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Rogers Healy On How To Get The Absolute Best Price When You Sell Your Home

An Interview With Jason Hartman

Jason Hartman
Authority Magazine

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Be YOUR buyer. Put yourself in their shoes.
- Remove the emotions and be the buyer for your property. Remain in the mindset of things you would want to look for if you were searching for a home.
- You have to find a way to make your property inviting. Eliminating animal smells, specific paint colors, and changing from carpet to hardwood floors are all great investments to get more for your property.

How can you get the best price possible when you are looking to sell your home? Sometimes it’s a matter of timing, the right upgrades, or simply the right negotiation. In this interview series called “How To Get The Best Price When You Sell Your Home” we are talking to successful real estate leaders, who can share stories, insights and lessons from their experience about how to get the best price when you want to sell your home.

As a particular part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Rogers Healy.

Rogers Healy is a proud Texas native, and the colorful and energetic Owner and CEO of the largest independently owned real estate brokerage in Texas — Rogers Healy and Associates Real Estate. Rogers Healy and Associates Real Estate (RHA) was founded in 2006 and has over 500 real estate agents, approximately 50 full-time staff members, and almost 30,000 square feet of office space in North Texas. In addition, Rogers has founded four sister companies under The Rogers Healy Companies umbrella. Healy Global Real Estate and Relocation in 2007, Healy Property Management in 2008, RHA Commercial in 2010, and RHA Land and Lake in 2021. Rogers and his team continue to push towards success and growth each and every day.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to your career?

My real estate career launched back in 2001, while I was an undergrad at Southern Methodist University. I describe myself as an opportunist, so I saw the need for fellow friends and students to get assistance when looking for off-campus housing. I’ve never had a problem doing the work others didn’t want to do. Everyone needs a place to live, so I found a way to help my friends at SMU, whether they were renting their first apartment, or buying their first condo. After a few years of learning the business of real estate, I launched Rogers Healy and Associates Real Estate in 2006. Determination and energy proved to be the perfect ingredients for getting RHA launched, and even still, that’s the approach.

Can you share with our readers the most interesting or amusing story that occurred to you in your career so far? Can you share the lesson or take away, you took out of that story?

The most interesting story of my entire career happened to occur before my career even really began. Passing the real estate exam was the adventure of a lifetime. I would study so hard, and would receive a failing grade time after time. Eventually I passed, but not until I had taken it 22 times. That’s right, you heard me. I took the exam 22 entire times. It taught me an extremely valuable lesson before even entering my career path. Trying and failing is all part of the process. Without failure, there is no success. It is impossible to succeed without failing a time or 22.

Do you have a favorite “life lesson quote”? Can you share a story or example of how that was relevant to you in your life?

My favorite quote is when Oscar Wilde said, “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” This quote resonated with me at a very young age when my grandmother gave me this piece of advice. I learned that if you are not being yourself, you are only hurting yourself. In most situations, including mine, not everyone is going to like you. It is important to not value your self-worth based on other people’s opinions. I believe that you must give the world your truest version of yourself in order to excel to your highest potential.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Rogers Healy and Associates Land and Lake is a very exciting project that we have just added to The Rogers Healy Companies. Whether you’re a landowner, business owner, developer or speculative investor, RHA Land and Lake is especially adept at maximizing the potential of your land or lake transaction. Drawing from our unrivaled work ethic and experience of land markets, we cultivate meaningful relationships and incorporate comprehensive data to give you distinct advantages. Buying or selling, our goal is to maximize value for you and foster an environment to get the deal done. The inspiration behind starting this branch of the company was the expanding desire from clients for rural land. It seems as though more and more people are becoming interested in getting away from the city. I am so excited to help these people specifically with experience that will cater to them exclusively.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

The Rogers Healy Companies stand out based on a people first mentality. I have always run my companies with the utmost respect and encouragement for those that work with and for me. Every single day, without fail, I will put people over profit. Putting people first creates a strong family bond, and I believe that because of this mentality we have something very special. A story regarding this mentality would be with the pandemic first arrived. People thought I was crazy, but I closed my office way before the thought had even crossed anyone else’s mind. It was a no brainer to me. There is nothing more important than protecting your employees.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

I do not know where I’d be today without my wife. Abby came into my life right when I needed her the most. I was so wrapped up in my career that I hadn’t taken a vacation in over a decade. I thought I was going to miss out. I was wrong. She has shown me grace and patience and also is very fond of my chaos, which is very special to me. She makes me smile bigger and bigger every day, and is definitely my biggest support system.

Ok. Thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. For the benefit of our readers, can you please tell us why you are an authority about the topic of getting the best price when selling a home?

I have been in the real estate business for over 20 years. I am a seasoned veteran in all aspects of real estate, even the not so glamorous parts. In 2021 alone, I hit a record breaking $100 Million in individual production. I also lead a team of extremely talented commercial and residential realtors at Rogers Healy and Associates. I am also the real estate expert for Fox Business, TD Ameritrade, CNBC, MSNBC, and many more news outlets.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the Real Estate industry, as it is today? If you can please share a story or example.

Three things that most excite me are:

  • Residential real estate is becoming more and more professional
  • The millennial generation is now driving the market
  • The people we were blaming for the issues are now going to drive the market. People that historically have not been homeowners are now looking to buy.

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry as it is today? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest? Please share stories or examples if possible.

Three ways I would like to reform or improve the industry:

  • All realtors should have to maintain a minimum amount of production to maintain their license.
  • I wish there was reciprocity between states. I feel as though there should be one real estate license for the entire country.
  • I wish there was a universal MLS. I wish people would have the ability to study markets outside of their little sub market and become more familiar with different trends and architectural styles.

Based on your experience, what are a few of the biggest mistakes you have seen people make when they sell their homes? What must be done to avoid them?

  1. Do NOT be cheap. You must spend money to make money.
    - There are over TWO MILLION real estate agents in the U.S, but only a handful of them are actually qualified and prepared to help YOU maximize your sales price.
    - You get what you pay for, so realize that the best agents are going to go “all in” with you when selling your house.
    - When you hire a reduced fee real estate agent, expect to experience reduced service.
    - Hiring the “new real estate agent” because they gave you a good deal means you’re going to learn right alongside them.
    - Let us earn our commission. A full fee real estate agent will guide you and will save you time.
  2. Do NOT assume
    - My favorite color is blue, Pantone 293c to be exact. I LOVE the color blue…but I also love the fact that if I wanted to sell my house quickly, I wouldn’t have to paint over blue accents everywhere. Neutral colors in your home will always bring you more buyers.
    - Decluttering will eliminate the “I wonder what’s behind this pile of wicker furniture?” questions from buyers.
    -Go ahead and recycle your National Geographic magazines you’ve been saving for so many years. Also, those Beanie Babies are actually not going to get your kids through college.
    -Do not assume that buyers can see through your stuff.
    - Do not assume that buyers don’t mind that you’re using your extra bedroom as a workout room.
    - Do not assume that buyers are also going to feel at home when they smell your German Shepherd as they walk through the door.
    - Do not assume that the cracks you have, that were caused by your poor foundation, won’t be a big deal to your potential buyers.
    - Appeal to the masses, and do not assume that your way of living is your buyer’s way
  3. Do NOT covet and do NOT worry about what happened next door.
    - Yes, we know that you’ve seen what your neighbor’s house sold for and we also realize that your home was worth X amount more on Zillow.
    - Your neighbor’s house was on a larger piece of land and Zillow doesn’t always know what they’re doing (Sorry, Zillow).
    - For those of you about to embark on the home selling journey, I hope you have an enjoyable experience.

I know this question has passionate opinions on both sides, but we would love to hear your opinion. Engaging a realtor is costly. Should people use a realtor when they sell their home? Please explain why you feel the way you do.

I believe that there is nothing more valuable than knowing when to ask for help. Hiring a realtor is doing just that. The money that you spend hiring a realtor, a good one will earn you that money right back while negotiating your deal and making your life that much easier. Hiring a realtor is crucial to facilitate the process of buying and selling a home. A great realtor will be by your side for every step of the way. If you are selling your home, they will have contacts for anything from staging to repairs. If you are looking to buy a home, they will have contacts for anyone needed for inspection, and applying for a mortgage. Deciding to hire a realtor directly translates with making your life easier.

Ok, here is the main question of our interview. You are a “Real Estate Insider.” Can you please share five things you need to know in order to get the absolute best price when you sell your home? If you can, please give a story or an example for each.

  1. First things first. Find a great real estate agent. Actually, find the best.
    - Hire a great real estate agent. Someone who is qualified to negotiate, market, and network on your properties behalf.
    - When you hire me or somebody like me, my job is to make your property famous. My job is to negotiate and get in the trenches while making sure I do my full job and earn my fee. My hopes are to make you more money than anyone else.
    - Your real estate agent will guide you through the process from day one, and they will also become your new best friend. Your agent will be the expect, so that you don’t have to be!
  2. Make sure you have curb appeal. A book is always judged by its cover.
    - You want people to fall in love before they even walk into the property.
    - We want to lead those horses to water, and we’re going to make sure they drink.
    - These can be easy fixes like planting some colorful flowers or freshening up paint, also keeping the grass cut and maintained is important.
  3. Declutter. We all love memories, it’s hard to depersonalize your home.
    - People want to feel like they can make the home theirs, and not yours.
    - The less there is in your home, the bigger it looks and the more presentable it will be.
    - Less is more, right? This is also a great opportunity to clean out your house and get rid of things you don’t want to take with you.
    - No one needs their fourth-place trophy, and sorry but lava lamps aren’t making a comeback.
    - If your home is overflowing with clutter, buyers may worry that there is not enough room. Hiding any valuables, firearms, and prescriptions is also key since you cannot trust everyone who walks through your home.
  4. Make the necessary repairs before you go to the market. Take care of the stuff people don’t want to deal with after purchasing the property.
    - It is crucial to deal with roof issues, plumbing issues, even foundation issues. A perk of working with a realtor will be that they will have contacts for you readily available to provide solutions.
    - Pay special attention to scrubbing off any scuff markets, touching up baseboards, fixing broken door handles, and any other small repairs. Leaving these unrepaired would create a long to-do list for buyers right off the bat — and that is not appealing, trust me.
    - Just like tennis great Andre Agassi said some years back in those awesome Canon commercials, “image is everything.”
  5. Be YOUR buyer. Put yourself in their shoes.
    - Remove the emotions and be the buyer for your property. Remain in the mindset of things you would want to look for if you were searching for a home.
    - You have to find a way to make your property inviting. Eliminating animal smells, specific paint colors, and changing from carpet to hardwood floors are all great investments to get more for your property.

Because of your position, you are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

HAPPY MONDAY! Saying Happy Monday every day is a movement that I am currently inspiring. It keeps my wheels turning to look at each day as a new opportunity to change the world, and to make an impact. I wake up each day, ready to go, and approach each second of the day with a sense of urgency, coupled with an excitement for bringing people the gift of confidence. It’s my mission to be the best leader I can be, so everyone around me gets to find the best version of themselves. It’s a true joy leading the next generation of leaders.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

I am very active on social media. I believe it has the potential to drive business and to learn from and engage with others. I will break down the different branches of the Rogers Healy Companies and their respective resources below.

Thank you for your time, and your excellent insights! We wish you continued success.

Business

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Jason Hartman
Authority Magazine

Written by Jason Hartman

594 Followers
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