Flipping Her Life One House at a Time with Rachel Spezzapria

Intro 00:01
You're listening to the flip houses like a girl podcast where we educate, empower and celebrate everyday women who are facing their fears, juggling family and business, embracing their awesomeness and wholeheartedly chasing their dream of flipping houses. Each episode delivers honest to goodness tools, tips and strategies you can implement today to get closer to your first or next successful house flip. Here's your spiky haired breakfast taco loving host house flipping Coach Debbie DeBerry.

Debbie DeBerry 00:40
Hey, what's up you guys, thanks so much for tuning into today's episode, I promise you, you will leave this episode. So inspired. And if you don't, I don't know. Like, I can't help you. This conversation with Rachel is just, it's just amazing. And it gives me chills. And I'm so freaking excited to share it with you. She, gosh, six months ago, eight months ago was basically curled up on the floor in the fetal position, thinking there was no way out of where she was. She was a really hard, tough spot. And now she's smack dab in the middle of her first flip. And it's such an amazing and inspiring story that I I'm honored to get to share it with you. All right, I hope that you're doing some really exciting things in your own house flipping business. And if you aren't, get help, get support, get training, get all of those things. I've got women in my program who are closing on rental properties they're buying, they're closing on first flips, they're buying, they're closing on first flips, they're selling, they're closing on second and third flips. We are in action. If you need help getting in action, join the waitlist. We're going to open up soon first flip dunrite.com. Again, that's first flip dunrite.com and you can learn all about a program when we have some openings, which is very soon. Okay. All right. Let's get into this conversation with Rachel. I freaking can't wait. Like I just I can't wait to share it with you. See you on the flip side. Okay, so how about a little background about you?

Rachel  02:44
Sure. Sure. Um, well, my name is Rachel. I'm 40. I just turned 40 last month.

Debbie DeBerry 02:51
Happy birthday, when’s your birthday.

Rachel 02:53
It's April 10. 

Debbie DeBerry 02:57
April 21st! April, babies. Yeah. Awesome.

Rachel 03:01
Thank you. So you know what it's like to have a quarantine birthday. 

Debbie DeBerry 3:05 
Yep. It was. Yes. 

Rachel 3:09
My kids are actually with their dad. So.

Debbie DeBerry 03:10
Oh, no, that's that's so sad. 

Rachel 03:19
I had Scooter. Well, we'll figure it out later. 

Debbie DeBerry 03:19
You had scooter and peanut butter What else do you need? 

Rachel 3:21
Yeah, exactly. Um, yeah. So I live in Houston. And I'm on like, way out in the burbs. I'm on the south east side. So about like, 30 miles from Galveston. Okay.

Debbie DeBerry 03:35
Got it.

Rachel 03:36
And my area is called Clear Lake but there's a bunch of cool little communities. Love Austin. Yeah, that's where you are, right? Yeah. 

Debbie DeBerry 3:46
I’m in Austin.

Rachel 03:47
Yeah. Yeah. I love it. Love it there. But so we're pretty close neighbors ish. I know. But probably completely different markets because you're in the city and I am.

Debbie DeBerry 03:56
Oh, yeah. Yes. Well, the thing of Houston. Houston is so big. It's weaker. It's huge. Yes, it's Yeah. Like Austin. Feels like. I don't know. It just feels like a town to me.

Rachel 04:10
Yeah.

Debbie DeBerry 04:12
Yeah, I like Houston or Dallas, and I'm like, Oh my gosh, it's just so spread out. It's so big.

Rachel 04:18
Yes. Okay. It's big. So I went on the south, east side way down by Galveston, where we have like seagulls.

Debbie DeBerry 04:31
Oh no. okay. I love it. I love it. Yeah. Um, so I went to Baylor. Okay, I'm from Arizona originally, but I went to school in Texas. I went to Baylor and majored in elementary education. So I taught third grade. Wow. I'm here in Houston for I don't know, five or six years before I had babies. And then, when the boys were old enough to go to Mother's Day out, I worked at the mother stat and I worked at the preschool a and did some tutoring and all that. So, yeah, not not a background in design.

Debbie DeBerry 05:10
You're a nurturer for sure.

Rachel 05:13
Oh, I-that's true. Yeah. 

Debbie DeBerry 05:16
Yeah. You're a nurturer. And you care so that I can already tell that like that. To me. I already know how you operate in business. Like Okay,

Rachel  05:26
Okay yeah, yeah. Very. What do you call it? Whoo. Oh, well. A lot of that going on over here. Yeah. So like, when I was young, like I knew, and I've heard you talk about being creative. I knew I was creative. And I knew I wanted to create and put something out there. But when you're little like, you have our class, right. And I would have this picture of this piece of art I wanted to make you know, whether it was a landscape or a painting or whatever, crams and my coloring book, and I could just never get the picture. Yeah, what was in my head? Uh huh. And it was so frustrating to me. Because I can visualize I've got that, you know, but I could never get it to translate in art. So I guess I'm not creative. So I was all I've always been sort of seeking a way to be creative a way to create and there's tons of opportunities, you know, as a mom, yeah. Like the lunchbox creations, the eyeballs on the sandwiches, you know, like the Teacher Appreciation gifts. Like, there were ways to sort of satisfy that. And then of course, being a pre k teacher, there finger paints and glitter. Yeah, sure. But there was still that wasn't like my thing, you know? But I hadn't found the thing. So, um, I, I always loved reading, I always loved like going picking out paint the tile and so a friend of mine asked me to help her with her master bathroom.

Debbie DeBerry 07:02
How long ago was that?

Rachel  07:06
I think it was about 2016. Okay. Um, so I went with her. We chose all the pieces and I could see that bathroom on my, before we started, I could see it. And once it was over, and I saw the project through it matched.

Debbie DeBerry 07:28
All those Years later!

Rachel 07:30
it was the thing I freaking love. That's my art, you know? Yeah. It was it. It just clicked. And I was like this is it.

Debbie DeBerry 07:39
Oh, my gosh, that gives me chills. That totally gives me chills. I get it. I get that feeling. It's such an amazing feeling.

Rachel 07:49
Yes, yes. So um, so just friends, neighbors, I just started helping them in their remodels. And eventually, they started paying me. And then word of mouth spread. And by 2018 I started my own company, and it's called stay wild design. 

Debbie DeBerry 08:00
I love that name. It's so good. No, thank you. Because you know, I want you to love your space. And I want to say while such a freaking great name like it's such a great name. 

Rachel 8:10
Thank you so much. Yeah. So I've been busy but but book with clients and word of mouth. And of course I have Instagram. Yes. Which is like free advertising. So I keep up with Instagram a lot. If you're, you know, anybody wants to follow along?

Unknown Speaker  08:40
Yeah. Give them your handle. 

Rachel 08:41
@staywilddesigns. 

Debbie DeBerry 08:45
Yeah, I say you're way better at Instagram than I am. Like, I'm always like, I hope she's getting my messages. I don't know how to do this is the one piece of technology. It's the one app it's the one software that makes me feel old. Like I don't get it.

Rachel 09:03
Oh, that's so funny. If you're good at it.

Debbie DeBerry 09:06
I'm so glad that you think that I yeah, that's I am so glad you think that on this end. I am struggling with wrestling with it.

Rachel 09:18
I put some weird stuff up but sometimes like someone was like, hey, it's getting a little too personal. Like aren't you? a designer? What are you doing while you're talking about all this stuff? I'm just being real. Yeah, it was real. Life on my Instagram.

Debbie DeBerry 09:37
Yeah. Yeah, go follow her Instagram account for sure.

Rachel 09:41
Okay, well, thanks. Um, but yeah, word of mouth. I just got busy and loving it and but I would drive down the street in my neighborhood or, you know, through my little communities and I'm like, I I could fix that. You know, like I could I or every time I go on a walk with my dog, I'm thinking about, you know, oh, I would change that paint color, I would change the door, I might bring the dormer down, you know, like, I'm just constantly thinking that. And my husband at the time was just like, Girl, you don't know what you're doing, like, you know the experience, you know, you can budget you don't know how to keep me I wasn't allowed to touch the finances. I didn't even have passwords. So like, I I was not smart enough. It wasn't experienced enough. He definitely didn't trust me with that kind of investment. So it was more like, this is Rachel's hobby. It was never really taken seriously.

Debbie DeBerry 10:51
It wasn't your business.

Rachel 10:52
No, it was like a you know, okay, maybe she's helping out now she can help pay for the groceries but definitely not. not taken seriously. And for sure. He's not giving me money to invest in anything. So, um, that marriage ended. And we he moved out last June. So it's just been one year.

Debbie DeBerry 11:19
Okay. That's tough. Yeah, yeah. I mean, whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. It's a tough transition.

Rachel 11:26
Yeah, it just sucks.

Debbie DeBerry 11:27
Yeah. Especially as kids, it's tough.

Rachel 11:32
I would say I spent the first you know, six months on the floor. And then the second six months. It was like, Okay, I, I need a job. Like I got to provide I mean, this is no longer a hobby. Yeah, this is no longer some little side hustle Rachel's doing to, you know, keep busy. This is I got to do do this. Yeah, I got a mitt. I either need to like, go get a job, or I need to make this work. And I knew doing a kitchen or doing a bathroom here and there was not enough. And I knew what I wanted to buy that house on the corner, fix it and flip it. So, um, our divorce was final January 30. And on February 20, I made my first offer

Debbie DeBerry 12:24
that's so awesome. How scared were you?

Unknown Speaker  12:33
I’m scared. I was more scared. Before I- because I spent a lot of time in therapy. Over this year and learning the truth about me. Like, I am smart enough. Yeah, I can handle a budget and I've been handling a budget. I'm all of these renovations that I've done. I've never come over. Yeah. When I'm spending other people's money. I am good at this. Right. And once I you take a step Oh, I can get the mail. Oh, I can pay the bills, right? Oh, I can set up my own account. Right. This is my credit card. No, and I'm doing it and that all just built confidence. Totally. Totally. Yeah. That's what that is the confidence and I see what it sounds like is your why got so much bigger. It was it was a it has to happen. Not like oh, like someday that'll be nice someday. Exactly. No, it's today. And it's gonna like it's gonna, it'll feel uncomfortable. I'll feel totally out of place. I'll feel like I shouldn't be doing this. I'm in over my head and I'm still going to make an offer.

Debbie DeBerry 13:44
Right? Right. Like, oh, you're gonna spend all that savings.

Rachel 13:52
Doing it.

Debbie DeBerry 13:54
I love it.

Rachel 13:55
I’m so so glad and I'm ready to you know, my agent and I are already looking for the next deal. SO

Debbie DeBerry 14:01
that's awesome. Okay, so tell me how you found the first one.

Rachel 14:04
Okay, so um,I would say I spent a lot of time walking the neighborhoods. Yeah. I mean, I hear you. And you were like, you got to know your area. You got to know your numbers. You got to know you know, what these houses are going for what they're selling for what what buyers are looking for in your area. And so I studied and studied, studied. And I was looking on Zillow every day, just hunting Zillow walking neighborhoods. And then actually one of your followers you had or one of your on one of your shows some someone mentioned Redfin. Oh yeah. Redfin, I've never heard of red. 

Debbie DeBerry14:52
I love it. Red fin is awesome. If red is in your community, use it. It's such a great tool.

Rachel 14:58
Yes. So like, I just Entering what I want what I'm looking for, and these notifications just come to me. Yes. And there's my little list every day and I just go down, you know, here's 50 houses or whatever, and they give you market stats and like it's a great tool for sure. 

Debbie DeBerry 15:09
Absolutely. Yeah. Okay, good to know. Good. 

Rachel 15:16
Yeah, so I had an agent already that we had worked with in the past. And he is flipping houses, too. So he was great to bounce ideas. And so I, as soon as the ink was dry, literally on the divorce papers, I'm like, Hey, man, I got 20 houses come over. And he's like, all right. You know, so he came over and we went through my, like, saved list on Redfin. And this one, and he was like, No, no, no, Hell, no, no, no. I'm like, Oh, he's like, Rachel. None of these are gonna work. None of these are a good deal. I'm like, Yeah, but it's in my price range. It's in the area I want and it's totally a crappy house like, this is it? He's like, No, those numbers are never going to work. And I'm like, but I read all those books. Debbie every week. So I still had a ton of learning to do. So. We went in, like, we went and looked at a few houses, but there was one day, you know, just searching through my feed on Redfin. And there it was, and it was like, the perfect price and the perfect street in the perfect area. And I call my agent, he's like, I'll be there five minutes. Maybe. And we went to look at and he's like, smell that. Like money.

Debbie DeBerry 16:43
Love your agent.

Rachel 16:45
Great. He's great. So um, so yeah, I mean, it was just right there. It just takes a little was it? Did it just come up on the market? it? It was a closure. It was listed on Redfin, it was right there. Yeah, it hadn't been there long.

Debbie DeBerry 17:02
But what was it. multiple offers or anything?

Rachel 17:06
Yes. There were multiple offers. Okay. There were multiple offers. So I went in at full price. Uh huh. With my offer, and it got accepted. But then the numbers work. The numbers work. But then once we did inspection, like, Oh, this, these numbers don't work. And yeah, yeah. So we've adjusted and did a little more negotiating. And of course, the bank and with it being the beginning of March. In the beginning of a pandemic…it moved a little slow. Uh huh. No, it wasn't until April third that we ended up closing and I was all cash. So

Debbie DeBerry 17:46
Oh, wow. That's crazy. Yeah. What took so long? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's interesting. Um, I love that you bought your first flip in a pandemic. That's just perfect. Like, that's just so appropriate. Um, did you have to do mobile closing like, did they come to your driveway, we refinanced and they came to the driveway, and we closed like on the tailgate. Well, that's, that's fancy. Fancy. Yeah.

Rachel 18:13
My title company. Actually, we couldn't get into the title company. So we just did it all in my agents office. And he's like, I've been doing this for, you know, 25 years. I've never, I've never done it this way. But you know, I'm like, I brought my own pen. Thank you very much. I don’t need your germs. It’s like a big conference table. 

Debbie DeBerry 18:39
I love it. Okay, so you closed April 3?  And then seven days later, you turn 40. What a great birthday present honoring yourself. I freaking love it. You're like, here you go. Sister. Like this is- This is Rachel 2.0.

Rachel 19:01
Yeah, absolutely. Sink or Swim girl. Yeah. And I got it.

Debbie DeBerry 19:05
Yeah. This. So are you acting as the GC? 

Rachel 19:06
Yes, yes. 

Debbie DeBerry 19:10
So you've subbed out all your work? Have you? Are you using trades that you've used in the past? Or have you had to get some new trades?

Rachel 19:19
So I am work I'm acting as a GC but I'm working with my contractor that I have been working with for the last you know, three or four years and I love him. Love his crew, like know, their wives know their kids. That nothing like we're a tight knit group. We've worked together a lot. But we still do set out some things especially when permits come I'm in a hurry. friendswood is the is the town that we are. They're very, very persnickety.  Everything is by the book. So we make sure we have You know plumbers out there and our electricians out there to make sure everything for permits and inspections is

Debbie DeBerry 20:07
Yeah, well, yeah, that's so important. And it also offers another layer of insurance for you that you can put it on them like no a licensed tradesperson did it like, let's go talk to them. Absolutely all about deferring deflecting to somebody else. Um, okay, so tell me what your numbers are like, what you bought it for what the renovation budget is how things are going.

Rachel 20:31
Okay, so, um, let me look at my notes here. Yeah. Okay. I ended up buying it at 166 750. Okay. And I expect our renovation budget to be about 55,000.

Debbie DeBerry 20:50
Okay. What size house is it?

Rachel 20:53
It's a two story and it's 2400 square feet.

Debbie DeBerry 20:57
Wow. Like, that's a great budget for that size.

Rachel 21:00
Yeah. Well, I am good at finding you kind of know what you're doing. Yeah. I mean, I have pro pricing everywhere I go. Yeah. You know, I have my own dealers that I work with. Past so it makes plus it's like I I already know what flooring I want to put. I already know that. I know. Well, the price I know. Yeah. So. Yeah. So I've got the deals already.

Debbie DeBerry 21:22
Yeah. A lot of them. Yeah. The the your design work and all that experience. Like it's just it's set you up so perfectly to be doing this for yourself. Like you've had so much practice?

Rachel 21:39
Yes, yes. Now, I've never done a whole house at all. But um, you know, what's, what's Yeah, what's a few more rooms? A few more. A few thousand more square feet. I don't have a client living in it. Right. Like saying, you know what time you're going to be here. Yeah, like having an opinion about everything I pick. Oh, yeah. I'm just they don't i don't get all these phone calls. I don't know. Like, it's so free. It’s amazing. I love it I get that. I want how I want. Yep. In my order. Right. It's great.

Debbie DeBerry 22:26
Yeah, that sounds like that. Sounds pretty lovely. Right there. Yeah. Okay, so 55,000 is the budget. What's your timeline?

Rachel 22:35
Um, so pandemic, right, right. I want to say, mid June. No, but I think really, it'll probably be the first of July.

Debbie DeBerry 22:51
Are your permits taking a little while?

Rachel 22:53
Yeah, you know, the City Hall is closed, They're still working. But yeah, close. And like, even just friends wood is very serious about like, how you turn your packet in and how many plans and like, everything has to be right. And it's like, Oh, you missed one. Sorry. Start over. Oh, gosh, what it's like man are not open. I put it in a tub outside the door. And so, so yeah, that's taking a little bit longer. Of course. My contractor does not want to go to Home Depot. Like, yeah, he doesn't want to go so. And I don't blame him. So I'm trying to order everything I can have it delivered. So like you need tracks. Okay, let me get on Amazon. Like any tape. So I'm just trying to stay on top of it. Like every day. What do you need? What do you need? What do you need? Yeah, haven't ordered to have it and have it sent right there. Sometimes we meet at Home Depot, and I don't know if you've done the curbside? I'm loving that.

Debbie DeBerry 24:07
I know, right? Everything is curbside. I know. I'm loving all of the curb sides. The problem is that, like I'm buying speaking of curbside ATV, I'm buying more more ATV than I ever have. Because I'm like, I'm scared that I'm not going to get a slot because the slots were so hard to get for a while members I got over a week out. Oh, like it was booked for two weeks like I couldn't get on and so then they started freeing up more stuff. And so I'd be like, okay, I better grab a spot just in case I need something and now I'm like buying groceries and I've had to go into the hall closet to store chips and stuff like that we calm down.

Rachel 24:52
As soon as the groceries are delivered. We're ordering next week's 

Debbie DeBerry 24:59
What do you think we're going to need to get your order in now I don't want to hear about it. Like, tell me now. I know.

Rachel 25:02
Exactly. Exactly. actually doing the groceries online is one of my oldest chores. I hate it. I know. I know. It's like pop tarts, you know coke like, oh. He's like is the price you pay him on?

Debbie DeBerry 25:23
Oh, things could be worse. 

Rachel 25:29
Okay, mid June, um, and hoping to sell it close to 300. So I would save maybe right under it like 295.

Debbie DeBerry25:39
Nice. So after closing costs and all that jazz. Gosh, like, probably 50-60 grand. You waited? How long to do? 

Rachel:
What in the world? Everybody doing this? 

Debbie DeBerry:
Why isn't everybody doing this? And it's so much fun.

Unknown Speaker  26:02
Like, I love it every single day. I don't know about you. But my kids are home with me every day. We're not even setting the alarm wake. I'm, I'm working. But it's in the afternoon. It's all stopped by everything's done online and phone calls and scheduling. And, you know, we start school over here. I got a homeschool info. And I'm still gonna make that much money. Are you kidding me? I know. It's near what other job? Could you ever have this kind of flexibility? I have no idea. I don't know how I would ever make this work. I know any other way. I don't know if I could be there for those kids. Because, you know, I'm the one that somebody's sick. I got to be there. Unfortunately, doctor I mean, who doesn't even know their dentist name or where the dentist office is? So like, it's all me. Yeah, I got to be there. I got to be available. I also need to provide how I do it. This job is so good. 

Debbie DeBerry 27:05
I love it. I do I love it. I'm so glad I do have so much joy. I love like I love this conversation so much. Wait, are you? Do you find yourself checking the MLS a lot like watching the houses that come up on the market? Are you still staying on top of that?

Rachel 27:27
Yes, yeah. Yes. Yes. So my first this first house, like through the divorce and all of the finances and blah, blah, blah. I set aside a chunk and i and i had enough to pay cash for this entire first flip for the reno, and everything. Yeah, yes. It's been awesome. What better way to start. But I want I don't want there to be a gap. Yes. When this sells, and I anticipate it to sell quickly. This street is so good. Yeah. So good. Debbie, like Can't wait, they sell. They sell really quickly. So I'm anticipating a quick turn and I want to be ready with the next one. So I am in talking with the lender a hard money loan for the next one. You know, it's what all the cool kids are doing. Right?

Debbie DeBerry 28:19
leverage baby.

Rachel 28:20
Yeah. And then and then I can have to have once and like, see where it goes. I definitely don't want to get over my head here. But I'm in it. Yeah, I'm doing it. So let's do it. were looking at houses. I intend to make an offer on one by the end of the week. And we'll see.

Debbie DeBerry 28:42
I love it. So what about there aren't any deals out there? 

Rachel 28:45
Not true. 

Debbie DeBerry 28:47
What? What a lot of people in Houston, there just aren't any deals, Houston area, and there's no deals

Rachel 28:58
no. So I, when I'm just like scanning, I'm looking at the price per square foot. I know what my area cells are my areas. So price per square foot at the high end. And when I see that gap, I mean, boom. Yeah, I'm on it. I'm gonna call What do you think of this house? And you know, he'll be led to be like, I know that street because my agent knows this area inside and out. And he'll be like, I know that street. That's hot. Let's go yummy. area. Or he's like, no, that street flooded. You know, that's why it's so low. Yeah, we had a lot of flooded. Yeah, we'll see. 

Debbie DeBerry 29:35
It's so crucial that you have that person on your team. I say that all the time. Like, no, if you don't know the ins and outs and the nuances and a lot of people don't unless they're in real estate, like unless they're doing this day in day out. They don't. It's crucial to have an agent who knows the area's like, Yeah, because you can get burned so easily. If you don't know that. You don't know that street flood And has a bad stigma now. Like if you don't know all these things, that's when I see investors get bitten so badly. So yeah, so glad that you have that like huge.

Rachel 30:10
Yeah, he's been he's been great and actually, because he flips and he's like a guy, you know what I mean? Like, he's like put in some gray wood tile, the walls are gray. Let's do like a grade one granite. and run it up the backsplash. Like all the cabinets are white. And, and he's still making like 40-50 grand on flips, but I'm like, Hey, man, you know, like, if you just try this pink color, Like, if you if you like, eliminated that granite and did the same words, you know, or maybe a different color. So anyway, we we have been able to kind of trade Our skills. Which is I mean, honestly, if I could make a living bartering Yeah. My skills, you know, and never have to deal with money ever. I do this for anyone all day long. Right. You know, you give me what you are good at. Because as you say, all the time this job is about relationships totally is what people? 

Debbie DeBerry 31:25
Oh, so for sure. For sure. For sure. For sure.

Rachel 31:31
Yes. And I got a great team.

Debbie DeBerry 31:34
Yeah. Yeah. It's huge. It makes it it just makes it so much easier. And I just feel like I don't know. I think it's a I think it's people hearing other stories. As humans, we are quick to share things that don't please us, or experiences that don't don't didn't please us. So we're really quick to share the bad things

Rachel 32:01
That can carry more weight.

Debbie DeBerry 32:03
Yeah. And we hear that as we hear, Oh, God, all contractors are out to screw me. Like, Oh, my gosh, like, I've had a couple of bad contractors like, vendors. But my main contractors have been awesome. 

Rachel 32:18
Yes yes. it's like, I'm gonna go to their Quinsineta for their daughter.

Debbie DeBerry 32:23
Yeah. Yeah. I think it's, um, having just having a different attitude about it, not assuming they're out to get you and not assuming they're out to screw you. And still being smart and protecting yourself and having, you know, proper contracts in place and that sort of thing. That doesn't mean that those go away, but still assume the worst, I think.

Rachel 32:47
Yeah, definitely. Definitely. I mean, you got to weed out and I've done that. Luckily, I've because I've been doing this for a few years, I've been able to weed out the ones that you know, maybe we don't necessarily. I can't imagine anybody who would have trouble working with me, right?

Debbie DeBerry 33:05
But there are rabid weirdos. Where do you get Who do you ask for recommendations? Or where do you get leads on people to reach out to for vendors?

Rachel 33:19
Um, that's a good question. So I'm on Facebook and next door always has good recommendations. And right behind my neighborhood, like I live in a sweet little community with young kids running around, but right behind me is like the really swanky neighborhood. My heart truly is for the young families for the people who are just starting out not for that super high end yet. Like that's not who I'm serving. Yes, please do I've ever sir. I've done that. And it's a whole different whole different ballgame.
Absolutely. Asians are different obviously. You is different. Um, I like I care about this home. I mean, I go to this flip. And I pray Yeah. For the family. point why it is about like my ID I know this this this area is known for their school district. Yeah. So people who want to live here have kids and if they're there for the schools, so I am every decision I'm making is for a family that's you know, for these kids. Yes. And, and I want invested in them. I know invested in this. Yeah, this family potentially is going to be my house. I care about them. But you know, 

Debbie DeBerry 35:05
we will woo all day long girlfriend. Whoo. All over it. Leave a love note underneath the flooring, put some notes around. I get it. Yeah, that's up here.

Rachel 35:15
I can't do this job. Yeah, without it. yeah, I want to make money. Okay, I want to make 60 grand in this clip. Yep. But I can't do it if there's no purpose and there's no relationships. I just I can't do it without blue like, yeah. And then the people working with

Debbie DeBerry 35:35
Yeah, yes, exactly. Exactly.  

Rachel 35:40
You totally get it. I love you. Because your whole thing is lead people and places better than you found them. And that's me, man. That's what I want to do.

Debbie DeBerry 35:51
And it is so good that I got it. Right. And it feels so much better. Yes. With that kind of vibe and energy then. Yes. How? Like, how can I screw this homeowner like, how can I get the best deal by screwing this homeowner and it's like, oh my gosh, that's never when I started. That's what, that's the vibe that I felt years and years ago. It was a good old boys club. And that was the vibe. And I was just like, these are my people. I don't think this is for me, but I wanted to do it so badly. Yeah, I just like was like I'm just gonna be me and see how it goes. Like, it's either good or not, you know the way for the rest of us. I appreciate that. Guys. I love I love it. I love it so much. It's so awesome. Um, you totally get it and I just love that. Okay, I thought of a question. Another question. Okay. So you're poaching people from the swanky neighborhoods, you're poaching vendors from the swanky neighborhoods. And what's another question? I hear a lot? Well, so Well, I guess it's that how do you find contractors? Is there any?

Rachel 37:11
I guess, is there anything that you wanted to make sure you said or make sure people heard on this call? I might, since this is my first flip. And I'm coming from a place of, like, brokenness. There's no other way to say it. Like I was a heap on the floor. Self Esteem shot. Full of fear that I can't do this on my own. I can't. There's no way I can manage all of this on my own.And I didn't do it on my own. I mean, I have wonderful support and family and to have been there and encouraged me, but but I don't ever want to have to rely on a man. For financial freedom, and to take care of me.

Debbie DeBerry 38:14
Yes, ever again.

Rachel 38:16
And this has been the most wonderful experience confidence building. Just, just learning about myself through all of this and you know, I try to share that piece on Instagram. It's not just like tile samples. on my site. You know, this is about my journey through this from I mean, because Rachel, 2.0 like, been a huge transformation. Yeah. And if I can do it, like the girl in a heap on the floor, with like, a she's not pretty enough. She's not smart enough. She doesn't have any experience. She's never bounced a checkbook in her life. I'm doing and I'm crushing it, and you can too. like I love I love that. You. I love that you have this attitude of abundance. And this isn't about like, oh, there's not enough room for you. Here, you know, as I'm not going to share because I wouldn't keep all the secrets right itself, right. You know, there's room for all of us there. For all of us. You give me $40,000 to flip you know, same house and you give you $40,000 you're gonna do it in totally different ways. Right. And oh my gosh, and that's awesome.

Debbie DeBerry 39:42
Right? Yeah.

Rachel 39:44
Yeah, yes. No, way. There's no wrong way. You can get your money from this, you know, pay cash for my dad or from a hard money loan or you know, right. There's just not one way. Yes. And there's room for all of us in here. If I can do it, yeah. So can you, I love that I got a mom. Yeah, mom enjoyed this. I'm compassionate, caring, you know, just normal women whose hair is dirty and dry shampooing for the fifth day in a row.  beat them, like, still kill it to be real and make the living make the world better make our game better, right? Just, I can't think of a better job. I'm so so lucky.

Debbie DeBerry 40:39
I think that's such a great message. And, you know, we we have these walls up like, we do have this thing of, oh, there's not enough. And if I'm successful, then that means I'm taking away from her success and right, like that is such bs like that. Whoever fed us that is like poisoning us. Yeah, it's like, such a terrible mindset. Um, and just like there's Yeah, there's just there's, there's enough, there's more than enough. It's not about that. It's about the walls that we have up and just letting them down and just being more transparent, like in the world, in business, in our personal lives just being more transparent. Yeah, not pretending to know everything. Nobody freaking knows what they're doing. I have no money.

Rachel  41:31
I would still be sitting there like looking at redfin. You know, cuz I didn't know anything! over that day that I called my agent. I was like, Here's 20 houses and he was like, No, no, no, no, like, okay, I suck at this. I give up like, no, I love that. 

Debbie DeBerry 41:50
You did it. Yeah, you got he rejected 20 houses you gave them? And you're like, Okay, all right. Well, similar. Right, exactly. I love that attitude. But I think your y got bigger. Your confidence for sure. Hey, that's what I say. Like I educate, encourage and empower women. It's all about the confidence. That is 100%. What is holding people back is the confidence 

Rachel 42:14
because you're never going to be prepared enough. No, we're gonna do everything for you. You say all the time, like I learned on every job.

Debbie DeBerry 42:17 42:22
Yes, every call is different. Absolutely. 100% Well, I have loved this conversation more than I could tell you like, it's just been awesome. And I can't wait to hear how it goes. I'm totally gonna follow up with you. We're gonna have a follow up call. Okay. And we might just keep having calls like, okay, at the end of time. Um, all right. Nothing else you want to share? I don't ever want anybody to think. Oh, man. I really wanted to say this one thing, but Debbie talks too much. 

Rachel 42:58
Okay. Get the dumpster. Just do it.Just get it. It's like 400 bucks.

Debbie DeBerry 43:05
Oh, no, we'll just call it you know.

Rachel 43:09
It's still in the garage. Hilarious.

Debbie DeBerry 43:14
Ladies, get the dumpster

Rachel 43:16
Get the dumpster. Let it go away and have a fresh start. I cannot.

Debbie DeBerry  43:29
Take I love it. I love her. I love today's tidbit. Seriously, this has been awesome.

Rachel 43:36
You are awesome. Debbie. You have inspired me you have empowered me truly even you made you made me see that. me just as I am is just right in this business.

Debbie DeBerry 43:52
Like, seriously, I'm in tears because that's that's why I do this 100% like I'm gonna sob now because that's exactly why I do this. So. Oh, thank you, Rachel. And then our zoom connection went couplet. So fortunately, we got all of that awesome stuff in before that happened. Was that such a great conversation or what I loved that interview so much. And I know that you got some really good nuggets out of that. I trust that wholeheartedly. All right, you guys, until next time, go out there flip houses like a girl. lead people in places better than you find them and make it a great day. Bye, y'all.