19 years old.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
All right.
And you know it was a lifeaffirming Right, all right.
And and you know it was a lifeaffirming Right, right.
And when I came back, peoplesay how come that doesn't bother
you?
I said in relationship to whatI've gone through before yeah,
nothing bothers me.
Speaker 1 (36:43):
Why are you getting upset over that?
Over small things, over smallthings All right.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
So Talk about perspective, right?
Oh, I still live it every day.
Yeah, I still have PTSD and Istill have those flashbacks, so
it keeps me sharp.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Well, you know what it seems like you manifest them
in a positive way.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Oh, absolutely I'm here.
I shouldn't be here, but I'mhere, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
God bless, thank God for that.
Right, right, all right, good.
Thank you for sharing that.
That's important.
Speaker 4 (37:13):
I think that also drives a lot of the volunteerism
that he has and he's instilledin me.
Yeah, we just started last yearworking with another vets
program out of the Northport VA.
It's called Vets Out of theRough and they help combat vets
who are struggling and goingthrough and they teach them golf
(37:35):
.
But they're not really teachingthem golf.
It's the camaraderie, it's thebeing around them.
And I started volunteering lastyear because they came in and
spoke to our Kiwanis Club so wedonated money to them and I said
I don't know if this is a goodthing or not, but I really want
to help.
You're going to start seeing alot of me.
So we started showing up and ittook and we were there every
(38:00):
Monday throughout the summer,minus any holidays, right, and
it took a little while for theguys to open up.
Guys and girls Service theservice people's yeah too, and
you started to hear some of thestories and what they were going
through and you know, really itreally takes you back and
(38:20):
really you know if you can't beblessed for what you have, you
know and give back and you know,try to.
You know I don't know pay itforward.
However you want to say it, youshould be out there doing
something to help somebody else.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Yeah, well said, jim, thank you.
So I want to pivot a littlemore personal side for a change.
And what have you?
So who wants to start here?
Speaker 3 (38:50):
When you're not working in real estate, how do?
Speaker 2 (38:52):
you both like to unwind Grandchildren, bestly
ever, that's easy.
Speaker 3 (38:55):
We have an 8 and 12-year year old that we see 3
days a week.
My wife gets him off the bus,does homework with him until my
daughter gets home from work.
She's the city school teacher.
I don't care what kind of dayyou're having, grandpa, they run
over and give you a big hug.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
Every worry is gone you don't get the same reception
in the office of Jim Jr.
Speaker 4 (39:16):
And then also to sell himself short.
My older sister has three downin Charlotte, so they're down
once a quarter at least.
Yep, Yep Down to see them and,you know, enjoying family.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Right, they're 16, 18 , and 21.
So you know a little bitdifferent time, but I'm blessed
with five, all right, so, andwe're involved in their lives a
lot.
Okay, good, and I go to the VAbecause I'm fighting at Agent
Orange, yeah, and you sit downwith these doctors and they
always ask you are you suicidal?
(39:48):
I said I got grandkids, I can'tbe suicidal.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
Oh geez, yeah, perfect, I can'tbe suicidal.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
Oh geez, yeah, perfect, veryblessed, very blessed.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
Jim Jr.
What do?
Speaker 4 (39:59):
you like I'm uncle five times, so I don't know.
But I do I love going to thebasketball games and the hockey
games, but on a day-to-day.
I just like enjoying life, youknow, going out to eat or just
spending quality time withfamily.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
Yeah, yeah that.
Or just spending quality timewith family, yeah, yeah.
That's what makes you go right.
Yeah, it gets you up in themorning.
You're both known for having acontagious laugh, and so who
cracks up first?
And what's the last thing thatyou both had tears in your eyes
laughing about.
Speaker 4 (40:29):
I laugh too much, honestly.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
Is there too much?
Speaker 3 (40:33):
We're very blessed because he's worked with me over
25 years.
Yeah, I've almost talked to himevery day or seen him every day
for the last 25 years.
Yeah, all right, I'm a morningperson, he's an evening person.
Yeah, so in the middle of theday we usually hook up.
Okay so, but I am so blessed tohave Jimmy working with me.
(40:56):
And it's not a job.
He told me I can never retire,so that's already done.
Speaker 4 (41:01):
Yeah, that is my joke .
Speaker 3 (41:03):
We laugh about that, so you know, just family, and
you and Tom are the same way.
It's family, family first.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
Yep, all right, so it makes you happy.
Speaker 3 (41:14):
Oh yeah, all right, and that's what drives us all.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
Yeah, awesome, that's great.
Obviously, I love the storiesyou're sharing, with giving back
and your involvement in thecommunity.
What's a recent communityinitiative or event you've been
part of that really stood out toyou?
Who wants to take the lead?
Speaker 3 (41:31):
Well, I'm very proud of my son for the initiative he
did with honoring veterans fromour post.
Okay, okay, he went to thevillage, he got the village to
approve it.
He got all the directors to geton board with it.
So the Northport VillageHighway Department puts up all
(41:52):
the planners.
I'll let Jimmy talk to it,because he was the point on this
and he did a fabulous job.
Yeah, and everybody in thevillage is very strongly behind
this.
That's awesome.
A lot of village spirit isbehind this.
Speaker 4 (42:06):
So thank you, dad.
So I wanted to honor veteransand my father.
My uncle also happens to be thecommander of the North Port of
America, okay, so this is Dad'sbanner that hangs on Main Street
, okay, Look at our handsomebugger hey.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Old 18 years old.
Speaker 4 (42:24):
Combat decorated Vietnam vet.
If you want more informationyou can go to
northportbannerscom.
But what we did was they havethem in Huntington, they have
them in Lindenhurst, they havelike 700.
So I wanted a way to give backto the vets and have dad on Main
Street and we started theprogram the end of last year and
(42:49):
we ended up with, I think itwas like 21.
21, 22.
21 banners.
Of different veterans who haveserved oh different veterans,
yeah, so the American Legionsponsored a few, and most of
them were private sponsored.
Okay, where somebody wants tohonor their father or mother or
grandfather or whoever you wantto honor, that was in service,
(43:13):
it's $200, and for that you getthe banner and it hangs from
Memorial Day through VeteransDay.
Right now we have a coupleposts left on Main Street and
the thought is to go into theparks that I'd mentioned earlier
.
It's really, it's really agreat project.
All the money raised goes toBack to the Legion, goes to vets
, which does a lot of good, notjust for vets but throughout the
(43:35):
community.
Speaker 1 (43:36):
Yeah, yeah.
What a wonderful project.
I love this.
So not only do we highlight thevery heroes who serve and put
their life on the line, but it'salso a fundraiser for the local
organization.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
Yeah, it's a win-win.
The American Legion is veryhappy.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
Yes, yes, Good good.
That's the way it should be.
You know, you're doing a goodjob when they're happy.
Speaker 4 (43:58):
You'll know when they're not happy.
Volunteers slash now.
I'm dedicated to doing this fora long time, hopefully.
That's awesome, I love thatLove that.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
I just want to remind our audience to please remember
to like and subscribe.
We'd love to have you guysviewing not only this episode
but future episodes, so we'vegot a great lineup scheduled for
upcoming weeks.
It's time for the Drop the Micquestion.
All right, so we're going totry this one from the Jim Jr
side.
So what's one thing your daddoes that makes you shake your
(44:28):
head?
Butt.
Speaker 3 (44:30):
Butt.
Speaker 1 (44:30):
Butt, it's going to be hard to keep down to one Butt
Exactly.
Speaker 3 (44:35):
Here's the caveat.
Speaker 1 (44:36):
But you secretly admire.
Speaker 2 (44:39):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
Yeah, see, now we made it tough.
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (44:42):
Well, I got to say the one that popped into my head
first and I don't know if youcan admire this.
So my brain works differentlythan it is.
Speaker 3 (44:51):
And we found that out over the last 25 years Very
strong.
So and we found that out overthe last 25 years Very strong.
So we have everything inDropbox.
Speaker 4 (44:56):
So we have all the files labeled and then
inevitably something will befiled miscellaneous or something
in the folder is just.
Why is that?
Speaker 2 (45:07):
in the folder and all these other things and how come
.
Speaker 4 (45:11):
One of the ones was we just got back a tax lien
search for one of the commercialproperties that we're doing.
So I go, and it got emailed, soI go and I save it because it
was addressed to me and I'mdealing with them trying to help
out the problem.
And then I go to send outanother email and I pop into a
totally different folder andit's saved in there too and I'm
(45:33):
like so he saved it and I savedit in totally different folder
and it's saved in there too, I'mlike so he saved it, and I
saved it in two different spots.
Speaker 1 (45:40):
He says it's a miscellaneous.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
He's got a guy for this, he'll know what to do.
I got a guy.
Speaker 1 (45:46):
He's got the same name as me.
He'll take care of it.
If there was a TV show aboutthe gyms real estate adventures,
what would it be called?
The show about the gyms realestate adventures?
What?
Speaker 3 (45:55):
would it be called the gyms?
That works very well.
Speaker 1 (45:59):
Tell us everything we need to know.
Speaker 4 (46:01):
We're not in competition with anybody else.
For that name, I'd like tosteal your headline of work hard
, play hard, give back.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
It's been a fantastic motto for the company and you
guys live and breathe that motto.
That's why we feel so verycomfortable here.
Speaker 3 (46:17):
Yeah, absolutely correct.
So any concerns we've broughtover the years when we've been
here a number of years, we werehere even before Mike and Tom
owned it.
Okay, you address itimmediately yeah all right and
you're very approachable.
All right, and that's probablythe nicest part of our
relationship here is howapproachable and even thinking
(46:39):
that you come out to things thatwe hold in our office and the
two of you show up, I say Idon't see how you do it with
everything else you have on theplatter.
Speaker 1 (46:48):
Sometimes I'm not sure either.
It's just an incrediblesimulation.
Speaker 4 (46:54):
Are there multiple mics and times?
I can tell you that, but I haveto kill you.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
It's an industry secret, right?
Well, gentlemen, thank you forjoining the show today.
You guys have been a greatinterview and if anyone's
interested in reaching out toyou with new construction, with
land, with properties, how dothey reach the Jims?
Speaker 4 (47:15):
So the best way is probably go to jimmckinnoncom.
Goes right to the companywebsite or give us a call
631-974-9153.
That is 9151.
And the joke is mom is 9152because we got the phone numbers
20 years ago, so she doesn'tknow much about real estate, but
she's a wonderful woman.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
Yes, there you go.
That's awesome guys.
Thank you for joining our showand again, you were a great
interview.
We really appreciate everythingyou guys do.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
Thank you so much for the opportunity.
Speaker 4 (47:46):
Mike, it's been a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (47:47):
And I say the same thing Thanks very much for the
opportunity and it's a pleasureworking with you and Tom.
Thank you and remember.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
Please like, subscribe, and we look forward
to having you tune in to thenext episode.
We've got a great lineup ofspeakers.
Welcome to the Work Hard, play Hard and Give Back a
real estate podcast.
I'm Mike Litzner, owner broker,coldwell Banker, american Homes
, and here we are in the studioin Franklin Square at American
Homes.
Please remember to like andsubscribe.
We'd love to have you join ourchannel and please stay around
for the drop the mic question atthe end.
We always have some fun and Ihave the pleasure of having the
(00:28):
Jim's team Jim McKenna Sr andJim McKenna Jr one of our top
teams in real estate, let alonethe Huntington Market area.
So welcome to the show, jim's.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Thank you, there we go.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Excited to have you guys in here because, again, you
guys bring a unique experience,generational experience as well
as teamwork, which is obviouslyvery important.
So, jim Sr, why don't we juststart with you?
Sure, so how long you've beenpracticing real estate?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
In 1984, I worked for a design firm and I used to
work with Centex Pulte US Home.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
New construction.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Sales offices all right throughout the country,
for all these major players,okay.
And I used to work with Centex,pulte, us Home, new
construction Sales offices allright, throughout the country,
for all these major players,yeah, all right.
Then the world ended if youwere in real estate, yeah, okay.
So then I went to a localbrokerage little Adderley Buyers
little one shop place, and Iknew the owner, who was a member
of the art club with me, and hegoes come down here, I'll print
(01:25):
you up some business cards,right?
So my training was a businesscard and a phone all right and
back and back of those days youhad the Bible, all right.
It was live it every week, withsupplements coming in, all right
.
So that's how I got startedback in getting licensed in 1984
.
So I've been doing it for alittle while Just a couple years
(01:46):
.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
All right, I got my license in college, okay.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
So what year was that ?
Speaker 4 (01:51):
97 or 98.
Okay, I was still in collegeand I worked with my dad during
the summer.
One of the reasons I got it wasI also started work on the
website which back then was DialUp and we had one of the first
websites on Long Island for realestate and Dad mentioned the
name of the company was AdelaideBuyers.
(02:13):
So we actually got a coupleinquiries from Australia where
they were looking to buy out inAdelaide and the Internet was
that new I guess they didn'tknow that they were dialing
internationally.
But it just goes to show youwhere we start and kind of where
we go.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Now we know why they call it the World Wide Web.
Yeah right, wwwwhat.
That's a funny story for that.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
But yeah, we have one of the first websites on Long
Island and that's because I wasstudying computers at Albany.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
Yeah, so did you stay for what?
Four years?
Speaker 4 (02:47):
I actually did four and a half years, oh you're on
the extended program.
Speaker 3 (02:51):
One of those super graduates, yeah exactly.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
I look at Jim Sr.
I'm going ouch, no wonderyou're still working, Still
paying off those student loans.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
Definitely.
I graduated in 99, and thencame to work with Dad pretty
much full-time since then,really Okay.
Speaker 1 (03:11):
Did you work as a team right away?
Speaker 4 (03:12):
or you worked in the same office as Dad.
He was nice enough to bring mein as a team.
But I'm also what?
22, 23 at that point?
Yeah, I don't know if you cantell now, but I was very shy.
I can tell I thought I neededto know everything about
everything before I walked outwith a customer which you should
know some stuff, but don't holdyourself back getting out there
.
So I did all the back officestuff.
(03:33):
I did the.
You know the paperwork and the.
You know different proceduralstuff setting up.
Yeah, what was stuff we stilluse today.
You know the buying processhasn't changed that much.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
No, everything but the paper.
I've been trying to retrainmyself to call it documents.
We need the documents, not thepaperwork.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Yeah, it's still paperwork to me.
I hear you, I hear you, butit's a mental adjustment.
Speaker 1 (03:57):
Trust me, I'm trying to change myself.
But how long were you in itbefore you made your first sale,
Jim, as like a solo?
Yeah, but how long were you init before you made?
Speaker 4 (04:04):
your first sale, jim, as like a solo, yeah, a lot of
the stuff.
So dad was the point at thatpoint and you know I would do,
I'd help him with the openhouses or I'd be there for the
inspections.
It didn't have to be stuff likethat.
But I guess my first real salewas to my cousin, okay, in
probably 2000, 2001.
(04:26):
So it probably took me about,I'd say, about a year to go and
then do a solo right, right,looking back seems like a really
long time, but at the time itwasn't right I hear you.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
There's so many, so many changes over the years.
You know from everything withtechnology, as you're saying,
and social media, and just theway we communicate.
The one constant that has notchanged is the average age of a
realtor was always 54 years oldand outside of a little
variation here we are 40 yearslater and it's still 54 years
old.
I'm like I'm finally aboveaverage.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
You'll find out Junior soon enough, you'll be
above average one day too, godwilling right.
Speaker 1 (05:06):
So, jim Junior, we're going to pivot here real
quickly.
So what's the biggest advantageand challenge working as a
father-son duo?
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Well, I can only speak from our experience, and
he is a saint.
I've heard that before you knowthat my joke is 99% of the time.
It's wonderful.
It's because we compliment eachother so well.
Dad's a morning person, he's.
(05:35):
I don't want to say the nittygritty of it, but the backbone
of it.
I'm a little bit later.
I deal now more with the buyers.
I'm more up front with thelistings.
Dad jokes that I'm a chauff.
Bit later I deal, you know, nowmore with the buyers.
I'm more up front with thelistings.
Dad jokes that I'm a chauffeurnow.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
I hope we go out on an appointment.
Speaker 4 (05:51):
But it's if it was anybody else.
You know there's the love andthe.
I don't want to say forgiveness, but it's the.
You know everybody's trying todo their best, right, and if
something comes up we'll fix it.
You know there's a challenge,we pivot, or if there's this or
there's that and ourpersonalities, I think, are just
(06:11):
such that we're just easy toget along, Compliment each other
.
We both have a passion for itand we both want to do as best
as we can for all of our clients.
Speaker 1 (06:20):
So it's not just compliment each other like you
know who's the best looking Jim.
Speaker 4 (06:24):
You are no you are no you are.
Speaker 1 (06:28):
So let me go to Jim Sr real quickly.
But we are a very strongcustomer first, yes, okay,
client first, it's safe to saywe both share the same
philosophy.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
Yeah, and we don't chase dollars.
Yes, all right, all right, Ilike that.
Yes, and we can give youmultiple examples.
We had a gentleman last summer,all right, who wanted us to
take a listing as super secretagents.
Okay, yeah.
So we told him no, that's notthe best way, no, no, no, but
(07:01):
they're the boss, they're theones making the choices.
So we did it.
We had a number of offers, okay, and I'll turn it over to Jimmy
, because he does all thenegotiations now.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Okay, does he?
Yes, I step back.
He learned from the best.
Matter of fact, where's mywallet Hang?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
on.
Speaker 1 (07:18):
How'd you get that out of my pocket?
That's some stiff negotiationsthere.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
So we ended up as Dad said.
He wanted us basically to do itprivately.
So we listed it as an exclusive.
Yeah, agents from our office,agents from other offices, cold
Banker showed it.
I personally showed it likefive times over a weekend.
We were listed at $679.
We had a $660 offer.
That was our own unrepresentedbuyer, so we would have had both
(07:44):
sides of the 660.
And he said what should I do?
And I said please, please, letus bring it to market, let us do
what we do, let me go out andreally push this.
So begrudgingly, he agreed thenext week, same thing.
We pushed it out.
We do our normal, normalmarketing plan.
Come that Sunday after the openhouse we ended up with 12 more
(08:08):
offers.
There you go 750, all cash, wow.
So we got a ninety thousanddollars more and we made half.
But I sleep very well at nightknowing that we were able to do
that for our client.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
you know it's something interesting I've heard
over the years.
You know agents create theselittle sayings and it's like.
You know buyers are liars.
You know there's no loyalty inthis business and you just hit
on exactly what the root of theproblem is, or the challenge is
that buyers aren't liars.
They don't always know whatthey need or want.
So it's up to a good agent toget that out of them.
(08:41):
And if they're notcommunicating their information,
it's the agent's fault, not theconsumer's fault.
They don't know what they don'tknow.
And, even more importantly,there is loyalty out there.
You just have to earn it andwhat you just hit in is perfect.
So I believe a trap certainagents fall into is that they
(09:01):
chase the short-term dollars andthe double deal and at the
expense of going above and thedouble deal and at the expense
of going above and beyond forthe client at the end of the day
.
And when you go above andbeyond that client, you kind of
own that client for life.
They're strong advocates, andthat's always the easy business
right, the referral business.
And it happens by design, notby accident.
(09:22):
So I commend you for nailingthat and I think that just is
the perfect snapshot to explainthat to anyone in the audience
who is in real estate and tryingto build a referral business.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
For sure.
The other thing that I take outof that and we might have to
cut this out is that there are alot of homeowners out there
that said my house sold in a day.
There are a lot of homeownersout there that said my house
sold in a day and I got you knowat or above asking or whatever
it happens to be, and they'rehappy with that.
My seller, uneducated, wouldhave been happy with that 660.
(09:55):
Right, he would have been veryhappy that we got that for him.
And you know, using ourknowledge of the market and you
know, using that as an advantage, we're able to get that much
more.
Yeah, and they wouldn't haveeven realized that they would
have been able to get that.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
But what you just hit on also is that, first of all,
from a sales point, I've hadpeople ask me about sales.
And what about sales?
And you sell people?
No, actually, actually, one ofthe biggest things we have to
sell people on is we have tosave them from themselves right,
yes, here you had somebodywho's hiring a professional
right and then not followingyour advice, very frustrated.
(10:36):
Very well, yeah, and you provedthe value of your advice was
worth ninety thousand dollars.
You know, and it getsfrustrating right and tell me if
I'm wrong on this like,sometimes you're competing with
another broker and it's like, oh, they'll do it for less000,.
You know, and it getsfrustrating, right and tell me
if I'm wrong on this Like,sometimes you're competing with
another broker and it's like, oh, they'll do it for less yeah
but you know, you don't want tobe the guy who drives five miles
out of the way to save fivecents on a gallon of milk, right
To how much did you burn intime and gas?
(10:56):
right?
And that's what they'll do Liketry to sell.
I saved some money, but I costmyself $90,000.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
That's a great lesson in there.
Speaker 1 (11:07):
Obviously, I appreciate you sharing that,
because I think that's awonderful lesson for anyone in
our audience who's either apotential seller or even an
agent who wants to learn how todo business like a professional.
Great, great story.
I know you guys as the Jim'steam, right?
Yes?
Speaker 4 (11:23):
There's a story here.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
How did you get to be the Jim's team?
Speaker 4 (11:25):
right?
Yes, and there's a story here.
How did you get to be the Jim'steam?
So we tried to market ourselvesmany different ways the McKenna
team and Team McKenna andthere's a Team McKenna I think
it's teammckennacom out of Texas, that wasn't using the website,
so we didn't want to do that.
And there's another McKennateam on Long Island, so we had a
(11:46):
listing and it was back when ittook a little while to sell a
listing.
This is going back probablyabout 15 years ago, about 15
years.
Different market right.
So, we were helping them lookfor a house while we were trying
to sell their house.
So this little boy, aiden, whonow I think has graduated high
school to open houses, we wouldbring balloons.
Dad had these huge coloringbooks that we would bring, so we
(12:08):
would always bring himsomething and he would run over
to us and he was so excitedevery time we came over.
So it's probably about a monthinto our trying to sell this
house that I went over by myself.
He comes running over and he'sjust so disappointed he's like
Mom, I thought you said the gymswere coming and my heart just
(12:30):
sinks right.
And I mean Dad's a lovable guyright so my heart sinks and he
walks away and I go and I tellDad the story.
So about a week or two laterhe's over there without me.
Same thing.
He comes running over and he'sdisappointed that we're not both
there.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
yeah, and he is what four he's four.
Speaker 4 (12:51):
Yeah, so it turns out the mom would say, hey, the
gyms are coming, the gyms arecoming.
He'd get all excited and comeover.
So I don't know if we take givecolleen the credit or a little
aid in the credit for calling usthe gyms right.
I just thought that was itstuck it did, it stopped.
Speaker 1 (13:09):
so do you have the domain name?
The gyms we do, is it thegymscom?
Speaker 4 (13:13):
it is yeah, team, uh the gymscom all right yeah all
right.
Awesome and Aiden wanted us tomove in the new house which room
is for the gyms we had been inall the showings when they're
moving in.
This little kid was thefunniest kid.
He wanted to know where we wereand what room we were.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
We had when he gets out of college is one of two
things here.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
You're either going to sell him his first house, or
you're going to recruit him tothe gyms team.
It's the gyms and the aid team,right?
So please watch right now.
Call the gyms.
They'll tell you how to getinto real estate school.
We'll get you hooked up with.
It's the Jims and the 8-inchone, right?
So please watch right now.
Call the Jims, they'll tell youhow to get into real estate
school.
Speaker 1 (13:47):
We'll get you hooked up with Coldwell Banker American
Homes, so I love that story.
Let me pivot a little bit here.
So you guys have had tremendoussuccess in resale market of
residential properties.
But what's a difficult marketto cut into, especially on Long
Island because of the limitedopen land opportunities, is new
(14:07):
construction.
So you've also had success inthat.
So why don't you share whatunique challenges and
opportunities come with eachpath?
Speaker 4 (14:17):
It takes a certain amount of knowledge and then
also the opportunity, right.
So, dad, having you knowknowledge with new construction
through Pulte, and that helps.
And then you know what got usthe availability was our
networking.
Okay, so I happen to know thebrother of one of the developers
(14:39):
.
Okay, we came in and weinterviewed a whole bunch of
different agents.
Right, they were doing a21-unit subdivision in Northport
, okay, which is great.
It's a onesie, it's probably aonce-in-a-lifetime opportunity,
right, right.
And what they did is they gaveus three listings, okay, and
(15:00):
said good luck.
They gave another brokeragethree listings and same thing,
okay, so, and plus, everybodyelse out there in the world can
now sell these things too, andwe're also in competition with
the builder, right, okay, okay,and we've been working on it
since 2020.
We all know what happened in2020 right before the road was
(15:23):
cut in, before any models wereup, I was walking through the
woods with a tree map.
You know what a tree map is?
Speaker 2 (15:32):
No, being from New York.
Is there a tree of them?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
That's all I know.
T-r-e.
Speaker 4 (15:41):
So in one of the things of a subdivision they
have to mark every tree.
They mark and number every tree, okay.
So you go of the things of asubdivision.
They have to mark every tree,mark and number every tree, okay
, okay.
So you go around the tree 2,734and you say, according to the
survey and the tree map and ourtop, as we're looking at all
these things, here's about whereyour property is going to start
.
Let's go walk 150 feet that way.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (16:03):
Or actually 125.
Walk 125 feet that way there's.
Or actually 125.
Walk 125 feet that way.
There's where your property isgoing to end.
And we walked to the back.
So we ended up selling.
We sold 14 in total of the 21.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Yeah, that's more than three right.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Every time we sold one, we got another one, yeah,
okay.
Every time we sold one, we gotanother one, yeah, okay.
Um, so we ended up selling likesix or seven before the road
was even in.
Okay, so it was.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
It was a remarkable experience and have another
realtor in competition with us,which we don't mind competition
at all.
Right, all right.
But I kept saying to jimmybecausetor, you know, wasn't
doing what he should be doing,okay, I said, just keep doing
what you're doing.
Yeah, that's it, let them dowhat they do, all right.
Okay, and the builders realizedthe difference between the two
(17:02):
shingles drastically.
All right, and we ended up withall the listings from then on,
because Jimmy and I'm a veryproud father he would walk that
property in the snow, in therain, taking buyers out.
This other agent would say, oh,I can't show the property.
(17:22):
The builder would call Jimmy,this is so-and-so's buyer, can
you show them the property?
He said, yes, he didn't make adime for it, but that's our
client, our client's asking usto do something Going above and
beyond, above and beyond and endof story.
You know they're not on theproject at all.
Yeah, all right.
(17:42):
So we just have to keep doingwhat we feel very strongly about
.
All right, client first, clientfirst, client first.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
Yeah, Now, Client first.
Client first, client first.
Yeah, Now, one of thechallenges is the length of time
.
You know, obviously you hadCOVID where this started from,
but was it the buildingdepartment?
Building permits?
Speaker 4 (18:01):
Well, yeah, the town of Huntington shut down, okay.
Speaker 1 (18:04):
With COVID, with COVID, so that added the length
on, right?
Speaker 4 (18:06):
So that added probably a good year and a half
for the road approval, okay,probably a good year and a half
for the road approval, okay.
And then you know it's all thethings you don't know.
You don't even know, right,yeah, so how long does it take
to cut in the road?
How long does it take to bringin the utilities and all this
stuff?
So we started on the project inSeptember 2020.
(18:28):
And the question is how quicklycan we get one at the contract,
right?
And they were gonna hold me toit and I said I don't know, I'm
walking through the woods.
They already had they alreadyhad two sold before I started on
the project.
Okay, and those were on alreadythe main road, which is, which
(18:53):
is gun club, right then.
So it took me until aboutJanuary of 21 to put the first
one in contract.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Okay, okay, so a couple months, but it's walking
people through the woods andtrying to sell them on a road
that isn't even there yeah, howhard, how hard is it to
coordinate between people comingin and knowing that if I buy a
resale, I can be in typically 60, 90 days, right, right, and I
(19:22):
imagine, because I know theprice point on these was a
million plus, was it we?
Speaker 4 (19:26):
started with the lowest model at a million one.
Okay, the larger model was amillion 350 350 maybe.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
So it wasn't traditionally first-time buyers
moving in, correct, there were acouple.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
There were a couple.
We ended up not losing one.
Interest rates went from belowthree to seven, didn't lose one
contract and everybody was okaybecause we kept in constant
communication with them of theroad.
Approval isn't in yet.
We're still waiting on the time.
We're still waiting on that.
(20:00):
So when you set the expectation, not only for the client but
for the buyer, where there werea bunch of nonrepresented buyers
that knew that we worked forthe builder, right, right, so I
was the communicator to them,right, and they, they could walk
down the street and everybody'swaving, hey jim, the whole road
(20:24):
is in.
And then we still have threeunder contract on another little
, another little offshoot, butyeah and what was the last one
you put into contract for $4million there?
Speaker 1 (20:36):
we go.
Prices went up a little bitthere and he got both sides of
it.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
There you go.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
That was a one.
Speaker 4 (20:43):
That's a very unique house, but the price points
ended up going over two for thatsame 1-1 model was now 1-6 by
the end of the project, and theone that was basically 1-1 model
was now 1-6 by the end of theproject, and the one that was
basically 1-4 is now at 2.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
Wow, and I sold it to a friend of mine.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Yes, it's got to be a beautiful house, though.
Right, We'll see in about ayear.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
He's crazy, but they want what they want.
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Yes, absolutely, absolutely.
What are the challenges withregards, to say, new
construction?
Obviously communicating thetime frame and, obviously,
coordinating the sale of theirhouse in order to you know so
they wouldn't be homeless whilethey're waiting for construction
.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
So there were a bunch that came from the city and
then we ended up really onlywith one local person that we
were able to help.
They lived one town over.
We were able to help them withtheir sale also, but the
majority of people there wasfour first-time homebuyers and a
(21:43):
bunch that came from the cityor Nassau you know a little
further out and you don't wantto be pushy right.
So I'm not greedy.
I was very happy with thebusiness that we got.
Yes, I would, and this one wasdifferent than over the years.
We've done other minorsubdivisions, a four and a five
(22:05):
and it really comes back tohaving the knowledge and the
opportunity and the networking.
Yeah, and the work, the and thework.
Speaker 3 (22:15):
The work.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
The work.
It's more work, jimmy isincredible with his work ethic.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Yeah Right, he doesn't let anything.
Once it's in our pipeline, itdoesn't get lost, yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:25):
I think a lot of agents would look at new
construction and say, oh, thisis a great opportunity.
You know the building, they'redoing multiple transactions and
yet it's never as easy as itsounds like.
You know, on the surface.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
Right Very challenging, yeah, the first
paycheck we got was 2023, andwe've been working on it since
2020.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
Yeah, so you put a lot of time and money.
Speaker 3 (22:47):
A lot of money.
Speaker 1 (22:48):
Yeah, so you had to really bank that time.
Speaker 4 (22:53):
Well, we did.
We didn't let it affect ourother business.
But, as you know, the last twoyears in real estate sales are,
you know, the volume of salesare down.
Yeah, you know a lot of a lotof people are hurting out there.
Yeah, um, and it just sohappened.
The timing of this is these areclosing now yeah, so it works
out pretty good.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
It works, yes, there you go you know, what's
interesting is um, I have umfriends and maybe you you can
verify this, but you know theyhear hearing that we're still
having bidding wars and yeah,you know, we're still getting
six, eight, ten offers on ahouse, correct, yes, and you go.
It must be great to be in realestate.
I'm like you know, and I try toliken it to the lack of
(23:31):
inventory.
It's like I feel like sometimeswe're running a store and I
have plenty of buyers walkingthrough, my consumers walking
through my store, but my shelvesare half empty.
So if you don't have stuff onthe shelf to sell them, then
your sales aren't going to be up, and that's the challenge with
the marketplace.
It's not that it's not a robustmarketplace.
It's not demand, it's thesupply.
Speaker 4 (23:52):
Very well said.
A lot of people just think thatit's easy, like oh, you're
selling it in a weekend or aweek or whatever happens to be,
but they don't see all thebehind the scenes stuff.
Yeah, it took three years ofnurturing that relationship to
be able and advising themthroughout the whole way to get
that listing.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Any other projects on the back burner with this
builder?
You should?
Speaker 3 (24:18):
have a lot of goodwill in the bank.
This is the low end of hisconstruction right.
Speaker 4 (24:26):
Yeah, the actual builder does a lot of work out
in the Hamptons Okay.
Speaker 3 (24:29):
In the $10 million range.
Speaker 4 (24:31):
We can handle that.
Yes, we can.
Out in the Hamptons, okay, inthe 10 million range.
Yeah, we can handle that, yes,we can.
And he's also actually referredus a couple of clients already
for resales, not for newconstruction, good, but for
resales, because that's how muchthey respect and like us.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
That's a big compliment and for those in our
audience who don't reallyrecognize why, I want to make it
clear for them Builders are atough nut to crack you know, so
they can be demanding and theyknow they have desirable
inventory, especially in amarket that's tight and it can
be very demanding.
On that, and for them to havethat level of trust and respect
(25:11):
for you guys and paying itforward speaks volumes for those
and again in our audience whodon't realize what that
statement meant.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
so congratulations and we have worked with a number
of builders over the years.
Yeah, right, and I don't wantto make a blanket, but these
guys are true to their word.
Yeah, if they say something,they don't pull it back.
Speaker 4 (25:29):
Yeah, all right, yeah , they're.
Speaker 3 (25:31):
They're the best builders I've ever worked with
and I've worked with a lot ofbuilders Best builders ever so
we lucked out there.
Speaker 4 (25:39):
You know, I've looked every day.
I have a search set upspecifically for land.
There you go, I got you.
It's real to me we haven'tfound something that works yet,
so anyone in our audience whohas land for sale we got
builders, not a one or a two.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
We need a decent number of views.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Something subdivisible yes.
Speaker 3 (25:59):
Right, okay.
Speaker 4 (26:01):
I'll take any land.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
He's like Dad, you guys don't limit us.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Let me worry about those standalone onesies,
onesies and twosies.
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Yeah, so we'll make it work.
So I want to pivot a little bitbecause I know you guys are
obviously very well-known andentrenched in the Huntington and
Northport markets.
What makes those communitiesspecial for someone who's
looking?
Speaker 3 (26:24):
I could talk for two days on Northport.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
Well, you got five minutes, but it's a normal
Rockwell town.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
We know the mayor, the police chief.
Speaker 1 (26:35):
Is that Northport or is it a village?
Right, it's the village.
Huntington has its own villagetoo, right?
Yes, it does.
There's two separate villages.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
But Northport has its own police department.
It's on highway department, youknow, it's very self-sufficient
.
Yeah, and the rules inHuntington are not the same.
Rules in Northport and therules in Huntington are not the
same.
Rules in Northport, the rulesin Northport override the rules
in Huntington.
Like, accessory apartmentpermits are not allowed in the
village.
They're allowed in the town ofHuntington but they're not
allowed in Northport Village.
(27:03):
So there's a lot of littleintricacies such as that.
And we're very blessed, thefirst vice commander of American
Legion, post 694, which has abuilding right across from the
police department In Northport.
In Northport, yes, okay, wehave 220 active members.
Good, all right.
And we do a lot for thecommunity, all right, yeah, I
(27:25):
probably spend 15, 20 hours aweek.
All right, you know I'm aservice officer.
Yeah, I'm the first vicecommander, all right.
And people don't realize allthe things that the american
legion does, not just forveterans, right, which we're.
That's our primary focus.
But right now we're interviewingfor boys and girls state.
Boys and girls state wasstarted in 1931, all right, we
(27:49):
bring children, juniors, allright from the three high
schools in our area and we payfor a week for them to go up to
Morrisville for the boys Okay,the Marines run the camp for
them.
They learn how the state of NewYork's government works Okay,
all right.
And you talk about wanting tothink about what the future
(28:13):
holds.
Yeah, you interview these youngmales and females and you're
knocked over by how smart theyare and how caring they are.
Yeah, all right.
So we just did the interviewslast week and now we're making
decisions on who we're going tochoose to go up to these
colleges in the summer and learnabout the workings of the New
(28:37):
York State.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
And that's all done through the.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
American Legion.
American Legion started thisover 100 years ago.
That's amazing, Isn't thatamazing?
Speaker 2 (28:46):
Yeah it is, and people don't realize that.
Speaker 3 (28:48):
And we also sponsor the football team.
We also sponsor two scouttroops.
Plus, we do a ton of work forour veterans.
So Northport VA Hospital isright in Northport.
I'm over there probably twotimes a week talking to Joe
Sledge and we're makingdonations and we do all kinds of
(29:09):
other stuff for them.
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (29:11):
This gentleman is certainly that guy, or, I'm sure
, everyone who comes in contactwith him.
An Eagle Scout, someone whoserved in Vietnam as a forward
air commander, a vice commanderat the North Port American
Legion, a Qantas member and pastpresident, 35 years a member.
He runs multiple fundraisersand donates hundreds of hours
(29:34):
each year on projects like anannual golf outing, Cal Harbour
Day, food drives and workingwith youth at the Key Club and
high schools.
He's just a wonderful guy, awonderful dad and grandpa, a
loving husband of 50 plus years,a wonderful realtor and friend
and please, if you will help me,congratulate our 2023
(29:54):
Humanitarian of the Year, JimMcKenna Sr.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
Thank you, I don't know if you can hear me, If I
may say it on behalf of ourwhole audience and Coal Bank
(30:18):
American Homes thank you foryour service.
It's a wonderful thing and weneed to, as a society, be more
respectful of our veterans.
We need to do more for them,because they put their lives on
the line for us.
And they still are doing that.
Yes, exactly, exactly, jim Jr,what would you say?
Are you in Northport also?
Speaker 4 (30:36):
I do.
I live in the village ofNorthport, a block away.
Speaker 1 (30:39):
You guys got a lot of togetherness here you sure you
guys aren't getting tired ofeach other.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
What makes.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
Northport and Huntington whatever that whole
area up there in Northport whatmakes it special to you For me?
Speaker 4 (30:54):
I mean I'm biased, if you're allowed to say it I grew
up in Northport so it's what Iknow.
Speaker 1 (30:57):
I went to college came back.
Speaker 4 (31:00):
I like walking downtown.
I like going down Main Street,you know.
Going in the shops, people knowyou.
Going on the bars, people knowyou.
We have two waterfront parksthat are dog friendly.
I've been told that the onlywaterfront parks dog friendly in
the area.
You see a lot of dogs.
(31:25):
Maybe we should cut that.
But yeah, it's just, it'sliving there to be able to, you
know we'll, walk downtown, graba bike.
It's just living there to beable to walk downtown, grab a
bike.
It's really you know the senseof community.
I know Dad mentioned the Legion, but we're also on the board of
members for Kiwanis.
Yeah, past president, I waspresident for five years until I
could find somebody to take itover I was to take it over.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
I know you're familiar with that.
Yes, yes, tom and I have bothlongstanding Kiwanians for over
30 years, so we have a lot ofrespect for our community, just
for our audience for ourclarification, you can explain?
Speaker 4 (31:57):
So Kiwanis is a there we go yeah.
Speaker 1 (32:00):
Just so anyone who's interested in joining.
I mean you could reach out toany one of us, including Tommy,
who's not here right now.
But Kiwanis is anon-denominational community
charitable organization,community charitable
organization, so it's morefocused on community, where each
club has their local communityand they try to contribute and
engage in that community inpositive ways.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
That's better than.
Speaker 3 (32:23):
I could have said it Okay, there you go.
And we give out scholarships,right?
Yes, our local club raisesabout $30,000 a year and Jimmy,
like I said, is a past president.
I'm a past president.
We're both right now veryactive board members, all right.
And we give out scholarships.
We give $4,500 to the NorthportHigh School in scholarships and
(32:45):
all kinds of other stuff.
So it's you know, with thesetwo different organizations, I
really feel as though we aregiving back, which is one of our
mantras.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
We want to be thankful for everything we have
and give back, and it fits in somuch with our company
philosophy.
Speaker 3 (33:02):
I could not be more proud to say when people say,
where do you work?
I work at American Homes.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Coldwell Banker.
We have a fantastic team hereand it feels like family, you
know.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
Dad and I were saying the same thing as we were
driving here of I wonder whatMike's going to ask us, and I'm
like it probably is going to be.
You know how we feel we fitwithin the company.
It really it is.
It's more of a family feel.
As Dad mentioned, we started atAdelaide Buyers when I joined
him, but shortly after that weknew that in order to support
(33:36):
two households we would have togo to a bigger brokerage.
So we were with Prudential LongIsland Realty way back when.
Speaker 1 (33:45):
Yeah, which eventually became Douglas
Elliman.
Speaker 4 (33:47):
We weren't planning on moving.
We were very happy we werethere 18 years Wow 17, 18 years
and we knew Daddy personally andwe met with one of your
managers, bill McCartney yeah,and it was the best decision we
ever made.
Now, that was before you guyshad bought the company.
Speaker 2 (34:07):
Yeah, yeah, and merged together with ours.
Speaker 4 (34:09):
Yeah, we enjoyed where we were.
It was a different atmosphere.
And then, a couple years later,you and Tom bought it and it's
just gotten even better.
Well, good.
Speaker 3 (34:19):
Thank you for saying that it's the only place to work
.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
Yeah, and I didn't mean to say that I will tell you
we have the best agents and Ilook in the camera and tell our
audience.
Speaker 1 (34:30):
we've got some great people here, we really do.
Oh, it is.
We've got some great peoplehere, we really do.
So you want to hear one of thecommon threads I'm noticing as I
go through the podcast.
And yes, we've been talking toa lot of agents, getting agents'
views and managers' views andthe caring.
You know you can look at aresume or a homeowner can look
at a resume and you can see whatqualifications or skills maybe
(34:54):
people bring to the table.
But how do you recognize andvalue caring?
That's the hard part, despitebecause it doesn't always
there's not a yeah.
It doesn't translate on a resumesheet but it comes out in the
everyday personality and workethic.
And what have you?
Speaker 4 (35:12):
it does.
For sure, everybody can saythey're great.
They might look great on paper,but yeah that's.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
You know what's really great is when someone
goes the extra yard, you know,or the extra 125 feet in the
woods you know, whatever it is,rain or shine, you know because
they care and that's what jumpsout.
So you guys have it.
You know hands down on that.
So I, I love that and we have apassion for what we do.
Speaker 3 (35:36):
Yeah, and we see that same passion in you and tom
yeah, thank you all right, andthat's what drives us.
That's awesome that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (35:45):
Um, I do want to go to uh senior for a second just
to kind of get this uh angle outhere.
So because you're a vet,obviously you have some unique
experiences.
What's one thing maybe youlearned by serving?
That translates over into thereal estate business.
Speaker 3 (36:02):
Life is very short.
Okay, I joined the Air Force toavoid the Army.
I land at Benoit Air BaseOctober 22nd 1967.
Yeah, and they go radiocommunications.
I said yes, we're inserting youinto the 3rd Brigade, 1st and
5th Division.
You're going to be the forwardair controller, All right.
So I saw, every time there wascombat they dropped me off there
(36:25):
, All right.
And I was 19 years old.
Speaker 2 (36:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:29):
All right.
And you know it was a lifeaffirming Right, all right.
And and you know it was a lifeaffirming Right, right.
And when I came back, peoplesay how come that doesn't bother
you?
I said in relationship to whatI've gone through before yeah,
nothing bothers me.
Speaker 1 (36:43):
Why are you getting upset over that?
Over small things, over smallthings All right.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
So Talk about perspective, right?
Oh, I still live it every day.
Yeah, I still have PTSD and Istill have those flashbacks, so
it keeps me sharp.
Speaker 1 (36:59):
Well, you know what it seems like you manifest them
in a positive way.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Oh, absolutely I'm here.
I shouldn't be here, but I'mhere, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
God bless, thank God for that.
Right, right, all right, good.
Thank you for sharing that.
That's important.
Speaker 4 (37:13):
I think that also drives a lot of the volunteerism
that he has and he's instilledin me.
Yeah, we just started last yearworking with another vets
program out of the Northport VA.
It's called Vets Out of theRough and they help combat vets
who are struggling and goingthrough and they teach them golf
(37:35):
.
But they're not really teachingthem golf.
It's the camaraderie, it's thebeing around them.
And I started volunteering lastyear because they came in and
spoke to our Kiwanis Club so wedonated money to them and I said
I don't know if this is a goodthing or not, but I really want
to help.
You're going to start seeing alot of me.
So we started showing up and ittook and we were there every
(38:00):
Monday throughout the summer,minus any holidays, right, and
it took a little while for theguys to open up.
Guys and girls Service theservice people's yeah too, and
you started to hear some of thestories and what they were going
through and you know, really itreally takes you back and
(38:20):
really you know if you can't beblessed for what you have, you
know and give back and you know,try to.
You know I don't know pay itforward.
However you want to say it, youshould be out there doing
something to help somebody else.
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Yeah, well said, jim, thank you.
So I want to pivot a littlemore personal side for a change.
And what have you?
So who wants to start here?
Speaker 3 (38:50):
When you're not working in real estate, how do?
Speaker 2 (38:52):
you both like to unwind Grandchildren, bestly
ever, that's easy.
Speaker 3 (38:55):
We have an 8 and 12-year year old that we see 3
days a week.
My wife gets him off the bus,does homework with him until my
daughter gets home from work.
She's the city school teacher.
I don't care what kind of dayyou're having, grandpa, they run
over and give you a big hug.
Speaker 1 (39:08):
Every worry is gone you don't get the same reception
in the office of Jim Jr.
Speaker 4 (39:16):
And then also to sell himself short.
My older sister has three downin Charlotte, so they're down
once a quarter at least.
Yep, Yep Down to see them and,you know, enjoying family.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Right, they're 16, 18 , and 21.
So you know a little bitdifferent time, but I'm blessed
with five, all right, so, andwe're involved in their lives a
lot.
Okay, good, and I go to the VAbecause I'm fighting at Agent
Orange, yeah, and you sit downwith these doctors and they
always ask you are you suicidal?
(39:48):
I said I got grandkids, I can'tbe suicidal.
Speaker 1 (39:50):
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
Oh geez, yeah, perfect, I can'tbe suicidal.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
Yeah, exactly, exactly.
Oh geez, yeah, perfect, veryblessed, very blessed.
Speaker 1 (39:59):
Jim Jr.
What do?
Speaker 4 (39:59):
you like I'm uncle five times, so I don't know.
But I do I love going to thebasketball games and the hockey
games, but on a day-to-day.
I just like enjoying life, youknow, going out to eat or just
spending quality time withfamily.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
Yeah, yeah that.
Or just spending quality timewith family, yeah, yeah.
That's what makes you go right.
Yeah, it gets you up in themorning.
You're both known for having acontagious laugh, and so who
cracks up first?
And what's the last thing thatyou both had tears in your eyes
laughing about.
Speaker 4 (40:29):
I laugh too much, honestly.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
Is there too much?
Speaker 3 (40:33):
We're very blessed because he's worked with me over
25 years.
Yeah, I've almost talked to himevery day or seen him every day
for the last 25 years.
Yeah, all right, I'm a morningperson, he's an evening person.
Yeah, so in the middle of theday we usually hook up.
Okay so, but I am so blessed tohave Jimmy working with me.
(40:56):
And it's not a job.
He told me I can never retire,so that's already done.
Speaker 4 (41:01):
Yeah, that is my joke .
Speaker 3 (41:03):
We laugh about that, so you know, just family, and
you and Tom are the same way.
It's family, family first.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
Yep, all right, so it makes you happy.
Speaker 3 (41:14):
Oh yeah, all right, and that's what drives us all.
Speaker 1 (41:16):
Yeah, awesome, that's great.
Obviously, I love the storiesyou're sharing, with giving back
and your involvement in thecommunity.
What's a recent communityinitiative or event you've been
part of that really stood out toyou?
Who wants to take the lead?
Speaker 3 (41:31):
Well, I'm very proud of my son for the initiative he
did with honoring veterans fromour post.
Okay, okay, he went to thevillage, he got the village to
approve it.
He got all the directors to geton board with it.
So the Northport VillageHighway Department puts up all
(41:52):
the planners.
I'll let Jimmy talk to it,because he was the point on this
and he did a fabulous job.
Yeah, and everybody in thevillage is very strongly behind
this.
That's awesome.
A lot of village spirit isbehind this.
Speaker 4 (42:06):
So thank you, dad.
So I wanted to honor veteransand my father.
My uncle also happens to be thecommander of the North Port of
America, okay, so this is Dad'sbanner that hangs on Main Street
, okay, Look at our handsomebugger hey.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Old 18 years old.
Speaker 4 (42:24):
Combat decorated Vietnam vet.
If you want more informationyou can go to
northportbannerscom.
But what we did was they havethem in Huntington, they have
them in Lindenhurst, they havelike 700.
So I wanted a way to give backto the vets and have dad on Main
Street and we started theprogram the end of last year and
(42:49):
we ended up with, I think itwas like 21.
21, 22.
21 banners.
Of different veterans who haveserved oh different veterans,
yeah, so the American Legionsponsored a few, and most of
them were private sponsored.
Okay, where somebody wants tohonor their father or mother or
grandfather or whoever you wantto honor, that was in service,
(43:13):
it's $200, and for that you getthe banner and it hangs from
Memorial Day through VeteransDay.
Right now we have a coupleposts left on Main Street and
the thought is to go into theparks that I'd mentioned earlier
.
It's really, it's really agreat project.
All the money raised goes toBack to the Legion, goes to vets
, which does a lot of good, notjust for vets but throughout the
(43:35):
community.
Speaker 1 (43:36):
Yeah, yeah.
What a wonderful project.
I love this.
So not only do we highlight thevery heroes who serve and put
their life on the line, but it'salso a fundraiser for the local
organization.
Speaker 3 (43:49):
Yeah, it's a win-win.
The American Legion is veryhappy.
Speaker 1 (43:52):
Yes, yes, Good good.
That's the way it should be.
You know, you're doing a goodjob when they're happy.
Speaker 4 (43:58):
You'll know when they're not happy.
Volunteers slash now.
I'm dedicated to doing this fora long time, hopefully.
That's awesome, I love thatLove that.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
I just want to remind our audience to please remember
to like and subscribe.
We'd love to have you guysviewing not only this episode
but future episodes, so we'vegot a great lineup scheduled for
upcoming weeks.
It's time for the Drop the Micquestion.
All right, so we're going totry this one from the Jim Jr
side.
So what's one thing your daddoes that makes you shake your
(44:28):
head?
Butt.
Speaker 3 (44:30):
Butt.
Speaker 1 (44:30):
Butt, it's going to be hard to keep down to one Butt
Exactly.
Speaker 3 (44:35):
Here's the caveat.
Speaker 1 (44:36):
But you secretly admire.
Speaker 2 (44:39):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (44:39):
Yeah, see, now we made it tough.
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (44:42):
Well, I got to say the one that popped into my head
first and I don't know if youcan admire this.
So my brain works differentlythan it is.
Speaker 3 (44:51):
And we found that out over the last 25 years Very
strong.
So and we found that out overthe last 25 years Very strong.
So we have everything inDropbox.
Speaker 4 (44:56):
So we have all the files labeled and then
inevitably something will befiled miscellaneous or something
in the folder is just.
Why is that?
Speaker 2 (45:07):
in the folder and all these other things and how come
.
Speaker 4 (45:11):
One of the ones was we just got back a tax lien
search for one of the commercialproperties that we're doing.
So I go, and it got emailed, soI go and I save it because it
was addressed to me and I'mdealing with them trying to help
out the problem.
And then I go to send outanother email and I pop into a
totally different folder andit's saved in there too and I'm
(45:33):
like so he saved it and I savedit in totally different folder
and it's saved in there too, I'mlike so he saved it, and I
saved it in two different spots.
Speaker 1 (45:40):
He says it's a miscellaneous.
Speaker 2 (45:42):
He's got a guy for this, he'll know what to do.
I got a guy.
Speaker 1 (45:46):
He's got the same name as me.
He'll take care of it.
If there was a TV show aboutthe gyms real estate adventures,
what would it be called?
The show about the gyms realestate adventures?
What?
Speaker 3 (45:55):
would it be called the gyms?
That works very well.
Speaker 1 (45:59):
Tell us everything we need to know.
Speaker 4 (46:01):
We're not in competition with anybody else.
For that name, I'd like tosteal your headline of work hard
, play hard, give back.
Speaker 1 (46:09):
It's been a fantastic motto for the company and you
guys live and breathe that motto.
That's why we feel so verycomfortable here.
Speaker 3 (46:17):
Yeah, absolutely correct.
So any concerns we've broughtover the years when we've been
here a number of years, we werehere even before Mike and Tom
owned it.
Okay, you address itimmediately yeah all right and
you're very approachable.
All right, and that's probablythe nicest part of our
relationship here is howapproachable and even thinking
(46:39):
that you come out to things thatwe hold in our office and the
two of you show up, I say Idon't see how you do it with
everything else you have on theplatter.
Speaker 1 (46:48):
Sometimes I'm not sure either.
It's just an incrediblesimulation.
Speaker 4 (46:54):
Are there multiple mics and times?
I can tell you that, but I haveto kill you.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
It's an industry secret, right?
Well, gentlemen, thank you forjoining the show today.
You guys have been a greatinterview and if anyone's
interested in reaching out toyou with new construction, with
land, with properties, how dothey reach the Jims?
Speaker 4 (47:15):
So the best way is probably go to jimmckinnoncom.
Goes right to the companywebsite or give us a call
631-974-9153.
That is 9151.
And the joke is mom is 9152because we got the phone numbers
20 years ago, so she doesn'tknow much about real estate, but
she's a wonderful woman.
Speaker 1 (47:34):
Yes, there you go.
That's awesome guys.
Thank you for joining our showand again, you were a great
interview.
We really appreciate everythingyou guys do.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
Thank you so much for the opportunity.
Speaker 4 (47:46):
Mike, it's been a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (47:47):
And I say the same thing Thanks very much for the
opportunity and it's a pleasureworking with you and Tom.
Thank you and remember.
Speaker 1 (47:54):
Please like, subscribe, and we look forward
to having you tune in to thenext episode.
We've got a great lineup ofspeakers.
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