By Heather Bilyeu

Another fun and exciting episode!

We start off with Josh Altman meeting his new client at the McLaren dealership in Beverly Hills. Orlando Scandrick is Josh’s dream client; a young NFL player who just signed a multi-million dollar contract, although to make the dream complete for Josh, Orlando would be playing for the Patriots, not the Cowboys!

When dealing with high-profile clients such as Orlando, it is typical to start the home buying or selling process with the clients “entourage,” such as business managers, talent agents and financial advisors. In this case, Jamie Tebbe, Orlando’s business manager, steps in to help with the home search since Orlando’s time is valuable. Jamie knows what his client wants and is there to protect his best interest in making this investment.

As an agent, managing a high-profile client and their team of consultants can be a very consuming and demanding process, but it comes with the territory of luxury real estate. The agent has to be on their A-game or the “entourage” will tear you apart, but the payoff is huge at the end of the day when you have made a connection with the gatekeepers, as they are called, to some hard to reach clients.

I swear Josh Flagg is a 26-year-old trapped in a 70-year-old man’s body. I mean his cholesterol is out of control, his wardrobe resembles that of his grandfather’s and he’s wise beyond his years. Again, another difficult sale for Flagg. It’s never a good thing to be the biggest and best home on the block as you’ll learn from Ben, the seller on this episode. Not only is Ben’s home the biggest and most improved home, it also stands out like a sore thumb as the massive contemporary next to traditional, modest-sized family homes. I don’t see Flagg’s over-the-top night at the circus event getting a buyer to overpay by $1 million, but it will get bodies through the door. Can’t wait to see how this deal comes together. Maybe they’ll thow in the circus performers.

Oh, Madison, where to begin? Let’s just say there is always two sides to every story, and then there is the reality television side. Will the drama ever end? Stay tuned to see what happens next week.

Thank you for watching, supporting, reading and commenting. Follow me on Twitter @heatherbilyeu #TeamHeather.

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Our Agents’ Corner features posts written by our agents and management team about a broad range of topics, from thoughts on the real estate industry to commentary on everything but real estate, including entertainment, art, charity, food, sports and more. All views shared are those of the writer, unfiltered. 

The post Heather Bilyeu Dishes On Episode 6 of “Million Dollar Listing” appeared first on The Agency.

By Heather Bilyeu

I was having withdrawals from “Million Dollar Listing” this past week. Hope everyone had a great 4th of July! But I’m happy the boys are back and closing some big deals this week.

In real estate, some agents say the only real motivators for people to sell or buy property are “The 3 D’s: Death, Divorce & Debt.” As sad as it is, these are very common factors playing a major role in today’s real estate market. I have had several clients forced to sell due to these circumstances, and it is a very fragile and challenging situation. As an agent, you must handle with the utmost care and discretion.

A great example of this is Flagg’s buyer Perry who is going through a divorce. Flagg gets off easy on this one, only having to represent Perry as the buyer. It becomes a bit more tricky when representing a home when the couple is divorcing and playing the middle man for the couple. Usually, one person doesn’t want to sell and/or the couple cannot communicate, and you are stuck in the middle. This is when it is a good strategy to bring on a second listing agent so that each seller feels they have a representative on their side.

On a lighter note, I have to compliment Flagg on his style this episode, in particular the white tuxedo jacket with pink accents. He took a risk, and I think he nailed it! Anyway, congrats on the sale Flagg and best of luck to Perry in his new chapter.

I know we already covered this in my last post but can we talk about how Altman tells me that I’m right when I call him out on letting his pride get in the way of an amazing listing? Okay, I’m gloating now so I’ll move on. “Low ball” offers can be a great way to get a deal as long as the offer is presented in the right way. Buyers must be aware when submitting a “low ball” offer to either preface the offer with supporting facts/numbers and emotional reasons as to why the offer is low, or pick a number that is low enough where the client is not going to be offended like Gary, the seller, was. Gary is an educated client who put a lot of time and money into his home, and he was not going to give up his home that easily. Gary and Altman played hard ball with the buyers and ended up selling the home less than .03% less than the asking price.

This year it appears Madison has been faced with some difficult clients and properties. Again, Madison is forced to sell what will be an amazing new construction view property, but in its current state, it is more of a war zone and risk for a lawsuit if a client were to get injured walking through the home. Madison is correct when he says, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

From my experience, most buyers do not have the ability to visualize what a property’s potential could be; this is when a good agent steps in with a marketing strategy. I would recommend for this particular listing to provide elaborate renderings of what each room will look like once completed and a sample of the materials used for the finishes. The seller wants to sell immediately and strike while the iron is hot, and I don’t want to miss out on the listing because if I don’t take it, another agent will. This is the best marketing strategy for the seller to maximize his profit and as an agent to spend my marketing dollars. It will be interesting to see how this listing ends up!

Thank you for your support! Follow me on Twitter @heatherbilyeu #TeamHeather.

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Our Agents’ Corner features posts written by our agents and management team about a broad range of topics, from thoughts on the real estate industry to commentary on everything but real estate, including entertainment, art, charity, food, sports and more. All views shared are those of the writer, unfiltered. 

The post Heather Bilyeu’s Million Dollar Listing Recap: Episode 5 appeared first on The Agency.

By Heather Bilyeu

Another great episode! I would like to start by saying welcome aboard to Madison’s new assistant, Paige. She seems lovely and qualified, and I wish her the best because trust me, it’s not all roses. This week the “Million Dollar Listing” boys were definitely challenged by their clients.

Josh Flagg listed the condo literally across the hall from him. How convenient! The condo is done to the nines, has amazing views, great location plus the prospective buyer would have Josh Flagg as a neighbor. Haha! Flagg runs into a snag right off the bat with the seller, Glenn. Glenn decides to stick around for the first showing, and it’s never a good idea for the seller to be present as it makes the buyer uncomfortable. The buyer also becomes distracted and does not speak candidly about the home.

The next hurdle Flagg is not able to bounce back from. Flagg presents Glenn with a strong offer, which scares Glenn out of selling, and he takes the condo off the market. I have a philosophy that real estate is like dating and relationships. In this case, the relationship moved too fast and the other person (Glenn the seller) gets cold feet. I don’t think Flagg could have done anything differently to keep this one together. Better luck next time. Oh, and by the way, Edith is hysterical. “The bed is too small!” This is coming from a woman who barely stands at 4’10”!

I think many people are surprised at the advice Josh Altman gives his clients, Tim and Tom, during the multiple offer situation. Most people would have gone for the full price offer but Altman knows how difficult it is to secure financing right now. If the financed deal would have fallen through, he could have lost his sellers more than $40k in carrying costs, plus time and the risk of shopping around for another buyer. Cash is king as they say. Plus, Altman was able to play hardball with the cash buyer and still make his sellers a good profit.

Watching Altman on this listing appointment was so frustrating. “You don’t need this listing and I don’t need to sell!” I get it, Realtors only want to work with realistic sellers or it’s just a waste of time and money for us, but in this case, I think my man let his ego and pride get in the way of this meeting. I’m so happy I called him out on it and laid down the law. Otherwise, I was going to call Gary.

In regards to Madison’s Park City home, I found it odd that Madison and the listing agent exposed their cards in front of the buyer’s agent. It left them with little to nothing to negotiate. At least his parents got their bottom line. I’m a little jealous that I wasn’t there to enjoy Madison’s moms cookies. That was one of the perks to the job!

Until next week, keep on hustling and thank you for the support. Follow me on Twitter: @heatherbilyeu #TeamHeather.

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Our Agents’ Corner features posts written by our agents and management team about a broad range of topics, from thoughts on the real estate industry to commentary on everything but real estate, including entertainment, art, charity, food, sports and more. All views shared are those of the writer, unfiltered. 

The post Heather Bilyeu’s Million Dollar Listing Recap: Episode 4 appeared first on The Agency.

By Heather Bilyeu

The beginning of this week’s episode of “Million Dollar Listing L.A.” starts right where we left off, with Madison and I cornered off in the master bedroom. Sure, most women, and some men, would be in heaven, but not me. What nerve does Madison have to confront me while I’m hosting a broker’s open? Oh well, it was good to have finally been able to see him face-to-face since he avoided me for so long.

I think our conversation speaks for itself. Josh Altman was a co-listing agent, just like any other co-listing agent that we have had in the past. There are times that Madison has had to co-list with agents he does not like on a personal or even business level, but you suck it up because it is business. As you can see, it was an emotional conversation for me, but I’ve moved on to bigger and better! Speaking of, the broker’s open was such a success. Food + Drinks = Lots of Realtors! Secret to success. We had great feedback, and it worked out well that Josh and I can really cater to all demographics when selling this penthouse.

Josh Flagg’s lease client, Gabby, is a doll. Straying from real estate for a moment, I love her collection of leopard Louboutins, and she possesses a great style in general. Getting back to Josh Flagg now. Leases are not why Realtors get in the business. They are a ton of work for little to no pay and a long headache of property management afterwards. However, leases can lead to new clients, new listings or that same lease client buying later on. For instance, I have a great couple who just moved here from Seattle a year ago and was looking for leases up to $4500/month. It was a lot of work to find them a place, and micromanaging the lease since, but they are now looking to purchase a home up to $2 Million. My suggestion is don’t pass on that lease lead too quickly, because you never know who is on the other end.

I do love Madison’s parents, Phil and Wendy, but I obviously lost them in the break up. From the sounds of it, they were upset too. Phil and Wendy’s home in Park City is gorgeous. It’s interesting to see Madison be in the shoes of a seller. I think this is a great experience for viewers to see how to interview agents as there is no real guide out there for that. As you see, Madison lines up several agents for interviews. I recommend asking your neighbors, family and friends who they have used; a referral goes a long way. Also, searching the internet for keywords to find agents is also helpful as 85% of buyers start their search on the internet, which means your listing will pop-up if you list with that same agent you found.

Madison asks the agents important questions about their business, such as: how many homes do you have on the market, how many have you sold, and what price point do you typically sell. It’s also key to know if the agent has sold in the neighborhood before because you want someone familiar with the features of the community and area and who knows the inventory so they can price your property correctly and have a pool of buyers for your property. We’ll have to wait until next week to see who Madison hires.

Josh Altman lists a renovated California bungalow that is priced to sell. Josh’s open house goes really well, and between the price, location and the fact that the home is basically turn key, it created a lot of buzz. Josh really added to the value of the home by including the renderings of the backyard, showing the multiple ways a buyer could add a pool. Buyers are very visual and that type of marketing is always received well. And doesn’t Josh look cute with a baby in his arms?

The private showing goes great. The perfect home for a young, single girl and her adorable pup who is sporting dog nail “pawlish.” So LA! As Josh Altman predicted, the home has multiple offers. The sellers are a bit put-off by the lower offer but this is how the sport of negotiating works. I try to inform my clients never to take these offers personally. Josh is in a great situation despite what his clients may think. This is Josh’s opportunity to put the heat on the multiple buyers and get them to step up. I like to say: “You have to pay to play. Give me your best and final!” Stay tuned to see if Josh can sell this one and stay tuned for next week’s big sales and big drama.

Follow me on Twitter @heatherbilyeu #TeamHeather.

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Our Agents’ Corner features posts written by our agents and management team about a broad range of topics, from thoughts on the real estate industry to commentary on everything but real estate, including entertainment, art, charity, food, sports and more. All views shared are those of the writer, unfiltered. 

The post Heather Bilyeu On “Million Dollar Listing L.A.” Episode 3 appeared first on The Agency.

By Heather Bilyeu

2003 was a booming real estate market in Las Vegas. I was selling homes within seconds of coming on the MLS, sight unseen, waiving all contingencies and offering 10-20% higher than the listed price. It was incredible. I had just graduated high school and was already a top-producing agent at my company within one year. As the market started to decline, I had to get creative about picking up business. I door knocked FSBO’s and started to pursue investment groups with cash, but the market crashed.

I was 22 when I moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles five years ago to pursue a real estate career. I decided to research the top agents in the business and contact them for a meeting. Billy Rose was one of the top agents I contacted and who, surprisingly, agreed to meet with a newbie like me. The majority either never returned my call or told me to look on Craigslist. Billy gave me great advice on breaking into the high-end real estate market in Los Angeles. He gave me referrals to other top agents who were looking for assistants, as this was the best way to get a thorough education in L.A. real estate and network within this tight-knit community where outsiders are not always welcomed. I took Billy’s advice and assisted two top brokers for four years, soaking up every bit of information like a sponge, from techniques on marketing and negotiating to how to price a property from Hollywood Hills to Malibu. I gained a wealth of knowledge and knew it was time for me to stand on my own as an agent.

Timing was kismet! My good friend Mauricio Umansky and Billy Rose had partnered to create The Agency. I interviewed four other brokerages before meeting with Billy and Mauricio. Even though I knew they would be the best, I had to perform my due diligence like a good agent would.

Redefining real estate: What a concept! Billy and Mauricio’s vision of a collaborative culture amongst agents was a breath of fresh air. The Agency is a family, a partnership; we work together and celebrate each other’s successes. In addition to a healthy culture, Mauricio and Billy are arming their agents with the knowledge and expertise they have accumulated over the course of a combined 27 years in the business. Having two real estate agents who consistently rank at the top of the real estate game heading the brokerage is not only an advantage to the agents in the office but to our clients as well.

My philosophy is to surround yourself with successful people you respect and admire, and you too will become successful. I am pleased to announce that I am the newest member of The Agency. I respect and admire Billy and Mauricio on a business and personal level, and I am grateful to have them as my mentors and team members. I love The Agency’s vision. I believe in it and am very excited for what’s to come.

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Our Agents’ Corner features posts written by our agents and management team about a broad range of topics, from thoughts on the real estate industry to commentary on everything but real estate, including entertainment, art, charity, food, sports and more. All views shared are those of the writer, unfiltered. 

The post Why I Joined The Agency Family appeared first on The Agency.

Heather Bilyeu, starlet of Bravo’s hit reality series “Million Dollar Listing,” has joined the growing ranks of highly skilled and successful agents at The Agency. Heather made the announcement public via Twitter (@heatherbilyeu) Wednesday night, during an eventful episode 2, Season 5, of “Million Dollar Listing.”

“I’d like to warmly welcome Heather Bilyeu to The Agency,” said Mauricio Umansky, CEO and co-founder of The Agency. “We are very excited about her joining us and are looking forward to taking L.A. by storm.”

Billy Rose, President and co-founder of The Agency, added: ”I’m super excited to have Heather Bilyeu join The Agency team. I get a sense of what Phil Jackson must have felt when the Lakers traded for Kobe.”

“I respect and admire Billy and Mauricio on a business and personal level, and I am grateful to have them as my mentors and team members,” said Heather. “I love The Agency’s vision; I believe in it and am very excited to be apart of the family.”

Since becoming a Realtor in 2003 in California and Nevada, Heather has been involved in more than $100 Million worth of transactions. As a buyer’s and seller’s agent at The Agency, Heather is committed to offering her clients the highest quality representation and professionalism along with superb customer service, national and international exposure and individualized marketing strategies that serve her clients’ needs.

Heather has been a licensed Realtor in Las Vegas since 2003. Within just a few months of receiving her real estate license, Heather received the “Rising Star” award from Prudential Americana. Shortly thereafter, Heather transferred to Re/Max Exclusive, where she became a multi-million dollar producer and was named Top Producer her first year.

As the Las Vegas real estate market shifted, Heather decided to move part of her focus to pursue a degree in Business Management and moved to Los Angeles where she quickly obtained her California real estate license. Wanting to work for a successful top producing broker, Heather found a position with Linda May Properties in Beverly Hills and then transitioned to working with Madison Hildebrand in Malibu. Having a successful agent-to-client sales track record and excellent customer service and administrative experience, Heather has helped Madison Hildebrand become one of the top producing Realtors in Malibu.

Heather is devoted to serving the needs of real estate buyers and sellers in destinations throughout Los Angeles, including Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills, West Hollywood & Bel Air.

The post Heather Bilyeu of Million Dollar Listing Joins The Agency appeared first on The Agency.