AI for Real Estate Investors: Automate Leads, Follow-Up & Rehab Estimates

Pamela Smith (00:00)
Spend hours looking at pictures and trying to figure out how much this is gonna cost and how much that is gonna cost. So I actually created an app that will take the pictures, and AI evaluates the pictures, and it it runs the local contractor costs, it runs your local Lowes and Home Depot costs, and it puts everything together, and you have your your scope of work for for your project.

project and that saves hours of time, to be able to have something to be able to do that.

Scott Bursey (02:08)
Welcome back to the Real Estate Pros podcast powered by Investor Fuel. I’m your host, Scott Bursey. And today we’re diving deep with Pamela Smith of Quantum Shift AI. Pamela has been navigating the real estate landscape for years across Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Florida with a heart.

For people. What sets her apart is her commitment to finding real solutions that make sense for everyone involved, treating every transaction with the care she would offer her own family. Pros, you can expect to learn how to balance high tech efficiency with a deeply human, honest approach to real estate. Pamela, welcome to the show.

Pamela Smith (02:50)
Thank you. It’s a great pleasure to be here. I appreciate it, Scott.

Scott Bursey (02:54)
It is just fabulous having you here, Pamela, and to help our listeners get up to speed. Please give us the ninety second highlight reel of how your career ignited and where you’re pouring your fuel now.

Pamela Smith (03:05)
Okay, so my I I’ve been a little bit diversified. I started out as a high school biology teacher and back when we had the crash, 2008 to 2012, there was a mass teachers layoff and unfortunately I was one that was laid off. So that’s where my real estate career began. I just I wanted something that would give me passive

Income. I wanted something that wasn’t so hands-on because at that point I also decided to homeschool my my my daughter, and so I started looking into real estate and it just so happened that my mother passed away in 2014 and I bought her house and rented it and like

the the rental exit strategy and so that’s kind of where I kept moving. So I I started buying rentals and paying them off and buying the next one and paying it off. And I know a lot of people did the the BRRRR method of investing but I also saw a lot of people crash and burn with that because mortgages came due and all kinds of stuff happened and

And and they wound up losing a lot. So for me, it was just kind of slow and steady wins the race. So so today I I have a rental portfolio. I don’t have mortgages and so my income is my income. Yeah.

Scott Bursey (05:29)
Thank you for sharing the roots of your journey and also where you’re headed. What really caught my attention about you was the way that you’ve been able to bridge the gap between AI integration and genuine family first real estate solutions. And on that note, Pamela, we’re wondering, looking back at your early days, what was that turning point realization that shifted your focus from just closing deals to truly solving problems?

Pamela Smith (05:58)
Well, I guess I’ve always been a problem solver. whenever I see that there’s something going wrong, I’m the first one to wanna try to fix it. So I’m I’m a a fix it kind of person, which makes sense that I would have married my husband’s a diesel mechanic and he’s a fixer as well. He’s a mechanical fixer and I’m a psychological fixer and that’s kinda where I got into real estate wholesaling.

Because I was looking to help people who were having problems with taxes and foreclosures and things like that and really wanted to see people not ruin their credit. I know that when I first got started in real estate, that was one of the first things that I did was work on building my credit and then to see people, lose their credit and it’s so it affects everything. It affects your insurance rates, your credit cards, it affects everything. So

So I really did want to help people get out of the situation and I could also help investors and it was a win win situation. So that kinda led me to,

really getting into wholesaling. so and I and I did wholesaling to help me with buying more rentals, ’cause again I I didn’t want the the mortgages and and all the all the payments and and and that heavy load and so

it it just kinda became a clear cut path for me. But then wholesaling kind of became like a a full time job and I didn’t want the job. I they call a job just overbroke and I just I I I wasn’t that that wasn’t for me. So I was looking but I but but wholesaling pays well, you know, and so I was trying to figure out how

How do I make wholesaling my business? How do I make it so that it’s systemized and automated and so I started, AI came out, you I mean it’s been out but

it it kinda came to light and I started seeing ways that I could use AI in my business and and helping me to get my deals done and so yeah I jumped on that really quick. So right now I I use a system that is totally automated. it finds the deals for me, it it contacts people for me. it follows up

For me, it writes letters for me, it it pretty much does everything other than talking to people, which I like to talk to people on the phone and I like to explain how I can help them solve their problems, and so I still handle that aspect of it, but AI has really become my personal assistant, and so Quantum Shift was born because yeah, I thought I

could share this with with other investors and then I started thinking, what problems can help people solve. And one of the biggest problems for me in wholesaling was trying to figure out the rehab numbers. if you’re wholesaling to a flipper, they have a budget and and and they they you if you’re not within their budget then the deal is no good. It’s no deal, right? So I we would

Spend hours looking at pictures and trying to figure out how much this is gonna cost and how much that is gonna cost. So I actually created an app that will take the pictures, and AI evaluates the pictures, and it it runs the local contractor costs, it runs your local Lowes and Home Depot costs, and it puts everything together, and you have your your scope of work for for your project.

project and that saves hours of time, to be able to have something to be able to do that.

So AI has become very useful in a lot of ways. And yeah, I’m here to share it.

Scott Bursey (10:39)
When looking at your strengths in the market, Pamela, what is the number one tool or habit that keeps you consistent?

Pamela Smith (10:48)
The number one tool that keeps me consistent is probably my calendar. I learned that everything has to go on the calendar. If it doesn’t go on the calendar, it gets overlooked. So in the morning I sit down, I have my tea, and and I go over my calendar and and make sure I know what’s going on for the day. And of course AI reminds me as well.

Scott Bursey (11:11)
And we’re interested to hear about the weaknesses or perhaps the gaps you’ve identified that you’ve had to navigate while scaling Quantum Shift AI. Could you highlight a couple more than you already have?

Pamela Smith (11:24)
So to highlight some gaps, I’ve done a lot of training. I’ve I’ve gone through it it started out kind of primitive and so I started out with copywriting certifications and prompt writing certifications and it it has just moved exponentially very quickly into

agents is is the big word now of the day for AI and because now we have agents that do all of these things for us and there’s there’s new terminology, MCPs which connect agents together so that you can have a complete

workforce actually. So I ⁓ I the gaps I I would say would probably be in just getting the right agents doing the right things together and fulfilling, what you want to get done and figuring out how to get your agents working together. But once you have that then, the sky’s the limit really.

Scott Bursey (12:30)
Seeking your insight on opportunities, Pamela, with the current market shifting, where are you seeing the most potential for the family first investor?

Pamela Smith (12:39)

So right now,

Things are are are kinda tough. prices are are high and it’s it’s when you say the family first investor, y you made me think and I I don’t know, I guess I’m getting a little personal, but you made me think of my daughter, right? I have a twenty five year old daughter who ⁓ wants to buy a house and that’s all she constantly complains about is how expensive properties are right now. So

I mean that that is a a challenge I guess for, young people today is the wages just don’t support the the cost of of properties, I mean if you go back in time, an an average house was was like a hundred thousand dollars, now an average house is four hundred thousand dollars, but the the the paycheck hasn’t increased by four.

fold so it’s it’s a little bit of a deficit there. But

your your family friendly regular investor. I think what people are doing a lot of people are teaming together now more than ever. it used to be, you would go out to an auction and everybody’s kind of bidding against each other, but now people are working in teams and pulling their money together and in order to make projects happen. I just had a friend in in California who

She’s she’s putting together a deal that is is for behavioral health systems and and and she was she’s pulling money together in order to make that happen and I hear that over and over more and more now.

people are are pulling together. I mean not that, it ha the you’ve always had people that, just wanted to be passive and invest their money and and not really get involved in the day to day. But more than ever now people are d they’re they’re pulling their money together and still being involved in the day to day. Yeah. So

Scott Bursey (15:20)
How do you protect your business model against market volatility while staying true to your core values?

Pamela Smith (15:27)
So I would say that I’ve protected myself in real estate by not having mortgages. I I I took advantage of when mortgages were low and and I could afford to, double the payments and and pay things off relatively quickly. but now

it’s not that it’s it’s not that easy, So I don’t have those mortgages to worry about and then like I said, I I do wholesaling for cash in order to put money away and buy the next property. And so I’m looking to invest in in another property here pretty shortly.

Scott Bursey (16:11)
From your experience, what do you see as the biggest challenge to maintain that Quantum Shift mindset on a daily basis?

Pamela Smith (16:19)
the biggest challenge is so many things run through my mind, because essentially I’m running three businesses, right? So there’s a lot involved in that and

in running three businesses, need to have everything organized, systemized, and sometimes I’ll I’ll wake up and s and be, my goodness, I gotta do this, I d didn’t think about that or, it’s it’s it’s a lot, but

It’s fun, the the Quantum Shift thing is is fun. It’s it’s kinda like a hobby for me. more than anything, it’s it’s a hobby. I enjoy learning about AI. I enjoy being on top of what’s going on. that’s that’s kinda why I got into education because I I like learning and

No, I went to college for seven years and thought I was gonna be a lifetime student at one point and I guess here I am, I still am a lifetime student because we’re constantly learning more and more with AI and about AI and how to use AI and so yeah, but I in I enjoy it a lot.

Scott Bursey (17:27)
Thank you for getting real on that. And speaking of AI, let’s go down the path of your business, Quantum Shift AI. Where do you see the operation in the next twelve to twenty four months?

Pamela Smith (17:40)
I see Quantum Shift is going to explode. we are working on a lot of products that are gonna be game changers for businesses and people are going to have everything that they need n right at their fingertips, I remember when my business first started, my business was Three Bears Real Estate and I I can’t

Even tell you how long it took just to create a logo, for the business. And there were, and just all of those those little nuances, just took time and time and time. And I’m homeschooling my daughter, and she she’s like, Mom, I need help with this. And I’m like, wait a minute, and but she was a really good student, she she did well on on her.

Right.

for the most part. But yeah, I I it took a lot to be able to get all the things that now people can just go online and and grab. you can grab a website, you can grab a logo, you can you can grab a system, and you can have AI do everything and you just kinda monitor and follow up and

And things are have changed quite a bit. So it’s ⁓ it’s moving to the point where, people can have more freedom from their business and not just, be stuck doing all of these things or spending thousands and thousands of dollars. That’s another thing I hear too about people spending fifty thousand dollars on, websites and marketing and publishing

and all of these things and and now we have apps that can do all that and they can work together and and the you can have your whole boardroom right there, and right on your computer and they can and they’ll work twenty four seven. It’s crazy.

Scott Bursey (19:42)
And Pamela, you’re read a deep in education. if you could give us the play by play and what does your professional network look like right now?

Pamela Smith (19:50)
I’m sorry, can you repeat that, Scott?

Scott Bursey (19:52)
Yes. as far as professional groups, networking groups, any sort of groups that you’re involved in. What does your professional network essentially look like right now?

Pamela Smith (20:03)
So my professional network is I guess I go to I I still go to the REIA meetings, the South Jersey meetings, I go to Diversified Investor Group meetings, I go to the Rotary Club meetings, I go to the chamber,

I trying to get the word out and and talking with diverse groups, not just real estate groups, but mostly real estate groups because I like talking about real estate and I like being around investors and like like to get the what’s going on, fly on the wall kind of stuff. So, yeah, we in my area we have I live kind of in a

like like right on the corner of three different counties and so I go to each county real estate investor group. So I bebop around a lot, there’s a lot of meetups and and then I I kinda hang around. I I’ve been volunteering as the IT person for

a nonprofit group and I’ve been kinda hanging around and and supporting them and their fundraisers and and stuff like that. Yeah, so

Scott Bursey (21:22)
That’s a powerful roster. Thank you for clarifying that piece of the puzzle. And Pamela, please help us understand if a new investor came to you today, armed with only honesty and a desire to help, what is the one Quantum Shift action they should take this week to start building a sustainable people first pipeline?

Pamela Smith (21:43)
So I would say to definitely maintain that honesty and sincerity and to keep their ethics ahead of them at all times. And the biggest thing that I would say for me and my business was to systemise so I I would warn them not to follow the the get rich schemes and the there there’s a lot of people out there that are

throwing up websites and offering courses and and all of a sudden becoming experts on things and

And and I’ve hit a few of those I have to admit myself and and wasted money and just never got all the pieces to the puzzle. they gave me little pieces, and and finding my way through real estate I had to just keep connecting piece by piece by piece until, I I really figured it out because back then when I started I didn’t even know the difference like like an exit strategy,

I knew that I wanted to go into rental properties and then I heard about, fix and flips and wholesaling and auctions and taxes and there there there there’s so much involved that I I think I took a course in each one. So, I know I I know about all of now because, I jumped on that guru bandwagon and

and found that it it’s really about just having a good system and staying proactive and consistent. Yeah. And of course, like

Scott Bursey (23:25)
Thank you for dropping that kind of value for our listeners. And Pamela, for those of our listeners that want to keep this conversation moving, stay in your lane or collaborate with you, what is the best way for them to to reach you?

Pamela Smith (23:36)
Okay, so my name is Pamela Smith. you can find me on Facebook, you can find me on LinkedIn, ThreeBears Real Estate, quantumshiftai.io is my website. you can email me at [email protected].

and I’d be glad to, walk anyone through any problems they’re having and and give them advice and we offer business assessments where we can assess your the the business where from where you’re specifically at and tell you, how to move forward.

because a lot of people are are also getting duped with AI as well, it’s there’s so many tools, there’s so many products and people buy it and then they don’t know what to do with it or it doesn’t fit what they wanted it to do and and they’re wasting money and I I went through all of that wasting money,

with gurus and and dishonest people and so I’d love to to help people navigate through the the murky waters so to speak. Find clarity.

Scott Bursey (24:47)
Pamela, thank you for joining us today. This has been an absolute pleasure.

Pamela Smith (24:52)
It’s been my pleasure to be here, Scott. I really enjoy it. I I like your program, the Investor Fuel. yeah, let’s let’s do it. Let’s fuel up and and get it done.

Scott Bursey (25:03)
And to our listeners, we appreciate you. If you receive value from today’s episode, please subscribe. We’ll be filling your tanks with a lineup of elite guests, just like Pamela Smith, who are accelerating and setting the pace for the rest of the industry. Until next time, keep your standards high and your vision clear. We’ll see you on the next episode, everyone.