The Alimond Show
Nathan Hunt - From Military Service to Real Estate Empire: Strategies, Challenges, and Success in Niche Markets
What if you could transform a military career into a thriving real estate empire? Tune in as we uncover the remarkable story of Nathan Hunt, founder of Hunt Luxury Investments, whose journey from government service to real estate mogul is nothing short of inspiring. Nathan shares how his unexpected foray into property investment started during his overseas assignments, leading to a substantial portfolio of 26 homes by 2013. Learn about the hurdles he overcame in pivoting careers and his focus on niche markets, as well as how he and his partner Sylva craft tailored investment strategies and market analyses to help clients achieve long-term financial success.
We also dive into the exclusive world of referral-based real estate business, discussing its unique benefits and challenges. Nathan elaborates on the crucial process of vetting agents, the significance of mutual selection, and the necessity of providing honest, critical property assessments. The episode further explores the importance of sharing knowledge and creating a collaborative environment within the industry. Hear about Nathan's ambitious plans to expand his business and secure broker licenses across multiple states, all while maintaining resourcefulness, fairness, and a sterling reputation. From personal anecdotes to professional insights, this episode is packed with invaluable lessons and strategies for anyone interested in real estate.
What if you could transform a military career into a thriving real estate empire? Tune in as we uncover the remarkable story of Nathan Hunt, founder of Hunt Luxury Investments, whose journey from government service to real estate mogul is nothing short of inspiring. Nathan shares how his unexpected foray into property investment started during his overseas assignments, leading to a substantial portfolio of 26 homes by 2013. Learn about the hurdles he overcame in pivoting careers and his focus on niche markets, as well as how he and his partner Sylva craft tailored investment strategies and market analyses to help clients achieve long-term financial success.
We also dive into the exclusive world of referral-based real estate business, discussing its unique benefits and challenges. Nathan elaborates on the crucial process of vetting agents, the significance of mutual selection, and the necessity of providing honest, critical property assessments. The episode further explores the importance of sharing knowledge and creating a collaborative environment within the industry. Hear about Nathan's ambitious plans to expand his business and secure broker licenses across multiple states, all while maintaining resourcefulness, fairness, and a sterling reputation. From personal anecdotes to professional insights, this episode is packed with invaluable lessons and strategies for anyone interested in real estate.
My name is Nathan Hunt. I have my own business as Hunt Luxury Investments, but we are under long and fast umbrella. So we are in the real estate business but we specialize in investments, luxury homes and so on.
Speaker 2:Okay, and then tell me a little bit about how you got started in your industry. Give us a little background about yourself.
Speaker 1:That's a long one.
Speaker 2:Give us a nice background about yourself.
Speaker 1:That's a long one. Give us a nice summary, yeah, so I'll do a quick rundown. So I've been in the real estate business as an investor for over 24 years and it was actually a complete coincidence. So I was by trade, I'm a competing engineer and I'm an ex-military person US Army and I did a bunch of government jobs contracting here and there, doing so every time I left the country. I've been overseas constantly since 2003, all the way to 2013. So every time I came home, it didn't make sense to me to rent, so I would purchase a home. When I left, I rented it. When I came back a year later, six months later, the rent was coming through, so I purchased another one. Before you know it, I ended up having, I want to say, 16 homes by 2010.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's impressive. Oh, my goodness.
Speaker 1:It had its own challenges. It was okay and the reality was by 2013, I turned it into 26 homes and at that time I was working with the government as a contractor, so I was going overseas, coming back and forth. I ended up picking up this massive contract disarming nuclear bombs and so on, but the problem was sequestration happened and we lost over 4,000 employees overnight and I pretty much had it with the government job. So I quit and I shifted over to real estate, because that was the only, I want to say, the most stable source of wealth and income and, let's say, future for 1K.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So and I got my license in 2012 in Philadelphia. First, okay, and to be honest with you, like every newbie, I got the license thinking I'm not going to pay commission for my own transactions. I didn't want to be a salesman, but as the time passed by, I had friends, families. People keep asking me hey, can you, can we do this, can we do that? And then, before you know it, I got dragged into it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so Okay. And how was that transition period from going from like a government job, military, and then going into real estate? Was it hard, was it easy? Did you have anybody helping you like a mentor or a coach?
Speaker 1:I mean the transition. Any job you switch is going to be somewhat difficult because there's a learning curve. The beauty of it was when I joined an office. Long and Foster proud themselves in helping the agents. They did it before, they do it now and a lot of agents in there. They are very helpful, like not for fear or anything, they just open up and they show you, you know any techniques, trades, tips. They give you a lot of that. So in my office I yes, I got lucky and you know a lot of people. They were there, but also I first year or two I went since first three years, which is the hardest part I pretty much did everything. I did from short sales to rental to section and you name it. I dove into it in every shape or form just to get the feel of everything.
Speaker 2:That's how you learn.
Speaker 1:Exactly exactly, and you see a lot of ups and downs. You deal with a lot of different kind of agents, different strategies, different business models, but at the end, you know, when I was comfortable with it, then I switched over to a specialty, because to me it was. You have to have a niche and focus on one area. You cannot be scared too much yes, so yeah, I agree with that that was. That was a really good process. It took time and it was difficult. It was not easy, but you know it was good.
Speaker 2:I'm glad you made it through and you're here today with that right yeah and and I know you do a lot about like investments with real estate. Tell me how that can help people with generational wealth and how that can just help them overall with bringing in income. All that good stuff.
Speaker 1:Sure. So right now I operate with my partner Silva. She's amazing. She's a 27-year veteran of home building new homes. They pretty much brought all the condos and townhomes to Winchester with her ex-husband, late husband, and we don't. Any agent can sell a home. Any individual can go and buy a home. What we do we forecast for a much, much longer term, like in future. So if you see somebody who wants to buy a house, sure we can put them in touch with somebody who can buy. The question is, why would anybody purchase a home to begin with? Investment luxury, not luxury anything. What would you think anybody would buy a home for? To have a home to begin with, investment luxury, not luxury anything.
Speaker 2:What would you think anybody would buy a home for, to have a home to live in To have a home to live in and that's an immediate benefit.
Speaker 1:But to us, the calculation and being able to forecast in the long run, if you as an individual you purchase a home, where are you going to be in 20 years' time? Not necessarily in that home, but that's the first step of being independent. So we forecast that, we sit down, we calculate and forecast and either through purchase, sell, get bigger, invest more or, however it is, we can customize to the certain direction of that individual who wants to go forward. That's as far as the individual goes. So to us every single home is investment. But also on the builder side we can this is my mathematic and computer background and we can forecast which area does this builder want to go forward, because we can read the market and analyze and find out. That's the next step, that's the next area, that's the next mall or market area that they want to go and start investing in there.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:So to do that, it takes a lot of time to grab the right data and read it properly and not make a mistake. The knowledge of it, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2:Man, do you feel like there's a lot of misconception? Maybe then, the way that you explain that, where every house is an investment, but maybe a lot of people don't look at it like that and they maybe don't take advantage of that. It like that and they maybe don't take advantage of that. What do you think maybe people can do in order to realize that, hey, maybe you can, because maybe people go into it like, oh, I don't think that I could be an investor, I would like to, but I just don't think I can, or I don't know how true.
Speaker 1:So I mean basically everything comes. Everything comes into education and and you don't necessarily have to have a house to use as an investment and rent it, but even the house you're living in. Would you purchase a home knowing that in 10 years' time, if you sell it, it's going to sell less than what you paid for?
Speaker 2:No.
Speaker 1:Exactly. But also if you put that in relation of okay am I renting? Of okay am I renting? And if I'm renting, let's say $2,000 a month, start $24,000 a year for 10 years, that's $240,000 right there. So if I purchase this home and in 10 years I purchase a home for 500,000, in 10 years I sell it for 450, now I lose $50,000 here and I get some of my money back as a payment I have made. So, versus $240,000 in rent. Yes, so being able to put that in perspective, you'd be amazed how many people look at it and say, oh, okay, that makes sense.
Speaker 2:I'm going to go that route. Okay, yeah.
Speaker 1:So that's calculation is the key part.
Speaker 2:You really are like the math person guy, right.
Speaker 1:Were you like a teacher or something, or that's just always been your favorite subject. No, I mean I have a degree in computer engineering, which minor in math and minor in languages, and then in the military I was a combat engineer, so which we did a lot of explosives, which requires a lot of calculations. Oh man so and you have to calculate properly, properly, otherwise you will not be here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I don't want to be near that. I don't know. I would calculate that terribly, oh man.
Speaker 1:So real estate is no different. I mean same thing, Melinda Gates. One time they asked her and they said what do you feel about Warren Buffett giving 90% of of their wealth to your foundation?
Speaker 2:and she said that perfectly. She said it's a lot easier to spend my own money than somebody else's?
Speaker 1:yeah, so when we deal with people's life saving to purchase a home, there's a responsibility goes with that oh yeah, and you cannot miscalculate. So it's that ticking bomb. You're just going to be 100%.
Speaker 2:And that is a perfect analogy for that ticking bomb. Like we do not want to if you mess with people's money, oof scary times too, right?
Speaker 1:Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:And so with marketing, how are you a marketing guy? Do you like to put yourself out there on social media? Are you more of like I like to be with people and word of mouth? Tell us about that a little bit.
Speaker 1:So that has been a little difficult because in one side, we have clienteles that do not want us to be out there because they don't want to be known. I mean, they have direct to their privacy and they simply say look, you know, if you're going to be loud out there, then they're going to know us, they're going to come after us. Not that they are doing anything illegal, it's just they just don't want to be exposed. So that one side, we have to keep it very discreet, so we call it the concierge service with discretion. But on the other side, yes, we need to be out there in a way, because it's more of providing that help as well as us making you know, getting the benefit from it. Yes. So, yes, I mean very subtle marketing. Right now, a lot of our clientele are only and only referral-based. Wow, If somebody calls me and says, hey, I want to buy this house, I want to do this, we really have to ask them and say who referred you, otherwise we really cannot take you in, so it's very exclusive.
Speaker 2:I was going to say that's very exclusive, my goodness Okay.
Speaker 1:We are fortunate and lucky to be in that position.
Speaker 2:Yeah, not everyone can be like that. Wow, good for you, good for you. And what do you like to do on your time off, like when you're not helping people invest with properties? What do you like to do to just lay back and relax?
Speaker 1:Well, I got two kids and I love them to death and they are life changers to me and they challenge me in every shape or form, so I try to spend as much time as I can with them. Knock on wood, you know, they're amazing. They speak five languages. They not? Not that we try to teach them. It was exposure we created and they picked up on it and they're running with it that is impressive.
Speaker 2:What can I ask? What languages?
Speaker 1:so they? They speak Mandarin, armenian, thanks to my colleague Silva, and then they speak Portuguese, farsi and English.
Speaker 2:Holy moly, those are some good ones yeah.
Speaker 1:So they used to speak French and Russian, but when COVID kicked in, we lost all the babysitters who spoke that language.
Speaker 2:Darn.
Speaker 1:So close, yeah, so close, yeah, so close very impressive.
Speaker 2:And you also said you have like a background in languages too, right, do you know?
Speaker 1:I'm iranian okay background. So I speak farsi, turkish, kurdish, dairy, tajik, english. I translate arabic.
Speaker 2:I don't speak it no, big big deal, so no.
Speaker 1:I'm Russian.
Speaker 2:Wow, your brain is amazing. I'm just like wondering like how it's like numbers, different languages, like I wish I had a brain like that. Maybe, I have not tapped into it. I don't know, but something's not clicking in here of advice, would you like to tell any prospective clients about what they should be looking for when they are wanting to work with somebody as far as like a real estate agent, what they shouldn't be doing or what they shouldn't be looking up for, what they should?
Speaker 1:so, like anything you do when you go to purchase the shoes or bag or purse or anything, you take your time, go store to store. You spend time to purchase that $200 item or $300 item. Real estate is no different. The only thing with real estate is, as agents, everybody's geared to be pleasant because that's the only chance you got to gain a client, and most people go with the first agent they meet. So test that agent, ask them, question through them, through the lines to them that, to see if they are just agreeing with you or if they really sincerely going to give you an answer, regardless of what your reaction might be. So I'll ask you this if you go to purchase a home and you go a house, would you like an agent who points at every amazing thing about that house, or would you like the agent who points at every negative part of the house?
Speaker 2:I mean, I guess this sounds bad, but I guess the negative, because this is the truth, right, and I don't want lies, I want truth.
Speaker 1:So if I go with you into the house and I point at every negative part of the house and you still want it, then I have a very you know peace in mind that you're okay with that house. Now we can work it through. Now we can even fix the issue at some point, but now you know what you're dealing with. Yeah, so it is difficult for many agents to say no or disagree because they don't want to lose that transaction. When I said we don't sell home, we have had clients, we have walked into the house and I have pointed every negative things and they looked at me and they primarily said what are you trying to sell or not? Oh my God, I was like well, I'm not trying to sell at all.
Speaker 1:I'm trying to make you aware.
Speaker 2:Inform you.
Speaker 1:Inform you so you can make a better decision.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:You are not, in my opinion, as agents. We are not supposed to sell. We are supposed to load you up with all the needed information for you to make a better decision.
Speaker 2:Wow, that is a very different perspective from what I usually hear. It's refreshing actually.
Speaker 1:So thank you for saying that. And the reality is we choose our clients the same way they choose us. It's a two-way highway, it's not always one way. We have had clients come to us and say well, you know, you are too expensive, you are too this, and it's not about the expensive part, us being expensive. The commission never changes. As a matter of fact, every day it's getting chipped away, but the reality of it is our performance. There's a Mitsubishi Eclipse is a sport car, is an amazing car.
Speaker 2:So is.
Speaker 1:Lamborghini, so depends what service you want to get Depends what kind of car you want to have Both have buyers. You know, this one is not going to afford that one, that one is not going to afford that one. We are not Mitsubishi Eclipse. That's what it comes down to.
Speaker 2:Yes, I love the way you explain stuff. It's just visual and easy, because sometimes when people explain, I'm like what? But yours is just simple, to the point, thank you. Cut everything out and just get to the point, please.
Speaker 1:Basics, basics, never change.
Speaker 2:Yeah, if you want to buy a house?
Speaker 1:let me know, I'll show you.
Speaker 2:I'll let you know when I get there. I feel like I don't know, but yes, or for anybody who's listening. If they're interested, hit them up.
Speaker 1:We're more than glad to help them. We're more than glad to be at their service.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Have you seen any trends lately of what people are looking for? Is it more like maybe by the beach lately? Is it somewhere secluded or is it a mix, like any trends that you've just noticed?
Speaker 1:Right now is a very interesting time because of that two and a half years of COVID and all the political turmoil that is happening. See, every year the new generation is coming up and they try to pick a graduate from the school, they move away from their parents' home, so there's a whole wave of, you know, new generation coming up and they need housing. The COVID, it was a glitch that prevented out of nowhere, prevented people from selling their homes because you know, they stayed home. On the other hand, because of the economic situations, when the interest rate dropped to 2% or 3%, either people who bought at that rate or refinanced at that rate. So it's very difficult for them to let go of that rate.
Speaker 2:STEPHANIE WONG, that number yeah.
Speaker 1:KEMAL SHAMI and get a 6% interest rate. So that's what the shortage is. So we don't have enough homes. Yes, if you would have asked me this four or five years ago, I would give you a trend. But right now it's at the point that people they just want to have a place to be at, so they cannot buy because there's not enough in the market. Builders only cover 15% to 18% of the market. They couldn't even catch up if they wanted to. And on top of that that spills over to rental market. So a rental place that was 1,800 three years ago, now it's 2,400.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:It's a crazy amount of like increase on everything, which is, in a way, is heartbreaking, but market is market, which is, in a way, is heartbreaking but market is market, so it doesn't right. Net doesn't allow a lot of people at the regular level of prices to be picky and choosy, but luxury market never changes because at luxury level, when you're talking about, used to be one and a half plus, now it's two and a half million plus. At that level they don't, that doesn't really get affected by the market as much.
Speaker 2:Okay. Do you think that that would change? I mean, I'm sure eventually change is going to happen, but I know you said whenever they build houses it gets taken so quickly. Do you think we're going to catch up anytime soon?
Speaker 1:Well, the market corrects itself at some point because if the price keeps going up and up and up to the point that doesn't make sense anymore, that's really is too high based on the material used to build that home then we come to the crash. Or, or you know, it's always like that. We're talking about seven to ten years in a normal situation, not the situation when we have COVID kicking in. Seven to 10 years, market will correct itself, will crash and that's across the board. When we say we forecast, say if somebody goes and shows a home to somebody, they'd look at the contract, they want to write it, they want to sell, they're going to negotiate and finish it and hopefully that person goes in. Maybe they get a seller subsidy.
Speaker 1:When we look at the section of area, we also look at the forex market. We also look at all the investments and the stock market and mutual funds and people always ask why would you do that? But the reality is, when you look at the value of dollar outside of the country and it's an amazing question we always ask people do you think if dollar being strong is good for us or dollar being weak? What would you answer to that?
Speaker 2:I'm scared of these questions, it's okay.
Speaker 1:Because, imagine, as another buyer or seller I'm asking that question. There's no right or wrong answer.
Speaker 2:Okay, I would say, I guess weak, why Do?
Speaker 1:you know? Can you guess weak? Why Do you know, can you guess?
Speaker 2:Because why are you making me think I'm?
Speaker 1:being interviewed now. I don't like this.
Speaker 2:I'm just kidding, I guess, because I wouldn't have to, I could afford it like easier, right? Exactly.
Speaker 1:Exactly, Exactly. So a lot of people don't see that. But when the dollar is weaker, the person in Europe, in Australia, in China, they realize, oh, they can actually get more dollar in hand for their money. So they end up traveling here or they're purchasing US product which makes US economy to boom. So they are selling product they're bringing money, you know gold money, whether it comes in of value.
Speaker 1:So US economy will boom. Now, when you look at that in this order God week, six months to eight months to nine months we're gonna see the effect here now. Here people are gonna have more money in their hand. If they have more money in their hand, guess what? They're gonna be able to purchase more. Yes, now the housing market will boom. That only problem with that is, if they have too much money, then everything prices goes up fast yeah so become inflammation or inflation.
Speaker 1:Sorry, but the reality is, on the other hand, if you're dropping interest rate too much, then there is too much money in people's hands Causes the same problem. So there has to be a perfect balance. So we look at it that way and we go and say somebody comes and says, hey, I want to buy, but I have enough tolerance or time to do so, or even sell, and then we forecast it for them and say, look, this is what's happening there. Nothing is 100%, but we think if you start looking at these numbers, we think if you come next season and spring or summer, you will get the most out of it versus if you go now. So that's how we try to educate them. And the other thing is people always assume when the interest rate drops.
Speaker 2:Go buy immediately Now. Take advantage of that Run.
Speaker 1:But the reality of it is, yes, on the buyer's side, interest rate drops. But when the interest rate drops, house prices drops. Six months distance.
Speaker 2:It's like a balancing act.
Speaker 1:Yes, because the reason the interest rate drops is because they see economies, not the one. Also, they're dropping. That means house prices. People don't have enough money to purchase or sell. But there's a six months delay. If you look back at 2008 or 9 or 10, when the market crashed, the interest rate plummet, house prices were all going down. Yeah, same thing when the interest rate goes up. Right now, house prices are going up. Covid put a different twist into this A little bit, changed it, but the basic principle doesn't change. So a lot of people go and say, oh, I'm going to wait for interest rate drop, because then house prices you know, I get a lower interest rate and go and buy a home. But they don't realize that house prices would drop with that too.
Speaker 2:Oh, my goodness, the way you put that like okay, there's a couple of comments that I want to say. First, if I ever make it big or whatever, I'm definitely going to go to you because you're just chill and you get to the point.
Speaker 2:Second, you should definitely like. I know you say that you educate your clients, but you definitely should be a professor or something. How many times I sit in a classroom and I'm just like, what are you saying? But you just explain stuff to me that I don't really know about that very well. But the way you explain it makes so much sense.
Speaker 1:You're very kind.
Speaker 2:You should be a professor and, speaking of that, I feel like I know you have to be like private with some clients, but maybe sharing like a little bit of knowledge just about yourself and not other clients and giving like forecasts or something would maybe help you if you're interested, like maybe just you putting on your camera, putting it there and talking about it and like getting some discourse with people about like well, what about because of this? And then you can just be like okay, here's this comment that said this. Let me tell you why that's actually not correct or why the actually right.
Speaker 2:I think you would do very well in that type of like atmosphere online, so I definitely thank you all this knowledge that you have, you should like it's sad that people have to come to you to find it but you could share a little bit, like without giving everything away, but just some insight to help educate, would be great, because I think that this is really great stuff thank you.
Speaker 1:We actually try to go to the source and try to, if you can, educate a lot of agents, because if you educate the agents, then they educate many more yeah the reality of it is we don't.
Speaker 1:There are different strategies in businesses. We don't hold back in information. If I teach you everything I know and you become as good as me and even better, a lot of people might think, oh, as a competition, why would you do that? But the reality is, if you become me and better pushes me to become better and more by studying more, and that creates a positive effect on both sides.
Speaker 2:And it would inspire me to want to help somebody else.
Speaker 1:Exactly. I had many clients. They asked me well, you know, as a real estate agent, this and this and this. And I always said I help you. Go get your license. If you're worried about the commission, if you're worried about any of those things, get your license. I'll help you literally, because even things get your license. I'll help you literally Because, even if you get your license and you use it now legally, you can get 25% commission. You can negotiate that as a referral fee.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So it's a small world and there's just so much to do. There's so much for everybody. We have different business models and we have in every sector. But there's one style, that they hold information for job security. But there's another style that's open. You put it out on the table. Everybody learns To me, everybody will benefit.
Speaker 2:Exactly, everybody wins. I love that. That's a great mindset. I'm there with you on that. And now another question for me, for you when do you see yourself in five years, like as a person and with your own business?
Speaker 1:So we are trying to expand because at this point, at this capacity, we are actually, you know, we are in a really good place, but I need to have more staff coming into our team. Pretty much we don't do team because not to say team and being part of team is not good. But truly, me and my partner, we both believe in the fact of if you create a team and somebody is working for that team, they might not flourish to their maximum capacity, but if we enable them to be as colleague, at the same level as we are and we go forward together and they help us, we help them, then everybody, they all become kings, put it this way. So we need to expand. We need more people coming and working together, not necessarily for us, but together as agents. We are as powerful as our resources.
Speaker 2:Yes, and what you make of them right.
Speaker 1:Exactly so. If you buy a home, you need contractors. If I have them, if I have really good ones not necessarily the cheapest ones, but a good price for an amazing job done then I'm resourceful. Yes, you know, if God forbid, we get to a very sticky situation in a legal section of this process, if I can protect you legally through the lawyers we have amazing lawyers that we work with then I'm powerful.
Speaker 1:We have amazing lawyers that we work with, then I'm powerful. So by doing that, if we can expand and bring more people, then we can benefit more people and hopefully we can have everybody on the same page. That in every transaction you want to make sure both party goes happy. You do not want to shortchange each other, because it's about fairness, yeah, and reputation too.
Speaker 2:People will know and not want to be around you. Absolutely, that's good stuff. When you say that you want to expand, is there a particular place, like a state, maybe country, that you would like to be licensed in and be able to help other people?
Speaker 1:Right now I'm licensed in four I mean, this isn't the state, but four places Pennsylvania, maryland, dc and Virginia, soon to be North and South Carolina and West Virginia.
Speaker 2:Okay, got the East Coast Cool.
Speaker 1:Yes, and hopefully, hopefully, very soon the broker license comes in play, so I'll shift over to that. I kind of love this fort now because dealing with people going back and forth, doing all those calculations, Numbers.
Speaker 2:Yes, it's amazing.
Speaker 1:And I don't think as a broker I would part away from this, but I might be able to create systems that makes it more automated and better.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:So yes, hopefully you start from somewhere here and then expand it as far as it goes.
Speaker 2:You know, yeah, I think you'll be able to do that. That's pretty impressive. I'm rooting for you.
Speaker 1:That's awesome, thank you.
Speaker 2:Man, I'm just learning so many things today. I'm just thinking about, like, why haven't I never looked at things like this? I don't know. Anyway, sorry, my brain is like it's too early for me right now. Um, let's see what other questions do I have. Is there anything that maybe I have not touched on, since I have you here and time is precious? Is there something that maybe you would like to share with our audience about yourself or your business, or something that you just want people to be aware of?
Speaker 1:People be aware of do your homework, study, don't be afraid of saying no and make a move today. My children, for the next seven generations if nobody messes up in the middle of the way, they never have to pay or worry about college funds and anything, because when I bought my first home in the US I was 21 years old. Wow.
Speaker 2:That's rare nowadays.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I made a move, but I'll tell you what. I used to live in Salt Lake City, utah, and the place the first place I bought. The disclosure was remember the police will not come to your area after 7 pm and Pizza Hut will not deliver after 5 pm.
Speaker 2:Oh, you would have lost me there.
Speaker 1:But I looked at it and I looked at it as do I pay rent or do I own a home? And all of my friends, you know they were in Boston, they were in California and they would call me and say, hey, come over here, listen, what's your rent? Two thousand dollars a month. At the time this is back in 2002 to 1998. Nine, what's your rent? And they're like you know, yes, it's two thousand dollars a month. I'm like, look, if I want to rent five hundred dollars here, but I bought a house and I'm paying nine hundred dollars in payment. Of course the pizza doesn't deliver there, but in the long run, that investment, that very house I bought back then I bought it for $123,000. I remember exactly. And then I sold it four years ago for $380. So that by itself, you know I didn't pay rent by itself you know, paid off, yeah, it builds up.
Speaker 1:So make a move. Make a move now, because time is precious. It passes by and, and, and you cannot go back in time no, so sadly not that's the biggest message I can't tell anybody perfect.
Speaker 2:No, that's good, that's good, that's good, and I guess, man, I could talk to you all day. Man, seriously, my last question for you is is there a mantra that maybe you like to live your life by or use as motivation for yourself, that you would like to share with our listeners? Use as motivation for yourself that you would like to share with our listeners?
Speaker 1:Or maybe even a message that's near and dear to your heart, that you want to leave our listeners with. I escaped Iran and ran from Iran and you know many things happened and it was happening in every war since 2003 to now Not to now until 2013. Every combat zone, every overseas area that nobody wants to go. The bottom line is time is precious If you can set yourself up well financially and to enjoy it. Don't let every passing moment go by because you cannot get it back. This is very cliche, but the reality of it is at the end. Your life starts from here, it's going to end to here, so you can either go as fast as possible and end it, or you can bounce as much as you can, yes, and create more distance and have more experience. And the reality of it is if some event happens to you that's not pleasant, you cry or you smile, doesn't matter, it's going to pass by. So just grab that moment, enjoy it, smile through it, stay happy and be fair.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:You buy a home. You don't buy a home. You are with your friends, your family. Every one of those moments are precious. In my business, in my profession, there has been times people, they yell at you on the phone, they scream their head off and there is no reason to get upset. It's okay If you don't like it. If you want to move on, please do. I'll be more.
Speaker 2:I'll stay on it like the next. It was like what did they yell at me? I don't know what I did.
Speaker 1:Look, you know, I learned very fast. When somebody gets to that level, just be a parent to them. Are you okay? Is it done? Can I?
Speaker 2:help you? Why?
Speaker 1:are you upset? What do you want to do next? And be sincere about it, not yes not to mock them yes, yes yes thank you.
Speaker 2:Yes, that is a great message. It was so fun having you on the podcast. Thank you so much for making time out of your day to be here. We really appreciate it thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you for having me absolutely very, you know, pleasurable.