In today’s episode of The No Limits Selling Podcast, we have Andrew Westphal, Licensed Real Estate Broker at The Corcoran Group.
Andrew Westphal’s Tip: “The more and more you interact with the world as you want it the better your business will be.”
Guest Bio:
Born in Brooklyn and raised in The Bronx, Andrew brings a friendly, energetic, no-nonsense mentality to help clients become neighbors. Buying and selling a home can be a stressful process, but Andrew’s knowledge and experience make him the right partner to lead the way. His comprehensive research relies on only the most current market data, further compounded by his boots-on-the-ground lived experience. Simply put, he just knows NYC.
Andrew prides himself on demystifying the process, easing both buyers’ and sellers’ anxieties into confidence. He’s not afraid to ask tough questions and goes the extra mile to advocate for his clients. It is that trust and loyalty that not only brings return business, but referrals to help shepherd others through their important real estate decisions.
Find Andrew Westphal: Website, LinkedIn, Instagram
[EDITOR’S NOTE: This podcast is sponsored by No Limits Selling. It is a fun, fast-paced podcast that delivers hard-fought business advice that you can implement today to improve your sales and performance]
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Ready to become fearless? We can help you become fearless in 60 days so you accomplish more in your career Schedule A 15 min Call with Umar[Podcast Transcript Using Artificial Intelligence]
Umar Hameed 0:01
Are you ready to become awesomer? Hello everyone! My name is Umar Hameed, I'm your host on The No Limits Selling Podcast, where industry leaders share their tips, strategies and advice on how you can become better, stronger, faster. Just before we get started, I've got a question for you, do you have a negative voice inside your head? We all do, right? I'm gonna help you remove that voice and under 30 days guaranteed, not only remove it, but transform it. So instead of the voice that sabotages you, there's one that propels you to much higher levels of performance and success. There's a link in the show notes, click on it to find out more. All right! Let's get started.
Umar Hameed 0:41
Hey everybody! Welcome to another episode of The No Limits Selling Podcast. Today, we have Andrew from Brooklyn, New York joining us. Andrew, welcome to the program.
Andrew Westphal 0:50
Thank you so much.
Umar Hameed 0:51
So if memory serves correct, and I found this information out, like 30 seconds ago, so you've been in real estate for 13 years. So when you first started, what do you think this career would look like? And what did it ending, oh, where they end up looks like?
Andrew Westphal 1:07
I'm sorry? Umar, you just went up and down. I'm sorry, I lost...
Umar Hameed 1:09
Lost like for a second?
Andrew Westphal 1:10
...half the way you said, I'm sorry.
Umar Hameed 1:12
Hey, no worries this. So when you first started in real estate, you had an idea of what it was. And but now you've got the reality of what it really is. What was the delta between the two what you thought it was versus what the reality is?
Andrew Westphal 1:26
When I started I came from a hospitality and a little bit of property management side of things. We ended up, I ended up moving strangely enough to Utah and kind of doing the Park City, high end rental world. And
Umar Hameed 1:42
Nice.
Andrew Westphal 1:42
I decided that I couldn't handle Utah and move back to the city and finish my license and did all the the rigmarole to get that going. But I thought it was much more of a hospitality kind of, you know, opening doors and welcoming people and giving them everything that they wanted and everything that they needed all at once. When in reality, it's it's much more of a business that is focused on going after new business and kind of making sure that your client's best interests and are what's what takes precedence at despite what other forces might come at their way basically. It was definitely not just opening doors and collecting checks as it were.
Umar Hameed 1:43
Nice. So as you've gone through, you know, a gazillion transactions. What was one of the first ones that you did where you really learned a valuable lesson that really helped you do better in this industry, was there a particular transaction that stands out?
Andrew Westphal 2:38
Oh, gosh, yeah, I mean, tons of them. I one, tghere was one that stood out once where I started doing real estate in 2010. That was the height of the bedbug.
Umar Hameed 2:53
Oh, yeah.
Andrew Westphal 2:54
And it was interesting to see how many people didn't want to do things the right way. Because, you know, it was a matter of spending $5,000 per apartment, to clear them out.
Umar Hameed 3:06
Oh, wow.
Andrew Westphal 3:07
You know, when it first started, and there was no disclosures or anything legal that had to happen to tell a new tenant that they were in a place that was clean or cleaned. And a lot of a lot of people would try to sneak with bedbugs into apartments, I had landlords try to blame bedbugs on people that hadn't even moved into the apartment yet. And so those kinds of understanding that you need to I needed to kind of deal with people that were going to be straightforward and wanting to be doing things on the up and up was kind of what made me realize where I wanted to go in real estate and getting into you know, more sales based stuff and places where people wanted to be. I want to I want to work with people that want to work with me, and I got tired of dealing with people that were just trying to make a quick, quick dime on on somebody else is expensive.
Umar Hameed 3:56
So Andrew, you and I are gonna save the real estate industry in the next 10 minutes so, so get ready. And what we're going to do is we're going to design you know, what the agents really need to, to know to be successful in this industry. So a good example would be certainly, you know, prospecting is evergreen kind of thing. A lot of times people, you know, prospect, they get business happening and they take the foot off the gas. But so we need constant reminders there. So if we were designing a curriculum of let's say the five things that realtors really need to be good at, be great at to build a great career. What would those be?
Andrew Westphal 4:34
The five things. And again, forgive me, Umar, you're, you're coming and going...
Umar Hameed 4:34
Is it coming in and out?
Andrew Westphal 4:41
Yeah, I'm sorry. But from what I gather, you said, the five things that we would we would design a curriculum around trying to get somebody into the business or trying to stay strong in the businesses.
Umar Hameed 4:50
Somebody in the business, somebody that's in the business that really wants to be great at it. Like it's basically the fundamentals that in any sport then people start doing but then they forget about and try and do fancy things like, what would be the five fundamental things realtors really need to be great at to build a great career?
Andrew Westphal 5:10
Well, in the middle part of my career, I actually had my first firm. I worked for a smaller firm called Idle Properties Group and I ran their Cobble Hill office. I was a manager for about seven years. Broker manager so I had my own deals as well. And the agents I saw, I have experience with seeing what what works and what agents stick around and which which don't. And the things I think, let's see, the first thing is obviously, you know, you have to be able to get up earlier than then than everybody else, and you have to stay later than than everybody else. And so, yeah, for sure, you have to have the idea that, you have to be on the idea that you're not done until the deal is done, and the check is cashed. And that's true for every part of the business, though. So prospecting leads, following up with everybody you've ever met, showing the house and getting in preparing the listing for, sorry, preparing the listing for the public. Being able to not stop until the job is done is is number one, and you probably won't get very far in this business unless you do that already. The second one, I would have to say is, the one that gives me the most trouble probably is just the organization of data and contacts and having a CRM or having some sort of system that keeps every every connection that you're going to make in some sort of order. Because the people that sell one house, and you know, don't go to open houses and don't follow up with everybody that came through aren't going to get that second, third, fourth house down the line. So being able to track your business and having specifics data about you know, who you're meeting, what you're selling, what your price points are. Things like that is very clutch as well. Let's see, number three...
Umar Hameed 6:57
[Garbled] work ethic, we've got CRM, and systems and number three is?
Andrew Westphal 7:02
Number three, I think is kind of the sticktoitiveness that comes with the work ethic is you're going to have ups and downs. And you're going to have periods of time where you probably won't sell something and you won't, or you'll lose a deal or, I mean, there's all the horror stories of I mean, I live in the land of coops. So you know, coops are notoriously fickle, and they you can do everything right, and it'll still, it'll still fall apart. I mean, the whole game of real estate is breeding to horses to water, and you can't make either of them drink. So you have to make sure that you're able to get up the next day and do it again. And do the same things or, and if the same things aren't working after a couple of times, you have to be able to adapt and do something else in order to drive your business. Let's see. The fourth thing, what makes a good real estate agent, I mean, so far, those are three pretty good ones, what else can I say? Knowledge... I'm sorry?
Umar Hameed 7:57
Yeah, they are pretty good. So yeah, product knowledge, what's happening out there? And how do you? What are the most effective ways of doing that? Because you can there's going to be better strategies.
Andrew Westphal 8:10
Yeah, go see property is probably the number one thing I would suggest someone new, someone trying to get into business. Understanding your neighborhood or your area. I know that, you know, in New York City is very specific. There are entire agencies, or entire agents, businesses that are dedicated to just one building, you know. I mean, one block, one avenue, one neighborhood is one zip code, which is very, very small area, but you have to know what the top floor is selling for in the building, you have to know what houses on this block sell for when they're landmarked. And our gut renovation and got renovated would be needed. And you need to know the you need to be able to inform your clients and teach them and bring them on to your level so that they understand what they're getting themselves into. It's very easy to lose a deal by not knowing the data before going into a meeting. And it's also in my experience, it's, it's being able to teach someone something about their own listing or someone to teach giving, giving, giving somebody the knowledge they need to see the market the way you see it is a very great way to get right to the listing to be signed and right to the deal to be done because that's what you're there for. And then I think the fifth thing is is more esoteric. It's definitely good being able to have customer service at a and, you know, have doing this for the right reasons and doing it with good intentions and trying to, you know, trying to spread some sort of, you know, I guess for lack of a better word, you know, you're spreading love, you're spreading, you're spreading. Don't, you have to be able to want to do it. You have to want to bring people to a good outcome. And when you want to do that and you're able to bring people to a good place, they will not stop to talking about you and they will tell all their friends about you. And that is the relationship that I strive for with in my business at least.
Umar Hameed 10:08
So I'm gonna add a few more to those, they're like five really great ones. And this is kind of piggybacks on some of your stuff. But really being a great salesperson, really understanding how the sales process works, and being bold enough to ask for the sale, really handling objections so I think that salesmanship part needs to be there. Because sales for a lot of people is a bad word. And basically, nothing happens till somebody sells something, whether it's an idea to cure cancer, or it's doing a transaction in real estate. So I think that would be one. Another one I'd add in there is really getting a good sense of understanding human behavior. Because you know, half your job is being therapists to your clients. And also, yeah, a professional negotiator when it's a couple, and they think they're on the same page, and they're not. So I think that sales would be one, understanding human behavior would be another. The third one would be is really taking a look at our own limitations and fears and overcoming those becoming a better, more powerful human being as we go along because we all have fears and anxieties within us. I also think just the ability to keep a positive mindset, because it is a tough business that sometimes is incredibly tough. And then of course, we've had these times where you know, anything you put on the market gets sold within a day, which are your happy times. Anything else missing off that list? What else would you add on that list?
Andrew Westphal 11:40
No, I think the positive outset is really kind of crucial, because I, it just doesn't, it doesn't work, it doesn't work without it. I don't see how you get up every day, and have a real estate career if you didn't want to do it. It's so easy to fall off and it's so easy to not be to just stay in bed that day. And the the ability, I think, as I touched on, and you're touched on just the ability to get up the next day and do it again, and want to do it again. Your clients can tell when you don't. Your your clients will know your, your teammates, if you're if you run a team or if you have a team, if you didn't want to be there that day, they they're going to know they're going to tell and they're going to they're not going to want to be in the same influent, they're not going to want to be in the same room, the energy isn't going to be capable of producing quality sales and quality leads if you're not ready to kind of jump on the boat and start start paddling along with everybody else.
Umar Hameed 12:33
What was the best real estate advice you've ever gotten on how to be a great realtor?
Andrew Westphal 12:37
The best real estate advice. Uhm. Certainly one up there would be don't don't do it. But don't hold off anything till tomorrow that you can't do today, I think. And I think the ability to, I wish I had a sort of succinct phrase, but I have found that the ability to talk about a lot of things, even slightly, has helped me dramatically. And so I think being up on the world and and you know, paying attention to the news and, and enjoying the things that you enjoy, like, if you if you've liked music or you like movies, make sure that you engage in in those worlds, make sure you go to concerts, make sure you go to movies, make sure you join book clubs, make sure you you bring all of yourself to to the table and the more and more you interact with the world as you want it the better your business will be.
Umar Hameed 13:30
Brilliant. So Andrew, what's a what's a mind hack you'd like to share with our listeners something you do to be more effective, productive, happier.
Andrew Westphal 13:38
I like that phrase. Well, you know, I just kind of lived through COVID With and the COVID world and I had a kid at the same time. So I basically the world before COVID And the world before my my my child arrived in January of 2020. My daughter is very different,it just it's a different place. And so I think that I mean, for what would happen my mind I suppose would be being able to go to go to go outside again and to think about going home to my, to my family. My wife and daughter I know it's cliche, but it's just it, it has to be it betrays what has to happen, it really reveals what what needs to be thought of in the forefront. And that kind of just motivates me to work harder that day. I don't I wish I had a an office or some sort of clerical hack for it. But I it's honestly [garbled]
Umar Hameed 14:31
I mean, that's what life's about is what we do so don't lose sight of that. All right, Andrew, we have a kick-ass amazing rest of the day go sell something and thanks for being on the show.
Andrew Westphal 14:43
Thank you so much. Umar, I'm sorry I wish I could hear you a little bit better. I feel a little off with a connection but I really appreciate being invited on.
Umar Hameed 14:51
If you enjoyed this episode, please go to iTunes and leave a five-star rating. And if you're looking for more tools, go to my website at nolimitsselling.com. I've got a free mind training course there, that's going to teach you some insights from the world of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and that is the fastest way to get better results.