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Mastering Real Estate with Consistency, Community, and Cutting-Edge Tech

• Courtney Twiss • Episode 26

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Ever wondered what it takes to thrive in the competitive world of real estate? This episode promises to unravel the secrets behind the relentless success of Julie Gerken, a top agent from the Sierra Foothills. Learn how her unyielding commitment to consistency, visibility, and preparedness not only builds trust but also delivers stellar results. Julie shares invaluable strategies on everything from effective property staging and managing diverse price points to understanding intricate market trends and statistics. Her proven methods highlight why being active in your community and knowing your market inside out are crucial for sustaining a successful real estate career.

Julie’s journey is nothing short of inspirational, handling up to 60 transactions annually and breaking records even during the hectic months of the COVID-19 surge. She reveals her passion for continual learning and self-improvement, embracing new technologies like AI and attending educational events to stay ahead. We also explore the unique opportunities at eXp, from the supportive culture of mentorship and community to the benefits of stock options and revenue sharing. Tune in to hear about the exciting networking events like EXP Con in Miami and how eXp's flexible framework allows agents to balance personal and professional growth seamlessly. Don't miss out on this chance to gain insights from a leading expert and elevate your real estate game.

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Speaker 1:

Wow, Because all of my fillings were done in. Well, my parents couldn't afford anything, so they took all of us to Mexico to get our fillings. Well, they're all coming out, and that was 40 years ago. Now my new dentist that I've had for 25 years, his teeth fall out every two to three years. So I say to him maybe I should go back to Mexico. They last 40 years, you know. So, oh my gosh.

Speaker 3:

Welcome to the NOW Podcast Making Moves in Real Estate. This is our 26th episode and Corgi and I are incredibly excited to welcome Julie Gergen, one of the leading agents in the Sierra Foothills and part of the Twist Realty Group. Welcome, julie.

Speaker 1:

Thank you everybody. Thanks for having me back. I am so grateful to be here, I'm so grateful to be with you and Now, nation Love, love, love. Everything you guys are doing for these agents and everybody alike. So thanks for welcoming me back.

Speaker 2:

Oh, we're happy to have you. I know you've gone on some of Michelle's Instagram lives before, so this is going to be like an old hat for you. No, I don't, and you spoke at our Central Valley Rally on stage.

Speaker 3:

And Julie, you're like one of our super fans, but we want to give you the spotlight because you are such a successful real estate agent in the Sierra Foothills. You've been doing this a very long time, so let's go ahead and dive into like some of the keys of success that Julie Gerken has that she can share with our listeners. On what is it going to take for agents to get past this NARA settlement get going, be successful, give it to them straight.

Speaker 1:

Okay, first of all and I know I said this at the Central Valley Rally, which was absolutely one of the best conferences that every agent should be going to that period. That's a chance. Anyway, let's get past that now. First of all, I'm going to say the same exact thing. You've got to show up every single day, every single day. You've got to show up every single day, Every single day you got to show up.

Speaker 1:

I learned that from a good friend of mine, kenny Buller. He taught me that from 16, 17, 18 years ago, got to show up every day. Whether you're having a good day, a bad day, a great day, it doesn't matter. You got to. You got to push through, get to the office, get to your appointments, get out in the field, knock on doors, talk to people, go to the grocery store, go to the high school, elementary school, talk to parents. Every time I used to go to the grocery store, I always wore my little lapel over here. It said my name and it said my company. Right, just like, yeah. And I had at least one or two people every single time say, julie, what's happening in the market today?

Speaker 1:

Well, you can't tell people what's happening in the market and advise them on what's happening in the market if you're not out there in the thick of it. So get out there, talk to people. Talk to your friends. Let people ask you questions. Give them good, sound advice. If you don't think it's good sound advice, just hold off on it and just wait until you can figure out what those kind of folks need.

Speaker 1:

That's number one. Number two is when people call need. That's number one. Number two is when people call agents. Please answer your phone. Please answer your phone. You got to answer it. You may not want to, you might be tired, but it's better to answer. They might have a buyer that wants to pay cash $45 million for a property. You can't miss that kind of a lead. It might be $100,000 that we've got 40 of lately. So answer your phone and, most importantly, know the inventory.

Speaker 1:

Know the inventory. Know the inventory If you specialize in a certain market Bass Lake, yosemite, mariposa, or wherever Market Bass Lake, yosemite, mariposa, or wherever Oakhurst know the inventory when somebody says to me, julie, what about that house? Well, yeah, that one was on the market two years ago. It was listed for $700,000, and it's now in escrow for $1.1.

Speaker 1:

Know the market, know the history, know the statistics when you're out on listing appointments. Know the statistics. We know in our area that the statistics are very strong in certain price ranges and very weak in others. And it doesn't mean that they're weak, it just means we don't have that many buyers. So then you can present to your listings uh what, how long they're going to be on the market. They appreciate that.

Speaker 1:

They always ask how long are you going to be on the market? Well, in the million dollar price range, you have one to three buyers in a year. Oh my gosh. Well, what do I do? Well, you better make sure that house is in perfect shape. Well, what do I do? Well, you better make sure that house is in perfect shape, perfect condition, is priced accordingly, and you are able to then negotiate a great deal for them. We just listed a property in Oakhurst that was on the market for three days, two or three days. We got it all staged up and beautiful for them. Days. We got it all staged up and beautiful for them. We had two really very strong agents that um that you have a lot of respect and faith with and for um, and they. They working as a team. You put those things together and you get them in escrow for your sellers and they get them in escrow for their buyers.

Speaker 1:

So there's a lot of there's a lot of moving parts. Um, you could say, okay, what about the NAR and CAR and everything? I am reading every single thing I can. Courtney and I were talking about this in the car today from the airport One. One week there was this car form and NAR form, then it changed another week, then it changed another week and now we're on what? Revision four or something. Read them all, read them all, know them all, and then they might eventually put some of those together with the good pieces that all work together. Know them all.

Speaker 1:

Also, I'm going to actually lean on Courtney a little bit on this one, because she has a great, very good, some documentation on the Karnar that you can share with her team and your team to help your agents, because we're all changing in this market together, and so what you might learn and what Courtney might learn and what I might learn, let's all talk about it. Let's be knowledgeable in the business. I'm not going to put a line of oh my gosh, what am I going to do? I'm just going to keep plugging away. I'm going to keep going to work every single day. I'm going to be keep working my crazy hours that I work because I love real estate. I'm still going to be servicing my clients and I'm going to make sure that I give them as much information that's of value to them as possible. It's not as important as what the value is to me. It's more important to what the value is to me. It's more important to what the value is to them.

Speaker 2:

So that's a good start Well and with the NAR settlement, you know specifically, don't overthink it, don't get so stressed out. We have had changes in our industry. Before we had major changes in the lending industry and rolled right on through that Ended up being, in my opinion, better for many loan officers on the wholesale lending side, and this is going to be another example of that where I think it's actually going to be a great thing in the long run. And just keep it simple. I know Julie and I we're up here in Salem at the Build event, which we're going to go back and talk about that a little bit, because it's pretty impressive when you have someone with the level of volume and transactions that you do. I think you have now 10 escrows going, taking time out of your schedule and investing in yourself, and we will come back and touch on that.

Speaker 2:

But you know, with this, with the NAR, there's a lot of talk in our industry right now and you just got to keep it simple. You know clients that just they don't understand and they said, oh, we better wait to list for a few more weeks because then we don't have to pay the buyer's agent. Well, they don't understand the contract and you just kind of have to keep it simple and say well, you've always had the option to not pay your buyer's agent. If you look at the contract and the listing agreement, it's always been that way and sellers have wisely so selected to not significantly shrink their buyer pool and will most likely continue to offer concessions to a buyer who can, in turn, pay their agent. So we're just going to have buyer consultations Michelle had one this morning and have to do a presentation, just like we do for listings.

Speaker 3:

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. No, knowledge is power. I think what I'm hearing Courtney and Julie saying is that, no matter what's going on in the market, that it's important to show up every single day Right, answer the phone, know your market, educate your clients, no excuses. Reinvest in your education, which, in this case, let's just get right to it. Build events. Let's talk about it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah, Picked up Julie from the airport this morning and we're meeting I think I'm not sure how many hundreds of agents will be here Some great speakers talking tonight, and I'm on a panel tomorrow speaking, which will be a lot of fun. And you know, Julie, just to give our audience an idea, how many transactions on average do you think you do?

Speaker 1:

a year, typically 50 to 60. A lot 50 to 60. Sometimes I think my high was 62. Actually, I had one month when we had the I called it the COVID crazy. Everyone moved to the mountains yeah, everybody moved to the mountains and I had 21 escrows in one month. And that was 21 escrows in one month, and that was something that I probably would never do again Unless I had a team, like you guys have built. That type of volume requires a team and Courtney and Michelle are so good at putting those teams together.

Speaker 1:

And the fact of the whole matter is I have learned so much. It doesn't matter how many years you're in the business. I have learned so much from these ladies that it's not just. There's so many aspects of real estate that are so good that when you're in previous years and you're never you're not exposed to these things. You don't know, because you're in your own world, tunnel vision, doing your real estate you think that's all there is. But these ladies have exposed me to so many great things, including the education, which is so refreshing. In fact, I'm trying to get some of my very good friends that I love, know and love to come with me because I think they would be re-inspired by this new education.

Speaker 1:

It doesn't matter what company you go with, just go listen. The people that we're going to, the people at the last one I went to, which was the Central Valley Rally, they were phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal, and I'm so excited about this one to go with these guys because I know that the speakers that they've got lined up are absolutely out of this world. So, folks, do your job, but take the time to invest in yourself. Don't forget to invest in yourself. No matter how many years you've been in real estate, if you stop investing in yourself, you become stagnant, I think, and you don't hear of all the new things. I mean, like what's going on with AI and everything, all that that's coming up, and that's another whole segment. I was actually using that.

Speaker 2:

The other night I'm like wow, and Zell Stringer is here again. We get to hear him. Who's amazing with AI.

Speaker 1:

I love him. I love him, yes, so anybody that hasn't heard him, they need to listen to him. He's amazing. He has so much content wrapped up in one and a half hour. I think tomorrow Maybe an hour longer. Oh, thank goodness, there's a lot of great information and us seasoned agents need to be a part of that train, need to be on that train, or you guys are making your job a lot harder than it needs to be. So anyway, that's all.

Speaker 2:

That's. What I love about Julie is you're always wanting to learn, always, always open to new technology. You're quick to pick it up. I'm not trying, you're really good. I've been very impressed over the years because we've thrown a lot at you. Keep it coming, there you go.

Speaker 3:

Here's the thing about Julie besides being just a phenomenal human being, a massive supporter of our youth and our communities, julie just is not afraid. And if you are afraid, you fake the fear because you just you were like let's do it and I want stock, and I want rev share and I want to cap out and bring it and I just want to know how does it feel to be an icon, icon, agent?

Speaker 1:

Well, I, I have to tell you, I didn't even know what that meant. To be honest with you, with my previous company got war awards every single year. Okay, yeah, I got. Here's another one. Here's another one. Somebody said to me one day God, how can you got so many? It was like they were. They were kind of annoyed. What?

Speaker 3:

kind of awards, Julie, like a plaque. Did you get a plaque Not?

Speaker 1:

ready Top producer. And so when I, when I was told that you I made the icon, and I thought well, and I thought well, what is that? Well, lo and behold, did I know that there's even another aspect of eXp that provides so much to their agents and the teams that you're on that you could? I don't understand it totally. You know, I'm so blown away. They also one of the things I really like. I'm learning all this. I just did three or four courses. Don't tell the guys I was doing it in the car while I was going to an appointment and I was like listening to all the things that they're offering, and one of the things I really respected a lot about being an icon was they really encourage you to give back to your fellow agents, teach them, work with them, mentor them. It's not just a company all about yourself, right, it's about everybody. How can we help everybody? I just learned that. Yeah, I just learned that.

Speaker 2:

Well and that's part of being an icon agent They'll ask you to perhaps lead a class or speak at an event on the stage. There's been quite a few icons that have done that, which is fun to hear their perspective.

Speaker 1:

I want you to do the mastermind. I'm told, yeah, mastermind, that would be fun. Yes, so anyway, very, very, very intrigued, very, very interested in everything that this company has to offer. I've never seen this. I've never seen anything in any type of a model that offers what we are so graciously or what so graciously has been delivered to us on a huge plate. If you just take it and look what you can do. And I keep saying to my other agents that I've worked with for years look, look, look, how do I get them?

Speaker 2:

to look. You know well, I mean you. You paid your sixteen thousand dollar cap. You're now getting that back in stock. So essentially you're brokering 50, 60 deals a year for about five thousand in fees for the whole year. Yeah, which is hard from a financial perspective to beat. Yeah, but we know it's not always about the finances or the numbers, right, it's culture. Many people or companies because they love who they work with, or it's a good cultural fit. And for so long, michelle and I, years ago, like how would a cloud-based brokerage have a strong culture? It didn't even seem feasible and yet you can see the statistics Like they actually have one of the strongest cultures and we are learning how that's possible through all their courses, through these events that we're going to, and we've made so many friends from all over that you can say, hey, what would you do in this situation? Or what are you doing in your market? What's working, what's not working?

Speaker 1:

And I think that's collaborative spirit you're talking about. Just watch these movers and shakers in this company and I get to come and watch. I'm just so intrigued. I just get to watch him. I just sit there. I'm not going to say a name, but I think you guys know who I'm talking about. He is amazing and I just sat and watched him. He is just, he's just phenomenal and to be able to stand next to somebody that is so gracious and so humble and and such a kick-ass if I can say that Is he the number one agent in the world.

Speaker 2:

Seven times yes.

Speaker 1:

Oh my God, Tom Days, we're talking about you. Well, he is. I got to sit with him and I watched him and the whole room is intrigued because he has such valuable information to offer. And he's training what we all don't realize, most likely as newbies at EXP. He's training in a natural level, he's teaching in a natural level, he's communicating in a natural level and that, right there. I've never seen a company do that ever, and I've been around one company all my life. And then I got the opportunity to come here and the things that you will learn will absolutely blow your mind. Blow your mind.

Speaker 3:

I think that's what I have to get out about you, julie, is that you could have chosen to not give this transition a shot. Do you understand what I'm saying? Like, I think that you went like, okay, I'm going to give this. You know, courtney made the decision to take her company under eXp and you could have been very like oh, I don't want to do that, I want to just be traditional or whatever. And you decided to give it a chance. And that's what I admire and respect about you, because you just gave it a chance and, as a result, obviously financially, it has benefited you. Correct, yes, correct, but overall, like you're building these relationships and being inspired, and I think that's so beautiful, and not for just everybody, but for someone like yourself. That's seasoned. I just admire it. I think it's great.

Speaker 1:

Well, you know, the thing that I don't understand is some of the agents, everybody's afraid to move. Right, they're afraid to move, we're all afraid to move, afraid of change in general, afraid of change. Yeah, afraid of change, but change. I remember my dad saying and he was in the business for over 50 years he says change always brings new opportunities and new successes. So if you never make any changes at all, you will be in the same predicament that you've been in the last five, six, seven, 20, 50, whatever years.

Speaker 1:

So if you feel like you've just hit a brick wall or it just doesn't inspire you anymore, why not reach out to somebody that really is loving what they're doing and give it a shot? You know, I was surprised that folks wouldn't give it a shot. They need to be educated, they need to listen and learn, instead of listening and learning from people that don't really know the whole getup. Because there is so much that is so positive and so wonderful, much that is so positive and so wonderful. And you, if you listen, you give yourself the opportunity to be that much more successful if you really want it. If you really want it. You got to want it, just like anything in life. You got to want it and you got to do the work, and you got to do the work.

Speaker 2:

What's some goals for you? So this year you're killing it. I mean, you are doing dynamo. Are you on pace to meet your goals this year?

Speaker 1:

would you say oh yeah, actually, I think my goals this year are going to be a little bit different, and I always do things a little differently, which is what we love. Tell us all about it. Be building another aspect of the eXp business. That's going to be one of my goals, my goals. I'm not going to elaborate on it right now. It'll be maybe in another story, who knows? That's my goal. My goal is to get out and to meet as many people as possible, and by doing that, I'm coming to these amazing events that just inspire you. I told Courtney I'm going to EXP con in.

Speaker 1:

Miami, florida. I can't wait. Anybody that wants to go, come on, we'll take you, come on. It's in Miami. Who doesn't want to go to Miami? Right, and so want to go to Miami, right, and so I'm so excited about that. We, uh, we are it's, it's just going to be. It's just going to be an amazing event and amazing people, and that's what I like most of all. The people are good, genuine, caring folks, very good folks. I can't wait to meet the big guy.

Speaker 2:

I know Glenn San sanford, they're here this weekend, oh yay you think that tom's great brent is gonna blow your mind?

Speaker 1:

oh, I can't. So much energy, can't wait. It's amazing, they're just they're. You know, what I like is they're just all. They just all seem genuine and good and accessible, like, literally, glenn Sanford is.

Speaker 2:

We're having dinner with him tomorrow night. There's 90,000 agents right around there at ESP, the company he founded. Yeah, and yet I've met him since October four times, maybe. Yeah, maybe more have been in like small group settings. I was not expecting that. Yeah, and that's why it will be very corporate, yeah, and yet, tom, I could call him right now and he could probably he'll answer. He'd probably be on our podcast. You know, what I mean, like they're very available.

Speaker 3:

So I I'm doing this like Bible in a year challenge and I talked to Tom in the coma about the hollow app, like we've had some spiritual conversations, and so this morning I texted him. I was like Tom, I'm just wanting to let you know I'm praying for you and thank you for being such a shining example. He's been blowing me up all morning.

Speaker 2:

He's like if he wasn't up here, he'd probably be blowing you up from his boat on his. I know, I know.

Speaker 3:

But he's just like like they're all that way and they're, they're, you know, like randy and and and don and like everybody, like there wouldn't. And you, you wonder, like, how many messages are they all getting every single day? Like there's not just one of of michelle's messaging tom on a friday, you know, and they respond somehow that way.

Speaker 1:

They do it all well, I remember when I first started, mr bird, he, he didn't know me from Diddley. He still doesn't know me from Diddley. But you know what? Every two weeks guess what he checks in on me. How you doing, jeannie, what's happening? And then I thought to myself the first time is that a generic text? No, it was not a generic text. It was different every single time. What are you doing? What's happening? Is it hot out there? Are you guys doing? Okay, you need anything? Yeah Well, who does that? Who does that? You know? I just think that I've been so blessed with the both of you by allowing me to hang out with you and bringing me to you, miami michelle, do you have?

Speaker 2:

yes, michelle has fomo. Well, you get ready to go? A little bit of fun.

Speaker 3:

I'm happy for julie and lenny. You know they haven't been to any of these events and someone's got to like hold down the fort over here. By the way, the phones? Yes, we are busy.

Speaker 1:

Yes just thank you. Well, I just opened two escrows today, so I'm still busy. You got and that's a good thing, folks you can work from wherever you're at. Yeah, with exp, you just go, you go to the classes, you go do this, you go do the fun things, you open a couple escrows, you put a couple x, put a couple listings on them on the market while you're gone. You can do it all if you choose to or not try it yeah, cops, we went to the greatest bakery.

Speaker 1:

Yes, greatest bakery. Yes, elkabees, yeah, very, really good. Oh, it was fantastic.

Speaker 3:

Well, have a good event. Everybody, have fun. Tell everyone I said hi. And Julie, you know I've just said this multiple times. You're an inspiration to everybody. I value our friendship and the shiny example that you're, you're giving my, my daughter and our community. Oh it's, we love you.

Speaker 1:

Well, we love you and get your butt up here I am All right, cordy, all right Tomorrow, no doubt.

Speaker 3:

In my mind I was like I need to send you a good luck text and you don't need that.

Speaker 2:

You're going to kill it, so it's going to be a lot of fun. Thanks for joining us, julie. We really appreciate it. Thank you for having me, michelle. Have fun, love you See you later.

Speaker 3:

A couple things when can our listeners find you? And then also well, go ahead. Where can our listeners find you?

Speaker 2:

You can find me in Salem Oregon if they want Get a last minute ticket.

Speaker 3:

Come join us. Yes, come on down.

Speaker 2:

Philly girl On social, on Instagram, facebook. Where can they find you? Do you know, jenna? Jenna, just look up Julie Gerken and it's at.

Speaker 1:

Julie F Gerken. I believe so too.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, and then we appreciate any reviews and five-star ratings for this podcast, please, and share, share, share, share If you like what you hear. We appreciate your support.

Speaker 2:

Thanks everyone, thank you Bye. Thank you.