A recent read for us here at Brick + Ember Outfitters, “101 Things Everyone Should Know About Real Estate Investing” by Seth Williams.

We picked five tips from the list of 101 tips, mainly because 101 would be insane right now! Given your time allowances as an agent we’ve got to keep you moving…

1. Collaborate. Find great team members to help you pull off your overall vision. One person alone can only handle so much (and it limits your education). – Ken McElroy

B+E: We’d like to be a part of your team. Inspection Reports are an inevitable facet of your job – they come, and we know chimney or masonry related issues are brought to the attention of your buyer/seller. We’re here to collaborate, and to do what needs to be done. Whether that’s an estimate for repairs, or carrying out what needs to be done to close the sale of the home.

2. Be fanatical about due diligence. Try to obtain and confirm every bit of information you can about an investment — not just the physical property but the history and potential future of revenue, operating expenses, and capital costs. – Frank Gallinelli

B+E: A great example of this would be knowing whether the fireplace is functional and safe, or not. A fireplace can be a great selling point, whether it works or not, and what it could cost to repair could help with potential buyers (those who want it to work, versus those who don’t mind either way). Give us a shout if you’re not sure, we’ll clean, inspect, and report back to you about the fireplace/chimney safety and functionality!

3. Don’t take shortcuts in your repairs and updates. Shortcuts will end up costing you money in the long run when a prospective Buyer’s offer comes in lower than anticipated or when their inspections reveal poor workmanship in the property you’re selling. Don’t let your properties be known as the gal/guy who delivers shoddy properties. – Lynn Pineda

B+E: Well, that’s pretty cut and dry. Your confidence in the transaction is the strength of your buyers/sellers. Your reputation with those homeowners, post sale, will be your strength in the market – that’s how word-of-mouth works.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. There are so many details in real estate that it can be overwhelming.  One of the great things about experienced investors is that they have all been in your place.  Turn to more experienced investors with your questions, as there is no such thing as a stupid question. – Joshua Dorkin

B+E: Brick + Ember Outfitters is glad to be of any assistance when it comes to any chimney or masonry related concerns listed on those Inspection Reports – don’t stress the numbers, we can get those to you! Send over the Inspection Reports via email (with plenty of details), and we’ll see what we can do!

5. Relationships. In the world today everything is very fast-paced/cut and dry. Everyone is just trying to get the job done and make money. This method may get things done quickly, but it doesn’t necessarily ensure quality. By taking your time and focusing on building relationships you can eliminate the ones looking for a quick penny and only work with people who genuinely have your best interest at heart. – Engelo Rumora

B+E: Brick + Ember Outfitters is listed on MIBOR, Tucker Home Services, and regularly attends Tucker luncheons with agents. We are a service provider that is committed to building equity, restoring beauty and growing peace of mind. We want you to know that we’re here to keep things moving, and to build genuine relationships with agents and homeowners, alike. At the core of each of our respective services are people. We once read it in Go-Givers Sell More, “You want good people skills? Be a person.” Great customer service skills are a key differentiator for any business man or woman.


As you head into the Fall/Winter season, the greatest skills you will bring to your transactions with clients will be those which add-value to them. Brick + Ember Outfitters wants to partner with you to make those transactions as seamless as possible. Send us a detailed inspection report and we will do our best to provide you with a rough estimate for the necessary repairs, no more, no less, within 24-48 business hours. If we are required to come out to visually assess the called-out parts of the estimate, it’s just $50!

Build a strong brand, be a great agent – we’ll grow piece of mind together.