Speaker 1: 0:30

My name is Ben Heisler. It's the Ben Heisler Homes Group with Pearson Smith Realty, and we specialize in residential real estate in the Northern Virginia area.

Speaker 2: 0:40

Beautiful. Talk to me a little bit about your background and how you got started in the real estate industry.

Speaker 1: 0:45

So long ago. I came from a family that was real estate was the talk. So my grandmother back in the 70s and 80s was a real estate agent. My aunt was a custom home builder, so it was always Thanksgiving table. Talk was real estate.

Speaker 1: 0:59

And when I was 15, I was not playing a sport and my parents said, okay, you need to do something here. We got to be some, do something productive. So it was time to get a job and I had always done entrepreneurial stuff. I had sold pumpkins as a kid and I had always done little stuff, so I enjoyed that aspect of it. And so they said I needed to get a job.

Speaker 1: 1:21

So I, at 15 years old, reached out to what at the time was a big real estate team in Ashburn where we were living, and asked if they were hiring. And now, or hearing afterwards, they were surprised or thought it was almost a joke. I think that a 15-year-old was emailing asking for a job. So I went in for an interview and they hired me as an office assistant. Oh my gosh. So I was answering phones, making copies, sending faxes back when that was a thing. So at 15, I worked I was in high school, obviously. So I worked nights, summers, weekends for that real estate office. So that's how I got kind of my foot in the door in the industry. And then, when I turned 16, I was able to drive. At the time they had a VW Bug, it was the CC Sales team.

Speaker 1: 2:06

And they had a VW Bug. That was I was the courier, so I did all the different jobs, learned a lot about the area at the time. Now, obviously, this was many years ago, so Ashburn and the Loudoun County area has changed, but a lot, a lot of developments. So that's where I started and then I honestly never left the industry. So I've just kind of progressed through different positions within the industry over time and here I am. That was 20,. This will be 2025 will be my 25th year in the industry wow, congratulations to that I'm like starting at 15, like whoa.

Speaker 2: 2:40

They're probably like little sir, like we cannot hire you legally. Yeah, I don't know correct, but that is so cool and that must have been like not to downplay, but kind of cute to have like a 15 year old like you know what let's hire him. This is admirable, yeah so admirable, I said that wrong. That's admirable. But yeah, you know what? Let's hire him. This is admirable.

Speaker 1: 2:56

Yeah, so admirable, I said that wrong that's admirable, but yeah, you know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 2:59

I do that's really just amazing and the fact that you've just grown and I'm sure that helped mentor and coach you being around like all the successful people around yep so I learned.

Speaker 1: 3:09

I'm thankful. So I learned a lot um a lot of what to do, what I wanted my business to look like when I went into sales, and a lot of the people skills that I don't think at 15 and 16 you're typically learning, but a lot of my stuff was behind the scenes so people didn't know my age. I'm sure my voice sounded young, but they didn't know my age. So I learned a lot about the marketing. Now obviously that's evolved and we didn't have social media. I mean, we were still photocopying photos, I think and doing different things. The cool thing was what's the biggest, coolest color copier we could get?

Speaker 1: 3:41

So it was definitely a different time and we were sending faxes and all that fun stuff, but it definitely taught me a lot of the basics of the industry and a lot of behind the scenes stuff, right. So, as I learned a lot of the transaction management and the team was a very high volume team. So obviously, technology evolves but a lot of, and everything evolves but a lot of the complications or speed bumps you can hit in the real estate transaction really have not changed over time. And so, having been in as long as I have, I feel like I've experienced a lot of the different markets, right. So you know, 2007, eight, nine, we were in the unfortunate. Yeah, I feel fortunate that when speed bumps have arisen, that I have the experience and the knowledge from how that could be mitigated to benefit the client.

Speaker 2: 4:39

Yeah, I know it sounds like you have a lot of experience, my goodness. So that is great to have someone like you in the industry and know, oh yeah, we lived through that, I lived through that, I got through that. We'll get through this too.

Speaker 1: 4:49

Exactly.

Speaker 2: 4:49

I would like to ask you what you're doing for as far as marketing goes with for yourself and for your business, to get the word out there about hey, I'm here, I have this expertise and this knowledge that I can offer you. Are you online? Are you going to be in I groups? Talk to me about what's working for you.

Speaker 1: 5:05

Yeah, so our business is mostly repeat, referral and sphere, right. So that's a that's a big word. You know the repeat client, obviously repeat clientele I've been working a long time, so there's that piece, there's the past client. Repeat is obviously, like I said, a big piece. And then the sphere is really in our network, whether that's through kids events I have three kids whether it's through kids events or different things. I'm not part of a BNI. I think they're a great group. It's just never been something I've been involved in.

Speaker 1: 5:34

But we do a lot of reaching out to our past clients, right, so it's a big. For me, it's important again, having been in the business a long time, to not always chase the shiny object, right, there's a lot of things that can distract us or the latest and greatest new thing, and so really to me it's just been the consistent communication and being a resource for the clients, even after we've gone to settlement, right, whether they need. I just had a client recently reach out and say you know, our hot water heater is, you know, malfunctioning. We need a new hot water heater. Do you have any recommendations? Right, there's no intentions of them selling, but they just come to me as a resource to provide that information. So that's important to me to be a resource past the sale.

Speaker 1: 6:18

So, from a marketing perspective, it's really staying in touch with our past clients, right. So some of it is probably deemed archaic in regards to just staying in touch, right, whether it's through the mail or we obviously use social media platforms to stay in touch with people. Email text it's really. I've been a believer in mirroring what the client wants, right. So I have some clients that are very busy, right. They don't have time to chat. So everything during the transaction is texting or emailing, unless there's something big, right? Yeah, so I like to mirror that communication after the transaction because that's what worked for them during the transaction. So it's a variety of staying in touch with people in various ways throughout the year.

Speaker 2: 6:56

I love that. It's very personable and you're very like hey, I'm here if you need me, and they have confidence and comfort to be like. You know what I'm going to hit up? Ben, he's so great, that's the goal Right and sometimes it's like who should I call? And the realtor doesn't even come to mind when they think of that, when they think of that. So the fact that you're on their mind is such a good thing that you're building that relationship more than just after the sale You're there afterwards.

Speaker 1: 7:20

Right, I want to be a resource. Obviously, referrals. We'd love to earn referrals, but I always use the word earn referrals, so I want to do such a good job. I'm not one to ask for referrals, I want to earn them. So when you're happy with the service and we're providing that information long past when the transaction is occurring, my goal is to be that resource and hopefully earn the referrals, because there's a lot of real estate agents out there.

Speaker 2: 7:42

Yeah, I like that outlook on it Like earn it, Not just like hey, you're picking me Like, wait why.

Speaker 1: 7:46

Yeah, you did it.

Speaker 2: 7:47

No, I love that. And then how do you stay up to date on the latest trends and developments in the real estate market?

Speaker 1: 8:02

And what resources do you like to rely on? So I feel like it's information overload, so there's a lot of information out there. I definitely rely on digital information, right? So there's different real estate magazines or publications that will release information, which I always think is a benefit, but I also really try and pay attention to the news and some of the you know not. You know, I think about real estate every day because it's my profession. Yes, but I really try and read and stay up to date on what is being put out there to consumers to understand what they're seeing, what they're hearing, so that I can relate to what we're seeing. Right, Because sometimes the information is spot on. Sometimes the information is very generalized, right, and our market's a little bit different. I have agents across the country and how they do business in LA is different than how they do business in Raleigh, maybe different than how we do business here. So I do like to know what the consumers are potentially seeing on their feeds and all the digital overload that we all get every day Cool.

Speaker 1: 8:56

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 8:56

I have a question. I actually saw I came across something the other day. I don't know if it was Reddit or somewhere, but I think maybe I don't. Please don't miss, don't cancel me, or something but. I saw online that it was either Washington DC or Virginia. It was like number three of people moving out. Do you think that's true? Have you seen any like stats like?

Speaker 1: 9:19

that. So I don't think, I think, so I don't know the stats on it. I will say what we've seen is more with COVID, more of a movement from DC out to the suburbs. So Loudoun County the last couple of years I would say has really boomed. And when you look at where the clients are coming from, we do have a lot of clients that have come from Arlington or Alexandria or DC where they can come out to. You know, for them it feels like the country at first. Right, get your passport and come out to Loudoun County Feels far, which I can respect, but because of our prices, right. So what you can get in Arlington for a certain price versus what you can get maybe in Loudoun County has really incentivized people to come out.

Speaker 1: 10:03

And again with COVID, a lot of people's work situations have either loosened from, they don't have to commute downtown or they're working remotely. So whether they're in Arlington or Leesburg isn't impacting their job and so it just kind of makes financial sense for a lot of people to head west essentially. So I would say, again, going back to what sometimes the generalized is, washington DC may be seeing more people move out and I don't know the necessary reason and I don't work Maryland, I'm only licensed in Virginia, so I don't know what they're seeing in the suburbs. But knowing what we're seeing here, yes, we are seeing a lot more people come out here to Loudoun County where they can get more for their money.

Speaker 2: 10:42

Yeah, absolutely, and it's really nice over here it is. It's got a nice scenery, wineries.

Speaker 1: 10:47

We've got all that nice stuff. It's got all the stuff.

Speaker 2: 10:49

Great community.

Speaker 1: 10:56

Yeah, where do you see yourself in the next five years as a person and with your business? So I think we're always trying to evolve, which is going to contradict what I'm about to say, but I see myself probably in a similar position. So I've got three young kids. I'm married. We live here in Leesburg. Still see myself in that house. We love that house and did a bunch of what I would call COVID renovations right when we were all sitting in our houses for days like what are we living in?

Speaker 1: 11:18

So you know, the kitchen's redone and things like that. From a career standpoint, I've been doing this a long time and I enjoy it. I really do. I don't see myself doing anything else. Our industry is always evolving. It's changing with what's going on, with all the changes. So I see probably changes within that industry. But I don't anticipate or have any desire to not be doing what I'm doing now, Maybe just doing a little bit different as things kind of evolve.

Speaker 2: 11:43

Yeah, with technology or just people laws.

Speaker 1: 11:46

Right Everything, all the things, yes, yes.

Speaker 2: 11:49

Wonderful. I love that. Your passion for that is like I'm here.

Speaker 1: 11:54

I want to evolve but do the same thing. It kind of contradicts itself. But yeah, continuing to improve what we're working on.

Speaker 2: 12:00

Yeah, and then let's see what are some of the most important factors that buyers and sellers should consider when choosing a real estate agent to work with, in your opinion?

Speaker 1: 12:12

In my opinion. So I would say there's a lot of the process that's very fact-based, right. So I think some of that won't change depending on who you use. But I feel you need to be comfortable with whoever your real estate agent is right, so it is an emotional process. Whether you're buying or selling a home is a big emotion, and it should be so. I think you need to be comfortable with whoever that is that's going to go through the process with you, right?

Speaker 1: 12:39

So, as a buyer, the market has been tough for buyers the last couple of years. They're making bids on homes. They're not winning Sellers. It can be, you know, it doesn't always look as tough, but it can be tough for them too, right? We have people that are selling these homes after raising their family there. They get multiple offers. They're trying to pick these offers, working through all the details of that and figuring out where they're going to go, because the market is such a low inventory market that it's great if you sell, but where are we going to go? So I would say you really need to find an agent that you feel has the experience of what you're looking to do, right, and that you're most comfortable with just knowing that it's going to be a full contact sport. You know there's going to be the texting, there's going to be the nights and weekends you're in communication with each other, so someone that you feel comfortable with, that you're not going to have a moment's pause or flinch when the phone rings and their name pops up.

Speaker 2: 13:30

Yeah, that's a thing right.

Speaker 1: 13:32

It is, and I would say there's a lot of agents and you know I'll probably say that multiple times, but I think that there's different fits for different people and so one agent is not the best for everybody.

Speaker 2: 13:42

Absolutely. I agree with that, just like with everything. Like there's somebody, maybe, who is too pushy and you're like okay, I need someone who's chill, right.

Speaker 1: 13:49

So and different specialties, right. Different agents specialize in different things and it's not a negative, it's just some agents don't specialize in a certain area and so you need to make sure whatever you're looking to accomplish, that agent has that specialization of that. Just because you want to, you want to have the knowledge as the consumer and, again, make sure that it's an upbeat, happy process. It's an expensive, emotional process, so you should be happy with who you're working with.

Speaker 2: 14:14

Well, you're doing that. Yeah, exactly. No, that's good advice there, thank you. And then let's see how do you stay motivated and inspired in your work as a real estate agent and what keeps you passionate about the industry.

Speaker 1: 14:31

So it's the people. So again, I've been doing it a long time and I can look back and sometimes I feel like a old person sitting here going, oh, I looked, I helped that person and now I'm helping their kids.

Speaker 1: 14:37

So for me it really is the people and the relationships that I've built, which I know can kind of sound cliche, but it really is the people and the relationships I've built and what that can do in other aspects of your life. Right, I've met clients that have provided opportunities where you get in a conversation and family members have needed a job and, oh, this is a great, you know, a great fit. You've been able to match people, or really just the people, and learning Again. I've only ever done this. Right, this is 15, correct, this is the industry I know and love.

Speaker 1: 15:09

But the people relationship and learning how some of these other people's industries work and how they do their job is intriguing to me. Um, so it's really been the people and the um interactions and the knowledge I've learned from the people. From a motivation standpoint, it's just, I've always considered myself a self motivator and I just don't necessarily sit idle Well. I think my wife would agree that I don't sit idle Well. So staying busy I've always just that's me. And having three kids and you know a life it's that's motivation I love it no, and I do believe that I'd have to agree with you.

Speaker 2: 15:47

Just from hearing you being in this industry since 15, like, clearly this kid needed to do something and his parents were like we're rooting for you. Right, yes, so it shows, and that's a good thing. I love that for you.

Speaker 1: 15:58

Thank you.

Speaker 2: 15:58

But on that note, I want to ask what do you do to unwind, because I, because I know it's hard for you to sit still, as you just said, but what do you like to do to reset everything and just take time for yourself for mental health-wise purposes?

Speaker 1: 16:13

right, yeah, so I mean it's funny you say that because I think the last couple years, I think, with COVID, I think everything you know, as we said earlier, you evolve and your answers may change over time. For me, we have busy lives, which a lot of people do, most people do. We have three kids. You've got the activities. You've got that. For me, the beach is kind of my escape, so Bethany Beach is a go-to. For me Is that in Delaware?

Speaker 2: 16:37

It is in.

Speaker 1: 16:38

Delaware. Yep, excuse me, so that is about three, three and a half depending what time you leave on what day and who your passengers are.

Speaker 2: 16:46

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 16:47

It's about a three and a half hour drive. I would say sometimes four hours. I'm not necessarily a road warrior. I'll stop and get gas and candy and so I'm not one that's breaking any records. But I would say the beach is kind of our escape. We have a townhouse at the beach. That's kind of our getaway. Getting the kids there, they enjoy it. It's just a different pace of life and that's kind of my reset is really my getaway.

Speaker 2: 17:12

It's a good reset.

Speaker 1: 17:13

It is, yeah, get some sunshine, some salty air, yeah it's a slower pace of life, it's easier and, yeah, I love that and what I love the most about it is, obviously, it's the beach, but the location right. There's a lot of beautiful beaches and I don't want to downplay that, but Bethany Beach's location just allows, especially for my job, that if we're there and I need to come home for work, it's not like the Outer Banks, which I love, but the Outer Banks is a day trip. You know, it's a day to get back. So I can even the summer we were up there and I was able to leave in the morning come back and work for a couple hours and turn around and drive back there and was back to the beach before bedtime, right. So it's for me, it's just, it's beautiful and it's convenient, so it's an ability to escape and not be too far.

Speaker 2: 18:02

Right. What more could you want?

Speaker 1: 18:03

That's the dream, right there. It is. Yes, be too far right. What more could you want?

Speaker 2: 18:06

that's the dream. Right there it is. Yes, it's great. Yeah, yeah, and now, um, is there anything, maybe that I have not touched on, that you want to share? Maybe perhaps about yourself, your business, the real estate industry in general, like anything at all. Maybe maybe a cause or any. Maybe you're writing a book and I haven't touched on that something anything you want to share.

Speaker 1: 18:25

No, I mean, I haven't written a book.

Speaker 2: 18:27

Yet no, I'm kidding You're like, don't put that pressure on me.

Speaker 1: 18:30

Exactly. So I would say I'm trying to think what else to touch on. You know, the real estate industry is an interesting industry. It's changed over time. Some things have stayed the same. A lot of regulation stuff has come in and we'll see how all that shakes out, but I would say for me it's been a passion that I've enjoyed, continue to enjoy. It is definitely hard, just like any small business. There's a lot of behind the scenes stuff as a small business that are not always as pretty, or the late night fun, or the filing of this or the email from the accountant asking this question. So for me I would say you know, it's like a lot of small business. Whatever you put into it, I feel like you get out of it, but it does take time it doesn't happen overnight and treat it like a business.

Speaker 1: 19:17

So one thing I would say I was on real estate teams, which are a great concept, through 2010. And in 2011, I decided to go out and not be on a real estate team anymore and do it myself, and that's when I turned the switch and decided that I was going to run it like a business, right, which sounds I don't know. It sounds simple, but in our industry it can easily get it's commission-based, it can easily start to get overwhelming rewarding one month, depressing the next month and a lot of emotions of it of small business which, again, I think is true probably in any business, but I just have my view of my industry. So for me, it was really treating it like a business, from all that behind the scenes stuff, having the accountant in place and all that stuff to me was important and I think that I haven't figured it all out. I don't think anyone has, but for me that's a stress reducer that I know. Okay, it's a business and we're going to have, you know, big months. We're going to have slower months, right, because our business is repeat referral sphere.

Speaker 1: 20:19

I do some online marketing and internet leads, but, having said that, I am really at the mercy of the market and my clientele, so I can't necessarily post an extra viral ad and sell a product this many more times this month, right? So it's really, and I've never wanted to focus that way. I've always said that the first time I need the deal more than the client is the last deal I'll ever do, right. So there've been situations over the years where I've told people like I don't think you should buy this or I don't think you should sell, which is obviously counterintuitive because that's how I earn a living.

Speaker 2: 20:54

But I love the honesty.

Speaker 1: 20:55

I do, I always joke. There was this one client years ago. I met with them on a Friday. They were thinking about moving. I was like guys, we kind of talked through it. I was like this moving?

Speaker 1: 21:02

I was like guys, we kind of talked through it. I was like this just doesn't really make sense. I think you should stay here. You have this beautiful home kind of where they were at, where the market was at. I said if you consider moving, I would probably consider this neighborhood for you to take a look at. And they were like, okay, so I left on Friday. They called me on Saturday and said we drove through this neighborhood, we think we want to go take a look, and we were under contract Sunday night in this completely different neighborhood. So I left them on Friday telling them they shouldn't move because it just didn't make sense. And they agreed, and then by Sunday. So providing those resources has always been been something that I enjoy. So I would just say that run it like a business which can be hard at times because we have good months and bad months and just stick with it and put the people first and the rest will come.

Speaker 2: 21:49

I agree with that. Yeah, put in that work, put in the people first and everything will come. I'm a true believer in that is if you put in good work, even times where it's so, so hard. You know not to help people but like, keep going and like okay, I've helped 10 people, sure, I'll take one more. You know what I'm saying? It's all going to come back and I do believe that the universe does work in mysterious ways. So just putting in that work is going to. I agree.

Speaker 1: 22:14

And when you put it out there right and what you focus on expands. You know there's all the different things that you can read and different mindsets.

Speaker 1: 22:27

And I think, too, you hit a point in any business where you have to say no, which is very hard. Again, I can only speak from my small business. But to say no is you're second guessing yourself, right, and what am I saying no to? But really trying to figure out where there's opportunities. And again, I think it's probably scars that have advanced me more than some of my insight. But I had a situation where I took on a client. Looking back, I shouldn't have, I just didn't know the area that well, we started to look and I said, listen, I just don't think that I'm the best fit. At that point they were like you know, we agree, this just isn't the right fit. We're looking for something different. We've already found another agent. So it was kind of a situation for me where I realized, you know what, when I go into a situation and I know off the bat that I just don't, I'm not going to be the best service to them, I need to step out before I start Right.

Speaker 2: 23:10

And that is so important. Being self-aware of that, I think, is so powerful because you don't want to waste anybody's time. You don't want to waste your time, so, and I just think that being honest is just everything.

Speaker 1: 23:23

It is, and I think you, sometimes I'd like to think I learned these lessons like proactively, but many of the things I've learned and changes I've made in my life are because of the mistakes I made and realizing and knowing. Okay, I don't want to do that again. I don't. I'd like to give myself credit for being so insightful that I saw it, but the reality is a lot of the changes I've made and the lessons I've learned are because of the mistakes I've made Exactly, and the only reason you're insightful is because they happen to you, and that's how you learn right, you do.

Speaker 2: 23:51

You don't learn if everything is always perfect. Then suddenly you're going to come across something and you're like wait, you'll have insight on it Exactly so that's great. I would like to ask you my final question. Sure, you probably heard it on the other ones, but it's going to be if you have a quote or a saying or maybe anything that anybody's told you throughout your life that has inspired you in any way or just stuck with you, would you like to share that and leave us with a nice ending.

Speaker 1: 24:17

So I will say two things yes, ending. So I will say two things. Yes, I would say work hard and be nice, which sounds very simple, but it's been up on my office wall for years of that's our goal, right, work hard and be nice at the same time, which, unfortunately, can be hard at times. Right, we're in a high stress, high intensity industry with a lot of emotions, a lot of money. So staying focused on that intensity industry with a lot of emotions, a lot of money, so staying focused on that. And also, years ago there was a situation early, early, early in my career and another cooperating agent I was working with, we were going through negotiations, and her words to me were Ben, the first one to speak loses.

Speaker 1: 24:53

And I was like wait what? Because we were going through a negotiation and the other party had decided we were going back and forth and essentially what happened is one of the parties in the transaction probably didn't get the best deal because they were impatient and spoke first.

Speaker 2: 25:10

Right.

Speaker 1: 25:11

So it was like, okay, that was good insight in early, early in my career. And again, just a reminder, especially when you're first getting in the business and there's a lot of excitement, there's a lot of emotions and figuring out how you're going to help advise. And it was the first one to speak loses and it was interesting because it was a situation where a number was given and I think that a different number would have worked out if they hadn't shown their cards first with the number Right. So it was for me. I still and she's still in the industry and I joked about with her a couple months ago telling her and she didn't even remember she'd ever said it to me I was like this was a game changer for me, is the first one to speak loses and in that negotiation it was very insightful and impactful obviously still for my career this many years later. But yeah, that would be another memory.

Speaker 2: 25:57

That's a good one. You gave us two. Work hard and play nice, yes. And then the second one is the first one who speaks loses. So look at you giving us two, thank you.

Speaker 1: 26:08

You are welcome, thank you.

Speaker 2: 26:09

Yeah, absolutely, and thank you so much for being here. It was a pleasure, this was so much fun for me, and keep doing what you're doing Rocking it.

Speaker 1: 26:16

Thank you, you guys too.