Category: The CarrotCast Podcast

From online marketing to mindset, join us as we unlock the best stories, tactics, and strategies from America’s top investors and agents.

  • EP 235: Prioritizing, Delegating, and Clearing Your Calendar to Attain the Business and Life You Want w/ Jonathan Carcone

    EP 235: Prioritizing, Delegating, and Clearing Your Calendar to Attain the Business and Life You Want w/ Jonathan Carcone

    My living my best life, is when I look at my calendar Sunday night and see absolutely nothing scheduled for the week ahead.

    – Jonathan Carcone

    Prioritizing, Delegating, and Clearing Your Calendar to Attain the Business and Life You Want w/ Jonathan Carcone

    As an agent or investor, entrepreneur, or business owner, you’ve likely had those weeks where feel as if you are in constant meetings, constantly answering questions from your team, or have found yourself doing the day-to-day work that isn’t helping you to grow.

    I get it.

    I have often found myself in this position, and it is only through delegation, clearing my calendar, and changing my thinking that I have been able to get out of it. Today, we are diving in with Jonathan Carcone to find out how he has gone from solopreneur to having a team of 12 and what he is doing to ensure he doesn’t lose sight of why he started.

    Read the Full Show Notes Below…

    This episode of the podcast was inspired by a simple Facebook post from Jonathan Carcone, a long-time Carrot client. The post read: “ My living my best life week is one where I look at my calendar Sunday night and see absolutely nothing scheduled. Not. A. Single. Thing. When I was a 1 man show that was a lot easier than now with over a dozen employees. Shows how more is oftentimes just… More. Not better. 

    At least for people with my personality and value system.” 

    This really resonated with me. So often we spend so much time in the constant grind and hustle that we forget why we started. Many of us start our businesses to attain freedom, yet we find ourselves chained to our desks, working long hours we never would of considered when we had a 9-5.

    Jonathan Carcone wants to use his business to fuel his lifestyle and we’re going to learn how he is doing just that. 

    Sometimes More is Just More

    Meetings aren’t always the best use of your time. When your calendar is full of them, you’ll end up spending your time and energy on things that aren’t really getting you or your team ahead. Take a look at your calendar and determine the things that are essential vs. the things you don’t personally have to attend. You can send an assistant, send your notes with someone else who is attending the meeting, or ask for a summary once the meeting is over.

    As entrepreneurs and business owners, it can be easy to get sucked into commitments that don’t necessarily fuel our grand vision. Learning to say no or making other arrangements to share information will allow you to focus on the things that are more important. 

    Another way we get caught up doing more is by comparing ourselves to what others are doing. You may feel proud and perfectly content with where you are and your goals for the future, but when you see someone doing more, it’s easy to feel like you need to do more too. The goals you had get larger, further away, and less realistic. While it’s good to dream big, don’t forget what it important to you and why you started. 

    Getting Your Priorities Straight

    Knowing what you need to attend and what you don’t will help to free up time on your calendar. You should also take a look at the way you are spending your time.

    For Jonathan, he was happiest when he was able to have a slow morning, work for 4-5 hours, then head home for a nice dinner. He had a couple of VA’s assisting with the postings and the paperwork, while he was able to spend his time on the big things that would generate revenue. 

    Putting The Right People In Place

    While Jonathan loved working as a one-man show, he wanted to challenge himself to see if he could turn it into a real business. When you’re ambitious, it’s likely that you are never satisfied. I think this is good, it keeps you hungry and dedicated to what you are doing. 

    As you grow, you need to have the right people on your team. As a leader, you need to ask not how they can help you get ahead, but rather what you can do to help move them ahead. Jonathan has an assistant, lead manager, and salespeople on his team.

    Just like I have done at Carrot, Jonathan is working to build a leadership team that will allow him to step away from the business almost entirely. That’s not to say he nor I like being involved in the business, but being able to delegate decisions to others takes off a lot of the pressure.

    When you have the right people in place, you can spend more of your time growing your business, enjoying your passions, and making the impact that got you into all this in the first place. 

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  • EP 234: Flat-Fee Listings, Wholesaling, and Flipping – How to Build Your Business the Way You Want It w/ Matt Buttner

    EP 234: Flat-Fee Listings, Wholesaling, and Flipping – How to Build Your Business the Way You Want It w/ Matt Buttner

    Flat-Fee Listings, Wholesaling, and Flipping - How to Build Your Business the Way You Want It.

    Anyone can make a pretty website, but if it isn’t fast and doesn’t function then what’s the point. At the end of the day, it’s all about the leads that are coming in and that’s why I chose Carrot. 

    – Matt Buttner

    Flat-fee Listings, Wholesaling, and Flipping – How to Build Your Business the Way You Want It w/ Matt Buttner

    There are a million ways to get into real estate and Matt Buttner is proof that you don’t need to do things the same way everyone else is doing them.

    While many agents and investors are missing out on leads and opportunities, Matt is maximizing his reach and his ability to help people.

    He keeps his team lean, his processes simple, and has been able to grow his business while helping hundreds of people along the way. 

    Read the Full Show Notes Below…

    Matt has been a Carrot member for several years. He has multiple sites that he has used to invest in land, in single-family homes, and now for flat-fee listings. He’s integrated these sites, giving him the ability to reach more people and build his brand.

    His use of informative content is quickly getting his sites to the top of Google and making him the local authority in his field. 

    Free Download

    Wholesaling and Flipping

    People get into real estate in different ways, and for Matt, he learned the business from his parents. He buys and sells homes throughout Florida, genuinely helping people who are in need of a fast solution. He is the one answering the phone, going on the appointments, and building relationships with people.

    Using his Carrot site, he is creating valuable and informative content that blows away any objections he hears from homeowners. 

    Today, his parents are out of the business and enjoying their retirement. Matt has a part-time assistant that helps him with all of the details. By not having a room full of acquisition reps, he is able to heel things lean, personal, and efficient. In most cases, he will take the title himself as opposed to wholesaling so he can ensure the house will close on the day promised. 

    Flat-Fee Listings

    While working on his investment business, Matt realized there was a whole market of people out there that he wasn’t serving. These are the people who want to sell, but who didn’t want to take a direct offer or deal with expensive commissions. For these people, Matt offers a flat-fee listing service.

    This service gets houses on the MLS and eliminates any further costs to the seller. At the closing table, they are only responsible for the commission to the buyer’s agent, not the standard 6% sellers often pay when selling their homes with an agent. 

    Why He Chose Carrot

    Matt had an investor site with Carrot early on. He started his flat-fee service before we launched AgentCarrot, and was using a WordPress site that he managed himself. He found that he was spending all of his time managing the site and resolving conflicts between his different plug-ins. He wasn’t able to make the site he wanted and leads were falling through the cracks. 

    Then AgentCarrot came along. This allowed him to quickly set up a high-ranking site, designed the way he wanted it. His site is fast and doesn’t drag the way it did when he was using a standard shared hosting plan. The best part is, that when he needs a little help to make things work, our support team is right there to walk him through it. 

    Today, his flat-fee listing business runs on auto-pilot as most of it is done by his assistant via email. This business alone more than pays for his marketing and his expenses as an employer.

    Making this shift and offering hybrid solutions to his clients has allowed him to help a lot more people than if he would have stuck to the investing side of things. With the great video content and dedication to helping others, we have no doubt he will be successful no matter what’s in store for 2021. 

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  • EP 233: What I Wish I Would’ve Done Differently in 15 Years of Wholesaling and Flipping – The Good, Bad, and the Ugly of Investing w/ Edward Beck

    EP 233: What I Wish I Would’ve Done Differently in 15 Years of Wholesaling and Flipping – The Good, Bad, and the Ugly of Investing w/ Edward Beck

    What I Wish I Would’ve Done Differently - The Good, Bad, and the Ugly of Investing w/ Edward Beck

    I never negotiate over the phone. I go to their house, I sit down with them, I have a cup of coffee, and I build rapport.

    – Edward Beck

    What I Wish I Would’ve Done Differently in 15 Years of Wholesaling & Flipping – The Good, Bad, and the Ugly of Investing w/ Edward Beck

    What I like so much about Edward Beck is that he is the kind of guy who tells it like it is. There are so many gurus out there telling people how to get rich quick while they pose in front of cars that aren’t even theirs.

    Edward despises this side of the industry, and just like we’re doing at Carrot, Edward is determined to change the way real estate investors are perceived. By leading with his heart and having a true intent to help people, success will inevitably follow. 

    Read the Full Show Notes Below…

    I love it when we have a guest on the podcast who is really out there to help people, it comes from the heart.

    Edward isn’t in this to make as much money as possible, (although being so genuine helps him close more deals, rather he is out there to truly help homeowners when they need it.

    After 15 years of wholesaling and flipping houses, here is a glimpse into what he has learned. 

    Thinking It Would Be Easy

    20 years ago, wholesaling was a different ballgame. You could put out 100 signs and get 100 calls. Wholesales were few and far between, and people didn’t really understand what they did. Today, things are much different.

    In some places, the market is saturated. You can put out 100 signs today and maybe receive 10 calls if you’re lucky. The old ways of marketing aren’t what they used to be. With so many people in the business, it is more important than ever that you provide high-quality content and truly find ways to help and connect with your audience. 

    Thinking He Needed To Do More

    Direct mail, cold calling, PPC, SEO, text, door knocking… These are all great ways to get leads, but they aren’t right for everyone. Edward knew he didn’t want to market in this way any longer. He’s been creating great content and letting the leads come to him. He’s building a name for himself as a trusted resource, creating authority in his market. 

    Instead of making seven calls to a potential lead, he will meet with them directly. He never does any negotiations over the phone. He likes to sit down with people, get to know them, and have a real conversation.

    He is the kind of guy that would rather be having a cup of coffee with someone than sitting behind his computer desk. He’s found out what works for him and ran with it, not giving in and doing all of the things investors assume they should be doing. 

    Knowing Your Audience

    As an investor, you really need to know and understand your target audience. For Edward, he has an older audience. He works with many people who are downsizing or who have lived in their homes for a long time.

    At the moment, a lot of them are scared to move, let alone have strangers come into their house to view it. What Edward and his team do is work to alleviate all of these fears. 

    His older clients aren’t always on social media. They get their news from the mainstream media and sometimes have irrational fears about selling. If they are online searching Google for help, they’re likely to click the first result, whether or not it is an ad. Edward aims to hold these top spots so he is able to help these people first. 

    He isn’t trying to score one big deal out of this. His goal is to do a few deals each month and make sure everyone comes out ahead. People know when you are trying to take advantage of them.

    Edward can sleep well at night because he knows everything was done right. Without this purpose and mission to genuinely help people, you will burn out as an investor. 

    Leading From The Heart

    Edward is in this business to help people. A couple of years back, he became so frustrated by what he was seeing in the industry, that he wrote a book of his own to help other investors get into the business. As he puts it, the book was written out of pure anger and resentment!

    He did not like the phony side of the industry and was tired of seeing the same regurgitated material over and over again. His book is titled “Get Rich, but Not Quick,” and it keeps things real for new investors getting into the business. It is a straightforward, step-by-step guide to help you get started, even offering scripts of the exact things you should be saying to your potential clients. 

    Not Being Evergreen Sooner

    During COVID, Edward doubled down and has been making a TON of videos. Finding content has been pretty simple. He will take a look at some of the titles from our automated articles, then make a video that dives into a topic even further.

    He has also created videos around common seller questions and objections heard when speaking to homeowners about selling. Using his content, he is able to build authority, rapport, and lay any concerns to rest. Now, because of these videos, he is holding the top ranking for many of the best keywords for his market. 

    Looking Ahead

    As demand for a fast sale goes up and down, it’s important to be prepared, making sure you are out there and in front of your potential clients when the time is right. It isn’t about the number of leads you bring in, but rather finding a way to connect with real people. 

    At Carrot, one of our core values is to be a beacon of positivity. One of the ways we do this is by delivering a “wow” through great service. In an industry where there is so much mistrust, I love when investors like Edward act as a force to uplevel our sphere. 

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  • EP 232: 300+ Homes in Just 3 Years. How Ryan Pineda Uses Brand, a Team, and YouTube to Generate Leads

    EP 232: 300+ Homes in Just 3 Years. How Ryan Pineda Uses Brand, a Team, and YouTube to Generate Leads

    Brand-Building, YouTube Domination, & Buying 300 Homes in 3 Years - interview with Ryan Pineda

    When you have businesses that mesh together, you create a multiplying effect.

    – Ryan Pineda

    How Building a Brand, a Team, and Dominating YouTube Led Ryan Pineda to Buy 300 Homes in Just 3 Years

    Ryan Pineda has been investing in real estate for only 5 years, but in this short amount of time, he has flipped hundreds of homes, built multiple businesses, and become a millionaire, all before the age of 30.

    In fact, he has purchased over 100 houses each year for the past 3 years!

    Now, speaking from a position of experience, he is helping other investors to do the same.  

    Read the Full Show Notes Below…

    Nothing inspires me more than seeing other entrepreneurs out there crushing it. Ryan Pineda has been investing for 5 years, only doing it full time for the past 3.

    In this short amount of time, he has been able to launch multiple companies, build an incredible team, and build a reputation for himself as one of the top investors in the Las Vegas area.

    He is the prime example of someone who has found success and is using it to help others do the same. 

    Hitting the Ball From All Angles

    As a former professional baseball player, Ryan learned the importance of teamwork and how many moving pieces must come together to be successful. At the beginning of his investment journey, Ryan spent all of his time flipping houses. He was good at it, but he knew that if that was all he did, he would become resentful and unfulfilled. 

    He looked at the industry and how he could better serve people. With this philosophy, he has built a brokerage, a real estate education company, and a tax service for investors, in addition to his investment business. He caught on early that in order to maximize the leads that are coming in, he would need to find different ways to serve people. 

    Building the Team to Do It

    Ryan can’t run these businesses alone. Any entrepreneur who has tried to grow their business knows there aren’t enough hours in the day to play CEO, COO, and CFO – at least not if you want to do a good job. Finding the right people and filling these roles with people he could trust has been the biggest factor in Ryan’s success. 

    Today, his Brokerage has over 50 agents, and his acquisition business purchases over 100 properties a year. He has project managers handling the day to day and by hiring a COO (his sister Noelle) to oversee all businesses, and a COO to manage only his acquisitions (Sean Bob), he has been able to dedicate his time to doing the things that he loves within the business.

    That is building a brand and making it known. With the right people managing the day to day, Ryan has been able to quickly take his business to the next level. 

    Making Yourself Known

    While I have only recently connected with Ryan personally, I have been following him for a long time on YouTube and Instagram. He consistently drops great knowledge that is upping the game. Ryan is a person who is using YouTube in the right way. His tactics have quickly gotten him over 38k followers, with those numbers rising every day. So how does he do it?

    According to Ryan, you need to have all of these things to be successful on Youtube: 

    • Have a great title and tag – if they aren’t interested, they won’t click
    • Make sure you have a great thumbnail image that features your face – smile as Youtube loves to spread positivity
    • Be consistent – Ryan has built an audience quickly because he is doing 6 videos a week – all of which offer great content
    • Mix up your topics – have some with broad appeal and others with niched content

    When running multiple businesses, getting your name out there is a no-brainer. You want to be the guy people turn to when they need help. You want them to know exactly who you are and what you can offer them.

    Creating this kind of content will build trust, authority, and rapport with your potential clients. Putting yourself out there may feel daunting, but once you start, you’ll see just how well you are able to connect with people through video. 

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  • EP 231: How Being A Hybrid Investor/Agent Helps Raul Triple His Deal Volume Without Extra Motivated Seller Leads w/ Raul Bolufe

    EP 231: How Being A Hybrid Investor/Agent Helps Raul Triple His Deal Volume Without Extra Motivated Seller Leads w/ Raul Bolufe

    How to Triple Your Lead Volume Without Doing Any Extra Marketing w/ Raul Bolufe

    Building a business around a hobby you love takes the flame out of it. Finding a business that fuels your passions gives you the ultimate freedom. 

    – Raul Bolufe

    How to Triple Your Real Estate Lead Volume Without Any Extra Marketing w/ Raul Bolufe

    Raul Bolufe is a returning guest and a long time Carrot customer. You’ve heard me talk about the importance of the agent and investor hybrid, and Raul is the perfect example of this.

    Today we are going to talk about a few of my favorite things. Finding your passion, helping your customers, and how to triple your real estate lead volume without any extra work. 

    Read the Full Show Notes Below…

    A lot has changed since Raul was last on the Carrotcast. The market has exploded, strategies are changing, and more people have gotten into the industry.

    However, none of this has slowed Raul down. In fact, he is busier than ever, always finding new ways to do business, serve his clients better, and increase his real estate lead volume. 

    Mixing it Up

    Wholesaling is Raul’s primary business and he focuses his marketing on acquiring seller leads. That said, he also owns a real estate brokerage that handles any leads that may prefer a listing to a direct sale.

    The rules are different in every state, but in Florida, Raul is able to own the brokerage without being licensed himself. He has a licensed broker on file, to whom he pays out regular distributions.

    As the owner, Raul does not collect a commission, rather he collects a salary that the brokerage pays him directly. His setup is perfectly legal and actually reduces his personal liability while helping him to serve more people. As I said before, be sure to check the rules for where you live. 

    A Check on the Numbers

    For Raul, about ⅓ of his transactions are done with a direct sale, while the other ⅔ are more interested in listing! Now imagine if Raul didn’t have his brokerage and didn’t do anything to help those other ⅔?

    He’d be casting those leads away to the street. He wouldn’t be able to help them (which he loves to do) and his brokerage would miss out on its share of the commissions. While his profits are smaller on the retail side, he makes it up in volume.

    The retail profits cover his marketing costs and then some, allowing him to see pure profit on his wholesale deals. 

    The good news is that you don’t have to own a brokerage to capitalize on these leads. Investors should look for investor-friendly agents to work with and agents should look for reputable investors to help them close difficult deals.

    No longer should there be tension between investors and agents. They serve different needs and can ultimately come together to help more people by offering better solutions.

    If you are an investor who isn’t licensed yourself, go take the test and get your license! If it’s really not something you want to do, find an agent to partner up with! To be blunt, if you aren’t doing this now, you are missing out on money!

    Fueling Your Passions

    Helping people and real estate are two of Raul’s passions. He loves finding creative solutions to help people out of difficult real estate situations. Gary V. says to take your passion and make a business out of it.

    And this is great advice for some people. However, both myself and Raul have done things a bit differently. We have built businesses we love and used them instead to fuel our passions. 

    I love golf. I thought maybe I would be a golf blogger or do something in that industry, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me. Raul is a DJ. As he put it, if he could lock himself in a room all day and do that, he would.

    However, that’s not what he uses to pay the bills. We both agree that building your business around a hobby you love may cause you to resent it. So many business people try to make a dollar off of everything, but having something that fulfills you, that allows you to be as creative as you want without the need to make a dollar, fulfills you in ways that money can’t.

    For Raul, being a DJ fulfills a different aspect of his life than his real estate business does. When a business fuels your passion, you can be insanely fired up about it, and that gives you freedom. 

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  • EP 230: 7 Quick Video Marketing Hacks + Free List of 19 Content Ideas for Investors w/ Josh Culler

    EP 230: 7 Quick Video Marketing Hacks + Free List of 19 Content Ideas for Investors w/ Josh Culler

    7 Quick Video Marketing Hacks + Free List of 19 Content Ideas for Investors w/ Josh Culler

    You can’t complain about leads not coming in if you’re not doing video. You have to get out there, get out from underneath that fear, and conquer it.

    – Josh Culler

    7 Quick Video Marketing Hacks + Free List of 19 Content Ideas for Investors w/ Josh Culler

    Josh Culler is a marketing pro who leverages video to help real estate investors connect with their target market. As an expert in video content marketing, he has developed several hacks to get the job done easier and with finesse.

    Don’t let a fear of getting in front of the camera stop you from using video. Josh will share with you his tips to show you exactly how to get out from underneath those fears so you can best connect with your audience. 

    Read the Full Show Notes Below…

    I am super excited to sit down with Josh. I’ve seen his videos and I’m beyond impressed by what he is able to do for investors. People who never thought they’d be making videos for their business, are now front and center, cranking out high-quality content like you wouldn’t believe.

    We had a great in-studio talk where I was able to pull out these 7 quick video marketing hacks to help real estate investors reach more people while building credibility and authority.

    #1. Answer Questions

    As an investor, you likely hear questions from homeowners all of the time. Your content can answer questions about your product, service, or industry. 

    • Why should I sell directly?
    • What’s the difference between you and an agent?
    • How long will it take?

    Answering these questions makes for great content. These are things people are wondering and you are building credibility and authority by being the person who has the answers. The content will be loaded with keywords and naturally primed for optimization. 

    #2. Film Case Studies

    Think back to your last few deals and tell the story of what happened. How did the situation unfold? How were you able to help the homeowner?

    Use varied stories that highlight specific situations such as an inheritance, foreclosure avoidance, or someone selling a run-down home. Tell a story with your video and your audience will be hooked. 

    #3. Film Your Process

    While what you do may seem very simple, homeowners may not know what to expect. Film yourself visiting a property or running comps. Show people who you are, what you’re doing, and how everything works. 

    Even something that seems very elementary to you, maybe something your potential customer was wondering about but was too afraid to ask.

    #4. Do Not Over Complicate Things

    Josh has found that when it comes to video marketing, people either get too into it or they don’t commit enough. They will buy a $300 mic, a green screen, and edit their videos much more than they should.

    Or… they don’t do it because they feel it will be too much work. They aren’t consistent, and they fail to capture moments that could really help them connect with their audience. 

    #5. Post Everywhere

    Once you have your video, get that thing up everywhere! Use our video transcription tool to turn your video into a keyword-rich blog post. Not only do you want it on your Carrot site, but you should have it highlighted on your youtube channel, shared to Facebook, Instagram, and anywhere else you are active.

    One important thing to remember is to post your videos natively. Don’t share a Youtube link on Facebook, upload the video directly instead. While the platforms may be similar – they are not friends. Another thing people don’t usually capitalize on is Google my Business and Apple Maps.

    These are places people go to when looking for businesses. Instead of having the pictures associated with your business be from other people, take control, and upload content of your own.

    You can add some pictures of your office, deals you’ve done, and clients you’ve worked with. Add in your videos as well to quickly connect with people who are searching you out. 

    #6. Keep It Real 

    In order to create content that will really connect with your audience, you need to remain genuine. Don’t have someone on Fiver film your video, do it yourself. Have the video be the same person who goes out to meet people and view houses. You’ll also want to be very clear on why you are doing what you are doing.

    Financial goals are fine but aren’t always specific enough to motivate you to produce quality content. Josh, for example, not only wants to create a good life for his family, but he also wants to be able 100 missionaries!

    This is a huge goal and it works for him. Your goal may look entirely different, and that’s ok! 

    #7. Be Consistent

    Video content is evergreen. If you do a video series on how to handle an inherited home, once it helps you close one deal, it has paid for itself. By creating informative content on a consistent basis, you will create a library of information that will bring the leads to you.

    With clear and intentional content, you will be the local authority before you know it. You’ll be able to turn your Carrot site into an authority hub, setting yourself apart from the other investors in your area. 

    Josh and his team provide a tremendous service to real estate investors. They can help you take your raw content, turn it into a professionally edited video, and get it back to you in 48 hours or less. Right now, you can use the code “CARROT” at cullermedia.com to receive 25% off Josh’s services! Check it out and get some video added to your Carrot site today! 

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  • EP 229: Tired of Tire Kickers? Get This Agent’s Step-by-Step Strategy for Consistent, High Quality Leads w/ Tom Townsend

    EP 229: Tired of Tire Kickers? Get This Agent’s Step-by-Step Strategy for Consistent, High Quality Leads w/ Tom Townsend

    Tired of Tire Kickers? Get This Agent’s Step-by-Step Strategy for Consistent, High Quality Leads.

    The pandemic is pushing the need to get online and understand technology like never before.

    – Tom Townsend

    Tired of Tire Kickers? Get This Agent’s Step-by-Step Strategy for Consistent, High Quality Leads w/ Tom Townsend

    Tom is a seasoned real estate agent w/ Keller Williams, who was burnt out on cold calling and struggling to compete with the big guys when it came to SEO. By shifting his strategy, and maxing out his AgentCarrot site, he is completely confident about the next 12 months.

    Today, we’re looking at what messaging is working best, how Tom is using his Carrot site to convert more leads, and we will even make some tweaks to his site right here on the podcast to make his site perform even better.

    Read the Full Show Notes Below…

    A month or two ago, my team hit me up and said “You need to check out Tom Townsend.” I was blown away when I saw the data for his site and how he was implementing our training into his business.

    Tom hasn’t been with us for a long time. In fact, he has only been a Carrot member for a few months. But in that short amount of time, he is already holding the top 1 and 2 spots for many keywords he is creating content around. 

    Where He Started

    Tom has been in the real estate business since 2002. He began as an investor, flipping properties and holding a few here and there. He then took his real estate skills a step further by becoming a certified appraiser.

    He was always heavy on the phones, chasing down leads, and setting up meetings. A few years ago, Tom and his team began utilizing Facebook Ads, but they weren’t directing them to any particular landing page or call to action. 

    They built a website via Wix, but it lacked flexibility and the ability to grow as the business did. The team moved the website to another platform, but it was cumbersome and time-consuming and wasn’t manageable while they were busy running on the hamster wheel. 

    The Lightbulb Moment

    The pandemic has forced people to improve their online presence or get online if they weren’t already. For Tom and his team, it has allowed them to spend time creating evergreen content that will get them off of the hamster wheel. They are building their brand as the local authority and having the leads search them out instead of the other way around. 

    COVID has made a lot of people analyze what they are doing and what is important. For Tom, it was time. He wanted more time to do the things he loves, while still building momentum and credibility within the community.

    The evergreen content Tom is creating is providing consistency and predictability, giving him the freedom he is after. 

    His Strategy Today and Why It Works

    Many of the 100+ leads Tom has received in the past few months have been through paid PPC campaigns. This is exactly how we recommend agents and investors get the ball rolling.

    In fact, Tom and his team have followed our advice and recommendations to a tee, thus bringing in more and more leads, creating more conversions, and closing more deals. 

    • First, they utilized our 30-Day Authority Building Challenge.
    • Next, they began creating content, with an emphasis on VideoPosts and our VideoPosts transcription service.
    • They have utilized our Advanced Marketer Articles, which only require a minute or two of personalization before posting.
    • They have modified their Facebook and Google advertising, directing people back to their website… err authority portal.
    • Tom and his team have spent time niching down their content to become the local experts. 
    • They use our Campaign Tracking Links tool to track all of their advertising – even links printed on mailers they are sending out. 

    The Campaign Tracking Links have become one of Tom’s most important tools. It gives him a clear and centralized place to see what’s working, what’s not working, and where he can improve. 

    The Power of Testimonials

    Many people will seek out testimonials just because they think they have to. They don’t spend time optimizing them or using them to fight objections. My advice is to seek out 5 very specific testimonials that will fight objections and be relatable to the ideal client you are seeking out. 

    For example, if you are an agent, use a testimonial from someone who was friends with another agent, but chose you instead because of your experience. Or, you can find an FSBO client you were able to help by getting them more than they would have on their own.

    Many people will try to avoid working with an agent in order to save money. A testimonial letting them know they will likely get more money when all is said and done is a testimonial that will actually help you to convert. 

    Because of COVID, so many agents and investors are working from a home office. They’re not out and about attending open houses and networking events.

    Here at Carrot, we have seen many people using this time to amp up their websites. To change them from glorified business cards, and instead, turning them to authority hubs.

    Go to Carrot.com to see what we are doing to help agents ramp up even more as we close out the year strong. 

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    We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram!

  • EP 228: Top 1% Agent Reveals Her Simple Strategy For Closing 12+ Homes Per Month w/ Krista Mashore

    EP 228: Top 1% Agent Reveals Her Simple Strategy For Closing 12+ Homes Per Month w/ Krista Mashore

    Top 1% Agent Reveals Her Simple Strategy For Closing 12+ Homes Per Month w/ Krista Mashore
    Krista Mashore Coaching

    “I’m just doing the things other agents aren’t doing in order to stand out”
    Krista Mashore

    We love Krista Mashore because she practices what she preaches (and what we preach!)

    In this episode, she lays out her tried and true 6-month strategy that her coaching students are implementing to go from 1 deal a month to 5, 10, and 15+ deals per month!

    There’s no BS, no hype, just real stories, and real results.

    We’ll cover:

    • What types of videos you should be creating as a real estate agent
    • How often you should be posting to social media
    • How to use your videos as Facebook ads
    • Why you don’t need a video person or fancy equipment when starting out
    • Who you should hire as you grow your business.

    Listen in and learn how to start building consistent, predictable lead flow so you can finally gain back the freedom you’ve been working so hard for.

    EP 164: Top 1% Agent Reveals Her Simple Strategy For Closing 12+ Homes Per Month w/ Krista Mashore

    [podcast-subscribe]

    Follow our Guest:

    Krista Mashore’s coaching: https://kristamashore.com/

    Krista on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristamashore

    Krista’s fabulous, high converting Agent Carrot website: https://www.kristahomes.com/

    Krista’s 1st appearance on the CarrotCast: https://carrot.com/blog/realtor-marketing-strategy/

    Krista on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_homesbykrista/?hl=en

    We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram

  • EP 227: How to Pivot Your Post COVID Investment Strategies for Auctions, Foreclosures, Commercial, and more w/ Aaron Amuchastegui

    EP 227: How to Pivot Your Post COVID Investment Strategies for Auctions, Foreclosures, Commercial, and more w/ Aaron Amuchastegui

    How to Pivot Your Investments Post-COVID. Strategies for Auctions, Foreclosures w/Aaron Amuchastegui

    Every guru in the real estate market looks brilliant when they have only known an upcycle.

    – Aaron Amuchastegui

    How to Pivot Your Post COVID Investment Strategies for Auctions, Foreclosures, Commercial, and more w/ Aaron Amuchastegui

    As we look ahead to 2021, I am thrilled to be having some leading real estate experts on the CarrotCast to help us anticipate what’s next. We’ll be talking about monetary policy, micro and macroeconomics, multi-family property shifts, and what investors can expect the market to look like going into 2021-2022.

    Today we are talking to Aaron Amuchastegui to discuss foreclosures, the moratorium, and how to shift your post COVID investment strategies to remain successful during a frenzied market.

    Read the Full Show Notes Below…

    While the foreclosure moratorium is helping homeowners hold onto their home during the COVID pandemic, it is also forcing investors like Aaron Amuchastegui to shift their entire strategy.

    By remaining flexible and adapting to the current market situation, he is able to find deals and opportunities in other places.

    Today we will dig into the data and show you exactly how he’s doing it. 

    Aaron is an investor, entrepreneur, husband, and homeschool dad. Using his killer time management skills, he is able to balance his career, family, and free time. He has flipped thousands of houses and more importantly, he has been through an entire real estate cycle.

    His perspective and insights are unmatched when it comes to looking ahead on foreclosures and what the moratorium will mean for the upcoming market shift. 

    Where We Are Today

    There are experts out there who appear brilliant at what they do. And while many of them are, many have only been involved with real estate for the past 4 years. They only know the upcycle. They haven’t seen a down market or had to adapt their strategy to make money even when the market is falling. 

    Investors like Aaron are in a much better position to offer insight as to where we really are today. At the moment, pisces are inflated and properties don’t stay listed for long. It is a frenzied market, which isn’t sustainable. 

    Looking To The Past To Anticipate The Future

    Back in 2009 when Aaron was deciding where to buy, he dove straight into the data. Today, just like the early 2000s, properties are flying off the shelves. Just like in 2005, new construction homes are being sold before they have been completed.

    With unemployment benefits decreasing and the foreclosure moratorium coming to an end within the next few months, the demand is certain to drop, decreasing listing prices across the board. 

    Aaron believes that unlike 2008, people today have more equity. They aren’t refinancing to buy toys or make ill-advised purchases. Back in the day, people were financing 100% of the purchase price when buying, putting them in the hole almost immediately. Today, interest rates are much lower and people aren’t making the same mistakes as they were when the bubble burst. 

    What Happens After The Moratorium Is Up?

    Because of COVID and the skyrocketing unemployment rates, the federal government has issued a foreclosure moratorium to protect homeowners until the end of the year. Only 25% of properties that should be foreclosed on are actually being put up for sale. These are properties financed with commercial and conventional loans. 

    In the past, investors had to think fast when potential foreclosure hit the market. They only had 3 or so weeks to get things in order to buy a property before the bank took over. Today, they have several months. This creates a big opportunity for investment buyers as well as an opportunity for homeowners to sell before losing their home to the bank. 

    Once the moratorium is up, the banks will once again be foreclosing on properties. In markets where we typically see 5,000 foreclosures per month, this number can easily jump to 20,000. This sudden availability of lower priced homes will aid in driving down prices and decreasing demand for the average property. 

    COVID and The Real Estate Market

    There are exciting reports out there showing the insanely high number of buyers out there, however, these reports should be taken with a grain of salt. COVID has allowed many people to work from home, which means they no longer have to pay the high price of living in a city.

    Many people are fleeing these large areas and moving to homes outside of the city at a fraction of the price. For example, in Austin, a property will sell for over $1 million on average, but outside of the city, houses are available for as little as $100k. As people flee, homes in these metro areas will become more affordable. 

    As the owner of hundreds of rental properties, Aaron is taking advantage of this inflated market while he can. If his tenants move out, he is selling his property, confident in knowing he will be able to re-buy it for less money in the next year or two. In the meantime, he is putting those profits away, ready to buy again when the time is right. 

    COVID has also caused a number of unique foreclosures to hit the market. Commercial properties are being foreclosed on, with banks selling low in any effort to recoup their funds.

    Sadly, there are bars, restaurants, medical buildings, office buildings, and even buildings on college campuses being foreclosed on. Many investors are buying these commercial properties from the tenants, then leasing back to them at a much lower price. 

    Finding Time For It All

    Aaron is a big proponent of the 4 Hour Work Week. By prioritizing his day and sticking to a schedule, he is able to balance work, home, and the needs of his family.

    He embraces this philosophy so much so that he and his wife have introduced the 5 Hour School Week to homeschool their children.

    They teach them through travel and real-world experiences, that go well beyond the 4 walls of a classroom. 

    Aaron is proof that even in uncertain markets there is an opportunity to be found. As someone who avidly invested in foreclosures, Aaron has had to rethink his investment strategy. Because he is following the data and staying in-tuned to what people need, he is finding opportunities and coming out on top time and time again. 

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    We want to hear your thoughts on the podcast! Drop them in the comments section below or hit us up on Facebook or Instagram!