Brother and sister top 1% producers Sophia Klopas and Jason Stratton of the Klopas Stratton Team at Berkshire Hathaway continue to grow their business year over year. In this episode they talk about how their skill sets compliment each other such that clients truly get two-for-one for the best possible consumer experience. They also talk about how knowing their hourly rate and becoming hyper-local doubled their production. Last, they discuss why they never perceive discount firms as competition, and why it’s okay to walk away from clients that aren’t a good fit.
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Transcript
D.J. Paris 0:00
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Hello, and welcome to another episode of Keeping it real, the only podcast made by Chicago real estate brokers for Chicago real estate brokers also brokers who listen from all over the country. So I should probably update that. But we interview the top 1% of Realtors in Chicago, there’s 40,000, we only talk to the top 400 And ask them how they built their business and what advice they have for other brokers who may be listening. And they share their strategies, their secrets, and what has made them successful. So we gosh, we’re coming up on 100 episodes, and we keep getting more listeners. So we’re super grateful because we have as we spend no money on marketing, but I would like everyone who is listening, if they want to help us if we’re helping you. Here’s a couple of ways you can help us number one telephone if you know any other brokers in the industry that would love to hear what top producers are doing so that they could replicate that success. Tell them right anyone in your office, you know, give them a link to our show. The more listeners, the more people we can help second, go to our Facebook page. So it’s facebook.com forward slash keeping it real pod why because we post links to all of our episodes, exclusive content, and just a great way to stay in touch to find out what we’ve got going on. And then third, if you are an I an iOS and Apple user, subscribe to us on iTunes, do a search for keeping it real podcast. If you’re an Android person, you can go to Google Play and do the same or just use whatever podcast app podcast app you have. And search for keeping it real podcast, you’ll find us subscribe so you never miss an episode. And then one last thing, this is kind of cool. You know how you have an Alexa at home? Probably everybody does. And it just sits there and you don’t use it. I use it to turn my lights on and off. And that’s literally all I use it for. Well, you can actually now use it to play our podcast. So there’s one step involved, which means go into your Alexa app on your phone or your mobile device and go to the skills and do a search for keeping it real podcast you’ll see we have a skill you have to activate that skill takes two seconds. And then you can simply ask and you know how to activate. I won’t do this in case you’re listening at home. But you would ask play keeping it real podcast right and it will just play the most current episode. So it’s pretty cool. I don’t know if anyone’s using it that way. But you can and maybe I’ll even start using it. So up in a few moments. We have another great interview this time with Sophia colobus and Jason Stratton of the Clovis Stretton team at Berkshire Hathaway they did an amazing job. So without further ado, let’s get to Jason and Sophia.
Today on the show, we have Sophia Clovis and Jason Stratton of Berkshire Hathaway and this is the corpus Stratton team. So let’s talk about Sophia Sophia has a master’s degree in interior design, which assists her buyers and stepping back and noticing the appeal of different properties. Her approach gives buyers a unique vision of their property and a great understanding of what will help in a resale later on. On the selling side, she’s able to look at a listing and tell the owner what is needed for a quick and profitable sale. Sophie and her husband moved to Bucktown over 19 years ago, on a hunch the neighborhood would come around hopefully, rather happily they were right and still call Bucktown home today. Now Jason, Jason comes from a finance background has been heavily involved with the real estate market since 1998. Since stepping into the Board of Trade 19 years ago, Jason has kept an eye on the housing market and himself is was required acquiring real estate his first year in the financial market, Jason prides himself on examining a client from heart to mind. Understanding the passion one has for piece of property and assessing properties felt fair value. He understands that not only will his client consider their place their home, but for most people their largest single financial investment. Jason lives in Bucktown as well with his wife Nikki their three sons and their dog Jerry and we should also mention that this they are brother are in sister Sophia and Jason. But you can check out their website as well at corpus stratton.com. But anyway, welcome both of you to the show.
Sophia Klopas 5:08
Thank you. Thank you.
D.J. Paris 5:10
Oh, yeah, we are so excited. This is the first not only the first brother sister team, but we’ve only ever on the show had a handful of, of teams where both team leaders were on the podcast. So we really appreciate it, it gets a little tricky. If it’s both they’re both male or female. This case, it’s pretty easy to figure out who’s who. But Sophia, let’s start with you. I’d like to hear about how and our listeners would love to hear about how you got into real estate.
Sophia Klopas 5:37
Well, as you said, in my bio, I started out with a degree in design. And I was working at a design firm and ended up doing a model for developer back in Oh, two in the South Loop. And asked me if I wanted to stay on over the weekend to host an open house. I and I was working as a developer’s rep, so I was unlicensed at the time. Wow. That’s legal if you’re, of course. Yeah. And I think I still two or three condos on the opening weekend. Sold.
D.J. Paris 6:15
This is her, I could do this.
Sophia Klopas 6:17
My my drafting pencil and went to get my license. And that that is my story.
D.J. Paris 6:24
Wow. That’s, that’s, that’s amazing. It’s an incredible first weekend in the business. Right?
Sophia Klopas 6:30
Oh, two in the South Loop. So you know, we still had the mayor down there. It was a hot and happening place, as it still is. But it was just starting at that point.
D.J. Paris 6:38
Well, I even remember back then people would be buying pre construction and then even reselling pre construction. I mean, it was incredible time back then. And that in the South Loop in particular.
Sophia Klopas 6:49
It was it was so yeah, that that was how I got involved. And I know it, you know, somewhat is related and that it had to do with homes and aesthetic values. And I mean, even till today I use what I’ve learned in selling.
D.J. Paris 7:06
That’s great. And Jason, but I think in your backgrounds, it is different. So could you explain about how you got into real estate?
Jason Stratton 7:14
Yeah, I mean, I was I was actually really interested in real estate more as a hedge against inflation. Sure. The stock market. And I started looking at acquiring properties. And you know, kind of like looking at stuff that was happening I loved about town. At the time, I was Sofia and I had purchased a house together. So we were living in the same house, I was in the lower level. So it was upstairs, I was training, and then started buying. And then, you know, just to not get too long into Visio. So much other stuff to hit into. At that point, Sofia was pretty established. And she had reached out to me because one of her partners was leaving for California. And she knew I love real estate. And I love the tangibility of the asset. Like I love the fact that it was a house right or, versus what I was doing, which was kind of just not speculative. But it was basically account to account. You never really saw anything because you were in and out of trades throughout the day. And the opportunity arose. This is like hey, I need help. I’m you know, I’m getting very busy. Is this something that you would like to do? And I started doing it just helping her and open houses and you’re in there. And it just completely took off. And one of the first projects that I helped Sofia on was a big 50 Right. 50 unit building, and Lincoln Park on diversity. Wow. And literally, all of my business started from that building. I mean, I have people that are like that fourth, fifth sixth generation of buying or selling or referrals. And it all started from a 50 unit building from like, that was my fence a bit gave it to me, but that was my was my break came from that that building. And as that book of business got so big, you know, I slowly just walked away from the floor because I just loved real estate
Sophia Klopas 9:10
we needed we needed to be together full time or else. Much work. Yeah, or one person.
D.J. Paris 9:17
That’s incredible. We should talk about your team. This is probably a good time to mention this and talk about how you guys have How long is the team? I guess it’s been in effect for gosh, how many years now?
Sophia Klopas 9:31
Well, I was licensed in oh two Jason was licensed in oh four. We moved to kainic in Oh, six, seven. I can’t remember the exact time and it was just the two of us. And our managing broker insisted that it was way too much for two people to do and that it was time to loosen the purse strings and get an assistant. Thankfully we listened to her to Nancy and we did ahead. And as we got busier, they were extremely supportive and helping us find the right people. And actually, Chris was first Johnson, and he’s still with us today. And we have just slowly added, as needed. And you know, right now we’re at, there’s Jason and I, and then for other people,
D.J. Paris 10:25
that’s incredible. That’s awesome. And we were talking offline, and you guys have very specific beliefs around the team, best team structure that works for you. And your teams operates a bit differently than other teams. So can you talk a bit about that?
Sophia Klopas 10:39
I think it works for us, but it also works for the team members. Sure. I mean, I have an experience where you know, someone who’s not on our team and not in our company is calling and asking me for help on contracts, because they’re not getting the support from the team they’re in. So I think we Jason specifically works really a lot with the team members on helping them become higher in volume and closer to what we do it making them Park I mean, yeah,
Jason Stratton 11:17
we’re, I think the way we do it. And
obviously, we look for it to be Yeah,
I think every I mean, hopefully everyone that does what they do think it’s the best. So I’m going to tell you what, I believe it’s the best. I think it’s the best for the client. And I think it’s the best for the agent I have. And this is a probably a podcast in itself. I have, I have serious issues with the way that teams are built now, right? Where people are task specific within that team. I think that’s how I want to set your chords. For example, I did a sale in Linkin Park. And I met with the agent that had the the buyer, the agents that met with the buyer didn’t really know the buyer, they do the show. Right. Now, this is not what discount brokers do it the same way. But this was not what the discount brokerage I want to throw that out there. Now teams are being assembled now, which is a complete disservice for the agent and for the
D.J. Paris 12:29
so what we’re talking about for the listeners, if you’re not familiar with this is a team structure. This is not the way Sophia and Jason do it. But their team structure where their people are assigned roles tasks, they’re not full service, each member is not full service. So they get assigned, and they get passed from person to person.
Jason Stratton 12:45
Yeah, so what ends up happening is, is that there’s no relationship that’s built and no one’s driving the car, right. And I have noticed that these team members never get good at the craft, because all they’re doing is one aspect. And one task of the whole thing. I think as an early agent, if you’re in this type of team, you need to make sure that you don’t get pegged as a buyer agent, as a seller agent, as opposed to just goes and does inspections, opens the door or open Yeah, you need to know to be successful, you need to know from the rooter to the tooter you need to know everything. And I think how, how the how everyone is doing it now is trying to emulate kind of how some of the discount brokers are doing it and try to team up that way. And I don’t think it’s the best. I mean, as an agent, I don’t know how you grow, because you’re only doing one thing. And as a consumer and as a seller, how do you know that you’re being represented properly? Because who is your representation? Who is the person that’s driving the truck? And I will tell you, for me personally, dealing with those situations as a buyer’s rep or as a seller drop depending on what side it on the opposite side of the transaction. Thank you Sofia is extremely frustrating. And the success rate of those transactions is not
D.J. Paris 14:20
Yeah, boy, I I’m with you. I think that I think that’s right. And I also just think back to my own experience when I bought a condo million years ago that I had one point of contact one broker, of course, it’s fine to have an assistant and an admin and that sort of thing. But I’m glad I only dealt with one person who really understood me who understood the trend and held my hand every step of the way in particular because it was my first transaction
Sophia Klopas 14:42
you trust for sure. So you knew they were they wrote the contract and they were at the inspection with you and they went through the whole thing so that you formed that bond. And it really I mean it the biggest part about it now is having trust that someone is putting you in the right direction. And if your agent isn’t with you at the inspection, how can you talk intelligently to your client about what’s important and what’s not? If you weren’t there?
D.J. Paris 15:09
It’s impossible. Yeah, it makes, it makes it a lot a lot more difficult to build an intimate relationship when you there’s many different points of contact.
Jason Stratton 15:18
And that intimacy is what you’re really going to build your relationship on, for further referrals. Right? These people are not setting themselves up for referrals. Because when that person is at a dinner, and someone says, Oh, you just bought a place, or in five years, or 10 years, when someone’s like, oh, I want to buy a place. Listen, that person, remember six people they dealt with, they don’t remember the one point of contact that got them through everything, and that drove the bus? And how are you going to get referrals? When you’re only one part of what’s going on? I think it’s, it’s just, it’s a disservice to the agent to the client. But we’re talking to agents now to the agent that joins that team. And that’s how it’s set up. It’s a disservice to them, because they’re not going to,
D.J. Paris 16:07
I think I think that’s such a strong point. And Jason, I appreciate you sharing that, that it’s a disservice as well to the broker, because we’ve had other we’ve done other podcast episodes with people who have similar views about those types of teams, but they don’t talk as much about how it really hurts the person’s individual growth. Yes, of course, it’ll hurt the client relationship, potentially unlikely. But it does, you’re right. And also, if you’re just the CMA person on the team, or you’re just the closing person, or whatever, or you do the initial walk, you know, the showing, yeah, you’re not getting that holistic experience. And really, that’s what the, that’s what the buyer or the seller wants.
Jason Stratton 16:45
So our team is set up, as everyone is their own individual Cpl. Right, me as the FIA, excuse me, Sofia and I are there to help you through that process. And to make sure that what you’re doing is right, because, you know, overall, you’re representing Sophia and I and COPPA strat, so we definitely want to be there. But we want, like, I want you to know, hey, when I take this listing, I have to reach out to the management group, I need to get the assessments, I need to get the reserves, I need to get minutes, I need to coordinate the meeting everything from the big three. Yeah. And then I always say to Sofia, you know, like, and you hear it all the time, what you know, like, if someone if we teach somebody so well, and they end up leaving us because they’re super successful, I would never have any resentment that I wouldn’t be, it would be a testament to the job that
D.J. Paris 17:35
Oh, and those people are going to be your advocates forever.
Jason Stratton 17:40
Yeah, you’re empowering them to you know, it’s just it’s a completely, it’s a completely different model. It’s extremely, like time consuming for Sofia and I, but it’s not only the right thing for the agent, it is by far the right thing for the client. Well, yeah,
D.J. Paris 18:02
Sophia offline was sharing the story. And she actually shared a little bit of it here, but just to reiterate, she she knows someone who recently passed her exam joined a firm, not not there, your team or your firm a different a different company, and is now calling you with questions. Because maybe at the firm, that person is out, there’s resources might not be there.
Sophia Klopas 18:24
Yeah, she’s not getting the support or doesn’t feel comfortable for the support. So yeah, it’s just really important that they know that the people on our team, and the people that work with us know that they can ask us anything, no matter how, what they might think, is dumb. As long as it’s not the same question 10 times, because then that’s a little much. But in general, we operate with the concept that we all use the they all use our assistant, so Sydney so that everybody is doing the same thing. And that if my client happens to be in the hands of Chris, Zach shopper, Erica, they’re getting the same service, they would be with me. Yeah,
D.J. Paris 19:11
I just think the idea that they can reach you, somebody could join your team, you guys are a top 1% You know, your top 1% producers and all of Chicago that they’ve Of course, that’s all we ever interview on this show. So I think, you know, I didn’t mention that I should have but to be able to say hey, I’m on a team with top producers for a long, long time, who I can go to whenever I have questions. And in particular for newer brokers, of course they have a million questions that’s normal. And to be able to, you know, most most firms have some version of support some version of training. Some are better than others, obviously, but to also be able to say, hey, no, we’re, you know, and obviously you guys aren’t bragging about your success, but you have a tremendous amount of success. I’m sure your team members greatly appreciate just the experience that you guys bring to answering their their support and training class. Students
Sophia Klopas 20:05
also, Cana has a ton of I mean, the amount of training that’s offered to them, but it’s just the amount of training. I mean, you could literally go to a class every day and learn something new. So, you know, in downtime, I’m constantly telling them are you going, you know, I still go to the training courses, I mean, there’s always something new to learn. So, you know, pushing the education pushing, you know, learning about remain learning about, you know, how to do advanced CMAs new programs that are coming out CRM, all of that is, you know, your broker pushes you, but we also push them. So to learn the new technology that comes out,
D.J. Paris 20:50
yeah, let’s let’s talk about the client experience a little bit. And I’m always fascinated to ask this question. And everyone has a bit of a different answer. But what do you think separates you know, you guys from from other brokers, obviously, you see good brokers, bad brokers, successful, unsuccessful? What do you think makes you guys so different and unique?
Jason Stratton 21:14
Do you want to answer that? Or? Yeah, you can. I
Sophia Klopas 21:18
think a big part is not necessarily the sibling part of it. I think that’s out. People always find that to be an interesting aspect to it. It’s that we attack the same piece of property and from a I mean, I’m from the left, he’s from the right. So the way I will assess the property versus the way he assesses the property. And a lot of I mean, we sell it as your words, your package when you’re listing and you’re gonna get the analysts I mean, I’m analytical analytical, but not to the degree that Jason is and I am much more on the aesthetic side and feeling of it that they’re getting, like a full rounded to two headed monster for the
Jason Stratton 22:10
eye that that and then you know, like that you can just count Sofia, because we as a fuel will have. Listen, we have constructive arguments. And that’s why your partner right? I have three kids. Sofia has none. So we look at property that differently, too. Yeah. Huge one. So like, I’ll be, I’ll be like, Oh, this place is terrible. Oh, why? And she’ll be like
Sophia Klopas 22:30
this. I could live here tomorrow.
Jason Stratton 22:31
I believe her perfect. I forget that. Right? Because I’m so inundated with the fact that you know, I’ve read monsters at home. And she got into like, I kind of look at these differently. And a lot of my clients have kids and a lot of Sofia’s clients don’t. So it’s really cool. Like, you know, like that we we literally it’s Potato Potato I mean like it’s we look at the same thing completely different. So we can really hit every angle and every type of buyer that could possibly be that could
Sophia Klopas 23:02
possibly call. And a lot of times like there’s a buyer that I meet and I’m like oh my god you would work so much better with my brother vice versa something and then I ended up and one thing I do want to point out that we do do and we are pretty strict about it is if Jason starts the transaction he finishes it is confusing for the for the client. Plus we’re too busy to each take on each other’s work completely but once the transaction starts it start to finish with whom whomever they’re best suited or best man
Jason Stratton 23:37
Yeah, like we collaborate throughout the whole process of the process. And but once once the trains run in, it’s one person on that property, right? So like, I have a property in Wicker Park that I need help pricing, right, it’s my client. Well, I’m after here after this, we’re going there. And we’re gonna we’re gonna figure out how we like how we can price this better looking at it a different way.
D.J. Paris 24:01
Ya know, it makes sense. And you guys both have different backgrounds, different perspectives different you know, even just Yeah, and just different have different lives. So it’s, it’s, that’s huge. And again, the two for one thing is a pretty cool sales pitch. Right? That makes a lot of sense.
Jason Stratton 24:20
That’s fine for a second to short. Just one other thing for those that are new. I think getting back to and not even teams for people that are like, you know, hey, I want to concentrate on buying I want to concentrate on selling. You will never be a good agent unless you sleep. So it so I don’t listen, I love the agents that I work with, but when I’m on the phone with them, I’m trying to out hustle them and outmaneuver them and outsmart them. And if you’re only working with buyers and you’re only working with sellers, how the heck are you going to outsmart someone that you’ve never been on that side with? That’s my friends. I just I I think someone’s saying they’re only working with buyers and sellers is the most. I mean, I just don’t pull punches.
D.J. Paris 25:06
Yeah, well, it’s not it’s not a very holistic. Well, it’s just you just don’t have the experience to really provide full service at that point.
Jason Stratton 25:15
Yeah, I mean, it’s like as an athlete, you know, if you’ve never played defense, how you no offense. But I just didn’t want to forget that either. For people that are newer agents, I think that’s, you know, and
D.J. Paris 25:27
let’s talk about the rise. And I think this is all in the same vein as talk about the rise of the discount model, right? We have, there’s lots of companies that that are doing that Redfin is probably the most, most obvious, but there are others. And Jason said something before we got on that was he goes, I love these discount. You know, shops, because for brokers like Sophia and Jason, you know, who are full service and really value what they offer. They are not in any way concerned. But can you talk a little bit about that? Do you want me to it’s gonna?
Jason Stratton 26:09
No, I want it because first and foremost, if someone feels that have one basis at one point, so let’s say let’s take, let’s take a million dollar apps, right? If someone feels that saving 10 grand is worth having growth, people in a rotation showing their place. He’s all over, he’s all over the place, no one knowing anything about it. And having a person who gets paid $30 to open up your door. If that is what you think you want, right? You don’t want that clients. Right? So the type of person that like if I was saying, this is why I really want to go go ahead and skipping around and I’m one of the people you have to keep focused. So you’re back. I think that someone that’s looking for that it’s not someone that I want to work with.
Sophia Klopas 27:03
And that’s not going to value
Jason Stratton 27:05
the job I want to do. I want to work with people that want to work with me. And I want people to appreciate what I do. I think you know, not to get to, you know, all over the place. But life’s too short or work for people that don’t value what they do. Because let me tell you something, can we do? We all do. And if someone is not going to hire you over a point, you don’t want it. And don’t discount your services. That is a slippery road. Do not discount your services. Because, listen, would you rather have like, you know, don’t get into an ego battle? Would you rather have 100 listings at 4% or do other 660 listings at 6% You’re gonna work twice as hard for people that don’t care about you and don’t value what you do. Right for people and then work twice as hard. You work half as much and work for people that enjoy you and that you enjoy the work and there I don’t care what anyone says less like work. Yeah, it’s less than work. It’s people that are working. It’s a partnership people are working with you. They understand what they’re paying you for. Don’t get caught up into that. And I can’t think of anything better than I had a friend I have a friend who is who is a huge B cells. He calls it content because isn’t the best shirt. So he sells TV show. And we were talking about four or five. Man you know time flies, maybe 10 years. But anyways, you don’t want to be like Best Buy used to be don’t want to lose, you’ll absolutely lose your life and I’m not going to fight Zillow, I’m not going to fight these people. Because you’re going to lose what at Best Buy new because we’re not going to fight Amazon. We’re going to restructure at Best Buy. And we’re going to provide excellent service and thriving. If you are at home and you’re a new agent, and you’re freaked out about Redfin, you’re building your business.
D.J. Paris 29:03
And like you were saying, those are clients that aren’t going to value you anyway. So that you shouldn’t almost ever even bump up against it, right? Like it shouldn’t really even be in your periphery, unless you’re specifically going after, you know those type of clients and you’re trying to upsell them, which is tough.
Jason Stratton 29:24
What’s happening is what’s happening now. Oh, I got a bunch. I get a bunch of phone calls. Well, we listed with Redfin, last year, nothing happened. And of course, and you know, we need a full service brokerage. Are you interested in selling our house? Of course, this is what I do. This is what I’m going to do. If they don’t do
Sophia Klopas 29:45
better when they come from that environment actually, look up what you’re telling me.
Jason Stratton 29:49
It’s all going to happen, right because you know, the cream rises to the top Anyone, anyone can be, I will say, Sofia and I did like good business, the minute the market jar melted down, some businesses doubled.
D.J. Paris 30:09
Yeah, you there’s not a lot of competition at the top, there just isn’t and which is, by the way, evidenced by how generous Sophia and Jason and everyone else we’ve ever interviewed for this podcast has been. These are people that are like, like Sanjay Singh who are not worried about, you know, discount firms, they’re not worried about other brokers, they are just working on their own skill set their own relationships that are clients, and they thrive, despite the fact that there are discount firms doing it for a lot cheaper, right.
Sophia Klopas 30:42
I also think a really important thing to tell somebody who’s in the business, that starting out is don’t veer from your plan, you have to make a plan, whatever it is, you have to make a plan. And you have to stick with it. As tempting as it may be, to say, I’m going to take a listing that a I know that the seller is probably not the right person for me, B, they tried to talk me down on commission, it’s sometimes it’s hard to walk away from that. But you have to walk away when it doesn’t follow your business model. And I did it two weeks ago, I just said no, I won’t discount my commission. I’m not a discount broker. And I don’t give discount service. So I won’t take a discount price. I didn’t get the listing, but I was fine with it. Yeah, it was more than,
D.J. Paris 31:28
by the way, you’ll know, I’ve heard this from my own boss, who always said Never try to compete on price, you’ll always lose, you’ll always lose for a million reasons.
Sophia Klopas 31:39
You know, to take less. I mean, that’s not the word I use, but someone’s willing.
D.J. Paris 31:44
Well, I mean, if you think about like the the flat fee model was, you know, 10 years ago was sort of this thing that was seemingly pretty scary, because it was broker saying, hey, I’ll put your listing on the MLS for $300. And that’s it right? And then you, you know, I can still help you a little bit here and there. But, you know, the seller really does everything else. And, you know, I thought, well, this is going to be the end of the realtor, because it’s it, you know, obviously I was wrong. And the reason I was wrong is because you guys are so much more valuable than putting the listing on the MLS. In fact, that’s probably the least valuable thing you do, right? I mean, anybody can do that. But what the part that buyers and sellers need help with is like the other 99%, that can’t be automated and can’t be streamlined. And that’s where yeah,
Sophia Klopas 32:33
don’t give away your your, your go into a listing appointment, I don’t tell them off the bat, you need to do X, Y, and Z, and I’m gonna give you the pricing and all of the comps because then they can do that, like, my, my knowledge and my experience is worth something. And you know, like Jason and I will go into this, I don’t go in and just say here, I mean, unless it’s unless it’s a repeat client, you know, that’s a different story. But going and cold, I don’t, you know, I don’t give the milk away for free. I don’t do any of that until I actually you’ve decided you want to work with me. Like, I’m not going to buy a listing, which is basically when you you know, you say okay, we can list it for this, which is a ridiculous price.
Jason Stratton 33:16
Because the price is right when the price right is what it is. We are
Sophia Klopas 33:20
service, right. So we know, I don’t even like to talk about the price.
Jason Stratton 33:24
I mean, it can be $1 Give me 100 million, it’s irrelevant, you know, hey, listen, this is what you know, because at the end of the day, the owner is going to price their place where they want to price it. And then you can say, You know what, this is a waste of my time and money because it costs 1000s of dollars to listen writers and you’re writing it right? So it’s irrelevant. It’s you know, it’s it’s not worth take.
D.J. Paris 33:46
I was I was at an event, a year, a year, about a year ago and in New York, and they had the most successful realtor in the country. And I forget his name, he’s on a TV show as well. But he’s out and then so he’s out in Silicon Valley. And he said, you know, we were he we were talking or he was talking to the audience about what like what he does that’s so unique. Why is he so much more successful in his average sales, like God knows, I think it’s like $8 million, something incredible. And he said, well, on day two of each listing, he goes you can’t just put this these on the MLS and they sell like that’s not how it works at that price point. He said the MLS is almost irrelevant, you know, and he said, but on day two, I’ve spent 30 grand of my own money marketing this property because I know what I’m doing like people pay me a huge amount of money to sell these incredible homes because I put my own money and invest in you guys were just mentioning you spend money to and we know what we’re doing so that’s why and that’s what separates you from from somebody just putting it up on the MLS right.
Sophia Klopas 34:50
Listening to and you spend your I mean, what other there are very few professions where you actually potentially are working for free. Like you don’t get paid unless it sells. So to take a listing and spend all of that money, and we’re really talking about listings a lot here, but you take the listing and you spend all that money, you’re not going to do it on something, you don’t have the confidence in that it’s,
D.J. Paris 35:15
well, I admire your your both of your tenacity and persistence in your values and in how you guys run your business. And I love that you walk away. Hopefully, you don’t have to do that that often. But I’m sure you know, like you said, it happens. And you guys are confident enough that there’s enough business out there to be able to walk away from, you know,
Jason Stratton 35:35
they’re always right. So and, you know, I will tell you, like, I know, I know, when we Sofia, and I will have like a bad client, or we feel like we’re having a bad client, we’ll call each other. And she’ll be like, because we just did that recently recently announced, like, don’t take the listing. Here’s the problem is that time sucks. And I’m not talking. Not intentionally, yeah, emotional. So like, don’t get I’m saying it the wrong way. Like, it will, you know, a $20,000 commission from from just a rock your rice and will cost you 40. Because you’re not out there, and you’re not lively, you’re not you don’t have you’re skipping your jump, you don’t have anything because this person is beating you down, and it affects everything else. Like when you I will Sofia and I have all been there, but I’m telling you, as a new agent, don’t be afraid to fire somebody and walk away, and I’m telling you the next day, you’re gonna be like, I fired this person, I’m gonna pick up three other listings or two other clients, and I’m gonna be happy about it. And it’s going to alloy and remember that place. And I could say something else, too. I had a really, I had my financial advisor at one time was talking to me, who actually used to trade for me. So we’ve been knowing each other since we were, like 25 years. And one time I was I don’t know what I was doing something. I think I was like making high keys or something, whatever. And he said, he said, he said I had a one guy I had a guy once when I was training, who said to me figure out what this is great for us figure out what you make a writer. Yep, figure out the hours that you can make any set and any task that’s beneath that hourly wage. Yeah, delegate
D.J. Paris 37:28
it, if it needs to be done, find someone else to do it cheaper. Right, your service,
Jason Stratton 37:34
whatever, and stay focused to making money, like your hours should be focused on that hourly rate, not on a $10 task. It was one of the greatest things that someone said to me like four or five years ago
D.J. Paris 37:47
well and I think everyone listening whether they’re new brokers, existing brokers, even top one percenters, like yourselves, we all can always readjust and go you know, I just spent two hours doing this particular task that I could have outsourced or I could have had someone else in the office do and or just isn’t worth doing at all. And to be able to walk away from that it’s tough because we like to be able to get things done and do things it’s okay to to walk away
Jason Stratton 38:14
yeah, I think that’s I think that’s that was that and I think another thing that we learned I know we’re running short on time I think another I could tell you another thing is it’s hard to say this when you’re when you’re early agent you’ll take a listing because I did it you know and kingdom come you know wherever there’s a client I will be there at some point that hour and a half you’re driving is costing you way more than that commission check you’re getting at some point you have to become hyper local.
D.J. Paris 38:46
Yeah, I mean unless you’re moving there next year. Yes, probably not not the best idea but yeah fine. And also by the way, you can’t possibly know that that area as well as your own targeted you know area that you work most of the time right like how much value are you even really providing if if you don’t really do business out there
Jason Stratton 39:08
aerc Set Status down I want to say
Sophia Klopas 39:11
she was our broker
Jason Stratton 39:13
Yeah, I like like the three the three times that we had the hugest jumps in our in our you know in our production where the dropping oh a one in weeded out everybody and then the cream right the people that wanted to work no rice the top the second for me was was delegating and getting an assistant and the third which doubled our production was becoming hyperlocal.
D.J. Paris 39:38
Yeah, that’s boy, I think that is a great place to end because those are three really, really great, great points that we that I want the listeners again, no matter what level of production you’re at top producer to, you know to brand new. Those are those are great things and also I want to make sure a couple of things to finish up on Sofia and Jason do have a team and if you’re looking to work with a team like this, if you’re a broker, you’re listening, and you say, Boy, I’m not really getting this kind of support or service or these these two sounds really cool. And I want to work for a team like that. What’s the best way that a broker or even or if a buyer or a seller or renter and investor is like, hey, I need a new broker and I want to work with with the Copa Stratton team, what’s the best way that you know that people can reach out to you guys?
Sophia Klopas 40:26
Email in s? My first initial my last name s clo class at Kane, egg rube Lof. Are you bloff.com? Or sell 312-927-0334
Jason Stratton 40:46
Awesome and follow us on Instagram yet? Well, yeah.
D.J. Paris 40:51
Yes, club Australian underscore team, we will put a link to that by the way, they have an a fantastic Instagram account. And for those regular listeners, you know, we have Carrie McCormack on every month and Carrie McCormick has an incredible Instagram and she follows these guys. So she follows they must be doing something really cool. And I follow them to they’re actually very, really cool Instagram. But please, and you can also contact them directly through their website, which is closest stratton.com We’ll put a link to that in the notes as well. But I think I think we covered it all. Really, I mean, this was great. And so I want to just think first of I want to thank the listeners for for you know, sticking around for another episode. This is certainly one of my favorites that we’ve done. But also I want to thank of course Sophia and Jason, you know of the Clovis Stratton team and and it really you know, we were so honored. This is Gosh 80 Something episodes in that these top one percenters who are too busy to do the show. Find the time to do it as a way to give back to the real estate community. We’re so honored that they do and and it was fun to and so guys, thank you so much. We really appreciate it.
Sophia Klopas 41:57
Thank you have a good one. I
D.J. Paris 41:58
will see everyone on the next episode. So thanks
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