Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate Episode 80: Buddy West

Summary:

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” – a lesson Buddy West learned in a very humbling way when he was out showing a house to a man whom he thought was a drug dealer. When you’re in the real estate industry, it’s incredibly important to not prejudge your clients. Instead, ask the right questions and be open-minded, fair and open with all who come seeking your help. Listen to find out just who Buddy’s shady-looking client really was and some other crazy stories Buddy has accumulated along the way.

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Time Stamped Show Notes:

00:27 – Leigh welcomes today’s guest, Buddy West
00:36 – Buddy is a legend in the real estate industry
00:57 – He has been in real estate for 33 years
01:08 – He caters to the Delaware area
02:12 – Buddy will share 2 stories
02:18 – 1st story: Don’t pre-judge people
02:28 – One Sunday, Buddy got a phone call to look at a listing
02:51 – Buddy went to show a high-priced house
02:59 – He pulled up to the house and found a guy who looked like a member of the Grateful Dead
03:14 – After Buddy showed the property, the guy told him he wanted to check another property 6 miles away
03:17 – Buddy called for an appointment
03:23 – He offered a ride to the client and said he’d drop him off again at the first house they met
03:33 – Buddy asked if the client was paying cash or was financing
03:51 – Client said he’d pay cash and is capable of paying up to $550K
03:56 – Buddy immediately thought this guy was a drug-dealer
04:06 – Upon showing the 2nd house, the client said he liked it and that he’d buy it
04:21 – Buddy asked the client why he wanted to work with him
04:28 – Client goes, “because we have something in common”
04:37 – He said they were both writers
04:56 – Buddy found out this client was the writer for Spider-Man
05:00 – His client was David Michelinie
05:58 – “You don’t judge a book by its cover”
06:58 – “Preconceived notions are going to kill you in the real estate business”
07:44 – Ask good questions
07:55 – Dave introduced Buddy to the illustrator of Superman, Brett Breeding, whom he also sold a house to
08:07 – Buddy shares a story he has with Joe Clement, his partner
09:28 – They were showing a house
09:48 – The husband came out giggling
09:57 – The bedroom vent had a hole in it with a camera lens pointing towards the bed
10:14 – Buddy called the listing agent about the camera
10:26 – The agent called the owner and found out the lady didn’t know about it
10:33 – They went to the house, up to the attic and the VCRs were all set-up with an electrical line down to the neighbor’s electric outlet
10:59 – The neighbor was video taping his estranged wife
11:26 – The guy got arrested eventually
12:32 – Buddy also shares about a pre-settlement inspection
12:35 – He sent a realtor to his place because he had a schedule conflict
12:47 – She walked in the buyer’s house only to find him dead on a chair
13:04 – She was out of real estate not long after that
13:35 – Real estate is an expensive business to be in
14:03 – Realtors should stay calm to work through any difficulty in the business
14:31 – Stop, think, and act
14:49 – Buddy is one of the first people Leigh learned the business from in real estate
15:39 – Start taking real estate classes
16:06 – Reach out to Buddy at buddy@buddywest.com
16:31 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate

3 Key Points

Stop judging people based on how they look—preconceived notions will really kill you in this industry.
Don’t be afraid to ask the right questions.
Real estate business can throw you a whole array of experiences—stop, think, and act in every situation.

Credits

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