Tracy Freeman - Crazy Sh*t In Real Estate with Leigh Brown - Episode #151

Could the solution to all our family-life problems be to live as people did in the 20s? Today, Tracy Freeman, a REALTOR® in Maplewood, New Jersey, explains why old homes have such small bedrooms – and why that's actually a good thing. She also sees the big picture that a lot of REALTORS® miss when it comes to law and regulation that affects the industry. Listen in to hear Tracy's views on old bedrooms, chestnut trim, and family living spaces – and see why sharing a bathroom with a sibling isn't the worst thing in the world. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting leighbrown.com.  Time Stamped Show Notes: 00:45 – Introducing Tracy, a REALTOR® in New Jersey 01:50 – What she must educate her clients on 02:05 – In her market, many of the homes are old; most were built in the 1920s to 1940s 02:18 – The homes have bumps and bruises but they're bought as-is; if something is major issue, you can ask the seller to cure or credit 03:30 – Tracy and her husband bought their home based upon the care the previous owner had taken of it 04:00 – Nowadays, people want move-in ready; Tracy understands what her clients want and knows when she sees a good fit 05:30 – Take care of your house and keep record of the maintenance you do on it 05:45 – If you walk in a house and see that the owner has record of every fix, it's priceless 06:45 – More about Tracy and Maplewood 07:00 – She gets excited by things like laundry chutes and the quaintness of old homes; she must educate clients on why homes were built differently back then 08:45 – Rooms were built smaller because that's not where people lived; they focused on family time in general living areas and kids didn't escape to rooms 10:45 – What surprises her buyers when they come to Maplewood and South Orange 10:50 – They're city people and want to be able to walk to town and the train 11:25 – It costs to live closer to town; people want all the bedrooms and a yard but may have to be a half mile or mile away from the train to have it 13:00 – The GenX way of living can exist; the homes in her area are close to everything a family could need 14:15 – Tracy's advice for other REALTORS®, buyers, and sellers 14:45 – She appreciates agents that just put their head down and do the work 15:05 – She went to her first NAR conference and was shocked by how many REALTORS® there are and by what advocacy work was being done 15:30 – She was so focused on her local business that she didn't see the big picture of what was happening for REALTORS® nationally 16:00 – Understand what bills and regulations are going through that affect your work and pay as a REALTOR®; protect your earnings 17:00 – How to contact Tracy 17:05 – Her website, Facebook, and Instagram 3 Key Points Recordkeeping could be the X factor to help someone move forward with a purchase. Understand why your home was built the way it was, especially if it's old. Protect your earnings and stay educated through participation with the NAR.  Credits Audio Production by Chris Mottram Show Notes provided by Melissa Valder