Winning Women's Wednesday

A Hawk In The Backyard;

• Smashley and Michelle

Share episode

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 26:06

We catch up after a break and trade stories that start funny and end surprisingly relevant to the real estate market. Then we dig into the Zillow and MLS chaos, why relationship based lead generation is safer than buying leads, and what real skill looks like when deals get messy. 
• a fledgling red tail hawk stuck in a tiny East Dallas yard and what it teaches about problem solving 
• board nominations and interviews and why leadership rooms feel intimidating 
• MRED versus Zillow and how a syndication shutdown can erase listings overnight 
• why consumers now ask about portals, off market listings, and real estate headlines 
• the business model risk of relying on bought leads and why relationships still win 
• the skill gap showing up in appraisal shortfalls, inspections, negotiations, and possession issues 
• relaunching listings with better staging, photos, and lifestyle marketing instead of “good enough” 
• training, collaboration, and aligning with strong coaches, teams, and broker support 
Be watching for Ashley to come teach at my brokerage soon. It’ll be open to everybody.


Back Together And Catching Up

SPEAKER_01

Good morning. Good morning. Oh my gosh, it's been so long.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it's I think we've missed like three episodes. Wow. Wow. Three episodes of Winning Women's Wednesday.

SPEAKER_01

That's right, with my fabulous co-host, Ashley Gentry. And my best friend, Michelle Ozzini. I'm so excited to be here. Yeah, but no, it's great that our our schedules finally aligned. Finally. Well, you know, we had the panel a couple weeks ago, but I feel like that was a month ago. Like I think that that was May 11th. Remember we did the panel? Do you remember that vaguely? Yeah. I did. I did. That was a whole nother world, right? Yeah. Yeah. Like Rick has changed up the studio. There's all these new cameras. It's amazing. Like I know. You're employed. I'm unemployed. Yeah. Which is as it should be. As it should be, I feel like. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_02

There's so many things to talk about. Um can we talk about one? The the cameras look absolutely phenomenal and phenomenal. Um, but you made me take the seat where I can see everything, and you can't see yourself. Which is great. So I'm staring at all of my lovely lay hands. My strays in 4K.

SPEAKER_01

You look oh 4K, 4K. You look fantastic. And I'll go back and watch and see if there is a hole in the back of my head. Who cares? Yeah. So that is that a yes. It there's not a hole. Okay. Okay. It just the clip is. Yeah, the clip is a little, it's just it's a different angle.

SPEAKER_02

Excellent.

SPEAKER_01

Excellent. Good to know. Good to know. So I'll I'll straighten up then and that'll be better.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, probably. Okay.

SPEAKER_01

It is what it is.

SPEAKER_02

I know, but just no, but you have to look at me. Oh my eyes. Okay. Yeah. Yes.

SPEAKER_01

What are we doing today? Okay.

The Fledgling Hawk Backyard Crisis

SPEAKER_01

So there's so many things to talk about, like between the real estate market, we're jumping into summer. It is the last week of school. Um, I finally got my daughter home. She that's been fun. But let's start with um the weekend and what I discovered when I got home on Saturday. What did you just I don't think you even know about this? I don't. I haven't posted about it yet because I don't really know what to do. So, you know, we live in a um a townhome in East Dallas. And so we have like a small backyard, right?

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

It's not like it's bigger than this table, but it's not large. Right. Well, there is a fledgling red tail hawk in my backyard.

SPEAKER_02

Oh.

SPEAKER_01

And you have a tiny dog. I have two tiny dogs. Um What is Mabel doing? The big one. Well, Mabel, well, right now I am having to walk all three of these idiots because the hawk is stuck back there. And so I don't know if the mother is feeding it. I don't know if it's ever gonna leave. And I don't know that it has enough yard space to fly. To fly. So like I've done all the research and it is a fledgling hawk, and it's supposed to be able like eventually it should just fly out of my yard. Except that I don't know that it has enough like run space to actually do that.

SPEAKER_02

So you might have to get like a hawk whisperer.

SPEAKER_01

I have called everyone, and because it is a protected species, they just hang up on me. Okay, well, then are you gonna come get its body? Because I don't know that it's going to survive. This morning I found it as I was putting on my shoes and leashing up three dogs to walk them in the rain. Chewing on one of Mabel's toys, which is the first time it's done that, and which would make me think it's hungry and its mom is not because supposedly the mom is supposed to like this is like their whole I understand that this is like their whole thing, and the mom is supposed to be coming back and bringing it food, but I don't know that it is. And then there's all of these other birds that sit on the ledge of the fence now and taunt it.

SPEAKER_02

This is the most Michelle thing I think I've heard in a while.

SPEAKER_01

Like I'm the freaking city.

SPEAKER_02

You die you live in East Dallas and you've got a a an abandoned hook in your And I don't know what to do with them because it would like it will like rip us up.

SPEAKER_01

Like we can't, if you could see its talons, like they're petrifying. And it runs across the yard and then runs into the fence. You're gonna take some video. Oh, yeah, it's fantastic. Take some video. It is a beautiful animal.

SPEAKER_02

Well, maybe there's somebody that would be able to help on your social media.

SPEAKER_01

I'm gonna post about it. I just Alan was gonna go out there with a towel.

SPEAKER_02

What just throw it on it? I'm not sure. Please don't let Alan throw a towel on a hawk with talons. No. Okay.

SPEAKER_01

No. I was like, how is that? What are we doing with that? What's now I've lost a towel and there's still a hawk in my body. I love that you're only worried about the towel. Yeah. Not like your husband losing an appendage. Well, because I can't help it if he's gonna be stupid. Well, then there's that. Okay. So there's that. So that's been my weekend. Okay. My mom wants to feed it because she doesn't want it to die. And I'm like, if I see you climbing my my fence with bird seed, I will put you back there.

SPEAKER_02

You live here now.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. Yeah. And you will become the hawk's friend. Yeah. So so that's what's going on in my world.

SPEAKER_02

Wow.

SPEAKER_01

Isn't that isn't that awesome?

SPEAKER_02

I was not expecting that.

SPEAKER_01

No.

SPEAKER_02

I thought you were gonna tell me like you got burglarized or something. No. Which is much more East Dallas than than this fledgling hawk sequestered into your tiny little patio.

SPEAKER_01

On earth, um, all the yards. I know.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, the it's yours.

SPEAKER_01

Like Swiss Avenue is across the street. They have these giant yards that would be perfect. But it's in my yard. Okay. So there's that. So I've got that. Have you looked up, is there like a meaning of like hawks? Like oh, like a spiritual meaning or something. Oh that's a good idea. I like that. Yeah. I'll ask Claude. Okay. I think that's great. Um, so there's that. And then

Travel, Work Wins, And Nominating

SPEAKER_01

my son is currently on his way to Spain for three weeks.

SPEAKER_02

Wow. All right.

SPEAKER_01

I'm super excited for him. Yeah. But I've texted him like four times to make sure he has his passport.

SPEAKER_02

And?

SPEAKER_01

He says he does. Okay. I I want to make him show it to me, but I'm like, he's 23. He's gotta fly. I'm like the hawk. Yeah. If he gets stuck in DC, well, no, he didn't have his passport. Okay. So there you go. I like it. So what's going on in your world?

SPEAKER_02

Uh work. We've got um four deals closing.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, no, it was good. It was a busy May. We closed, we finished our last deal up this month. Yeah. And that'll be four deals for us in May. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

It was a good month. Yeah, no, it's all it's all good. Um what else? We did nominating.

SPEAKER_01

We did. I got to do my interview.

SPEAKER_02

You did, and you did a great job.

SPEAKER_01

It was scary. Not gonna lie. Was it? I was not expecting it to be quite like that. Is it just because the table and the people? It's the setup. Like you walk in, and there is this long, beautiful boardroom. Right. And they are all, just because of the nature of how you walk in, they're just all staring at you. It's it's intimidating. It's very intimidating. And you're like, I they could start shooting at any point, and that would be expected the way they're staring at you.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it's it is. And yeah. One guy came in and goes, I thought this was gonna be a one-on-one. And we're just like I thought it did two actually. Why you guys went to orientation?

SPEAKER_01

No, I actually you know why? Now it makes now I get why I thought that. Because for whatever reason, your appointment scheduling comes from Samaya. Yeah. And for some reason, I thought I was just meeting with her.

SPEAKER_02

Even though I've told you multiple times as the chair of the nominated committee, I did figure you out in the room.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, and I did figure that out well before the appointment. But when I initially scheduled my time, I was like, oh, I'm just gonna be meeting with Samaya. That'll be cool. So so I that's context clues. Yeah, so that's where that perspective comes from. Okay. I didn't know. Like I did know all to do.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you. And um, I mean, it was experienced way better than Tyler Christ in his first interview. Oh gosh, he was awful. Tyler, we love you so much. I know, I know, I do. I love him so much. And he made it that he made it, he didn't make it the first round, but he was the first alternate and he made it on the board. At the time he was supposed to make it, which is so ironic. Um, but even him, I mean, he's a very confident guy. Like, doesn't now that you've said that, what did he do that was so awful? Oh, he just crapped the bed. He just, it just, it was just crappy interview. It's so funny. So when he when he interviewed again this time, I'm like, dude, do it again. Uh there's nothing I can do for you. I've given you mentorship and all of these other things. Like, I'm I'm out. And he did he did a phenomenal job. Good. Yeah. Good. No, I'm happy about that. So that was a lot. Um was a lot. And then for you. Sure. It was a lot. It was four full days uh spread through Tuesday through Monday because in between, um, I had to also go to Austin for a quick 24-hour turnaround. So I left the I left MetroTech at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, and then went to Austin that night. My husband and daughter drove me because they didn't want me fried and doing that. So it was sweet. And then that is sweet. Spent all day um as a part of the restructuring the Texas Realtors governance, and then drove back at five o'clock at night to then be in two more days of nominating, and then the weekend, and then the last day. So it was it was great. Yeah. Um, so I'm glad that is over.

SPEAKER_01

Um that because of the merger, you had you know you C C A R and MetroTex, everyone. That's what I was gonna say. Like I mean we interviewed every single person. Yeah, okay. So I would assume that that was probably the largest group of applicants you've ever had to interview as well.

SPEAKER_02

Ever.

SPEAKER_01

Wow. Plus the affiliates, too, right? Yep.

SPEAKER_02

That was that's that's opening it. Yeah, so no, but it was um, I think that's amazing, and I think that's a side of the times where there's a lot of people that are recognizing there's a lot of major shifts in organized real estate. Yeah. Um, and and they want to be we heard a lot of people say, I want to be in the room, I want to be in the know, I want to bring my skill set to to help my industry. Um, because I think a lot of people are feeling a little helpless right now with all of the background noise um of, you know, compass holdings and and emred and Zillow and off-market listings and judges getting involved, and it's just a a mean war in the streets, and ultimately it's like all the consumer needs to focus on is good representation, and the agent needs to focus on that as well. But there's just a lot of distraction right now.

SPEAKER_01

And let's talk

MRED Versus Zillow And Market Shock

SPEAKER_01

about that.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

What does that distraction look like and how is it affecting the consumer? So is it? It it hasn't really till now.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. Okay. Um, but what did affect the consumer overnight last week was um MRED, which is the multiple listing service, the largest one in Chicago. Yeah. Okay. They gave Zillow an ultimatum, like dueling in the streets. They did 24 hours to either um stop banning the nine listings, because Zillow said if you are marketing them off market and then you put them in the MLS, they won't syndicate to Zillow. Okay. Because basically it's like you need to make the publicly known for everything. No, no secret listings, no anything else. Zillow wants transparency for the consumer. I mean, Zillow is still a company. Yeah. Let's not make sure they're a white knight. Yeah. But because of that, um, but there were only nine listings that were being kept out of Zillow syndication. Yeah. So because of those nine, Mred said you got 24 hours to either open them back up, put them in Zillow. And the listings were all in Chicago. In Chicago. No, no, no. No, they weren't. Oh, they were not? No. No. One was in Austin. Okay. Um, one was, I mean, like, no. So, and we're saying globally they were trying to control what Zillow was doing. Correct. Okay. And said, for those nine listings, we're gonna shut off your feed altogether overnight. You've got a day.

SPEAKER_01

So at that point in time, then, all of the listings in the Chicago MLS and red over no longer feeding to Zillow.

SPEAKER_02

60% of the listings evaporated overnight into the marketplace. So the consumer, where, you know, Zillow never sleeps. The consumer is actively looking. And yes, there are other portals too, sure. But um Zillow's reach is like you've got Zillow, and then the next one is like realtor and redfin are pretty as far as market exposure. So you can't. I mean, it's it's Zillow above everybody else with with the market share of the consumer.

SPEAKER_01

Absolutely, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Um, 60% evaporated overnight. A lot of uh brokerages had direct feeds into Zillow, so they were backloading them in, um, not syndicating through the MLS. And that is the first time we actually saw uh irreparable harm potentially to the marketplace. So um I guess a federal judge felt the same way. And a couple of days later basically said, Nope, you're going to, you're gonna open the feed back up, Mred. We're gonna do this. It's temporary until we actually figure out what the frick everybody is doing. Yeah. So it's not um and same thing for Zillow. Like Zillow had to put the nine in in in their feed too. Right. But nine listings, okay. Cause all of this drama. It was it's posturing. Um, there's a lot of different headlines, just like when you, you know, your preferred news channels, right? There's there's one, you know, there's there's one statement here and one statement here, and depending on which channel you go to, it's like it's good or good or bad. Um and it's the same thing. Um, you know, Refkin said this was a a win for the consumer and and freedom of choice because the nine got put back in, and and then Zilk was like, well, this was a win for the consumer because a judge mandated to open the the the feedback. And that was a lot, but um, I think that's where everybody is really figuring out okay, if I'm going to have an a thriving business that is on the back of real estate, I'm gonna have to pay a little bit more attention. Absolutely. And figure out what that is because this is where you come into play. If you have built your real estate business based on production and that that main lead source is buying leads. Okay, okay, okay. Got it. That business model is probably dead in the near future. Absolutely. Right? Absolutely. So so that's what you're seeing a lot of people who spend a lot of marketing dollars on these portals to generate leads for them instead of generating leads on their own through their sphere of influence, which obviously is my friend over here coaches on um and and leads her agents on. And so I think that's really where a lot of the dialogue that the agents need to pay attention is how am I going to continue to be able to generate business? And is that going to have to materially shift? And what new skill sets am I going to have tone into to make sure that I can still produce real estate?

SPEAKER_01

And the answer to that is you're gonna have to build relationships. And that's what it's always been.

Relationship Based Business Still Wins

SPEAKER_01

Always. Always been. I um taught a class yesterday, and we'll um touch on some of these points today too, maybe. Um, and after the class, it was all about um maintaining your business over the summer. Okay. Um, and after the class, the it was via Zoom. Um, and after the class, the um broker called me. Um, it was in Boston. Oh, quite yeah, which was super fun. I know I wish I would have been there. But she called me and we had a whole conversation about she's like, everyone loved the class, this and that and the other. But really, and she you know, she and I are friends, so this didn't hurt my feelings. She goes, You just said the same thing a different way. Yes, I did. I and she's a hundred percent. It's a good science. I wasn't offended by it. I just said the same thing a different way, gave them a different way to you know what, build relationships, make your phone calls. Say plain and simple. Oh, whatever that looks like. I whether it's on the pickleball court, yep, or whether it's calling through your database to see where they're headed for vacation this summer and just truly, you know, have a genuine conversation. Um, all of that is gonna be how you run a sustainable business, no matter what the Zillow wars are, the compass wars are, all of those things.

SPEAKER_02

But you know what's really um exciting for people like me and you who are very skilled to have we actually have skills. It's not just we can generate leads and stay in front of, you know, our client base. We actually have skills. This market is completely exposing the people that have nothing beneath the surface. Absolutely. And that is super exciting for people like us. And it's what I've been telling, you know, agents when we are speaking and doing panels and workshops and all this other stuff. I I'm I'm sorry, but you need to figure out what your actual skill set is and the value proposition that you bring to the consumer. Because if you don't, you need to find another career path. And that is not that doesn't mean you still can't make money through the lens of real estate, but it might be a completely different aspect because if it is serving the consumer on the front line and you don't know to actually transact real estate in a cooperative manner with other people and navigate these things, appraisal shortfalls, inspection issues, um, you know, uh repairs. Uh we're seeing an up shit, uh, an uptick. I saw Courtney Benson did a TikTok, I think, this week, and it was saying um people uh buyers are being held hostage in this marketplace when they're taking over the property because sellers are leaving them in disarray. They're leaving garbage, they're leaving them with stuff everywhere, and there's no provision in our contract that actually it used to say broom sweat. Yeah, but broom sweat it clean. Yes, it's not in there anymore. Yeah. So so they can. I literally had one on an $800,000 house a few weeks ago. And the house was beautiful. These were great homeowners. So there was never a concern. The inspection was super clean. I get a text from from my clients who are now selling their their other home and were like, we will never do that. They left garbage in the house and it was dirty and left a note saying, if you find anything, just go ahead and throw it away. Oh my gosh. And so it's it's those type of things where it's like, all right, now how do you protect your buyers the next time? You just learned from this. We've I've had three appraisal shortfalls that I've been able to mitigate over the last three months, you know, and and some some were a slam dunk and still had an appraisal shortfall and some did it. I mean, financing issues, being able to walk through all of those things, negotiate appropriately on behalf of your buyer. Okay. Absolutely. Um, keeping deals on on track when there's a lot of options and volatility in the financial marketplaces. It's not a problem. I I can I can handle all of those things, but can the next person that's been buying leads or been fed leads from a team lead and they don't actually know how to navigate all of these?

SPEAKER_01

They just take what they're given and they go to the appointment and they walk through the motions. And then in some instances, the team lead then takes it over once the contract comes in. Um and so they don't actually know how to manage a contract at all. And that's terrifying. No, and especially as those leads are starting to dry out. And not only that, the consumer knows what's going on. They're hearing what's happening in the news. So I I come into a listing appointment and they want they talk about MRED, they talk about Zero, they have questions. So for those of you who have not paid attention to those things, thinking it's not important, it is because you've got to be able to explain it to the consumer now.

SPEAKER_02

And if you can't explain it because they have access to all of the information we do. Okay. And if they're actively looking to buy or sell, then their news feed is giving them real estate information. And if you can't, they're interpreting it in their way, which may or may not be correct. No, but if you can't even give sustenance to what is going on, yeah, those consumers should run from you as fast as they physically can. Yeah. Um, and and that's where I think people are struggling.

Relaunching Listings With Real Craft

SPEAKER_02

I just did the the one class that I'm gonna go and and teach at your market setup. Yes, I cannot wait. And it was about relaunching your listings. Um now I don't need to relaunch because I do it right the first time. Yeah. And I when I launch my listings, and of course, with the amazing help of Studio USA. Um, but it was this, it was this big event. There was like 150 agents, and they're like, look, we have we have agents that are struggling to sell their listings and we need you to come in here because you do such a great job on the front end to teach them how to relaunch these. And so it was, you know, the title of is your listing isn't dead, your vision is. Yeah. And and so it's reprogramming what that looks like. I I had multiple agents come to me afterwards going, We, you know, just help. Will you look at my listing? Tell me what's wrong. Okay, are you getting showings? Are you doing this? You have I I lean in on the staging, you haven't done any staging. And then looking at the photos and going, hey, your photos aren't bad, but aren't bad isn't cutting anymore. You are selling a lifestyle and an experience because the buyers that are in this marketplace right now are not buying because they're getting a good deal, even though everybody thinks they are. Right. Right? We're still at an all-time high on values and everything else. They have the ability to negotiate better deals on their behalf. But the buyers that are buying are because they've delayed entry, they have the money, they're they're wanting to buy real estate or they're relocating, but they don't have a specific reason.

SPEAKER_01

It is a lifestyle change of some sort that is affecting their need to buy. And so they're picky.

SPEAKER_02

But they don't want to buy your tired ass house.

SPEAKER_01

No, they don't. And that was my whole point.

SPEAKER_02

But because they don't want to buy in the first place. Yeah, they're real. Well, or they do want to buy, there's just so much friction tied up into it. Yes, financial promotion and everything else, and that they're sitting there and they're going, dude, what the heck? And that was my point, is like, it doesn't mean you have to do a full-scale renovation to the house. It means you need to white box it, take the current seller out of the equation so the potential buyer can actually see a life and what they can do. Positions in. Yeah. And that's gotta get the hawk out of the backyard. Gotta get the hawk out of the backyard. Get your crappy mismatch door hardware out of there, your handles that are falling off your cabinets, the 42 different color light bulbs that are walking through his. And for dead gum, will you clean your frickin baseboards? Yeah. Like I'm like, that's what it is. And if you walk in and I can smell your house, the photos, through the photos, I can smell your house, right? And that if I can do that, why is a buyer gonna want to buy your house for market value?

SPEAKER_01

Get rid of all the clutter.

SPEAKER_02

of all of the the what's the the home smart the home it's the home decor place the home goods yeah get rid of all that no signs on the wall no none of none of that but you know what the funny thing is too i'm I'm huge on staging um but I still don't even leave it up to my stager even though she's absolutely amazing I go in there afterwards for about an hour and a half to two hours and make sure because the stager is looking at it from a design perspective. Right. I'm looking at it from a you know how is it going to be photographed? What is the room going to look like and making sure that when a buyer comes in and goes oh my gosh there's only a sofa and a chair in here right is that big enough for my sectional that I truly want that I can reposition it. On the last one she even texts me and she was like you changed a lot of the furniture placement around I said it did because it cut off the fireplace. You were working with a a a tough floor plan, but a floor plan that worked nonetheless. Yeah. And so it's my job to go in there and do that. And then guess what? I had a gorgeous covered patio and that I didn't have any furniture on. I still did virtual staging yeah but I did it the right way and I positioned the furniture accordingly. And if I see one more virtually staged photo, okay, with a sofa in front of a door I'm going to scream. These agents just think okay well I'm gonna do virtual staging which is great but you got to pay attention to it. You and then you still have to look at it. And by the way ChatGPT alters rooms and and scale is off and all of these other things all kinds of things. So there's still responsibility trust verify you also have to to rework it. Thank you trust verify and disclose and I always put the the vacant photo along with yes okay agreed. But I'm also staging 75% of the house. So buyers do not feel like it's a bait and switch when they walk through yeah okay um they they feel like oh that's awesome because I got to see how the pen that amazing you know $50,000 backyard could actually be positioned with a dining space and a living space and all of those other things. That actually would be a long enough runway. It's a huge deep yard. Yeah we'll see what we can do there. Please don't put the hawk in my listings backyard. We're closing soon. But but it's all of those things that we're talking about people still think they can just click a button stage a house virtually do those type of things um but but I think that's that goes back to the fact that so many, particularly in Texas, I don't know if this is true in the rest of the country, but what 50% of realtors in Texas, I'm sure the stats changed, have only been licensed since 2020. Yeah it's a it's a large amount different market. It is a is a large amount it's a different market but it goes back to training and and aligning yourself with good offices, good team leads, good coaches. Yes. Um network, you know, rely on other agents, you know, sharpen each other, talk, communicate what are you seeing out there?

SPEAKER_01

Come into your broker office and have collaboration. Come to the team meetings come to the area realtor meetings. Yeah. Learn I mean if you're with a flat fee broker that's fine but get the training and education you can go text go to the protex. Yes there's opportunities everywhere.

SPEAKER_02

There are resources everywhere and if we want to see people still having thriving businesses through real estate because what other what other industry can you make the type of money that we do that is absolutely life saving and life changing. Absolutely and especially for women to be able to continue to pour into their families and and do something exponentially better. You're gonna have to you're gonna have to lift your game up a little bit and and align yourself with people like my friend Michelle Ozimi because what do I say all the time? If your best friend isn't a coach, you're gonna have to hire one. Agreed. And I think you are an amazing asset to my personal life and my professional life and I love you dearly.

SPEAKER_01

Oh I love you too. And we'll end on that and actually we'll end on be watching for Ashley to come teach at my brokerage soon. I can't wait to announce that. Yeah it's gonna be awesome. Awesome. It'll be open to everybody. So yeah. All right. Till next time my friend till next time have a great week everyone we'll see you next time on Winning Women's Wednesday. Bye