RealTea Chicago

Terrence tries Empathy

Jamie Book Episode 5

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0:00 | 44:43

Jamie and Terrence go down the rabbit hole telling their own crazy stories starting with a game of 2 truths and a lie.

Have a wild, crazy, or interesting story of your own? SUBMIT YOUR ANONYMOUS STORIES HERE!

Jamie's 2 truths and a lie: I've walked in on a live stream of the building's lobby in someone's unit.  I've taken a potential client to their dentist appointment.  Or, I've had to break into a listing through an open window.

Terrence's 2 truths and a lie:  I have had someone show up to a closing with cash.
I have had someone want to bring me  jewelry, antiques, and gold and silver to show me that they had sufficient funds to close.   And I had someone put on their application that their down payment was coming from the Lord.

Other Topics Discussed/Questions Answered:
What would Terrence do with a million dollars?
*** If anyone knows Photoshop, please send us a photo of Terrence riding a llama! realteachicago@gmail.com***
Terrence discusses a buyer who changed jobs 2 weeks before closing on their home
Jamie talks about a condo she is flipping in Rogers Park that she bought at auction
How do you get an offer accepted in a multiple-offer situation?
Why is Earnest money important?

Thank you so much for listening! Please don't forget to like, subscribe, and share this episode with anyone you know that will enjoy it.

Music by @Desert_Disco_Music
Art by Chelsea Leasure

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@JustBookJamie
@TheTitaniumLender

Email us with questions, requests, or stories - realteachicago@gmail.com

Want to stay anonymous? Submit your interesting real estate stories anonymously here.

MIC2

How you doin

MIC1

Oh, it's a good day.

MIC2

Are you a Friends fan?

MIC1

A what?

MIC2

Friends.

MIC1

Like the show? Yes. Oh.

MIC2

Um, that's why you didn't get that. How you doin Is

MIC1

Is that a friends thing?

MIC2

Yeah. Joey Tribbiani. Come on.

MIC1

I watched a couple episodes, stopped forever.

MIC2

forever. No,

MIC1

No, but I've always wanted to start it.

MIC2

start it. Is

MIC1

is it? That's how it is for a lot of shows.

MIC2

Welcome to another episode of the Realty Chicago podcast I'm, jamie, and we are here to share with you the most interesting stories we can find in Chicago real estate. And if you like what you hear, please don't forget to like, and subscribe, tell all your friends and family and even submit a question. A story, if you want, even. Yes,

MIC1

please. We

MIC2

can do it.

MIC1

all of the things. You can do it anonymously. Yep. Meaning we won't tell who you are.

MIC2

have a google form that they can fill out and just stay anonymous. We don't even have to know who they are. Nice. Yeah.

MIC1

So we really will be anonymous. Yep. That'll be exciting.

MIC2

I'm

MIC1

I'm very excited about this.

MIC2

I know. Please fill out some stories, like we gotta find. All right, so I thought today we could talk about the fact that Chicago has the world's only backwards flowing river.

MIC1

When you say backwards, like against gravity?

MIC2

Wait, you really didn't know this? I thought this was common knowledge in Chicago.

MIC1

No, I didn't know

MIC2

They reversed the flow of the river. No, reverse it. No, they did. In 1900.

MIC1

Oh. And then they never turned it back? No.

MIC2

No,

MIC1

no, I just thought that there was a thing they can do I could Flip it when they need the green dye to go one way and then turn it back the other way when it's Not st. Patrick's day.

MIC2

the river was so polluted from waste and Nasty things then it was flowing directly into Lake Michigan, which was obviously polluting our drinking water so they spent eight years on January 1st they reversed the flow of the river so that all the polluted water would actually flow to the Mississippi.

MIC1

Nice. I had no idea. I did. I didn't know this was a fact. Yes.

MIC2

Yes.

MIC1

So, note to self, do not go swimming in the Mississippi. It is full

MIC2

Don't go swimming in the Chicago River. I

MIC1

do that either. I don't know.

MIC2

No, no, no, no, no. I

MIC1

even touch that water.

MIC2

No, you shouldn't. Anyone who's kayaking in the river, like, you're fucking

MIC1

Yeah, it's gross. I've never been on the Chicago River and I never will.

MIC2

No.

MIC1

No.

MIC2

Absolutely not. If you get, I think it's, if you are submerged more than half of your body in the river, you are supposed to go to the hospital to be checked for waterborne illnesses.

MIC1

That's

MIC2

Like, Don't fuck around in the river. That's nasty. The lake's one thing. The lake is much much

MIC1

cleaner. Well yeah, the lake's fine, but the river, that's

MIC2

the river. That's nasty. Nasty.

MIC1

I just never wanted to go in it because I just figured it was full of poop and probably dead bodies and it's gross Do we know how deep the chicago river is

MIC2

I have no idea.

MIC1

All right. Well,

MIC2

Well, the project was named one of the seven wonders of engineering by the American society of civil engineers in 1995.

MIC1

Depth of Chicago river at its deepest point. The Chicago river is 21 feet deep.

MIC2

Oh, that's not that deep. I mean, I think it's deep for a river.

MIC1

No, that is shallow

MIC2

for

MIC1

Um, the Mississippi river averages 30 feet. Below Cairo, where the Ohio River joins, the depth averages 50 to 100 feet deep. The deepest part of the river is in New Orleans, where it reaches 200 feet deep. So, I think 21 feet's a little shallow.

MIC2

okay. Yeah, you're right. I was going to basing my knowledge off of the Rio Grande in New Mexico, which is. Extremely shallow. Anyways. day. Yeah. All right, do you have your two truths and a lie ready for us?

MIC1

Hmm? Well then.

MIC2

I have mine.

MIC1

Okay, well, we're going to let you go first. And I will come up with mine as we go.

MIC2

Okay.

MIC1

we can, I can. We can do it. We can just riff.

MIC2

It's fine. You don't need to do a whole.

MIC1

we can do it later and I'll, you know, I'll think about it as we go along.

MIC2

Okay, great. So, mine are, I've walked in on a live stream of the building's lobby in someone's unit. I've taken a potential client to their dentist appointment. Or, I've had to break into a listing through an open window.

MIC1

I am going to say that that one is true. The window I can see you shimmying through a window. and I kind of just want the first one to be true because I want to hear all about how the police came in and apprehended this man afterwards or woman. So I'm going to go ahead and say the lie is the dentist.

MIC2

Okay.

MIC1

Are you going to tell? I mean,

MIC2

I mean, of course I'm going to tell.

MIC1

Well, I didn't know if you were going to wait and tell us on the next episode or tell us today. Oh, no.

MIC2

It must have been too long ago that we recorded our last episode because I revealed these in the last episode.

MIC1

geez. Did you?

MIC2

And you had the same guesses, I'm

MIC1

know what? I'm nothing but consistent.

MIC2

Okay. So story number one, um, I did a listing presentation with a previous teammate, which means we go and we present ourselves and our marketing, et cetera, et cetera. And with that comes a tour of their unit. So this woman, had been there. I think she was an original owner of this 1970s building. She had been the board president for like 20 years. She no longer was and she was moving because she was elderly and just It was her time to go find, you know, different care. So, we go through the whole process, and then she takes us to her unit, and we look around, and it's a unit of someone who has lived there for almost 50 years. Like, packed full in a hoarder type of sense. Which I guess is not uncommon. and we're going through each room and there's stuff everywhere and blah, blah, blah. We get to our office and there's a desk, there's notepads all over the desk and a TV. Like a old school TV so huge like a box frame. It's got the big butt in the back. That's sticking out It's like taped together. I can tell this thing's really old.

MIC1

it have rabbit ears too?

MIC2

don't remember. But on the TV is a live stream of the building's lobby.

MIC1

Um, why?

MIC2

was

MIC1

Did you ask?

MIC2

No, it was a very uncomfortable situation.

MIC1

Let me ask this question. How many units were in the building?

MIC2

Um, a lot. Like it was a, it's not a high rise, it was a mid rise, maybe 15 to 20 stories? Maybe not that many.

MIC1

So I mean, my brain is just

MIC2

Yeah.

MIC1

of things right now. So does she have her own hidden camera or is this like she tapped into the building security feed?

MIC2

My assumption is because she was the building president at some point, the association president, she had tapped into the feed that was the security cameras of the lobby, which I also forgot to mention when we arrived and the front door man called up, we overheard him being like. Yeah, it's two women. They're here sitting down in the lobby, which makes me think she was like, Oh, is it two ladies? Like she's sitting there watch. She sat there and watched us walk in.

MIC1

Hmm.

MIC2

And we left and we were just like, What the fuck? And That's, that's

MIC1

I wonder, I'm thinking of a perfectly good explanation here.

MIC2

Trying to give her the benefit of the

MIC1

giving her the benefit of the doubt. I wonder if every unit has the ability to see that camera.

MIC2

Lord, let's hope so. Like,

MIC1

I don't know, I'm

MIC2

like It's like cable TV and you

MIC1

every unit you

MIC2

go to like

MIC1

channel zero and it's that one camera. That's my thought and also my hope.

MIC2

Same.

MIC1

also I kind of hope it's not just to make it even more fun.

MIC2

happened. Nothing happened. That was it. We were just, like, shocked. We didn't really know what to do. I didn't know what to do. The other person didn't know what to do. We were like, do we say anything? Do we do anything? And then That was it.

MIC1

Did you sell the unit? I ended

MIC2

going with a different agent, I'm assuming.

MIC1

So it did sell?

MIC2

I actually don't know. I never went back and checked. That's one where you're just like, maybe I don't want my hands in this one. of curiosity, is it ethical? for you to look up the listing, see who sold it and give them a call and just say, Hey, I have a question. Oh! Like, I mean, I know you can

MIC1

that, But I would just be

MIC2

curious. Yeah. I have no idea. I mean, yeah, I guess I would have to go back and even look what building it was.

MIC1

Kind of like, you know how on one of our previous episodes I gave, I used you some homework.

MIC2

Oh yeah.

MIC1

To check on the guy whose unit she cleaned.

MIC2

Gotta call her. Yeah.

MIC1

Hey, remember me? I cleaned your unit. you need to sell?

MIC2

need any

MIC1

unit? Exactly. Okay, so that was one of the

MIC2

The other one is, got a lead from an online source and went to meet her and from the jump, it was bizarre. she was coming from the suburbs, her, brother or one of her family members was living in the unit with her furniture she's, I'm in the lobby. I'm like, Hey, I'm here. Let me know when you arrive. And she's like, Oh, I'm just going to be like 10 to 15 minutes late. I had an emergency with my dog. And I'm like, Oh no, I hope your dog's okay. And Turns out her dog, like, was outside and she couldn't find it. Anyways, that was bizarre. Then she shows up, we go to the unit. She's She was an over sharer, to put it nicely. Um, I learned so much about this woman.

MIC1

Did

MIC2

you know? I learned so much about this woman in like 45 minutes. I think I barely even talked about real estate. As I learned about her boyfriend. How I think they recently broke up. Her brother who was living in the unit. I mean, the list goes on and on. She was looking, she was trying to find a new job. And then in the midst of all of this, she was like, the reason I wanted to do this appointment today was because I have a dentist appointment after this in the loop. And I'm like, oh, okay. And she's like, I don't remember what time it was or I don't remember exactly the location. Do you mind if I just look it up? And I'm like, no, I don't mind. Do what you gotta do. So she's on her phone. She's checking her email. She's like, I can't find it. I know I got a confirmation. I can't find it anywhere. And she's like, I don't remember the name of my dentist. And I'm like, okay. She's like, I know exactly what building it was in. I know the address, but I don't remember the name. So I pull out my phone and I start googling and I google the address. There's like 10 dentist offices in this one building in the loop. I'm like, does this sound right? Does this sound right? And then she's calling each individual dentist. here Yes.

MIC1

Oh,

MIC2

And the poor thing She's calling. After a few, she just starts bawling. She's like, I don't know who it is. I can't find the information and I'm like, don't worry. We're gonna figure this out And I don't think we figured it out, but for some reason she was talking about how she got a great parking space. Oh, she was gonna walk. She was just gonna walk to the dentist because it was close enough, but it was like a terrible day outside. It was windy and cold and I'm pretty sure I offered the ride. I don't think she asked because I wanted the listing. It's like, how would I give you a ride? So I gave her a ride to the dentist.

MIC1

but goes above and beyond for her clients. I

MIC2

do.

MIC1

Did she become a client?

MIC2

She did not. We're still in touch. Um, but she sell? Yeah, she didn't sell. She ended up moving back into the unit herself. And the best part was, I don't know if it's the best part or the saddest part. She texted me later. And she was like, So it turns out my dentist appointment was not today. It's some other day. Wow. You

MIC1

Well, You know, You gained a client for life.

MIC2

I think I did. I think when she's ready, she will call me.

MIC1

Absolutely for a ride to the

MIC2

to the dentist. Yeah, you know what? Listen, people Sometimes people just need someone to be there and be empathetic, and I am very Oh

MIC1

it's one of my weaknesses.

MIC2

it's a

MIC1

I don't actually think it's a weakness, but I, I lack Oh

MIC2

Empathy In

MIC1

many situations.

MIC2

Do you have an example?

MIC1

Not one, that Doesn't make me look like a complete asshole?

MIC2

Well, that's kind of what I was hoping for. I was hoping to just call you out.

MIC1

because I mean, in that situation, I would just, I would offer to take her, but I wouldn't move until she found the confirmation. Like, sorry. No.

MIC2

See, so if she was like, I'm just gonna walk, I'm just gonna go and find

MIC1

Have a nice day. Call me later.

MIC2

Even though you don't have to wait for her, like she's going anyway, it's on your way

MIC1

no, I mean, if she wanted a ride to that building, I would offer a ride to the

MIC2

That's exactly what I did. That's fine. And I gave her a ride to the building.

MIC1

Okay.

MIC2

Yeah, I didn't stay there or walk her up or like try and help her find the dentist.

MIC1

You kind of helped her try to find the dentist. I

MIC2

did, I made calls for her on her behalf.

MIC1

You're an adult.

MIC2

Yeah. Also, she's crying and needing help. I just wanted to help.

MIC1

Tears don't do it for me.

MIC2

Yeah, you're a cold hearted bitch.

MIC1

Well, like we're, we're, we're grownups here. Let's let's not cry. Let's figure out a solution. Let's let's work. Let's work

MIC2

I tried to find the solution. And she cried. And she cried. Poor thing. Poor

MIC1

Poor thing. That's okay. Again, client for life. You go above and beyond. hmm. I am. I think I'm ready.

MIC2

Oh, hell yeah.

MIC1

my two truths and a lie.

MIC2

Let's hear them.

MIC1

In no particular order.

MIC2

Okay.

MIC1

Um, these are all potential actual people. Well, I just wanted to throw that out

MIC2

there.

MIC1

have had someone show up to a closing with cash. I have had someone want to bring me jewelry and antiques and gold and silver to show me that they had sufficient funds? to close. Yes. And I had one woman that put on her application that her down payment was coming from the Lord.

MIC2

Oh my god. Okay, this is a difficult one. Her down payment's coming from the Lord. That's like a little DeLulu. These are all DeLulu people. I kind of believe that someone tried to Okay, hold on. What was the second one again?

MIC1

The second one was someone tried to bring me gold, silver, and antiques. To show that they had funds.

MIC2

as a down payment.

MIC1

Correct.

MIC2

I cannot believe that's true. Fucking wild. And then the first one again,

MIC1

That I had someone show up to a closing.

MIC2

With cash. I don't believe that one, because you're too good of a lender to let someone do that.

MIC1

First of all, thank you. Um, But as we have heard, I do tell people what to do and what not to do, and sometimes they still do it. But in this situation, you are correct. I, thankfully, knock on wood, I have yet to have someone try to show up to a closing with cash. I've had many people ask, especially if the cash to close isn't being paid. You know five plus figures

MIC2

Yeah.

MIC1

but no one's done it thankfully but So when I first started there was a woman that Wanted to bring me gold silver antiques because on her application I She stated, you know, X number of thousands of dollars, but didn't input where they're coming from. Didn't say checking, savings, retirement. Was she

MIC2

planning on selling them?

MIC1

No.

MIC2

So she wanted to give these to the seller?

MIC1

Awww. Like this, this was her down payment. She didn't know who she was going to give it to, but she, here's my down payment. And it should be worth X number of dollars and I had to,

MIC2

break her heart.

MIC1

I did. Um, I tried to use empathy.

MIC2

I

MIC1

I I was very nice. I wasn't mean. But I said, well, you're going to have to liquidate these.

MIC2

Yes. That's a fair response.

MIC1

See? And she said, why? Yep. And I said, well, because all of your money has to be in liquid money to be able to use it for your purchase.

MIC2

Did she ask how to make money liquid because it's solid?

MIC1

she did not.

MIC2

Darn.

MIC1

So I told her, you know, once you've sold everything and have, Proof that you've sold it. Show me where the money came from. Don't just show up with 50, 000 in cash. Cause, I mean, I don't know where the gold and silver and antiques came from. They, you know. So, I'm like, I just need to show where they came from. And we can use the funds. Nothing ever came of that.

MIC2

Um, yeah.

MIC1

I'm sure she held on to her. Paraphernalia

MIC2

Well, I guess it's maybe one thing in her mind to like trade it for a house and another thing to actually like put it online and sell it. You know, like that's a very different interaction.

MIC1

You don't necessarily have to take that stuff, you know to sell it online I get it some people can't She was older So I get it. Some people aren't very computer savvy and want to do it online Take to a pawn shop. You

MIC2

can take it to there's plenty of places,

MIC1

dealers or Purchasers.

MIC2

But what I'm saying is like the trade for cash Is it like different than a trade for something else valuable, which obviously cash is valuable But I could see in her mind being like, oh i'm trading this for a house Versus oh i'm going to sell my family's valuables to then gain a house

MIC1

like

MIC2

that difference You Being a little bit more difficult

MIC1

I get it. But we're also assuming these are family heirlooms, Jamie Book. I Well, I mean, don't, don't assume. I assume the benefit of the doubt with your lady that had the closed circuit TV camera of the lobby and everybody had it. This is why we source funds, Jamie Book. We have no idea where they came from.

MIC2

You think she's Stealing

MIC1

Stealing them, maybe she murdered somebody, I don't know.

MIC2

Okay, but here's my question. Does it matter if she stole it? Like, do you have to have proof of where the artifact came from? Or do you just need proof that she sold it and here's your certificate or bill of sale?

MIC1

That's actually a very good question. Now that I think about it, I don't think so.

MIC2

so. I no

MIC1

idea. You know what we would probably I mean To the letter of the law, I suppose then I would need proof of acquisition Like a paper trail of everything because what we look at Here's your real estate wisdom for the day We're gonna look at a two month history of your bank statements So if in one of her last two months of statements, I see You A 50, 000 deposit from Pawn Stars. I'm going to say, okay, where

MIC2

Sounds a lot like something else You

MIC1

clearly have never seen the show. Uh huh.

MIC2

I've seen the Antique Road Show

MIC1

That doesn't sound nearly as interesting as Pawn Stars. it. I'm

MIC2

I'm just imagining someone scrolling and reading wrong, and then being like, What the fuck is this?

MIC1

Yep.

MIC2

Make

MIC1

that when we transcribe this, the spelling is correct.

MIC2

correct. Yeah,

MIC1

But yeah, if I

MIC2

see that

MIC1

deposit, I'm going to say, okay, well, where did this come from? Because it's a large deposit. Greater than her monthly

MIC2

Okay, Okay, But say I steal a car three months ago and then I sell it for 20, 000 and I have a bill of sale. Are you going to ask me where I acquired this car or are you just going to say, oh, you got a car here and just give me the bill of sale, show us where you got this funds and move on with your life?

MIC1

So let me ask this question. You stole the car three months ago.

MIC2

Maybe it doesn't matter when I stole the car, but

MIC1

Actually, it does. Okay, because if you stole the car three

MIC2

ago,

MIC1

ago Sold it deposited the money I look at bank statements for the last two

MIC2

months There's the loophole. Oh, God. Don't nobody come after us saying we said it was okay to steal a car for your

MIC1

Exactly But if it was within the last two months, I would probably ask for, well, the bill of sale. I'm going to ask for the bill of sale because I'm going to make sure that it matches up with the deposit. And, I mean, if it's not your name on the bill of sale, that's a problem.

MIC2

well, obviously I would fake the bill of sale and it would be my name on it. That's

MIC1

No, that's fine. You're the one committing fraud, not me.

MIC2

not me. Okay. I got needed. Perfect. Alright. I got my question answered.

MIC1

This is the real tea how to commit

MIC2

fraud Oh my god, don't say that. We do not condone this.

MIC1

And then my other

MIC2

Oh yeah, I forgot. I was so excited about this story. Really?

MIC1

See, I would have thought that

MIC2

the other one would have

MIC1

been more exciting,

MIC2

They're both quite exciting, if I'm being honest.

MIC1

This woman I actually met in person.

MIC2

Oooh.

MIC1

I think this was also 2018 2019. Yeah. she filled out an application. And in the same section as, you know, the other person with the gold, silver, and antiques, there was down payment and there was nothing. There was nothing there. So, as I'm going through the application with her, I, you know, Oh,

MIC2

Oh, it's the same person? No, it's a different person. Oh.

MIC1

I'm saying the same section.

MIC2

Oh, got it.

MIC1

Assets, but as I'm going through the application on the phone with her or she'd be sitting sitting with her. I'm like, okay You know, we have your your your income information she wasn't working she was Receiving government funds. I'm like, okay, you have your income information We know, you know a general idea of what you can spend monthly on a home Where what's your source of funds and she just looked at me and said the Lord

MIC2

Oh, she said it in person. Yes. Oh.

MIC1

and I said, okay, And in my brain, I'm just, I'm, I'm trying, I'm,

MIC2

Trying to be empathetic. I'm trying my best.

MIC1

And I just said, when are those funds going to be deposited?

MIC2

That's going to be, um, the name of this episode, Terrence Tries Empathy.

MIC1

And she said, you know, um, When the time is right, he will provide. And I said, Amen. Once

MIC2

are you gonna liquefy that?

MIC1

You're going to hell, not me. So I said, Okay, um, When those become available, just let me know, but if you're looking to purchase a house at X price, He'll need to provide about this much. impressed with

MIC2

with your response. was Very mature,

MIC1

Yes. Mm hmm. So, once the meeting concluded, she never answered my calls again. No, not once.

MIC2

Hmm.

MIC1

No idea why, I was very, very nice.

MIC2

The Lord did not provide.

MIC1

provide. happened. I I'm really kind of disappointed I think about it. I would have liked

MIC2

I would have liked to see that miracle. Maybe not a miracle, but, that would be a great story too.

MIC1

I mean, yeah. Maybe, you know Being mature adult Terrence here. Maybe she was going to get a gift from the church.

MIC2

Oh, yes.

MIC1

Mm hmm. Amateur Terrence was wondering if she just wanted money to just go right on the table and pop up.

MIC2

Well, I feel like when somebody says the Lord will provide it doesn't just mean it pops into your bank account. no, no.

MIC1

lie, sometimes I think that.

MIC2

I'm sorry. Dig deeper. Explain

MIC1

Okay. Whenever, I always, I always think back to a movie that I watched a lot as a kid. The Ten Commandments.

MIC2

I've never seen it.

MIC1

Comes on a lot on TV around Easter. Yeah. Yeah.

MIC2

Okay.

MIC1

coming up. Starring

MIC2

is Easter this year?

MIC1

Coming up. Yeah. I want to say 60s. Anyway, this is the story of, you know, Passover and part in the Red Sea and all that fun stuff. And I always just think of miracles. Things are just going popping up turning water to wine

MIC2

Right into the

MIC1

Right into the bank account

MIC2

if you woke up and there was just a million dollars in your bank account? You don't know where it came from, you just, it was there.

MIC1

Lord provided I'm telling nobody

MIC2

you just had, there was a note on the transfer that said from the Lord.

MIC1

know Until you saw me riding down the street on a llama or

MIC2

on a llama That's what you would do with a million dollars. You would just trade your car in for a llama.

MIC1

a llama. galloping, did I gallop? Galloping down the street.

MIC2

Yeah, he'd probably you

MIC1

uh, Did you come into some money recently? I'll be like, Yeah. No? Just wanted a llama.

MIC2

Could a llama even support you? Nope.

MIC1

Not gonna lie, no idea. No? I just, aren't they about the size of camels?

MIC2

No!

MIC1

Are they not? I thinking about the right animal?

MIC2

so. Wait. And

MIC1

and they spit? Yeah. Aren't those llamas? Yes. They're the size of camels. They are

MIC2

not. They are not. look look it up.

MIC1

this up here.'cause I am, I'm crying.

MIC2

I'm

MIC1

positive that

MIC2

No.

MIC1

a llama is as big as a camel. A camel's

MIC2

A camel's like bigger than a horse.

MIC1

Yeah. This

MIC2

This fella

MIC1

Okay. Llama next to camel. I don't feel like that's an accurate representation. Yeah,

MIC2

that is an accurate representation. That's why I'm laughing so hard. I'm crying. I feel that's,

MIC1

a baby llama.

MIC2

That's a llama.

MIC1

Welp.

MIC2

If anybody does photoshop, can you please photoshop Terrence on a llama for it

MIC1

you know what? I was almost certain that the okay Point is you'd never know That I had a million dollars.

MIC2

If Terrence ever says I'm buying a llama, we know he's come into some money.

MIC1

Won the lottery for the Lord provided.

MIC2

know that. Yeah, me

MIC1

I really want to know what happened to that woman

MIC2

alright.

MIC1

I want to, Oh, I want to tell you about my, my happenings. Um, don't get too excited. This is another one of those, you tell people not to do it.

MIC2

And they do it.

MIC1

they do it type stories This one had a it had a happy ending. It's fine Fortunately timing all worked out but on the list of do not do's While you're buying a house Unless you tell your lender first just do not change jobs

MIC2

Oh yes, fair.

MIC1

So Before closing we do a final verification of employment where we call the employer Hey, so and so still here is employment going to continue

MIC2

How soon do you call them?

MIC1

That one is done within two weeks closing

MIC2

Okay.

MIC1

So and are they still here is employment going to continue If they say no It's a little bit of a problem

MIC2

Understandably So,

MIC1

Fortunately, we didn't get that far We were about a day before we were going to actually make the call. We got updated pay stubs. One of the updated, updated pay stubs looked a little bit

MIC2

Hmm. Like,

MIC1

very different, like from a different employer. And so my, uh, processor called me and said, do you, uh, you know, you know about this? I'm like, no, about what? She emailed me over a pay stub. I'm like, that's, that's not where she works. so I made a quick phone call. I paced a little bit first, then I made a phone call. I said, hey, um, thank you for sending over your most recent pay stub.

MIC2

What the fuck?

MIC1

Why does it look different than the last pay stub? Oh, um, I got a new job. I said, congratulations. Terrence tries empathy I have so many questions for you. Um, When, why, why, why, and how are you paid? Because if how you're paid changes, we may not be buying a house right now. And, and so she said, last week, I forgot to tell you. I said, you know what, it's okay. Okay. But I'm paid salary and I'm making more money now. I'm like, the Lord provides. So it all, uh, it all worked out just a couple of extra steps. Verification of employment through a new employer. And we closed.

MIC2

Okay, so moral of the story is you can change jobs as long as you get paid the same and more money.

MIC1

Definitely more money. But. How you're paid makes a difference. If you are a salaried employee and your pay structure changes to a half salary, half bonus commission.

MIC2

Right.

MIC1

No, because then I'm using the salary cause I don't have a history of the variable income.

MIC2

Yep. Okay. There's your real estate wisdom. Real

MIC1

wisdom. Thankfully in this situation it was salary

MIC2

to salary. So, and just so people are aware, in order for bonuses to count, you have to have a two year

MIC1

history? Two years.

MIC2

Okay.

MIC1

Same thing with commission.

MIC2

Yep.

MIC1

The variable incomes is where we need two years.

MIC2

Mm-Hmm. Say that again. For the people in the back.

MIC1

I'm looking at you. Two years. Don't do it. Don't leave your salary job to start a business until after you close. That's all I got. It's my wisdom for the day.

MIC2

It's beautiful.

MIC1

Thank you.

MIC2

talk about you. Yeah, what about me?

MIC1

do you got going on?

MIC2

I'm working on a flip up in Rogers Park right now.

MIC1

How many beds and baths?

MIC2

It's three bed, two baths, it's huge. It's gotta be over 1, 500 square feet, if not close to 2, 000. it has this beautiful living room with curved windows. It was built in the 1920s by a woman architect. We bought it on auction, which is a first for me.

MIC1

Nice.

MIC2

But we bought it with all of the, um, basically personal belongings inside as well.

MIC1

So, Any treasures in there?

MIC2

definitely a lot of vintage finds. So, this person had been in there since, I think, the 70s? If I'm,

MIC1

Ooh.

MIC2

wait, maybe that's not true. But, um, basically, yeah, a lot of like vintage, um, vases and glassware. But the thing with foreclosures and personal property is I cannot sell any of it. It all has to be donated or trashed.

MIC1

I have a question.

MIC2

How

MIC1

How will they know?

MIC2

great question, Terrence. Ethically, I need to be responsible

MIC1

Mm hmm.

MIC2

because I do not want to jeopardize my business or my business partner in any way

MIC1

Okay.

MIC2

Putting something online and then one of their family members says, hey, that's

MIC1

that's

MIC2

My grandma's. Oh, I'm actually entitled to this property or I'm Entitled to I don't know what um So it's definitely more complicated and more complex and I don't fully understand everything about it, but when you buy a foreclosed property at auction, there is a difference between the physical property in the unit, the real estate left behind, and then the personal belongings left behind and the way you have to deal with each of those separately.

MIC1

So the personal stuff that they've left behind, you have to donate it?

MIC2

Give it away, donate it. I can't keep it or sell it,

MIC1

Okay, give it away, donate, throw it away. throw it away. yep.

MIC2

Okay,

MIC1

you just personally can't sell it?

MIC2

Correct.

MIC1

Okay, so. Off the record. Um,

MIC2

anything good that I want? it's all gone. So I put everything on Facebook Marketplace for free. I said, come pick it up, um, Sunday from this time to this time, first come, first serve. I had a line waiting. People were there an hour early. And I cannot believe the things people were taking. And I, and people were there for all different reasons. Like there was like teenagers, there furnishing their first apartment. There were older people who like clearly had some sort of business that they would resell all of this. Like it was, Wild people who just collected vintage antiques and the vases and Yeah, it was like a madhouse.

MIC1

madhouse. No,

MIC2

I definitely checked all of them.

MIC1

I'm not selling

MIC2

Ethically, um, I'm not selling it, but I need to know how much this is worth.

MIC1

much it is. No, the

MIC2

No, the most expensive ones were like 500 bucks. Yeah. Okay. But most of them were like 20 to 80 dollars, which isn't nothing.

MIC1

How did you find this out?

MIC2

Reverse Google search.

MIC1

Oh, like the image.

MIC2

Mm hmm. I took a picture, reverse Google searched it, looked up the um, if it had a name on the bottom or something, looked it up. Mm hmm.

MIC1

Okay. Somebody walked out of there with a couple of things worth 500 bucks.

MIC2

Yeah, I know.

MIC1

artwork

MIC2

I don't think there was any artwork to note. There was this one photo of this little boy. He was probably 5 years old. Yeah, it was huge. Probably like 18 by 12. No, bigger than that. 18 by

MIC1

24. the frame

MIC2

The frame? The frame. Right. And the picture was so old and aged that this kid's skin had turned grey and his eyes had turned red. He was a fucking demon child. his hands looked way too big for being a five year old. Like the more I looked at this, I was like, this is so weird. Well, because you, you look at it and you're like, oh, it's just a kid. And then you look at a little more and you're like, wow, that kid has really big hands. And then you're like, oh my God, this photo's so aged. His skin is graying. And then you're like, and his eyeballs are red

MIC1

Jamie, look, if there's one thing that I've learned in all my years, Kids are the devil.

MIC2

Someone took that picture, Lemme tell you.

MIC1

Wait, was it a photograph

MIC2

or anything? It was, it was, a photograph.

MIC1

photograph. That kid is in that picture.

MIC2

Maybe. No, he's him.

MIC1

Let me, let me ask, when,

MIC2

um,

MIC1

did someone take this?

MIC2

Yes. For the frame. But someone took that picture,

MIC1

you should check on them.

MIC2

Well, one person took it off the wall and then I, like, mentioned it. I was like, did you notice how creepy this kid is? And they were like, we just liked the frame. I mean people were taking umbrellas. They took all the silverware glassware Um golf clubs, which I understand people were taking everything

MIC1

I love it.

MIC2

Yeah.

MIC1

I'm stuck on this kid, though.

MIC2

I wish I'd taken a picture of the kid I mean just to show you it's fucking creepy

MIC1

no, because then he would have ended up in your phone. I'm with you. No,

MIC2

he's probably in a video that I have of the unit

MIC1

I don't want to see it

MIC2

So if anyone's listening and interested in buying a property in Rogers Park We're about to have a freshly renovated three bed two bath separate dining kitchen huge beautiful vintage building not be It's not haunted. No.

MIC1

hands. so Was he still in the

MIC2

in when they took the frame? Yes. Yes. He was in the picture. I've also been in there many times alone and there's no vibes.

MIC1

Because the frame's gone.

MIC2

All good, vibes.

MIC1

Okay.

MIC2

So it should be on the market by April.

MIC1

Nice! Okay. Just in time for the thick of the spring market. Which starts, unofficially, Monday.

MIC2

Is the Superbowl this weekend? Oh 1st. I Who do you think is gonna win?

MIC1

17, final score.

MIC2

Oh, okay. We're gonna hold you to that.

MIC1

Done.

MIC2

Um, don't hate me for this question. Who does Travis Kelsey play more?

MIC1

Um, Mr. Swift plays for the Kansas City Chiefs. You're welcome.

MIC2

Okay.

MIC1

Yeah, it's sunday. So, um Who are you rooting for?

MIC2

you rooting for? Okay. Oh my

MIC1

my gosh. Um not

MIC2

people.

MIC1

Oh, they've

MIC2

Um, Steve you? Okay, cool.

MIC1

know? Uh, the spring market starts Monday. I know we just said that, but that's very important. So, do you get offers accepted in multiple offer situations?

MIC2

talking about this today. So, we say love letters are out.

MIC1

Love letters, meaning letters from the

MIC2

hmm. But Anything creative, so anything that's going to make your offer stand out. I had a team member recently who had multiple offers, two offers, they were like essentially the same, she said, that the, the sellers didn't know how to make a decision. They put in the same percent down, same price, like same terms, and the winning party offered a gift card to the sellers for a restaurant. I don't know about the legality of that, but it worked.

MIC1

Well, I mean. Technically speaking, then their offer was a little bit higher than

MIC2

than the other person's. Exactly. Um, you know, there's a lot of discussion right now about, like, commissions. And real estate so offering to pay one side's commission, I think is going to become a thing Offering to put earnest money hard. So your first thousand dollars saying it's going hard whether We close or not you get to keep that

MIC1

my

MIC2

Um I'm giving away my trade secrets here.

MIC1

Yeah

MIC2

Um, what else? I mean, honestly, you have to button up all of your terms. So it's not just about price. It's about price. It's about closing. It's about tax preparation. It's about earnest money. It's about your down payment. And if a seller has five offers, they're going to look at every single one of these individually and decide who is the most qualified and who they think is going to get to that closing table. Cause you could have the highest price, but if you're putting 5 percent down and 2, 000 in earnest money, And your tax preparation, you're asking for 110 percent and you're up against an offer who's maybe a lower purchase price, but they have 10 percent or 15 percent down and they're giving you 5 percent in earnest money. That's definitely a safer option for a seller.

MIC1

Interesting. Why?

MIC2

Why? On all of that?

MIC1

Between those two offers, yes. Why?

MIC2

reason I ask is

MIC1

ask is because I ask multiple agents this question because I personally would like to know why, because to me it makes no difference.

MIC2

no difference. It's, you know, people are well qualified for mortgages, so the likelihood of them closing are very high. So when you're comparing cash to mortgage, I think it depends on the situation of whether one's better or another one is. at the end of the day, when you're talking who's going to get to the closing table and maybe who's more invested. So earnest money is one of those things where, like, we know you could get it back if something falls through. Right 99 percent of the time it's not on the line But if you're willing to give more up front, it just shows a little bit more commitment um, i've had plenty of sellers who Looking at two offers and one has less earners money and they're otherwise they're very similar. They're saying oh this person's putting a significant more down in earnest money So it seems like they're a little bit more motivated and willing to put more skin in the game

MIC1

Okay

MIC2

Tax proration when you're in a multiple offer situation And you're asking the sellers to pay 110 percent of the tax, the latest tax bill, which was probably two years ago. You don't know what those taxes are. That's a disadvantage to someone who's going to say to be determined in attorney review, because that's going to be fair, at least, or to someone who's saying 100%, because that buyer is now offering to pay any increase in taxes on the seller's behalf. So it's all these little details that are gonna help you in a multiple offer situation.

MIC1

You made mouth noises. Someone throwing it out there. Yeah. Oh, I've heard them a few times. I just want you to know. I know. It's gross. not gross, Jamie, but it's a natural bodily function.

MIC2

Well, it's kinda gross, but anyways, yeah.

MIC1

Well, thank you for that information.

MIC2

You're welcome.

MIC1

What else you got?

MIC2

How time

MIC1

What time is it?.

MIC2

it? Well, shit. thank you everyone for listening to another episode of Realty Chicago. If you are interested in sharing a story, or finding us on social media, or just connecting in some way, you can find us on Instagram,@RealTea Chicago. You can also email us at RealTeaChicago@gmail.com. We do have a TikTok the Realty Chicago podcast. and I've got a Google form if you wanna fill it out. That's gonna be linked on our Instagram

MIC1

our anonymous stories.

MIC2

Yes, so find us and let's connect.

MIC1

Signing out.

MIC2

And we're done.

MIC1

Okay, bye! Bye!