My Friends Are Better Than Yours Featuring Anthony L. Morris

Name: My Friends Are Better Than Yours Featuring Anthony L. Morris
Uploaded: 2025-10-14T19:34:45+00:00
Duration: 1 h 8 min 32 s
Channel: bigced

bigced

1 week ago

The award-winning Morris Team has graced the pages of real estate publications: Brownstoner, Brick Underground, and Curbed. Their presence has also expanded to broader publications such as The New York Times, The New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, and national publications, Elle Décor and HGTV. With an 88% repeat customer and referral rate, they are in demand and proven.

Their commitment to clients is to add the most sustainable value as they engage clients in the most important decision of their lives. Their 35 years of experience includes every aspect of real estate including working with buyers, sellers, renters, landlords, commercial projects, distressed sales, foreclosures, multi-property sales, condo conversion, 1031 exchanges, property management as well as out-of-state transactions including Georgia, Arizona, Texas, Maryland, and Florida. Their international network includes the United Nations Federal Credit Union which allows them to seamlessly transact everywhere.

Reaching Top Sales status year after year is proof that they have successfully equipped clients with the knowledge that impacts their bottom line and wealth-building potential. Enthusiastically, they present every possible option, keeping their clients well-prepared to make the most informed and lucrative decisions. They believe in your dreams.

There is no distance too far, no transactions too small, and no challenges that they don’t overcome. While serving their

client’s immediate needs, they also aim to build their client’s future wealth. Craving long-term relationships, they are not afraid to commit.

The Morris Team serves all in need of impeccable service during the good times and the bad. In a single day, they may be selling a million-dollar property while also moving a client out of a shelter into their first home. They understand that life has its ups and downs.

Because of their hunger for knowledge, they hold additional certifications: Eco-Broker, Loan Origination, and Property Management. They deliver an unforgettable experience; explanation, education, empathy, and excellence. They are ready when you are.
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00:00:00People's, peoples, what's good? What's good? If you don't recognize me, then that means you

00:00:14haven't been in this world for a while. So I'm Big Sed, the mystery co-signed. Welcome to my

00:00:19platform. My friends are better than yours. And the reason why I do this platform is I've been

00:00:25writing and doing a lot of things in journalism for some time. And I get sick of speaking to just

00:00:34celebrities or people that want to showcase whatever they're doing. I have some great

00:00:38friends. I have people that are doing great things. So that's the purpose of this forum.

00:00:43My friends are better than yours. And I want to welcome one of my friends. I'm going to call him

00:00:48by the name I know him by, Timor. Hello, hello. What's up? Anthony L. Morris, real estate guru.

00:00:57We're going to talk about him and what he's doing. And I'm going to start off by, actually,

00:01:04I'm going to allow you to give a little brief introduction, and then we'll just get right

00:01:08into it. Cool. Originally, born and raised in San Francisco, and I've done a lot of things

00:01:16over the course of my lifespan, producing music, promotions, record promotion, marketing,

00:01:25worked in magazines and publishing and internettechnology.com. And I landed in real estate

00:01:34about 23 years ago, and I found a career. And ever since then, I've really just committed

00:01:43myself to being the best real estate broker I can be. That's how I got here.

00:01:49That's interesting because you just aged me because I know, I knew you before you started

00:01:56doing real estate. And you said 23 years. I'm like, wow. It's like, yeah.

00:02:02Yeah. That's crazy. That was a couple of months ago. But I know you're based out of Brooklyn.

00:02:13Facts.

00:02:13But you were born in the Bay Area.

00:02:17True.

00:02:18Because when I met you, I know you, if I'm correct, because my memory is older than your real

00:02:25estate career. I know you're from the Bay Area because we worked at a company called Blaze

00:02:34Vibe Magazine.

00:02:36Big Facts. Yep.

00:02:38Yeah. And actually, I just came to work.

00:02:41Yeah, I was going to say, you had just came. I may have been like one of the first people

00:02:44you actually became cool with. I think.

00:02:46You were.

00:02:47I was going to say.

00:02:48No, no, you were. You were. Big Facts. Like, Hawaii Mike, he brought me around when I first

00:02:56came to New York and introduced me to a bunch of people. And you were one of the people I

00:03:00met at Blaze Vibe days. And, you know, like, you're one of the realest people I know and

00:03:08the most authentic people I know. So I would naturally gravitate towards you. You know what

00:03:13I'm saying? Even when I went over to EBO, I called you like, yo, come over here, get some

00:03:18of this money, bro.

00:03:20Yeah, exactly. Now, I want to, since we were talking about Blaze and we met at a hip hop

00:03:28magazine, most of the people I've met over the years that I didn't actually grow up with,

00:03:34I met through, as I say, the halls of hip hop because that's the field that we chose to

00:03:40get into. What was your, outside, of course, being a fan of hip hop, what brought you into

00:03:48the hip hop space before, of course, you got into the real estate space, but because you

00:03:52were working in hip hop, what brought you to that stage?

00:03:58Got it. All right. So my first experience with hip hop was my best friend. His name was,

00:04:08his nickname is Dark Raider. But he came from Boston to San Francisco in middle school and

00:04:14played tapes that he had recorded off the radio. And parents say, nothing but trouble,

00:04:21I remember. And like, he's my best friend and he introduced me to hip hop music. And at that

00:04:26point, I started listening to it. And then obviously, just experiencing more and more of it,

00:04:33I wanted to make some myself. So I started rapping. I was starting writing and rapping. I was in a rap

00:04:39group called Elements of Change in San Francisco. And, you know, we never, we never made it. A lot of

00:04:46people ain't make it. But doing that, I'm sure, kept me out of trouble and kept me from doing something

00:04:51about it. So, you know, we pursued that for a minute. Then I went into music promotions. So essentially,

00:04:58when I gave up rap, I was like, well, I'll stay in the business as a promoter. So I worked on

00:05:05All Eyes on Me. I worked, well, I should say I worked for Death Row. I worked for Ruthless,

00:05:12Suave House, Tony Draper, Ruthless. And yeah, I was the guy that would take the music to the streets,

00:05:22you know. And of course, that was out in California, of course. Yeah, in the Bay. Street team,

00:05:30street team stuff. Street team. I think we all had an experience in street team. And why? I put this,

00:05:38I'm sorry, this is supposed to be on Disturbed. But anyway, so I know that when I first, when we first

00:05:47met, I knew, like I said, you know, your beginnings. Once I know, like I wasn't, I was actually a singer

00:05:56at one time. So I get the trying to become an artist aspect of getting into the industry.

00:06:04But then I started working with Classic Concept, Video Music Box, Ralph McDaniels. So that was kind of

00:06:11my entry point into doing it. And I loved it so much that I knew that if I wasn't going to make

00:06:17a career out of it as an artist, I'm definitely going to make a career as whatever. And I know

00:06:22at that time, I think right before we started filming, I had mentioned that, you know, of course,

00:06:28freelancing back then, well, not necessarily freelancing, but being an entrepreneur, because

00:06:36back then, hip hop as a business was literally just getting started, where anything that we did,

00:06:41or we were trying to do, we tried to do either on our own, or even if it's with the company,

00:06:47or with the newer company, we did it under the aspects of entrepreneurship, because we really had

00:06:54no choice, because even doing promotions, and things of that nature, there was really no hip hop promotion,

00:06:59in the sense of like R&B, rock, and all of these, where anything that we were doing,

00:07:04even if we were working with a company, we kind of did it on our own. And I'm pretty sure that you

00:07:09had that experience as well. And I know even when I started, the reason why I started working at

00:07:15Blaze, shout out to Julie Owls, wait, not Owls anymore, but Julie, because I used to always hang

00:07:23out in the Vibe offices. And when Blaze opened, I remember they needed a receptionist. And I was like,

00:07:30I'll be the receptionist. And they're looking at me like, you're big set, why would you be a

00:07:35receptionist? I said, because I'm trying to be in a mix of it. I'm trying to be involved.

00:07:40And I saw Blaze being, at the time, better than the source. And with the right formula,

00:07:47it would have been. But anyway, but...

00:07:49When I first came to New York and came to Blaze, I think I was the oldest intern in Vibe history at

00:07:58the time, because I was working for free. And I was like 26, 27. And I just came to New York,

00:08:05and I was just trying to meet people and get on. So I think I worked for like the first three months

00:08:11for free, full-time. You know, but at the same time, it's like, when I first got into real estate,

00:08:18I worked full-time for like eight months straight before I made money.

00:08:22Okay. In fact, that was going to be my transition into, like, how do you leave the industry to go to real estate?

00:08:32How did I leave? Or how would a person...

00:08:38No, no, no. I'm saying you specifically, because like I said, you know,

00:08:41you specifically, you know, it's about you.

00:08:44I was unemployed.

00:08:47I was unemployed.

00:08:48Right? UBO crashed.

00:08:52Oh, no. I forgot about UBO.

00:08:54Right? UBO crashed. Ain't nobody had no jobs.

00:08:58Everybody liked Hustle and Scramblin'.

00:09:00And me, James, Andrews, Ilan, Maslia, Terrence, Chen, we all like grouped up

00:09:07and created like a little consulting agency and was like trying to, you know,

00:09:12make inroads in some of the companies.

00:09:14And on one of the negotiations, I realized that I was less of a marketing person,

00:09:21more of a salesperson.

00:09:23Yeah.

00:09:23I thought I was doing marketing, but I realized that my history was in sales.

00:09:30So I leaned into that and was like, well, if I'm going to sell something,

00:09:35what's the most expensive thing I could sell?

00:09:37So that was a house.

00:09:40Or drugs.

00:09:41I had done that already.

00:09:44But shouts to James, Andrews, Terrence, and who's that one?

00:09:54Ilan.

00:09:56Great guys. Great guys.

00:09:58Actually, I had hooked up with James after he did his UBO.

00:10:02I think he had started a thing called The Cube, a newsletter.

00:10:06Yes.

00:10:06And I was working with him right before the Crusade.net,

00:10:12which predated the industry cosign.

00:10:15So shout out to that team.

00:10:17Shout out to him.

00:10:18Definitely.

00:10:20Now, I'm going to ask a basic question.

00:10:22Now, everyone knows that they're watching knows I'm always all around the place

00:10:25because, you know, just because.

00:10:27When it comes to real estate, I know there are agents and brokers.

00:10:33What's the difference between an agent and a broker?

00:10:37An agent works for the broker.

00:10:41That makes sense.

00:10:42The broker takes responsibility for the agent.

00:10:46Real estate agent as a job officially is an apprenticeship.

00:10:51Oh, so that means anybody that's an agent will work their way to become a broker.

00:10:55In theory.

00:10:56Well, in theory, some people don't want to take on that responsibility.

00:11:01But when you get your license as a real estate agent, it gives you the opportunity and the right to learn while you earn.

00:11:11Okay.

00:11:12So you can learn real estate while you make money in real estate because you're under the tutelage of a broker who takes responsibility for training.

00:11:21So basically taking care of anything that has to do with the business of real estate in theory.

00:11:27No, because that's a huge statement.

00:11:32That's such a big statement.

00:11:33Yeah, so this is another reason why I like to do these things because, like I said, from the outside, I can just speculate whatever.

00:11:40But then speaking to somebody from the inside will get better, not only for me, but, of course, for anybody else who's watching as well.

00:11:46Because I know that people do confuse a lot of things within real estate when it comes to.

00:11:52Correct.

00:11:53Absolutely.

00:11:54Absolutely.

00:11:54Like, you can literally do a one-hour class on real estate every day probably for the rest of the year and never teach the same thing twice and just be doing residential real estate.

00:12:04There's just so many different things to know.

00:12:07But, yeah, for residential real estate, some things that people don't know is that, like, you can buy a house with 3.5% down.

00:12:22You can get first-time homebuyers contributions for down payments and closing costs.

00:12:28They actually have a new mortgage that allows you – it's like a renovation loan, but it allows you to buy your land and build your house on your land with 3.5% down payment.

00:12:43So, yeah, there's a lot of opportunities for real estate for people that they don't really know about.

00:12:49I do remember right before I hit a great big financial slump, I was actually trying to – I wanted to buy a home, and I had a couple of dollars saved up.

00:13:01And I remember calling you, having a conversation with you, and being shocked because I'm like, I got this amount of money, I got this, that, da, da, da, da, da.

00:13:08And I think you had to ask me about credit and something else.

00:13:11And I was like, oh, okay, that changes things.

00:13:15You know, so it's like – I know a lot of people get into things thinking that whether they watch it on TV or hear stories that you can just have a million dollars in.

00:13:25If you want to buy a house for $300,000, it's there for you.

00:13:29But it's like a big wake-up call because there's many steps, you know, before that even happens.

00:13:35And I know, like I said, I had the money to put down on a house based on, like, what I could afford.

00:13:41But then, like I said, some of the things you told me, I was like, ooh, I have, like, four years ahead of me.

00:13:48It's just the same things on a larger scale.

00:13:51Like, when people buy a car, they already know that, you know, they know what their credit's like.

00:13:58Yeah.

00:13:59And, you know, they know what their payment might look like when they walk in there based on what their credit is.

00:14:03They know how much they can put down.

00:14:04And they know kind of what kind of deal they might be able to get.

00:14:08A house is just like that, but it's just, like, multiplied.

00:14:12Your credit is a factor, you know.

00:14:15Your credit's a factor.

00:14:16But they have some programs that, just like car dealerships, where you can have low credit and you can still get a house affordably.

00:14:24You got to have a down payment.

00:14:25But sometimes, if you have really, really, really good credit, they'll let you take a car without a down payment.

00:14:34You know, you can find a bank.

00:14:35If you have great credit, there's a lender that'll get your down payment down as low as possible, below 3% possibly, down payment-wise.

00:14:46Definitely as it relates to your interest rate.

00:14:49Yeah.

00:14:51The lower your credit score, the higher your interest rate.

00:14:55I think my credit score was, like, 450 back then.

00:14:58So, yeah, it wasn't looking good for me at that moment.

00:15:03But, you know.

00:15:04No, we had to get you up to at least a 575, 600.

00:15:08Yeah, like I said, I still live in an apartment.

00:15:11So, let me stop.

00:15:14No, you know, it's wild.

00:15:16There's a lot of programs available, even if, you know, if you're a renter.

00:15:23Like, they have city programs that you can apply for.

00:15:27And, you know, it may take some time.

00:15:28But when they call your number, it's a great opportunity.

00:15:32And it's still affordable.

00:15:34Well, I have an 821 credit score now.

00:15:38So, I think I'm in a little better position.

00:15:40You should call the bank today.

00:15:42Huh?

00:15:43You should call the bank today.

00:15:46Well, I have.

00:15:47Actually, my bank have been, like, you know, throwing those offers.

00:15:50And I'm like, well, give me a second.

00:15:53And, yeah, but I'm in a much better position now than I was when we had that initial conversation.

00:16:00But.

00:16:00And, Pete, they have regular banks.

00:16:03And then they have banks specifically for people that want to buy houses.

00:16:06So, like, if you bank with a commercial, like, regular bank that you walk into, it may not be the best place to get your mortgage from, even if you've been banking with a four-minute.

00:16:18Gotcha.

00:16:18Now, I have a question based on what I just stated because, you know, of course, you have many clients or people that come to you looking to buy a home.

00:16:30What is the typical process when somebody does approach you about a house that they're looking to purchase or if they want to get into the market of purchasing a home?

00:16:42Like, what would be the steps in general?

00:16:44So, um, there's something called first substantive contact, and that's a legal term that the state of New York uses to describe when I meet somebody that wants to buy a house.

00:17:01I have an obligation to give them very specific information at that time.

00:17:08So, one of the things, one of the things called an agency disclosure.

00:17:11So, at the point when I meet the person, if they met me because I had something that they wanted, like I had a house for rent or I had an apartment for sale or whatever, that I represent the person who owns that property.

00:17:25So, I have to let them know that in this meeting, I don't represent you, I represent my client.

00:17:32Yeah.

00:17:33Or if they're looking to buy and they didn't come to me because of a house, maybe they got referred to me by a friend, then I represent their interests.

00:17:43Gotcha.

00:17:43So, I have to explain what it means to represent their interests as a buyer's agent or a tenant's agent.

00:17:50The second thing I have to explain is fair housing.

00:17:53Everyone is entitled to an experience free of discrimination and this is what we explain, you know, in that first meeting and we give you the documentation that describes what it might look like, what your rights are, and who you can contact if you feel like your rights have been violated.

00:18:14Then, then the last thing we have to talk about is compensation.

00:18:21There was a recent lawsuit that decoupled commission.

00:18:25What that means is instead of the seller paying all the commission and the buyer not paying, now the commission splits on the buyer who is represented by an agent.

00:18:41Now, it has to compensate their agent or at least there's the negotiation so that the buyer's agent who is representing the buyer is compensated by the buyer and the seller and the seller's agent is compensated by the seller's agent.

00:18:58The seller's agent is compensated by the seller.

00:19:01So, that may have been confusing, but each party, each side had to be decoupled, split up.

00:19:07So, now, you don't have a situation where the seller's agent has all the commission and is leveraging it against the buyer's agent and possibly having the buyer compromise their position with their client because they're being paid by the seller.

00:19:24Now, now that the agent is being paid by their client, they can fully and adequately represent their client, and that's for each side.

00:19:33So, then we negotiate what our compensation would be for representing them in a successful purchase.

00:19:40And once we agree on that, the paperwork's done, then we start building their team.

00:19:45So, they may need to speak with the lender, they need financing, they may need an attorney, they may need a home inspector or an engineer, they may need a contractor, they may need an architect.

00:19:58Whoever the team is that they need for the purchase, that's the team that we help put together for them so they can be successful.

00:20:05And then we create searches that identify property that that buyer can now take a look at.

00:20:14And so, we escort them on, showing opportunities to see the type of properties that they've told us they want to buy.

00:20:21Once we find the one, then we help them prepare the offer.

00:20:25And that can be a very sensitive step in the process because the most fragile part of a transaction is between having an accepted offer and when your contract is signed.

00:20:41And the longer that process takes, the more likely it is that your deal can fall apart.

00:20:46Now, I want to go to your specific team, since you mentioned all of the things that you do, the Morris team at the Cochran Group.

00:21:03Yes.

00:21:03Now, when you first started as a realtor, you're a realtor, right?

00:21:10That's the proper terminology?

00:21:11I'm a broker.

00:21:12Okay.

00:21:13So, that's another thing.

00:21:15So, a realtor, what's a realtor?

00:21:21A realtor, so there are these governing agencies, these governing bodies in real estate.

00:21:29I belong to a governing body called the Real Estate Board of New York.

00:21:36There are other organizations out there as well.

00:21:40And depending on which one you belong to, they may have a different name for you.

00:21:44So, one of those organizations calls their members realtors.

00:21:48Okay.

00:21:49So, it's not necessarily an umbrella term, but okay, gotcha.

00:21:55Okay.

00:21:55Because that's the confusion for me because I'm thinking that anybody that deals in real estate or a realtor, but just different divisions or whatever.

00:22:03But I got it now.

00:22:05Yeah.

00:22:05It's so funny.

00:22:06Yeah, I'm like, yeah.

00:22:09Like, that's another reason, like I said, just wanted to have these conversations.

00:22:13Okay, the Morris team.

00:22:14Oh, but before you created the Morris team, like, how did you, like, your rise?

00:22:21Because, of course, you know, you started as an agent.

00:22:24Then, you know, like, what was your rise?

00:22:26Like, how did you get to the position you are now?

00:22:28And how are you able to build your team and, like, go forward with what you're doing?

00:22:34You know, I think the interesting thing about it is that it's rooted in, like, my very beginning experience of, like, being an entrepreneur, so to speak.

00:22:47And, like, getting money because, you know, even, like, coming from the street, I didn't get money by myself.

00:22:57I got money with my friends.

00:22:58Like you say, my friends are better than yours, right?

00:23:01My friends were getting money in the street, so I was getting money with my friends.

00:23:04So I'm accustomed to getting money with my friends.

00:23:07So when I get into real estate and I start getting money and I'm getting it by myself, it doesn't really feel as good as it could.

00:23:16You know, if I were sharing in that experience with people that, you know, I trust.

00:23:25So, you know, at the point where I could see that the opportunities were outpacing my individual ability to transact them, then I would involve other people.

00:23:39So, just because, I mean, even the way I called you to come over to UBO, it's like, I like to give people that I care about opportunity.

00:23:51And I like to share an opportunity with people.

00:23:54I like for people to see me coming and see money coming.

00:23:57You know, so, I've always given people opportunities, either to be on my team or to come into real estate through my team.

00:24:10Okay.

00:24:12Now, how are you able to form the actual Morris Group?

00:24:18I know I think...

00:24:19Go ahead.

00:24:20Yeah.

00:24:21Go ahead.

00:24:21No, no, no, my phone.

00:24:23I was just like, go ahead.

00:24:24I was...

00:24:25So, here's what happens.

00:24:29First, as a real estate agent, right, you have to gain a certain amount of experience and do a certain amount of transactions to qualify to take the test to become a broker.

00:24:44Right.

00:24:45So, once I did that and I qualified, I went back to the school, I took the broker class, I took the broker test.

00:24:54Once I became a licensed broker, it gives you the right to create your own company.

00:25:01You can't do that as a real estate agent.

00:25:03But as a real estate broker, I created a corporation.

00:25:10And because I was already working at a real estate company, when it came time to renew my agreement with them, instead of doing an individual agreement as Anthony Morris, I did the agreement as the Morris Team Inc.

00:25:25So, now, my company and the Cork & Group companies are the ones that are actually doing business with each other.

00:25:35Gotcha.

00:25:37Gotcha.

00:25:37Then that gives me the ability to scale the business.

00:25:42Cool.

00:25:43Now, I want to ask you, like, well, two sides of the coin.

00:25:47I want you to speak about, I guess, the positive and the joys of being involved in real estate because, of course, the joy of making money is always a joy.

00:26:00But what else do you get out of working in real estate?

00:26:05And what's the benefits as far as what you're doing specifically and how does it make you feel when you, you know, have your deals and things of that nature?

00:26:15Got it.

00:26:15So, one of the things that we do at our team is we do, well, we do voucher transactions.

00:26:24All real estate agents by law are supposed to do housing voucher transactions, whether you're on the landlord side and you're facilitating renting the tenant to someone who has a voucher, or if you're working with a voucher holder and you're helping them get an apartment, that's what we're obligated to do by law.

00:26:43So, we do.

00:26:45And what happens in those cases sometimes, like, we had one recently where the voucher was for a two-bedroom apartment.

00:26:55But we got the family a three-bedroom apartment for the price of the two-bedroom voucher.

00:27:01And the, she had three kids and it's like the girls were able to have their room and then the boy was able to have his own room and that mom had her own room and it was recently renovated.

00:27:13And, like, the joy on the kids' faces, having kids saying, like, Mr., Mr., thank you, Mr., like, they're out of the, out of the shelter?

00:27:25And, like, can't nobody tell me nothing, bro?

00:27:32Can't nobody tell me nothing about nothing?

00:27:35Because when you take children out of the voucher and you put them in an apartment, the, I'll be crying.

00:27:45Like, yo, that's how much, that's how much, like, the joy that I can get in real estate, that's how intense the joy it can be because it ain't got nothing to do with the money.

00:27:57Getting the smiles on the family face, especially getting them out of a situation that's not ideal for them.

00:28:04Kids?

00:28:06The kids, bro.

00:28:07Man, there's nothing, there's, there's, like, no feeling that I get, not even cash and a big check, for real, like, like, the feeling when you put families in homes.

00:28:28That sounds like it.

00:28:30Great.

00:28:31That, that, that, that, that definitely feels like it should be a good feeling because, like you said, um, uplifting a family to get them into a safe space coming from a shelter or a homeless situation or whatever the situation might be.

00:28:46That's good.

00:28:48You know, you know, I like that.

00:28:51Well, that, that brings, that brings a different question.

00:28:53What, um, because I know with, with people involved in real estate worked with different type of clientele, like, what's your clientele, what's your base or what, like, what do you, the range you work with?

00:29:07Because I know some people work with strictly apartments or residential or commercial or whatever, like, what, what is, what is the focus for your team if you have a focus or what do you, um, if you don't have a particular focus, what's the range of,

00:29:23people that you work with?

00:29:24Of our, of our, yeah, yeah.

00:29:26Who's based here?

00:29:28So, all right, so, we do everything.

00:29:34Okay.

00:29:35And we serve everybody.

00:29:39Now, we don't consider ourselves to be luxury agents.

00:29:43We consider ourselves to be mainstream agents.

00:29:47Okay.

00:29:48Because mainstream and luxury ain't the same thing.

00:29:52Mainstream is everything.

00:29:53Mainstream is $1,000 studio, million dollar condo, and everything in between.

00:30:04It's everything.

00:30:05So, that's the position we've always taken.

00:30:08So, when, if it's residential business, we don't say no.

00:30:11So, um, we are, we serve, um, the state of New York.

00:30:16We serve investors.

00:30:18We serve clients outside the state of New York.

00:30:21We have a national network of real estate brokers that we utilize for various transactions from California to Florida, Caribbean, negotiating a deal in the UK right now.

00:30:33So, you know, we're omnivorous when it comes to real estate deals.

00:30:40We'll do luxury all the way to non-luxury.

00:30:42Um, we currently have deals in East New York, downtown Brooklyn, Jersey.

00:30:51Um, we, um, just finished one in Texas.

00:30:57Okay.

00:30:58So, that means, you know, you have a team of more than one than, you know, based on, and I'm pretty sure you don't do everything by yourself.

00:31:07Uh, I, I think you're good, but I don't think you're that good.

00:31:10So, how many people do you have on your team?

00:31:13So, to tell the truth, I'll tell you the truth.

00:31:16This person right here, that's the person.

00:31:22Okay.

00:31:23And who may that be?

00:31:25It's being her.

00:31:26Lisa James and myself, my fiance, we've worked together for, like, the last 10 years, 11 years, and for the most part, we've been the team.

00:31:36We've definitely taken advantage of, um, templates and automation and, like, a group of communication.

00:31:45Um, so we can get a lot done with just a little, but we've, we've just started adding people to the team.

00:31:52So, this year, we have two additional team members, but everything that I've explained to you has been the stuff that she and I have been doing hands-on for the last 10 years.

00:32:05And what's crazy is that she has a completely, like, for instance, she oversees the property management portion of the business.

00:32:15So, we both run brokerage.

00:32:18She's overseeing property management, which, technically, I work for her in that regard.

00:32:24And then, I'm over here also doing private equity stuff.

00:32:28So, um, you know, we're across the board.

00:32:31And now that we can scale, you know, we can actually bring people on who have experience that we can continue to train and raise them in the various silos that we work in.

00:32:41Now, I, I know that I came across, um, the Morris Report?

00:32:48Yes.

00:32:49What is the Morris Report?

00:32:50And, um, yeah, what is the Morris Report?

00:32:54And, and, and what, what's the benefits of, um, receiving the Morris Report?

00:32:59Got it.

00:33:00So, the Morris Report is a combination of things.

00:33:03Uh, it's a few things.

00:33:05Like, for one, and, you know, from, like, when we was back at Vibe and at Blaze, like, since then, all the magazines that kind of came and went and how everything now is digital and everything is online and nobody can really touch anything.

00:33:21So, I wanted to create a report that it's digital and you can, you know, download it and share, but you can also get a physical copy.

00:33:32It's cardstock, it's full color.

00:33:35And, you know, as much as people want to do, you know, uh, the Instagram photo shoots and all that, it's like, you know, we'll do a photo shoot, we'll put it in a magazine.

00:33:48Like, like we used to do, you know what I'm saying?

00:33:51So, you know, we did our little photo shoots and we have our little information about who we are and, like, what we do, but it's also, um, a report on the updates to the real estate business and to the sales business and the impact that legislation has had, market trends, statistics, and data, so that you can understand exactly where, for instance, this guide is to buyers, it's for buyers.

00:34:16So, it'll let you know exactly, like, what the state of the market is for the moment, for the buyer.

00:34:21The next issue is for sellers.

00:34:24We're doing two additional, one landlord, one tenant, so we're doing four issues a year and each year we'll update each issue and just so that we can keep the public up to date on just the latest best practices, newest laws, and legislation available for the public.

00:34:44So, so you're educating the public, um, via the Mars report.

00:34:51Yeah.

00:34:52You know, and it was, it was crazy, it was like, I figured if, if we can at least just reach the people in our universe, then they'll be smarter and if that spreads, great.

00:35:02But at the very least, we get to engage with people who are engaged in the process.

00:35:08And, and then it kind of makes you experts because, you know, you're giving people things that they wouldn't ordinarily get or wouldn't know if it wasn't placed in the Mars report.

00:35:18Because, of course, if I, you know, when I get the Mars report, there are going to be things that I'm going to read that I didn't know about because that's not my world.

00:35:26And then when I'm ready to enter that world as far as maybe purchasing a home or even referring people, then at least I know that they're the team that I can definitely, you know, refer to because they have the Mars report.

00:35:38Also, and this is, um, this is because this is the first issue as we go, we'll be able to do things like feature big set in the Mars report so he can write something about, you know, his experience.

00:35:54Maybe we talked about your experience behind your first house and you journal that, but it's also a platform that we can actually give our community an opportunity to share what's on their mind.

00:36:05We can bring in writers. We can bring in writers. Um, we actually, um, hard-headed Harry's daughter did our photo shoot.

00:36:13Wow. Okay. He was, he was featured on the show a couple months ago. So.

00:36:18Yeah. And his daughter, she's my niece. So it's like, keep it in the family.

00:36:23Yeah.

00:36:24And, um, you know, so I was very happy to be able to, to work with her on that. Mazda.

00:36:32Shout out to Mazda.

00:36:33Shout out. Now, now this is the thing, cause like I said, um, cause you know, I have a little list and I'm trying to, you know, cover as much as I can.

00:36:41But, um, one of the things that with any job, any occupation, any career, we always look through phases where it's up, down, up and down.

00:36:50So, um, during the course of your 23 years, like how were you able, like if whatever, whatever issues, have you had any issues?

00:37:02And if you had any issues, what kept you to continue, whereas you're still doing it as opposed to giving up or just abandoning it and just, you know, cause we, you know, we have friends that once shit hits the fan, they either avert or they get stronger or whatever the situation would be.

00:37:22Like during your 23 years, like, has there been anything that has basically would have stopped most people that you felt that it didn't stop you, but you kind of like use it, either you use it to advance or whatever.

00:37:37Like, like, like, is there any particular, any particular situation or anything that you've gone through that you'd like to talk about that keeps you going or kept you going or keeps you in mind to continue going?

00:37:49I think I said that like three times.

00:37:50So, so here's what happened.

00:37:55Um, the first, yeah, so yes, absolutely ups and downs.

00:38:00And I have definitely been at the end of my room with real estate.

00:38:04And, um, um, I never felt abandoned by it and I also felt like since, you know, a lot of my young years was spent in the street and I don't, I didn't go to, like, I don't have degrees.

00:38:20So, I value my job like this, the thing that I do is for me, one of the rarest opportunities for a person with my background from the projects, no education, no college degrees, you know.

00:38:38Um, so I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize my job because I don't know what else I would do if I couldn't do this.

00:38:48Number one, number two, um, it's one of the most honest things that I've experienced, especially after working in hip hop.

00:38:57Cause you know, you work in hip hop, you get a project, you work three months, you may or may not get your check.

00:39:03It may or may not be on time.

00:39:05It may or may not be correct.

00:39:07Yeah.

00:39:08But you agreed to.

00:39:09So yeah.

00:39:10Yeah.

00:39:11Real estate pains, bro.

00:39:13It pays.

00:39:14You work, you work hard, you work smart, you send your invoice, the thing closes out and it's a check and it's a real check.

00:39:21And so that's the second best feeling I ever had at real estate was my first check.

00:39:27I was like, oh shit, this is real.

00:39:30Like it's a real check.

00:39:33And it took eight months.

00:39:35I had to deal with accounting.

00:39:40That's an industry shit.

00:39:41Yeah.

00:39:43So, but the first house I ever bought, it was a fixer upper and the contractor and the HUD consultant conspired and took the renovation monies and didn't fix the house.

00:39:57And that was about $68,000 we lost.

00:40:00And that, that's when I was like, okay, I need to become a real estate broker because between buying the house and then having that experience, I was like, nah, a good person has to be able to pay bills doing this.

00:40:16I needed to pay bills.

00:40:18And, you know, if, if whack people like this and making money, then a decent person can make decent money.

00:40:24So I kind of got, I got into it that way.

00:40:27And, um, during that crash in 08, I lost my house to foreclosure.

00:40:34A real estate broker losing a house to foreclosure is diabolical.

00:40:40Diabolical.

00:40:40And going down to the courthouse and just seeing everybody in the courthouse looking just like me, losing their houses too.

00:40:51Didn't sit well, you know, so, um, I just kept doubling down.

00:40:55Every time I would experience some kind of upset with real estate or even in the market industry, it's like, no, it's an opportunity to level it up.

00:41:05It's an opportunity to add a tool to your toolbox.

00:41:09It's an opportunity to find another opportunity.

00:41:12It never occurred to me as a reason to quit.

00:41:16Yeah.

00:41:17And I think it's important for people to realize that everything, everyone always wants to start by their success and that's fine.

00:41:25But I also feel that I know that, you know, through my struggles that I learned more about what, first of all, what, what made it, what it meant for me to actually overcome whatever I had to overcome.

00:41:38And I think that, um, it's important because we all, we all hit walls at one point in time, some worse than others, of course.

00:41:47But, um, and I think that once people realize that it's not just them, then when they embark upon something else or if they get back up, they'll know that they can still do it because others have, because everybody has this thing where if you're successful, you've always been successful.

00:42:04That's how we're always, that's how we're always, that's how things are looked at because nobody wants to talk about their failures.

00:42:12And I think that it's important that we do talk about our failures to realize that because of our failures makes us a success.

00:42:21True.

00:42:23Because most of the people that have, a lot of people who are successful their whole lives and didn't get that one failure, they never bounce back.

00:42:29Because they, they didn't know how to because they never failed before.

00:42:33So, um, I wanna, um, because we're both in the same age range, I think I'm about two weeks older than you.

00:42:41And a common thing that has come up with the people I've been having discussions with coincidentally, and I wanna bring this up to you because like I said, I know that we all struggle at times when it comes to mental health.

00:42:53Now when people, and I'm glad that mental health isn't the stigma it used to be, particularly amongst black men, because I actually wrote a story for Black Enterprise today with Kyrie Irving, when he was talking about his mental health.

00:43:09And I think that it's important that we realize that one, we can overcome whatever it is, and to get out that stigma of feeling like we're not a man, if we don't like, or we have to hold our feelings in because we all go through that.

00:43:23Like, I'm pretty sure you've gone through situations.

00:43:26I mean, you lost a home.

00:43:28I mean, you've lost money.

00:43:29So I'm pretty sure you don't walk away like, gosh, Dolly, I'll be all right.

00:43:34You know, so it's like, you know, what, what, what, how did you feel and what process have you taken?

00:43:41And what are your thoughts when it comes to dealing with your mental health, when it comes to just about anything?

00:43:47Of course, it doesn't have to be just work related, because there are many other things that we have to worry about, like the presidency of the United States right now.

00:43:55But that's another story.

00:43:56But, you know, let's talk about like your views on, like I said, the mental health aspect of just everything.

00:44:06Life.

00:44:07Sure.

00:44:08My first experience with mental health services was my aunt, who was diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic manic depressive, and who was medicated, and who would be hospitalized off and on, and who exhibited visible signs of mental health struggle, and sometimes distress.

00:44:34And I was a kid, you know, I'm like, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, you know, and for me, I recognize that she isn't what someone would consider normal.

00:44:48But for me, the circumstance itself was just normal, just because it's normalized is what life is.

00:44:55And then I personally was arrested when I was in high school, and I was convicted.

00:45:08It was crazy.

00:45:09Anyway, so part of my sentence was a year of therapy in like the 11th grade.

00:45:18So I would go see this therapist once a week after school.

00:45:23And, you know, the charge was for being possession of cocaine for sale.

00:45:33So I'm telling the therapist, I'm like, yo, bro, like, I don't like the only reason I'm here is because the court said I got to be here and I can buy it outside, like I could buy your car.

00:45:46And, you know, you want to know how I feel?

00:45:52I don't feel shit.

00:45:53So like what? And I did that for like a year.

00:45:56But in hindsight, having just even been introduced to the concept meant that later when I was first in real estate and I was struggling through my first year and I was having a really hard time.

00:46:14I was like, I don't know, 20 hours a week, I mean, you know, 20 hours a day, like 18 hours a day, like I had a breakdown.

00:46:24And I had I was diagnosed with anxiety.

00:46:29Depression.

00:46:30And.

00:46:31PTSD.

00:46:35PTSD.

00:46:36And the PTSD is the one that.

00:46:42Is for me the hardest to manage.

00:46:46I see my therapist.

00:46:48I see a psychiatrist.

00:46:49I see a psychologist.

00:46:50I'm medicated and.

00:46:54And it's been that way for a very long time.

00:46:57You know, considering how traumatic my childhood was.

00:47:04It's like to counterbalance my my experience.

00:47:09That's how much therapy I've had on the other side to like balance it all out.

00:47:15But that's been my experience.

00:47:18And, you know, I'm an advocate.

00:47:21That's what I know.

00:47:22I tell my friends I had a conversation with my homeboy a couple nights ago.

00:47:27He's on the phone crying because he can't get in touch with the kid inside him who wouldn't think of hurting anyone.

00:47:42He can't remember what it felt like to.

00:47:46Not.

00:47:47Want to hurt a person.

00:47:50You know, and.

00:47:55I'm telling him that, you know, the same things that work for me can work for him.

00:48:00Don't feel embarrassed.

00:48:02Make those calls.

00:48:03I got you.

00:48:04You know.

00:48:05Yeah.

00:48:06I feel like.

00:48:08Mental health has always been at the forefront of my experience, and this is the one thing that's like really helped keep me.

00:48:20I won't say sane.

00:48:21Yeah.

00:48:22I'll say sane.

00:48:23Yeah.

00:48:24I'll say sane like.

00:48:25You know, functional.

00:48:26Yeah.

00:48:27A good father.

00:48:28You know.

00:48:29A good.

00:48:30A good.

00:48:31A good.

00:48:32A good.

00:48:33You know.

00:48:34A good.

00:48:35You know.

00:48:36I don't mean to interrupt but.

00:48:41Because of your experience dealing with mental health.

00:48:48Has it ever made you feel.

00:48:51Like you said, of course, functional.

00:48:55But has it ever make you feel.

00:48:57In the.

00:48:59And I don't want to.

00:49:01Ah.

00:49:02I don't want to like say the wrong thing.

00:49:05No, no.

00:49:06I'm talking about as far as like.

00:49:09Make you feel like.

00:49:11Not saying crazy.

00:49:12But the perception.

00:49:14Because.

00:49:15I think we all have.

00:49:17Issues.

00:49:18When it comes to things.

00:49:21And of course, issues is subjective.

00:49:24Especially levels.

00:49:25Yeah.

00:49:26But.

00:49:27And the reason why I'm asking you this.

00:49:28Because I have friends that.

00:49:30That.

00:49:31Feel in a way that.

00:49:34They.

00:49:35They.

00:49:36They.

00:49:37Ah.

00:49:38They.

00:49:39They don't.

00:49:40They feel less than.

00:49:41What.

00:49:42They should.

00:49:43When it comes to just being.

00:49:45Yeah.

00:49:46They don't feel.

00:49:47Yeah.

00:49:48And I don't want to like.

00:49:49Offset you or.

00:49:50Or.

00:49:51Trigger anything.

00:49:52When I ask this question.

00:49:53But no.

00:49:54But like I said.

00:49:55More curiosity.

00:49:56Because.

00:49:57Um.

00:49:58I'm gonna be honest.

00:49:59You were the first person.

00:50:00Because.

00:50:01We had.

00:50:02We've had conversations.

00:50:03I don't know if you remember.

00:50:04But you actually told me.

00:50:05About like.

00:50:06You know.

00:50:07When you were diagnosed before.

00:50:08Because.

00:50:09Unemployed.

00:50:10And I'm like.

00:50:11Wondering.

00:50:12What's.

00:50:13What am I gonna do.

00:50:14But then you were like.

00:50:15You might be.

00:50:17And of course.

00:50:18My answer.

00:50:19Which would probably be a typical black man.

00:50:21Is like.

00:50:22Come on.

00:50:23How can that be.

00:50:24You know.

00:50:25Um.

00:50:26And.

00:50:27And at that time.

00:50:28I didn't think of it.

00:50:30In any way.

00:50:31Until years later.

00:50:32When I had other friends that.

00:50:34You know.

00:50:35Came clean or whatever.

00:50:36For some strange reason.

00:50:37People.

00:50:38Like to talk to me.

00:50:39And I'm like.

00:50:40Don't talk to me.

00:50:41You know.

00:50:42I can appreciate that.

00:50:43Because like.

00:50:44Like.

00:50:45Like.

00:50:46Like.

00:50:47You say.

00:50:48Other people say.

00:50:49Sometimes.

00:50:50You do need somebody.

00:50:51That you can talk to.

00:50:52And you can feel comfortable with.

00:50:53So.

00:50:54I'm glad that people do feel.

00:50:55Comfortable.

00:50:56So.

00:50:57When.

00:50:58When you had.

00:50:59Asked me that.

00:51:00And you had told me.

00:51:01Your experience.

00:51:02And I'm like.

00:51:03Like.

00:51:04Of course.

00:51:05Like.

00:51:06Like.

00:51:07Like.

00:51:08Not doubting myself.

00:51:09But saying to myself.

00:51:10Like.

00:51:11Is that me?

00:51:12Like.

00:51:13Am I in that situation?

00:51:14Like.

00:51:15I.

00:51:16I know why.

00:51:17I did it.

00:51:18Because I've always.

00:51:19I've always had the mindset.

00:51:20Of being.

00:51:21The strong one.

00:51:22And to this day.

00:51:23I'm still.

00:51:24The strong one.

00:51:25But.

00:51:26Also know.

00:51:27That being a strong one.

00:51:28There's times.

00:51:29Where.

00:51:30I'm going to need.

00:51:31To be.

00:51:32For lack of a better term.

00:51:33Weaker.

00:51:34So that way.

00:51:35I can be strong again.

00:51:37Yes.

00:51:38That's where people.

00:51:39But.

00:51:40I think that's where people.

00:51:41Get it wrong sometimes.

00:51:42Okay.

00:51:43Because.

00:51:44I think for me.

00:51:45And I don't want to put anybody.

00:51:46In a box.

00:51:47In a box.

00:51:49Um.

00:51:50But.

00:51:51My weakest moments.

00:51:52Are when I'm not getting help.

00:51:54Okay.

00:51:56Those are my weakest moments.

00:51:58Because I'm by myself.

00:51:59I'm alone.

00:52:00I don't know which ways up.

00:52:02I can't.

00:52:03I don't feel confident.

00:52:04In who I am.

00:52:05I don't really know.

00:52:06Who I am.

00:52:08A hundred percent.

00:52:10The same things you're talking about.

00:52:11Those aren't my moment of.

00:52:13That's not my moment of strength.

00:52:15And.

00:52:16therapist, I'm weak. That's my moment of weakness. And it takes a strong person to seek help and to go see a therapist. So in that context, emotional strength comes from emotional vulnerability. It doesn't come from, like, denial and exclusion.

00:52:40So the feeling of feeling incomplete and not feeling whole, I can relate to, obviously. And oftentimes, there's parts of ourselves that we don't have access to. And that's kind of like why we may feel that way. And oftentimes, the gateway to those parts of ourselves, the gateway is usually emotional.

00:53:03And since we are in denial of our emotions, we are in denial of the gateways to the rest of our soul and our person.

00:53:15Okay. I mean, we can literally... Actually, I'm thinking about doing a panel because literally the last five people I spoke to, like, we literally had, like, we talked about mental health.

00:53:29So I think I want to do a panel just to get different... I think it's... No, not think. I know it's important for others to hear because we all have had times, and like I said, some more than others.

00:53:42And like I said, I don't want to... I don't want to say not focus on it, but at the same time, like I said, I think it is an important thing.

00:53:51And I think that because I'm definitely one of the ones that's like, if I need therapy, that makes me crazy type of thinking.

00:54:02No, no, no, no, no. Listen, listen.

00:54:03You know what, though? I'm going to tell you something. The person, the crazy person, technically, like they're the last person to know.

00:54:12That's true. Because I was about to say, and I say, and the reason why I say that and I say it so freely is because that is a typical thought from the average person, even if they don't think that, they're going to say it out loud.

00:54:28And that's weird to me. It's a wild thing. And I think it's just because I've had so much therapy.

00:54:34But the idea that, like, because I need somebody to talk to, I'm crazy.

00:54:41What's crazy is because I haven't had someone to talk to, I feel crazy.

00:54:48You know what it's like? It's like, you know, the secrets you carry around?

00:54:52Everybody's got secrets they carry. Your own secrets, other people's secrets, and your feelings, the things that you want to say to a person that you don't say.

00:55:01And all that energy gets built up and pent up inside you, and without an avenue to let it out, that's when you start getting that way.

00:55:13And a therapist, really, is just a person that you can tell your secrets to who ain't going to tell anybody.

00:55:18That way you ain't got to carry your secrets around all the time.

00:55:20And I think that that's the important thing, because as you stated, we all have, you know, whatever we have, and not to get it out and keep it in might be what's holding you back.

00:55:33Because, you know, we've seen things over the years, and me specifically being in the entertainment industry,

00:55:41and not to say that there's not, and for lack of a better word, and I hate to say this, but unstable minds.

00:55:51Undiagnosed people.

00:55:53Okay, and the reason why I use that terminology is only because working in a creative field,

00:55:59I feel from my experience that there's more of that within the creative mind, because most people who have a creative mindset that I've encountered have some type of...

00:56:14In a jokey way, I would say has some type of mental disorder.

00:56:19But I don't want to make it to be that in the vein of, like, of course, joking about it, but also being serious, but not being disrespectful in saying that.

00:56:33Because, like I said, I don't want to offend anybody who may feel like I'm describing them in that way, because I'm not.

00:56:40But because part of my personality is to try to make light of everything, I'll say it that way.

00:56:45But in all seriousness, like I said, I do know a lot of people that once I get to know them and have conversations with them,

00:56:52then I'm looking at them like, wow, that took a lot for you to say.

00:56:55And like you said, when somebody releases themselves in a comfortable manner, and like I said, the only reason I know it is because I give off a vibe that people can talk to me.

00:57:09But like I said, that's a good thing, because like I said, if you need someone to talk to, and you can't, like, then come talk to me.

00:57:16You know, I'm about to write a book, so I need some material.

00:57:19No, I'm just joking.

00:57:21I mean, haven't you ever seen a situation or had a situation where you said a few things, and then afterwards, you're like, man, I feel so much better.

00:57:31Yeah, definitely.

00:57:32After just getting that off my chest, it's just words.

00:57:36Yeah.

00:57:37But it's an expression.

00:57:38Yeah, and I get it.

00:57:41I want to kind of, actually, let's listen.

00:57:45There's a thin line between genius and crazy, too, so I see why you might think that a lot of the genius friends you have might be crazy.

00:57:52I was actually talking about myself, not least.

00:57:58But, you know, I know you got some good things going on in your life right now.

00:58:05Because I know I have, I realize that we've been on for like an hour now, and like, one thing I like about having these conversations is that you just lose track of time.

00:58:15But I don't want to talk too much of the time.

00:58:17But I also want to, you know, have a little feel-good moment.

00:58:22Like, I know, like, you know, somebody in your family is doing great things and, you know, that type of thing.

00:58:29So, listen, listen, man, my daughter, so all I'm going to say is she's a child of divorce.

00:58:38So, as a child of divorce, things can be very hectic.

00:58:44And I know that they've been hectic for her for the past some odd years.

00:58:49But especially over the last year, it's the eighth grade, she's been working hard to graduate.

00:58:54And I'm just so honored and blessed and happy that she's valedictorian for her graduating class, eighth grade class.

00:59:05And at one point, they said that she might not graduate.

00:59:09So, this, for her to do this is just amazing.

00:59:13And, like, my birthday was last week.

00:59:17Perfect birthday present.

00:59:18I don't need anything else except for my fiancée took me to see Michael Jackson on Broadway.

00:59:24You seen it?

00:59:25Not yet.

00:59:26I haven't seen it yet.

00:59:26Yeah, I see that.

00:59:28You know, I was a kid all over it.

00:59:31But, yeah, man, I'm just very happy to celebrate the kids.

00:59:35Just, you know, just happy for the kids, bro.

00:59:39That's good.

00:59:39And I know that since you said fiancée a couple of times, that means that you're on your way to marriage.

00:59:45So, congratulations.

00:59:51Especially being that you're already won already because of the business.

00:59:57You know, so it's like, you know, congratulations.

01:00:00Yeah, you know, it's funny.

01:00:01It's that thing of, like, people say, how can you, like, work together and live together

01:00:07and, like, spend so much time together.

01:00:11But I wouldn't have it any other way.

01:00:14And she's the best.

01:00:16She's the best all the way around.

01:00:18So, like, why wouldn't I want to spend all my time with her?

01:00:21I don't understand it because people, like, always feel like they need to get a break from who they're with.

01:00:26And I understand, you know, theory-wise, like, I mean, I'm single.

01:00:32I've never been married.

01:00:34I've had a long-term relationship.

01:00:35But I've never felt like I needed to be – I mean, there's moments.

01:00:39We all have moments because we're human.

01:00:41But, I mean, I would probably welcome that because, like, I think I would welcome that because I want somebody that I can always be with

01:00:50and feel comfortable with and know that I have their back and they have my back.

01:00:54So, I always – whenever I hear people say that, like, how can you, how can you?

01:00:58And I'm like, wow.

01:01:00It's like –

01:01:00That's how it's supposed to – like, that's what you shoot for.

01:01:03Yeah.

01:01:04Like, somebody that you want to spend as much time with as possible.

01:01:09Yeah.

01:01:10So, you know, I'm blessed in that way and I wouldn't have it no other way.

01:01:18And I don't – you know, I don't acknowledge her enough and I don't big her up enough.

01:01:24And I should definitely do it more.

01:01:27I think we all should generally just really hold each other up, you know.

01:01:32Are you saying we all should big her up?

01:01:33Okay.

01:01:34You mean – okay, I got you.

01:01:35Nah.

01:01:35Well, you've done a good job of that, you know, during the last hour.

01:01:42So, like I said, I commend you.

01:01:45And is there anything that you have coming in that you'd like to talk about or anything that you'd like to do in the future?

01:01:52Outside, of course, you know.

01:01:55Yeah, yes.

01:01:55So, what we've done lately is focus on ways for people to get into real estate at, like, the lower level.

01:02:07Like, not luxury, not $3, $5, $7 million.

01:02:10But how do you get into real estate?

01:02:12Like, for instance, right now, I have an apartment for sale in the Bronx for $90,000.

01:02:19It's a one bedroom for $90,000 in New York.

01:02:22I might be able to afford that.

01:02:25No, let me stop.

01:02:26Right.

01:02:27So, you know, I feel like as long as we can continue to serve the public and serve the communities where we live and where we love, we'll be doing a great job.

01:02:40That actually leads me to a question I did have on here, which is perfect.

01:02:48What qualities are needed to become successful in real estate?

01:02:56I know tolerance is one.

01:03:03Which one?

01:03:04I know tolerance is one.

01:03:06You have to have a price tolerance.

01:03:08You know, let's see.

01:03:11First of all, you have to be a self-starter.

01:03:14You can't need a boss.

01:03:18If you need someone to tell you what to do, real estate isn't the world for you.

01:03:23Now, what I will say is that real estate sales may not be the thing for you, but real estate as an industry is very much like the music industry.

01:03:32And the real estate agents are very much like the rappers.

01:03:37They're the artists.

01:03:37And the companies are the labels, right?

01:03:41So you can be like me and you want to be a rapper and you're out in the street trying to sell real estate, dancing in the street like a rapper on Instagram.

01:03:50Or you can have a full-time job in the back office, you know, in the marketing department.

01:03:58They have a back office sales department.

01:04:02They have an accounting department.

01:04:03You know, there's a lot of places that a person can get in where they fit in in real estate and not have the pressure of having a commission-based job.

01:04:13You could totally, just like the music industry, you could work at the label, work at the management company.

01:04:20You could be the receptionist if you want to be.

01:04:23You know, you don't have to be selling.

01:04:25So I would say you've got to be a self-starter.

01:04:29You've got to have perseverance.

01:04:30You've got to know math.

01:04:32If you don't know numbers, don't worry about it.

01:04:34Don't even think about it.

01:04:38You've got to be a people person.

01:04:41You've got to count that money somehow.

01:04:43Right.

01:04:45And you've got to be a people person, even if you don't like people.

01:04:47You don't have to like people.

01:04:50But you have to be a people person at the very least.

01:04:53You have to know how to deal with them.

01:04:54Keep you authentic about that, and people will love you.

01:04:58You know, people do business with people they like.

01:05:01That's true.

01:05:03That's true.

01:05:04Well, I don't think I've taken up enough of your time, and even though I still have like nine other things that I could veer into, you know.

01:05:12What's up with this panel?

01:05:13Hand me back.

01:05:14Say that again?

01:05:16Hand me back for the panel.

01:05:18Oh, no, that's what I was about to say.

01:05:19Yeah, so I could definitely do it.

01:05:21Because like I said, that, it just makes sense.

01:05:24The only thing that I fear is just the timing, but we'll figure it out.

01:05:29We'll figure it out there.

01:05:30Yeah, timers.

01:05:31Even if I have like six of you, which I think would be beautiful because the insights would be beautiful.

01:05:39It's just a matter of the time to get everyone together to actually do it.

01:05:43Because I think that's definitely something that we definitely need.

01:05:48Yo, you should do it, and then you should write about it.

01:05:52You should do it like a live event, and then after it's done, then you should do your commentary on the writing on it after or run that someplace.

01:06:03Yeah.

01:06:04Maybe the root.

01:06:05No.

01:06:05I just, for people that don't know, I just started freelancing for the root.

01:06:10Yeah, yeah.

01:06:11I still freelance for Black Enterprise.

01:06:13So, but, yeah.

01:06:16Or maybe, let me stop.

01:06:19Let me stop.

01:06:20Yeah.

01:06:20But, anyway, I appreciate your time.

01:06:25I appreciate the wisdom that you gave us, and I appreciate, you know, you being who you are and wish all the success in everything that you do going forward.

01:06:36And, you know, maybe I hit Lotto tonight, and I can buy the house without worrying about anything but the money.

01:06:46Let me stop.

01:06:47But, oh, I got you.

01:06:50For anyone that wants to get in touch with you or even wants to get a copy of the Morris Report, how can I reach you via, like, you know, social media or websites or whatever?

01:07:00Sure.

01:07:01You can find us on Instagram at morristeam at corcoran.com, spelled out.

01:07:07You can also find us at corcoran.com forward slash morristeam.

01:07:13And you can reach me directly at A as in Apple, L as in Larry, M as in Mary, A-L-M, at corcoran.com, C-O-R-C-O-R-A-N.

01:07:28See, I have to apologize because I used to always have that information so I could flash on the screen, but I have to get my name sometimes.

01:07:39They can rewind and, you know, go back.

01:07:41So, you know, but thank you once again.

01:07:45Appreciate you, bro.

01:07:46No problem.

01:07:46Appreciate you as well.

01:07:48For anybody that lasted this long, appreciate you tuning in, staying here.

01:07:51And as I always say, my friends are better than yours, and if you think your friends are better than mine, introduce them, and I promise you that you'll be wrong.

01:08:00Because even if you're my friends, my friends are still better than yours.

01:08:03Until next time, big sad, the industry co-sign.

01:08:06Anthony L. Morris, the Morris team at Cochran Group, the Morris Report.

01:08:11And until next time, peace.

01:08:15Wow.

01:08:17Peace, peace.

01:08:21Peace.

01:08:22Peace.

01:08:23Peace.

01:08:24Peace.

01:08:25Peace.

01:08:26Peace.