Bedlam Realty’s Interview with Josh Altman from Bravo’s Hit TV Show “Million Dollar Listing”
Today I got a chance to do a phone interview with Josh Altman, from the Bravo hit TV show “Million Dollar Listing.” We talked about many things including his thoughts about what it takes to be a successful real estate agent. Here’s an excerpt featuring some of the highlights from our conversation today…
Mario: Hey man, thanks for calling me back.
Josh: No problem man. What do you got for me?
Mario: You grew up in Newton, Massachusetts and played football for Syracuse University. Do you think your background in sports helps you today with your real estate business?
Josh: Absolutely I think it helped me. I was a kicker and believe it not it is one of the most stressful positions. You’re out there all alone and one minute you’re the hero and the next you’re a zero. You have to have ice in your veins.
Mario: So what took you to California from Syracuse?
Josh: I moved to California so I could go into business with my brother Matt. I wanted to be in the entertainment industry, so I went to work for a talent agency as an agent.
Mario: How did you get into real estate?
Josh: Well, my brother and I bought our first house in 2002. It was a fixer upper and we did all the work to restore it. We also did all the design work on the inside when it was done. My brother is an expert at that stuff. After we were done, we realized it looked a lot nicer and decided to list it for sale just for the fun of it. It sold and we made $192,000 after only 2 months. We bought another property and lived in it and did the same thing over and over again, flipping a total of 8 homes and made around 2.2 million dollars.
Mario: Did you have your real estate license when you were flipping houses?
Josh: No, I actually opened my own mortgage company, so I could do the mortgage on my own deals. I did that until the market took a nosedive and then I got into the other side of it and got my license and became an agent. You have to maximize your money and I got tired of paying other agents a commission on my flips, so I decided to get my license.
Mario: When the show “Million Dollar Listing” first started, you weren’t one of the original stars. How did you get on the show?
Josh: Well, I almost wasn’t on it. They approached me, mostly because of my celebrity and high profile clients. I was nervous about what they would think if I was on the show, so I spoke with a lot of them and they were all very supportive and told me to go for it. It was at the very last minute that I told them I would do the show.
Mario: I am a big believer that your appearance has a lot to do with how other people perceive you. You only get one first impression. I know you sometimes get teased for working in California on the beach and always wearing suits and looking your best. What are your thoughts on appearance?
Josh: It’s very important to me. It’s how I grew up and how I was raised. If you dress like a million bucks, you feel like a million bucks. I have very high end clients, they are very professional and successful and I want to portray myself the same way.
Mario: So Josh, what makes you different from other agents?
Josh: I’m 24/7. My clients know I’ll do anything for them anytime. It doesn’t stop as selling either. If a person needs a restaurant reservation, jewelry, whatever… They know they can call me and I’ll know someone who can hook them up. I don’t look at it like work. I never say TGIF. It’s a lifestyle and a career, not a job.
Mario: Do you have a process you use for following up with people or getting referrals?
Josh: Well, if you could see my desk right now, you’d see about a million different post-its. That’s just the way I work. I try to get with everyone as fast as I can.
Mario: Yeah, you called me back pretty quick.
Josh: I always do my best, plus you caught me at a perfect time. As far as the referrals, I would just say don’t be shy. Tell everyone what you do all the time. If you’re at a restaurant, at the DMV, anywhere. Always be telling people who you are and what you do. I give everyone the same amount of service and attention regardless of the price. You never know when something small might turn into a bigger deal. For example, I had this guy that wanted a lease for a small amount. I showed him several properties and gave him my full attention. He got great service and the next thing you know he’s introducing me to his buddy who used me to buy an 8 million dollar home.
Mario: Nice. That’s awesome. Are you a fan of big closing gifts? I’ve heard stories of some outrageous things people have given as a closing gift.
Josh: No. My gift to my clients is GREAT SERVICE. I save them as much money as I can and get them the best deal possible. That’s my gift to them.
Mario: Great advice. One last question. What advice would you give to new agents just getting into the business?
Josh: Set goals. Write them down and keep at them. Get a mentor and learn. Don’t start out trying to be everything for everyone. Pick an area you like and become an expert for that area. Know all of the available inventory and go to all the open houses in that area and know the homes inside and out. Don’t expect to get rich quick and be in it for the long haul.
Mario: Great advice Josh. Thanks for your time today. I know all our agents here in Oklahoma will really appreciate it.
Josh: No problem Mario. Go Sooners!
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