Robert Helms wanted to be a rocker, but ended up rocking
the radio and talking about real estate on “The Real Estate Show”, which is one of the most downloaded shows on iTunes.
Funny how life’s little twist and turns, may take you in one direction, then another and before you know it, you just wind up going around the block. As one of the “top one percent of real estate agents” in the country in one of the largest real estate companies in the country, Robert ended up owning “the entire city block”.
In the Made for Success series hosted by Chris Widener, Robert said that when he was young, the last thing he wanted to do was to get into the real estate business. His father got the knack for real estate while he working, in another sales career. You can find your passion later in life, if you look, because it’s never too late. When he got into it, he bought and held on to his property so long, that he earned the title as the “God Father of Real Estate”.
Robert talked about the time his father bought his first piece of property. When Robert looked at it the first time, he was not impressed at what he saw. He was thinking that his dad had turned into just another slum lord. What he didn’t know, was his dad was a “man of vision”.
Over the summer they put in the work and restored the property to its former glory. His dad’s goal was to buy property, add value to it, and hold on for the long haul. The lesson learned: Don’t rush to judgment to soon. When you first look at something, sometimes you need to see pass the present and look to the future potential.
In the real estate business, you need to look at the bigger picture, beyond the actual physical property and look at the neighborhood, who should be living in the property in the future. When his father ventured into buying and selling he would look at who should be buying the house. Who would be the idea buyer, and how do you go out and find them? As a result, they became very good at selling whatever they listed. They used a very targeted approach and focused on the buyers.
Robert had an opportunity to work overnight at a radio station while he was in college. It kept him near the music that he loved, and it paid five dollars an hour, which back then, was not bad. But his dad made him a better offer, because he needed someone to help him list homes, so he offered him “ten dollars an hour” if he would go get his real estate license; so, he did! He liked showing houses so much, that he got the bug also. In one summer, he went from not knowing anything into knowing a whole lot. You will be surprised how well you adopt to new things when you are open minded.
Robert even went to a high school that had a little 10-watt radio station. It was so small that they would say, it’s time to rock the block; the city block. It seemed like the perfect fit for the shy little boy. When he got a chance to get on the radio it was only him and the mike in a little room. As a result, he relaxed and his personality bloomed in that little room. If you blog enough you just might blog your way into a book.
While he was in college working at the radio station he started helping his dad with the real estate business. You might say he got into his zone: Rocking on the radio and selling real estate. He would walk to school and manage all the buildings his father owned. Along the way he learned another valuable lesson; you can make a living selling real estate but you “make a fortune owning real estate”.
He looked beyond the present, and saw the potential. Someone may look beyond this blog and see the potential to start their own blog. If you think that the “free” Word Press Blog platform is enough, take the time and look farther. Invest in the “Premium Plan” if you can’t afford the “Business Plan”. Never start at the bottom. Start near the top. This has been straight talk beast mode.
H.G.M.
Internet comments
Sherry Starnes
Awesome post Earl. The point you made about looking at the bigger picture is key! As a Realtor (not an investor) many of my clients can look and see the bigger picture… like what they can do with the house they are looking at. That’s what we need to do in our business. Thanks for sharing this Earl.
Sheena Yap Chan
Most people believe what they see, which means they never stretch their own visions and dreams. It’s up to us, to show them the way. Great job Earl.
Dragos Cibanu
What a powerful story Earl. So many lessons here to learn…patience, seeing the bigger picture, potential, reasons for anything life will bring in front of you. Thanks a lot for sharing this thoughtful article. Have a blessed day!
Earl Hackett
Thanks for your comments. I’m not sure how far I looked into my future, but I knew I had to get away from the plant. I looked at the older guys and didn’t want to be like them. Working all the time and living for the week-end was not the way I wanted to live my life. Blogging just brought back all the memories.
Blogging is a written record, that I was here. It’s more than a physical journal because the content lives in the cloud. Viola Davis, an Oscar, Tony and Emmy Award winner said in one of her acceptance speeches the following: “The greatest stories will never be told. They are buried in the graveyards along with all the people who never told their story.” This is my story, my book and my legacy. What will be yours?
Hackett Global Marketing 