Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #88 with George S Wonica

Tune-in and listen to an enthusiastic George Wonica share the best and most entertaining stories from his 26 years as a realtor. Being the son of a realtor, George started off in this business at a young age, and has a wide arsenal of interesting stories to tell. George offers his advice for those wanting to buy or sell a house and he urges everyone to get better at what they do, but at the same time, to NEVER forget to have FUN along the way.  Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting The Leigh Brown Experience.                                                                Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:32 – Leigh welcomes George 01:23 – From Staten Island, New York, George is a broker associate, certified residential appraiser and mortgage broker 01:33 – George has held a broker license for 25-26 years now 02:13 – Being the son of a realtor and in this business for so long, George has a wide repertoire of stories 02:37 – Story #1: "Sorting out marital issues" 02:43 – Happened 15-16 years ago while doing an appraisal 03:04 – Had to inspect the house with only the wife present 03:25 – When George entered the house to inspect, the woman sent her kid outside to play with her friends 03:43 – Dressed provocatively in a robe, the lady started talking about her marital issues 04:22 – The woman asked George to come up with a really low price so that she could buy out her husband 04:28 – George firmly stated that he was appointed by the court to appraise a fair value 04:37 – Expressing that she was ready to do anything, the lady opened up her robe 05:20 – Based on what happened, George's father could not wait to go to the property himself! 05:40 – When George's father finally got the chance to inspect the house, the kid stayed in the house the whole time and nothing out of the ordinary happened 06:27 – Story #2: "Love knows no boundaries" 06:43 – While working on a foreclosed property, George came across a property that had a lockbox on it 06:56 – When he tried to do walk-in, he found out that somebody was actually living in that foreclosed, vacant house 07:21 – Often squatters break into a foreclosed house; however, squatters do not tend to respond, and simply run away when confronted 07:51 – He was surprised to find out that the intruders were not squatters, but a couple of real estate agents 08:06 – He found out that the agents decided to make the house their "love shack" 08:43 – Even today when he runs into these agents, he can't help but smile 09:58 – "Always have a lot of fun in this business. You never know who you are going to find, whom you are going to meet, or what you are going to walk into!" 11:25 – Getting mentored by his father has contributed to George's success 12:44 – He's learned a lot about owning property and purchasing property from his father; he bought his first property before he even started drinking 13:05 – Got an early start since he could build upon what he learnt from his dad 13:30 – In spite of his old age, George's father does not shy away from using the latest technologies and gadgets 15:43 – "You have to smile and you have to have fun. Don't take anything too seriously"; outlook has changed after having 3 kids 16:38 – Try to have fun every single day, try to get better at what you do every single day, and try to be a better person every single day 17:03 – Buyers and sellers do not want you to be serious all the time; they want you to give real opinions, have real falls and live life with them 17:36 – George believes in wearing his heart on his sleeve and calling a spade, a spade 18:54 – Contact George through his website; though George works primarily in Staten Island and Brooklyn, he can connect you with realtors anywhere in the New York State 19:34 – Alternatively, you can connect with George via Instagram or Facebook; gswonicasells is George's Snapchat id 19:44 – Call George on 718-442-2880 (Ext. 105) 21:24 – Takes time off to play with and coach his kids 22:28 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate 22:43 – Visit Crazyshitinrealestate to access shownotes for this episode 3 Key Points Wear your heart on your sleeve and call a spade a spade; buyers and sellers want your real, honest opinion. Try to have fun every single day, try to get better at what you do every single day, and try to be a better person every single day. Find a good mentor who can help you find success early on in your career. Credits Audio Production by Chris Mottram Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives Cover Design by Two Minds Design Original Music by Rimsky Music