Enza: I love the freedom of running my own business. But that also comes with, as you guys know a lot of work, a lot of sacrifice, but it's knowing that, Hey, now I actually have a chance to meet my dream and reach my dream versus in the corporate world. I would make 2% and I was exceeding their expectations.
Meaghan: actually one of the reasons why I love being a realtor is because and specifically like an investor focused realtor, is because investing is a passion for me and I just love serving others and seeing them grow and achieve their goals as well.
Laurel: Welcome everyone to another episode of The REITE Club podcast on real estate investing in Canada. I'm Laurel Simmons, a co-founder of the REITE Club and your co-host today, along with my fellow. Co-founder and co-host Daniel St Jean.
Daniel, we have two fabulous women today who are real estate agents, and who just love to work with real estate investors. What was your take on the interview today.
Daniel: First of all, I've known for about a month now that we're working to do this podcast with Enza and Meaghan and I could not wait to sit down and do it with them because not only are they committed to their clients and to their profession, but they are absolutely charming and fun to be around.
But at the same time, there's substance in what they're saying. And there was some really good tips in there for novice investors. So pay attention. You're gonna learn something.
Laurel: Yeah. And not just for novice investors, there were some great recommendations and suggestions for people who are already in the real estate investing world.
We highly recommend that you listen to this podcast and get your notepad ready? Because it really is important that you have a good trusted advisor when it comes to a real estate agent. So before we go to the interview, I would just like to say to everyone, please take a moment to rate us on any of the platforms that you listen to podcast on.
Whether it's. Apple or Spotify. We really appreciate it because that helps us to reach even more real estate investors and help educate them. And don't forget to go to The REITE Club, where we have lots of amazing and free content for you. So with that, let's go to the interviews.
Daniel: Let's do it
Laurel: Hi, Megan. Hi, Enza welcome to The REITE Club podcast. We're really excited to have you here. And wow. You guys are busy. You are realtors. So what's going on these days?
Meaghan: The market's been really busy. Yeah, for sure. , I was on the road all day with a couple clients.
Enza: We've been busy with our investor clients. So we're busy doing different things too. We also have an investment development project that we've been selling in Florida as well. So not only are we working with clients here, but we're also working with clients and helping them there as well. So yeah, we're always looking to do things outside of the box.
Daniel: So busy, but is busy this week, different than busy in February, for example.
Enza: For sure.
Meaghan: Yeah. So in February we were really focused on selling preconstruction because the resale market, the inventory was so low and there was so many buyers and so much competition. We really pivoted our business and focused there.
And then now, because the market shifted, there's a lot more inventory on the market and, I think there's still a good number of buyers. It's more inventory to go around. So you're not seeing so much competition.
Enza: Yeah. And so also in, in the beginning of the year our buyers were going through buyer fatigue.
We were putting in offers. We were in competition with 25, 30 other, offers. They were having to go firm. It really wasn't a balanced market. So Meaghan and I are super thrilled to see things balancing out. We think it's a really good thing.
Laurel: You're working in the GTA area. Correct? Roughly?
Meaghan: Yeah, like west GTA. So primarily think of Oakville right through, around to Niagara falls.
Laurel: Okay.
Meaghan: And then we go a little bit out to London. Like we do service London and then north to Kitchener Waterloo and Cambridge.
Enza: Hamilton ,Branford whatever communities that make sense for our clients. So we're not your typical like realtor that farms a small area and stays in a small area. We have to go where we find the deals and where it makes sense where there's cash flow and where our clients wanna be. Basically. To build a portfolio
Laurel: is there a difference now in the requests that you're getting from your clients? Right now versus what you were getting say six months ago, a year ago, because we do know that interest rates are going up and clients are getting a little, some are getting a little nervous.
Those of us who've been in real estate investing for a while, know that as the market loosens up a bit, as interest rates goes up, it actually is easier to find properties because there's not such competition. But are you finding a difference in what your clients are looking for?
Enza: So it's funny cuz Meaghan and I were just talking about this literally the other day.
And so essentially the fundamentals for assessing a property they've not changed and because really real estate is a longer term play, right? We remind our clients of that. Cuz sometimes they can be caught up in that frenzy. We always run the economics, we help our clients run the economics to understand if there's cash flow, there's cash flow. In this environment, we look for. properties that do that, then it's still a good investment for our clients.
Meaghan: . I feel like we have seen a bit of a shift, more to like resale for sure, right? Yeah. Less shift away from like the frenzy on preconstruction to like more resale. And if I think about the clients that I have on the go right now, everyone is, I say Enza has this line.
It's called "Ella relax"! Which is no, one's in a rush, right?
Enza: Yeah.
Meaghan: And we attribute it to, we've spent two years in lockdown. We've been wearing masks. We've been like forced to stay home. People are just now so thrilled that a it's summer and it's warm and they are free to do what they wanna do.
So it's, that's my feeling.
Enza: For sure. It's the first summer in a long time with no restrictions. It's great weather. People have been cooped up and they just wanna get out and just enjoy. So for sure, we're seeing that and typically summer slow down anyways. It was a typical sort of trend
Daniel: Tell us each in turn here. Tell us a little bit about your journey. And , what got you into real estate investing? Why are you realtor? What's your goal here? One after the other.
Enza: Okay. So I can go first. I'm happy to go first. So my background is. I was the regional manager for one of the largest labs in Canada and I was running 13 labs in the Toronto area. I had 60 direct reports and they were all women. Okay. that reported to me. So there was a lot of drama and a lot of fun, but I loved them. That was the best part of my job actually was working with them. I used to drive a thousand kilometers a week, no word of a lie.
I used to clock it and I worked really hard. I met all of my metrics and the most I would ever get with exceeding all of my targets and doing everything I was supposed to be doing was 2%. Not only that, what would happen is the better you are at a corporate job, the more they give you. So not only did I have 13 labs and 60 direct reports, then they knew I had a manufacturing background and I was a joint health and safety committee certified. So I had to lead the joint health and safety committee for my company for 700 people. And I was responsible for all of Ontario then, because I could train, I was selected out of 2000 employees. To run the rollout of their new customer service. So , I was picked at a 2000 employee, seven were picked, and that was me.
And I also had to train that. So it was like, like the horse that they just keep quitting, like the load , so my back was literally broken and I couldn't take it anymore. And once my daughters were older and I didn't need that security of that income, I took the plunge. It really was a leap of faith.
I always wanted to be a realtor. I just never felt that security to leave that corporate job to do so then I took that leap of faith. I became a realtor. I wanted to, be on the cutting edge of deals because I was in the industry. I could invest myself. And that's my journey of how I became a realtor.
So that's me. And I know Meaghan has a similar story.
Meaghan: Yeah. So for me, similar to Enza I worked in corporate, so I worked in the oil and gas industry, went to university, have a commerce degree got recruited into the oil and gas industry. And I loved that. Like I worked for, I won't name the company, but I enjoyed that until the point when I had my children and then, my mother had, got cancer. She passed away. I just had a lot, my dad got very ill. I had a lot go on and in that time, , I made a really conscious decision and I just didn't like the corporate world anymore. I didn't like to being told what job I would go to next and I didn't get to choose the work that I wanted to work on.
So for me, what being a realtor is I got my real estate license actually about 13 years ago. So I was buying and selling for myself for my own portfolio. Like I started building a portfolio right out of university. Real estate was always something I was very passionate about. And I always knew when I left corporate real estate would be the first thing I did because it was like a side hustle for me for so long, for myself. But it was really becoming a realtor has really been all about fun and freedom. So like Enza and I just have so much fun together.
Enza: This is why we work together.
Daniel: I was actually gonna be the next question. So how did you two obviously have different background or fairly different background? How did you connect and why?
Enza: So that was a blessing. Yeah. So you know how sometimes you are somewhere and then it's you're there for a reason and maybe. For a season, not maybe for always. So we met at our former brokerage where we were, and we met and started working together and investing together out of desperation because we were both new.
Meaghan had finally left her corporate job. I had left my corporate job and these licenses, but no one teaches you how to actually be a realtor and run your business. So we literally figured it out because we have the same value system, but opposite skills. Between the two of us, we've got it all covered.
Meaghan: We are like a one plus one equals five. So together we are just a powerhouse.
Enza: Yeah, we have So much fun that's the other thing.
Laurel: The one thing then that, it sounds like there's lots of things that get you up in the morning, but what's the one thing that is sure to get you up in the morning, just raring to go.
Enza: Wow. So for me it's a, definitely the fact that I'm in real estate and running my own business and being in this field that we can invest and grow as well.
It's that hope and that dream of being able to live the life I've always wanted to live, which is freedom. I wanna be free for me. The hardest part of being in the corporate grind. There was this senior VP, he was Italian like me and we used to go at it all the time cuz I hated being controlled.
So I love the freedom of running my own business. But that also comes with, as you guys know a lot of work, a lot of sacrifice, but it's knowing that, Hey, now I actually have a chance to meet my dream and reach my dream versus in the corporate world. I would make 2% and I was exceeding their expectations. Like how could I have ever survived and gotten anywhere? I couldn't, I was always underwater, always. So that was for me. For you, it gets you up outta bed. I know those kids, mommy.
Meaghan: I know that's true. My son at seven years old is still coming into my bed regularly, so I don't sleep very well. Yeah, I'm just very driven and I don't even know how to explain it, but like on those nights where Carter wakes me up, which is honestly about five nights outta seven I'll often go down and work.
So I am just so driven to work. Not only for building my own portfolio for me and my family, but I just am very driven to help and serve others. Yeah. So that's actually one of the reasons why I love being a realtor is because and specifically like an investor focused realtor, is because investing is a passion for me and I just love serving others and seeing them grow and achieve their goals as well.
Enza: Yeah.
Laurel: So that kinda leads me into the next question then. You both work with investors real estate investors. So what's your ideal, and I know that this is a broad question, but I'm asking it anyway. What's your ideal investor client look like? Because I'm sure they come in all stripes and all from all walks of life and all the rest of it, but , what's the sort of the persona that you just go, oh my goodness, this is it. This is my ideal client. What is that for you? Or who is that for you?
Enza: So I have a mentor and he always says to me, Enza are you interested in doing something or are you committed? So it's beautiful when we find somebody that's actually committed because it is scary to invest. It's a lot of money. I tell people every day I don't sell shoes.
We can't make a mistake here. We have to be really careful. And it's not like your clients are coming every day to buy from you. Because it's not a pair of shoes. It is a house. It is a big investment and a big purchase. And so what we love, Meaghan and I both ,are committed to simplifying and demystifying that process for our clients.
So if they're committed and they really wanna do something and change the quality of their life, we can show them how owning this asset, which is. Amazing. And real estate has been proven and trusted over years and years and all the generations, how one property can just change the trajectory of their life. So that's what it is. Someone who just really wants it and we're there to help them.
Meaghan: Yeah. And I guess for me, if I think back to cuz I've been selling real estate and specifically working with investors for over four years now, . And when I think about the clients that I've helped. Where I get the most gratification and where I think it actually benefits them too, is I like working with novice investors.
And so I, I get a lot of referral business from good clients of mine who were novice, who then got one property and then got two properties and then got three properties. And then their friends and family had said, Hey, wow, I'm really interested to see what you're doing. Who were you helping or who was helping you?
And then they refer me and then I work with those people. It's just I really enjoy working with, I think the novice investor, but for me because we're like on the whole freedom and fun aspect of what I like to do is. I only wanna work with good people. That's like with what we do, we have the choice.
And for us, for me, for the time that I spend for what I do and being like a trusted advisor in all things, real estate investing for me, there has to be a really good fit with the client too. Otherwise, like it's just not worth it.
Enza: Yeah. So that could be another podcast. The stories we could tell.
Daniel: So you just use the word trusted advisor.
So each and every one of you, again Enza, let's start with you. I find your name. I call you and I say, look, I'm brand new at this. I really don't know anything about real estate. What is the first piece of advice you would give me who is interested in learning more about real estate.
Enza: So where we start is your why would you wanna do this? What can this do for your family? And where do you wanna go? Number two, we make it super simple. So Meaghan and I, we make it simple from the process of understanding it. And also we make it so simple to say no to us that you always come back and say yes, so there's no pressure working with us on any level.
So we sit there and we actually educate them. So the first step is super simple. Most people are owning their own house and if they don't, that's okay. There's a strategy too, but let's see if there's some equity that you can pull out of your actual property. Let's run your numbers with a mortgage advisor to see what you can actually qualify for, because even if you don't qualify for anything and you have no equity, no problem.
Let's see if you can do the heavy lifting and the work for the property, and then we can partner you with somebody that can, so there's always a way for people to get in the game. So just to get them started and that's where I would start then, based on how this comes through, we figure out a community would to invest in a strategy that they would be happy with because, is it an active strategy that they wanna do? Is it a passive strategy? Like for example, your, we call it RWA , that's a passive strategy reserve, weight, and assign, or do they wanna do a more active strategy to make that money that they require to invest on their own? So maybe a renovation flip, so that's where we start.
Meaghan: And the other thing that's really important for us is that the whatever strategy. That the client chooses that we're making sure it fits their lifestyle. So meaning do they have three kids and a busy lifestyle and they don't really have extra time to dedicate to like managing the property, like it has to be a good fit. Otherwise it's not gonna work out right.
Laurel: I, yeah, I can really see that. It's because there's gotta be a lot of give and take. And if it's really gonna be a successful relationship, because in the end, it is a relationship. You're providing a service to real estate investors, but at the same time they're working with you, they depend on you.
And it, it is a trusted relationship, cuz there's a lot of stuff that can go wrong there., I know all the stuff you guys have to learn and study promise you're first born and if you don't rules and all the rest of it. I know that. So it's, I can really see that it must be really important or really critical to have that, as you said, Enza earlier, the commitment and develop that relationship with your clients, because probably the worst thing from your point of view, I'm thinking is that you get a lot of, you don't want people to waste your time.
You just don't want that. And nor do you wanna waste other people's time, right? Cause it's not just the quiet, it's the. It's the mortgage advisor. It's the lawyer, it's the, this and the, that. There's so many other people involved, right?
Enza: That's right. That's right. And that's, what's really nice with us as well is we offer that one stop shop.
So when people come to us, we make it so easy for them because we have all of these trusted advisors that are specialized on the investment side, the way we are. So it makes it super simple for the clients.
Meaghan: And we really follow a process. So We really don't take people out on the road until we know they've been qualified with the mortgage advisor and we know how much we're shopping for.
And we know the strategies that are gonna work for this client. And then once we get people out on the road, like people may like people listening, they think, oh, it's gonna take me forever to find a property.
Enza: Yeah.
Meaghan: But honestly, for Enza and I, we get people out on the road, the majority of the people will buy within the first two, like two times we have them out on the road.
Enza: Yeah. Because what we do is once we know what they're really looking for and what they're comfortable with, we do all the heavy lifting behind the scenes. Like we make sure that property's gonna work for them. We don't just bring them to a hundred properties that doesn't make sense.
Meaghan: Exactly. Yeah. And cause we're looking at properties, investment properties every day, we know the good ones. We know the good neighborhoods.
Enza: Yes.
Meaghan: We know where to be, where not to be.
Daniel: All right. So let me ask you a business question again, each of you individually, what is the best advice business advice you've ever received from any source?
Enza: I guess for me it would be just go for it. Do something, start. Honestly, because it's like fear and over analysis will paralyze you every single time. So it's I don't know, to me it's like that 80 20 rule. If 80% you feel in your gut, this is good, you're always gonna be afraid. I'm always afraid to this day, doesn't matter how much experience you have, but it's just go for it. Just start somewhere. And then it'll, it gets easier.
Meaghan: Yeah, that's a tricky question. I don't really feel prepared to answer this one, but mines similar to Enza in the sense that my mom, so my very first partner on my very first project my very first investment property I bought it was me and my mom and my husband now, but he wasn't my husband at the time.
He was my boyfriend. . And the three of us bought a sixplex in Quinte West, Ontario, near where I grew up. And, I was really passionate, about real estate. This was like a couple years after university. I'd been following real estate, but I had no trusted advisors in my life. I wanna let, just declare to everyone here.
But what she said was she says, Meaghan, the worst that's gonna happen is we can sell it. Which is true. Like the worst that happens with anything is you can sell it at some point in the future and you know what? You likely always make money in real estate.
Enza: That's great advice though Meaghan, cuz it's if you look at the worst case scenario and you can live with the worst case scenario, then you're good. So that's really good.
Meaghan: Exactly.
Enza: Yeah. I like that.
Laurel: Yeah. I really do that too. You're absolutely right. What's the worst thing that happens. If you can walk away without, losing your shirt that's great. So make sure that you can walk away without losing your shirt before you saw it on a dotted line.
Enza: We're not selling swampland here.
Meaghan: True. And you know what the funniest part was is that property, before we left the last brokerage that we were at, wasn't somebody was selling by our desk as an exclusive offering that was selling
Enza: that's so funny,
Meaghan: which was hilarious.
Laurel: I have a question for you in terms of. What advice would you give to someone? So say they're working in another area that you don't work in, or it's another province either because, or even in the states, what do you say to someone who says to, you know what, Meaghan, Enza, I'm looking for a real estate agent or brokerage to look for.
What questions should I ask? What are the top three questions I should ask that real estate agent.
Enza: Oh, so these are really good questions. So essentially you wanna work with someone who's actually has the bandwidth to be able to work with you. You wanna have a really good feeling with this, where is this person available for you?
And kind of test them out, send them some messages, see how responsive they are to you. See what their level of expertise is. See if they know a team, if they've been involved enough and have enough experience where they actually have a team in that area. That can support you because we all know with real estate, it's not just buying it.
You need a good lawyer. You need a good mortgage broker. You might need a good contractor, cuz you might need some light renovations. You might like a property manager. Yeah, exactly. So you really need some good people supporting you. I find that not so easy to do so I just really would proceed with caution cuz I'm the type like I really need to feel it out myself. So we had clients asking us, help us invest in Florida. We really wanna invest in Florida. That's how we ended up going to Florida. We have really good friends in Florida. We sourced such a turnkey operation and prop development there, because it's not easy to just say here, just go and invest somewhere and it's gonna be seamless for you.
Meaghan: Yeah. So for me, the one thing I'd add to that one is if there's one thing I've learned about this business is like two things for me. You have to have big time hustle. So Enza, and I. Are constantly hustling and that's, I think one of the things I love about the business and, I'm very driven.
We're both very driven actually. So yeah. So that's one thing like you have to hustle because good properties come up and you gotta go and see them. You gotta put in offers. It's late nights. It's early mornings. It's you're being an entrepreneur. You can't just sit and wait for the nine to five. And your boss is coming by to see what's going on.
That doesn't happen. So one was hustling.
Enza: Hustle and grind. Those are my two.
Laurel: We're gonna go into the lightning round because we wanna make this make it interesting for people. And here we go. Alright. Question number one for, and I'm gonna ask, we're gonna do one for Enza then one for Meaghan, then one for Enza then one for Meaghan. Okay. Enza here you go. So the Enza of today, here it is 2022. If you were looking back 20 years ago, what would you say to that Enza of 20 years?
Enza: You're gonna be okay.
That's what I would say. Oh, it's gonna work out. You're gonna be fine. You're gonna be more than fine. You're not just gonna survive. You're gonna thrive. And you're gonna set an amazing example for your daughters. That's what I would tell her.
Laurel: That's great.
Daniel: My question for Meaghan, actually, you know what? I'm gonna break the rule here. I'm gonna in turn, you can answer that question. Everybody who knows you as being successful.
So my question to you is what do you think is the key attribute that has made you successful?
Meaghan: For me. I just think it's like drive and hustle. Honestly. I have to tell you I just work hard constantly. And for me, it's not work though. Like I say, it's work, but it's I love what I do. So for. For me getting up at three in the morning and working is something I enjoy doing, right? Yeah.
It's just like the hustle, because not only am I a realtor, but I'm also have my own portfolio. And then I'm also working on a development, which is something that's brand new for me and really stretching and growing me. So I think that's why I have some of those like early mornings starts yeah.
Laurel: And Enza, what about you? Can you answer the same question? What's the one attribute that makes you so successful?
Enza: I think for me, it's my ability. So Meaghan always calls it like my superpower. It's my ability to really understand people and connect with them. I just have an intuitive sense of knowing people, knowing them, knowing when they're comfortable, knowing when they're not comfortable, knowing how to guide them in the direction that they need to go. Even though they don't feel that they need to go there or they don't have the courage to go there it's really that it's just, it really is my gift. And I love it. It's very easy for me to connect.
Laurel: All right, Meaghan, next question is for you. If there's only one thing in the world that you could do to relax on one given day, what would it be?
Meaghan: Oh, God it's, I it's attributed to Enza actually. So we have this thing where like once a quarter, we go to a spa for a day. So for me it would for sure, be just going to a spa and chilling out.
Laurel: Oh, yeah. It's my kind answer.
Meaghan: You could join us!
I'd have to bring some sparkling wine with me. Cause that's my other favorite thing to take with me to the spa.
Laurel: All right. Those are great answers, guys. You that's super duper. I'm really impressed with you two. Okay. So how can people reach you?
Meaghan: Yeah they can reach us on our email or our mobiles. That's the easiest way.
Enza: Yeah, and also on Instagram. So we're both on Instagram, so it's @meaghanlazenby2020 I think is yours. Mine is @enzamanduca, it's our names. And then Yeah, like our phone numbers.
Laurel: I don't know if we say them now or if you guys will put them somewhere, but they will be in the show notes, but if you're comfortable saying your phone numbers right now, and if people text you or yeah.
Enza: Go ahead.
Meaghan: Yeah. So that's Meaghan here. So mine is 2897728488. And a text is always a great best way to connect with me. And then we can set up a time to chat. Yeah.
Enza: And mine is 9058085158 and same thing text us, and we'd love to help you on your journey.
Laurel: All right. It was fabulous having you here.
I learned a lot too, and I think you gave some really good tips about working with with real estate agents and, cuz it like, what'd you talk about? Is it being a it's a relationship, right? It's not just a one off thing. It happens over time. You build up that trust. So thank you very much.
Enza: It's our pleasure. It's our pleasure, honestly. Thanks for having us. We were so thrilled to be here and we love working with we working a lot closely with Daniel right now, so it's just been a pleasure. Thank you. And thank you for this opportunity. We're really grateful.
Laurel: Thank you. Thanks.
Wow, Daniel like Enza and Meaghan are so much fun. They're fun to talk to. It's obvious that they really know what they're talking about. Like they've got such a depth of knowledge and experience. They make a great team. And I know that every time we talk to 'em we have fun and we learn something.
So I think they're just a great addition to our community.
Daniel: Yes, absolutely. So they bring fun to the relationship with the net, with the realtor, they bring knowledge, they bring their network. That's why we work with them and we certainly encourage people to contact them and work with them as well.
I They're really awesome. Okay.
Laurel: Anyway, folks, that's it for now. I will leave you when, with one last three last words, it's go out there and customize your life. Bye for now.
See you soon!
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