Summary:
Tune-in and listen to an enthusiastic George Wonica share the best and most entertaining stories from his 26 years as a realtor. Being the son of a realtor, George started off in this business at a young age, and has a wide arsenal of interesting stories to tell. George offers his advice for those wanting to buy or sell a house and he urges everyone to get better at what they do, but at the same time, to NEVER forget to have FUN along the way.
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Time Stamped Show Notes:
- 00:32 – Leigh welcomes George
- 01:23 – From Staten Island, New York, George is a broker associate, certified residential appraiser and mortgage broker
- 01:33 – George has held a broker license for 25-26 years now
- 02:13 – Being the son of a realtor and in this business for so long, George has a wide repertoire of stories
- 02:37 – Story #1: “Sorting out marital issues”
- 02:43 – Happened 15-16 years ago while doing an appraisal
- 03:04 – Had to inspect the house with only the wife present
- 03:25 – When George entered the house to inspect, the woman sent her kid outside to play with her friends
- 03:43 – Dressed provocatively in a robe, the lady started talking about her marital issues
- 04:22 – The woman asked George to come up with a really low price so that she could buy out her husband
- 04:28 – George firmly stated that he was appointed by the court to appraise a fair value
- 04:37 – Expressing that she was ready to do anything, the lady opened up her robe
- 05:20 – Based on what happened, George’s father could not wait to go to the property himself!
- 05:40 – When George’s father finally got the chance to inspect the house, the kid stayed in the house the whole time and nothing out of the ordinary happened
- 06:27 – Story #2: “Love knows no boundaries”
- 06:43 – While working on a foreclosed property, George came across a property that had a lockbox on it
- 06:56 – When he tried to do walk-in, he found out that somebody was actually living in that foreclosed, vacant house
- 07:21 – Often squatters break into a foreclosed house; however, squatters do not tend to respond, and simply run away when confronted
- 07:51 – He was surprised to find out that the intruders were not squatters, but a couple of real estate agents
- 08:06 – He found out that the agents decided to make the house their “love shack”
- 08:43 – Even today when he runs into these agents, he can’t help but smile
- 09:58 – “Always have a lot of fun in this business. You never know who you are going to find, whom you are going to meet, or what you are going to walk into!”
- 11:25 – Getting mentored by his father has contributed to George’s success
- 12:44 – He’s learned a lot about owning property and purchasing property from his father; he bought his first property before he even started drinking
- 13:05 – Got an early start since he could build upon what he learned from his dad
- 13:30 – In spite of his old age, George’s father does not shy away from using the latest technologies and gadgets
- 15:43 – “You have to smile and you have to have fun. Don’t take anything too seriously”; outlook has changed after having 3 kids
- 16:38 – Try to have fun every single day, try to get better at what you do every single day, and try to be a better person every single day
- 17:03 – Buyers and sellers do not want you to be serious all the time; they want you to give real opinions, have real falls and live life with them
- 17:36 – George believes in wearing his heart on his sleeve and calling a spade, a spade
- 18:54 – Contact George through his website; though George works primarily in Staten Island and Brooklyn, he can connect you with realtors anywhere in the New York State
- 19:34 – Alternatively, you can connect with George via Instagram or Facebook; gswonicasells is George’s Snapchat id
- 19:44 – Call George on 718-442-2880 (Ext. 105)
- 21:24 – Takes time off to play with and coach his kids
- 22:28 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate
- 22:43 – Visit Crazyshitinrealestate to access show notes for this episode
3 Key Points
- Wear your heart on your sleeve and call a spade a spade; buyers and sellers want your real, honest opinion.
- Try to have fun every single day, try to get better at what you do every single day, and try to be a better person every single day.
- Find a good mentor who can help you find success early on in your career.
Credits
