Keys to the Crib: Philly Real Estate Talk w/ Gidget

On this episode of Steppin W/ Unc, Unc Dove sits down with rising real estate agent Gidget for a real conversation about stepping into the real estate game and helping people move closer to homeownership.

Starting her journey in real estate in July, Gidget shares what it’s like learning the business, building connections, and helping future homeowners understand the buying process. The conversation also touches on the Philadelphia housing market, advice for first-time homebuyers, and what it takes to start a career in real estate.

The two even mix in some sneaker talk as Gidget shares her love for collecting Nike Dunks, showing how passion, hustle, and personality can all play a part in building your own path.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, this episode highlights women stepping into new spaces and building their own lane.

🎙️ Topics include:

• Becoming a new real estate agent

• Advice for first-time homebuyers

• The Philly housing market

• Starting a career from scratch

• Sneaker culture & Nike Dunks

Follow Gidget:

Instagram: @gidgeegirlee

Presented by Big Steppa Podcast

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:06

Do you feel like right now is a good time to buy a house and too? That takes me into something anyway, because I wanted to actually like you like just in general, the the home because it builds wealth.

SPEAKER_01 0:18

So if to make it like so well, um, so prior to real estate, I was married.

SPEAKER_03 0:25

Uh yeah, even though you're in your first year of uh being an agent, what do you think agentship rope was on? What would you say to encourage them to start that journey? And um just want to end it like um are the houses or the homes in Philadelphia getting like more expensive?

SPEAKER_00 0:41

Like I don't know, things happen for a reason.

SPEAKER_03 0:44

So yeah, I'm glad I got to meet a few people that night and network, and that's what it's all about.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

So you have my you know, some paperwork, and but you have to start somewhere in all right. So I use my personal pages. I do have a business page, but I like my personal page because what up, what up, what up?

SPEAKER_03 1:06

It's your boy Umk Duff, Stephen Willong Podcast. We're here on a Saturday afternoon. Okay, we got a nice guest. Uh, first and foremost, I want to say happy women's history month. All right, so shout out to all the ladies. So this month, uh, like I said, I've been doing everything I've been doing, has been for the ladies. Uh, my TikTok panels, now my podcast panels. I just dropped the episode earlier. Um, with somebody that I did a podcast with last month. So um, yeah, we're gonna keep the ball rolling with all the ladies. And without further ado, we have a new guest today. We're gonna let her introduce herself and then we'll go ahead and have us a great conversation.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

Hey everybody, so my name's Gidget, and I am new to the real estate industry, and um I've only been doing it for a couple months, and I'm real excited. This is my first podcast. I'm also nervous, I am, but more excited. So nice to meet everyone.

SPEAKER_03 2:03

Yes, yes, yes. So um, you said, like you said, last year, 2025, when you became licensed and everything. Um, yes. How has it been for you so far?

SPEAKER_01 2:13

Um, a lot of learning. I met a lot of great people. I do a lot, go to a lot of mixers, and um so I'm liking it. Sometimes it gets frustrating, but everything takes time.

SPEAKER_03 2:25

Definitely, definitely. Um, how long was the process of actually getting through, you know, all the testing and all the I'm sure schooling or you know, whatever you had to do?

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Schooling was uh three months, three days a week. Um, and then you have to take your state and national test and uh after being out of school for a long time, they they were kind of hard, but you know, I did it. And um, then you have to apply for your license. You had you have to wait for your license to actually come before you can even do anything with real estate. So so since July, I've been doing it.

SPEAKER_03 3:04

Yeah, um, I think I had one real estate agent on the show before, but he wasn't on there for that. He was he also does fitness, so he was on the show for fitness. So we slightly tapped into the real estate thing, and he was new too. He told us about you know how many times he had to take the test and everything, which is about three or four times. So, uh, how many times do you have to take that final test?

SPEAKER_01 3:26

So the national test is the harder test, and I passed that one the second time, and the state I passed that one the third, third time. So okay, yeah, it's not bad. They're tricky questions, and it's the way that they were them.

SPEAKER_03 3:39

So, how many like questions we on the these tests? What is it? How many questions do they be having on these tests?

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Oh, the one I think I think the state was 85, I want to say, and the national was 50. I could be off with the numbers, yeah. So for two weeks I locked myself in the house and studied.

SPEAKER_03 4:04

Yeah, um, I don't know. Last time I took a test like that was at work, actually. Now I think about it. Um, so as far as the city, you're from Philly, correct? Correct.

SPEAKER_01 4:15

Born and raised South Philly.

SPEAKER_03 4:18

Okay, South Philly in the building. I'm not too far, I'm from Southwest, so um I always kind of knew about Southwest. We like right there. My sister lives in South Philly, actually. Okay. Yeah. Are you Italian?

SPEAKER_00 4:32

I am.

SPEAKER_03 4:33

I'm Italian. Yeah. What's your go-to dish?

SPEAKER_01 4:39

Listen, I know you're gonna think I'm gonna say, um, a chicken girl. I love chicken. Okay. I can't stand the gravy. My growing up, my mom made it three times a week, and it's no, I'm yeah, chicken is my thing. Chicken and pizza. Like fried chicken or or all types of pick any kind of chicken. Any kind of chicken.

SPEAKER_03 5:00

I can't say I'm not a chicken guy, so I get it. Okay, I get it for sure. Um, so what made you get into real estate? Like, how did that come about?

SPEAKER_01 5:09

Well, um, so prior to real estate, I was married. I have had a business for over 27 years with my soon-to-be ex-husband. And um, so that kind of fell apart and I didn't know what I was gonna do. I mean, well, now I'm 48, but I was like 46, and and I never lived a life of my own. I was tied down from 15, had a kid at 16. So um, I was Ubering. Um, I was thinking about real estate because something fast, like I was too old to go to school and start a career. And I actually met my teacher who is now I work for her brokerage in an Uber. And we connected, it was a Friday, and she's like, school starts on Monday. And I went, I signed up, and uh we winded up not starting on Monday because it winded up being a snowstorm, but yeah, I started a few days after meeting her, and um, I love it. Um, I love people, like I'm a people person, I love making people happy, and me too. So this kind of is I don't know, I was fit for it.

SPEAKER_03 6:12

Yeah, it's funny. Um, you said in the Uber, I had a couple good networking experiences just being in the Uber, even with podcasts. And I remember one morning, uh, I had to catch an Uber one morning a while back, it was a couple years ago, sometime in between the pandemic. I was going to work, I believe, and um the Uber driver was playing a podcast from Philly, so I was like, yo, who's this? He's like, Yeah, it's such and such. I end up following them, and then um, you know, we end up throwing something together. Then ever since then, we've been cool. So that's just like an experience that I had through, you know, the podcast and thing. Plus, I was still a year or two in, so I wasn't that dug in yet. Yeah, so I don't know, it's funny about them Ubers, y'all.

SPEAKER_01 6:50

You can it's yeah, it's I don't know. I'm a big believer in like I don't know, things happen for a reason.

SPEAKER_03 6:59

So it's yeah, I feel you on that for sure. So you're a beginner. Um, do you have any advice for people that are also beginning to you know get into this industry?

SPEAKER_01 7:09

That are getting into it. I mean it's it's yeah, no, it is you have to put the time in. And when I get, you know, it it's about building. You have to build, you build clientele, and and three things that I learned, you know, when you meet a client, they have to it's about like know and trust. And don't give up, because so many times I wanted to give up. But as I said, running my own business, I know that you have to everybody has to start at the bottom. Okay, and it's about consistency, you have to be consistent with it and you know, do your follow-ups, and eventually everything just will come easy, right?

SPEAKER_03 7:52

Okay, um, some questions for you about you know, real estate in Philadelphia. Um, you feel like right now is a good time to buy a house in Philly?

SPEAKER_01 8:03

To me, it's spring is coming. It's it's anytime is a good time. Like, okay, and and I get a lot of people like that are like, oh, you know, I'm not ready. I'm worried about my credit, or I are yeah, and it's like you're never gonna be ready. It's it's like a f I tell everybody or my clients that I'm prospecting. It takes a 15-minute film conversation, and that 15 minutes could change the way, you know, whether to know, and if not, you're ready. And you know, you run your car, everybody's worried about credit, but so it's it's never a bad time to buy a house.

SPEAKER_03 8:41

So credit isn't the end all be all basically when you're trying to buy your first home.

SPEAKER_01 8:45

No, and that's no, it's it's not. I mean, some people clients can get they can get approved with a 580 credit score, as low as a 580. And I'm big on first-time homebuyers because like I said, I love helping people. I mean, don't get me wrong, I would love to sell a million dollar property, but I would get more out of helping somebody that never bought a home before. Or, you know, I I don't know. I just like I said, that would make me happier when somebody thinks it's impossible to make it possible for them.

SPEAKER_03 9:20

Sure. Uh, what do you think the biggest mistake for first-time home buyers are?

SPEAKER_01 9:26

Don't listen to your cousins, your neighbors. Like that, I'm telling you, I get that all the time. And they're like, Well, you know, my neighbor said this. And I'm like, Oh, what you know, what brokerage is your neighbor at? Well, he's not a real estate agent. I'm like, okay, I you know, you have to talk to uh a professional who knows the industry. So, because that I get that all the time, and and it scares people, and I call it outside noise, but you know, that's you know, background noise.

SPEAKER_03 9:57

It's funny, it's kind of like that in every profession, you know, people that aren't actually dug in or licensed or professionals, like you said, people take advice from them instead of actually going to the real source, which is the person who went to school, right? Sat you know at their desk and learned from an instructor or online or however they went about it. Those are the people that you know you should be getting your answers from at the end of the day, but that's how we are as people, especially in our city.

SPEAKER_00 10:24

Yeah, yes.

SPEAKER_03 10:25

Um, what's your take on like renting versus owning in 2026?

SPEAKER_01 10:29

Okay, so I don't think renting is bad. You know, sometimes people can't get a house, like it's not their season yet to purchase a house. But renting versus owning, so to me, when you're renting, you're paying somebody else's mortgage off.

unknown 10:47

Right.

SPEAKER_01 10:47

But when you own something, you're paying so like you're you're paying your own mortgage, but it's it's all about wealth. You're you're gaining wealth. And I mean, I know mortgages are crazy 30 years. I'm here and now they want to try to do 50 years, but it it's something that you're gonna own, or you know. So I I definitely would go with owning.

SPEAKER_03 11:11

So you highly recommend owning.

SPEAKER_01 11:13

Yes. I mean, I do help people rent too.

SPEAKER_03 11:16

Right.

SPEAKER_01 11:16

Okay. You know, I do it all, but that's just my input.

SPEAKER_03 11:21

I never really thought about that aspect of it. Uh that you'll help people, you know, rent as well. I never really even thought about that.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

Yeah, investors, right? House hacking.

unknown 11:32

Right.

SPEAKER_03 11:32

Yeah. Um, so I would say uh how or why should people start investing in real estate?

SPEAKER_01 11:41

Why? Because it builds wealth. So if to me, like so a first-time homebuyer, they can they can buy a one to you know, three unit building, and they can live on the first floor and rent the second and third floor out, and you know, your mortgage is paid, and you got those tenants paying, and and you and you just build equity. And you once you get that equity, it's it's it's like you you suck it out and you can buy something else, and then it's it's stepping stone for building wealth. I I wish I would have got into this sooner than later, but it didn't happen that way.

SPEAKER_03 12:19

It's all good, but you're gonna make some noise. Yeah, I'm trying. I got a big mouth, too. I'm with you. Um how much money do you people do you think people really realistically need in order to get their first home?

SPEAKER_01 12:34

So realistically, so there are programs out there for first-time home buyers. And when I say first-time home buyer, that doesn't necessarily mean somebody that's never bought a house before.

unknown 12:45

Right.

SPEAKER_01 12:45

Um, you know, situations happen in life, uh, like divorce. So if you haven't owned a property in three years, you are still eligible for the programs for the first-time home buyer. Of course, there's requirements, you know, that you have to meet, uh, income brackets, credit scores, like 585. And uh anyway, these programs you can get anywhere from five to fifteen thousand dollars towards closing costs, uh down payment. So it varies, you know, what you would be approved for as far as like a mortgage, what you can get from these programs. You know, if you need 20,000 and say you got fifteen thousand, you know, twenty thousand to put down on a house, closing, and all that, then well, you'll need to come up with 5,000. So, I mean, that's just a scenario because you don't, you know, I got you, you know.

SPEAKER_03 13:40

So uh did you purchase you purchased a home before yourself?

SPEAKER_01 13:45

I did. I also many years ago had a rental property too, but I I sold it.

SPEAKER_03 13:50

Okay. How long ago did you purchase your first home?

SPEAKER_01 13:54

Uh 23 years ago. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 13:59

Yeah. Yeah, market was totally different because I know my mom bought her home in 20 well 2004. So from then to now, just being around and seeing things is just totally different. Yeah, it's it's not I'm not saying in a good way, but it's definitely different. Um, even with me, like I work for uh utility company, so I handle like payoffs and stuff like that sometimes. So I just see like the volume of from you know a few years ago based off of then till now, where it's just not a lot going on right now. So when I see people purchasing homes, I just be like, oh okay, that's what's up and happy for them because the market most saves are not the same, you know. You got the interest rates and stuff like that. So if you can come up with something good and reasonable for you and yours, definitely, you know, go go ahead and do that.

SPEAKER_01 14:45

You know, you said interest rate, and that is also scares people. They're like, oh, I'm gonna wait. I'm gonna wait for the interest rate to go down. It's it's you know, and I'm like that is a mortgage guy, like those questions like with the interest rate. But I mean, you can always if you're ready to pay a house, you could buy it, and you can in a year you can refi to to get a better rate. And like I tell people that all the time. And uh, yeah, so that's like another thing that scares people is the interest rates.

SPEAKER_03 15:19

I hear it all the time. Even at work, I hear people like you know are talking about that's trying to buy homes and stuff like that. Yeah, like um, I was in a situation where I was uh my ex-girlfriend at the time. She uh we got a crib together. I it wasn't in my name, but it wasn't hers, but she went through the program called NACA in NCA. Yeah, so it was like pretty much like um they help you with the closing costs and everything. But in between that time, I think you get like a year maybe. They have to basically clock your stubs and everything to make sure that you have enough funds every month and you'll be able to manage your funds enough so that when you do get a home, they can count on you to pay the mortgage and stuff like that. So that's what it was in a nutshell, but um that was a cool program because then when we got in there, the mortgage was you know one amount, and then it actually went down like two months later. So I'm sure she's still living good off that. Say it was a nice house, too.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

I never heard of that.

SPEAKER_03 16:11

Yeah, NACA, yeah. Okay, I can't forget it because at the time it was 2020, matter of fact. So, like in the heart of the pandemic, like when it first started. Like I literally was moving into the new home while they were doing their little riots downtown, looting and all that. I was literally moving that same day. I remember 76, 95, everything was just crazy that day. So I can remember. And from then until now, even you know, the market has just changed and it's gonna keep changing, of course.

SPEAKER_01 16:37

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 16:39

It's that was all the way out long, Chris.

SPEAKER_01 16:42

Oh, okay. Yeah, but yeah, my my daughter had purchased a home during the pandemic. She just had a baby, they were she was staying with me, and um it it was crazy. You thought, like, you know, you would think like, oh my god, everybody's out of work, and right, but she had such a hard time finding a house because this one particular house that she wanted, who whoever got it wounded up overbidding fifty thousand dollars more than asking price. It was it was crazy. It was crazy. Yeah, I'm like, what the hell? 50,000 market, yeah. That was before I was in the real estate, and I just I feel like she paid too much for her house that she's in, and she hates it now. It it was an older house. Okay, yeah. So she lives out in the county, Delaware County. She wants to come back to the city. Really? Yeah, I know. I she has three kids, and I'm like, why? Just you know, find a different house out there, you know, another area.

SPEAKER_03 17:41

But you know, I'm coming back here. I know. I'm trying to get out there, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_01 17:47

So listen, so am I, so am I, and you know, definitely.

SPEAKER_03 17:52

So, um, what Philly neighborhoods do you think you know are sleepers right now? Sleepers, yeah. Like people probably not even thinking about.

SPEAKER_01 18:03

I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 18:04

I I mean I or what are some good recommendations that you might have?

SPEAKER_01 18:09

What as far as buying? Where to buy? Um I love Grace Ferry area. That's actually where I had a rental property around there. And it I seen like um, like around are you from you're from well, you're from southwest, like um, like Titan Street, like 1900 block of Titan, 1800, like old Martin Street. I've seen that neighborhood go from abandoned buildings to like lots, and I over the years, because we well, I owned a property down the sh in that area, and I also had a garage, and I watched that neighborhood just boom and like turn over. And that's when I should have got into the you know, into the market, but had other things going on, but that's my favorite area. Fish towns, like another popping area, yeah and crazy prices. Um like I don't know, they're they're the areas you know, I don't they're my favorite areas that I think I would buy. Like, even like some North Philly, too. Sometimes North Philly, you can snatch up some really cheap properties because it's about holding on to it because eventually things are gonna pop off.

SPEAKER_03 19:25

So that's deep. Um, let me see what I got for you. Um, do you have any wild stories so far with uh pertaining to real estate? Any funny situations that you you you came across?

SPEAKER_01 19:39

Uh well, so I was showing a property, it was a rental, and um so I so when I show people a property, I don't follow them around. Like I'm I'm just honest, I'm me. And I'm like, you know, just whatever, I'll be right here. You have questions or anything concerned. So anyway, the guy was really nice, he was a single guy, and um so he says, I really like the house. He said, but I have one question. I said, What you know, what's that? And he's like, Do you if I rent this property, do you come with the property? I said, you know, and I said, Oh no, and he's and he's like, Well, how about if I take you out to dinner? And I said, Well, I said, a girl's gotta eat. I said, You can take me out to dinner if you want to talk about renting or buying. And uh, but so I don't I don't get offended, I don't get offended easy. Like, I I'm a jukester, and so we we just laughed though. It was funny. He didn't wind up renting a house anyway, but but that's the you know, the funny thing story that I came across. But like I said, I'm new and I'm sure there's gonna be plenty more to come.

SPEAKER_03 20:46

Definitely that's uh I would assume that's something that and I never even thought about it until we just had this conversation, but I'm assuming the state agents go through it too. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:56

Even like so social media, too. Here's another funny story. Um, I before I became an agent, I always put my pages private. You know, I just it's public, and I'm my phone number. Somebody texts me, and it was like kind of like the same story wanted to take me out, and I'm like, oh no. I said, you know, we can have a conversation if it's about rent and rebellion, but other than that, no. But I mean that wasn't even nothing funny. It was like it kind of weirded me out a little bit, but so that was Yeah, social media, you know how that can be um approach everything like that.

SPEAKER_03 21:33

Yeah, it can get funny.

SPEAKER_01 21:35

But it is what it is, you just like I said, I don't get offended and just gotta laugh it off. Keep it moving.

SPEAKER_03 21:44

What is the uh what are the biggest challenges you've come across so far?

SPEAKER_01 21:49

Challenges it it's it's it's a tough business. There is a lot of competition out there, but the challenge is trying to build up that clientele. And I am currently working with a first-time homebuyer. Um, she's a friend of mine, and uh, she's going through the process now, but it's it's hard. It's hard, and that's why you say you have to be consistent at it. So, I mean, I I go to different things, meet different people, like other agents, and you know, they said it takes you know a good one to two years, maybe sometimes longer, to like actually be known and and to build that clientele up. So that's my challenge right now.

SPEAKER_03 22:33

Yeah, I can only imagine. Um, when becoming a real estate agent, you know, does it take, you know, you as yourself, do you have to have a lot of upstart funds or anything like that to start off?

SPEAKER_01 22:42

Or yeah, speaking of that, I just had to pay uh I had a big bill. Yeah. So the school wasn't big. I think the school was like six or seven hundred dollars, but then you have to pay for your MLS, which is every three months, and then you have to pay uh GPAR, which is Greater Philadelphia Association Realtors. Um, I just had to pay that big bill yesterday, and it that's that's the frustrating part. It's like I'm putting out all this money and I'm not really making anything yet, but you know, that comes along with the territory, the industry.

SPEAKER_03 23:20

It'll all, you know, it'll all be worth it. Unfortunately, yeah, most industries nowadays, well, not even nowadays, but in general, uh, sometimes you gotta put out a lot before you can actually start, you know, to see the fruits of your labor and everything. So I get it. And hopefully, you know, you can continue to grow and get more clients. So at um a better at a better rate, because I think things are gonna get better anyway. So you never know. So um somebody is um, you know, looking or thinking about purchases in a home right now, what would be the first thing they should think of, you know, in terms of um, you know, getting the the ball rolling?

SPEAKER_01 24:01

To pick up that phone and have that 15-minute conversation. And it's just you know, it's a little bit of their time and you know, some paperwork, and but you have to start somewhere, you know, and I like I always I'll post and stuff like it. Just starts out with a 15-minute phone conversation to to see where you're really at and then to go through the process. And but I tell everybody I will make it easy as possible for you. Like my friend who I'm working with now, she got frustrated because she got she's not really tech savvy. And she's like, Oh, I gotta upload my paperwork and I can't do it. And I said, Look, I said, Don't worry about it. Give me your paperwork, I'll do it all, I'll talk to the lender. And then she's like, Okay. So, you know, I try to keep I want to keep the process smooth as possible, easy as possible, because I want it to be a good experience.

SPEAKER_03 25:02

So um, are the houses or the homes in Philadelphia again, like more expensive?

SPEAKER_01 25:08

You think certain areas are are expensive. Um sometimes I think like people like some of the properties, like so my neighbor a couple years ago, he he sold his property. I mean, his property was beautiful, top to bottom, and it's crazy because what he got if it was in say Fishtown, he probably could have got triple of what he got here. Of course. So, I mean, you know, like down my area, there there are like some small streets that I see houses up for like twos, mid-twos, high twos, and then you know, you have threes and fours. It just depends. And it so it depends what the the how the structure of the house, like what it looks like inside, and you know, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 26:01

Um some of the houses are overpriced, and then you know, you always get the notion, oh, you can go somewhere else and you can get the same house for way less with land and everything. So, you know, a lot of people from here are migrating down south, Texas. A lot of a lot a lot of people going to Texas. I had a friend or two that went to Texas in the last 18 months. So I got that, my dad is moving to Texas, but he already lives in Georgia, but he's moving to Texas because my uh two sisters live down there. So he's going to move with them for a few weeks and then until he moves into his own spot. But um, you know, they even try to drag me down there sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 26:35

But uh it's crazy. My daughter showed me a couple houses. This was before in Texas, and it it what you pay for and what you get, it's like holy shit. So I so I know what you're talking about. So is that where all your family's at? Down in Texas, Georgia, all down that place?

SPEAKER_03 26:55

Just that that that little circle of people, because my dad's four daughters. Uh, one is up here with me. We we have the same mom, and the other two have a different mom. So um, my sister, she actually met her husband while in the army. So after they both got, you know, after she got done, they settled down and you know, they moved to his home near his hometown. So that's where they are.

SPEAKER_02 27:15

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 27:16

Uh maybe like two hours away from Houston. Gotcha. And then, you know, my dad, he went down there with them actually about seven years, seven, eight years ago, I think now. Um he's been down ever since. Uh, he stayed with them for a while, then he got on his own. And ever since then, he's been, you know, rolling again.

SPEAKER_01 27:33

So I at least have a place to visit, right?

SPEAKER_03 27:37

Yeah, I've been in there a few times. Um, I haven't been to the Texas house yet, but um, that's definitely happening within the next few months. So you'll see me on Instagram posting it up with the fans.

SPEAKER_00 27:48

I'll be looking.

SPEAKER_03 27:50

Definitely. Um, but um, would you say overall? So your experience so far has been good, though, right? As far as the getting through the process, becoming a real estate agent now, you know, getting your first time home by your clients and stuff like that. It's been overall a good experience.

SPEAKER_01 28:04

It it really has been, and I really have a great mentor. Like, I still call her my teacher, but she's my she's the broker, she's my boss or whatever, but she's she's really great, she's really helpful, and like she'll push you to your max. And uh, I actually did a first-time home buyer seminar back in November, and I'm like, I don't want to do that. Like, I love talking to people, but I don't like being the center of attention. Like, and uh so I did it, and it it was a good little turnout, and uh so yeah, it's it's about you know, sometimes you gotta step outside of your your comfort zone, and uh, but yeah, I I would have to say it's a really good experience, and I'm I'm happy that I'm in it.

SPEAKER_03 28:53

So I know you are the generation before me because I believe you might have a kid my age now. So wait, how old are you? I'm 32.

SPEAKER_01 29:01

Oh, he's exactly your age.

SPEAKER_03 29:04

Yeah. Um, so in terms of the home ownership thing, um, do you feel like it's like I mean, I don't want to say is it still realistic for our generation, but are you thinking like they are trying to make it more for people who have you know more funds as far as like more wealthy people? Because they some people do go through a lot of hardships trying to get their first homes and stuff like that. And um, you know, the cost of living is very high compared to what it was, especially even in the early 2000s.

SPEAKER_01 29:31

No, um, so that's like these first-time homebuyer programs. Like it's doesn't no, I feel like it's helping somebody because helping somebody to own a house, like like you just said, like I think it's it's for everybody. It's not like you don't have to have a ton of money. It's all about you know, credit and and a job. And like I said, there's there's different qualifications, and then we're going for this, but no, I I don't think it's for wealthy people. Okay. So I have my son, he's 24, and he lives in Bucks County. He rents in a beautiful high-rise building, and the rent he's paying is astronomical, and now he wants to buy a house, it would be his first house, but he makes above the income bracket, so he wouldn't qualify for the first-time homebuyer program. And I'm like, but you know, kids, you know, well, you're a kid to me. They just think they know everything, and I'm like, I don't even know why you just don't stay home and stack that money. And now he he has to wait to get a house, to you know, put that money away for that big, you know.

SPEAKER_03 30:41

But yeah, he's at 24. I was I was uh doing a little stacking, I remember. Um, but you know how that goes. Um, he was there before it, so you know how it goes. Uh, especially for God sometimes, and we be in our own world trying to do our own thing. So I get it.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

Yeah, and he's he's a little bougie thing. He likes his essential clothing and you know, so his sneakers, bars, stuff.

SPEAKER_03 31:06

That takes me into something anyway, because I wanted to ask you like, do you like just in general with the the home adjust generations and everything? Do you think people are trying to look rich instead of investing in property nowadays? Because you know, a lot of people will say, Oh, well, you got all this going on. Why don't you, you know, invest in property, or why don't you, you know, take look into ownership, but they all the fleece gear, you know, Gucci down, all that good stuff.

SPEAKER_01 31:32

So me, I it's tricky. It is. I'm simple. I'm simple. Like, I everybody wants the Gucci, the Louie, and all that, but to me, like even when I was married, like I I like nice things, but I rather put that money to where that money's gonna grow and investing in properties, like you you're just growing your wealth, like that bag that you drop three, four thousand dollars on. What's that gonna get you? That's not gonna build your bank account, like right.

SPEAKER_03 32:10

So, you know, yeah, it's hard because you know, some people are stuck in their ways when it comes to that. Um, I like a nice balance of things, so I don't try to you know go too crazy. I'm not trying to impress anybody, but I do want to look nice. But at the same time, when you can go home and take your shoes off as soon as you get in the house and flop on your own couch and be able to say that's yours, that's a whole totally different feeling.

SPEAKER_00 32:32

Yes, it is. Yes, it is.

SPEAKER_03 32:35

So um, even though you're in your first year of uh being an agent, what do you think agents should focus on, you know, their first year or when they first start? You know, what should be your main focus? Or what's your main focus?

SPEAKER_01 32:47

So my main focus is about being consistent about, I mean, today everybody uses social media platforms, and like I'm constantly posting that I'll try to change it up. And but I know like I've gained a lot of new followers, um, my stories, like I see like how my audience is growing, and I do get a lot of DMs now, but it it's about being you have to be consistent in every day I wake up and every day I'll make a reel, I'll I'll post the story. And I always have cards with me, and um you just have to be consistent and and stick with it. And it's it's hard, it is hard in the beginning, it's it's about building, but eventually there, I promise there's a rainbow at the end of all this, you know. There's that pot of gold we in. So you just you just gotta keep it going, stay focused.

SPEAKER_03 33:43

I get that. So I know I mentioned to you a text uh uh maybe an hour or so before we got on. You said you collect dunks. So do you collect or are you in the middle?

SPEAKER_01 33:55

I no, so when me and my ex broke up a couple years ago, you know, I was finding myself. I didn't know who I was as one person. I was used to being a wife, a mother, then well, I have grandkids now. And I don't know, I just got into sneakers, and they were dunks at the time. And um, I I just loved them and I kept buying them, and then I'm like, you know, talking about I'm putting all this money in sneakers, and it's like whatever. I I kind of was out of my mind, but yeah, I do love sneakers, not just dunks, but dunks are my favorite. So I was kind of well, I'm sorry, go ahead. Oh no, so that's so my on all my like pages on like everything that I post, it always says deals and dunks. Because I was like, I you know, I was talking to my cousin, I was like, I gotta think of something, something that's gonna like people are gonna remember, all right. My name's unique, you know, hair digit ever. And um, but anyway, she's like, Oh, how about deals and heels? And I'm like, nah, like nah, I don't wear heels no more. I used to wear crazy heels, and I was like dunks, and she's like, You and those friggin' dunks. My kids thought I was knots, like and they're you know, because I guess because I'm like OG, but that's I love sneakers, so I respect people that collect, uh collect, so I can't even, you know, I got a few with me right now.

SPEAKER_03 35:18

I just wanted to put on the camera. These are two of my favorites right here. These I were trying to get these for years, and then when they finally dropped, and I was able to get them for retail, and that was a blessing. These I got these as the birthday gift, so makes it even more special. I I've been I've been doing a little something because you got me hyped when I heard you said dunks. I'm like dunks, dunks. I because it took me a long time to start getting them.

SPEAKER_01 35:41

I love colors, like two years. Oh, I like those, they're hot. I got the um two years ago. I love colors, like I have the the freaking the flash and pink dunks. I have these ones that I wear that they came out two years ago around Valentine's Day, so they're the Valentine's dunks. Um I don't know, I just love sneakers. I mean, I got Earmaxes, and what else do I have? I love my D shell tops. Oh the D is always my favorite. Oh, I love shells. Some New Yorker laces, like little decent.

SPEAKER_03 36:24

All right, so I got some rapid fire questions for you. All right. Um, what did you say your favorite pair of dunks was? My favorite.

SPEAKER_01 36:32

Uh probably my pink ones.

SPEAKER_03 36:35

Okay. The Valentine's Day ones?

SPEAKER_01 36:38

No, no, these are one of my favorites.

SPEAKER_03 36:41

Okay. What do you about to say?

SPEAKER_01 36:48

No, go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 36:49

No. What's your favorite place to eat in Philly?

SPEAKER_01 36:52

My favorite place to eat in Philly. Are you talking about like a cheesesteak place?

SPEAKER_03 36:59

Let's do hold on. Since you got there, who has the best cheesesteaks?

SPEAKER_01 37:05

Well, I don't like cheesesteaks. I like chicken cheesesteaks.

SPEAKER_03 37:10

And um I'm a chicken cheesesteak guy too. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_01 37:14

So I don't know. I I heard skinny Joey's is popping. I didn't try it there. I didn't.

SPEAKER_03 37:19

I still didn't make it. I still didn't make it, but I heard.

SPEAKER_01 37:22

Yeah, a lot of people are going through there. And uh Little Snuffy's got a podcast, and he's funny.

SPEAKER_03 37:28

Yeah. I've been watching his clips. Yeah, okay. They have great promotion. Great promotion.

SPEAKER_01 37:33

Yeah. Yeah, he I he does it. I mean, I'll promote other other businesses too, but yeah. But it's him and Skinny Joey all the time. But I would have to say, I don't know. Oregon Steaks has Argan Steaks on Sentinel, Oregon. I love their chicken cheesesteak, fried onion mayo, long hot, and with Cooper Sharp, slamming. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 37:59

Oregon Steaks, all right. I do the fried onions and mayo. Um, I did something weird that my family always laugh at me about on my chicken cheesesteak. I had to get honey mustard on my chicken cheese steak.

SPEAKER_01 38:09

Oh, really?

SPEAKER_03 38:10

I'm sure it's good. Kids, like uh, I'm like a sauce guy, and I always love honey mustard. So I dipped my chicken fingers and stuff in that, like chicken strips back in the day. So I translated it to the chicken cheese sticks, and I just never looked back. Um, coffee or tea? Coffee. Coffee. Tried hot coffee.

SPEAKER_01 38:33

Hot coffee, yeah. Yeah. So I get Duncan every morning, they know me.

SPEAKER_02 38:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:39

And uh I actually tried, I don't like, I tried uh the brown sugar shaken espresso from uh Starbucks. So I'm kind of hooked on that, too.

SPEAKER_03 38:50

I got an espresso story for you. Had this one job uh maybe about 10 years ago. Um and I was taking espresso every day. I'm talking about three shots. I would go every day, I would get to work, hook myself up, go in the kitchen, make three shots of espresso, taking like I was taking a henny shot or something. And I would be like wired the whole day. I'd be just moving around, turbo, and then every day around after three o'clock, I would crash. It just hit me hard. Then one day I just said I can't do it no more. I just went cold turkey. I never had espresso again. It's been 10 years.

SPEAKER_01 39:34

Oh wow. Yeah, that does get me uh I mean, I don't I think there's only two or it depends on the size you get. So I don't know if it's two, three, whatever. But yeah, like I'm ready to run a marathon after that.

SPEAKER_03 39:47

See, I was I I know they used to be like, dang, what's going on with him? I couldn't help myself. It was working for the time being, you know. Um, are you an early bird or a night owl?

SPEAKER_01 39:59

I'm an early bird. Um I don't, yeah, I am. I am. I'm not a good sleeper either. Me neither. But I got a DHD, so my head never shuts down. So I'm constantly thinking.

SPEAKER_03 40:11

Yeah. So I feel like uh I might be both. That's funny. Because I'll literally be up all night, still wake up early. Like even my days when I used to be out turning up, acting a fool, I would be out to crack at dawn and then still wake up the next day, like nothing happened, and I can't do it now. I'm in my 30s now, so it's it hit me harder. Well, uh, when my 20s, oh man, I thought I was invincible.

SPEAKER_01 40:34

It's crazy. So in the beginning, when I was always out a couple years ago, it was the same thing. Like me and my girlfriends, we were out, so God knows what time. But same thing, I would still get up. Like, if we came out at two, I might get up at five in the morning. They're like, Oh my god, you don't sleep. And I'm like, nah, sleep's a waste of time. There's too much to do.

SPEAKER_03 40:57

Exactly. Especially when you just all you do is think during your sleep. I just happened to me last night. Yeah, I'm like, wow, but uh, I got some more for you. What's your favorite uh favorite vacation spot?

SPEAKER_01 41:09

My favorite vacation spot. So I went I liked Mexico. I I went to Mexico quite a few times and I had such a great time. Um but um but like every year, like so I had a place down the shore, um which it's still there, but you know, gotta split everything. Um so Wawood. I I love Wildwood. I grew up going down the shore all the time, but like that's where we always went for vacation. So so that would be like my first Wawood. And I love islands too.

SPEAKER_03 41:48

Islands are always great. Wildwood, I had some times there too. I'll never forget. My first time going like uh on my own was uh after prom. Next day we all we all went up there and it was just a great time. We came back that night, of course, so we couldn't get a hotel or nothing, but it was a fun time. Never can forget that. Um one thing you can't leave the house without my cell phone. Yeah, I would crash out.

SPEAKER_01 42:15

Listen, I can't go to bed if my phone isn't next to me.

SPEAKER_03 42:20

I can't talk, but I know I'm saying I got two phones and I'm like they gotta be next to me.

SPEAKER_01 42:27

The worst, the worst is when I'm walking out of the house and I'm on the phone and I'm like, Laura, wait, I'm look- I'm like looking for my phone and not realizing that I'm on it.

SPEAKER_03 42:36

That's how it is nowadays. So conditioned. Yeah, yeah. What can we do?

unknown 42:43

Nothing.

SPEAKER_01 42:44

It's the way of the world now.

SPEAKER_03 42:46

What's uh your favorite music artist right now?

SPEAKER_01 42:50

My favorite music artist. Well, Biggie is always my favorite. Okay, I love him, being Tupac. Yeah. Um right now, I don't know. Like, I love all kinds of music.

unknown 43:04

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 43:04

Not no heavy metal, I don't like that, but all kinds of music I like. I I do love. I I don't know who my favorite is, but I don't know, Biggie.

SPEAKER_03 43:15

That's it. Yeah, I uh I try to be versatile as well, keep an open mind with music. Now I have an uncle that's heavy on the heavy metal, my uncle Mo, Uncle Chubb. He's a heavy metal dude. So I've experienced or you know heard a lot of those songs too. Um, ACDC and stuff like that. I always, you know, knew a few of their songs, especially them, because that's one of the biggest groups you would always listen to. Um, but yeah, it's good to, you know. I'm stuck in the 90s, even though I'm not that old. Just I was like growing up around people that were like listening to certain things, like the old Philly rappers, uh Beanie Siegel and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_01 43:51

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 43:52

I just I can't stop. Even when new guys come out, I try to give everybody a listen, but I can't really just stick on them. I always end up

SPEAKER_01 44:01

I I love rap, but I like I hate that hardcore rap. Like I want to know what you're saying. I want to know what your lyrics are. Like so.

unknown 44:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:13

But as my older, as I get older, I'm more of a more mellow-nell day, so I'm on my RB. I'll listen to RB before anything, to be honest. Yeah, sweat. Okay. Yep. No. I'm an old soul, so yeah, I get it. Mm-hmm. Uh, you already said sneakers over hills, especially you know, at your age now, so no more hills.

SPEAKER_01 44:35

No, at least I went out lately and had hills on my feet are killing me.

SPEAKER_03 44:39

Yeah, burning, barking. Um, do you have a dream city that you would live in?

SPEAKER_01 44:45

A dream city? Mm-hmm. Nah, I can't leave. I don't know. Nope. Philly's more. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:51

That's what I'm talking about. Me too. Um one word people would use to describe you.

SPEAKER_01 45:01

Outgoing? And I've never got that before until I started my journey. But yeah, I am, I'm definitely outgoing.

SPEAKER_03 45:10

That's good. That's always good. Um you didn't start taking the real estate route, what would you still be doing or what would you end up doing instead?

SPEAKER_01 45:20

Probably just working a full-time job somewhere.

SPEAKER_03 45:24

Yeah. It's crazy. Um, it's never too late to make changes. Um I haven't gotten to that point yet in age or anything like that, but I always respect and like people that are able to pivot during you know hard times of life and still keep going, or even you know, do better things. So much honor and respect for that.

SPEAKER_01 45:46

Yeah, it's I mean, this wasn't by choice, you know, like life happens and you know you gotta switch gears. So I'm I'm actually working on uh setting up like a Facebook group because so many girls and guys have reached out to me. I mean, because if you go way, way back on my social media, you'll see the crazy when all this craziness started before. Like, I'm like, all right, I gotta grow up and and be an adult now. Like so many people are like, oh my god, how did you do it? You're so strong. Like, and so I I want to work on um set up a Facebook group for for people who have to rebuild their life, whether it be, you know, divorce, addiction, death, like whatever it is, just like a group of people that can talk and lift each other up or and you know help people along their their journey. About start starting life over, you know, it like I started over at 46, I wasn't ready for it, but it is what it is.

SPEAKER_03 46:47

All right. Um, I got a good one for you. So if you got your sneaker closet and your regular closet that that consists of your clothes, they will catch on fire. Which one would you save?

SPEAKER_01 47:00

My sneakers.

SPEAKER_03 47:03

My sneakers. Me too. Have you ever judged people by their shoes? Like, you see them and you're like, oh, whoa, whoa.

SPEAKER_01 47:12

Well, so my friend, I hate saying boyfriend because I'm too old for that shit. Yeah, yeah, I changed him. I was like, You're not wearing their sneakers. And he's like, What are you talking about? I like these sneakers. I mean, they were Nike's, but I don't even know what the hell they were. I said, Did you even buy them in a store? Somebody bought them for him. I was like, no. So now he wears they're his work sneakers. He's a plumber. And he's like, I ain't wearing dunks. I was like, Yeah, you are. So yeah, I got him wearing dunks and changed his style a little bit. He's he's from the county, so I'm like, and he's like, I was like, You ain't walking next to me in my neighborhood with those sneakers, or you know, just breaking his balls, actually. But yeah, so I gotta change them up a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 47:57

Listen, there's nothing wrong with that at all. Um, I would do the same. You know, they should appreciate it, you know what I'm saying? Because you got style, so it's nothing wrong with letting it rub off on the other person. Um, so close things for the most part. Uh for people watching who feel like owning a house is out of reach, uh, what would you say to encourage them to start their journey? And um, you know, you just want to end it, like do things on a positive note. So, what would your your main encouragement be to people? Because like we said earlier, a lot of people are usually nervous, they don't understand the whole concept of it, how things will work. So they already think, oh, I don't have this amount of money or credit, I'm not gonna be able to do this. So, what would be your main encouragement?

SPEAKER_01 48:41

So I I would say if you have an agent, or if if you don't have an agent, you can always call me. But seriously, uh to pick up the phone and you start out talking to an agent. And an agent like I have lenders that I work with, or like you know, people may have lenders that they know. You just gotta start the process somewhere and get a definite answer. Don't go off of my credit, I think my credit's big, or I don't have enough money because you really don't know until you start the process. And and it's free, the process is free. Like, you know, a real estate agent is like a saleswoman. Like every day you wake up, you're unemployed. So, you know, it's nothing but time, and and don't let fear get in the way of that because you'll never know what's on the other side.

SPEAKER_03 49:30

Okay, see, that's the type of conversation we have on stepping with all real talk growth. Uh, I appreciate you coming through today.

SPEAKER_00 49:40

Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_03 49:42

For sure. Um, I wanted to be a man of my word. We met at Seabear's event. That was a good event. Um I'm glad I got to meet a few people that night and network, and that's what it's all about. So you have my support now since we we met in person. We did a podcast together. You're gonna always have my support. I see you post and stuff. I don't mind sharing, that's my thing. Um, I want you to, you know, give everybody your ad names and stuff like that so they can check you out, emails, how they can get in contact with you if you've been looking for a home, first time first-time home uh buyers or people that are just looking for homes in general. Get it at Gidget. She's new, but from what I know, she seems down to earth and real. So that's all that matters for me.

SPEAKER_01 50:25

Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 50:26

No doubt.

SPEAKER_01 50:27

And I also will share your stuff too. And I'm I'm glad we met.

SPEAKER_03 50:32

Oh, for sure. Always. I'm always down the network. And that this doesn't mean that's going to be the only time we ever network, so don't worry. Um, we it's limitless, actually. We can do you know things all the time. So if you ever have any ideas you come up with, just let me know, and we can go from there. All right, sounds good. Yeah, um, so just give them your ad names and everything. I'm gonna put them on the screen, and also when I you know, put everything out, I'll make sure I'll put your tags on there as well.

SPEAKER_01 50:59

All right, so I use my personal pages. I do have a business page, but I like my personal page because I don't like to fake the funk. I am who I am, and I want people to see who I am. So my IG is Gigi Girly. Make sure I didn't change it. And my Facebook, I I have to look because I had three of them. And um, so yeah, so it's Gigi Girly, it's G-I-D-G-E-E. G-I-R-L-E-E. And I got three others, but we'll just do the one. And my Facebook is my first name, it's Gidget Marie, and my maiden name, and then last name, my married name. So it's Gidget Marie, Fulgarino, F U G A R I N O slash Kitichia, C-U-T-I-C-C, H I A. And I can always be reached at my phone 215-888-8173. Email Gidget at settled downphiladelphia.com.

SPEAKER_03 52:08

All right. Got it. Um, y'all heard it here. Make sure to go follow her and support what she's doing in the real estate business. I appreciate everybody for tapping in. Um, that's going to tap in. I appreciate you for coming, pulling up and thank you for having me. That's how we're doing. You're going to keep stepping. Uh, like I said, you got my you got my support. Um, appreciate you. Hope the rest of your day is golden. And um, I'll get this out as soon as possible. I'll make sure I send you the links and everything for sure. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 52:35

Thank you. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_03 52:36

I appreciate it. I hope it was easy too.

SPEAKER_01 52:38

It was, and I I wasn't nervous either.

SPEAKER_03 52:40

You need this smooth. All right. No problem. No problem. All right, Gigi. Enjoy your day. Um, I'll talk to you soon, okay?

SPEAKER_01 52:48

Okay. See you later.

SPEAKER_03 52:49

Thank you.