Foreign Hey, welcome back to Luxury Code Where we get into the minds, the mindset, the marketing, the business building strategies of luxury real estate professionals. Today, our guest maytel Tom from Laguna Beach and really working Coastal Orange County California Last year close over 200 million dollars in volume in 2021 and as we're recording the show today, she's on Pace to do 300 million dollars in sales. Yes, as the market is going backwards, she's moving forward helping even more clients. So welcome to the show my dear. Thank you for having me of course of course. so you know we just shared the stage together at the Summit. So if you were at the summit, whether you're listening or watching right now, um, I was just complimenting how just how great her energy was and the inside. So we wanted to do this show to sort of further some of those conversations. Um, it goes without saying as you're listening to this right now: Inflation, the economy, the stock market certainly impacting some luxury buyers a war in Ukraine and Russia There's just a lot of uncertainty in the marketplace. And yet until you're on Pace to do a hundred million dollars more than you did last year, why are you winning? Help us understand that I Think this market and every change. it's just really about doubling down. That's exactly what we did during the pandemic. I Really feel that right now? It's almost like a pandemic for the economy, right? And it's just about looking at the big picture, just looking up. And and it's always about the big picture. It's really easy to get sucked into the negativity that everyone hears. You know things coming at you from different directions from the news and at the end of the day, it's just about sticking to what you really know best and really going down to your why why You do what you do and we're really here to serve people and doubling down on that. You know we have extreme responsibility right now to serve our clients more than any time. Really, just exactly like it was during that pandemic. It's just. you know. we go through life. We go through the Rhythm and everything just happens because we create. Hopefully everyone creates their habits right of morning routines and everything just kind of gets sucked into the norm. and when a change like that that is so dramatic happens, obviously it creates the fear and being the agents with the boots on the ground we know we have the conversations with those clients. We have the responsibility to deliver the true information of what's going on, what are the opportunities? Where is it going Even if not necessarily you'll buy right right the second or or sell your home. Right now we're here for the long term right? So um I was that You know Spider-Man Said So he said it best right? With great with great power comes great responsibilities and that's how I feel it is. We have we great, we have great knowledge and and we feel and We have the conversations with boots on the ground every day we we have to transfer that to our clients. It just feels like a real Duty So to answer your question, it's really about doubling down on your work ethic and doubling down on your mindset. I Love it And you know we talked so much about the Summit. You know the sort of you know, how can you double your business. You could double your leads, you could double your conversion and the last one was like double on your execution, double on the plays you know that are working. So I I actually wrote down as I always take more notes probably than the average podcast interviewer. Uh, you're doubling down on your routines. You're doubling down on what works. It's more honest conversations. It's always coming to replace of service whether they buy now or they don't. You're here to just inform people about what their options are for people just so they have contacts. If they've never met you before, give them a little insight on your background because you're a little more disciplined than the average person. Well, yes, I uh. served in the Israeli Air Force I was a captain for four and a half years and um, yeah, I do I Went to law school and business school after that and I do believe that it allows you to develop habits that are just not anything that I would give up. I mean I wake up every morning I do my morning routine in terms of our my meditation, my workout. Now it's just about doing it double the time and just really being able to be up out there and serve people in a really highest level possible. So and that's really something that I in in bed and have a lot of conversations with my team. It's just really about sticking to uh, your routine and even exceeding that meaning raising your standards now than any time and not giving up. And that is just really the more the most crucial thing you can do in terms of like you're saying, doubling on your phone calls, doubling and everything else. But it's just. you know, we're all people, right? We go through life and this kind of. It's easy to get sucked into the negativity. so get away from that. The negativity is contagious. Just focus on what you know best and don't ever ever give up. I can I think for the person listening right now they're like wait a minute. Okay, she was a captain and the Israeli military Air Force and then got a law and a business degree. Why did you go into real estate So you know I really never knew that that was my calling. but I Truly with all my heart believe I was always an entrepreneur, always had the ability to um, find what's the new thing. How can I solve problems? How can I help people? It's all about to leave a mark in this world and that's really what it's all about. And I truly believe in that I actually had to experience that. That concept that we live once truly on a personal level when I lost my dad in a really tragic accident when he was 61.. So you go through life and you think that you're excelling and you're really performing at the highest level possible and then something happens that really remind you in the strongest way possible that you really live once you really do. Yeah, so if if you're not going to leave a mark, it's just what did we do here, right? So my goal was always always to leave a mark in this world and I really find my calling in a way doing it through real estate because I truly believe with all my heart that I'm here to help people to net to move to the next staging life the the way that we help people and and have our clients being all past clients and referrals. It's just feels so impactful that we really do it one transaction at a time. That's why I really believe that our responsibility now more than ever is really to to be there for our clients. They need us now more than ever to create the right strategy. Even if this strategy is not buying tomorrow or selling tomorrow, we're here for the Long Haul but just helping them getting out of the mud of the negativity. You live once. What's your goals? You're really not buying or selling because of interest rates or whatever the world is doing. The world will do whatever the world is doing right. But you have a bigger goals. It's about the bigger picture. What's the lifestyle that you want to allow yourself and let me help you remind you of your own goals and your own Whys? In a way. Yes, it's interesting. Uh, your our mutual good friend Tim Smith We just did a show together. Uh, a live show and and you two share that same mindset which is selling luxury is selling a lifestyle. It is what's most important to you now. I I Want to back up though because you said you said a word. That is very important to me. habits. So I read a research piece by Alan Stein who's a wonderful author? I'll introduce. you'll probably be with us. At one of the events coming up, he said Tom If you want to be successful in the development of habits, forget 21 days. forget you know, 90 days, 67 days. All this, you know these data points around how long it takes to develop the Habit He said. Here's what we know in the most recent study: If you just try and master one thing, you have an 85 chance of installing that habit into your DNA into your routines. The moment you say I'm going to take on two habits, you drop from 85 down to a 40 success rate. 40 installing those two habits if you go for three. which how many people do we know that start the new year and say this is the year I'm gonna work out I'm gonna cut out sugar I'm gonna make my prospecting calls every day. The data shows you have a three percent chance of installing any one of those what's your best hack Because you're disciplined. That's what I see in you all the time. Like you're elegant, right? You're amazing at what you do. It's your habits and disciplines that make you so great. What have you done in the past? or do you recommend for the listener If they want to really get some habits right? I Really think it's about just doing it I don't I never set goals in New Year's or on the Monday or on the Sunday The goals are set on a regular basis. It's always me against me and it's just how I can unlock and unleash that. Everyone has greatness right? So how do you take that and unlock that? So it's just really believing that you can do it and just doing it and you know the best part is doing it when it's hardest, right? The days that I don't feel like, well I'm always going to do it the days that I don't feel like going on that run I'll do it on purpose and I'll do it harder and you know why. I'll run faster and I'll run harder just to test my own limits because it's always me against myself. And the great thing is that even if you did not succeed with installing those this specific habit, you don't have to wait until tomorrow to do it. You can try again in the next hour, the next afternoon, the next minute. Every second that you have you, it really needs to be utilized to the best. And I think that's really what it comes down to. really understanding that once you create those habits, they create a certain framework to your life that free it. It creates certain freedom in a way because it really allows you to do the things that you want to do because you already checked all the boxes that you know that if you will do every day on a regular basis, they'll move you to the next step. So those are just habits and and behaviors that allow me to create and gain freedom. So it's just as as simple as it sounds. It's just about doing it. and if you did not succeed in doing it, do it again. Yes, Yes you. Uh, that was a mic drop moment when you said your habits create the framework of your life and every listener. Right now you know as you're listening to this, you can look at your life. and if you're not happy with the results you're producing, look first to your habits. Look first to your routines, right? Totally agree. I Agree 100. It's just because that's I Mean it's like a picture, right? Once you install habits, they're automatic. They're they're happening and you know what. It's nice to look into your habits once in a while and kind of have self-reflection and change them on or upgrade them. But once you do that, you don't have to think about anything else. You already checked the boxes on the good things that you needed to do in your day and now it's time to take it to the next level, right? I It's so interesting you say that I was chatting with my wife this morning who said to say hello and uh, we're talking about habits in the early stages of our career. habits when we had young children versus habits when our kids were older and at later stages of our career and now as empty nesters, you know it's it. You could even take the pandemic the non-pandemic right? It's like I think you constantly have to reevaluate? Yes, I've got this habit down. but is it serving me the way did when I first installed it when I needed to get to that discipline? Well, now I've got it. So what's the next thing? Do you do some of that sort of sort of introspective work as well? So true. I Really truly believing that I mean life. it. it's Dynamic right? I mean our kids I Just put my oldest in college and I have two more and every day it's It's a new challenge. A new surprise, right? right? But yes, looking into your habits and and modifying them and just again. I Really believe that it's every day. It's you against you. It's me against me, right? How do I How do I get the better out of me And you always say that and I always laugh, but really not. But it's so true. My biggest motivation is that we're all gonna die and we're all you don't know when you're gonna die right? That's my biggest motivation. and I truly experienced it on that personal. such a personal level that it's installed in me in a way that I really want to take advantage of every moment and and do the right thing. Leave give the impact and those habits are my my fast path to get there. Yes for my friend listening. I would encourage you to go to Google and type in in the search bar death clock and then answer the four or five questions and what? I did you've seen me do this before? Where I actually will write the date that based upon you know, my health, my habits, my longevity, whatever male, female, what year I was born. All these questions that they give you this algorithm essentially spits out this arbitrary date. But when I look at it I realize this death clock says I only have 35 years left it. It forces me to say life is short. What am I going to do? For some people you'll think that's strange but I would argue it's exactly why you need to do it because you you probably need a a little shock to your system, especially if you're allowing the economy and all these things to impact you in a way. It's why they listen to this show. but my tell us I want to ask you rapid fire questions? You ready yes okay uh what? Marketing is working for you right now Having conversations, a lot of it and education, educational videos and reels just quick ones to install the information and deliver everything we hear on. KCM and you we just transferring that. Love it. So you went right to video too which is great. So so for the person listening conversations means open houses, prospecting, talking to past lines, talking to Sphere. It's all that right? Yes, absolutely a hundred percent and double and more than ever before and having more close conversations with our clients that are sellers that it just double everything up. That's the time to do it. So you're going right to my next question. which is how are you managing sellers expectations in this market? It's just really beyond the fact that we're having a lot of conversation is is really looking at what is the competition right now I Know the Habit is to look on comps and past comps I don't really care about those right now right now. What I care about is to look what is your buyer full and what is the active inventory that is available. What is our competition in the market? So two things we have to price a property in an appropriate way. That is just pricing is just really crucial. and second, you have to prepare your home to look picture perfect Because this is not time to be sloppy about presentation. It's not time to be sloppy about anything. the expectations of everyone's High Especially in our Market When people are really buying into a lifestyle, they buy something because they choose to buy it. I mean this month we close 28 million so there are opportunities out there. people are out there, they're still buying. So by the way, as we're as we're recording this, it's only the 18th of the month and she's already had 28 million dollars in closings. Congrats! Sorry to interrupt, but it's just to show that what people hear is a lot of times really different from reality. Yes, so especially in our Market that we really sell lifestyle and it's just really again about the big picture. So I think for the person listening right now is is maybe to make up a list of what are you selling in your Marketplace Is it proximity? Is It Lifestyle? is it? You know proximity can be like proximity to the mountains, proximity to the ocean, proximity to the to the city to business, right? It's knowing that. But I Love the buyer pool versus competition. That's a great. That's just great language for everybody to add in. So Speaking of language, So you talked about managing sellers expectations right? Looking at buyer pool competition pricing, you know you can't have anything to be sloppy. What are you doing differently now that you weren't doing, say a year ago on your listing appointments to make sure people understand today's prices versus you know, the the typical hey, but my neighbor down the street sold six months ago and they got a record price and we want to beat that. It's just really about knowing your inventory, knowing your data to the T if you're the knowledge broker. all the nice presentations I Kind of put it aside I Don't even go through presentations with numbers. We're number one and all that. Yeah, I don't care about that right now. Let's have real conversation one-on-one and see. Tell me what your goals are. Tell me where you want to get I'll get you there and let me tell you what would be the strategy to build to get you there because I know the other properties inventory is still low if we still have really low inventory, and if you position yourself yourself right, it will will get you there and in a really high level because it's happening and that's what we're doing. Yes, so so knowing the coastal SoCal Market or the New York City Market of the Aspen Market of the Jacksonville Wyoming Market because I'm you know, constantly talking to everybody and I'm in those markets I keep seeing or or it appears that properties that are four years or newer trade really fast and once you get Beyond five years or older, there's just something about maybe the style and maybe it's 10 years or 15 years and even if it's in a premium location, they're just there just seems to be less demand. Why is that I Think we need to bring some fresh into the game and that's what we tell sellers. You know sometimes it will be a new paint code right? A new outstaging just to make it feel fresh and exciting. I Really think that people are that are buying right now are buying because they want to? Okay, they buy because they choose to get into this lifestyle. So when someone walks into the house it's more of an emotional purchase because they have to stand their goals. They understand that they want to get to this lifestyle sooner than better. and even if they have to refi within a year or so, they don't get really distracted by the you know everyone. the bad word, right, recession or what's coming and all this fear they're not buying because of really the the interest rate in a certain point, right? Yes, they're buying because they really understand their longer picture, their longer gain and I think more than ever people have the need to get there. I Think the pandemic and really reminded people in a way that what are you waiting for like you want it to be by the beach, you wanted to get to your lifestyle faster. You can die tomorrow, right? I Mean here is the pandemic. Church show this anything. Um, showed us that then anything I mean we were running to find to fight for toilet paper right? right? So I think people still have that automatic mindset and it's about reminding them that you you have your lifestyle and you have your goals. So getting it faster is just really, you know, why not? Yes! So some luxury buyers and certainly many of our luxury clients are are hearing things from buyers like, well, this is my market to get a deal, right? Are you? How are you helping that luxury buyer who maybe is? Just Deal Hungry to realize that there may be some deals, but with other prices or other properties? I Should say there really aren't any quote-unquote deals to be had. What are you experiencing and what is your advice? So the the properties that are newer construction really trade at the highest price possible and we still see competition and activity. If there is no single levels in Corona Del Mar anymore and at this price point and you think you can get a deal, you're dreaming. I mean it's just having the real conversations with Buyers If you don't buy this, it's fine but you may wait five years for something else to come that is exactly like that because it's harder to get the newer construction. It's just that that's just the the fact right? So at the end of the day when you find something in the in our Market that is really the property that suits your needs, your lifestyle, something and the property like that may not come for a long time in Laguna Beach Every location is just so different. If you're not gonna go for it right now, a proper pretty like that may not come. Ever so what will pass and it will shall pass the whole you know economy. it will. It will recover, We'll get there and the expectation is not really bad. No, it's not. Doom and Gloom there's no sharp decline next year. inventory is still low and it's just really about having the real conversations and not be afraid to have those real conversations with the client because that's what they count on you for. If you're not going to have those real conversations, you're not serving your client right and what I'm hearing and and I just I love is you know know your Market inside now. tell the truth, have conversations about what it's going to take why they're doing this. What is your motive for Action Always going back to that and and it sounds like you know you. You always have this air of like unattachment, like I'm just you're just going to tell people the truth. you're going to deliver value. You know you're marketed side now and they're going to do what it you know it's uh. Steve Harney Would always say trust the fact that people if you give them the right information, they're smart enough to make a good decision. that that's what I'm sensing with you. Yeah, absolutely we're here to serve like that and if we don't do that, we're just not doing the right thing and we are about doing the right thing. always. Always okay. So I'm gonna hit you with one last question, but it's a it's a doozy you ready doozy? Did I just say doozy on my own pie? Hi, it's Hi I'm 107. it's a doozy All right. So you ready? Here's the question: Someone listening right now is trying to break into luxury. Someone listening right now is in the luxury Marketplace But maybe my top, They just they've just lost a little their Mojo So My question was if you were starting over or restarting your career because you kind of lost your mojo a bit, what would your first five moves be? I Would definitely join a team that shares similar core values as you in terms of mindset and work ethic, being in an environment and surrounding yourself in with an environment and people that inspire you every day. And that's really what my team does for me as well. We are all about just doing the right thing, serving our clients and sharing similar core values. so we Elevate and lift each other every day to make it happen. So surrounding yourself with environment that you want to be that you aspire to be. Yes, it's a no-brainer that's really what it is and being willing to to you know what used to work. that just kind of sitting there and things will just happen and money will start kind of uh, falling from the sky and clients will just be dropping down in your feet to say hey, sell my house or buy it. It's just that's not what's the reality right now right now. it's about connecting with people on a deeper level and in order for connecting with people, you have to create those opportunities through doing the open houses, through having the conversation, through picking up the phone and just asking them what they feel right now about the market and maybe provide a little bit of input of what you see from what's going on without asking for anything. Just bring the value to the table and they'll find you when time comes right? So do the work without expecting anything in return and just work ethic like there is really nothing more than that. I Mean no one's really ever succeeded without putting the work into it. And if that's your expectation, just find something else to do. I Really feel that in our Market in our real estate, performing at the highest level really goes a long way. I Agree 100 So join the team from the women? Yes, so join a team based on core values. Be in the right environment right? Be around people that are doing the work and that I Loved you said connect you with people and and we both get that. thank you for then saying at open Houses, making your phone calls right, you're Tim Tim Smith Andy C Some of these legendary uh Stephanie younger who did the case study on the 400 open houses last year in her Market Andy is so competitive. he's like I think we did 450 open houses. These are men and women that work super luxury markets, right? You know, three million average sales prices and they're doing open houses at scale. Do you recommend that? for someone starting over a hundred percent, a hundred percent Open Houses are an incredible opportunity to have people step into your office. Yeah, in a way, instead of chasing people, open houses? just let's have it. it's it's appointments that are happening with people that are coming with the intention to talk about real estate not necessarily have to be about this specific home, but just about hearing what you have to say. So so you've been so generous with your time, you've delivered a lot of value. I have like three pages of notes in front of me. If somebody wants to reach out, go deeper with you, ask a few more questions. what's the best way for them to connect with you DM me at my top or text call anyway, just call I'll be there. Cool So and it's M-e-i-t-a-l-t-a-u-b on Instagram Yes and I love that you're like you could just DM me slide into my DMs and ask me a question about my luxury real estate business I Love it! Yeah, all right my dear Well I look forward to seeing you soon. Thank you so much for contributing on today's show I Hope you as the listener are watching this. took some notes as I did. There was a lot of great insights around habit and routines. Yes, now one more thing I Just uh I Wanted to add don't be afraid to double up on Investments as well, you know Tom I Don't know if you know, but we opened an office. A Real Estate Office Boutique here in Laguna Beach In the heart of the village, invested a lot of money to create that environment that open space for people to come in and talk to us about real estate and just don't be afraid doing that. It will come out and and double in return. Yes And there's no doubt there's lots of ways you can make investments in your business. that making phone calls, doing open houses, you know, getting your space right. All of that works. So thank you again my dear Thank you so much for watching this show. Make sure you share it with a friend or two and we'll see you guys on the next podcast. Thanks so much! Take care, thank you.