Tracy Freeman - Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #151

Could the solution to all our family-life problems be to live as
people did in the 20s? Today, Tracy Freeman, a REALTOR in
Maplewood, New Jersey, explains why old homes have such small
bedrooms – and why that’s actually a good thing. She also sees
the big picture that a lot of REALTORS miss when it comes to law
and regulation that affects the industry. Listen in to hear
Tracy’s views on old bedrooms, chestnut trim, and family living
spaces – and see why sharing a bathroom with a sibling isn’t the
worst thing in the world.


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Time Stamped Show Notes:


00:45 – Introducing Tracy, a REALTOR in New Jersey

01:50 – What she must educate her clients on

02:05 – In her market, many of the homes are old; most were
built in the 1920s to 1940s

02:18 – The homes have bumps and bruises but they’re bought
as-is; if something is major issue, you can ask the seller to
cure or credit

03:30 – Tracy and her husband bought their home based upon
the care the previous owner had taken of it

04:00 – Nowadays, people want move-in ready; Tracy
understands what her clients want and knows when she sees a good
fit

05:30 – Take care of your house and keep record of the
maintenance you do on it

05:45 – If you walk in a house and see that the owner has
record of every fix, it’s priceless

06:45 – More about Tracy and Maplewood

07:00 – She gets excited by things like laundry chutes and
the quaintness of old homes; she must educate clients on why
homes were built differently back then

08:45 – Rooms were built smaller because that’s not where
people lived; they focused on family time in general living areas
and kids didn’t escape to rooms

10:45 – What surprises her buyers when they come to Maplewood
and South Orange

10:50 – They’re city people and want to be able to walk to
town and the train

11:25 – It costs to live closer to town; people want all the
bedrooms and a yard but may have to be a half mile or mile away
from the train to have it

13:00 – The GenX way of living can exist; the homes in her
area are close to everything a family could need

14:15 – Tracy’s advice for other REALTORS, buyers, and
sellers

14:45 – She appreciates agents that just put their head down
and do the work

15:05 – She went to her first NAR conference and was shocked
by how many REALTORS there are and by what advocacy work was
being done

15:30 – She was so focused on her local business that she
didn’t see the big picture of what was happening for REALTORS
nationally

16:00 – Understand what bills and regulations are going
through that affect your work and pay as a REALTOR; protect your
earnings

17:00 – How to contact Tracy

17:05 – Her website, Facebook, and Instagram



3 Key Points


Recordkeeping could be the X factor to help someone move
forward with a purchase.

Understand why your home was built the way it was, especially
if it’s old.

Protect your earnings and stay educated through participation
with the NAR. 



Credits


Audio Production by Chris Mottram

Show Notes provided by Melissa Valder