S2 E39: Relationships in Real Estate | Referrals, Trusted Partners & How Connection Drives Closings

S2 E39: Relationships in Real Estate | Referrals, Trusted Partners & How Connection Drives Closings

Real estate is a relationship business, and nobody knows that better than Brittney. In this episode of Closing Chapters, she wraps up her 2019 transaction log by sharing one of the most fulfilling deals of the year: a referral she got to give rather than receive. A connection from her Shaw Air Force Base days reached out with a friend who needed help buying her first home in Greenville, South Carolina. Brittney had exactly the right person for the job: a fellow realtor she had built a genuine relationship with through the Buffini and Company system over many years. The result? A 26-year-old first-time buyer closed on a two-story home near 2,000 square feet for just $285,000 in October 2019. A win all the way around. But the episode goes much deeper than one deal. Brittney unpacks what it really means to be the source of the resources, how she builds her referral network intentionally, and why matching clients to the right agent or lender is as important as the transaction itself. From customizing lender recommendations to plant a soft listing pitch in a FSBO exit conversation, her approach to relationships is methodical, genuine, and deeply values-driven. She also opens up about a current client scenario involving a military member relocating from Hawaii, a mom serving as POA, household goods coming from overseas, and a tight timeline before field training kicks in. If you have ever wondered what it truly looks like to advocate for a military family through every layer of a move, this episode makes it crystal clear. Key Takeaways * Referrals are not just about sending business. They are about matching the right people with the right professionals. * Building a referral network takes years. The payoff is that when the moment comes, you have exactly the right person to call. * Every lender and agent in your network should be vetted for personality and working style, not just results. * Referral fees are a real and valuable part of a sustainable real estate business. Do not give them away for free. * Military clients often have moving parts most people never consider: POAs, overseas household goods, field training schedules, and tight timelines. * Being the source of the resources means your reputation lives on both ends of every connection you make. * First-time buyers in their mid-20s purchasing solid homes is worth celebrating and supporting with every tool you have. 🎧If this episode resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone building a real estate business or navigating a military move. Every share helps this podcast reach the families and agents who need it most. Closing Chapters Podcast: Where Every Mission Has A Story Thanks for listening. We talk all things military real estate, my transactions, the mistakes, the wins, and simple plays you can use right now. Work With Me: * Buying or selling near Fort Bragg & Moore County [https://calendar.app.google/RAhFE3tg5kBEp8q66] * Agents, partner with me  [https://calendar.app.google/RAhFE3tg5kBEp8q66] Connect With Brittney: 🌐 Website [https://www.homeswithbrittney.com] 📚 Training Platform [https://eft.mykajabi.com] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@homeswithbrittney] 📸 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bfryerealtor/] 📘 Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/BrittneyFryeRealtor] 💼 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elevatefreedomtraining24/] 📧 Email: brittney@homeswithbrittney.com If this episode helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a friend in PCS season. Disclaimer: This podcast education only & is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Talk with your own pros about your situation. Opinions are my own. © 2025 Brittney Frye. All rights reserved. Realtor, license # 352197 in NC. Brokerage: REAL Broker l Military Division

S2 E38: From Fix and Flip to Sober Living | How One Investor Found Purpose and Profit in Group Homes

What happens when a seasoned real estate investor loses everything overnight and has to completely rethink his business model? In this episode of Closing Chapters, Brittney sits down with Jim Boad, a 25-year real estate veteran from Washington State who went from fix and flips and rental properties to running five sober living homes housing up to 50 men at a time. Jim shares how the COVID eviction moratoriums pushed him to the edge of selling off his entire portfolio, and how a late-night internet search led him to a recession-proof housing model he had never considered. From his first home being nearly full within a month to now operating a full program with staff, a waiting list, and even a restaurant that employs men from his program, this conversation covers what sober living actually is, how it works financially, and why it might be the most impactful investment a veteran or military-connected investor could make. Brittney also digs into the very real connection between military service, transition struggles, and the need for programs like this. If you have ever wondered why veterans fall through the cracks after separation, or if you are an investor looking for a model that generates strong returns while doing genuine good in your community, this episode is required listening. Key Takeaways • Sober living homes are largely unlicensed and far easier to launch than most investors expect. • The income potential is dramatic: one five-bedroom home went from $2,300 per month income to $8,500 per month gross income. • Two people per room reduces relapse rates significantly by eliminating self-isolation. • Funding comes from state, federal, and clinic sources, so many residents arrive with two to four months of pre-paid housing. • Military veterans are uniquely positioned to run these homes because of their structure, accountability, and heart for service. • The investor and operator roles can be separated, creating a true partnership model. • HOA compliance, quiet hours, and proactive neighbor communication make these homes great community members. • Every FSBO showing and every sober living home is a door, not a dead end. 🎧 If this episode opened your eyes to a housing model you had never considered, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Whether that is a veteran looking for purpose in business, an investor searching for a better return, or someone who has been touched by addiction in their own family, this conversation is worth passing on. If you have a heart to serve and want to know more about providing a group home, connect with Jim: https://jimboad.com Closing Chapters Podcast: Where Every Mission Has A Story Thanks for listening. We talk all things military real estate, my transactions, the mistakes, the wins, and simple plays you can use right now. Work With Me: * Buying or selling near Fort Bragg & Moore County [https://calendar.app.google/RAhFE3tg5kBEp8q66] * Agents, partner with me  [https://calendar.app.google/RAhFE3tg5kBEp8q66] Connect With Brittney: 🌐 Website [https://www.homeswithbrittney.com] 📚 Training Platform [https://eft.mykajabi.com] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@homeswithbrittney] 📸 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bfryerealtor/] 📘 Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/BrittneyFryeRealtor] 💼 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elevatefreedomtraining24/] 📧 Email: brittney@homeswithbrittney.com If this episode helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a friend in PCS season. Disclaimer: This podcast education only & is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Talk with your own pros about your situation. Opinions are my own. © 2025 Brittney Frye. All rights reserved. Realtor, license # 352197 in NC. Brokerage: REAL Broker l Military Division

S2 E37: Big Girl Pants Moment | Military Suicide, Selling Through Grief, and Showing Up for Clients in Crisis

This is not a typical real estate episode. In Episode 37 of Closing Chapters, Brittney shares one of the most emotionally heavy transactions of her career: helping a young military widow sell the family home after her husband died by suicide in September 2019. With three little girls, a house full of trauma, and zero support from the mortgage servicer, this military spouse needed someone to show up fully. Brittney did. From navigating a property that required sensitive remediation to protecting her client from every painful detail she didn't need to know, Brittney walks through what it actually looks like to serve someone at their absolute lowest. She also opens up about her own hesitation, the phone call to her aunt that changed everything, and the teammate who helped her walk through that front door for the first time. This episode is also a call to action. Brittney speaks honestly about the gaps in the system: mortgage servicers that refused to communicate with a surviving spouse, news articles that published identifying details of a military family, and the lack of clear guidance for what military families should do to protect each other before the unthinkable happens. If you are in real estate or military life, this one will stay with you. Key Takeaways  • Agents are called to serve in the best and worst of times. Do not cherry-pick when you show up.  • Having a trusted teammate or colleague matters. You do not have to walk into hard situations alone.  • Mortgage servicers need better protocols for surviving spouses. The current system leaves families stranded.  • Sellers in crisis need a buffer, not more information. Protect them from every detail that isn't theirs to carry.  • A FSBO appointment, a grief sale, or a distressed property is still a moment to serve with full professionalism.  • Military families need estate planning and shared account access long before they think they need it.  • Suicide in the military community is real, prevalent, and worth talking about openly.  • News media publishing identifying details of military family tragedies causes long-term harm to surviving children.  🎧If this episode moved you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. This kind of story deserves a wide audience, whether you are a military family, a real estate agent, or simply someone who cares about the people around you. Your support helps this podcast reach more of the communities who need it most. Closing Chapters Podcast: Where Every Mission Has A Story Thanks for listening. We talk all things military real estate, my transactions, the mistakes, the wins, and simple plays you can use right now. Work With Me: * Buying or selling near Fort Bragg & Moore County [https://calendar.app.google/RAhFE3tg5kBEp8q66] * Agents, partner with me  [https://calendar.app.google/RAhFE3tg5kBEp8q66] Connect With Brittney: 🌐 Website [https://www.homeswithbrittney.com] 📚 Training Platform [https://eft.mykajabi.com] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@homeswithbrittney] 📸 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bfryerealtor/] 📘 Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/BrittneyFryeRealtor] 💼 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elevatefreedomtraining24/] 📧 Email: brittney@homeswithbrittney.com If this episode helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a friend in PCS season. Disclaimer: This podcast education only & is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Talk with your own pros about your situation. Opinions are my own. © 2025 Brittney Frye. All rights reserved. Realtor, license # 352197 in NC. Brokerage: REAL Broker l Military Division

S2 E36: Communication With All Sides of the Transaction... Please!!! | Real Estate Lender Fails, FSBO Lessons & How to Protect Your Clients

What happens when a lender stops communicating, the closing date keeps shifting, and your sellers are watching their next chapter get delayed again and again?  In this episode of Closing Chapters, Brittney walks through a recent transaction that stretched to sixty-six days under contract, and nearly fell apart, not because of the market, not because of the buyers, but because of one lender who couldn't pick up the phone. Brittney breaks down the anatomy of a transaction communication failure: what it costs sellers when they're being ghosted, what it does to agents who are trying to hold things together, and why a VA buyer ended up switching loan types on closing day when none of it had to happen. She also makes the case for something that should be obvious but often isn't, which is that agents, lenders, and attorneys need to function as a unified team, and the other side of the table deserves honesty and transparency too. This episode is as much a masterclass in professionalism as it is a real story from the field. If you want to know how to protect your clients, your reputation, and your sanity through a complicated transaction, this one is worth your full attention. Key Takeaways * Communication across all parties, agent, lender, and attorney, is not optional. It is how you protect your clients. * Lenders who go silent do not just inconvenience agents. They derail transactions, cause closings to fall through, and damage relationships they will never repair. * Sellers deserve real information in real time. Changing stories and delayed updates erode trust fast. * Every agent on every side of a deal should be in a shared communication chain on any contingency that affects the closing. * You can advocate hard for your client without being disrespectful to the other side. Being kind is a negotiating advantage. * When a lender tells a buyer's agent they are considering walking away from a transaction, that is a failure of professional responsibility. * VA buyers deserve agents and lenders who actually know how to serve them. This loan product matters and it takes expertise. * Even when things are going wrong, consistent and proactive communication changes the outcome. 🎧If this episode hit close to home, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with an agent or lender who needs the reminder. Your support helps this podcast reach more military families and real estate professionals who are doing the work every day. Closing Chapters Podcast: Where Every Mission Has A Story Thanks for listening. We talk all things military real estate, my transactions, the mistakes, the wins, and simple plays you can use right now. Work With Me: * Buying or selling near Fort Bragg & Moore County [https://calendar.app.google/RAhFE3tg5kBEp8q66] * Agents, partner with me  [https://calendar.app.google/RAhFE3tg5kBEp8q66] Connect With Brittney: 🌐 Website [https://www.homeswithbrittney.com] 📚 Training Platform [https://eft.mykajabi.com] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@homeswithbrittney] 📸 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bfryerealtor/] 📘 Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/BrittneyFryeRealtor] 💼 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elevatefreedomtraining24/] 📧 Email: brittney@homeswithbrittney.com If this episode helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a friend in PCS season. Disclaimer: This podcast education only & is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Talk with your own pros about your situation. Opinions are my own. © 2025 Brittney Frye. All rights reserved. Realtor, license # 352197 in NC. Brokerage: REAL Broker l Military Division

S2 E35 When the Lender Lets Everyone Down | Language Barriers, First-Time Buyers & Why Lender Choice Matters

What happens when your buyer does not speak English fluently, has never purchased a home in America, and is working with a lender who takes their sweet time? In this episode of Closing Chapters, Brittney walks through a 2019 transaction that tested every layer of her patience, communication skills, and professional boundaries. Her client was an international buyer purchasing his first home in Sumter, South Carolina. There were genuine language barriers, a significant gap between what the lender told him he could borrow and what he thought his monthly payment would be, and expectations that did not survive contact with the reality of an as-is sale. The property was a solid brick ranch at $140,000 in a great pocket of town, but the seller was not budging on anything, and the buyer had to learn that the hard way. Brittney also opens up about the invisible barriers that made this deal complicated beyond language: cultural dynamics that affected how her client received her guidance, the challenge of working with a slow lender, and the reality that she passed the transaction off mid-stream to a trusted colleague after getting it under contract. This episode is honest, layered, and full of lessons for agents and buyers alike. Key Takeaways • Lender choice is one of the most important decisions a buyer makes before starting their home search. • Getting approved for a loan amount is not the same as knowing what your monthly payment will be. Buyers need lenders who explain the difference clearly. • As-is properties require crystal-clear communication upfront. If a buyer agrees to as-is terms, that commitment has to hold after the inspection too. • Language barriers require extra care and more documentation, not shortcuts. • Cultural dynamics can affect how clients receive guidance. Navigating that with professionalism and empathy is part of the job. • Referring a transaction mid-stream to a trusted colleague is sometimes the best move for everyone. • Good lenders communicate with agents too, not just buyers. That transparency is a non-negotiable. • A low-priced as-is home in a great location still carries real value. Helping buyers see that is part of the work. 🎧If this episode resonated, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone navigating a complicated home purchase. Your support helps this podcast reach more military families and real estate professionals dealing with these exact situations every day. Closing Chapters Podcast: Where Every Mission Has A Story Thanks for listening. We talk all things military real estate, my transactions, the mistakes, the wins, and simple plays you can use right now. Work With Me: * Buying or selling near Fort Bragg & Moore County [https://calendar.app.google/RAhFE3tg5kBEp8q66] * Agents, partner with me  [https://calendar.app.google/RAhFE3tg5kBEp8q66] Connect With Brittney: 🌐 Website [https://www.homeswithbrittney.com] 📚 Training Platform [https://eft.mykajabi.com] 📺 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@homeswithbrittney] 📸 Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bfryerealtor/] 📘 Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/BrittneyFryeRealtor] 💼 LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/elevatefreedomtraining24/] 📧 Email: brittney@homeswithbrittney.com If this episode helped, follow the show, leave a quick review, and share it with a friend in PCS season. Disclaimer: This podcast education only & is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Talk with your own pros about your situation. Opinions are my own. © 2025 Brittney Frye. All rights reserved. Realtor, license # 352197 in NC. Brokerage: REAL Broker l Military Division