It's Very Easy To Be Lazy In This Business

Anthony Lamacchia: This is a very easy business to be lazy in. It’s a very easy business to be lazy in. A very seasoned veteran said this to me yesterday, and it’s something that I’ve said many times, not specifically in those words, but those words caught me. I wanted to talk about it because it’s true. One of the things that I’ve said is one of the big draws to people in getting into real estate is, “Oh, then I have flexibility in my schedule.” I’ve been quoted as saying, “In the flexibility is the problem that agents have.” Most people can’t hold themselves accountable, can’t hold themselves to a schedule, and be their own boss. It’s just not in their DNA. It’s funny, the part that drew them into real estate is also what’s killing them in the business.

Anthony Lamacchia here with Crush It In Real Estate, and I want to talk about this for a few minutes on this beautiful Memorial Day weekend, Sunday morning. What I want to point out to you is, over the next year, year and a half, we’re going to find out who’s in it and committed and who isn’t. There are many people going through that gut check right now, at this moment. Going through that, do I want to do this moment? That’s okay. If that’s the case and you’ve come to realize that you’re just not that into it or not that motivated, get out of the business, that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with that. You’re better off as a person to stop doing something than half-assed do something, in my opinion.

When you look at 2019, 2020, 2021 in the beginning of 2022, and heck, it feels that way now, but it’s not the same. There was tons of FOMO, tons of fear of missing out. People coming out of the woodwork to buy homes sell homes, maybe not as many selling, but many people wanting to sell their existing home and buy a home and move up. Three years ago, you could do that for a pretty good number. You could trade your existing home, get into a new home at a similar interest rate or even lower. Prices hadn’t gone crazy two and three years ago yet, or four years ago. You could get into something and it was easier.

Now we’re in this tricky situation with the market that happens every 15 or 18 years or so. There’s just not as many people that are willing to sell their homes. We’re looking at the least amount of homes listed since we think the early ’80s, but as long as records have been kept. That, in itself, is going to be a drag on the market for a bit. It’s going to be a drag for at least another year. Those of you that are having this mental struggle of, do I stay? Do I go? What do I do? Listen, just make a decision. That’s okay. Lawrence Yen was quoted as saying, “10% to 15% of realtors are going to get out of the business between now and the end of the year,” or is it early next year or something like that.

I was in DC when I heard that and I said, “That’s not right it’s going to be more than that.” We get up to 1.6 million realtors in the country, there’s 800,000 homes for sale. It’s out of whack. There’s going to be some of that but if you are a person who says, “Anthony, stop talking that way. I’m not even hearing it. My ass is staying in the business. I’m going nowhere. I’m going to be successful at this.” “Good. Good to hear. Congrats to you for having that attitude. But you had better be on offense all the time.” I did a podcast interview with Lindsay Favazza, our Vice President of Marketing for the Lamacchia Companies three weeks ago, and they put it out this past week.

I thought it was interesting that they quoted me, the quote in the lead of it was, “I’m always on offense.” Out of all the things I said in that podcast, they grabbed that. They used that image and they had that as the lead image. I read it and remember now this is people that work with me and our own internal people, but that was what they grabbed onto and that’s what they promoted. Folks, that’s the truth. That’s me. I’m always on offense 24/7, 365. It doesn’t matter. My brain is, if I am awake, I am thinking about how to grow the business. I’m thinking about what action steps I should be taking and when I’m going to take them.

Look at this beautiful Sunday morning, for example. I slept in for a bit, I was out late– well, I wasn’t out late, but I was up late last night watching the Celtics and that last-second win. I slept till about 6:20 and I get up and I work from 6:20 till– I don’t know, whatever time it is right now, eight o’clock nonstop, working on Word documents, working on things for meetings that we have Monday and Tuesday. Working on a financial analysis for a company we’re buying and sent it back to execs. Guys, whether I’m doing this or Anthony, 15 years ago when I was selling, it didn’t matter. I was always on offense.

What that veteran agent said to me yesterday, and I’ll shout her out because it’s no secret because Chris who just came over to our Salem office, she’s awesome, came over with a whole bunch of– a handful of awesome agents and they’ve been wonderful. Her and I were just discussing the business and discussing the situation of the market. She said, “Look in this business it’s very easy to be lazy.” She caught my attention. I said, “I’m going to do a video on that.” Anyway, I wanted to talk about that. Don’t fall victim to it. Don’t fall victim to it being easy to be lazy. Be on offense all the time. Folks, check out my shirt. A shirt that matches up to this. All right, let’s go, let’s go. Stay focused! Have a great day.