Keeping It Real Podcast • Secrets Of Top 1% REALTORS ® • Interviews With Real Estate Brokers & Agents

Stuart Jacobson and Marina Jacobson are a powerhouse team in both real estate and life. As top producers for Berkshire Hathaway, they have shown a willingness to give their clients 100% of their energy, attention, and focus. Their skills compliment each other and this interview showcases their personalities and why they’re consistently attracting new clients and getting referrals. Stuart and Marina share their exact strategies for building their business and offer amazing suggestions for brokers looking to deepen relationships with their clients. Contact Stuart and Marina Jacobson at 847-361-5605 or MJacobson@KoenigRubloff.com. To learn about Stu’s passion for helping children check out Be Kind Be Positive And Read.    

Welcome to the next episode of our monthly feature, Investor Insights! Each month, top 1% producer Eric Workman provides information that real estate brokers need to know about working with investors. In this episode Eric goes through the EXACT calculations he personally uses (and has used for thousands of investments) to determine whether a flip or buy-and-hold opportunity meets his ROI (return on investment) requirements. You can use the same methodology with your investor clients or for your own investment opportunities! Download the calculation worksheet referenced in the podcast by clicking here! Please let us know which investment topics you would like covered in future episodes! Eric Workman can be reached at 630-408-5582 and eric@renovofinancial.com.

Caryn Prall oversees 800 brokers at Keller Williams, many of them top producers. She has incredible access to the most successful brokers in the Chicagoland area and today she’s sharing this wisdom with you. In our conversation Caryn talks about what separates the heavy hitters from brokers who struggle, including running a P&L statement and setting up an S Corp! Caryn Prall can be reached at 630-901-3454 and carynprall@kw.com.

Top 1% producer Greg Cirone completed over 115 sales in the past twelve months. What’s his secret? Aside from becoming extremely knowledgeable about the market, he treats every client as if it was his very first. As this isn’t just a slogan. Greg has 150 5-star reviews from his clients on Zillow! Nearly 100% of Greg’s business comes from referrals, and throughout this interview you’ll learn why! Greg Cirone can be reached  708.415.6755 and greghomerealtor@yahoo.com.

Michael Mandile closed 73 transactions in his first year. I’d like to repeat that for everyone. 73 TRANSACTIONS IN HIS FIRST YEAR. In our conversation Michael talks about the philosophy he developed called C.L.I.E.N.T., and how he uses it with every customer and how it generates referral after referral for his business. And, oh yeah, Michael sources every single one of his clients on his own. Already a top 1% in his first year, this is an interview not to miss! Michale Mandile can be reached at 847.322.8827 and michael@chicagoluxhomes.com.

Welcome to the March edition of Monday Market Minute with Carrie McCormick! In this episode Carrie speaks about the current low inventory situation and how sellers should take advantage right now. She also comments on the stock market and how it’s correlated to the housing market in Chicago. I provide a marketing tip on why to send out postcards to your sphere of influence (tip courtesy of Stephen Hnatow). Carrie can be reached at carrie@atproperties.com or by phone at 312.961.4612.

Auctioneer, investor, author, and top 1% producer Tim Gray joins us today to talk tax liens! As a real estate broker who saw a huge opportunity in tax lien investing while auctioneering, he has carved out a niche and encourages other brokers to check it out! Purchase Tim’s book, No Redemption: Tax Lien Auctions, Evictions, and Lessons from the Foreclosure Crisis by clicking here Timothy Gray can be reached at info@chicagolandauctions.com and 312-334-1300.

Welcome to the next episode of our new monthly feature, Investor Insights! Each month, top 1% producer Eric Workman will be providing information that real estate brokers need to know about working with investors. In this episode Eric discusses the different types of investor financing options, and the advantages and disadvantages of each with respect to how it affects deals from offer to close. Please let us know which investment topics you would like covered in future episodes! Eric Workman can be reached at 630-408-5582 and eric@renovofinancial.com.

Welcome to the February edition of Monday Market Minute with Carrie McCormick! In this episode Carrie talks about gearing up for the spring market and some tips on how to prepare your buyers and sellers. She also mentions how inventory is low and what sellers can do prior to listing their property for optimal sales success. I provide a marketing tip on how to use your business cards more effectively! Carrie can be reached at carrie@atproperties.com or by phone at 312.961.4612.

Andrew Holmes understands real estate investing. After 13 years as a traditional broker he switched to investments and has focused there ever since. In his career he has personally flipped 600 homes and currently has a buy-and-hold portfolio of 180 properties. Three years ago he found ChicagoREIA which is now the largest real estate investment association in the country with over 5000 members. ChicagoREIA brings together the industry’s leading investment experts and teaches members strategies of top investors like Andrew. Keeping it Real Podcast listeners will receive $10 off ChicagoREIA’s upcoming three day summit in Skokie. Click here for more details! Andrew Holmes can be reached at 630-635-5996 and info@chicagoreia.org.

Odds are if you are a real estate investor or have clients that invest, you’ve heard of Brie Schmidt. In addition to running her own firm, Second City Real Estate, Brie is a featured speaker at many real estate conferences. On BiggerPockets (the largest real estate forum in the country) she is recognized as one of the most prominent experts in the buy-and-hold space. She manages over 90 units of her own and teaches others how to do the same. This May she will be hosting the Midwest Real Estate Networking Summit in Chicago with 20+ speakers and 300+ attendees! Brie Schmidt can be reached at brie.schmidt@gmail.com and 847.312.6043

In this episode we speak to top producer Niko Apostal of The Apostal Group. Although Niko’s family has been involved in real estate for over 40 years, he has blazed his own trail and become one the most successful brokers in Chicago. In this episode we talk about the importance of giving back to the real estate community through serving on boards and also tips that newer brokers can use to build their business. Niko shares one strategy that he estimates less than 1% of brokers use that skyrocketed his open house success rate! Lastly he talked about recently moving firms, and why he’s never been more excited than right now! Niko Apostal can be reached at niko@theapostalgroup.com and 312.216.2424.

In 2013 Rosario Terracciano closed 643 transactions, earning him the #1 position in the Chicago Association of REALTORS® and #4 in the United States (as reported by Wall Street Journal). More recently he has developed a tool, ClickInvest, to help investors locate the best single family home opportunities in Chicago. In our interview Rosario discussing the challenges he faced in building his business, why he believes most brokers don’t need teams, and why he’s happier today doing fewer transactions. Rosario Terracciano can be reached at rosario@clickinvest.com and 708-369-3151.    

Welcome to the first episode of our new monthly feature, Investor Insights! Each month, top 1% producer Eric Workman will be providing information that real estate brokers need to know about working with investors. To kick off the series, Eric discusses how to qualify an investor before you choose to spend time assisting them. He walks you through a simple, but effective sniff test to ensure that your potential client is a good fit for your business. Please let us know which investment topics you would like covered in future episodes! Eric Workman can be reached at 630-408-5582 and eric@renovofinancial.com.

Welcome to the January edition of Monday Market Minute with Carrie McCormick! In this episode Carrie talks about how inventory is down and how brokers can encourage their clients to take advantage of the current real estate climate. She also answers a question about tax reform and how it may affect buyers and sellers. I provide a marketing tip on how to clone your best clients! Carrie can be reached at carrie@atproperties.com or by phone at 312.961.4612.