Listen to his mastermind group introduction:
I just got off the phone with Buddy Blake, who was one of our first clients back in the early 2010s. He's joining us at our Oct 2-3 mastermind in San Diego.
He just signed back up as a client to reconnect with his database, which won't be hard, since he has such a strong brand in his market.
Let me tell you a little bit about Buddy....
The man built a massive real estate team in Wilmington, NC and proceeded to open 5 real estate offices as a franchise broker, but in hindsight realized profitability wasn't as expected.
He's since sold them all, with the ownership of the buildings as the upside from all that work, and is rebuilding a real estate sales team from the ground up.
"But I'll tell you this", he said in the interview, "I'm selling 1/3 of the homes but paying a lot more in taxes! I'm making money now!"
He's hiring intern agents at $15 an hour, W2 for 20 hours a week, to work his open houses sitting on the market during the shift (free office space!) to train them up as agents.
He's also slowly releasing a new home value tool for seller leads called FreeHouseValue.com, which you'll hear about in the coming months. It's good tech to keep an eye on.
Buddy is happy to share what's working for him. If you're open to sharing, he wants to learn how to scale operations profitability with the rising cost of living of USA staff. That's what's on his mind right now and he needs help with it.
His vision is to stay profitable for the long haul and really help the young agents on his team build lives and careers in real estate, which he has enjoyed for over 20 years.
Thank you Buddy for your friendship all these years. It's his first time in California too, so that will be exciting - you have a lot to see my friend!
Frank
AI Summary Notes
Buddy Blake's Journey in Real Estate
- Frank Klesitz welcomes Buddy Blake to San Diego and reminisces about their past interactions.
- Buddy Blake shares his 28-year experience in real estate and their long-standing relationship.
- Frank Klesitz recalls Buddy's early use of social media and the impact it had on the industry.
- Buddy Blake discusses his business system and the importance of being a pioneer in the industry.
Introduction of Free House Values
- Buddy Blake introduces his new product, Free House Values, which is currently free for testing.
- He explains the inspiration behind the product, which was influenced by his wife's use of Zillow.
- The product enriches data from various aggregators and includes features like estimated replacement costs and calculators for moving and appreciation.
- Buddy Blake emphasizes the consumer-focused approach and the lack of monetization at this stage.
National Approach and Sponsorship
- Buddy Blake discusses the national approach they are taking, including partnerships with Lowe's Home Improvement and a mortgage company.
- He mentions the need to upgrade their servers due to increased traffic.
- Frank Klesitz suggests showcasing the product at the mastermind event to highlight its consumer experience.
- Buddy Blake agrees and explains how the product can be used as printed collateral for listing appointments.
Buddy's Business Model and Team Structure
- Buddy Blake shares his journey from running a large team to going independent and eventually selling his firm back to Coldwell Banker.
- He describes his current team structure, which is smaller and intern-based, offering a base pay of $15 an hour for 20 hours a week.
- The interns perform tasks like holding open houses and making concierge-type customer service calls.
- Buddy Blake emphasizes the importance of being around people and learning from each other in the office environment.
Challenges and Future Goals
- Buddy Blake discusses the challenges of managing a team and holding people accountable.
- He shares his vision of helping younger agents grow and succeed in the industry.
- Buddy Blake mentions his personal goals of making enough money to be comfortable and helping others.
- He reflects on the changes in the industry and the importance of adapting to new technologies and market conditions.
