Speaker 1: 0:30

My name is Chelsea Owusu. I am a real estate agent licensed in DC, Maryland and Virginia and I'm a real estate agent, so I list, I sell, I work with investors, I do it all.

Speaker 2: 0:41

Oh, my goodness, you really do. Huh. Yes, I'd like to ask you a little bit about yourself and your background and how you got started in your industry, if you wouldn't mind sharing that, yeah, yeah yeah.

Speaker 1: 0:50

So I was a mortgage loan processor before I was in real estate and while I was a loan processor I kind of did all the back end, all of the putting the pieces together for the sale of the real estate transaction to go through. I worked alongside a mortgage loan officer and there was a period of my life where I was like I'm going to be a loan officer, like they're making more money than me, they are, you know they're. They have a little bit more freedom than I do, um, and that's kind of what I'm gravitating towards. So while I was doing that, I found myself like, okay, if I'm going to do this, I want to do it right and I want to be the best at it. So I did some research and found the top female producer of First Home Mortgage, actually in McLean, and I started working under her. Yeah, and I worked under her and she was absolutely phenomenal. She's absolutely like one of their top producers, year after year after year. Like she had a wall of plaques on her wall. Wow, I know She'd been like top, like over 100 million in club for like 15 years running. So I'm like I want to be her right and um in working with her and seeing how, like to me, at like my lower level company, you know, being a processor, watching my loan officers like have the freedom that they did, yeah was so enticing. But it was completely different for her. She, she did everything. Like she would tell me stories of like you know, I don't get days off Like she, she, that was her life, putting in the work, putting in the work and definitely reaping the benefits.

Speaker 1: 2:24

But I kind of realized slowly that, like, while I wanted, you know, that, like financial stability and all of that, I didn't know if that quality of life was also a piece I wanted, if and I mean, I only worked under her. So maybe that's naive of me, but like, in seeing how she did it to achieve what she had, I was like I don't know if I would have that much of a life outside of this and that's just not the path of like that I want for myself. Um, so in that I, um, you know, would work with the agents that she would work with, that she would have come into the office and all of that, and I'm like, you know, maybe I had this all wrong. Maybe they are living their best lives and you know at least again from the outside, looking in right, and maybe what I'm doing is a little bit more heavy lifting and a little bit more math than I love, and I was never good at math. So I'm like, do I really want to be a loan officer and have math be a part of my day to day life? So I, you know, took some time off and I went back to school for a little bit and I wanted to, like, really understand what I wanted to do and I slowly eased back into real estate.

Speaker 1: 3:35

I took my test. I got I actually had to take the test a few times because, surprisingly, the power went out in my testing centers, not once, but twice, what. And I was like this is a sign I shouldn't do this. Oh no, I shouldn't do this. If there's no greater sign one time, okay, but twice. There's no greater sign one time, okay, but twice. So, um, I took the test, I passed and then, like more of that omen, um, the day I got my license, the day I joined the first team that I was ever on, was the day the world shut down with COVID Of course.

Speaker 1: 4:07

So I'm like oh, I don't know if I should be doing this'm starting this job that's like so personal. So, you know, involved with being with people, like that is such a major part of the job and I'm starting it in a time of the world where I can't be around people like am I going to be able to ever do this right? Like I've never had someone in my car. Like I talked to older agents and they're like you've never had someone in your car and I'm'm like that wasn't allowed when I joined. So yeah, in long, that is like my journey to how I became a real estate agent and yeah, Okay, yeah, that's been quite the journey, then.

Speaker 2: 4:44

Absolutely. I'd like to ask you how do you stay up to date on the latest trends and developments in the real estate market, and what resources do you like to rely on?

Speaker 1: 4:53

Well, I am grateful because I am on a fantastic team. I'm on the team Shepherd Homes Group. We are so supported and we just have so many resources at our fingertips. And I would say, obviously we as agents, we have a duty to stay up to date and there's things that are always changing. But our team of like staff is also that added layer. So if, for any reason, anything has fallen through the cracks for me, I know that they have it. We meet every Wednesday at nine 30 in the morning. We go over anything that's new, anything that's changed, any documents that have changed anything. So I would say, in addition to like the education that I do on my own, I'm fully supported with everything, like if something changes, it switched, we're having a training on it, like that next day, like if you can make it or hop on zoom or watch the recording you know. So I would say I'm very grateful. You know, fingers and toes crossed, that that remains.

Speaker 2: 5:47

But um, exactly that's awesome. Exactly what better way right To hear firsthand and ask questions and someone there to answer?

Speaker 1: 5:54

Oh my gosh Call immediately. Like I could call him right now and say I need your help and he would answer oh, my gosh. Okay, that is the dream right there.

Speaker 2: 6:02

And then I'd like to ask you about your approach when it comes to marketing and promoting properties to potential buyers. What strategies have you found to be most effective for you?

Speaker 1: 6:19

For me. I would say I am. I mean, I was raised I always joke I was born in 1996. I am a I don't know really what I am but tech has always been a part of my life. Like, I had a computer in my room when I was seven it's crazy to say that now, like back then it wasn't crazy and so I've always, like been very into technology and social media and all of that good stuff.

Speaker 1: 6:39

Um, so I would say a big thing for me is my my socials for properties. Um, I do lots of videos with my team leader, um, and he's very big on social as well. Um, he is very big, he does what I should be doing. Um, but my social is a little bit more of a balance of like truly what I do day to day, because I don't ever want to like I don't know how to explain it I never want to feel like one of those agents who's only real estate all the time and doesn't have a life outside of work. Yeah, so I like to have like my social be more me with like my work kind of flared in. But I would say that's like the biggest marketing tool that I utilize is marketing on Instagram doing videos. Videos are a really big thing, like property walkthroughs. Short form content does really well for me personally. So I would say lots of property walkthroughs, lots of me just like panning a property and stuff like that really does get my like engagement up and all that good stuff that's awesome?

Speaker 2: 7:36

No for sure. And with technology, I feel like video is definitely king now and I think by now we all know that, whether you like it or not, it's super crucial, it's important, it's a part of our world now. So you've definitely got to get your head in the game in that social sphere and just get your name out there.

Speaker 1: 7:52

Yeah, no, definitely, Definitely. I was. I pushed back for sure.

Speaker 1: 7:57

I was like I don't want to be you know I don't want to be posting Like I I don't know, everyone's going to judge me, like you know, and one of my friends he has actually has a creative studio and he always says he's like, why would you not? Like, what do you have to lose? Like, if anyone's judging you, that's still a view. Who cares? Like he's, like you know, and he always makes the joke all press is good press and we're not at press yet.

Speaker 1: 8:24

But, like, all posts are good posts. You're just doing it and doing it until you get better. And so I always say it's a little weird, it's a little awkward at first, but now, like, especially when I shoot with my team leader, I'm like, oh my God, you're so good at this and I'm like the reason we're having to do like 17 takes of this same sentence that you've said so effortlessly, or he'll come up with the script right off the top of his head. And I'm like I don't know how you did that, but I'm going to need you to write it down for me and hold up cue cards in the back.

Speaker 2: 8:49

Oh, for sure. And then, what do you see as the biggest challenges facing the real estate industry in the next few years or even now? And how do you see as the biggest challenges facing the real estate industry in the next few years, or even now, and how do you think they can be addressed?

Speaker 1: 9:01

Ooh, that's a good question. I would say, personally, there's a few things I would say. Agents who are in the industry need to be doing more to stay up to date with what's going on. Need to be doing more to stay up to date with what's going on.

Speaker 1: 9:20

I would say the biggest disservice is when I, as an agent, can't get in touch with an agent or you know, an agent doesn't know any of like like we discussed, like the change, like the changes that have happened in the market, and so I find that it's a little bit not only frustrating but definitely a disservice to the duty that they have to their client. When I don't know, you're having to educate them on something that they should already know and it's in the midst of like a decision you know what I mean, and these are people's lives. We're, you know, some people. Especially as someone who's younger in the industry, I find that there is like a fine line for me to tread, because if I'm dealing with an older agent, that's not always, it's not always received as well If I'm trying to educate someone who's definitely been doing this longer than.

Speaker 1: 10:13

I have Right, and I don't discredit them for that in any way, shape or form, because you have been in this a lot longer than me Hell, maybe you've sold a lot longer, a lot more than me, right?

Speaker 1: 10:23

But in the end we have a duty to stay up to date and sometimes, if you're explaining that to someone who is older than you, it may come off as like, oh, I'm trying to tell you how to do your job, or I'm trying to educate you in something that you have maybe 10 years under your belt, that I don't Right, and it's never something to, you know, create animosity. It's always something that's an educational thing or something that I'm doing to protect my client. You know and I would say that to me is one of the biggest things like agents just need to be more involved in what's going on day in and day out, because I think it does create a little bit more of like a hurdle that doesn't need to be there. Um, if we have to go through the education piece and then, if it's not, you know, received well, because you know you don't know about it or something, and then you go communicate that to someone and it creates that ricochet effect, right?

Speaker 2: 11:15

So my number one is the piece on educational of it all, yeah, and really just keeping the client's best interests at heart, for sure, and then, in your opinion, what are some of the most important factors that buyers and sellers should consider when choosing a real estate agent to work with? I know we've talked a lot about staying up to date, that's an important part but what else?

Speaker 1: 11:41

I say you know you're not going to vibe with everyone and so, while I don't necessarily know if the avenue is like kind of like shopping an agent, but have phone conversations with people, you know how you feel after you get off the phone with someone who's answered your questions in a way that you feel confident about. What I love is someone who's not necessarily going to you know, give me all the information, but kind of back up that information with facts and value. So I, as an agent, always tell my clients like look, I walk you through, you through. Here's all your numbers, here's what everything looks like. But let's loop in your lender. They'll run the exact numbers on this property that you're interested in. They'll send everything over to us. We'll be able to together go over it all three of us on a call.

Speaker 1: 12:31

There's room for you to throw out all your questions at once and from there you know you are equipped with all the tools to make an informed and educated decision on moving forward. I think that is the biggest thing. You want someone who's going to sit with you to help you understand that this decision is a good one. Obviously, I can't tell you what to do, but I can give you the tools to know exactly what you need, and then you will, with all the information that you have, can then make an informed decision, and you'll feel more confident about that decision. If you have all of your questions answered, or you have all the information, you have the numbers to refer back to. You don't have to try and memorize anything Right, and so I think that's the biggest thing Someone who is going to answer your questions. You are never a burden, and if your agent makes you feel like one, you need a new one.

Speaker 2: 13:20

Yeah, can't be scared or feel like you're an inconvenience. They're working hand in hand with you, so it's got to go both ways.

Speaker 1: 13:28

You've literally taken the words out of my mouth. It has to go both ways. You are a team and, at the end of the day, you guys are working together, but we have a duty to work for you, right? You are hiring us to keep your best interest in mind, and that's what you know your agent should be doing for you.

Speaker 2: 13:43

So that's what I would say yeah, no.

Speaker 1: 13:45

I love it.

Speaker 2: 13:46

And now, in your free time, what do you like to do when you're not out there? Helping buyers, sellers, first-time homeowners get into their dream home.

Speaker 1: 13:53

What do you?

Speaker 2: 13:53

like to do to relax and unwind.

Speaker 1: 13:56

I am a big foodie, so I love a restaurant, I love a cocktail, I love a tasting menu.

Speaker 1: 14:03

But I also like love fashion and, like you know, just hanging out with my friends, we'll go to consignment shops in our area and like look around and try and find some cool vintage pieces. I am, I love music, I love concerts, so I'm kind of like out and about, but sometimes like because my you know, I'm in an industry where I'm very forward facing and very like I'm always talking to people, I'm always on my phone, I'm always like go, go, go in my car Always. So sometimes I do like to just stay home and literally do nothing. I can't do it often because I am super busy, but like if I have like some, I I've tried to give myself a couple Sundays, um a month uh, where I like am home and I'm like very just, slow and like not necessarily do nothing, but like I'll go work out, I'll go grocery shopping, I'll kind of like ground myself for the week a little bit, because it's easy to get so caught up in like I have to keep going. I've got to stay on this. You know, grind mentality.

Speaker 2: 15:00

Yep, yep, yep, yep. It's like that. It's a little rat race we all do Right.

Speaker 1: 15:04

Exactly, and so yeah, I mean yeah, that that's what I would say when I'm not out and about, I am home.

Speaker 2: 15:11

A homebody. I love a homebody, right, or on a flight, hopefully, but or on a flight, hopefully. Okay now, jet setting, love it. I'd like to ask you is there anything, perhaps, that I have not touched on, that you want to share, whether it's about yourself, your personal life, your industry, clients, real estate, you have the floor.

Speaker 1: 15:29

I would say, if you like, need help, if you have any questions, if you are in a position where the person that you're working with right now in the real estate industry is not you know, you don't feel like aligned with them, you don't feel as though your goals are being met, you don't feel as though you have a plan to achieve your goals.

Speaker 1: 15:49

Um, I think that's a problem and I think there's a bunch of people who not just myself like this is never for me, me but there are a bunch of agents who aren't like that and a bunch of lenders who aren't like that, who are willing to help you out there, exactly, exactly, and who are willing to help you and guide you and help you understand what you're, you know what is happening and what is going on and the exact ins and outs of this process.

Speaker 1: 16:11

It's a lot of information. I tell everyone that it's a lot of information and it's all at once once you start the process and sometimes it's like whoa, like I need to take a step back and digest this, and it's all about how the agent, or whoever your home buying team is, is willing to work with you to achieve those goals. So make sure that they're vetted and make sure that you know you feel confident in them and if not, it's OK to talk to people. It's OK for that person not to be a good fit and for you to find the right one. So that's what I would say.

Speaker 2: 16:41

I love it. I want to go back to the subject about being a young person in this real estate industry. One, you look young, you are young. How have you been able to cope with, maybe, whether it's clients or coworkers taking you seriously, because sometimes it's like, oh, look at this young, fresh kid, or like they're so new, or whatever it be.

Speaker 2: 17:04

Like how have you handled some of those challenges and how do you get yourself taken seriously? Maybe somebody is out there listening right now and they're like I look young, I try to dress older, but people don't take me seriously. Or like I'm young and I don't have much experience. Could you?

Speaker 1: 17:19

So, uh, I would say I got into this industry when I was 21, 22, or maybe even 20. God, how old was I? I don't even remember. I was young is the point. And so, um, and so, when I was in processing, it was, it was easier because I wasn't front facing, I was on the phone and I, you know, would turn on my best phone voice and, like you know, get everything that I need.

Speaker 1: 17:48

Um, excuse me, but then when I, when I joined real estate and like, join my team and began, obviously I wasn't as front facing because of COVID Um, so I, I feel like I had a little bit of a learning curve because I, I, when I was meeting people, I remember I had two clients come to mind, um, I never saw their face because we had masks on.

Speaker 1: 18:12

So I always joke to my husband I could have, you know, I could have seen them out somewhere and like maybe recognized them kind of, but I wouldn't have been able to pick them out of a lineup at all. And I remember the first time I saw them, I was so taken aback because I'm like, in my mind, that's not what you look like, even though, like I'd seen so much of you. But I would say, when I joined real estate because I was so young, it was a lot harder for me. Um, everyone would tell me you know, fake it till you make it like you know, visualize your highest salt and show up as her. You know all of the all of the quotes that I that is a quote that I truly live by Um, but it was hard. It was hard. I was young, I knew I, I knew I didn't know all the answers, um, and when you're newer in real estate, people are going to ask you questions and you're not going to be prepared for some of the answers Right.

Speaker 1: 19:02

And like I remember like just having those hurdles of being like, okay, I'm younger, I don't really know all the ins and outs, um and I, when I couldn't just fake it till you make it, I was honest, like genuinely. I was just kind of like look, I couldn't just fake it till you make it. I was honest, like genuinely.

Speaker 1: 19:17

I was just kind of like look, I don't know this answer, but together we're going to figure it out. Right, like I will help you figure it out and I would go to someone I knew could give me the answer and I would get it for them. But with agents, I found that I would get reminded a lot of my age. I would get reminded a lot of how I hadn't been in the industry for a while. I would get reminded a lot of like oh, I've been doing this since you were in diapers and I'm like there's nothing really I can do about that I'm here now.

Speaker 2: 19:46

I didn't ask to be born.

Speaker 1: 19:49

I did not ask to be born. You're going to take that up with my mother. So I was, like you know, I essentially would just stay professional. Some agents some obviously very rare, very, very rare. But I would find, like you know, we'll try and get, try and get a rise out of you, knowing that you're younger. Like, oh, are you sure this is even going to work out. Like, oh, you know, you missed an initial, I'm a human. Like we all make mistakes. Like this is a very rookie mistake. Like how long have you been doing this? I've been doing this 20 years.

Speaker 1: 20:18

I think this is the first time I've ever seen this, you know, just being reminded that, like, even though you're making a mistake, you're under such a sharp microscope because of your age, because you're in an industry with people that have been doing this for so long, and I found that I just, honestly, would work under the people that I, like on my team. I was working with agents who'd been doing this 30, 40, you know lots of years, right, and I would just learn from them. I would, you know, any areas of growth that I had. I would you know. Try and sit with them, try and learn more, try and be able to refine. You know how they answered the question If I liked it filed for later.

Speaker 1: 20:54

You know, I'm going to use that for myself, like, if it's not broke, don't fix it, right? So I'm going to take what people are using. That sounds good Like the framing of things that maybe I'm explaining in like four paragraphs. I'm going to explain it in like two sentences because, hey, he did that and it worked really well, right? So I always I, I, I, I I'm stumbling on my words because it's like hard for me because I am still young and I still get it Like, even I bought my house this year. Congratulations, thank you so so much. I'm like, finally, I'm doing what I tell everyone.

Speaker 1: 21:26

To the agent that I purchased my home from. She was an older agent and she reminded me. She's like oh, you know, you're buying a house. You're an agent. Like how old are you? She asked me that I'm like don't know what that really matters, but like I'll tell you I don't care and I tell her and she's like well, my MLS number, my MLS number, starts with a one. You know what that means. Like I've been doing this since before you were born.

Speaker 1: 21:48

You know, and like there were like little pieces and like I find, when they know that you're younger than them, they're always going to try and use things as a mean to educate you. Yeah, but if you know what you're talking about, I always I almost feel as though I have to stay like 10 times more on it and I'm on a team that way, just so you're like ahead, exactly.

Speaker 1: 22:06

Exactly and, and I won't, and even that I won't even say that, like I'll let you finish and I'm like, yeah, no, you know, I'll remind you, like that's from the, you know, 2025 January. You know adjustment, adjustments that we've recently done, Like I'm fully aware of what you're telling me, but, you know, if you feel the need to say it, like absolutely, you know, I'm always open for a teaching moment. You know you're never going to get a rise out of me, Um, and exactly like you could try, but exactly it won't work, it won't work. And so, yeah, I would say it was definitely an uphill battle and a learning curve, but here we are, yeah, I love it Exactly.

Speaker 2: 22:43

Yay and plus you grow. That way too.

Speaker 1: 22:45

Like growing A hundred percent. A hundred percent. And I feel like if I didn't have those hurdles, I wouldn't maybe be as eloquent in certain aspects of my career now, because I was forced to sit down and like know how to explain this the right way. And I'm working with older people too, people who bought houses three or four times I just did it for the first time in May, right? So I'm having to not only sound like an expert to agents, having to sound like an expert to people who are older than me also need to take me seriously, also need to feel confident in what I'm telling them, right?

Speaker 2: 23:19

So, yeah, there was a there was a learning curve Right. Well, thank you for sharing that experience. I hope it'll resonate with other people who are going through something like that. Definitely, my final question is do you have a saying or a mantra that you would like to share, that maybe has inspired you in your life, that you use as inspiration and leave that as a final message?

Speaker 1: 23:40

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh. I have two. Yes, visualize your highest self and show up as her, because that is true. When you feel good, you look good. That resonates with people. When you don't feel good and you aren't, you know, you're not trying, not for your rot days. Everyone needs that. But, like you know, when you are showing up to something and you like go that extra mile, it does resonate. You can feel that, and so I get the outfit girl, and then my second one is girl, and then my second one is okay. Now I'm like I'm bouncing through two in my brain. It's okay, take your time. When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time by Maya Angelou.

Speaker 2: 24:29

Good or bad, good or bad, yeah, that's a good one. Yep, some heavy ones there.

Speaker 1: 24:34

I'm like I went down. You sure did. I'm just kidding.

Speaker 2: 24:36

No, it's true, Believe it.

Speaker 1: 24:39

Yep, that is. That is one when they show you believe them the first time. Yeah, yep, and so those are my I love it.

Speaker 2: 24:46

No, thank you so much for being on the podcast.

Speaker 1: 24:48

Thank you for having me, for giving us so much wisdom and telling us about your experience.