Landing Clients in Unconventional Ways with Real Estate Agent Johnny Welsh

Johnny Welsh: 0:00

I see in today's market where inventory is low,and there's not a whole lot for us to do, aside from, you know,trying to get the listings and really, you know, send out your mailings, whatever your farming,whatever you do for your marketing planning campaign.That's all good. That's all well and good. But I think getting out there and immersing yourself in activities, other jobs, even volunteering and getting out in the community is a great way to network, build connections and contacts.

Announcer: 0:28

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Jason Muth: 0:52

Welcome to The Real Estate Law Podcast. Thanks so much for listening. We have a really fun episode today and a dynamic guest. This is Johnny Welsh. We're speaking with Johnny all the way out in the Breckenridge area in Colorado.Johnny is in the middle of a move and he was worried about his background, but I said Johnny real estate that's what it is. Everyone's always moving around, right? Boxes here and there.

Johnny Welsh: 1:12

Yeah, I guess that's true.

Jason Muth: 1:14

We're gonna have fun conversation today about finding clients in unconventional ways.Getting into real estate or in real estate, you never know where the clients are going to come from. It's not just online leads. It's people in your sphere of influence. Johnny has a lot of great ideas as to where he's finding his clients these days. So we can't wait to get into that. Let's introduce Rory Gill as well. Our co host Rory Gill from NextHome Titletown Real Estate and UrbanVillage Legal in Boston.

Rory Gill: 1:40

Hey, Jason. I'm also hoping all my agents are going to listen to this podcast and hear ways that they can work their sphere sphere of influence and find clients you know when they're going out and about in their business. So my agents I hope you're listening.

Jason Muth: 1:51

I would be extremely disappointed if you don't make this podcast required listening to your agents, Rory.

Rory Gill: 1:56

Mandatory listening.I want to come in and see their I their iPhone. I want to see it. There are no rules. Yes,yes.

Jason Muth: 2:02

You have to write a five page paper afterward.Johnny, welcome to the podcast.

Johnny Welsh: 2:07

Hey, guys. Thanks for having me. It's fun. Yeah.

Jason Muth: 2:10

So you know, you're an east coaster. Right? I was reading up, you're on your background and you you moved out west. Maybe you became a ski bunny or something along the way. Tell us what happened.

Johnny Welsh: 2:20

Yeah I'm originally from South Jersey,Atlantic City and the beaches.And I had just returned from working overseas in Italy in 97.Didn't have much going on after that. My brother was out here in the mountains. He was building houses in Vail, and he needed a lot of help. He's got a place to live. I got tools. I got a vehicle come on out. And I just packed my car and kept on driving till I saw mountains.

Jason Muth: 2:46

Is that how it happens? Or Is anyone really from that area? Or has everyone moved into the area?

Johnny Welsh: 2:51

Everyone has moved into the area. There are some locals that I do know of. But I've even heard stories of people who are driving across country to get the California they broke down here. And the70s and 80s and 90s. And they didn't just stayed and never left because it was so nice.

Jason Muth: 3:05

Yeah. How can you fight the few of the mountains,I'm sure that there are some views that you see every day that we see, you know, a couple times in a lifetime.

Johnny Welsh: 3:12

Very grateful for that. Actually. Today, I was driving back from Leadville. And I looked around I said, Man,this never gets old.

Jason Muth: 3:18

Yeah. So yeah, and the prices is out there. You know, we were just talking before we hit record, I was looking online, you know, it's jaw dropping. We think the Northeast is expensive. But man,what we just tell him about that studio that you saw listed?

Johnny Welsh: 3:31

Oh, yeah, studio Breckenridge for 750,000. I think it's about 640 square foot. Yep. It's slopeside,though is right on the lift.So..

Jason Muth: 3:41

Slopeside crash pad for 800k.

Johnny Welsh: 3:43

Yeah.

Jason Muth: 3:45

Rory you know, we were talking about finding clients unconventional ways, you know, why don't you start a little bit about how you, you've coached some of your your agents into finding clients, I'd love to compare notes to Johnny. And then I want to hear, you know,Johnny's story, because he's taking it to a new level.

Rory Gill: 4:02

I'd love to have, you know, I teach my agents a lot of the same things. And I'd actually love to hear pushback or challenges if I'm off in the wrong direction. But when somebody looks at building up a real estate career, they need several different inputs,several different marketing streams in order to have a full time real estate business. And what you do is which marketing channels you pick are going to depend on your market, your interests, your personality type, and all of that. But one thing that's in common to all real estate agents is having a sphere of influence that people who already know like and trust you and finding ways to work with them and build with them.And some of that isn't as complicated or difficult to really conceptualize, as you might imagine. You have a group of people who know like and trust you, but those people come and find you because you're out and about in the community,you're doing things that you already like you might have another profession and that's where you're going to accumulate these relationships that you can serve as a real estate agent in the future. So people who I know why no Johnny story of, you know, working in a restaurant and bar. And that's a great way and I know a couple real estate agents here in Boston who have built followings loyal followings of clients that way.But they come in other professions too. I mean, dog walkers or really anything that kind of gets you out and about in the neighborhood during the day, and actually seeing people face to face earns you that really those relationships that you can use as a real estate agent that certainly beats as a primary marketing channel,anything you can really just do online or anything that's kind of contrived and intentional,just being yourself out and above the community is probably the best thing you can do to build a client base. So that's my long way of saying that this is what I teach my agents. And that's what I'd love to chat with Johnny about today and see if he agrees with that, or in,you know, certainly his insights and how you can take that idea and run with it.

Johnny Welsh: 5:50

Yeah, I do agree with that, for sure, especially in today's market where inventory is low. And there's not a whole lot for us to do,aside from you know, trying to get the listings and really, you know, send out your mailings,whatever your farming, whatever you do for your your marketing plan and campaign. That's all good. That's all well and good.But I think getting out there and immersing yourself in activities, other jobs, even volunteering and getting out in the community is a great way to to network, build connections and contacts,

Jason Muth: 6:24

Volunteering, that is an excellent idea. Like have you done, have you found clients in that manner?

Johnny Welsh: 6:30

I've got some,some interest, but not new clients just yesterday to speak.Two weeks ago, I was volunteering at the library in Silverthorne right next to Breckenridge. And I have my little pens that I make up and everyone has to sign in and sign out for the volunteer. So I put a few of my little, you know,real estate pens down there, you know, real nice pens. And I didn't say anything to anybody.And I just worked there all day help carry the big boxes of books in and out and unload the boxes. And it's a fun, it's a fun activity for me to do to volunteer anyway. And I had some people look at the pens in a minute is that you? And I started laughing. And that was an icebreaker. And that now was actually in talks, but nothing solid yet, but it's a good lead.

Jason Muth: 7:09

Yeah, if you do an event with somebody for a day,It's a good start.if you're volunteering for a day, or an ongoing thing, and people get to know you or they meet you for the first time there, oftentimes if you're volunteering alongside people,they're all there for the same purpose. And then you get talking, you build a relationship, maybe you get drinks or something afterward,or you stay in touch. And you know, when you slip that pen or have it drop out of your pocket,and suddenly they're signing a piece of paper that realizes you're a real estate agent, you never know where that conversation is gonna go. I mean, it could simply be somebody grabs your pen and says, you know, my sister is about to sell our place, you know, and I like you like I should I should pass her along to you. That's probably how it works.

Johnny Welsh: 7:44

Yeah, it's not a bad idea. A lot of times, it's never how you think it's going to unfold. It may not be the people that you're working with volunteering with us, like you said, they could know somebody.So it's not who you know, it's who they know.

Jason Muth: 7:57

Yeah. Tell us about the restaurant. I mean, the first thing we started talking about when before we hit record,you mentioned it. And I was like, you know, I'm glad that you mentioned that. That's kind of where I thought the conversation was gonna go. How are you involved with this restaurant? You know, why just start there alongside your real estate career? And how are those two things connected?

Johnny Welsh: 8:13

that eventually,into a real estate career. And I achieved that 12 years ago, kind of doing both simultaneously.And then actually put my notice in a couple years ago, to be finished with restaurants. But that's when COVID was hitting and things were going crazy. And my and my friend who owns the restaurant is a good buddy of mine. And he really didn't have the staff to help him continue with the restaurant. So I stayed on board. And I'm only there a couple of nights a week. But that is where I'm getting. I've actually gotten half of my deals in person at the restaurant,because I'm sticking around to help out where there's seems to be a nationwide shortage of employees as well. I don't know how that's possible. I just that's the what I'm hearing in the underground as a bartender.And people respect the fact that I'm there to help. They like that. And then they open up and tell me more about their lives.And I learn about what they're looking for or what their friends would be looking for.And I've had a couple of deals actually close.

Jason Muth: 9:15

That's the longest two weeks notice I've ever heard.

Johnny Welsh: 9:18

It's been great. I mean, the money's been great,and it's fun to get out. And I do enjoy it. And it's mostly it's a restaurant. So it's a fine dining restaurant. So I'm behind the bar. So it's not like a bar bar where you're not really it's different at a bar bar as opposed to a restaurant bar. And yeah, it's been fun and I like it now and being social to it. It's paying most of the bills right

Jason Muth: 9:42

People really trust bartenders, huh? I mean, they'll tell you things.

Johnny Welsh: 9:45

They do! It's weird. They do the ask me the weirdest questions over oh my god, I can't even tell you.Sports stocks, psychology,everything from where to park and you name it. It's been asked.

Jason Muth: 9:57

Is it true that you can hear every conversation at the bar you know, that's going on all at the same time?

Johnny Welsh: 10:03

No, maybe some people can. I don't know, I get too busy behind the bar right now, because there's a lot the tourism has increased, probably almost doubled. And then the staff has decreased by almost double. So I'm always busy making drinks. I do hear a lot.I hear more than I should. But you know, I always just tune that out or I can I can engage if I want to if I have the time.

Jason Muth: 10:24

Does Breckenridge is it the kind of town that swells during the winter, you know,where the population grows by a lot of by, you know, multiple fold because of tourists coming in?

Johnny Welsh: 10:34

Yes, the winter and the summer, there's actually more to do in the summer as far as hiking, biking, rafting,kayaking, fishing, hunting, you name it, there's there's more activities. If you think of it that way, the summer and there's more, there's more traffic through the tunnel all the way up here to Frisco Breckenridge Vail area in the summer than there is in the winter.

Jason Muth: 10:53

You know, I'm not surprised to hear we all know about the nationwide staff shortages, especially in service industry jobs. But we have a place on Cape Cod in Provincetown. And it is tough to get employees at some of these Cape towns, they used to rely on people coming from outside the United States coming in. And over the past couple of years,that opportunity has been shut down. I don't know if there's a lot of immigrants that are working in Colorado, but you know, when you add kind of an expensive place to live with a lot of tourists coming in, and the labor shortage is amplified is what we experience here.

Johnny Welsh: 11:28

Yeah, that's true as well, we have the J-1 visas coming in to help out of the ski resorts and they love it because it was their offseason, or vice versa. And they loved it we loved because we had to access that because I also bought him to ski resort and Copper Mountain too. I help out there one day a week. So I mean, I recommend that to not just in the restaurant business, I'm sure there are other industries that are really needing of help of some, you know, staff,employees, whatever. And if and if things are slow, because inventory is low, get out of the office, get out and about and see who you can help. By helping them it may help you.

Jason Muth: 12:05

Hey Rory, are you surprised to hear that Johnny's getting a lot of clients from behind the bar?

Rory Gill: 12:10

No, not even a little bit. These are the kinds of things that you know, these are the kinds of professions that actually go hand in hand. In it,I keep using the dog walking example. But running a little shop, working in a cafe, these are things where you're interacting with the neighborhood, you know, all day,every day in a very natural way.You know, as a as a real estate agent, if you're just a real estate agent, we put up all these promotions and we try to generate all these reasons for people to come and interact with us on a day to day basis. But you're having people come to you at the bar or in the in the settings. And that other job is performing the hardest part of the real estate profession for you. So like I wanted to kind of get back and down into some of the tactical issues what you know what you do. So, you know,when your people having these conversations with you, how do you drop that idea, or mentioned that your real estate agent in conversation?

Johnny Welsh: 13:01

That's easy,because if they're locals, one of the questions they almost always ask is, hey, what are you up to? That simple, and I have a you know, I don't really, I don't really pound it too much behind the bar about real estate. So you know, I'm, you know, doing this, I'm moving into a new house right now,helping my brother with a couple of remodels. And yeah, and I'll you know, getting my real estate career, you know, up to where it should be. And that's just a quick icebreaker. And if they're not locals, and they are visitors, guests, or out of state tourists, and they asked,you know, so what else do you do? Is this the only job and right then and there, it's very easy, it's very simple. Those icebreakers are almost embedded,because people that come to a restaurant and they want to sit like at the bar itself, a nice restaurant, they're looking for more than just the quiet dining experience. They're looking for to be engaging and have conversation and find out what the what the pulse is like in the local town.

Rory Gill: 13:54

So you know, when when these conversations, you know, start to happen, and you get into it, how do you keep track of it? And mean, do you run home and you enter them into your CRM? Do you just kind of take notes at the bar? Or is it or just do all these relationships live in your head?

Johnny Welsh: 14:09

No, I write, I write the information that on the back of old receipts, okay,I try to exchange contact info I get theirs and I give them mine and I really don't, I don't push that to watch at the restaurant because I'm actually there to serve them, you know, have this dining experience. So I don't want to, you know, to mix the two too much. So I just get a quick number, a quick email,something like that. And then I'll touch base with them afterwards. And then once I establish what they what they want to do and where they are in life, then they can go into my CRM.

Jason Muth: 14:37

Yeah, you know, you also probably take notes and say was a good tipper. Know a little bit about those people?

Johnny Welsh: 14:43

Yeah, that's true.

Jason Muth: 14:45

I'm from New York,just outside New Jersey on the northern side of the state. So just over the border, but I feel so much New Jersey coming out from you. Think about Jersey like you know, I love New Jersey. I lived there for four years like I grew up so close to New Jersey like I think it gets a bad rap by a lot of people.Knows it as the Sopranos. And that's about it. But like, we know, it's a lot more than that,or they know the real house,that Real Housewives, I feel the Jersey coming out of the street.And I say that as a good thing.Because I think that you obviously have an outgoing personality that you're able to,you know, work a bar, have that presence behind the bar, meet people, and then get clients get them to trust you to actually do a real estate transaction. I feel like that's a very Northeast way to do it.

Johnny Welsh: 15:28

Yeah, it can be.It's funny with the Jersey thing. I've been here 25 years,and I get called out almost every shift. Where are you from?Jersey, New York, because I'll say things like water. Instead of like water - I don't know how it's said - water, whatever.Anyway, they'll they'll call me out on that. And that gets, I don't know if it gets worse when I have drinks or better.

Jason Muth: 16:13

Water is is a South Jersey? That's closer to Philly.

Johnny Welsh: 16:18

Yeah, pretty. Yes,exactly.

Jason Muth: 16:19

That's very different. Yeah. Fascinating.Tell us about some of the people that you know, not by name. But you know, the types of clients that you've gotten from from work in the bar that have turned into real estate clients as well, like, have they been easy to work with? Have they been challenging? You know, somewhere in between, like, what types of real estate projects? Are they looking to buy? Are they investors? Are they, you know,what's it like?

Johnny Welsh: 16:43

They are from all walks of life, a lot of different states as well. Some of them are actually second first homeowners in Denver,looking for a second home up in the mountains. And I'd say typically, they are, in my experience a little easier to work for than the actual friends that I help. The friends that I help out - oooh boy. And they know, because I let them know.And we share, we talked about it after the deal has been closed.But if people that I meet at the restaurant, and they're new friends, new clients, they are,to me, easier.

Jason Muth: 17:17

Friends can be tough, you know, you have you have one relationship as friends, and then suddenly, it's a business relationship. And you're not your relationship wasn't founded that way. And you know, you never know how you're going to react. Whereas when you're starting with somebody from a business perspective,from the beginning, you know,maybe it's a different foot from which is starting, or this is fascinating. Are there some other ways that you've found clients over the years? I mean,you mentioned that you did you started building houses a long time ago, like does any of that spill over into your current work?

Johnny Welsh: 17:47

Oh, yes, there's always some cross reference with construction and real estate, it goes both ways. I just helped my brother out part time, he's the master carpenter, he lives out here still, and I help him when I can. But another one of the ways and this was totally inadvertent, how I discovered to, you know, transcend this into real estate was the fact that I've written three books,and I'm a published author. And there's some tactics and techniques that I learned in the publishing industry, that can be can help with real estate. And one of them is, I'll say right now just talking about it. It's called H-A-R-O, Help a Reporter Out. And there are various topics that they ask queries for. And I will usually read through the queries to find out if there's anything in there related with book publishing author, even bartending, like I've responded to bartending articles and gotten published.I'm published in Men's Journal on a bartending article. So I wasn't in real estate full time,just then. So I just mentioned the bartending and my books. And that went into the actual article. So that plugged my books, but now I can actually plug the real estate too now. I see a lot of real estate questions too coming up. And I answered one of those in conversation with having that being published right now. So that's, it's a cool little thing. That's it's free. All you have to do is read the queries.And if it's even if it's something that you're not real estate, like related, like dog walking, like you said, if someone says, Hey, a dog walking query, you can respond to that if you're a dog walker, dog lover, with tips with tricks,any training ideas, treats you use for the dogs, you can talk about that. And at the very end,yeah, my name is Johnny Welsh,dog walker, also real estate.And you could plug that you never know what's gonna happen with that. I haven't had anything come back in just yet.But it's, it's a lot of exposure, and it's free. So it's a fun thing to do as well.

Jason Muth: 19:47

Yeah. Building that credibility is important,because then you could point to it as well. You know, when people are saying, Hey, who is this guy, you can say, hey, it was quoted in this article. Or I was just on this this news segment. I actually had heard of Help a Reporter Out. Rory, I think I signed you up for that a long time ago and then just never followed up with it.Something I forget. I'm glad you're bringing this back up though, Johnny, because it's been off my consciousness for a long time.

Johnny Welsh: 20:12

Sure. Just another idea right now, while like with things are slow, it's not a lot of inventory. Just read through some queries you never know which which can click with you if you have any kind of idea expertise in any kind of idea,topic or article, and you can actually have some fun, you know, engaging in that. And it's very end, you know, we're gonna look at some real estate in my area. I know the neighborhood, I know the markets, blah, blah,blah, you plug it at the very end, see what happens, put your contact info,

Rory Gill: 20:37

I actually want to ask a question about, you know,how you manage your, your relationships with when somebody comes to you through one channel, you know, either they're a friend of yours, or they come to you and they their first interaction with you, as a bartender. How do you pivot that relationship into you know,being the realtor?

Johnny Welsh: 20:54

Oh, I find out what they want, what they're looking for, you know, their likes and desires and let them know that hey, at the restaurant too I can say this upon parting.Yeah, guys, I'm off tomorrow, if you want to go look at some properties. I do all the neighborhoods out here. I know,you know, I know what's good.What's bad pros and cons.. Let's take a ride.

Rory Gill: 21:11

You know, do you supplement your real estate business with other marketing channels, your social media,paid advertising, anything like that?

Johnny Welsh: 21:18

I do. I have a good social media presence from the the author and the publishing companies. And so I can kind of, you know, I insert things every now and again in there, and I thought, photo, a closed deal or something like that. And I do subscribe to some leads from realtor.com. So that's been doing all right, for me as well.

Rory Gill: 21:41

And that's why I asked a couple, I guess, leading questions about what happens,you know, when you get busier and busier as a real estate agent. One of the questions I kind of get asked a lot is, you know, when should I become a full time agent, I have this other job. And I, you know, want to leave it and devote devote more time to real estate.Obviously, in this situation, if that other job is a major source of your real estate leads.That's not something you want to give up. So if you have time commitments, with one job, you want to build your real estate practice, how do you envision yourself growing because there are a finite number of hours in the day?

Johnny Welsh: 22:16

True, that's very true. That's, that's a tough one to juggle every now and again.You know, you can't be accessing your phone and texting and emailing. And when you're when you're trying to bartend. It doesn't doesn't work. My friend is the owner, I wouldn't want to do that to him. And that's not what he expects as far as his level of customer service as well. So, I mean, put on for those auto responders on your email or your voicemail saying,you know, I'm, I'm out of area,I'm out of service, or I'm out of communication for the next few hours, I will return your call or your text as soon as I can. And when you're in this when slows down and you're done working, get back into your text a follow up, you may miss a couple but I think you're gonna get benefit more by putting yourself out there to get the leads that have been panning out. Like for me, the restaurant, you know, I've had the deals close from people that I've met and you know, that we're great friends. In fact, I can see him now he's texting me now as we're talking although he said I can't read it. But yeah,my buddy Jake just texted he was the first client I had behind the bar and we're great friends now.

Jason Muth: 23:21

When you get a new client or close a deal, do they get a free drink at the bar or you buy a drink?

Johnny Welsh: 23:26

I am happy to buy them a drink at the bar.Absolutely.

Jason Muth: 23:32

What's your best cocktail.

Johnny Welsh: 23:34

I like to make martinis. Yeah, yep, I actually have your from the Boston area.It's called a Boston speed shaker and it's a tall metal shaker and a short metal shaker and they fit inside and you seal that up and you get the ice and now you shake that real hard. It is nice and cold. even has little ice chips in the very top we call it the ice rink.

Jason Muth: 23:54

Wait, so you put you put the ice inside the one and on the inside? Is that how it works? So the ice stays cold and

Johnny Welsh: 24:00

You put the ice in there you put the vodka you put it doesn't dilute?it whatever else they want -whatever martini they want - you cap it off with the Boston speech shaker and you shake the heck out of it.

Jason Muth: 24:09

You a gin or vodka guy?

Johnny Welsh: 24:11

I like vodka.

Jason Muth: 24:13

Yeah, yeah. Okay. I like gin. Rory doesn't like the gin martinis though. Little Tanquerey or a Bombay Sapphire.I'll take any of those.

Johnny Welsh: 24:22

I could do a gin too. Either way. Depends on my mood.

Jason Muth: 24:26

Do you do you find that the best customers have a certain a certain drink? Are they bar drinkers? Are they cocktail drinkers?

Johnny Welsh: 24:33

Oh, well they have their own drinks that they stick with. I don't know if it's there. And there's a certain type of drinker that buys the most I have no idea. That'd be good demographic to find out about.

Jason Muth: 24:44

And at the very least you can put a bottle of champagne with your new your new customers when they get their house.

Johnny Welsh: 24:49

Absolutely bottle of champagne bottle of wine,whatever they like. Yes.

Jason Muth: 24:52

Yeah, I love your sensibility. I mean, one thing that is evident to me is the personality comes through.Right? And I think that like I'm not a real estate agent myself.Like Rory is the agent. He trains the people but you know,I can see some of the successful agents versus the unsuccessful ones. And the successful ones have some charisma, you know,they have like something that makes them you know, very different. They're willing to go speak to anybody. They can play off and have a great conversation. They're fun to be around. They're smart. are, you know, these are all traits, I think that are relatively common with a lot of the real estate agents that do well, because it is a people business just like what you're doing behind the bar.

Johnny Welsh: 25:33

This is yes,absolutely, yes.

Jason Muth: 25:37

So before we get to our final questions, why don't you tell us a little bit about the market that's happening out in in Colorado, in Breckenridge,Vail that area? What's it like?

Johnny Welsh: 25:47

It's just I guess,just like everywhere else. The national headlines that I read in a local headlines are what I'm experiencing. It's a lot like everything everywhere else where, you know, mortgage rates are increasing interest rates,inflation is going up. We're started to see a few more listings than normal, which is,you know, that's good for the market. You ever right now inventory is low, it's very low.The demand is high. And, you know, overall, it's a lot of realtors, you know, working to make the living over the, you know, the few listings that are out there right now.

Jason Muth: 26:20

Are there a lot of short term rentals in these markets?

Johnny Welsh: 26:24

A lot of short term rentals up here. Yes. And there are a lot of the towns have passed ordinances or regulations on them. There's still some areas that don't have the regulations, but they're talking about it. Yeah, it's a concern up here, especially with the lack of, you know, staff,employee housing, all that stuff, everything.

Rory Gill: 26:44

Being a beautiful part of the country. Are you seeing an influx of remote workers taking advantage of the ability to work from anywhere?

Johnny Welsh: 26:50

Yes. Absolutely.

Jason Muth: 26:54

Not surprising. I mean, we're still seeing that in a lot of the markets surrounding Boston, although a lot of people are coming back to the city all of a sudden, you know, with, you know, COVID kind of goes up and down. And right now, you know,we're in a bit of a lull and the city is all of a sudden hot.But, yeah, Cape Cod, the mountains in New Hampshire,Vermont, you know, people moving to Maine. It's yeah, it's tough these days everywhere. And you look at a place in Colorado that's surrounded by mountains.There's not many places to build. Right?

Johnny Welsh: 27:23

Yeah, especially down here. We've got National Forest, you've got the steep cliffs behind us. You got the lake, the reservoir and I-70,interstate 70. So it's, it's very limited areas have to build.

Jason Muth: 27:36

Yeah, we have a big ocean to the east.

Johnny Welsh: 27:40

I know it well.

Jason Muth: 27:41

Not many places to build there. Yes, you do. Being from the Jersey Shore, Atlantic City area. Hey, was there anything we didn't cover that you want to talk about today,Johnny? Any final words? Before we get to our final questions?

Johnny Welsh: 27:51

No, I think we had a good a good conversation about the markets, and then new techniques on how to get out there and get some clients.

Jason Muth: 27:57

Yeah, I love some of the stuff that you said, I think that you know, if you're listening to this, and you're wondering where to get leads, if you're a real estate agent, you know, having a second gig or a side gig or volunteer thing is not a bad thing. It's a way to get out there to meet more people. I mean, I think it's it's really a numbers game. The more people that you're meeting,and the smarter that you are,the more you know, charismatic you could be and work those conversations, I think the better off you're going to be because then you're just getting yourself out there more, just like Johnny's doing. And he's connecting his multiple gigs together. That's what work is these days, right? It's multiple gigs. You know, you do this, and you got your side hustle, and you have your side thing there.And then next thing, you know,they're all connected somehow.

Johnny Welsh: 28:37

And I will I will add to that real quick that not only you may get some clients,but you will be helping out a local business nearby that needs help as well.

Jason Muth: 28:47

Yeah. And that is important these days, we see the Help Wanted signs up and down the streets around town.

Johnny Welsh: 29:33

Like a day a week,two days a week, and it will have to be a lot, even a few hours. You know, when it's whenever it's slow time for you.It's good to help him get out there. You never know what can happen from that.

Jason Muth: 29:42

Well, why don't we move into our follow up questions, we ask these of all of our guests that come on the podcast just as a way to close things up and get to know you a little bit better. Our first question is, if you can get on stage for half hour talking about any subject in the world,not real estate, what would that be?

Johnny Welsh: 29:58

Oh, wow, I guess I know bartending the best because I've been doing that for 30years. But part of that bartending was the fact that I love to travel. And that's why I chose to be a bartender for my most of my life. So I can talk about travel for a good half hour.

Jason Muth: 30:13

I saw that you spent some time in Italy.

Johnny Welsh: 30:16

I did.

Jason Muth: 30:17

Yeah. So you speak Italian pretty well?

Johnny Welsh: 30:19

Yeah, it was more fluent years ago. I just don't want to speak it that much, you know, at the bar,

Jason Muth: 30:24

Yeah. Yeah. Now,were you fluent in European Italian or Jersey Italian.

Johnny Welsh: 30:30

A little bit of both. Yeah, I go back and forth- one's a dialect, one's a standard.

Jason Muth: 30:37

Our second question is tell us something that happened early on in your career or your life that impacts the way that you're working today.

Johnny Welsh: 30:45

Wow. I'd have to say that when I graduated from Syracuse University, I was supposed to go to chiropractic school and be a chiropractor.And because my degree actually about the time I degree was in Italian literature, language,and culture. I had applied to an internship to go help out at a castle in Tuscany, doing some research for them. And working in the vineyards and olive groves I applied to both. That summer, I got accepted to both.I think it was in the same week.So I was torn. I was 23 years old and I was terrified. I didn't know what I was going to do with my life. Did I go be a Doctor of Chiropractic? Or do I go one of the hills of Tuscany with the wind in my hair. And I chose to go work in the castle.Because I made that decision,that is when I began to write.And I've also been a writer since then.

Jason Muth: 31:38

No regrets, right.

Johnny Welsh: 31:39

No regrets at all.No, no love to travel. I love to meet people. And the bartending was great for that with also the travel. Because we had the - we were closed for the slow seasons. It was great in Colorado. So it all worked out great. And you know, and now I'm sure like I said, I've been transitioning for 12 years, the past two really full time in real estate. And you know, I'm learning the ins and the outs and I'm having a good time with it.

Jason Muth: 32:03

Yeah. We spent time in Italy. I spent time in Italy after college just on a two week tour that I went back one other time. So I've been to Tuscany a few times. Siena, and San Giminiano. Yeah. And Orvieto, is that there? Is that?

Johnny Welsh: 32:18

Yes, yes, it is.

Jason Muth: 32:19

Yeah. And I too, was supposed to go to med school.Yeah. Thank God. Oh, what a great decision. If you're listening to this, and you're coming out of college, you don't have to go into the field that everyone thinks that you want to be in. No, it's great advice.

Johnny Welsh: 32:34

Go run the hills of Tuscany.

Jason Muth: 32:37

Go find yourself in your 20s. Right? The final question we have for you, Johnny is tell us something that you've been listening to watching or reading these days.

Johnny Welsh: 32:45

Oh, I, when I was volunteering at the library a couple of weeks ago, the ladies were telling me oh, yeah, this audio book is amazing. It was Michelle Obama - Becoming Michelle audiobook. And so I went next door to the library and checked it out. So I've been listening to Michelle Obama for the past couple of weeks on my car.

Jason Muth: 33:04

Rory, listened to that one, right. It's

Rory Gill: 33:06

Been a while ago, but that was a good one. Yes.

Johnny Welsh: 33:09

Yeah. It's amazing. I've been liking it a lot. It's nice.

Jason Muth: 33:14

Rory and I share an Audible account because we're allowed to same household.And... not stealing. And, and there'll be books that he downloads where I download. I'm like, oh, did you download that book and the Michelle Obama one.I think I downloaded that one.But then you listen to the ones I download. Because I don't get to them because I don't have a long drive.

Rory Gill: 33:31

You just download them. You don't listen to them.It doesn't really count if you don't listen to them.

Jason Muth: 33:34

If you buy books,like you've you know, that's a good thing. Like even if you don't read it, you buy it, you have the intention of reading it right?

Johnny Welsh: 33:41

True. Oh, I write nonfiction humor. So it's pretty much sarcastic bartender ball breaking kind of fun. So my first book was about the legalization of marijuana,Colorado, because we were the first state. So I did a lot of research in that area and talked about both sides of the equation. Because I mean, I really don't like, partake like I used to and like I said, I was serving alcohol for a living. So I had bigger fish to fry. So I compare the two. And that was a fun book. And that's gone over to sell about over 10,000copies. And it's won two international awards. My next book, because of the bartending and the traveling was a travel book, because a travel journal photo journal, and my girlfriend at the time and I were traveling for 17 days, it was a road trip.And we had this idea was like a dare to see who could unplug from their smartphone, for the most time for the longest time during the 17 days. So we unplugged our phones. So we had to get paper maps, to travel, we couldn't use our phones, we see the kind of like threw out technology for a little while just to like, really embrace life. And we joked about it and caught it paper maps, no apps.And lo and behold, when I was journaling that every day, and we saw how we were people,people were responding to us and like we were changing their perspective during their, during our stay with them. And they said that, and they it was it was amazing. So that was the idea that made that book happen on the trip. And that became a book and that's won five awards.And I'm very grateful for that very fortunate that there's one that many and it's because of my editing team. But that was fun to do. And because we don't spend our time on our phones.That girlfriend is now my wife because we listened a little more than we used to. So that was that was a fun book. And then the third book I wrote during the pandemic, and it was called Toilet Paper Crisis -Wipe Away Those Fears. And that's a comedy on scarcity mentality, which can also translate translate into real estate. We go through a lot of shit, pardon my expression and my friend sorry, bartender humor.

Jason Muth: 35:52

You know, they're available on your website,johnnywelsh.com. I'm sure they're available at your favorite independent bookstore if you'd like to buy them but you do have links to Amazon on here and easy way to buy them.Excellent. Well, that's great,you know So we'll look forward to checking out your your books.I'll admit, I have not read them because I have a seven minute drives to work. So it makes it more difficult, especially with the three year old, but I will.

Johnny Welsh: 36:15

Audible too.

Jason Muth: 36:16

That's what I'm going to do.

Johnny Welsh: 36:17

Paper Maps, No Apps is on Audible.

Jason Muth: 36:21

Whenever we have guests on that have books, and we've had guests in the past, we always do read the books afterwards.

Johnny Welsh: 36:25

Oh, great. Thank you.

Jason Muth: 36:27

Hey, Rory, where can people find you if they want to want to talk about real estate in Boston or law or anything else you have to say?

Rory Gill: 36:35

I mean, unless I tried to go 17 days with no apps, you can probably find it pretty easily at UrbanVillage Legal - urbanvillagelegal.com,or NextHome Titletown.Nexthometitletown.com.

Jason Muth: 36:45

And Johnny, we mentioned johnnywalsh.com is your website anywhere else that you haunt these days that people can reach out to you?

Johnny Welsh: 36:53

Now that's it.That's my site. That my Facebook page and Instagram that kind of stuff?

Jason Muth: 36:57

You want to plug the restaurant or leave it up to?

Johnny Welsh: 37:00

Yeah, come see me at Fifth Avenue Grill. It's on the corner of Fifth and Main,people was calling to ask where are we located? I'm serious -Fifth Avenue Grill is on Fifth and Main. Yes, ironically. Yeah,behind the bar there, Fridays and Sundays. It's great. Come say hi.

Jason Muth: 37:12

Awesome. Go say hi to Johnny. Well, we'll do that next time we're out in Colorado.Thank you so much. I really appreciate all your insights.You know, I think this has been a great conversation talking about some unconventional ways to to find some clients and what's happening in the Colorado Real Estate Market.

Johnny Welsh: 37:26

Awesome. Thank you, Rory and Jason. Thank you guys.

Jason Muth: 37:29

Yeah, thank you. And thanks for everyone for listening. If you've enjoyed this podcast, we'd love it if you can give us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen to this, or give us a rating or comment. And if you want to reach out to me directly, you can get me at jason@nexthometitletown.com. And that's it. Thanks so much for listening. It's been The Real Estate Law Podcast and we'll talk to you next time.

Announcer: 37:51

This has been The Real Estate Law Podcast because real estate is more than just pretty pictures. And law goes well beyond the paperwork and courtroom arguments. were powered by NextHome Titletown,Greater Boston's progressive real estate brokerage. More at nexthometitletown.com. And UrbanVillage Legal,Massachusetts real estate Council serving savvy property owners, lenders and investors more at urbanvillagelegal.com.Today's conversation was not legal advice, but we hope you found it entertaining and informative. Discover more at realestatelawpodcast.com. Thank you for listening