Carrie Fife: Builder Site Agent to Realtor

REE #236 Transcript

[00:00:00] Carrie Fife:
If you don't have an end goal, then in your business models, you're just shooting at the wind. So yes, I have a goal every day of not only how many people am I reaching out to, but how many connections am I truly making? How many people am I converting to an appointment?

Because at the end of the year, I want to be able to reflect on that and see how many of these people that I spoke with and connected with had an actual real estate conversation that converted to an appointment and then to a contract—or how many did I lose. So yeah, there are very strict goals and drilling down. It can't just be a number.

[00:01:08] Tracy Hayes:
Hey, welcome back to the Real Estate Excellence Podcast. I have a really special guest today that I am looking to learn more about. She has over a decade of experience in real estate, not only in retail real estate but also started with a builder, which is a little bit different.

We’re looking at how she made that transition, having come from a dozen years in insurance. She has nearly 25 years of experience working with people from a sales and service perspective. From 2016 to 2020, she was a Laurel Award Winner in Excellence in Production. She enjoys volunteering and being a child sponsor advocate. Let's welcome this great person and great real estate agent, Carrie Fife, to the show.

[00:01:48] Carrie Fife:
Thank you so much.

[00:01:50] Tracy Hayes:
I’m glad you made it down. When I was looking at your resume, I trolled everyone’s LinkedIn as I usually do. I generally see people on social media, maybe they won an award or something and put it up there. Then I go over to LinkedIn because I like to look at their background.

Unless someone is just out of college, many real estate agents like yourself transitioned from another career. How did that other career affect you? What skills did you take from there and apply to real estate? As I said before the show, the unique thing about you is the transition from your previous career in corporate America to the builder world, which is a little different in terms of sales. And now, obviously, you're out in the retail sales with Keller Williams St. John’s.

[00:02:38] Carrie Fife:
Yeah. I started with insurance—property and casualty insurance—in my twenties. I worked there in customer service as a service specialist for just over 12 years. That company decided to switch products and transition, so I was really at a loss. I didn’t know what I was going to do.

Thinking back now, I realized that I feel like God was preparing a path for me. Some of my closest friends were already super successful in real estate. In fact, I would go to dinner, and I’d be the “insurance person” while everyone else was in real estate.

When it came time for me to decide what to do next, I felt like it was just right there.

[00:03:54] Tracy Hayes:
Let’s step back and go in chronological order. You grew up in Middleburg, right?

[00:04:00] Carrie Fife:
I did, yeah.

[00:04:01] Tracy Hayes:
I saw Middleburg High on your LinkedIn. At 18 years old, what were you thinking about for a career?

[00:04:10] Carrie Fife:
I was ready to get out of Middleburg and make a life for myself. I moved out to Ponte Vedra, which was a totally different lifestyle. At the time, my father’s fiancée was the executive assistant at Zurich Insurance Services, where I started my employment. She got me on board, and the rest is history.

[00:04:47] Tracy Hayes:
So you were really 18 or 19 years old when you started with Zurich Insurance?

[00:04:51] Carrie Fife:
I think I started at maybe 20—19 or 20, somewhere around there.

[00:05:00] Tracy Hayes:
You were there a dozen years. So you slowly graduated up and took on different positions. What are some of the different things that you did within insurance?

[00:05:09] Carrie Fife:
I started as a receptionist handling incoming calls. I worked with some very prominent names in Jacksonville. I eventually transferred to different departments and moved into customer service, managing policies, creating certificates of insurance, and processing endorsements. It was also an inbound call center, so agents and customers contacted me while I updated forms and managed policies.

[00:06:04] Tracy Hayes:
Corporate America must have offered structure and professional training. Did you thrive in that environment?

[00:06:19] Carrie Fife:
Yes, I thrived on structure. I wasn’t in real estate earlier because I loved the stability of corporate benefits, like health insurance and retirement. I also had a consistent income and thrived in that environment.

[00:07:01] Tracy Hayes:
When things started to change in the company structure, how did you feel? Did you start thinking more about real estate?

[00:07:55] Carrie Fife:
A few friends told me I should get into real estate, but my answer was absolutely not. I valued the security and benefits of corporate life too much. It wasn’t until the transition and layoffs happened that I had to reconsider.

[00:08:30] Tracy Hayes:
Were you out of work or just preparing for the transition?

[00:08:34] Carrie Fife:
There were several layoffs, and I was in the last package. We knew it was coming, so all of us were preparing.

[00:08:46] Tracy Hayes:
You knew it was coming?

[00:08:46] Carrie Fife:
Oh yeah, we knew. The mistake I made was switching to the agency side. I worked for a brokerage downtown, but I didn’t know what I was doing, so they let me go. It was a big blow after being so successful for over 10 years.

[00:10:00] Tracy Hayes:
That must have been tough. Did that experience stick with you?

[00:10:21] Carrie Fife:
Yes, it stuck with me for years.

[00:13:10] Tracy Hayes:
You’ve been in real estate now for over 10 years. What do you love about it?

[00:13:10] Carrie Fife:
The relationships. In homebuilding, you sometimes work with customers for two or three years. They visit you during the process, and you build meaningful connections. It’s no longer just about showing a model; it’s about understanding why they’re moving, what they’re looking for, and helping them find their ideal home.

[00:15:00] Carrie Fife:
On the resale side, I think nurturing your customers is something we have to do every day to maintain that relationship. Once you get them in contract on the homebuilding side, that's when the process starts. You're calling them every week, but the relationship is built when they’re bringing their dog, their kids, and their whole family into your office—sometimes for no reason other than to bring you a cupcake.

Those are the memories that I take with me. I have these relationships with people where I still go to lunch and breakfast with them. That’s the relationships for me. The meaningful impact of sitting down, especially when I was in homebuilding, is that we did some custom work. I would take a floor plan, they’d tell me their dream, and I could draw and measure it out. Then, 12 months later, we’d see it come to life.

That, to me, is something special. It just makes me emotional because it engages me with that customer for a lifetime. They’ll remember that Toll Brothers home or that Standback home, and we always talk about it, whether they’re still living there or not.

The other side of it is the homebuilding piece. I was raised in a family of contractors who owned their own businesses. It’s a family of drywall contractors and carpenters. In fact, I have a family member today who does custom carpentry work in model homes.

[00:16:32] Tracy Hayes:
Right.

[00:16:33] Carrie Fife:
So, with my family building homes, there’s just a love there. All of my customers will tell you—I see things in homes that we need to talk about, or I’ll just admire stuff when I’m walking in. It’s just something I’m in awe of, so that’s another piece of it that I really love.

[00:16:55] Tracy Hayes:
We get the love part. You said you think about the challenges a lot. What brings up thoughts of those times when you were unsure of what direction to take? Are there things that trigger that for you?

[00:17:39] Carrie Fife:
Yes. Resale—or what I call general real estate—was a big shift for me. Coming out of homebuilding, the reason I moved forward into general real estate was because I had built financial stability over eight or nine years prior. I knew that, to make this switch, I needed to be financially stable and know how to run a business.

When I made the switch, I was able to come out of the gate pretty strong, knowing I could make it for a while based on what I had built in my savings. But negative thoughts do come up, especially when you have a down year.

[00:19:00] Tracy Hayes:
It sounds like the ebbs and flows of the market play into that.

[00:19:23] Carrie Fife:
Absolutely. When I have a year like this one—which has been difficult—or when I had a tough year starting in 2022, it raises negative thoughts. You start to wonder if you can keep going. Sometimes, it takes me back to that job where I felt like I wasn’t good enough.

But the reality is, I know my value, I know my worth, and I know that if you give me a little time, I’ll become an expert at it and be really good. It just takes time.

[00:19:42] Tracy Hayes:
The third part of what I call the LLC—love, laughter, and consistency—is consistency. How long did you spend with the builders?

[00:19:50] Carrie Fife:
About eight years.

[00:19:55] Tracy Hayes:
You must’ve had a routine down. But now, as a general real estate agent, you’ve had to change that routine. What are some things you’ve done consistently to create structure in your business?

[00:21:08] Carrie Fife:
You brought up structure, and that’s a big pain point for me. There’s no inherent structure in general real estate. What comes with that is the need for great leadership.

Last year, I realized I was operating without any solid business models. I needed models to support my goals and long-term plans. Without those, I was just answering the phone whenever it rang.

[00:22:08] Tracy Hayes:
I think a lot of agents operate that way.

[00:22:27] Carrie Fife:
Right. By the grace of God, my phone did ring a lot last year, and I did pretty well. But I realized you still need to be consistently prospecting. Lead generation is so important. You have to set aside focused time each day to make calls, reach out to customers, and nurture them—or follow up with past clients or open house visitors.

Last year, nearly 100% of my business came from my sphere of influence, but I knew I needed to shift. I started building business models for myself and following them strictly. I also began doing lead generation. My goal is for 25% of my business to come from new leads.

[00:23:47] Tracy Hayes:
Sphere of influence is great if it’s enough. But as you’re entering the general real estate world, you need to grow that sphere until it’s so big you’re bursting at the seams.

[00:25:02] Carrie Fife:
Exactly. With builders, the leads come to you because marketing drives traffic to the community. But in general real estate, you have to create those leads yourself. It’s a two-year process to start seeing consistent profits, whether you’re with a builder or not.

Builders often offer options like a small salary or a draw against commissions to help you through the first year. When I started in 2013, I sat down with $76,000 in debt and a financial advisor to figure out how to make it work. I opted for the draw, and eventually, I worked my way out of debt and into a positive financial position.

[00:27:44] Tracy Hayes:
The mortgage world operates similarly, but our closings typically happen within 30–60 days. It’s different with builders, where you might wait months for a sale to close.

[00:28:54] Carrie Fife:
Exactly. With builders, there’s also a focus on training—both on the construction side and the sales side. If you understand the product and believe in it, it’s much easier to sell. Both builders I worked for were excellent, and I could get behind their product, which made selling easier.

[00:30:08] Tracy Hayes:
How does that training compare to what you’ve experienced on the general real estate side?

[00:31:00] Carrie Fife:
In general real estate, there’s more access to training. Builders focus on product knowledge and how to engage with customers, but in general real estate, you have opportunities for daily learning—whether through lunch-and-learns, office trainings, or events. It’s up to the individual to take advantage of those opportunities.

[00:34:25] Tracy Hayes:
What would you say makes a great site agent?

[00:35:00] Carrie Fife:
It starts with how you greet people. Within the first 30 seconds, buyers decide if the relationship will work for them. How you present yourself when they walk in the door sets the tone for everything else.

[00:35:18] Tracy Hayes:
Heavy on the personal.

[00:35:20] Carrie Fife:
Oh yeah.

[00:35:20] Tracy Hayes:
It's not necessarily the shiny model. They're already judging you before they even look at the model. Interesting.

[00:35:26] Carrie Fife:
Yeah.

[00:35:27] Tracy Hayes:
Yeah.

[00:35:28] Carrie Fife:
So just being welcoming and, like you said, with the LLC—laughing and just trying to have a good time. It’s a very large purchase for them, so you want to make a great first impression.

[00:35:45] Tracy Hayes:
Is a great site agent also creating relationships with general agents to bring them people? I think that was lost there for a period of time because we were in a frenzy, and builders didn’t even want to see agents. They didn’t even want to pay you guys.

Now they want to pay you twice as much, they’re sponsoring your events, they’re having you over for lunch and learns in the models, whereas before they didn’t even want anything to do with that—especially in 2019, 2020, 2021.

So as an agent sitting there, because there are a lot of hours where nobody even walks in the door, what are some of the things a great site agent is doing during those times?

[00:36:29] Carrie Fife:
During downtimes, it’s similar to prospecting. You get on the phones and call your A and B leads. You nurture them through emails, follow up with phone calls or texts—whatever it may be to consistently stay engaged with them.

On the other hand, there’s also a hefty paperwork side of construction. Probably less than in years past because there aren’t as many semi-custom builders allowing changes after a certain time. But we had a lot of follow-ups to do and a lot of paperwork items to complete.

[00:37:18] Tracy Hayes:
So communicating because you were doing more custom things, you’re following up internally with your staff to make sure these changes are correct, right? Houses aren’t built in the wrong direction on a lot or something like that.

[00:37:27] Carrie Fife:
Exactly.

[00:37:29] Tracy Hayes:
It happens though, doesn’t it?

[00:37:32] Carrie Fife:
Yes, it does.

[00:37:33] Tracy Hayes:
That makes me lose track of what I wanted to ask, but it reminds me of a story. For example, if a house is built backward, like facing a neighbor instead of a retention pond, that’s a big mistake.

Knowing what you know as a site agent for eight years and now being in retail real estate, there are great site agents who have built huge relationships with general agents and regularly bring them business.

Now that you’re on the other side, have you created some of those relationships back with builders? Or are you still using new home construction as a crutch for clients who might be very specific in their needs?

[00:38:52] Tracy Hayes:
How important is it to have relationships where you can pick up the phone and say, “I have this buyer with this situation. Do you have any inventory or spec homes available?”

[00:39:46] Carrie Fife:
It’s extremely important because it’s not about you or the site agent—it’s about your buyer. How quickly can you make a connection with someone to get your buyer the information they need today?

I have site agents on speed dial. I stay in close contact with home builders I’ve done business with or worked for in the past.

[00:40:26] Tracy Hayes:
We’re fortunate now because inventory has doubled compared to a year and a half ago. When inventory was so low, you had to call around to find something for buyers. It’s so important to have those builder relationships.

[00:42:00] Carrie Fife:
Absolutely. Having those connections is key.

[00:42:37] Tracy Hayes:
As a builder, you had a set routine every day—showing up at the model, managing paperwork, making calls, and so on. Now that you’re in general real estate, how is that different? What are you doing differently today, and what hasn’t changed?

[00:42:37] Carrie Fife:
Monday through Friday, it’s usually prospecting, learning, or attending broker’s opens.

[00:42:45] Tracy Hayes:
Are you setting that structure for yourself?

[00:42:45] Carrie Fife:
Yes. Structure is important to me. I laugh because Christina and I have had so many conversations about consistency. She’s one of my favorite leaders and runs one of the most successful teams in Northeast Florida because they are consistently doing the same things Monday through Friday.

For me, it looks like two to three hours of prospecting on the phone each day. It’s taken a long time to build that routine, but I know it’s the one thing that delivers results in the next 90 days or so.

[00:44:39] Tracy Hayes:
It’s like “eating the frog”—taking care of the hardest task first thing in the day.

[00:44:55] Carrie Fife:
Exactly. I don’t do well without routine or structure, so I created one for myself. I wake up at 5:00 AM, go to the gym at 6:00 AM, then get ready for the day and head to the office.

As a single agent, I’m probably in the office more than most agents because I prefer to work in that environment.

[00:45:47] Tracy Hayes:
Do you have a daily goal, like having a certain number of conversations or appointments?

[00:46:06] Carrie Fife:
Yes, I set goals every day. It’s not just about how many people I’m reaching out to, but how many connections I’m truly making. How many people am I converting to an appointment?

At the end of the year, I want to reflect on how many people I spoke with, how many real estate conversations I had, how many converted to appointments, and how many turned into contracts.

[00:46:54] Tracy Hayes:
Did you take what you learned as a site agent—like calling agents about new models or price changes—and apply it to what you’re doing now?

[00:47:00] Carrie Fife:
Absolutely. As a builder, you’d call agents to share updates, like price changes or new inventory. Now, as a general agent, I’m still calling to engage with people, whether they’re in my sphere or past clients, and staying consistent with follow-ups.

[00:48:00] Tracy Hayes:
Are you doing any additional marketing, like newsletters or postcards?

[00:48:14] Carrie Fife:
Yes. I send out a monthly newsletter that I personalize with things like vacations or other updates. I also send out sold postcards to neighborhoods after selling a listing, often with a few tips or an offer for a CMA.

[00:49:38] Tracy Hayes:
You’ve gotten some response off of that?

[00:49:39] Carrie Fife:
Oh, definitely.

[00:49:40] Tracy Hayes:
Yeah, because you never know when the neighbor next door, or three houses down, is thinking about selling too. Especially if it was a successful one—sold in 24 hours, over list price—that gets them all excited, doesn’t it?

[00:50:00] Tracy Hayes:
I don’t think I actually asked this question directly. We talked about it. Someone who might be listening right now, thinking about getting into real estate—maybe they are in their first year and not succeeding.

I think oftentimes we like to blame the brokerage when someone fails in their first year, but let’s focus on the individual. If that person feels they’re not succeeding, would you recommend they chat with some builders to explore opportunities there, just to get more confidence?

You’re kind of the opposite of a lot of agents I’ve had on because most newer agents talk about struggling with contracts, paperwork, and product knowledge. You already had all that coming into general real estate from your time with the builders.

My question is: If a new agent called you to chat, what advice would you give them about working with a builder versus staying in general real estate?

[00:52:05] Carrie Fife:
I would encourage them to give me a call.

[00:52:06] Tracy Hayes:
If I called and said, "I’ve been in real estate for six months, I’m not doing well, but I really want to succeed. I just feel like I’m not getting enough at-bats," what would you tell me?

[00:52:50] Carrie Fife:
If someone came to me asking if they should work for a builder, it’s far more than just answering yes or no. Before anyone gets into real estate—whether it’s general or builder—they need to be financially stable.

[00:53:13] Tracy Hayes:
Either way, whether it’s builder or general, you need to have your finances in order.

[00:53:16] Carrie Fife:
Absolutely. Sales is 100% commission. Whether it’s medical sales, TVs, or homes, you need to know how to budget and have savings.

When I first got into general real estate, I had savings, but I didn’t have business models in place. I ended up spending $30,000 a year on business expenses that weren’t bringing in business.

As you mentioned earlier, we’ve been in an economic shift for the last two or three years. Right now, I’m cutting costs and taking a step back before moving forward.

[00:54:47] Tracy Hayes:
You’re hitting on something vital. There are great agents who collaborate and want to help, but only a small percentage will execute on the advice they’re given.

[00:55:00] Carrie Fife:
That’s true. For new agents, it’s crucial to find a brokerage that will provide the structure and business models you need.

[00:56:00] Tracy Hayes:
How do you execute when transitioning to general real estate? How do you figure out what you should spend on marketing and other expenses?

[00:56:48] Carrie Fife:
It’s pivotal. I’ve worked for several excellent brokers, but it took me four brokerages to realize I needed a solid business model and plan.

That’s not a knock on my previous brokers. Everyone operates differently. You need to interview several agents and brokerages to find the right fit for your goals.

[00:57:41] Tracy Hayes:
Some brokerages are better for brand-new agents than others, right?

[00:57:45] Carrie Fife:
Absolutely. Keller Williams does an excellent job of building your business. I personally think they go above and beyond in helping new agents get on their feet.

[00:58:01] Tracy Hayes:
If someone brand new came to you today, Keller Williams would be the first brokerage you’d recommend?

[00:58:10] Carrie Fife:
Yes, but I’ve heard good things about Berkshire Hathaway and Coldwell Banker as well. It’s important to interview with multiple brokerages and find one that aligns with your needs.

[00:58:53] Tracy Hayes:
This advice isn’t just for new agents. There are agents out there who don’t realize why they’re struggling—or maybe they’re content with where they are but aren’t growing.

[00:59:10] Carrie Fife:
Everyone’s situation is different. Some agents are okay with selling one deal a month because they have another source of income. Others want to grow and build big teams.

[01:00:00] Tracy Hayes:
If you’re feeling stuck, whether in year one or year six, would you agree that it’s important to sit down with other agents and learn what’s working for them?

[01:00:14] Carrie Fife:
Absolutely. Real estate evolves, and so do people. The brokerage or mentor who worked for you three years ago might not be the right fit now.

It’s important to find leadership that adds value, holds you accountable, and helps you grow. Some agents even hire a coach to give them that extra push when they reach a certain point.

[01:00:56] Tracy Hayes:
Your experience in the builder world reminds me of my lending experience. I’ve been doing this for 19 years, working for different lenders, and each time I moved, I learned something completely new—like a new loan product. If a lender doesn’t offer a product, you won’t hear about it.

When you transitioned from working with builders to general real estate, did your eyes light up a bit? Did you realize how big this world really is?

[01:01:00] Carrie Fife:
It’s so funny. At first, I thought, “Wow, I’ve got the world at my fingertips.” Jacksonville is such a huge city, and now I could spread out and work with buyers and sellers all over. That was really exciting.

[01:01:18] Tracy Hayes:
To realize that everyone’s a potential customer.

[01:01:21] Carrie Fife:
Right.

[01:01:22] Tracy Hayes:
When you’re working for a builder, you’re only looking for people who want to live in a specific area or need a specific type of home. But in general real estate, everyone is your customer. That can be overwhelming too.

[01:01:55] Carrie Fife:
You definitely have to have a niche. You need to know who your ideal client is and where you prefer to work. For instance, I’m probably not going to go back out to Middleburg very often—it’s about an hour away. But honestly, I’ll take the business wherever it’s at.

[01:02:13] Tracy Hayes:
When you’re in your sales meetings, what are the top leaders suggesting agents focus on right now?

[01:02:27] Carrie Fife:
Did you see the article that just came out saying 2024 is projected to be the worst year in real estate since 1995?

[01:02:35] Tracy Hayes:
I’ve heard that. I saw it on social media recently.

[01:02:43] Carrie Fife:
After that, the commentary was basically, “It shouldn’t be that bad if you’re doing your job.” Right now, a lot of agents are coming forward saying their business is terrible.

I’ll be the first to admit it—I made a major transition this year. I didn’t have the operations and foundations in place, so I spent a lot of time building that up. As a result, my numbers this year are completely different than last year.

Leadership is emphasizing consistency. They’re asking, “What are you doing every day?” That consistency is key, and I stopped being consistent last year. My business was so busy that I focused more on managing that than on making phone calls or sending handwritten notes.

[01:03:40] Tracy Hayes:
You got busy enough to step away from the activities that bring new people into your circle.

[01:03:49] Carrie Fife:
Exactly. That’s where leverage comes in—the fourth business model. But I wasn’t leveraging properly, and I wasn’t prospecting, which is the number one thing a real estate agent should be doing every day. That’s showing in my numbers today.

In sales meetings, leadership is saying two main things: First, pivot. If your business has gone down, you’ve either not been consistent with prospecting or marketing, and you need to pick that up immediately. Second, look at your costs and start cutting.

[01:04:45] Tracy Hayes:
Right. You’ve got to be smart about your expenses. For example, you wouldn’t pay for a billboard when you could make phone calls for free.

[01:05:10] Carrie Fife:
Exactly. Every day, you should be doing the basics—making calls, shooting texts to friends, and staying top of mind. Reach out and ask, “Do you know anyone looking to buy or sell?” That’s what leadership is saying today.

[01:05:40] Tracy Hayes:
I wish more agents had attended the Ricky Carruth event back in October. He essentially said what you just said—focus on consistent touches.

[01:06:34] Carrie Fife:
It’s all about how many conversations you’re having about real estate each day.

[01:06:40] Tracy Hayes:
Anything else you’d like to add?

[01:06:42] Carrie Fife:
I don’t think so. What’s for lunch?

[01:06:45] Tracy Hayes:
We’ve been going for about an hour and 15 minutes. I really enjoyed this. I think you were very open about your situation, which will resonate with a lot of agents listening.

[01:07:00] Tracy Hayes:
I suggest everyone read or listen to Grit. You need grit to be in real estate and fight through tough times like you’ve described.

One last question: You mentioned earlier about having savings and financial stability before starting or transitioning in real estate. Did you hear similar advice from people who went through the 2008 market crash?

[01:07:55] Carrie Fife:
I honestly can’t tell you what I was doing in 2008—probably just enjoying life.

[01:08:02] Tracy Hayes:
The builder world wasn’t as steady back then as it is now, with the demand we’ve seen post-COVID. During your eight years with builders, were there months when you wondered if anyone was going to walk into your neighborhood?

[01:08:15] Carrie Fife:
Definitely. You learn that through time.

[01:08:20] Tracy Hayes:
I appreciate you coming on. It was a great conversation and will resonate with a lot of agents out there.

[01:08:28] Carrie Fife:
Thank you so much. I enjoyed it.