The Alimond Show

Ron and Sam Lenz of Property Pilot - From Military and Nursing Careers to Real Estate Innovators: Crafting a Unique Brand, Supporting Military Communities, and Balancing Business Ambitions with Personal Fulfillment

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Get ready to explore the inspiring journey of Ron and Sam Lenz, who transitioned from military and nursing roles to establish the vibrant real estate brand, "Property Pilot." Learn how Ron's military precision and Sam's nursing adaptability create a powerful synergy in their business, despite initial doubts about working as a couple. They're opening up about their journey, sharing insights on education's critical role in the fast-paced DC market and how they expertly cater to military clients.

Join us as we unravel the creation of "Property Pilot" and its unique connection to Ron's aviation background. Discover how a casual winery visit sparked a brand that resonates deeply with military communities. With a focus on dynamic customer service and robust community integration, Ron and Sam are all about treating clients as individuals and not just transactions. Hear how they seamlessly blend personal fulfillment with professional success, engaging in local partnerships and community events to energize the neighborhoods they serve.

In this episode, Ron and Sam also dive into the challenges of maintaining motivation in the demanding real estate industry. They share their dedication to genuine client relationships, especially for veterans, through specialized VA loans and local mortgage collaborations. Listen to their personal growth stories, overcoming fears, and adapting to new career roles, all while emphasizing the importance of mutual support. Plus, get an insider look at the Homes for Heroes program and how Ron and Sam are giving back to the community, marking milestones and learning the art of balancing business ambitions with personal well-being.

Speaker 1:

So I'm Ron Lenz, originally from Iowa, small farm town, joined the military at 17,. Spent 20 years 14 years as an air traffic controller, six years as a pilot and retired out of the Pentagon in 22,. Started real estate while I was still active duty and then do that full time now and brought my aviation world into real estate and we are the property pilot.

Speaker 3:

Wow, okay, obviously, I've been his wife for the last 20 years and I was a nurse in critical care for the last 12 years, and I still do that. I only work maybe one or two days a week, though, okay, just kind of fill that passion. But I got to take a step back and became a real estate agent with him. He drug me and said hey, I think you should do this, you could really use your help, and I love it. And then I also decided to tackle becoming a lender as well. I'm a loan officer for a mortgage broker as well.

Speaker 2:

Beautiful. I love that. I love that you both work together as husband and wife. Talk to me about that dynamic and what it's like, because you don't see that very often, right?

Speaker 1:

I'm going to shut up and let her answer that. What do you think, sam, we were?

Speaker 3:

worried at first. Won't lie, we are very, while we are very opposite, we are also very strong personalities Opposites attract yeah, so I didn't know how that was going to work. Ron definitely has a very type A. I want things done this way. This is the way I want things done Nicely put.

Speaker 3:

He's not wrong and I am a very much fly by the seat of my pants. I love that, I'm jealous, and so I was surprised at how well we actually worked out together and kind of filled in the gaps where the other person like I'm not as strong up front with people like he is and I am much better on the back side with doing the menial tasks that he doesn't necessarily like to do- yeah that was a nice way to put it.

Speaker 1:

Uh, I have a couple of marks on the inside of my cheek still from having to bite my tongue and bite my cheek Sometimes it was. It was interesting at first. Military career, really, you know, makes you act a certain way, and I realized that doesn't always work on the outside. So, uh, I think, though probably after what, eight months, we found our, our rhythm, and I really she's spot on. I mean, I am more of a. It's 80, 90%. Let's move. There's so many things to do. She's very much the data behind the scenes, so we have learned to harness what we're both good at.

Speaker 2:

That is awesome, though, and I think it's great because, like, maybe if you both were the same, it would be kind of crazy, right. So were the same, it would be kind of crazy, right. So you fill in those gaps that need to be filled, but the other is like, okay, I can't do this, don't worry, I got you If we were both the same.

Speaker 1:

If we were like me, we would just be sitting in a bar bullshitting with clients.

Speaker 2:

The whole day, oh my.

Speaker 1:

God.

Speaker 3:

Because I'm very much a social butterfly.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and.

Speaker 1:

Sam's more of the realistic, grounded individual. So yeah, it's good.

Speaker 2:

I love that. That's great. And now I'd like to know do you guys have a team, or is it just you guys?

Speaker 1:

So I'm part of a team called the Checkmate Group with Century 21 Redwood. So we've got currently nine agents on there. So I am on that team. And then we unofficially describe ourselves as a team, a husband and wife lender realtor team. But with the respect that I am on the Checkmate Group.

Speaker 2:

Beautiful. Okay, anything to add to that?

Speaker 3:

Um, not really. No, I, yeah, I didn't join his team or his team he's on because I wanted a little more autonomy and flexibility.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and you being a nurse, like that's the thing that you're like you know what? I still love that passion. So yeah, I didn't be like, okay, I'll give up my dream just for you.

Speaker 1:

I love that you stuck to your gun right.

Speaker 2:

Love it. And then I would like to ask you what have been some of the updates that you can give us that has changed for you guys in your industry that you would like to share?

Speaker 1:

Want me to take that?

Speaker 3:

one, yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1:

Well, I mean, I think everybody knows, with real estate, there's the whole lawsuit that took place in August, believe it or not. I feel like that has actually been beneficial to us, and I'm we actually both are very big educators, and so we've kind of restructured the things the way we do it, the way we onboard new clients, and, instead of talking about houses and the area we actually focus more on, let's get you smart on what's going on and how we operate, what these new rules present both good and bad and challenging Right, and it's it's been very, very beneficial, I think, to us. I would say that the biggest change has probably been just we have to learn to slow down. In the DC area, usually, speed is what wins in real estate, and I'm finding that we've kind of taken more of a focus on let's start at the beginning and go a little slower and teach our folks and get them fully prepped for what they're about to encounter.

Speaker 1:

Because, as you know, living here, it's fast paced it's hectic, you can't take a breath and in real estate, when you're juggling, this year the most, we had 26 clients at one time, so it was never ending and we realized that front loading is far more important than we gave it credit for. Okay.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, like education is such a huge piece in what we do.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, and informing your clients and making sure that they're in the know, right, because sometimes it can be a little bit tricky and you're like, what are you saying? Like I don't know this real estate jargon, so hand walking them and helping them with it.

Speaker 3:

And a lot of what we were explaining. Now, even with the lawsuit changes, the commission changes. We were always doing things that way. Most of Northern Virginia has been operating that way because that is how our agency wants us to and something was always being done. But now taking the time to explain it and really break it down to people, so I don't think it's had as much of an impact on our market here.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you know. So when that lawsuit happened, there were only 12 States I believe it was 12 States in the country that were doing it the right way. Virginia, maryland and DC were three of the 12. So Virginia was required since 09 to be doing it as such. But you know, besides that, I think the other thing has changed is, I would say, what 75, 80% of our clients are not here.

Speaker 2:

They're not here, they're military.

Speaker 1:

They're relocating. They've never lived here. And imagine trying to explain the difficulty of the DMV. And even when I say DMV, they're like why are we going to the DMV? So not that DMV Right and so not only describing on the outrageous cost and the high interest rates and now there's these new policies and we can't guarantee that our commissions will be paid and then educating on everything else. It's been a lot, and I think that's what's kind of forced our hand for 2025 to be more structured, be more regimented and, ultimately, be more predictable.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, absolutely. And then, speaking of marketing, which is a topic that I always like to ask entrepreneurs about I know you guys said you guys just wrapped up doing like some videos for YouTube Can you talk to me and share some insights for other entrepreneurs who are listening business owners why that is important and why you guys are so good at?

Speaker 3:

that people have to know you exist for one. So there's always a joke If you're a real estate agent, they're going to let you know. My dad always makes that joke too. Oh, they'll tell you. Yeah, we absolutely will. It's part of the job, but we have to because that's our livelihood and we also that's our sphere of influence. It's who you know. Yes, you can also market on Google and pay for ads. We don't personally prefer to take that route. We like to do a little more personalized to our, our structure, our friends, our people. We know and I think that's important just to get that word out to them what we're doing.

Speaker 1:

For me it was. I feel like, again, all of our folks are typically not here, right? So I end up saying about the same 20 phrases over and over and over, and we talk about the same 15 challenges over and over. So what I decided to do was put this stuff on the internet so that it exists, and then, when folks are interested in us, I can direct them to that, that location, you know, and it's everything from start to finish. It's weird, quirky facts about the VA loans, because that's primarily what we operate in, yes, but other than that, other marketing.

Speaker 3:

Oh, I have one Go ahead. So we actually it's one that you did your speech, your RGA, on the other week about branding that's been something that he has developed a lot over the last year or two is really trying to hone in on what is our brand. Yeah, and that comes into marketing of who are we trying to hone in on what is our brand? And that comes into marketing of who are we, what do we do and how do you recognize that? And that's by branding yourself Absolutely, for sure.

Speaker 2:

Can I tell you how the property pilot came to be? Yes, please do Please.

Speaker 1:

So I was driving to a winery.

Speaker 2:

That's where it all starts, right, of course, usually over a drink, right?

Speaker 1:

So I'm driving to a winery. I'd been in real estate at that time, probably real estate at that time, probably a year and a half or so. Honestly marketing like I'm trying to figure everything else out, right.

Speaker 3:

To be a business owner.

Speaker 1:

I didn't realize all the things that it took, and so I was focused on just winning contracts, opening doors and turning on lights, that's pretty much it. But I was driving out to this winery it was actually a company happy hour and it was an election season at the time and as I'm driving by, I see all these signs in people's yards, and this one sign caught my eye, and this one sign had Virginia, and then it looked like almost like a crosshair right and I was like I don't even know who this person is, but I feel like there's something dealing with a military background. It just looked military.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

And it stayed in my mind and the next day I looked up like who's running for different offices and I found the logo and it was a gentleman who was a retired Navy Admiral and now running for Senate. And I thought, man, I didn't even know that guy existed, but that sign caught my eye Something about it.

Speaker 1:

And I had no idea who he was, what he was about, what he stood for. But immediately I thought there's something with military and when my sphere is primarily military, I immediately had a connection. I felt there was some trust there, right? So I'm thinking, if I'm going to, if I'm going to look him up to vote for him, what would that do for us? And then I was thinking, well, how do I take aviation and bring that into real estate? And again went to the winery and I think you know two or three glasses in.

Speaker 1:

I was like oh my gosh, pilot, property, property pilot. And there it was born.

Speaker 2:

Oh my goodness, over a drink.

Speaker 1:

Over a drink, and I think that's when people ask do I miss the military? I do in some regards, but what I have enjoyed the most is becoming who we want to be creating a brand. I can spend as much money or as little money on things that I want. I can do it exactly how I want. And then, as we started working together in 24 and then now looking at what 25 is creating that branding, that logo and our company is now kind of the filter on all marketing that we do does it breed, the property pilot and the one you know military background.

Speaker 1:

You always have to have a core mission and core values and things like that. That's right, and so really, what our marketing has become is, if you work with the property pilot, we guarantee you three things. We guarantee you dynamic customer service, we guarantee that we build relationships through real estate and we guarantee that we energize communities. And I bring in lots of local bakers and chefs and all these different people to help in the sales. Yeah, and so we believe that if we've got a big table, we pull up as many chairs to it as we can.

Speaker 2:

That is wonderful. I love that. That is a great story and all of the winery right.

Speaker 3:

It's all for a winery, so and winery right, it's all for a winery so and kind of have fun with it too. Yeah, yeah, it's kind of fun we. This guy is not all that serious, despite what it sounds like right now.

Speaker 1:

Like I'm on here, everybody. I trust her.

Speaker 3:

Oh yeah, I was voted class clown in high school oh my god, there is that yeah so it's just kind of a way to have fun with it too, but then obviously make ourselves well known and then bringing back to the bringing community events. So, like we, I think being military, being a nurse, having a career, is our whole life. Yeah, now, this is, while this is a career, it's also we learned that we don't want to just go to work every day and swipe the time clock. Yeah, that's not a life we really want to live. And this is allowing us to kind of really branch out and have fun with it and still be able to obviously make a living but build a life with that as well and build a community around us. And it's more than just like that's what I would say like people, not transactions. And it's really easy to get caught up in the busyness of everything and like get what am I trying to say?

Speaker 2:

Just get caught up in like not treating people as people anymore and transactions right.

Speaker 3:

Missing that personable yeah, and that's one thing we always want to try not to ever lose, that we want to know our clients and have, on a path of them, become our friends after I can see that you guys seem like so sweet and fun.

Speaker 2:

I would want to be your.

Speaker 1:

On that same line when I when the first branding that I ever did was exactly that, and I put the tagline beyond the sale and that's actually still on my website. Beyond the sale Because as I got into real estate and my friends were saying, why'd you do this? Any 18 year old can be a real estate agent. You were a pilot and an air traffic controller, like go do something big.

Speaker 1:

And I realized that because most when people think real estate agents, they think sorry, if anybody's a car salesman but my mom's a car salesman, they think salesman right, I don't look at this as sales, I look at this as I'm a coach, and so you know I had friends that were like my agent doesn't even come to closing. The moment that I close I never hear from him again. Hell, half the time the moment I go into contract I don't hear from them again. And so I thought you know that's not me. I'm a very people person, so I want to be with you beyond the sale and that's that's kind of I think that's why we found such fast success is because we give a shit and we're realistic.

Speaker 3:

It's not just about the money or the bottom line.

Speaker 2:

We have our side careers that we still do for that purpose that we don't have to do this for the money yeah that's wonderful and I feel like that shows through in your passion and even just you guys like even just from knowing you guys from the photo shoot we did I was behind the scenes you had a different photographer.

Speaker 2:

I was like these guys are just so genuine. You guys get silly, so I feel that definitely comes through when you're talking to people and you guys are absolutely a people person. Even if he says that you're shy, I feel like you are so easy to talk to. I love it, so that's great, and I feel like that's what makes you guys stand out. I know you mentioned that she does the title loan, so tell me how everything is like in-house when you're working with you guys.

Speaker 3:

So if people want to use me as their lender, they absolutely can. They never have to. I take clients on to that. If I'm their agent and I'm not their lender, I have to be on a straight line with that. But I primarily specialize in VA loans. I work currently with a mortgage company who is owned by a veteran, started by a veteran, and our whole core value is providing excellent service for our veterans, and VA loans specifically. And a market is not always there. So, like I work a lot of after hours, a lot of weekends, I'll always pick up the call and answer them. There's no kickbacks between us if they don't use me, that's illegal.

Speaker 2:

Thank you for noting that Well, when you sleep with the lender.

Speaker 1:

There's always a kickback.

Speaker 2:

I guess so Fine I guess there's little things.

Speaker 1:

There's a little kickback, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 3:

Okay so all right, you're not going to hear this.

Speaker 1:

Oh, okay, they're not going to listen. No, if it's not. If it's not Roblox or YouTube, they're not going to watch it.

Speaker 3:

But yeah, if they want to, if they, you know, I do also any type of lending, but with a mortgage brokerage we shop loans. We don't work for like a one bank, Like place. I'm never going to say that.

Speaker 3:

You talk to me, I'll get all of your information, collect your personal data, go over what your goal is for your home and kind of figure out what the best fit of a loan would be for you and then we move forward to like doing a credit check and then getting you that final pre-approval. It's honestly, it could take as little as an hour or two, or sometimes I take a couple of weeks of kind of working up and finding out what the client wants.

Speaker 1:

okay so that's the process, and I think the benefit to that is this is such a competitive area. I don't know and you may know this, but I learned this here a while back three of the top five richest counties per capita in the entire country are within 10 minutes of us. Right, yeah, so there's a never-ending of money and a VA loan, which, again, we primarily specialize in. They're not always viewed as the most competitive. So when I go, what's the benefit? Right? So when I go and I write an offer for our client and the listing agent says be my neighbor, never heard of them, and who's Samantha? When you can say we're top 10 percent of agents in the DMV checkmate group that I'm on is the number one Century 21 team in the state and I'm top 10 Century 21 agents in the state.

Speaker 1:

And you couple that with, additionally, the lender is not some bank in Arizona, it's not some big conglomerate and everything is managed in the Lens household. So there's no better communication that happens than this. All day long, all we talk about are our clients all day long, and a lot of listing agents are like that's an interesting concept, I like it. So, additionally, then, for the client themselves, the benefit is when we're working together, like we're passing each other in the hallway talking about hey, did they get their appraisal back yet? And the group chats are very easy. So it's just my whole goal was, I realized, moving here, this was our 12th move in 20 years, oh wow. And I realized how difficult it is and how financially challenging it is, and it's so fast and so hectic and so diverse that our goal was to be a one-stop shop where we have everything answered.

Speaker 2:

We have guides for you, we have everything in one shop, so it just simplifies things yeah, for sure, because you don't want to be dealing with like all kinds of people it's like okay, I just want to buy my house, I just want to sell my house. Like I gotta talk to five different people. So now here you can just have your one-stop shop yep, absolutely. And then I would like to ask you how do you stay motivated and inspired in your work as real estate agents and what keeps you passionate about the industry?

Speaker 1:

you want to take that one yeah, um.

Speaker 3:

So it's funny. You say like burnout can definitely happen. I think we're feeling that a little bit after like a crazy summer, yes, and definitely notice some of our interactions with people are starting to be like a little short, little snap. You start getting kind of like I don't want to say if my clients are listening, I don't mean it. You're kind of getting annoyed sometimes by messages and then that was like I noticed that minute that happens was like hey, hold on, what's going on? Like take a break, take a breather. Ron was able to get away and go see a sister and some friends. Same thing. I have some stuff planned in a couple months to go see some family. Kind of, take a little time off.

Speaker 3:

I think that's the most important part is, when you get busy, be able to take a step back, reevaluate what matters to you and remember like those relationships, that education, that teaching, and we're able to come back and like reset ourselves and recenter and have a new focus, like our focus for next year is really building an education system.

Speaker 3:

Most of our clients are first time homebuyers, new to the area, and, again, like I mentioned, the DMV is a massive area. You can try to figure out where you want to live and understanding the complexities of all of that, and we want to be able to educate them and take the time and have that patience with them Absolutely and that helps us stay kind of reinvigorated and like really helping them when it's like you have your first time family, that maybe this is their fourth or fifth move, or we had one this last year who was their first time ever away from family oh, yeah, yeah, yeah I won't say their name, but it was like their first time ever leaving home and they were stressed I believe it so worried and we found them like a really great place in the community and the place that we're able to like flourish and that's important to us.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

Kind of helping them match them up with what they want for their future. Absolutely it helps us keep centered yeah.

Speaker 1:

I would agree. I think the reason I stay motivated is the one thing I miss about the military was being the mentor At my rank. You know it was very much. You were taking care of people and I miss that. But real estate still gives me that ability and because 99% of my people are military, we speak the same language. We've gone through the same challenges. They want to know how to get promoted and I always tell people unlocking doors, turning on light switches and setting your MLS search is the easiest thing I do. It's all the relationship building, the coaching, the mentoring on the side that is really where I find the value in it.

Speaker 2:

I love that and I love that you guys touched on burnout, because sometimes a lot of people maybe don't want to touch on that because it's hard to hear, like you know, to be honest, it's hard sometimes but you guys get real and I really appreciate that, because I've experienced burnout too, throughout my life and it's sometimes it's like taboo to talk about right, it's like no, you just got to keep working hard. But you have to realize sometimes you got to step back and be like, yeah, this is affecting my family life, my interactions with my clients and with ourselves, so you have to just that is truly where we are right now is digging out of that and figuring out the right balance and figuring out what do we want our life to look at.

Speaker 1:

And then how does the business feed that, versus just focusing purely on the business?

Speaker 3:

yes, yeah and it. If you look into research on burnout it is. I went through it with nursing unfortunately burned out that flame during covid and it's take. It took me about at least three years to really full circle and come back from that, if I'm being honest. And that was a lot of support, a lot of self-support, family support. Definitely got to have that support. Yeah, and just kind of like having that slower mind said like okay, it's okay to not feel, okay and telling yourself that, and then just working through it, absolutely.

Speaker 3:

And just finding ways that okay. So if it's not working, you're feeling burnt out, you have to change something. Yes, you can't just keep in that cycle and that support. Yeah, I love that. Well said. Yeah, and it takes about two years Like it's what research says If you're feeling the burnout. Two years to come out of that. So that's such a long time.

Speaker 2:

But that's what you need. Stop it, yeah, take care of yourself. Revaluate yeah, I know I love that. Thanks for that piece of information. Hopefully other entrepreneurs will hear this and take note too. Yes, you have to care about your clients and stuff, but don't forget to take care of yourself, because at the end, if you're not okay, everything else is going to come down with it. Right, I would know. So, yeah, I know.

Speaker 1:

I think most people do now, especially here.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's crazy, but let. Yeah, it's crazy, but um, let's see, on a lighter note, what is the most unexpected thing you've learned about yourself since starting in real estate.

Speaker 3:

I am a lot more capable than I thought I was. I definitely think struggled on the um professionalism front Cause as a nurse I was new, like that's who I was, that was my identity, that's what I was, but I lived, lived, I breathed. Then when you step out of that comfort zone, you go who am I? And like I really didn't have the confidence to like have conversations with people, pick up the phone and just call them. Yeah, that was my biggest struggle in life the telephone and over the last year and a half. It's amazing, right, but I can just this is not this.

Speaker 1:

I actually. This is going way smoother than. I expected.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1:

So Sam won't tell you this, but she's spot on. I mean, the growth I've seen in her is ridiculous. She used to have to write down back in the days when we had to call a pizza place to order pizza. She would write down a script on what she was going to say.

Speaker 3:

I will drive 30 minutes across town to not make a phone call.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, she's spot on there. She has gotten immensely better.

Speaker 2:

I'm proud of you. Look at me.

Speaker 1:

I know You're sitting here having an unscripted conversation.

Speaker 3:

Right, I'm a full professional now.

Speaker 2:

Okay, girl, we're so proud of you. You're boss.

Speaker 1:

I love this.

Speaker 2:

No, I feel like I don't know you, but it was like she's quiet and stuff. I'm like did he just lie to me Because she's not?

Speaker 1:

No, we were sniffing glue in the parking lot. I was trying to lighten up a little bit Her face.

Speaker 2:

She's like whatever Please, Okay, but I love that. I love that. What about you have you?

Speaker 1:

learned. I have, uh, in the opposite direction. Everything I did. Air traffic control is a very difficult career field. I was picked up on a very unique piloting program. I always viewed myself as as the top notch of everything and I kind of put a little bit too much.

Speaker 1:

You said something earlier about me being humble and I said I've never heard that before, because it's always. I've always been at the top of the chart and I quickly realized in real estate some of that personality helps, but the majority of it is I'm very people focused and sometimes I let the task itself get done at about 70 or 80%. I focus all on the person. Well, unfortunately, in this job, that task matters. This is a home, this is money, and I have found I'm not quite so good at that area. I really struggle to get into the nitty gritty details and analyze things, and that's what people, a lot of people, want. Yeah, I don't deal well in that area. So I'd say some of the most, some of the bigger failures I've had and some of the more what the am I doing? Moments have been in this career field versus 20 years in high stress scenarios wow, yeah, that's wild to know.

Speaker 2:

Okay, so but again back to.

Speaker 3:

That's why her coming into the picture is offsets the piece that I don't deal yeah, okay, you can kind of see when the other one's missing the mark on something and kind of pick it up kindly let them know.

Speaker 1:

Actually, just like now she keeps touching my leg like you're done she's like I am not traitor.

Speaker 3:

I was thinking I was proud of you, because I do think it's hard to, and this guy who is like, honestly, never failed to anything in his life because you just work hard, you just are good at everything innately and when you have come across challenges you've been like wait, I wasn't very good then. I think that was hard for you to take that and accept that um yeah, and change it yeah well, you're hardwired one way right yes.

Speaker 2:

So how do you, how do you go the other way?

Speaker 1:

it's sometimes you can't very difficult, yeah, very difficult, and that's why again bringing her on board was the piece that I was. I was missing.

Speaker 3:

I love that for you guys well, and also like trying to get this guy to slow down I think that was the other piece is he will work himself to death and give all of himself away. Like there was a while ago. A year and a half ago, he was working every night from like, literally start answering phones and emails at six o'clock in the morning, even earlier.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, when I was in the Pentagon, I was answering emails at four in the morning.

Speaker 2:

And then you'd be working until 1030 and I know every night would be working. And finally I was like this isn't sustainable, like we have to make a change. Yeah, and see, I love that you guys are together for that reason, obviously, is that you see, where it's like okay, we need to stop. Where the other person's a workaholic and you're like no, no, no, we need to not do this, and like it helps center you and bring you back, like okay, I didn't realize that about myself. And then vice versa. So I think that's so great, like yin and yang over here, wonderful, and what is say like you mean.

Speaker 3:

No, I mean it, he does, I believe it.

Speaker 2:

I trust this guy. Sometimes I trust you way more yeah, but that's good. What's one thing about being a realtor that most people don't know or understand? Oh, I'm taking this.

Speaker 1:

I got a whole list of things on this one. Give them we talk about this a lot Our agents if they will be watching, because they're all Facebook friends. They made it look so effortless yeah, Effortless. I had no idea I thought this was going to be. I keep saying the phrase unlock a door, turn on a light switch and boom, we're going to be rich. My God it's. I'd say. The number one thing is you're never off, You're never on your own time, You're always on somebody else's schedule, and that is very hard to find the balance. Initially you give everything because it's the only way you get business and the only way you get paid.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

We're now at that point three and a half, almost four years in where that can't be the case anymore. So that's the first thing You're never off. Additionally, you know I didn't realize how much psychological warfare was in this. That's been the biggest thing. I psychology feel I'm pretty good with people. Um, this has been extremely challenging.

Speaker 2:

Wow.

Speaker 1:

And, like Sam said, I give, give, give, give because I want the customer service to be there Right, our number one thing is dynamic customer service and second is building relationships through real estate. And I quickly realized that, no matter how much I give, there are some people I will not make happy and that kills me inside. It kills me, but you know, this year we've we've had a couple of clients that we've had to part ways with. It just wasn't the right fit. And I think that's what I'm learning a little bit more.

Speaker 1:

Um it's okay, and I'll tell you that I've had probably five or six air force people that I work with that want to get into real estate. They watch our, our stuff online and everyone says what's the number one thing you don't like? And here it is Every person I meet. I have to constantly prove I'm the right fit and I can boast numbers, I can boast background, I can talk about whatever. I can discount my pricing a little bit. They will always chase somebody who offers it at a lesser amount and so, despite super career and all the top performer awards and everything, if someone offers it for a little bit less, they'll go that direction. So that's been hard for me, I think. Whereas in the military it was immediate recognition and here it's like I'm having to sell it.

Speaker 2:

We got to wean you off of that. Yeah, I know, but it's you know. That was hard for me and it still is hard for me. I'm glad that you are able to realize that and, like are trying to do something about it, so that's good. The first step is knowing where you're like.

Speaker 1:

Yes yes, but for the new agents who are listening, they're going to feel the same thing because at the beginning you take anything, you give all and you're just trying to build that up and that's a tough thing to do.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Always on the hunt.

Speaker 3:

I think for me with real estate was realizing how emotional it is. It seemed from afar when we'd bought and sold four houses prior to being in the business and I didn't really think it was all that emotional personally, but these were never our forever homes. We were always knew we were going to be turn and burn, quick moves, never there for long and seeing now that people it's very emotional, especially with the prices of homes today and interest rates, and people are literally spending like sometimes down to their last dime to get into their home. And people are literally spending like sometimes down to their last dime to get into their home and really trying to remember like this is their whole world right now. Yeah, and kind of giving them that grace of their emotions and also keeping it in check and being their counselor.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I see what you mean there.

Speaker 3:

A mentor, an educator. It's a fine line to walk. Yeah, and that was something I didn't expect in real estate. Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Or lending.

Speaker 3:

Surprise yes.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, to walk, yeah, and that was something I didn't expect in real estate or lending Surprise, yes, yeah, oh my gosh, I literally thought it was just send a search, go show the house, write an offer and win, and that was it. Oh my gosh, I feel a lot of people do think like that, but we're breaking the stigma of that.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I save people's lives, like literally. I work in critical care. There's times we are saving them like actually doing CPR to bring them back literally, and I am more stressed out as a mortgage lender than I am, oh my god, because the nurse, like I got that, like my skills are top notch and I have total control of the situation. But the lending side of it it's it's nerve-wracking. You're dealing people's money to have emotions okay that was surprising to me I was the same way.

Speaker 1:

I mean air traffic control. You could crash planes while I was a pilot. You could crash planes. And I never felt that level of anxiety when I get a message and a client's unhappy it, I mean it, my whole body has a reaction to that.

Speaker 2:

It's this is quite refreshing to hear from you both Like it's.

Speaker 1:

my perspective is just like wow, it's uh it's, it's, it's hard, it's very hard, and then you always want to give and make it right, so your family and your time gets sacrificed, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yep, it's all about finding that balance it is. But is there anything maybe that I have not touched on that? Maybe you guys would like to share with our listeners, whether it's about yourself, your family, your industry, anything maybe another passion you guys have? You have the floor.

Speaker 3:

another passion, you guys have you have the floor. No, I mean, I think with anything it's educating yourself on everything that's important for buyers and sellers, like understanding the basics is important and then obviously having your professional that you trust to lead you along the way. But I think a lot of it is also taking that education level on yourself to kind of understand the process too, so then then you can uh speak up for yourself, cause I know we have, I've heard a lot of people who might have a really bad relationship or bad experience with the transaction and they're scared to speak up. It might've been just like education, lack of communication and yeah, you have to be able to speak up and state your needs and yeah, I think the one thing I've got is it kind of goes back to what keeps us motivated.

Speaker 1:

I think two or three times this week alone, the comment has come across that we've not met an agent like you that's responsive, that cares, that's transparent, that's honest, that's motivating for me and that's what keeps me going, and so I think that has what that has been, what's contributed to our very rapid success. And so you know, we talked about our team. The Checkmate Group is the number one Century 21 team in the state, top 10 age Century 21 agents in Virginia, top 10 percent of agents in Virginia. All that just to say that I think we have found the, the recipe that works right.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and stop chasing commissions, stop counting it as transactions. It's relationships and the one way that I also foster that, knowing how difficult it is moving here, especially from afar, especially now with prices and interest rates. I got into a program called Homes for Heroes. Have you ever heard of that?

Speaker 2:

I have not.

Speaker 1:

OK, so Homes for Heroes was started after 9-11 and it was designed strictly for firefighters from 9-11. Was started after 9-11 and it was designed strictly for firefighters from 9-11. And it was as people passed or whatever was going on.

Speaker 1:

it was a reward program when they bought or sold a home. That program has expanded to include fire and EMS, law enforcement, military, to include veterans, educators and medical professionals. And I signed up for the program because a client said hey, I'm interested and I hate to leave free money on the table, so I signed up for it.

Speaker 2:

It's like all right, I'll do it.

Speaker 1:

She's probably listening now. So thank you, chris and um. Yesterday was my one year mark with them. I just renewed my membership. In one year we met um. I'm either number one or number two homes for heroes agents in Virginia. I've surpassed top 20 in the entire nation. And here's the kicker we have rewarded $110,000 back to heroes in the local area this year. I didn't make $110,000 when I was in the military, so I find that wild that we're rewarding that. So all that to say, I think once you align your business with understanding what your purpose is and then aligning it with a purpose that feeds into that, like the homes for heroes and re-energizing people and helping people, yeah.

Speaker 1:

I think that's. That's where we have found ourselves on the top of the charts that's incredible.

Speaker 2:

Congratulations to both of you. This isn't. This is insane and incredible, like the fact that you make them, so at least you get to give it to a good cause. That's why that's like my point. That's right, that's incredible.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

So thanks for sharing.

Speaker 3:

I like this going directly to them too.

Speaker 2:

It's not just like a third party, or a portion of it.

Speaker 3:

Right, there's a lot of great things you could donate to and a lot of programs out there, but it's Directly back to them.

Speaker 2:

Right, thank you, I didn't know that. And where can we find more information about?

Speaker 1:

You just got to contact me. No, you can go to homesforheroescom and any house qualifies. You just have to be working with an agent that's in the program, so yep.

Speaker 2:

Beautiful All right. So now my last question is going to be one that I ask all our guests that come here Do you have mantra, maybe something?

Speaker 1:

that someone has told you in your life that stuck out, that you would like to share and leave as a message for our listeners. We would love to hear it, still struggling to live by this, but I remember this, mr JR Lyda, if you're listening, he's the one who told me every time you say yes, it comes at a cost. No is always free. So, as you're building your businesses and you're trying to figure things out and you say yes because you need the business to grow, yes Always comes at a cost of time, of energy, of mental drain. I'm learning to say no because it's always free.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, oh, that's funny. My one is Elizabeth Olson. Actually said it in an interview. No is a complete sentence. Oh wow.

Speaker 2:

I love that.

Speaker 1:

Look at that, that wasn't scripted.

Speaker 2:

Sure, you guys planned this in the car, didn't?

Speaker 3:

you.

Speaker 2:

I'm just kidding, yeah. That's my favorite. I teach my daughter that all the time. No, that's good, that's a powerful thing right there. Well, thank you guys, so much for being on the podcast. This was.