Latest / The Complete Agent - The Podcast For Premium Real Estate Agents / 131. The Conversation That Saved a Million Pound Sale
Transcript
- Dave Warburton: Hello and welcome to another episode of the Complete Agent Podcast, where each week we get together to talk all things estate agency. My name is Dave Warburton today it is a very northern episode. It's just two of us, me and Mr Ian Story. Ian, how the devil are you? Ian Storey: I'm very well, thank you, David. I'm very well. I'm actually not in this week, in the office, that is. I've just taken blocked a week out of my diary, and then a few days next week because the kids start school again next Thursday. Martha's going into senior school, Freddie's changing schools. So I've booked A bit time off with them. we're going to Edinburgh tomorrow to the fringe, which we've not done before. because my sister-in-law has just moved there. And then a few days in Northumberland starting next week. so looking forward to all of that. So I've blocked that a week in my diary. Obviously, I've done evaluation and a video. Dave Warburton: Yes. Ian Storey: You know how it goes. and a few of the bits and pieces, but have had lots of good family time as well, which has been Really nice. Last weekend I was in Munich for my brother's Stagdo. and obviously I don't drink. So that was Well, obviously Dave Warburton: I was gonna say, so let's let's unpack that. Ian Storey: it's my brother, so I couldn't not go. and I know ninety-nine percent of the lads that were there anyway, so I went to school with a lot of them. So it was actually really good because I saw loads lads that I've not seen for years. So that was it was good. And a and a really close mate of mine from round here. also came because he knows my brother as well. So that was good. So we did like a few interesting bits and pieces as well as just going to all the beer halls in Munich, which was which was nice, like a walk Dave Warburton: But Ian Storey: tour of the city and a few other bits and pieces. Dave Warburton: Did it get to a point though, maybe at sort of eight, nine, ten o'clock at night where people are someone's leaning on you going, I love you, Ian. I love you, mate. Ian Storey: And you really do, you know, you really do see what people look like. and then you remember that. That's the thing. Dave Warburton: Yeah. And you go, get off me, you stink. Ian Storey: Yeah. So we I definitely did an early dart on a couple of nights, but it was good. It was it was really good, mate. It was good. And also this week at Stories, Matt is on holiday. a well-deserved holiday so it's been a little bit quieter on new listings. Vicky's out. She's done so well on new listings since she started. So she's had loads of videos to shoot. pipeline's good. We've got loads of nice houses coming on, viewings, offers. we had a really good result on a two million pound house this week, which we actually sold this house last year. It fell through the seller was badgered by all of her friends to move it to Saville's So she moved it to Savills and two months after she'd been on the market with them, she gave it back to us, which was an absolute result. And we've just sold it this week. So honestly, yeah, really good Dave Warburton: I love that. That's a great story though. Ian Storey: story. And she's so like we got really, really well, and she's really connected in the right circles, equestrian and you know, with the right kind of people around Cheshire. So it's a great, great result for the company. Dave Warburton: So I imagine the obviously the when you when you lose one, we all lose them occasionally and they go to another agent. it's the nature of the beast. You lose it, you know, you're flat, you're ugh go to especially if you get on with the client, we just want to try a different approach, see what happened. And and and often, of course, it might go on to sell with that other agent, which makes you even feel worse. But for you there, that is a massive win. And if she's well connected, she can she can now literally say, No, no, no, no, I've Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: tried The two big Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: ones in the area and trust me they are streets apart. Ian Storey: Yeah, and of course it's on right move. It'll be on right move with us as sold now and there's a board up and it's a really good village. Yeah, it's just it's just a great a great story. But no, it's good, mate. Our new junior client executive, Tom, started last Monday, so he's done sort of a week and a half with us now. he's eighteen, really, really full of beans, looks to part. I think I think he'll do really, really well in the stage and see. But he's literally got absolutely zero experience and he only finished school like eighteen months ago or something. So brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. mate, Dave Warburton: I like that. I like that. Ian Storey: we just saw something in it in him and we thought, you know, we're gonna give you a go, mate, because I think I think I maybe said it before, but he was the only one out of all the applicants who rang me on my personal mobile and said, I want to work for you. Everyone else Dave Warburton: Yeah. Yeah. Ian Storey: emailed or their parents messaged us and so it's good. So he's he's been doing ten days. He's coming to the mastermind in Manchester in September as well. So you'll get to meet him. But no good. Overall, mate, you know, considering it's August, things are good. Yeah. How about you? Dave Warburton: Yeah, decent mate. I was I've been on holiday for a couple of weeks. I went to Madeira in Portugal. If you've never been, I would highly recommend it. Beautiful, beautiful place. so I've had a a good reset. As I was saying to you before, we came on. the the challenges of being a business owner reared their ugly head at times because we had a few a couple of issues whilst away. We had a a faller in particular that needed some attention. And one or two other minor issues, but you you never kind of fully switch off, do you? I guess that's the nature of the beast. But equally, I think if you are entrepreneurial, you own your own business, you'll always do that. You'll always do that. But I did find myself going for a couple of very long walks on my own to clear my head at times, just to get myself back into holiday mode. but then other equally though, on the flip side of that, we we had some, you know, brilliant, brilliant successes while I was away, you know. We we've negotiated three sales while we're away, but really good ones. we've completed on a house at 1.85 million. our pipeline is the healthiest it's ever been. we're looking at you know instructions at the moment, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight in photography at the moment. sales, I can see offers on on JK will love this, but I can see offers on on five at the moment. So things things are pretty good, but We'd have a very, very good run, very good run. And then just in the space of about a week we had two fallers and you go, Pfft, damn it. You know, it just but it's it's like you said, it's before it's cyclical, these things come and go. You've just got to be able to you know t I don't wait, it's layers of skin, isn't it? And you once you've been through it, you know. And I think we've talked about this plenty of times before now on this podcast and If people are listening that are aspiring to get to sort of mid high end, it's a great place to be because even though the damage might seem very, very high. So you know, for transparency of the two that we lost were combined £25,000 to the company, but it's only the same in a way as losing a six thousand pounds on the lower end brand, because they're just units. And our pipeline is full of units, but the average house price is an awful lot higher. Like, so it it it's it it's It's a much better place to be. And the the business is structured to accept that not every sale will go through. So it still gets you, doesn't it? You know, again, we were just talking before you come on. Tricky clients, fallers, lost valuations, they'll still hit you hard. They always do, and and that's normal. But as long as you are structured and set up in a way that can support that, you're absolutely fine. And when I talk about support as well. You know, JK's had a couple of issues recently. And I know we were talking about something then. It's great to have the support network around you. And of course, you myself, you and JK are very close and Michelle, we've got our own groups. It's great to be able to bounce off each other when we've got issues. I had a problem last week that I shared with you two. It was a an estate intensity problem, everyone. It was no, not that other one. No, that's Ian Storey: Not that other problem. Dave Warburton: that's that's clearing up actually as we speak. so I I Ian Storey: Good. Keep buying the cream. Keep buying the cream. Dave Warburton: I had but no we had we had an issue that I wanted some help and advice on. I thought I knew the answer to it. Turns out it was right, what I was thinking, but it's so good to be able to bounce off people. And again, I that's I suppose that's what you get at TC. Ian Storey: Yeah. Yeah. It's it's I think it's just an interesting human thing that you know, you you know the answer. Normally you know the answer, but you but hearing it from someone that you trust really does make a massive difference, doesn't it? Yeah. Dave Warburton: Yeah, really does. And it's it was one of those. I th I'm right, I'm right, guys. I'm right. I'm right, am I? Am I right? And then sometimes you will get a mm, you know, Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: you could do it a little bit differently or but yeah, ninety nine times out of a hundred, you you know you know the answer. And you just need to hear it from someone else. And I mean Michelle's amazing for that kind of thing in particular. And but I just think it's it's great to bounce off each other and and be able to have that support. And I suppose like again the w looking at the wider network. That's what the TCA gives you, doesn't it? Because you you non compete around the Ian Storey: Yeah, massive. Dave Warburton: country and you can see the members sort of talking between themselves in the group. I really like it. It's great. It is an issue. So yeah overall though, we're it's it's been good. Same challenges, lots of overvaluing from competitive competing agents. but yeah Ian Storey: Do you know one thing, Dave? Just on on value and pricing. I I went to another house this week that I lost, is it 18 months ago? I think it's probably 18 months ago. And it it it's an equestrian house with I think it's got 50 acres that they own in different parcels of land. And I lost it to this other agent who's an equestrian specialist, shall we say? Anyway, fast forward to now, basically it hasn't sold. They have had an offer, but this guy's been dicked around for like a year nearly now, and it hasn't it just hasn't sold. She sat there. So her daughter said, Look, let's let's speak to stories again, get stories back in. So I went back this week, seemed to go really well. I went on Tuesday on a week that I'm off. and Had a conversation with her and I was able to say to her about this house that we've just taken back off savels and sold. To talk about the market and how it's it's it's just price. It's just price. I mean, obviously the quality of the marketing is also important, but the price, you know, that this agent who she's on with is saying to her, the market's flat. It's the market, you know, the market's flat. And I said, you know, Jane, she's not called Jane. Jane, it isn't. If the price is right. It isn't flat. This house we've just put back on the market at two million. We've done eight viewings in twenty-eight days. Eight different viewings in twenty-eight days. And it's two million pound equestrian house. She's been told by her agent it's flat. It's so you know, it's communicating this to people, isn't it? And it's great if you've got a case study where you can say, Look, the market isn't flat. Look at this house here that we've just sold. That's the same kind of price as yours, same kind of house, equestrian, so it's niche and it's sold. We actually had two offers on it. competing offers and we've agreed one of them this week. Dave Warburton: Well, you know, it's interesting saying that about the market. we've we've covered it probably a little bit recently, but I I went to a it's happening all the time now, happening all the time. But I was at a valuation yesterday, really lovely older couple, one in their eighties, late and the other in the late seventies, and they they get the letter and he he was sort of saying, you know, not really done any research on us, by the way, he just gets the letter and he was very complimentary of it, saying, liked reading it. And that's why they've invited us out. So they'll they'll now look into downsize. It's a quite big plot. And he said, I said, so what are your plans? And he said, Well, we're obviously I'm he said, I'm 82, and she's eight she's 78. We're obviously a little bit older. This is a big house, big plot, and and we're looking to probably downsize. And we read your letter, and we just want to know really roughly what it's worth so we can start making plans for the future. And his next line was, Because I know the market's not very good at the moment. It's really, really flat. And it so normally the conversation is all about right your circumstances and but I had to stop him. I said, right, I'm gonna stop you there because I wanna I wanna continue this valuation in the right vein. And I said it what it depends what you mean by a a poor market, because I think the perception of it is that because property prices are coming down or certain houses are not selling, is that it's a bad market, but that is not true. you obviously read my letters. I'm very analytical, data driven. I like to sort of tell people as it is. and I can tell you now, it's not a bad market. I said it is a bad market if you want 2021 prices in 2026. Then yeah, it's a bad market. If you're realistic for the market you're in, actually all the data shows you that it's not bad at all. So I ran in through the latest house price index, which is asking prices are coming down. So that's That means that sellers are starting to get real. People understand now that you can't get what you once would have done. Said mortgage rates are going up, so it's more challenging for buyers to buy now. But the key stat here is that the volume of sales is up 5%. So there are buyers out there. It's just that people are not paying what they used to pay. So the majority of people that I'm going to see at the moment are people that are on the market and not selling, and I'm having to have serious conversations about where they've been missed, you know, missed Misvalued. I went to one yesterday. They paid 650,000 for it three years ago. Markets hardly moved, and all of a sudden they're on at 850,000 and they've not done anything. It's it's probably worth a hundred to a hundred and fifty thousand pounds less than what they've been on for, not at a single viewing in six months. And you're right about case studies. So telling people this is really, really important. And in in his local area, I've I've got, I think I said at the last mastermind, if you've got a couple of Bum properties that are not moving, but you know the story behind those, those can actually be really good for you. It doesn't just because they sat there and stale, it's not necessarily your fault. If your marketing's incredible, you've got you're on right move, you've got social media, you've got your agent network, you're constantly refreshing images and you're maybe doing revisits to property and doing additional promo and you're doing everything you possibly can to try and get that sold. We all know what you've just said, Ian, that it's price. obviously price sensitive, it's price driven. So you've got I mean you you've got you've got to be confident in that. But if if it's listed at the wrong price, it it it just isn't it isn't going to sell. We all know that it it's it's a price thing. And the bum property that I was going to talk about, the one the one I use an example of all the time now, is this guy when I went out to value his house 12 months ago, it was probably eight hundred to eight hundred and fifty tops on a good day with all the price per square foot. He wanted nine hundred plus based on what an estate agent had told him who lives on his development that he didn't want to use. And she was telling all the neighbours. And he'd had a couple of other valuations, but I was so confident that it wasn't. But he was very motivated to sell. And I think that's the other thing. You've got to assess motivation. He'd already bought something else. It was eventually going to sell. Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: So I just I said, right, we'll do it. We'll do your we'll do your strategy. We'll do 900. And he stuck with it for ages. And to be fair, got got a couple of you ins but Nobody was going anywhere near it, nobody was even making an offer at that point. Because again, that the house was really nice, but it had some limitations, small garden and all that sort of stuff. So you know in your head what your buyer demographic is and what they're gonna want. and anyway, fast forward 12 months, that house went under offer at 760 from 900. Now it it sounds like it's a horrific result for me that. And on the surface, you know, if you were to look at it, you'd go, well. But James don't know what they're doing there. 900,000 and it for 760. Commercially, it was the right decision because it went on to sell. But what I talked to people about is that that guy, that was his number. So I valued that 12 months ago. These were the numbers, 800 to 850 tops. He chose to go on the market at 900 and and despite regular contact, he stayed at his price. Eventually he dropped to 850, then he dropped to my price 800 and he sold 760. I show people the data and said, I'm absolutely convinced had he got on the market 800 when I said it should have done, he would have sold for very close to that, maybe above. And instead, he waited while the market was dropping, and he's ended up taking less than probably what it was worth before. And in his head, he's dropped 140 grand. He hasn't. Ian Storey: No. Dave Warburton: It was never worth that amount of money in the first place. And it's so important to articulate that and have these test cases because. It's not always rosy. There's no point always going into evaluation, I don't think, and just saying, we we sold this one, we sold that one, we sold that one. You need good test test cases. The reality is the market isn't what it once was, and people need educating about it. So using test cases like that could actually be really beneficial for you. Ian Storey: Yeah. One hundred percent. We've got l plenty of those ourselves. and it's important to note, really, basically, people will get more money if they go on for less to begin with. But it's Dave Warburton: Yeah. Ian Storey: it's educating them how that works, isn't it? Dave Warburton: Yeah, I've actually I always say to people now the the marketing price should be seen as a marketing tool. It doesn't need to be the valuation. They're two different things. Ian Storey: We had a great example of the pre-launch process yesterday, which I know I've put on the group, but Vicky took one arm at lovely village, lovely house. it it was 800 offers over all day long. Obviously that's a price point. We said, yeah, we just after discussing it with the seller, they agreed to go on at 850, but not on right move. So they went on social media, our website, we put it out to buyers, put boards up, we'd done three viewings on it at 850. It was a no from everyone. So it's it's just gone on right move yesterday off of our 800. So doing it that way round, if you can educate people to do it that way round, it's it's really, really, really powerful because it will just lead to you getting more sales more quickly. Dave Warburton: Hundred percent. Ian Storey: You know, bare prices. So what one thing I wanted to touch on was something that happened to us this week around sales progression. So I'll give you the background. We've got a property which is over a million, so it's high end properties, two percent fee. the seller is a high level professional person, and you know, she's a lovely person. The house is also lovely, but it was it was difficult to sell because it's on a main A road. So it's busy and loud with traffic. So we've we've done a lot of viewings on it. We've probably done, I don't know, 25 to 30 viewings on it. because for that kind of money in the area, it's affordable, you know, and it's a lovely house. So it's it's attracted a lot of attention. We agreed to sell on it last year, it fell through, went back on the market. Ultimately, we've resold it. Been a few issues that have that have and that made it drag out a bit. They're keeping a bit of land next to it. So the title has need to be need to be changed. Few issues with dates, few issues with a few other bits and pieces. And it got to the stage where the seller was unhappy with our sales progressor because she felt that the sales progressor was making it worse by asking constant questions of the seller that the buyer was asking. So the the the The seller said, basically ended up saying to our sales progressor, just get the buyers to speak to their solicitor if they've got any more questions. Don't come through me. So the seller rang me to say this. So I said, look, I really think we should arrange a call to discuss. So I arranged a call for me, the sales progressor, and the seller on Tuesday this week. And I actually did a social media post about this yesterday. And I called the social media post, it's about emotion, not logic. Because the seller was coming at it from a logical perspective. The seller was coming at it from by saying, Well, if they've got any detailed questions, they can ask their solicitor. Their solicitor will ask a formal response of our solicitor. We will reply and they will get their answer. Few things to unpack there, Sally. First of all, that'll take at least a week, if not more, to Dave Warburton: Mm. Ian Storey: get the answer. The answer will come in a very black and white format. From the solicitor normally with no context around it, not on the phone, so you can explain it in the right terms. It'll come in right written form and leave the buyer to make their own decisions based on what they're reading. and therefore the it the importance of having us there in between, the sales progressive there in between to manage that process and how the buyer is feeling and get them quick answers and explain it to them, you know, in layman's terms. Taking into account their emotions is absolutely vital. You're coming at it from a logical perspective. Whereas the buyer is coming at it initially from how they're feeling about the process. And that's what they are using Dave Warburton: Mm-hmm. Ian Storey: subconsciously to inform their decisions, is their emotion and their feeling. And their perception of how they feel is the most important thing. The logic comes second. So we had a really, really good conversation between the three of us on Tuesday where I explained that. And our sales progressor was absolutely brilliant in how she handled it as well, because the seller was really accusing her of things. She could have got a backup, but she remained very calm and professional about it and handled it really well. And the call ended with the seller thanking us for arranging the call and saying how she understands it more now. And then after that call on the group, followed a series of exchanges between her and our sales progressor. answering loads questions that we'd asked of her. Dave Warburton: Love that. Ian Storey: So I really think we got got it across for her really well. But it it was it was the key thing of explaining to her that it's about how the buyer feels. And that might not be the buyer might not be right at all. But how Dave Warburton: Mm. Ian Storey: they feel is the most important thing because they're buying your house and you need Dave Warburton: Yes. Ian Storey: to be happy until it exchanges contracts. Dave Warburton: Yeah, regardless of how annoying that might be. 'Cause it is a very, very emotional process. And the Ian Storey: Very emotional, you know. Dave Warburton: I I have a my my team will dig me out for this, but I always, always say this phrase, tone of voice. It's so important because Ian Storey: Yeah. So important. Dave Warburton: you can y a text message and a voice a voice note or an actual conversation, the two different things, they say two different things completely. And it's it Yeah, this is one of the gripes I had re recently in house. You know, I felt that we'd become a little bit too WhatsAppy at times because it's convenient for us. Where whereas actually sometimes e in this day even in this day and age it's it's just easier and better for the client to pick up the phone and have Ian Storey: Way back. Dave Warburton: a tone of voice conversation because you can have a bit of back and forth. yes, it it yeah, it it it is. Ian Storey: A human thing though, isn't it? That that will always be the case. You can't you can't get it across, you can't get the feeling across properly in text or even on a voice note sometimes. You know, you Dave Warburton: Mm. Ian Storey: you need the to and fro of the conversation to see how the conversation goes, because that informs what you're gonna say next. Dave Warburton: Yeah. Ian Storey: And there's no other way of doing that sometimes, other than on the phone or even face-to-face. Dave Warburton: Yeah, I agree. Ian Storey: But it's it's getting your clients to understand that is the key. And I don't get involved in many sales much really after they've been agreed now because the th the sales progressors are so good. But sometimes the client needs to hear it from you. Dave Warburton: Yeah. I've had a few of those recently. Definitely. They come to you then just to try and speed things along. no it is it's Yeah. Yeah. Ian Storey: Yeah. They think you've got a magic wand, don't they? So that's why I always at that point I normally always arrange a joint call with the progressor on the call. I want them to Dave Warburton: Yeah. And I I think we appreciate that. Ian Storey: and carry on. I don't I don't want to get involved. Because I'm Dave Warburton: Yeah. Ian Storey: not the right person. That I'm not I'm not chasing it every week. The sales progressor is the right person, but you just need the client Dave Warburton: Yeah. Ian Storey: to see that. Dave Warburton: I I've had I've had two, I think, in the last sort of week where that sort of thing has happened, something has stalled, and I've been quite open to say, I I don't actually know where you're up to with it. I'll be honest, I don't. You know, I I i they they they respect that my my job or the majority of my job is about seeing people in homes, putting new houses on the market, negotiating deals. I'm not in the back the back office. And and usually they'll lead with look, I know you're not fully in the loop, but I just need your help on something. So I I I've had a couple of those and I think it's really important. And the other thing as well, what you've just described there, I bet it was sorted really, really quickly. If that that that, like you said, it could have dragged on and on and on and on. And I think a lot as as well, you know, when it's a difficult call, there's two things actually. When it's a difficult call, many people put it way down the list, Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: and then it gets to five o'clock, and you I'll just do that one tomorrow. Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: And it consumes you, absolutely just consumes you. But the second part of that is it's never as bad as you think usually. Ian Storey: Never. Never. Dave Warburton: again, I I told I told you and JK recent quite recently about a tricky one I've had with some tricky homeowners and we had a difficult conversation on Monday, but on Tuesday everything was rosy again. You know, it it was fine. So I I think you've got to have those those those conversations in person. Tone of voice is incredibly important and dealing with it as quickly as you can is also important. Ian Storey: Yeah, making the making the w making the awkward calls first as soon as you possibly can. There's some rule by someone, I don't know who it is, whether I think they call it five, four, three, two, one. I've forgotten who I've forgotten whose rule it is, but like you if you've got an awkward call to make, just count down from five but ca ring them before you get to one, five, four. Just do it. 'Cause never Dave Warburton: Yes. Yeah. Ian Storey: as bad as you think. I had one yesterday where it's a lovely house, like a newer build property. Next door's just gone on for one point one. Okay, which feels a bit beefy to me. Okay. and the seller wanted to put theirs on at a mil because next door's on a 1.1, office over a mil. so the conversation on the valve was: if nextdoor sells for that, then I think we're right here. The market suggests that that's right. If Nextdoor gets that because it's a slightly bigger house type. So the conversation on the WhatsApp event went on over a couple of days of yeah, brilliant. We're happy to go on off to 1.1. And and I thought I need to bring this to a head because I need to remind them that it's only that if Nextdoor sells for that. Dave Warburton: Yeah. Ian Storey: It hasn't yet. So I had a conversation with him yesterday, yesterday morning. I said, look, I just want to make sure we're on the same page here that, you know, that's the marketing price if Nextdoor sells, which it hasn't done. If it doesn't, yours is more likely 900 to 950. Dave Warburton: Yeah. Ian Storey: And he really understood it. And I actually ended up going yesterday to see him and had a conversation with him face to face. And he was really he was great. He was like, Yeah, I understand that. I I get that, you know, it's only if next door goes and you know, and normally it's time. Dave Warburton: But again, again, mate, again, I'm not being funny, but i that is that is normal for you, but how many people I'm gonna go round and see him. Ian Storey: Yeah, c no not many at all, yeah. Dave Warburton: You know, you've you've got you've gotta do it. You've got to do these things. And that's again going the extra mile and showing Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: that you care and the client will appreciate that. And they'll appreciate it as well if in three to six months it's not selling, Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: that you'll probably do that again and you know what you're doing, they'll trust you. You are their trusted advisor if you like. But I think Ian Storey: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Dave Warburton: I think the key thing for me of all that is and it's something Michelle really said to to me personally when when we're when we had a coup a couple of things in house, but she said it at the the last I think you said it on one of the recent podcasts and stuff, but she also mentioned it in the mastermind is when you are delivering things, and you said it earlier, how does that person feel? Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: Think that before you deliver it. Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: it's and it it it will change the conversation. Put yourself in that situation. You're not just delivering news, think about the whole picture. Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: How do they want to receive it and how will this move things along? The other thing that's picked upon then you had five, four, three, two, one. Before you get to one, do it. I'm the other way around. I need to go five, four, three, two, one, right. Don't send that WhatsApp now. Just chill for a minute. Ian Storey: yeah. Mate, this morning I was having a to and fro with a client and he he he he said something to me. I and I I was I was composing a message. I was just thinking, fuck it. I'm thinking, fuck it, what are you Dave Warburton: Went what? What? Ian Storey: talking about, mate? I've been doing this 23 years, I what I'm doing. And I I thought, hang on a minute, Ian. Pause. Dave Warburton: Breeze. Ian Storey: I didn't send it and I sent a lovely reply and said, I thought, yeah, that was the right thing to do. What? Dave Warburton: Yeah, I think so there's a balance. Ian Storey: PTS. What's PTS? Pause then speak. PTS, pause then speak. Dave Warburton: I love that. Yes. Pause. Ian Storey: Right. Dave Warburton: Then speak. For me, it's take a day and then and then go back to it. Take a day, go and have a spa. And then send the WhatsApp. Ian Storey: Yeah. Yeah. Dave Warburton: So yeah, it's sometimes but you're right. Sometimes what are you who are you talking to? What are you talking? You who is this guy? It's like, yeah, hear what you're saying, Glenn. I'll be in touch. Yeah. Like, Ian Storey: Yeah. Yeah. I understand how you feel. I say that quite a lot now, you know. I understand how you feel. I understand how you feel. Dave Warburton: Do you the way Ian? Do you Ian? Tell me. Ian Storey: No, I disagree with him completely. I think he's a complete Dave Warburton: Yes. Yes. right. It's gonna be a short and sweet podcast this week. We're obviously it's just myself and Ian. JK is on his way back from his holiday. Michelle I think is also away, isn't she? So it's it's just the two of us this week. shall we finish by talking quickly about the mastermind, which is coming up in a couple of weeks? Ian Storey: Yeah, a couple of weeks. I think it's three weeks time. There Dave Warburton: Is it f sixteenth of September, isn't Ian Storey: you go. Yeah, so two weeks on Tuesday. we have our next mastermind. Cannot believe it's come around so quickly. and we've got some new members that are going to be there as well, which is great news. another another good sesh, I think, Dave. We've we've got JK doing a bit more on tech, because as we know, he's our tech guru. Dave Warburton: Yeah. Ian Storey: and then we've got a few of the specialist bits and pieces booked. So it'd be great to another room full of agents. And we're always looking for new members. So if you'd like us to help you create the success that we've had with selling the high our higher end homes and getting our brand positioned in the area really well, getting two percent, getting upfront marketing fees. then we would love to help. We only take on one a one agent in an area, so they're all non-competing. And like you mentioned before, the the WhatsApp group is so good for everyone discussing different strategies and tactics. And I do genuinely believe that it's extremely good money, well spent when you look at other options that people have got. the three is all on the ground. Michelle's got great coaching and L and LP experience as well. So If you're thinking of making the leap, get in touch with the conversation, and we can help you help you grow. You frozen. Dave Warburton: I did freeze then, but we're okay. I think the other thing for me is, I mean, it you just alluded to the fact, but it it it's gone by so quick. So this is the Q three mastermind. and the next one will be Christmas, which is just bonkers. But the the point I'm gonna make is we we do them quarterly because it's they're such important milestones to understand where your business is at. So we'll always do a little bit of a review, and obviously you You're looking after your own business and reviewing where you need and should be at. But if it if let's just say, you know, we do the Christmas mastermind and you go into twenty twenty seven then with lots of great ideas and things to emp implement, and you do that throughout Q1. Once we get to the first mastermind of say twenty twenty seven, which is likely to be around April time, you're in a you're in a room full of agents doing the same thing. You've got the three of us, as in me, you and JK, who are agents on the ground. And then you've got one of the best coaches in the country, Michelle, for doing this sort of stuff. And you you can you're in a position where you can look at what you've got and where you're at and where you thought you should be at, and start reshaping the year as quickly as you can. Because we've all been there. You you you can get a you can get off to a bad start or something like that, not know your numbers. And before you know it, it's July, August, and you're going, God, I've got I've not got enough completions to get me through to Christmas. Ian Storey: Yeah, yeah. Dave Warburton: So so to have these checkpoints with like-minded individuals and coaches and other people that are doing what you want to be doing or are doing, it I can't stress how valuable it is. And although we are now at the front doing this and helping people, we are still in the trenches doing this, having the same problems every day. And and and if we rewind five, six, seven years, we've also been in rooms like this, being spoken to and working with like minded agents. I mean that's how we all met. So if if anybody is thinking seriously about, you know what, it it I I just want to know what it's all about. Let's see if it is for me. Give us a ring. Drop us a message. We'll have a chat and see if you're at the right fit for both of us. But I I do think, you know, if I could have my time again, I started my own business in two thousand fifteen, sixteen, if I could have my time again, I will be into something like this from day one. Ian Storey: Yeah. 100%. I wish I'd been sending our letters from the start of the company and implementing everything that we implement now. I mean, one thing I thought of this morning was upfront marketing fees. You know, it's just been an absolute game changer. Dave Warburton: No yeah. Ian Storey: So so so far this year we've done, you know, multiple tens of thousands just in upfront marketing fees. Absolutely Dave Warburton: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Ian Storey: incredible. You know, it's probably covered the salary of two members of the team. So amazing. Dave Warburton: Yeah. And it's funny because you you again, we something I forgot to mention about my week at the start. Well before I went away, Ellie started with us. She's our new she's gonna be our new valuer and she's gonna be helping out and that and all sorts of other things to support myself. and she has come from a she's got a s some night really good experience, but she's come from a background where the charging two percent is just what? And and she's come in and she's seeing it just happen day in, day out, and it's like, my god, it yeah, it is possible that it's done that way. Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: And you've got the brand to back it up and da-da-da. She just gets it. And the first few vowels that she's been to now, sh she's signed up, you know. Ian Storey: Yeah. Dave Warburton: She won't win them all, but she doesn't need to. And that's the beauty of this business model. You don't have to win volume and market share. You you just get need to get quality over quantity. So it can be done. And if you're on on the fence or you've listened to this regularly and you want to know more, and you've been thinking about it, just get in touch with myself, Ian, JK, or Michelle. and we would love to chat to you and see if your area is available. Ian Storey: Indeed. Well I think that's a good place to wrap it up. Dave Warburton: indeed. great pod, good to see you Ian. Thank you everybody for listening and we will see you next week. Ian Storey: Bye.