In this episode top producer Lisa Sanders from @properties talks about the beginning of her career in real estate business. She spends time to discuss the importance of open houses and how they help agents grow their business. Lisa shares how she keeps in contact with her sphere of influence during this year and also provides advice if the lockdown happens again. Last Lisa discusses volunteering and why agents should get involved with their local community.
If you’d prefer to watch this interview, click here to view on YouTube!
Lisa Sanders can be reached at 773.398.0378
Transcript
D.J. Paris 0:00
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Hello, and welcome to another episode of Keeping it real, the largest podcast made by real estate agents. And for real estate agents. My name is DJ Paris, I am your guide, and host through the show. And as always, we start each episode by saying thank you to everyone who is listening, and who also watches our videos on YouTube and on our Facebook page. We really appreciate your listenership and viewership. We’ve been doing this for many years, we’re gonna keep doing it. And it is because of you that we keep going. So the best way that you can help us continue to thrive and grow is to tell a friend and think of one other real estate agent that could benefit from listening to episodes like these and pass along our show, you can always send them right over to our website keeping it real pod.com We have links to all the podcast directories and apps and the person isn’t a podcast person, they can actually just listen to every episode right there on our website and last. The other thing too is please follow us on Facebook everyday we post articles on there that we find online that are written specifically to help real estate agents grow their business. So you can find us at Facebook facebook.com forward slash keeping it real pod and now on to our interview with Lisa Sanders.
Right today on the show, we have Lisa Sanders from the Lisa Sanders group with ATT properties in Chicago. Let me tell you about Lisa Lisa has been a passionate and successful real estate agent for over a decade averaging at least 75 homes sold per year and has been recognized as a consistent top performer in the Chicagoland area. This year alone Lisa has already sold over 100 homes. This is 2020 has already sold 100 homes every year Lisa is number one in volume and several volume in units throughout the Northwest Side of Chicago. She has been named a top producer by the Chicago Association of Realtors every year for the last 13 years and has also been distinguished as the number one realtor for home sold in the neighborhoods of Norwood Park and Jefferson Park in Chicago. Lisa has also been recognized by cranes Magazine as one of the best brokers in Chicago. She succeeds at providing her clients with both expertise and superb customer service, which she has which has earned her the five star Professional Award for exceptional client satisfaction. For the past five years. Lisa strives to work efficiently and advocate for her clients best interest every step of the way, treating them with honesty, empathy and appreciation. She knows how to develop the right combination of price and presentation that attracts great offers for a listing and her 99.6% list to sale average is a testament to her talents. Lisa is an active member of her community participating in numerous charities. She supports several types of local school events and is committed sponsor to the new hope Food Pantry helping to feed those in need on the northwest side of Chicago. You can find her at Lisa Sanders sold.com Again, Lisa Sanders sold.com. Lisa, welcome to keeping it real. We appreciate you being on the show.
Lisa Sanders 4:01
Thanks for having me. Wow, what an intro.
D.J. Paris 4:05
Well, you have done a lot of really amazing things, you have a wonderful amount of accolades that you’ve accomplished and accumulated as in your 17 years as a real estate agent. But what I would always and what our audience always loves to know, in for everyone who’s newer to the business wants to know, okay, selling 100 homes a year in 2020 is incredible. But how did you get started I would love to know about why you got into real estate and how you got into real estate.
Lisa Sanders 4:34
So I was selling telephone and telephone service on the North Shore. And my attorney actually I had sold him and saved him like a ton of money. And he just kept hounding me like Lisa, you have to come work for me you have to come. I’m starting a real estate company. You know, come but I had little kids and I had had like a bad experience with a broker who you could just Tell all she cared about was like, money, you know? So I was like, There’s a million real estate brokers, I do not want to be a real estate broker. But he just was tenacious. I mean, he would not give up. And I mean, this went on for like, probably like four years. Finally, I was like, coaching. So I was coaching, like for boys and girls high school. And I was just doing that to, like, get out of the house, you know, be active because I’m super social. And then I decided, yeah, I need to make money. Because I have four little kids. Sure. And, you know, I don’t I just like being out of the house anyway. So, um, you know, I would kind of go stir crazy at home, you know, so just started selling his developments. And then that soon, kind of got boring. And so I started selling other people’s homes, and then I’m like, Okay, I need to go bigger. So then, you know, I went to Coldwell Banker Schande just started and just listened. This is really how I started is that I would just, like, be very quiet. And listen to the other brokers talk and like, kind of figure it out. Some adults, we had some of the older ones would get so mad at me. They would be like, are you listening? I don’t know what you’re talking about. You know what I mean? And so some of us younger ones. I mean, it was just absorbing. And then every weekend, I would do open houses. And I think because I’m like, very friendly. I would I just started picking up, you know, clients, so buyers mostly. So then I started working with buyers. And then that turned into sellers. And then just started figuring out, like, how to market like how to take you know, how to market a neighborhood? What, you know, what were the skills that I needed to do? And just, you know, trying, and you know what else I did, I would go and I would look anywhere I traveled, I would like research all the brokers in the area. And then I would look at like their marketing stuff. So I would call, you know, like friends or family. And I’d be like, anything you get in the mail, can you save it from your brokers, you know, and they’re like, all across the country, and then they would send me their stuff. And I’m just I’m really good at marketing. So like, I’m very creative. And I think that’s that’s helped me a lot too, although there’s no way to like, keep your ideas to yourself. Sure. So, I mean, I guess, you know, people copy and use a form of flattery. But sometimes it’s frustrating when you work so hard to like, create something and then somebody copies it. What are you going to do? But that’s how I got started.
D.J. Paris 7:55
Yeah. Wow. And then you you now have a team, the Lisa Sanders group. And what when did you decide it was time to that, you know that it was time to build a team?
Lisa Sanders 8:07
I think that was like four years ago, I decided, you know, I’d been working alone for a long time, but I really did need some help. And I also just wanted to bring my knowledge to other people and help them. And I think everyone that I’ve brought has, you know, done really well, actually, my newest team member is crystal McCarthy. And she did 5 million in her first year. Wow. And I knew she was gonna do awesome. Yeah. So that’s great. And then yeah, I just love bringing like my knowledge and being there to help and seeing them grow. I mean, I love that. It makes me super happy.
D.J. Paris 8:48
You mentioned at the very beginning, absorbing information from all of the more senior brokers over at Coldwell Banker. And he also talked about open houses. And I know this gets brought up a lot. And we’ve done I think about 220 episodes, and I would estimate 219 of the 220 people we’ve interviewed have said, open houses were really, really important. And when they got started, quick question when you didn’t have your own listings. Were you asking other brokers in the office? Could I do open houses for your listings? Or how did you go? I
Lisa Sanders 9:19
totally was, I mean, I would like I would go to whoever I’d be like, I would love to do an open house. I did open houses every weekend. I try to get my team members to understand the value of that. Some of them have picked up clients from it, but I honestly think when you’re just starting, you should be doing and I know it can get boring, but I think you should be doing open houses every weekend for sure.
D.J. Paris 9:47
Yeah, and even if you don’t meet a buyer during the open house, but you can’t really control all that. Well at least you’re learning about real estate and you’re maybe you’re practicing
Lisa Sanders 9:58
you’re practicing And on people, and how to, you know, converse with them. It’s just great practice
D.J. Paris 10:05
to great. It’s a great suggestion. And it’s one of those things that every time we do an episode, I always think, Oh, I could probably I don’t have to talk about open houses. But I like to, because I just think it’s really that important. Unless you’re lucky enough to just get your license and have a bunch of friends that are ready to buy and sell homes, which most people don’t have when they get started. Even for agents who right now might be in between transactions. I mean, I think, you know, it’s, it’s funny, I was curious to get your opinion on this right now, you know, it’s November 2 2020, here in Chicago, where at all time, interest rate lows are just about record lows. So we have buyers that have a lot more purchasing power than they’ve ever had. Not a ton of inventory. But lots of buyers out there. And, you know, I think, gosh, if I, if I had a listing, I would be doing as many open houses as I could just, you know, until the home gets sold, just because there’s so I know, I know, I’m buying a place simply because I can afford more than I could before because of interest rates. So.
Lisa Sanders 11:05
So open houses, I think, like let’s say you get a new listing, you do have to be careful, you don’t want to do too many, because you don’t want to seem desperate. Yeah, so definitely, like the first weekend, and then maybe like, three weeks from that weekend. But they work and sometimes I have to kick myself in the butt, and be like just to, you know, do an open and then I mean, what will happen is somebody will walk in and be like, I was gonna call you anyway. So, you know, I want you to come look at my house. And then I’m like, see, you should have done it.
D.J. Paris 11:38
Let’s, um, let’s talk about So Lisa, for all of our listeners, Lisa is very, very passionate about working with respect to working with sellers, about she has very specific views on aesthetics and what buyers are interested in whether they walk through an open house or just a traditional listing or just a traditional, you know, showing what what are your thoughts what’s going on right now? What do buyers want? And what do they need from from a listing?
Lisa Sanders 12:07
So, buyers are tough right now, the buyer pool is tough. I mean, they’re watching HGTV they’re watching, you know, Chip and Joanna Gaines. I mean, you name it, they’re watching it, and they expect turnkey. So I think that I literally have turned into a GC, I mean, I’m running three different construction groups like trying to get all my houses ready. And then I tried to explain to my sellers, like I have one right now on the fence who’s already been listed. And she needs to update her kitchen, and the husband and wife do it. And she’s like, Lisa, I just don’t want to spend that money. And I’m always like, okay, but you have to spend money to make money, you’re going to make three times as much if you just do your kitchen. And sometimes it’s like pulling teeth. But then other I mean, more, I would say more people are getting it, where, you know, they’re, they’re listening. I mean, if you listen to me, it will work. You know what I mean? I never really fail at that if you do the things that I tell you to do. Right now, I have another one in Edison park that I’m getting that was on the market earlier that I’m having, you know, three different crews come in to do different things. Like we’re updating the kitchen, I actually went and bought the cabinet for the bar in the basement. I mean, I’m like, This is nuts. But you got to do what you got to do. You know, I’ve got the plumber setup. I’ve got everybody and I have a trim carpenter who I sold his to flat for like 25,000 over lists. So he’s helping me for free to say thank you. Yeah, so it’s, it’s, and then I have, I have two other guys that I work with all the time. And it’s it’s hard, but I tell them like, oh, man, please give me priority. And then I just kind of try to keep, you know, things in the pipeline for them, you know? Sure. But contractors are so busy right now. So I bet I’m lucky I have very loyal contractors.
D.J. Paris 14:04
So I have two thoughts about what you just said for our listeners. So this is really funny because I am exactly the kind of buyer that you are talking about. So we sent her actually talking about this before because the company she works for actually represents a development where I’m buying a unit. And the whole reason. I mean, it’s not the entire reason I’m buying this particular thing, but I love the fact that they get in this case, I get to pick out what I want. But more importantly, I don’t have to worry about fixing anything. I don’t have to worry about updating anything, everything. I just know how to fix it. Well, that’s true. And that’s the other thing. I don’t know how to fix anything.
Lisa Sanders 14:36
And that’s what I tried to explain to my sellers is like, guys, they’re coming from condos or apartments or their parents houses. They don’t know how to do these things. So right we all do they want to and they nor do they don’t want you’re working. You’re working on time. Yeah, that’s what it is.
D.J. Paris 14:51
So and then my other thought was okay, so So you say that you explain this to a seller that has an outdated kitchen you said look, I understand nobody wants to drop a, you know, $10,000 or more on a kitchen right now we understand that that’s a painful thing. Mr. And Mrs. Seller, what if but but here’s what we think the return might might look like. Here’s what we know that buyers are actually looking for today in the Instagram world where even everybody’s dinner looks perfect. Right? So. So the question is, when you have a seller who’s like, I’m not going to do that, or, or a difficult, you know, it’s hard to get them to loosen those, those pocket strings or this purse strings to, you know, allow for those types of of contracting work. What do you what do you do there? Do you do you? Do we walk away from the listing? Will you try to convince them? Will you take it? Well,
Lisa Sanders 15:43
I try to I usually try to convince them I really do. So I tell them a story. So I had a listing here just recently on Nickerson and old Norwood and my seller literally refers me to everybody. But he told me I’m not doing anything. I don’t care. At least I’m not doing it. And he’s really tough. And I was like, come on, please listen to me do it. So I had gotten him like three offers, like when he didn’t update it, and I couldn’t get it over 750. So he was asking, like 775 or 785. I don’t totally remember. But finally his wife talked him into doing what I had asked them to do from the beginning. And so they did it. I picked out all the lighting, helped him with all the pink colors, and the carpet, all that stuff. And I literally got the same buyer from before came back. But not only did I get that buyer, I had like five offers. And I had it at 775. And I ended up selling it for 788. And my sellers kept asking the buyers, why did you come back? Why did you come back? They just like could not grasp what I was telling them was, you know, correct. And then the buyers are like, Oh, because of the updates that you finally did that Lisa had suggested? Yeah. So it confirmed. So I’ll tell like that story. And then if they really don’t want to I just say okay, we really have to price it right, because we don’t want to struggle, struggle struggle, you know, and do a bunch of price changes. And that’s frustrating for a seller, you know, and then I just talked about that frustration. And then sometimes I can get them to do it. You know, after you know they’ve gotten over everything in their head, most of the times I can but if they just don’t want to then I just really focus on pricing it correctly. You don’t have to underprice it just don’t overprice it. Yeah,
D.J. Paris 17:39
yeah. And what are you seeing as far as so buyers are tough because they’re expecting a perfect place when they walk in of course, yeah, places perfect. So their buyers are are tricky. But but there’s a lot of them Thankfully, these days. So and you got your closing a home every three days. That is incredible. Here in 2020 when a good chunk of the year, you weren’t really able to work that much. So this is I mean that 100 homes sold this year already is beyond incredible. For for obviously the extenuating circumstances,
Lisa Sanders 18:17
was working like crazy during COVID. I bet? That’s a good
D.J. Paris 18:21
question, because, and I hope that we don’t go back into a lockdown situation. Of course, nobody wants that. But it might be something that happens us here in Chicago for our listeners, all the restaurants, dining options have temporarily ceased, which is very, very sad for all of these restaurants. But hopefully, hopefully we can the band hopefully can be lifted at some point and save these restaurants. But But anyway, a lot of you know, we might be going back into a shutdown. We hope it doesn’t. So I’m curious if that were to happen. What suggestions do you have for our listeners? Like what did you do when when you weren’t really able to go do showings earlier this year during lockdown? You said you were working all the time? What were some of the things you were doing to stay busy?
Lisa Sanders 19:03
Well, so like for my listings, if I had showings I had like booties there, you know, sanitizer. I had I would go turn on all the lights for them. And then they didn’t have to touch the lights. So just make it like as safe as I possibly could. And then I wouldn’t be there and then when it was done I would just ask them to text me and then I would go over and turn off all the lights and Lysol and then leave and then for my buyers I never felt uncomfortable. So I was out with them. Yeah, the entire time. And some of them are a little nervous. But again, I was just like, you know, I always had gloves for them. And booties for them. So nobody i just i The one thing I can’t stand is when a listing agent wants me to take off my shoes in someone else’s home. I don’t know why it just couldn’t That’s like gross. Yeah. So I always, I always try to have booties, because I don’t want my bare feet on somebody else’s floor. Sure, yeah.
D.J. Paris 20:10
What were you doing when when the activity was, as far as you know, even taking people out or letting them got, you know, when we were really in lockdown, where we really couldn’t move much? You know, what were you doing to stay in touch with your sphere of influence? Or your contact list? You know?
Lisa Sanders 20:27
Yeah, that’s a good question. Um, so I had, I have a good client from the Nickerson property that I was talking about. He got me in contact with one of his friends who had a bunch of n95 masks. So I made little paper bags for everybody. And I put two of them in there with a gift card to Starbucks. Oh, and then dropped it off at everybody’s houses, you know, and just said, I’m thinking of you, I hope you’re staying safe. You know, here’s a gift card to go through the drive thru at Starbucks. Because if you remember, the lines are backed up like crazy, because that was like, one of the only things you could really go do.
D.J. Paris 21:10
essential business, I guess. Yeah. But yeah, but that, but that’s a really good idea. I mean, I know, especially at the beginning of the lockdown, those n95 masks were like, you just never saw them anywhere. They’re like gold, they were gold. And if you were able to acquire them, which I never was, but the idea that somebody would drop one off at my home, just simply because I’m in your contact list or sphere of influence. That’s a remarkably, you know, kind and compassionate thing to do. And also really useful. That’s something that you know, plus a little Starbucks gift card is also nice as well. So I think that’s a really good reminder for for everyone, if we do go back into a situation where our ability to move around is restricted. Stay in touch with you with your contacts, you know, send them a little care package, and it doesn’t have to cost much and your case it doesn’t doesn’t sound like it was a super expensive thing to do. But it was certainly very thoughtful. Oh, I see. Oh, because the 95 masks, yeah,
Lisa Sanders 22:09
they were they were I mean, he gave me a good deal. But they were expensive. And that’s fine. I just wanted people to feel safe. The other thing I did is I have a lot of policeman clients, a lot of CPD. So I just started a, I’m super excited about it, I just got my first donation, and it’s called care for cops. And it’s all about like mental health. Just doing something kind for them for their mental health. So I want to run out of venue for them to come with all their families after COVID. And then for all my policemen, my women who are policemen, and I have some amazing women like that are pleased. They’re like, super, I don’t know, can I say badass? I got them all like a bracelet. That just said, you know, like, I’m thinking of you because they’re stressed out, they’re working a lot. They have like no days off. You’re not seeing their kids. You know what that
D.J. Paris 23:10
work? And also just the environment right now to be a police officers. Everybody hates you and they shouldn’t, but they do and and it’s it’s tough. My girlfriend’s father is a detective in Rosemont. And we joke about it. He’s like, man, people really hate me these days. And so it is, you know, we sort of joke we’re sort of just bringing some levity to it, but it’s a very serious thing is, is there’s a tremendous amount of stress on law enforcement officials. There’s
Lisa Sanders 23:38
too much yeah, I yeah, I I almost feel it’s very unfair, you know, like, not all of that should be their responsibility. But it’s, it’s I hear about, it’s a lot of stress. Firemen and my husband’s a fireman. Yeah, so not as much but they’re, they’re, they’re having a lot of stress too. Just with no days off, you know, so we got our support our first responders a little bit better.
D.J. Paris 24:10
Yeah, and that’s another thing too, for everyone listening that whatever you’re passionate about as a way to give back to your community. You know, wherever it is that you practice, you know, find something. For me. There’s an organization I support called misery. Cordia here in Chicago, the best Yeah, the best. Yes. Very best. So very, very lucky. Two very lucky coffee from them. Oh, yes, it has coffee. They make coffee right there on campus. Yeah, some people loved it. They loved Yeah, it’s for everyone listening. It’s a home for developmentally disabled men and women. It’s a very magical special place that thankfully Chicago has, but in every community there are people in need. And you know, or just organizations that you want to support that do good. And Realtors really do themselves a huge favor. but also the community huge favor by getting involved and, and people will start to see that, that you’re participating in these. And that’s not the reason to do it so that you can get clients because, of course, that that isn’t probably the right intention. But it’s nice as a nice side effect of helping your community is that a lot of times, and you don’t even have to necessarily do it in a super public way. But just so that you’re part of an organization that you’re passionate about as leases with a number of assists organizations that you’re with. And you get really excited when you talk about these things. And I’m sure that your clients and your sphere of influence notice some of these things you’re doing.
Lisa Sanders 25:38
Yeah, I mean, I, I hope so. But, you know, I really don’t do it. I mean, I think I have good intentions, like also, I always give to the baseball and softball clubs in my area, because I love kids, you know? Yeah. Yeah. Like, and I always tell my clients, I’m like, You have to understand your kids are like, the best clients I’m going to have. Because when I get older, they’re going to remember Mrs. Sanders. Sure. I’m gonna have them as clients. I’ve like, I always joke with my clients, how important their kids are. So they’re lifers. Right? Yeah, that’s
D.J. Paris 26:13
it. But yeah, I guess the point is, like, get involved. And you know, especially what would you what would you say if you had a team member right now? So we’ve already talked about that a team member that that wasn’t busy and came to you and said, I don’t know what to do right now. I don’t have any clients. I have no listings. I’m not sure what my next moves is. I’m sure you would say, well, let’s set you up with some open houses. outs. Aside from that, do you have any suggestions about people, any people that might be listening to the show, that are just like, gosh, I shouldn’t be busy. I feel like I’m not busy. What should I be doing?
Lisa Sanders 26:48
Definitely volunteer. That’s huge. Also get involved in your chambers. And if you’re passionate about something, it will all come together. So volunteer for something that you’re super passionate about. And it will, it will lead to more. Yeah, absolutely.
D.J. Paris 27:07
And Lisa, this is a totally behind the scenes question. And I’m gonna explain why am I saying this to our audience? But is is the managing broker your firm is is her name grace is that you’re at the at properties you’re at? Oh, Goro is yes. Grace, Grace score.
Lisa Sanders 27:24
She’s higher up.
D.J. Paris 27:25
She’s higher. Okay.
Lisa Sanders 27:26
She’s higher. She’s more like, she’s in charge of training, running the show or what?
D.J. Paris 27:31
Yeah, yeah, grace is a total superstar here in Chicago. So the reason I’m bringing her up, I thought maybe she was she’s from Park Ridge. She grew up there. So that’s why I was wondering if she Anyway, great grace, for everyone listening. I did an episode with Grace years and years ago. She’s awesome. Her partner Julia Brenner is great as well. So anyway, the reason I’m bringing her up is she did something very cool a few years ago that I thought I’d just share with the audience and you as well. And I got invited to it because Grace, Grace asked me was nice enough to ask me to come. Because it was right down the street from where I lived. So what she did if some of you are thinking, Well, I’m not part of a, you know, a charity or an organization. Well, most people like animals. So what grace did, which I thought was really cool is anti cruelty was just down the street. For me, that’s a cat and dog rescue, you know, society. And anyway, anti cruelty. She rented out, well, I don’t even know how it worked. But she said, Hey, I’m doing this volunteer thing. We’re going to make toys for dogs out of old T shirts. And it’s just a couple of hours. And we get to play with the dogs too. And so she said, Would you like to come? And I was like, Well, yeah, I’m a cat and a dog person. So I came over and just by myself and everyone else, never probably clients or sphere of influence people and, and I looked around and I and afterwards, I was walking home. And I was thinking, Oh, that was really, really awesome. Because number one, every most people I think in life, want to volunteer more, and maybe they just haven’t found the right organization, or they just haven’t found the time to do it. And so she structured this event and said, Hey, come help us build make toys for dogs, and you get to play with dogs. And you know, she served some pizza. And that was really all it was. And we got to tour the facility. But when I was walking home, and I thought, wow, I just did something that I wanted to do, which is volunteer more, and I feel good. So I feel good about that. And how cool is it that she got me to volunteer simply by asking me to an event. So I think for everyone listening that is such a great suggestion for anyone if you’re like thinking well, how can I do a client appreciation event? Well, why not make it a volunteer appreciation of it? Those those work really well and you know, you’re not going to break the bank doing that and you’re gonna meet people gotta walk away feeling really good about themselves.
Lisa Sanders 29:40
Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.
D.J. Paris 29:43
So tell. So my other My other question is about working with buyers right now. So those buyers right now, who are you know, whose rates are so low so they are able to afford more than they could they expect perfection? Do you have sort of the reverse conversation? With the buyers saying, Okay, we know you want everything perfect, nothing is actually perfect. What do you How are you counseling buyers to not be so dismissive, if something maybe isn’t perfect in a property?
Lisa Sanders 30:14
Um, yeah, so I talk to them, especially if they have like a budget. Sometimes they have like, a very, you know, tough budget, but they want everything. So I just have to, like, guide them through that. And then I’m like, Okay, well, my guy could do a new kitchen for you. This is how much it would cost. And I do flips myself. So I always know how much things cost. And just try to guide them that way. And, you know, make them understand that it’s not that bad to do work. It’s really, it’s not a big deal.
D.J. Paris 30:48
It seems scary. Like I know right now, that part of the reason why I bought a new development was because I don’t have the ability to look at a property and go, Oh, I just look and I see that the counters are 15 years old. I’m like, Oh my God, that’s the weirdest granite pattern I’ve ever seen. I can’t handle that. Meanwhile, that’s an easily swap, swappable sort of thing that is no big deal. It’s so easy. But I am so representative of the buyers you’re talking about? Because I just look at that I instantly go No. And and my girlfriend, you know, when we were looking? She’s like, No, wait a minute. That is you just ignore that because that is such an easy thing to change. But so this is important information, I think for listeners is that buyers do they are going to anything that’s 10 plus years old people are going to walk in and go like, what were they thinking? Why did they choose that. But the reality of it is, you know, it’s all easily changeable. And that’s where, like Lisa does, she goes in and says, Don’t worry about it, we can change this. I know contractors, I can get this fixed for you. Don’t worry about it, whether it’s a buyer or a seller,
Lisa Sanders 31:51
and it’s important to look at the bones. I mean, it’s important to know, you know that the furnace is in good condition, the roof, you know, the major things electrical, I mean, if all of those are really solid, you know, you can take care of the cosmetic, it’s it’s not that hard.
D.J. Paris 32:06
Yeah, it’s sort of a shame that we’ve we’ve now been trained through social media to really appreciate almost exclusively the aesthetic, when the reality of it is is is there’s there’s a lot more to evaluate versus just what is the you know, what are the baseboards look like? Or because all of those things can be fixable. But yes, I guess maybe we’re now living in a culture where people are just expecting instant perfection.
Lisa Sanders 32:31
And I almost feel like it’s a competition between like sellers. So like, I’ll have like several sellers who are in their 30s. And they are I mean, they are, their homes are perfection. Literally I’ll walk in. And maybe there might be toys or something, but and then I love it when they put their homes on the market at the same time. And they’re so competitive that they want their house to sell first minute, you know, it’s let’s be honest, it benefits me. So, you know, the more they do and the more they make it great, you know, the more likely they’re going to sell right away. So
D.J. Paris 33:09
I would love for you. I always we always ask these questions. We do a pre interview process before we have our show. And I never get to the pre interview questions ever. And so I absolutely want to I only want to get the one I want you to tell the story. I want you to tell any story about the stuff. Well, no, not that one. No, that one’s a good one too. That’s that’s walked in sort of a walk in on sex. People having sex? Sorry. I’ve we’ve already had a story like that 25,000 times on the show. But the one the most unusual experience you had was about was had to do a taxidermy. Do you mind sharing your taxidermy story? This is I don’t even understand I don’t even totally understand this story. So
Lisa Sanders 33:49
let me hear this is going to my book, literally it’s so I had this really difficult seller, and the whole neighborhood was fighting with him. And I literally had like, offer after offer after offer on his home and he would not sell it and it was really his girlfriend’s home. So he really wasn’t interested. He really didn’t have to say to say no, you know, so I got this really awesome buyer and he is CPD. Good guy. And really
D.J. Paris 34:22
is, is called what is CPD for everyone listening.
Chicago Police Department. Oh, I’m
sorry, Chicago police.
Lisa Sanders 34:30
Okay, so um, him and his wife both were but anyway, the house was in old Norwood and that’s where I live. And anyway, he got mad because he didn’t want to pay the admin fee. You know, the admin fee every company has an admin fee to hold your
D.J. Paris 34:48
work. Okay, a couple $100 something.
Lisa Sanders 34:51
Yeah, so he orchestrated and like all the neighbors are like they said, don’t give up please. We need you to sell this house. We need him out of it because he was fight with everybody.
D.J. Paris 35:01
So the seller is saying the seller saying I do not want to pay this $300 fee or whatever it is. Yeah, he’s now he’s now making and this isn’t even really his place to sign on. But he’s running the show. Okay.
Lisa Sanders 35:12
Yes. So. So during our initial like staging process, there was an old pheasant that had fallen from the wall, and was just like, full of dust and dirt. And my assistant had put it in the garbage because, you know, it was non functional.
D.J. Paris 35:31
This is a stuffed pheasant from somebody shot it and had it.
Lisa Sanders 35:36
It’s probably like 30 years old. Oh my gosh. So he, he’s like, I need to meet with you. It’s very important. And he’s like, this doesn’t is worth you know, my admin fee at the time was $400 this specimen is worth $400 and I am you’re gonna have to give me a credit for $400 on demand was so cheap. I mean, it was ridiculous. That’s amazing. I’m like, what? I’m like, This is crazy. So just cuz I didn’t want him to. To win. Let’s be honest. Yeah, I took it to a taxidermist and I had it evaluated, and it was evaluated for $25. Okay, so So I came to the closing with the evaluation and the pheasant It was rough as it was. Oh, yeah. And, um, so his attorney was like, he got away with not doing the $400 because their attorney kept calling my managing broker. And my manager broker was just super annoyed. And she’s like, just give it to him. I’m done. Yeah. And, yeah, it was like, Go away, you know. And so his attorney was going to take back the pheasant, and I’m like, oh, no, no, I paid the 400 You’re not taking the pheasant and I have a picture with the buyers who still have the pheasant as you come into the house. The pheasant is in a plastic box, you know, at the house. So
D.J. Paris 37:03
it’s super cute. The buyers bought the pheasant while sort of were given the pheasant for them because it was $375 worth. It’s ridiculous. Oh, that is. And I love that the buyers have it still. That’s yeah, it’s awesome.
Lisa Sanders 37:23
All the neighbors were happy, because it closed and he moved. He moved on.
D.J. Paris 37:29
And now he’s someone else’s problem. Wow, that isn’t amazing. So I guess the point is, don’t blow up a deal over an admin fee and a stuffed pheasant. But, but uh, wow, that is so funny.
Lisa Sanders 37:43
I love it. It was so funny. Yeah.
D.J. Paris 37:48
Well, I guess maybe the same mentality that stuff’s a pheasant might be a problematic person. I sort of feel like that personality might not always be the most people who are in attack. So
Lisa Sanders 38:01
I love the taxidermist. He was awesome. Yeah, like this thing. Is it worth any?
D.J. Paris 38:06
That’s a crappy old facet. Yeah, he
Lisa Sanders 38:09
was like, Oh my gosh, she’s like, half the feathers are off of this thing.
D.J. Paris 38:14
I love it. Well, we should also mention to that and to wrap up. You know, Lisa is an incredibly incredible realtor here in the Chicagoland area. She is one of literally there are 44,000 realtors in the Chicagoland area. She’s one of the very, very highest producing agents and has tons and tons of accolades. So for anyone listening, who is looking to work with a top producer, and is maybe dissatisfied with brokers they’ve used in the past. Or if there’s anyone out there who’s an agent who is listening in the Chicagoland area that would like to join a really successful team. So whether you’re a buyer or seller or renter, or you’re an agent may be looking to explore other options that other firms might offer. Lisa, what’s the best way someone should reach out to you?
Lisa Sanders 39:00
Definitely my cell phone. So I’m best at text messaging, I return those probably the fastest. But yeah, my cell phone definitely 773-398-0378
D.J. Paris 39:14
And what’s the best email to reach you out?
Lisa Sanders 39:17
So it’d be at least a sanders.sold@gmail.com
D.J. Paris 39:21
Awesome. And also remember to visit Lisa Sanders sold.com. Lisa just made a shift to a new firm at properties. Not a new firm but new for her. So this is a big shift for her and she is we are so excited to continue to watch her rise to superstardom. Although I guess she’s already there, but to consider continued rise. But Lisa, thank you on behalf of the listeners we want to thank you for being on our show really appreciate it loved having you on and so many great suggestions to our listeners. I know they really appreciate it. So on behalf of the listeners we say thanks and on behalf of ESA myself. Yeah, I’m behalf of Lisa and myself, we say thank you to all the listeners and viewers and we ask everybody before signing off just to do two quick things to help our show. Number one, tell a friend, think of one other agent that could benefit from hearing this great interview with Lisa and send them a link to the show. Easiest way to do that, send them to our website, keeping it real pod.com Or just have them pull up a podcast app on their phone and look up keeping it real, it’ll pop right up. And then the second thing is to please follow us on Facebook, you can find us@facebook.com forward slash keeping it real pod every single day. We post an article that we find online that was written specifically designed to help real estate agents grow their business, and we post all of our episodes there too. So Facebook and tell a friend and that will help keep our show going. Lisa, thank you so so much. It was a pleasure. I hope to meet you in person.
Lisa Sanders 40:50
Me too.
D.J. Paris 40:51
Yeah, we can hang out. We also found out that Lisa and I have been to the same bar in Ames, Iowa. I am sure I was there before you were there. But I we have been to the same exact bar called peoples is that people’s is that right? Yeah. It’s people’s people’s in Ames, Iowa, which nobody has ever been to Ames, Iowa unless you went to school at Illinois, Iowa State University, but I have been there and I did not go to school there. So I have been to that same bar. So anyway, at least I hope to see in the future. Go cyclones. All right. Um, thank you so much, and we’ll see everyone next time. Thanks, Lisa.
Lisa Sanders 41:27
Thank you. Bye
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