Coffee Is For Closers

Back in 2001, I was still relatively new to real estate and feeling confident after some early success. With a little extra cash, I decided to invest in two run-down four-plexes. The price was too good to pass up, and I figured I could rehab them, raise the rents, and build some solid equity. At the time, I had an American Express Gold Card . For those who aren’t familiar, it’s a charge card, not a credit card —which means the full balance is due at the end of each month. No carrying a balance. No minimum payments. Fast forward to March 2003 —business was booming! I had 11 properties under contract , all scheduled to close in April. Feeling confident, I started pouring money into rehabbing the four-plexes, thinking that by the time my commissions hit, I’d be sitting pretty. I racked up over $20,000 in renovation expenses on my AmEx. Then it happened. Seven of the eleven deals fell through. If you’ve ever seen Honeymoon in Vegas with Nicolas Cage, there’s a scene where he almost has a...

I had the amazing opportunity to attend Oren Klaff's workshop in San Diego in 2017.  The information that he teaches in this book is what he teaches in his workshop.  I highly recommend attending his workshop if you feel inclined.  It is on point, but much more thorough than the book. Introduction Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff is a game-changing book that introduces a revolutionary approach to pitching and persuading. Drawing on neuroscience, Klaff explains how the human brain processes information and makes decisions, breaking it down into three key parts: the Crocodile Brain , the Midbrain , and the Neocortex . Understanding these components is crucial for real estate agents who must constantly pitch properties, negotiate deals, and persuade clients. The book also introduces the concept of framing , a powerful tool that helps control the conversation and position yourself as the authority in any interaction. For real estate professionals, mastering these techniques can ...

  Allyssa’s First Marathon "From Half-Hearted Runs to Full-Marathon Memories: A Father-Daughter Story" It was the fall of 2017, and my youngest daughter, Allyssa, a junior in high school, threw down a challenge that would change both of our lives. At the time, our relationship was, well, let’s call it “challenging.” But she noticed the changes I was trying to make in my life—like losing over 50 pounds—and decided to push me a little further. She handed me a 90-day half-marathon training plan and said, “Dad, let’s do this together.” What she really meant, of course, was, “Here’s the plan; good luck!” But I wasn’t about to back down. Training "Together" Now, when Allyssa said we’d train together , she apparently meant: “I’ll start the run with you, then I’ll see you at the finish line.” “Here’s your copy of the training schedule—good luck sticking to it!” And honestly, I was fine with that. At that point, I hadn’t exercised at all, so just getting off the couch was a...

Introduction In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing real estate market, professionals must continually adapt, innovate, and refine their strategies to succeed. Stephen R. Covey’s classic, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , though originally aimed at a broad audience seeking personal and professional growth, offers timeless principles that resonate powerfully with real estate professionals. In this review, we will explore Covey’s seven habits, analyze their core concepts, and discuss how these principles can be effectively applied in the real estate industry to foster sustainable success, stronger client relationships, and enhanced leadership skills. Overview of the Book Covey’s work is built around a principle-centered approach to personal and professional effectiveness. Rather than offering quick-fix solutions or fleeting motivational tips, he lays out a systematic framework of seven habits that, when mastered, lead to genuine, long-lasting transformation. These habits are: Be...

  0-300 in Less Than a Year From CD Collections to the Boston Marathon: A Story of Obsession, Perseverance, and Real Estate Success I got my first CD player during my freshman year of college, and by the end of that year, I had over 300 CDs. That’s almost one CD a day! In hindsight, I probably invested in the wrong kind of CDs. (Was it a joke? Maybe. Was it true? Definitely.) Back then, CDs weren’t cheap—they were $15 a pop, and minimum wage was less than $4 an hour. So, how did I pull it off? Two words: Columbia House (or BMG, for those in the know). You remember the deal: 12 CDs for a penny, with the catch that you’d get auto-shipped a CD every month unless you canceled. I took it a step further. Living in the dorms at Texas A&M, I convinced my dormmates to sign up for the penny deal, promising to cover their full-price CD. To this day, I hope I made good on all those $15 promises. If not, dormmates of the ’80s, let me know—I’ll send you your $15 + interest. 😉 Obsession...

There’s a Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers song that’s been stuck in my head for years— “The Waiting.” It’s not necessarily his biggest hit, but man, do I love the message. Because let’s be real—I hate waiting. I hate waiting at restaurants, I hate waiting in traffic, and if there’s one thing that makes my stomach turn, it’s a flight delay. But as much as I despise waiting, I’ve learned that some of life’s best moments—the ones that make your bucket list worth having—require patience. Lessons from a Nine-Year-Old’s Hustle When I was a kid, my parents took me to an open practice with the Houston Rockets at The Summit. Picture this: NBA players casually hanging out, signing autographs, chatting with fans, just being larger-than-life legends. I was about nine or ten, and my only mission that day? Quantity over quality. I darted around, collecting as many signatures as possible, barely stopping long enough to appreciate who was signing my program. My best friend, however, had a different...

The media loves a good "market crash" headline, but let’s get real—the sky isn’t falling. The market isn’t collapsing; it’s evolving. And the agents who stay ahead of the shift will thrive. Here’s the truth behind the hype: 1️⃣ The Housing Shortage is Keeping Prices Steady 📌 The U.S. is short 3.2 million homes . 📌 More than 85% of homeowners have mortgage rates below 5% , meaning they’re most likely staying put. 📌 New home construction is lagging by nearly a decade , keeping supply tight. 👉 This isn’t the recession of the early 2000's, where too many homes + bad loans = crash. Today, we have high demand and low supply , which keeps prices from plummeting. 🗣️ “Housing affordability is a challenge, but a market collapse? Not happening.” – Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist, NAR 2️⃣ The Mortgage Market is Stable—No Foreclosure Wave Coming Remember when lenders handed out loans with zero income verification? That’s not happening today. 📌 70% of mortgage holders have rat...