Sarah Schwartz and Tabitha Vasquez, two veteran real estate agents, joined Tracy Hayes to discuss how to succeed in the real estate business and the importance of marketing, connections, and community building. While Sarah has more experience working in the field, she and Tabitha are both highly respected realtors working under the guise of the Sarah Schwartz Group company.
Sarah and Tabitha encourage their listeners to see real estate not just as a profitable business but as a way to add value to people’s lives by providing them with the tools and guidance to find the property they want. As such, real estate offers an avenue for building and connecting communities. Therefore, they both stress the importance of creating social networks, finding and providing mentorship, and strengthening connections when working on real estate.
Tune in and don’t miss out on this unique view of the real estate business from two growth-driven successful woman realtors.
[00:00 - 07:17] Real Estate Excellence Podcast: Sarah Schwartz and Tabitha Vasquez
- The Real Estate Excellence Podcast host, Tracy Hayes, introduces Sarah Schwartz and Tabitha Vasquez.
- Sarah Schwartz is from Baltimore, MD, and has lived in Northeast Florida since she was nine years old, and as she grew up, she got a marketing degree and got into real estate.
- Tabitha Vasquez is from northeast Florida and studied criminal justice, although she quit criminal law to pursue a career in real estate.
- Sarah talks about the current real estate market and how it's different than when she was growing up, as well as how her knowledge in marketing helped her in this field.
- Tabitha discusses her experience studying criminal justice, why she quit law to pursue her real estate career, and how her knowledge of criminal justice helped her in this endeavor.
[07:17 - 14:59] How Sarah and Tabitha Began Their Journey in Real Estate
- Tabitha started working out at the gym and doing bodybuilding before she became interested in real estate.
- She took a course to become a real estate agent and moved to Jacksonville to finish it
- She started referring friends to her coach, a realtor, and then started working for her as a closer.
- When she got her license, she posted about it on Instagram and contacted Tabitha, who was already successful in real estate
- Tabitha helped Sarah learn the ropes and introduced her to other agents
[14:59 - 22:33] Finding Mentorship to Succeed in the Real Estate Business
- Tabitha recommends finding a mentor to help guide her in her career, and she credits her top agent, Sarah Roco, for helping her find the right path.
- Tabitha emphasizes the importance of building relationships with brokers and clients and notes that it is important to be clear about expectations from the beginning.
- She credits her success to being active on social media, staying connected to military spouse communities, and being willing to try new things.
[22:33 - 29:49] How to Find a Real Estate Broker
- Looking for a brokerage that would offer a structured learning process, Sarah found that the learning process was not linear, and she was the one who had to put in the effort to learn.
- She expected the learning process to be structured and straightforward, but that was not the case.
- It is important to think outside the box and be persistent in your client interactions.
- I talked to several brokers before choosing one and asked them questions about how they would handle different situations.
- When interviewing a broker, it is important to ask about their sphere of influence and how they have helped other agents succeed.
[29:50 - 37:18] How Brokers and Agents add Value to the Clients’ Lives
- The first step to contacting a broker is to walk into their office on the first day and see how busy it is.
- Call clients and brokers directly to learn how you can help them.
- Figure out the client’s needs and let them know the ways in which you can make their lives easier.
- Find a good mentor who is positive and encouraging.
- When working with buyers or sellers, having a "see it through" mentality can be an asset.
[37:19 - 44:46] The Importance of Being Meticulous When Buying and Selling Property
- Tracey mentions the story of Steven Jones, as he was talking about clients looking to buy a house on the beach and how many people bought houses without knowing that they would need to pay $50,000 for proof of access.
- The host talks about why it’s important to be meticulous when buying property and that looking into your background and personality is very important.
- Sarah recommends reading books and listening to sermons for inspiration and mentions her Christian faith.
- Tabitha recommends reading a lot and checking social media to have up-to-date knowledge of the conditions of the market, as well as recent laws, news, and other information.
[44:46 - 51:52] The Necessity of Education in Real Estate Success
- The guests discuss how important it is for agents to stay up to date on industry trends and learn new information in order to be successful.
- One of the main themes that are commonly discussed in real estate talks is education and how it is essential for agents to keep learning in order to stay ahead of the competition.
- One way that agents can keep up with industry trends and learn new information is by taking online courses or attending events with a specific subject matter.
[51:52 - 59:07] Why agents Need to Be Consistent to Succeed
- Education is paramount for agents, and it's important to schedule education each week or month whenever there is time for it.
- Agents need to be constantly learning and updating their skills so they can stay ahead of the curve in the market.
- Being consistent is key for agents, and one way to be consistent is by posting content on social media that is relatable and enticing to the audience and doing other activities to get leads in a consistent manner.
[59:07 - 01:06:25] Being Around Positive People
- There is no other choice but to be social media friendly and create relationships through social media.
- Mentors are important for agents to have because they can provide guidance and support.
- It is important to surround yourself with positive people who will lift you up and help you achieve your goals. You are the people you surround yourself with.
- Real estate agents need to be strategic when it comes to who they hang out with because it can make or break a transaction.
[01:06:25 - 01:13:10] Personal Experiences from Sarah and Tabitha
- An agent shared that one of her biggest mistakes was interviewing multiple brokerages.
- They recommend reaching out to other agents at different brokerages to figure out what they need and what will work best for them.
- She also said that she is still working on breaking through her fear of failure.
[01:13:10 - 01:20:12] Two Perspectives on Success: What You Know vs. Who You Know
- The Schwartz group has a strong team of professionals who help clients grow and succeed.
- Who you know is more important than what you know, and what you know will help you grow as a person and as a business.
- Successful businesses have a visionary and an integrator, and when these two are paired together, it creates a powerful force.
[01:20:12 - 01:20:35] Connect with the Best of the Best and Take Your Skills to the Next Level
- You can join the Tracy Hayes community to connect with other real estate professionals.
- This may be the last episode of the day, but don't stop your pursuit of excellence.
Quotes
“You want to be with people who will lift you up. You want to join other agents that are working and don’t expect everything to come to them.” Sarah Schwartz
“The people who you surround yourself with, that’s who you’re gonna be. That’s who you’re putting into your hand, and that’s the person you’re choosing to be.” Sarah Schwartz
“What I love the most about real estate is when I see the faces of my clients, whether they’re buying or selling, and can tell that they’re genuinely happy. This is pure satisfaction.” Tabitha Vasquez
“It’s important to always be honest with your clients, even if you are going to give them information that’s going to make them quit the deal. Because that’s how you get them to trust you.” Tabitha Vasquez
Connect with Tabitha on Facebook and join Sarah on Instagram. Be sure to check out Sarah’s YouTube Channel. Learn more about the Sarah Schwartz Group and open the doors to a new real estate world.
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