All Forum Posts by: Jordan Frisco

Quote from @Jordan Frisco:

Quote from @Adam Macias:

Think about how much AI is going to replace. It's more accurate than doctors in diagnosing an illness, you have companies like Anduril Industries founded by Luckey Palmer that are today's Skynet because they have a more perfect an accurate defense protocol than human pilots, plus no one is harmed in the marking unless you're the enemy. I'm learning coding and how to build AI agents and automations and I'm telling you as agents, you don't have much time left. You have maybe two years to really give it all you got before many will be outsourced by tech and doing a real estate deal will be like buying an iPhone online, it'll be a new wave of consumer tech. Lawyers are even being replaced. Yes, there will always be a place for the human interaction, but we are at a "survival of the fittest" situation way worse than I've ever seen. 2012 and 2020 weren't as scary as this. I'm not trying to fear monger, I just think we need to tell the truth and create urgency. You don't have much time to really make it happen in becoming a massively successful agent if you're not in the top 5%, let alone 10%.

Adam, I agree with most of what you said but disagree with the timeline. I think you are the top 10% of people that know stuff about technology and think about what that means. There are 90% of the population that is behind you. I think it is going to happen, but for the next generation not the current one. We have an aging population. 1 in 3 Americans are above the age of 50. I also text my grandma so maybe they will figure it out. 

Your question "Real Estate Agents - Necessary in The Digital Age?"


Well, almost all people live in a home with a stove, but that doesn't stop them from going out to eat. People will still use services they find to be useful or comforting.

Quote from @Jordan Frisco:

Where are my Investor-Friendly Real Estate Agents and Brokers? Maybe you can comment on the below and prove me wrong??

I am curious to uncover how all the rest of the investors (and agents and brokers) here feel about real estate agents and real estate agent fees in today's digital age where we have so much information that we can dig up on our owns from: county records, mortgage/liens, previous purchase prices, land values, tax histories, rent price history and the advent of online listing services and other sources of real estate wholesale listings and auction agencies online. Do we NEED agents?? It feels we can market deals ourselves and find deals ourselves. Real Estate agents taking 3% of my home's value during sale without doing any of the work to maintain the house or in any way contribute to the value of my property does not sit well with me. On the flip side it works against you too - 3% of the home's sale goes to the buyer's agent - but you are paying for that too when you make the purchase! I think they do not have enough incentive to save you money, find a deal that is going to work for you, and the juice is not worth the squeeze. I would rather negotiate my own deal with the owner or the owner's agent when I buy and would rather pay the MLS listing service and get the title agency to provide the paperwork for a FSBO listing. Maybe I am in the wrong and I am losing money with a realtor, maybe you all can call me out and tell me I have a myopic, "scarcity" mindset.

The majority of serious investors I work with are out-of-state investors. They don’t have the time (or local presence) to negotiate with sellers, walk properties, meet inspectors, evaluate rehab bids, or stay on top of neighborhood-level trends. That’s where having an investor-friendly agent or broker isn’t just helpful, it’s critical.

Yes, you can absolutely pull public records, check comps, and browse online listings yourself. But numbers on a screen don’t replace:

• Negotiation leverage – A seasoned agent knows how to structure terms, not just price, to win deals.
• Boots on the ground – Someone has to physically verify property condition, meet inspectors, and ensure you’re not inheriting hidden problems.
• Local market insight – Zillow comps are not always accurate.
• Transaction management – Coordinating title, contractors, appraisers, tenants, and property managers takes systems and experience.

For out-of-state investors, paying an agent's fee isn't just about MLS access, it's about protecting your investment, avoiding costly mistakes, and maximizing ROI. A good investor focused agent brings opportunities, solves problems before they cost you, and ultimately saves you more money than they cost.

So while the DIY approach might work if you’re local, have unlimited time, and can navigate contracts and negotiations solo, most investors find it’s worth it when they have the right agent on their team.

@Jordan Frisco

Jordan, I hear you — a lot of investors feel that way, especially with so much data being available online now. The reality is, for investors, an agent isn't about Zillow or MLS access anymore — it's about the extra layer. Things like knowing which pockets of Cleveland are shifting from D to C grade, having a Rolodex of vetted contractors/property managers, being able to source off-market deals or pocket listings, and negotiating with investor math in mind (cashflow, ARV, exit strategy) rather than just "comps." For retail buyers/sellers, agents might just be transaction managers, but for investors, the right agent can act more like a local partner. That's where the value either shows up — or doesn't.

Quote from @Jordan Frisco:

Where are my Investor-Friendly Real Estate Agents and Brokers? Maybe you can comment on the below and prove me wrong??

I am curious to uncover how all the rest of the investors (and agents and brokers) here feel about real estate agents and real estate agent fees in today's digital age where we have so much information that we can dig up on our owns from: county records, mortgage/liens, previous purchase prices, land values, tax histories, rent price history and the advent of online listing services and other sources of real estate wholesale listings and auction agencies online. Do we NEED agents?? It feels we can market deals ourselves and find deals ourselves. Real Estate agents taking 3% of my home's value during sale without doing any of the work to maintain the house or in any way contribute to the value of my property does not sit well with me. On the flip side it works against you too - 3% of the home's sale goes to the buyer's agent - but you are paying for that too when you make the purchase! I think they do not have enough incentive to save you money, find a deal that is going to work for you, and the juice is not worth the squeeze. I would rather negotiate my own deal with the owner or the owner's agent when I buy and would rather pay the MLS listing service and get the title agency to provide the paperwork for a FSBO listing. Maybe I am in the wrong and I am losing money with a realtor, maybe you all can call me out and tell me I have a myopic, "scarcity" mindset.

.
I am not a real estate agent.  I do not use a real estate agent, usually. When I buy a house, I represent myself. When I sell a house I represent myself.

I have 30 years of investing experience. How much experience do you have?

Can you tell what problems on a Title Report are serious and what can be worked out? Can you explain delays in financing to the buyer without losing the sale? Can you negotiate price, terms, timeline and handle problems when they come up? Do you care about your property? (you can't negotiate properly if you care) There are so many things that can go wrong in a deal, that if you don't know how to handle those problems and "carry on" you will fail. Be smart, use a **good** agent, until you can handle the issues. Don't get emotional.

Sometimes, someone will use an agent to buy a property I am selling. I will pay the agent if they get my asking price. An agent that brings you a qualified buyer and saves you time is worth paying. Time on market is wasting resources.

However, I will never work with dual agency. I believe that represents a conflict of interest against me.

Think about how much AI is going to replace. It's more accurate than doctors in diagnosing an illness, you have companies like Anduril Industries founded by Luckey Palmer that are today's Skynet because they have a more perfect an accurate defense protocol than human pilots, plus no one is harmed in the marking unless you're the enemy. I'm learning coding and how to build AI agents and automations and I'm telling you as agents, you don't have much time left. You have maybe two years to really give it all you got before many will be outsourced by tech and doing a real estate deal will be like buying an iPhone online, it'll be a new wave of consumer tech. Lawyers are even being replaced. Yes, there will always be a place for the human interaction, but we are at a "survival of the fittest" situation way worse than I've ever seen. 2012 and 2020 weren't as scary as this. I'm not trying to fear monger, I just think we need to tell the truth and create urgency. You don't have much time to really make it happen in becoming a massively successful agent if you're not in the top 5%, let alone 10%.

Quote from @Jordan Frisco:

Quote from @Jordan Moorhead:

I haven't read all the comments but we get lots of people looking to represent themsleves and save money which I think is a huge mistake and will cost you more than you'll save but they never get there because they can't get into the property to tour it to start.

Most sellers are not willing to move their stuff, clean up the place, and move out for a few days at a time while people are looking at their house while they are living in it. I think with more systems and software to come in the future (some of which have not been invented yet) realtors will become a thing of the past. Sellers will be able to leverage pricing softwares, scan Public records, GIS maps, title histories, and can educate themselves on deal structuring, seller psychology, and creative financing to negotiate effectively—often with more flexibility than agents constrained by brokerage policies. I think it hasn't crossed over into being more cost effective yet. And I believe the realtors/brokers associations will do everything to counteract those efforts. 

With Showingtime sellers have advance notice and can approve or deny showings at their behest. Texas is also a non-disclosure state so data isn't available for anyone but Realtors. I'm all for change but am not worried about the real estate industry changing anytime soon. I don't see most sellers understanding negotiation strategies either when you're dealing with a pro. You can read a book or a blog article but you won't have the experience or know how to negotiate someone like me that does 100 deals a year when you sell a property every 5-7 years. I do believe the business will continue to consolidate and more of the business will go to the bigger teams/realtors at the top.

@Jordan Frisco

Jordan, congrats on becoming a new dad—that’s amazing motivation to invest! From what you laid out, you’re already thinking like an investor with clear strategies. The biggest thing I’d watch out for is overestimating resale values on flips and underestimating repair/holding costs, especially in today’s market where margins can get tight. On the Section 8 side in Cleveland, you’re on the right track—those $45–55k doors can cash flow well if you buy in the right areas and have reliable management. My advice would be to pick one strategy to focus on first (flip or buy-and-hold) rather than splitting attention. That way you build momentum and systems before scaling into multiple approaches.

Quote from @R. Elle Berry:

Quote from @Jordan Frisco:

Where are my Investor-Friendly Real Estate Agents and Brokers? Maybe you can comment on the below and prove me wrong??

I am curious to uncover how all the rest of the investors (and agents and brokers) here feel about real estate agents and real estate agent fees in today's digital age where we have so much information that we can dig up on our owns from: county records, mortgage/liens, previous purchase prices, land values, tax histories, rent price history and the advent of online listing services and other sources of real estate wholesale listings and auction agencies online. Do we NEED agents?? It feels we can market deals ourselves and find deals ourselves. Real Estate agents taking 3% of my home's value during sale without doing any of the work to maintain the house or in any way contribute to the value of my property does not sit well with me. On the flip side it works against you too - 3% of the home's sale goes to the buyer's agent - but you are paying for that too when you make the purchase! I think they do not have enough incentive to save you money, find a deal that is going to work for you, and the juice is not worth the squeeze. I would rather negotiate my own deal with the owner or the owner's agent when I buy and would rather pay the MLS listing service and get the title agency to provide the paperwork for a FSBO listing. Maybe I am in the wrong and I am losing money with a realtor, maybe you all can call me out and tell me I have a myopic, "scarcity" mindset.

The majority of serious investors I work with are out-of-state investors. They don’t have the time (or local presence) to negotiate with sellers, walk properties, meet inspectors, evaluate rehab bids, or stay on top of neighborhood-level trends. That’s where having an investor-friendly agent or broker isn’t just helpful, it’s critical.

Yes, you can absolutely pull public records, check comps, and browse online listings yourself. But numbers on a screen don’t replace:

• Negotiation leverage – A seasoned agent knows how to structure terms, not just price, to win deals.
• Boots on the ground – Someone has to physically verify property condition, meet inspectors, and ensure you’re not inheriting hidden problems.
• Local market insight – Zillow comps are not always accurate.
• Transaction management – Coordinating title, contractors, appraisers, tenants, and property managers takes systems and experience.

For out-of-state investors, paying an agent's fee isn't just about MLS access, it's about protecting your investment, avoiding costly mistakes, and maximizing ROI. A good investor focused agent brings opportunities, solves problems before they cost you, and ultimately saves you more money than they cost.

So while the DIY approach might work if you’re local, have unlimited time, and can navigate contracts and negotiations solo, most investors find it’s worth it when they have the right agent on their team.

 I 100% agree with all of the above, especially "Boots on the ground"/physical inspection. The listings on the sites offer fantastic pictures with great lighting with descriptions written in AI. However, but they do a great job of hiding major repairs.  

For example, a home next door to one of my properties was recently purchased. The team did a quick turn, cost cutting repairs designed to hide several expensive flaws (e.g., spray paint over wood with visible mold, partially covering rotted wood with plywood, etc). However, the home is staged and the listing looks fantastic...online. Overall, reality is non-negotiable.

Yes, you could replace all the action items of the agent; however, surprises and mistakes can take considerable time to resolve and imped on your other daily tasks. 

I haven't read all the comments but we get lots of people looking to represent themsleves and save money which I think is a huge mistake and will cost you more than you'll save but they never get there because they can't get into the property to tour it to start.