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Stay Modern With Murray
Welcome to the Stay Modern with Murray Podcast, your go-to source for the latest trends and insider tips in the homebuilding industry. Each episode, we delve into the dynamic realms of design and construction, providing valuable insights that can elevate your understanding and approach to building and renovating homes.
But we don’t stop there! We go beyond mere construction topics to engage with influential figures such as business owners, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. These conversations highlight the experiences and expertise of those who are making significant impacts in their respective fields. Here, you will discover not only innovative ideas and practices within homebuilding but also inspirational stories that showcase leadership and creativity in action.
Whether you're a homeowner, a potential builder, or simply interested in the housing industry, our podcast will offer a wealth of knowledge and inspiration. Join us as we explore the intersection of home construction and the vibrant discussions that can help shape the future of your projects. Tune in to enrich your understanding and spark new ideas in homebuilding, design, and business leadership!
Please tune in to hear from industry experts, non-profits, and local business leaders shaping our world. Visit our website at www.murraycustomhomes.com/podcast for more information and to catch the latest episodes. Subscribe today and stay modern with Murray!
Stay Modern With Murray
Jenna Ferris's Bold Path in Real Estate
PART 1.
Join us on location at Kate Martin's where we talk real estate and business with our special guest, Jenna Ferris of Ferris Realty Group. Originally helmed by the spirited Irish immigrant Kate Martin in the 1800s, this venue has evolved into an iconic local hotspot, brimming with stories and charm. Kate Martin's very own shares the remarkable transformation of this establishment, which, even amidst the challenges of the pandemic, has retained its historic essence and community connection. Listen as we explore the delightful contrasts between the sophisticated craft cocktails of Kate Martin and the laid-back vibes of Occidental, all while honoring its team's camaraderie and heritage-loving spirit.
Switching gears, Through this engaging conversation, we celebrate the powerful bonds that shape our paths, including the pivotal influence of Susan Ferris, a mentor who significantly impacted Matt's career journey. This personal connection is a testament to the profound importance of relationships in crafting our life stories.
Finally, we explore Jenna Ferris's dynamic path through the world of real estate, a journey marked by determination, family ties, and a touch of innovation. Jenna's perseverance sees her excel in the industry, building a client-focused team driven by collaboration and integrity. Her story highlights the need for professionalism and accountability. As we celebrate Jenna's remarkable success, we also revel in the excitement of her brother's engagement and the vibrant family dynamics that fuel her journey. Join us for an episode rich in history, heartfelt connections, and inspiring career stories.
Thank you for joining us on this episode of Stay Modern with Murray. Today we're actually in Kate Martin, we're actually here on site with Jenna Ferris of Ferris Realty Group, but first we wanted to just talk with Devin a little bit about this unique location. So I've actually been to Occidental quite a few times. My brother and his fiancee, Michelle have affinity for that place. They either go there before they go out to eat or they go out to eat and then go there, but they usually always end up there somehow.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, nice little hidden gem, especially Occidental. You know, being in that back alley, you know Cape Martin, we're just kind of hidden in plain sight. You know there's no signage really that shows you where we are, except for the vacancy sign, and you know it's always fun to watch people try to look for the place and they're searching on their phones. You get a nice little viewing window out here to see everybody. People watch a little bit I kind of jumped over it.
Speaker 1:Tell us a little bit about the location, your history, everything. It's kind of unique.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we've been here for a little over four years going on five years. We opened up January of 2020. Great time to open up. Just got the ball rolling a little bit Then I had to shut down for COVID and everything, but we're still here. You know we've got a lot of great people that have been coming in supporting us. You know, even through pandemic, and you know we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all you guys.
Speaker 2:But, yeah, so this place actually was a saloon called the Occidental Saloon back in 1890. It was managed and ran by Kate Martin herself. That's is uh, managed and ran by kate martin herself. That's awesome, uh, yeah, so she was an irish immigrant. She came to nebraska in about 1867 when she was about 23 years old, uh, got married to her first husband and they owned, uh, the saint charles hotel, where wax buffalo is right now. It was a three-story hotel with about 30 different rooms in it. Uh, the original bar was actually in the basement.
Speaker 2:Nice, yeah, they kept getting in trouble with the law for selling booze on Sundays. Couldn't do it back then. So, to compromise, actually, where we're sitting at, it used to be just an alleyway. So, to compromise, they put a roof on it, sealed it up and made it the Occidental Saloon. That's crazy. We all love our history. My grandpa was a history teacher. Keith loves his history. One of the owners, even an adult, jay was a teacher. We just love the history. So that's why we kept the namesake of Kate Martins. She was one of the first female proprietors in Lincoln and then we wanted to keep that namesake and then keep the namesake of the Occidental as well.
Speaker 1:So yeah, yeah's awesome history. It's funny how the irish always seem to stumble into alcohol. I'm an irish so I think irish alcohol it always my last name is neil I'm definitely irish well, no, that's awesome. So have you been here since 2020? Uh?
Speaker 2:yeah, I came in right after we reopened the first time.
Speaker 1:So yeah, I've been here since 2020 how'd you get, did you know the owners or how'd you stumble upon it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've worked with them at previous bars. Uh, and you know it's kind of funny. Keith and Jay I've known Jay for about 25 years. His cousins grew up with the same high school as me. Uh, keith and his Keith's mom actually taught in adjacent classrooms with my grandpa for years and years up in North Fork.
Speaker 1:So yeah, so you're essentially in one building Yep. You got Cape Martin facing north, yep, right and to the meters. And then you got Occidental on the south, on the south side, yep Alley, so to speak. Is that what you call?
Speaker 2:it yeah, yep, the back alley by the Schwartz building yeah.
Speaker 1:And you know, if our listeners know that Tom, we got Tom here watching me. We got his Tomahawks right to the gosh, right to the east, just a couple doors down. So yeah, just walk to Tomahawks and then stumble to your west a little bit and come in for some drinks.
Speaker 2:Or vice versa.
Speaker 1:you know, Sometimes you do both, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you got to get that liquid courage.
Speaker 1:There you go. But so, Kate, give us the difference between Kate Martin and Occidental Kate Martin. We got crafted cocktails that are reading through your book here. It's awesome.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So, kate Martin, you know we focus on craft cocktails. We've got a couple of wines, but you know, no beer. Focus on the craft cocktails. All of our cocktails are named after famous Nebraskans. That's awesome. Either dead or alive Our fall menu. Right now we're doing bands, indie bands, out of Nebraska. So we've got Cherub, we've got Cursive, bright Eyes, just trying to find something new. Give everybody a little bit of that Nebraska love. Did I see a Bud Crawford in there? Oh yeah, of course.
Speaker 1:How long has that been in there?
Speaker 2:Oh, for the whole time Since we opened. He's always been on there. He's one of our favorites. One hell of a guy.
Speaker 1:He just gets overlooked so much as far as one of the premier athletes in the world.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely. I mean pound for pound. He's got to be one of the best fighters to ever fight. I could take him.
Speaker 1:I was kidding.
Speaker 2:I said that one time and I woke up.
Speaker 1:Remove that from the air if he's going to listen.
Speaker 2:I'm texting him right now. So if he's going to listen, I'm texting him right now. So, yes, focus up on the craft cocktail side up here, and then you know Occidental. It's more neighborhood. You know local bar beers, shots. They've got a dartboard, a couple TVs, moscow mules with handle, bend copper mugs out of O'Neill no way, really, oh yeah, that is so cool.
Speaker 1:That is so cool. Yeah, the ones from o'neill. So I have a really good buddy tyler hipkey, that's from o'neill. Okay, that uh lived in lincoln, moved back to o'neill to stay with his family a little bit while he was going to school, invited me back there for the saint patrick's.
Speaker 2:Oh, what a great time.
Speaker 1:And they have a huge thing and he was working for that company that makes the mugs. That's what he did all day. Yep, yeah, he was saying for that company that makes the mugs. That's what he did all day. Yeah, he was saying they were like $100, $150 a pop, but he said I literally hand make them. Yep, they're cool.
Speaker 2:Yep, they're so cool, it's always a good time, yeah. And then he said Occidental, more beer, all canned beer. And then they got a nice outdoor area, dartboard TVs. I like to call it like a little hipster dive bar, where it's a dive bar but it's a classy dive bar.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, I like it Well, devin. Thank you, We'll let you get back to serving everybody here.
Speaker 2:Thank you for opening this Thank you for the Murray crew.
Speaker 1:We're all Irish man, but no, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Thank you for opening. Jenna Matt Welcome, Thank you. You know what I just thought about while you were sitting here staring at me. I was like she probably thinks I suck because you come from this world.
Speaker 3:I do. I did have a radio show. I do frequently do radio, yeah, but I'd like to encourage you and not knock you down. Today it's a Friday, the weather's lovely.
Speaker 1:So once the air shuts off, you suck no.
Speaker 3:I'm proud of you. It's like karaoke, right. So I sing. A lot of people don't sing well when they go to karaoke, but are you having fun? That's all I care about, that's all it matters. And I love this building because my office is in this building, so between occidental and kate martin and tomahawks, literally I just I just bounce around. So if you ever want to find me, this is this is, this is my. Do you have a cotton back? A what?
Speaker 1:A cot like a little bunk bed.
Speaker 3:Oh, a cot in back I thought he said a cotton back and I said I have no idea what that means, matt. So I don't know if I should answer yes to look cool or no, because I have no idea what that means.
Speaker 1:No, but let's start over, I do look good, just pouch. Tell us about yourself yourself, personally, professionally, where you're from. I know you have a cool story, so let me. Let me. Let me start real fast, okay, so I've had your mom on, yeah.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, you have yeah.
Speaker 1:Yes, I've had her on and I mentioned her in about every other episode, if not every episode.
Speaker 3:Listen, she's good yeah.
Speaker 1:She is so because, just I've said it before, if you guys heard, susan Ferris was my first experience with probably a realtor as a builder. She sold my first house and became my mentor for the next 17, 18 years, and so I talk a lot about her. She's my confidant whenever I'm going to make a big financial decision, and I could go on and on.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And so then I met you.
Speaker 3:Yeah. We're kind of like brother and sister. Now because of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, really. And so, yeah, take it from there. So I just wanted to kind of give an introduction to our listeners of how you fit into this whole puzzle.
Speaker 3:Yeah for sure. So I went to high school in Lincoln and then I left and I'm one of the people I'm one of the very few that I know from my high school that left and I left for almost 15 years. So I went everywhere, I did everything. My wonderful parents were so supportive because, I swear to you, they have no idea what to do with me To this day. We have limited things in common, but they're so supportive and they always felt like, jenna, you should go and try the things and see the places and meet the people and live wherever you want. Want.
Speaker 3:And I really appreciated that because after I had done all those things and lived in Orlando, st Louis, nashville, new York, like all these places, I still chose to come back and I never thought that I would do that ever and I have three brothers and they won't come back and that's my only fight in life with them, but whatever. But I came back because after I had gone a bunch of places, I was a touring artist, I was a tour manager, I worked for Apple's business development team in Manhattan, I worked for luxury retail. Anyway, I've just done a huge diverse spectrum of things, but after I was leaving Nashville. I really thought you know what my mom has done such an incredible job and I think that I would really like to come back to Lincoln and work with her and the person my significant other at the time. He was all for coming to Lincoln, which was interesting because he was a Florida boy.
Speaker 3:So, I really didn't expect that. But when I first called her and I said, hey, mom, I want to come home to Lincoln and sell real estate with you, she said absolutely not. She flat out told me Nope, that's a terrible idea, you should not do that, you should not come here. And I had to take a second. And then I said, oh, okay, well, why? And she, just because of how close she and I are, she had never wanted to have the pressure of am I going to make sure that Jenna has a paycheck, because real estate is so unpredictable at times. Right, the market is always changing and you never know if you're going to be able to support your family. And I was trying to start a family and she just felt like I needed a lot more stability than that. And I thought about it for I don't know, probably like 24 hours, and I called her back and I said well, here's the thing. I'm going to move to Lincoln, I'm going to do real estate. I can either come and do it with you or I will do it elsewhere and be your competitor, but that would never happen. So, uh, so that's what I did I moved to Nash or I moved from Nashville here, and in the mornings I did the radio morning show at froggy 98 and had a great time doing that.
Speaker 3:And then I would go all day from nine to six every day. I worked at STEM gallery, which is a floral and gift shop, and then after that I would go to real estate classes and then after that at night I would do all of my mom's marketing things. So I mean, it was like a and I had to wake up at like 4.45 in the morning every day. So I'm 4.45 in the morning until nine or 10 at night, but that's what I had to do to get my license, and I got my license in July of 2016. And yeah, you know.
Speaker 3:So now I've done this for eight years and it's been very interesting. Of all the different things that I've done, I really think it has prepared me so well for real estate, because every single transaction is so different. You have to be nothing but a problem solver, and I tell people all day long I don't sell anything, I just manage personalities, I manage expectations and I fix problems. That is the true breakdown or job description of what we do. And you know, beyond that, I've now put together just an incredible team and I really like what I do now I the only piece of it that I miss is the creativity part, because as a singer and a performer, there really isn't an opportunity to be singing in houses or you know, but you still do right with 402?
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, so a couple of different local bands, but, yeah, lots of cover bands, lots of things like that. I've recorded a bunch of things. I still travel to do music and consult on music projects and, yeah, my little brother's in Nashville, and so music will always be a part of my life and it does pay me. It just can't pay all of my bills because I have a super expensive dog to support. So anyway, Sidebar.
Speaker 1:When we took the company to Nashville, didn't we tour A facility with your brother?
Speaker 3:Probably Jackalope Brewing. Yes, yes, yeah.
Speaker 1:He gave us a tour of the plant. It was awesome.
Speaker 3:Oh, he's so great. His name is Grant.
Speaker 1:And if you ever go to Nashville.
Speaker 3:He works at Jackalope, which is a really cool brewing facility, and he's a professional guitarist there, and he just got engaged this past weekend Awesome, so yeah. So I'm pretty pumped about that for him and I really like his fiance, which is awesome, because I can't imagine if I didn't.
Speaker 1:You couldn't say, if you didn't though.
Speaker 3:I probably would, you probably would, I probably wouldn't on a podcast, but there's no way my brother wouldn't know that up front. So anyway, you know what?
Speaker 1:sucks, though, is okay. This sounds morbid, hit me with. You usually start out liking all of your in-laws and then like, slowly over time I don't know if it's they start to not like us, or the other way around Right, like.
Speaker 3:I don't, I haven't experienced that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it happens in real life.
Speaker 3:So okay, so let me say I have three brothers, two older and one younger, and my whole life I just wanted a sister, like my whole life. And so I think my oldest brother was seriously dating his wife when I was about 16. So I now have had these women in my life for an extended period of time. And my little brother he's the youngest and he'll be 37 when he gets married, so she's coming into our lives later. But yeah, I don't know. I should say I feel very fortunate.
Speaker 1:The other reason I mentioned, that is, I think that it's not, not like it's the pulling in different directions Once you get kids and it's we're going to do this for Thanksgiving. No, we need to do this. And then it's like the in-laws are kind of like well, my family's just as important as your family and we want Thanksgiving at our house. And then you get this multiple personalities in the same room and it gets a little tricky once in a while to manage.
Speaker 3:But I think that's probably with all family dynamics. I could imagine that, yeah, but no, we've been super fortunate, very, very blessed, and I don't have kids, so I don't have to do the, you know, the back and forth. I just really have my dog and he goes where I go, so that works out for me, the kids make it tough because-. I would think so.
Speaker 1:I'm so easy. It's like I wouldn't give a shit what I did. But when you have kids, it's like, well, this kid would really like to go do this and you have to stick up for them. And then this kid would really like. And then it's different traditions.
Speaker 3:So, like my family for Christmas, we spend the entire day in our pajamas, not joking. The entire day. My mom makes this awesome Christmas dinner, or you know, we get pancakes for breakfast, but every meal, all the things served on China all day long in our pajamas and bathrobes. We have a bathrobe bowl. We play football in our pajamas. And for Thanksgiving we wear track suits, so I call it tracksuit turducken day, because there's usually a turducken and you have to wear a tracksuit to get admitted into.
Speaker 3:Thanksgiving. But yes, everybody has their own traditions and I can imagine kids have opinions and therefore in-laws do so bless you.
Speaker 1:So, ferris Realty Group, did it come about? To be honest, I don't even know. Did it come about because you were going to join your mom's team, or did she have it already?
Speaker 3:She did. I love that. You are a part of it and did not know that I know.
Speaker 3:I didn't know when it started, I haven't done my job, okay. So my mom got her license in 2008 and she started at a different brokerage and cause we're at Remax now, right, and she had just a couple different people in and out that she partnered with and things like that, but it ended up that she had more work than she could handle. So then she started at the very beginning of when people started real estate teams Cause that's not, that's a newer concept right In the last decade or so. So then she started investigating how do I put different people, how do I partner with them? Are they just going to cover for me when I'm on vacation seeing grandkids, or are we going to be a general partnership?
Speaker 3:And, truthfully, she had really great people she worked with, but I don't think the solidifying of a team structure came along until I did, and so we've had just a little bit of. We've had two different people that have come in and out since I've been an agent, but now our team is up to 10 people, and so that, to me, is really a testament to what she started, right? I tell people all the time yes, I have a lot of success and it is because I was taught by the best. I very frequently get people who think that I don't work and they think, oh, it's just all your mom's work. And I just think to myself do you know? She's in Canada, she's not even in the country.
Speaker 1:She's playing with grandkids.
Speaker 3:Yeah, but I would never downplay how much her mentorship, her education, influenced me. So when I was, you know, two years in, there would be agents that I met that had had a license for the same amount of time, but they had maybe 20 deals behind them and I had 250 deals. And that's only because every single deal she took I got to be a part of, like a fly on the wall, I got to learn everything. Yeah, there is no better way in real estate. You, you can't read contracts and learn. You can't read contracts and learn. You can't see houses and learn. You have to go through the process of what does a transaction look like.
Speaker 3:And so Ferris Realty Group now exists at Remax Concepts, which is a local real estate branch of Remax. And what I think is most unique about our team is we have 10 different people. One of them is a full-time licensed assistant, but everybody else is an agent. But everybody does something different, right? So, like for you, example, you are the team resident that you do building, you do roofing, you can do renovations, restorations. So when we have you said, oh, inspections, inspections.
Speaker 1:Yeah, hey, tori Shout out.
Speaker 3:Tori, but all right. So you have such avenues in terms of, like, the vendor side, the construction side. But then we also have people who they own thousands of acres of farm ground, right. So if you have ag land needs, we've got you covered. If you are somebody who wants to navigate a VA loan, we have a vet on our team. We have a person who's done million dollar home buildings and renovations herself. We have people who've done luxury, people who have investments Adam Watson yeah, I've got Adam in Omaha who just strictly does investment, commercial and development. We just added a new commercial agent in Lincoln.
Speaker 3:So what I appreciate most about our team is we don't have people who are most worried about just the money. We have people who are worried about what's the client experience? And if I'm not the best person to serve you, who else on our team is more experienced than I am in that lane? Because you and I both know you can have a client that says, hey, matt, I want to do a custom build with Murray Custom Homes and I'm going to build a million dollar house.
Speaker 3:Well, then when they transition and say, hey, I also have a need to do a new commercial building, well, even though you own a commercial building for Murray, that doesn't mean that you know how to go find it, how to get it, how to search it on the MLS. You weren't having conversations all day with commercial agents who are able to give you that insider information, so logically we would pass it off to another person in our team. But what I like most is everybody's just truly worried about taking care of the client. And how can we do that better than somebody else If we just keep them in the same ecosphere? Less balls get dropped.
Speaker 1:We have a lot of clients that come to us that are going to build with us, that have a house to sell, sure, and so they they trust in Murray, they've signed with Murray, so why not help them with all the facilities that we have at our disposal? And so I take them in and I do exactly what you just said. We say who on our team can best serve this client. Is it a 250 to 350? Is it a 550, 750? Yeah, it is cool how we have kind of our own lanes, and it feels good that. It reminds me of my olden days when I didn't know, anything about, because we're how old, don't tell anybody.
Speaker 1:Yeah, when I didn't know anything about roofing Sure, and I was just a yes man, of course I can do that. Can you do metal Absolutely? And I didn't know I'll figure it out. I know I don't have to do that anymore, Like when people come to me and they're like we have this special house in this neighborhood. Can you do it? I'm like our team can do it, Not me personally, but I'll find you the person that can do it.
Speaker 3:Well, and there's so much value in that because, truly, at the end of the day, you know it's like when I bring a client into you to the Murray office and we make that initial appointment and we talk about why Murray? Well, I'm not officially a part of Murray, but I know love, trust and am invested in Murray, right, so I can honestly sit in front of a buyer and say, if you put the same blueprints in front of 10 different builders, you're probably going to get, you know, relatively the same product in terms of just like layout and things like that. Maybe the quality is different tiles, different things like that. But at the end of the day, who do you want to go through that process with? You want it to be somebody who answers the phone. You want it to be somebody that you know genuinely cares.
Speaker 3:So, above everything else, what I believe everyone on our team has that sounds crazy to say is unique, but I really do believe everybody on our team cares and you can't teach that, right, you can't teach that, you can't model that. It is something that people innately have or they don't. And I also appreciate that everybody on our team is not a know-it-all and is very much so, hey, I want to learn, because if I'm learning about new construction, if I'm learning about renovation, if I'm learning about the value of ag land, I'm able to answer questions better and be taken more seriously from the jump.
Speaker 1:Sometimes it gets brought to my attention about how we I think we overlook. It doesn't sound like you do, but I overlook how good of people we have and how honest we are. Even just the other day we got into a conversation with a couple about just expectations and we document everything on BuilderTrend. It's timestamped.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And they were asking why do you feel like you have to keep bringing that up? And it's like because there's other people out there that aren't honest, Sure, and we hate the. He said. She said, Sure, but it brings me. The only reason I mentioned that is their conversation that we had a little bit earlier where, um, it seems like it's a very divisive conversation online with the real estate changes because of the unethical people that we have in any industry and the uneducated people that we have in any industry and the uneducated people that we have.
Speaker 3:That scares me more than anything, matt. I feel as though there are a lot of people who have a real estate license, who claim to work in real estate as an agent very frequently, but they could not sit down and explain to you what are new policies, what are new laws, what are new rules, what are the new policies, what are new laws, what are new rules, what are the new documents? And that, to me, is something that I think is so important when serving a person to the best of our ability. Right? I tell people all the time it really doesn't matter if you have $100,000 to spend or $5 million to spend. Your money is no less important to you and you're probably spending an amount that may or may not be comfortable to you, but you can't be confident in what you're spending without feeling confident in your decision, and that only comes from education. That's it.
Speaker 3:So people laugh at me, but when you come to a buyer's meeting with me, I legitimately have like an agenda, I have forms, I have physical paperwork and things that go home with you, very similar to how you do it at Murray and people think that's such a waste. They're like just go digital, no, because you know what? There's a lot of people in our generation, right? So I'm 39. People that are in their thirties and above I thank you so much for saying that.
Speaker 3:It's fine, I'm going to breathe, but anyway I digress. They really do like having like a physical checklist, they like the visual of it, they like a piece of paper they can put on their refrigerator with. Here's Jenna's 97 steps that you have to take. But that's how you'll get the most money. Because the other thing is people always assume that in a real estate transaction that what people want most is every penny possible. That is not real at all.
Speaker 3:There's a lot of people I'm not saying the money doesn't matter to them, but to some people there are other things of more or higher value. So some people want I just want it sold as fast as possible, jenna, because I've got a job and I've got to go. Or we're getting a divorce, we have to get out of this house, or, jenna, I'm so stressed out because this is an estate and I didn't know my person, my significant other, my parent was dying and I just can't emotionally deal with it. Just get it done. I don't want to touch it, I don't want to clear out their things, I don't want to put a price on it. You just tell me what's fair and just sell it.
Speaker 3:So sometimes it's really not about the dollar amount. But without being able to say I'm a creative problem solver and I'm the person who's willing to take the time to have that conversation, I'm never going to know what's most important to them without explaining here are your options. And when you give people options, they feel so much more supported and they feel so much more peace, because then they don't get to the other side of the transaction and feel like, oh shit, I didn't know that I could have done it this way. Jenna never told me, so that's why I focus a lot more on the upfront. Let's educate you on what you can do so you can feel really good about what you did do.
Speaker 1:Yep, so do you have? I was thinking about this while you were talking because of our conversation earlier. We talked a little bit about a topic we're going to talk about towards the end of this latter portion because it might take a little bit of time about some new changes that came about in the real estate world. That seems like it's not maybe that big of a deal in our local market because everybody's adapting really well and because of the way that we had already implemented rules.
Speaker 3:It's just media has blown up Media. Who is uneducated about our world has spun a lot of negative media about it.
Speaker 1:And online. The only forums that I follow are just in complete turmoil about it. But I'm wondering, if it brings a thought to my mind, of wondering if you have any similar feelings or thoughts like I have. I find myself on the opposite side of the coin with real estate, as to where I am, with building Sure, because in the building industry, you know, I've been around long time, for 17 years, and not just that, but it's, it's everything I live and breathe. For sure, I mean it's, I have you know, between all the companies we have 20 employees and For sure I mean it's, I have you know, between all the companies we have 20 employees. And so, without the income from custom homes, not only myself and my wife and my kids, but 20 families would suffer, which, like would be affected, and so and I know you take that really seriously, yeah, which is why my number of 10.
Speaker 3:I'm choking at but it, but it is good for us to hold one another accountable as business owners.
Speaker 1:So I get that, and so, in that regard, I look at it like I have everything invested, all my chips are in the center, for sure, right. And so I can speak about it in different terms than I can. Real estate, because real estate, obviously I got it because of the industry that I'm in, et cetera, and I can't lie and say that I'm a full-time realtor. I'm a full-time realtor, I'm a full-time builder, and so when I talk about real estate, I'm a little bit anxious about it, because I'm from the outside, looking in, I feel like I'm an outsider, and so I also have that in the back of my head where I'm like well, are they listening to me speak as a builder or a realtor? Because it could come off in a completely wrong tone if they took the wrong perception. Yeah, but do you feel like that at all? And the only reason I mention that is the perception of these changes that came out. If you looked at it through one lens, it could be one way and the other lens could be the other way. But the only reason I mention that is because you have part-time builders in town that can make us look really bad.
Speaker 1:Not naming names, it's true, you know. Not naming names. It's true. I mean, if you're a part-time builder and it's not your lifeblood, it's not your livelihood, you have no employees, sure, and if you can build one house and do a shitty job at it and still make $30,000, $40,000 a year, you're doing really good. Yeah, you know you don't have a lot to lose. So your avenues, your processes, everything's a little bit different, right, and when we're being compared with them, it's just hard not to speak up. Yeah, like I said, we're all in here. Yep, I mean, this is everything we've been doing, everything we are doing. And so I find myself noticing that in the realtor community, where you have people like you, like your mom, that are all in, like I've just described, then you also have the other part of it, which I'm kind of part of right, but I do a really good job of trying to stay educated and do the right thing, but you do have the other portion of it that are probably part of the problem.
Speaker 3:So it's interesting you say that because 10 days ago I had a super sweet couple and I've done business with them and their family members for eight years I mean we're probably 15 transactions in and they asked me to write a contract on a house. We got it and it was contingent upon them selling their house here in Lincoln and we went through the process. I helped them know here's how we need to present it so you can get the highest dollar in the fastest time, so we can then move on to the next house. Well, they happen to have a friend who is in a real estate adjacent business who has done two transactions in his entirety right, his entire time of doing real estate, two in total in multiple years. And he told them I had no idea what I was talking about. He did because he's best friends with Mr Seller or he was my Mr Buyer, told them I obviously knew nothing of the market, did not know anything about their property, mind you, I had put them in their property, all these things, and I just thought it so interesting and I flat out asked they are my friends, they're my clients, but they're also my friends. I said did he show you any comps? Did he show you any information that negated all of the comps and data that I showed you? And they said, well, no, but he has made us so frantic and so panicked all day we're not even excited anymore.
Speaker 3:And they backed out of their deal. They did, and that's fine. It really is fine because they have a young child. I mean, he's probably 14 months old and it became a lot of stress and truly it doesn't bother me. The part that bothers me is this person who has no real estate business genuinely none that you can respect as a full-time agent or as an educated agent. Right, I had shown them real comps, real data, real time. I had walked through their property, we had evaluated it. We didn't make these numbers up, they didn't come out of nowhere, we didn't make that decision lightly and he was able to single-handedly destroy their joy in the process, and I am bitter about it because I feel like, if you're their friend, yes, you have a relationship with them. However, they have done enough real estate deals with me to know this is my full-time job. They have done enough real estate deals with me to know this is my full-time job. This is, you said, what they literally have done more than him. No, that's exactly correct, and I felt Good input, Shannon.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I just Pod God over there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, pod God. Oh, I like that. I'll be hot thunder in your phone and your Pod God in mine. I love it. Don't even edit that out, that's the best, but anyway.
Speaker 3:But my point is there are a lot of people who have a license that don't do enough to stay relevant or updated, and I respect that because your world, 99% of it, is on the builder side. You also tried to go ahead and be a better builder with a better understanding of our industry, which is why you got a license. There's a lot of people who would go above and beyond Instead of just having a bachelor's. Let me get my master's, let me get my PhD. So for you, I don't see it as you're faking anything. I don't see it as you're spreading yourself too thin.
Speaker 3:I really have seen it as Matt is trying to legitimize even further the value of our relationship, the value of what he can also provide to a buyer or a seller. Because when somebody comes in, like you said, as a buyer to you, inevitably they almost always have something to sell, and if it's in the same appointment and you can give them education, that adds value to the process. That's the whole freaking point. Right Is to add value to people's lives. That is my purpose, that is your purpose in life, and in business.
Speaker 1:I definitely, definitely, did it to be a value add. Yeah, just not because I trust myself. Just the people I've surrounded myself with Everybody, surrounded myself with Everybody, it's just everybody. Like you said, I sometimes take for granted how honest, trustworthy and amazing the people that we've surrounded ourselves with.
Speaker 3:Which truly is like an absolute, foundational must for anyone on our team, right? People have looked at me and said things like oh, are you trying to build this huge empire? I don't care about that at all. I really do feel like I've never cared about us having a big team. I care about us having the right team, and I think you operate very similarly at Murray. You just have to have the right fit.
Speaker 1:But no guys. Thank you for joining us on the Stay Modern with Murray podcast. I appreciate everyone's support. Look forward to the next episode. Thank you, guys, Appreciate it.
