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Show Summary
In this episode of the Real Estate Pros podcast, host Michelle Kesil interviews Syeta Davis, the owner and founder of Seven Levels Real Estate Consulting. Syeta shares her journey into the real estate industry, focusing on helping families and investors navigate the probate process and find real estate deals. She discusses her business model, the importance of building trust with clients, and the challenges investors face, such as credit issues and finding good deals. Syeta also highlights her strategies for lead generation, funding, and the additional services she offers to clients. Looking ahead, she expresses her excitement for scaling her business and becoming a recognized name in the industry.
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Syeta Davis (00:00)
So I decided that I’d work on probate and tax delinquents. And then I was actually a legal assistant for a well-known law firm here for about seven and a half years. And I got some probate experience there. Once I left there, I ended upaccepting a job that is solely probate. And the light bulb went off and it said, well, I no longer have to skip trace leads. I no longer have to pay for lists. The leads come to me. And that’s how I got started.
Michelle Kesil (02:05)
Hey everybody, welcome to the Real Estate Pros podcast. I’m your host, Michelle Kesil, and today I’m joined by someone that I’m looking forward to chat with, Syeta Davis, who is the owner and founder of Seven Levels Real Estate Consulting. So excited to have you here today, Syeta.for those not familiar with you and your work, can you share what your main focus is?
Syeta Davis (02:26)
Certainly. So my main focus is helping families and investors. So my business not only helps families through the probate process from beginning to end, but mainly families who have real estate that they have to get rid of through the estate. You know, I guess you can say I’m the connection to solving that problem, always finding, know, finding what their solution is. And investors who are looking for real-time deals that fit their numbers and building their portfolios.Michelle Kesil (02:57)
Awesome. And which markets are you operating in or are you operating nationwide?Syeta Davis (03:04)
Right now I’m focusing on Montgomery County, Ohio, but I have touched other parts of Ohio and definitely the goal is to be branching out nationwide this year.Michelle Kesil (03:17)
Awesome. How did you get started in this industry?Syeta Davis (03:24)
Well, so how I got started. I always knew that I wanted to be in real estate. I’m not one, I follow rules, but I’m not one who likes to have to…watch what I’m always doing so that’s why I necessarily didn’t want to become a real estate agent. Nothing wrong with that. You know, no disrespect to those who took that path because we work well together as well. But I just wanted to have my own real estate business and I kind of just did research to figure out how can I be in real estate without being an actual realtor or an agent and I came across wholesaling. Once I started wholesaling I was like okay so I’m really good with talking with people and ⁓ you know just connecting with people on a personal
level. So I decided well in wholesaling.
You know, instead of just talking to someone who wants to sell a home, I want to talk to people who have a story behind their home, people who are facing a hardship. That way I can connect with them on that level, that empathy and that sympathy.
So I decided that I’d work on probate and tax delinquents. And then I was actually a legal assistant for a well-known law firm here for about seven and a half years. And I got some probate experience there. Once I left there, I ended up
accepting a job that is solely probate. And the light bulb went off and it said, well, I no longer have to skip trace leads. I no longer have to pay for lists. The leads come to me. And that’s how I got started.
Michelle Kesil (04:56)
Awesome. I love how things unfolded for you. What do you feel are some of the main keys that made the biggest difference in allowing your business to be able to grow and to run smoothly?Syeta Davis (05:00)
Yeah. ⁓So I definitely will say that one of the main keys is that
Again, you I don’t have to go looking for leads. 90 % of my leads come to me and the other 10 % are word of mouth. So they’re by referral of families or investors that I’ve worked with. So I think that’s a great strength and being able to be on both sides of the deal. So I’m not just, you know, working the wholesale deal or, you know, working the probate deal. I’m also on the other side when it comes to the lending. So I know exactly what
investors are looking for.
Michelle Kesil (06:35)
Yeah, absolutely. And what kind of investors do you work with? Are these just like local investors or who are the kind of people that come to you?Syeta Davis (06:47)
So I work with a lot of local investors, ⁓ have not worked with major huge corporations and I take pride in that as well because myself, being a first time investor, sometimes my bank isn’t as big as the big corporations so I can’t buy the little family home, two bedroom, one bath. So I like working with investors who are saying, okay, well I can afford that or I can’t afford that. So local investors,everyday people, landlords, your football coaches, just typical everyday investors.
Michelle Kesil (07:26)
Awesome. And what does the process look like for how you work with them and what you support them with?Syeta Davis (07:35)
So everyone, I would say who works with me would say that.not only am trustworthy because you know a lot of times when you speak with an investor they want to come out and walk the property and that’s perfectly fine but I’ve built such a rapport on integrity and trust with my investors that they know like I said I’m going to give them real deals with you know logical numbers that fit their portfolio so what they would excuse me what they would gain is knowing that these numbers are going to work for them and this is going to be a long-term relationship
So I had to the point, you know, they’re like calling me and you know, like hey, so what do you got? But I do have you know on my website which is seven levels re.com Where investors can put their information like their buy box there, you know I don’t want a property that’s built before 1940 or I don’t want you know a fourplex I want to duplex so I do have that information like said we’re you know, I’m building my buyers list ⁓ And they can just expect for me to be hands-on throughout their entire process like, you know even
After a deal is completed, I’m following up with them. Hey, how did that go? Did you have any questions? Or just anything.
Michelle Kesil (08:48)
Awesome. And what do you feel are maybe some of the most common obstacles that the investors that you work with ⁓ kind of are moving through?Syeta Davis (09:03)
One of the major things that I’m hearing from my investors or that I’m getting back is, you know, I don’t have the bet. They have the liquidity, but they don’t have the credit. you know, lenders, that’s credit is everything.you know are you trustworthy can we trust that you said you’re to complete the deal in six months and be able to pay back the interest you know outside of your liquidity so definitely credit and finding good deals ⁓ you know like i said numbers that make sense that 70 percent of the arv you know a lot of times they’re saying ⁓ you know the numbers are 80 percent of the arv and at this point they’re just taking deals just to add to their portfolio but they’re not really building their portfolio or you know building
their business so yeah.
Michelle Kesil (09:52)
Yeah, absolutely. And what is an obstacle that you overcome in your role that now looking back you can see the lesson?Syeta Davis (09:53)
Absolutely.obstacle that I overcame I would definitely have to say ⁓
Being almost everywhere at once. I’m really hands-on and I really want to help everybody any way that I can. So I was kind of to the point like wearing myself thin like I’ll just I can just do this or I can just do that or just write it down but once I really realized like you know it’s okay to pass off
deals. It’s okay to refer certain investors or certain families to other people that are in this business. It’s okay to say you know I’m not going to work on the weekends or things like that. It’s okay to have structure in your business and stick to that because otherwise you know your business will be everywhere. So definitely learn that lesson.
Michelle Kesil (11:35)
Yeah, that’s important. And what are you most focusing on solving or scaling to next?Syeta Davis (11:43)
I’m most focusing on definitely bringing more exclusive off-market leads to my current investors and more investors.I know it’s going to happen eventually and it’s definitely going to happen this year that I’ll be getting calls from investors that probably never thought about purchasing properties in Ohio. ⁓ But Ohio is a really good rental market. So I know that eventually I’m going to hit that level where I’ve got investors from California, maybe even overseas investors saying, hey, Syeta, we heard about seven levels and that you bring real time deals to investors. That makes sense. And we want to be on your buyer’s list.
and maybe we can flip a property together.
Michelle Kesil (12:35)
Yeah, amazing. That’s super exciting. ⁓ What kind of, like I know that you mentioned you’re kind of working with that clients that are more like distressed. So what kind of properties are these investors ⁓ seeking out from you?Syeta Davis (12:56)
So what I mainly see, ⁓ they’re looking for properties that are in highly salt areas, maybe not like theyou know, six figure income neighborhoods, because those are mainly going to be home, you know, homeowners, but looking for properties and good school districts, you know, low crime rates to moderate crime rates, because crime is everywhere as we understand. just good, you know, properties for families. You know, most people have probably a minimum of two to three kids at minimum. So you need those houses that are that size, two to three bedrooms plus one and a half bathrooms.
Properties with good bones. I know there are some investors that don’t have problems with doing full guts, but You know a lot of if the numbers make sense a full gut is no problem but being able to go into a property and Do minimal rehab or whatever amount of rehab you do? Definitely doesn’t exceed what your ROI is which is you know your return on your investment
Michelle Kesil (14:04)
Yeah, absolutely. And what does like your lead generation look like to find the houses and the people?Syeta Davis (14:14)
So my number one lead generation obviously is through probate, since that is my nine to five. Along comes with that is word of mouth. All of the families that I’ve worked with.Maybe a good five times out of ten I hear from them Hey, you worked with Angela or you worked with Doug and they sent me down here to talk to you and to say you know They said that you could help me ⁓ Also Because I work local. I’m here in the county I’m able to you know have better access to like tax delinquent properties and You know the mortgage foreclosures like I said, I really focus on Distressed properties properties that have a property
foreclosures, tax liens because they have a problem and I bring a solution.
Michelle Kesil (15:45)
Yeah, absolutely. And what are maybe some of the most common qualities that the investors are looking for in these houses?Syeta Davis (16:01)
The most common quality I would say that they’re looking for is obviously 70 % of the ARV minus repairs. That’s what they’re looking for. That’s what they want to pay. And even if you look at the 70 % of the ARV minus repairs.I take it to the cap like saying well I know you know I always leave room for negotiation and I think that a lot most of my investors will say that like you know even though it could have been an eighty thousand dollar cap you know she brought it down to seventy two. So and I’m also you know not cheating the homeowners well I’m also making sure that they understand that you know putting it on the market or whatnot may not be the best option especially if you are trying to the clock. So I think the quality is like I said just making sure that the
numbers absolutely work for them.
Michelle Kesil (16:57)
Absolutely. And you mentioned that you’re also like working on the funding aspect. Can you expand on what that looks like?Syeta Davis (17:09)
Yeah, so, when I’ve…ventured out into this I was so excited because like I said now I’m on the other side of the deal so before I would just say okay well you know John has told me that he needs 70 % of the ARV minus repairs and that’s all I knew I never knew why it had to be 70 % but now being the broker I understand because that’s what the funding companies that’s the LTV the ARV what the as is value so being able to shop the best funding deals for my investors like
Like
said being on the other side of the deal is absolutely crucial to my business. I’m able to help people like I said who necessarily don’t have the best credit. Because you know most of these lenders they’re not looking at business credit they’re looking at your personal credit. So we’re able to say okay well where’s your credit at? You know what can we do to improve it? Or what’s your liquidity looking like to obtain the deal? ⁓ Or you know what lender will work with you on your credit? Because you got the experience, you got the liquidity.
the numbers make sense so you know this lender is actually willing to you know fund the deal so I love you know that aspect like I said to be able to actually be on maybe the wholesale side and the lending side so I’m just you know trying to make sure I’m all over the board
Michelle Kesil (18:33)
Yeah, amazing that you’re able to do multiple services for people. Are there any other services that you haven’t mentioned that you’re also offering?Syeta Davis (18:45)
Yes, there is. So…You know, a lot of times you offer ⁓ a wholesale offer to a homeowner. They just don’t want to accept that. I completely understand every deal is not going to go to closing, you know, the route that I initially choose. So I recently had built such great rapport with a homeowner. Well, she I’m sorry, she was actually the executor of an estate and she didn’t want to go the route of hiring a realtor again. No disrespect to realtors. We love you guys and we work well together.
⁓ She just didn’t want to go that route. So she asked if I could assist her with ⁓ I guess the clerical administrative side of doing a first sale by owner and a light bulb clicked and I said, you know what? That makes sense because she lives out of town. She was two and a half hours away. She didn’t have time to coordinate or facilitate showings. ⁓ She didn’t have time to be sending the contracts back and forth. So I sat down and I spoke with an attorney, real estate attorney.
that covers all of Ohio and just asked you know what within my realm without being a licensed real estate ⁓ agent or realtor would I be allowed to assist a for sale by owner with and we went over that so yes I offer like I said administrative clerical services to homeowners who want to ⁓ list their properties for sale by owner
Michelle Kesil (20:12)
Amazing. So many things that you’re able to support people with.Syeta Davis (20:17)
Yes.Michelle Kesil (20:20)
What are you most looking forward to for this year for your business?Syeta Davis (20:27)
Wow, so this year, ⁓ I definitely am looking forward to securing two properties. ⁓ I think that, you know, to put that under my belt, I think that’s the most exciting thing that I’m looking forward to. And secondly, definitely.the funding side, taking that completely to a whole other level ⁓ where I will be servicing all states in the United States of America. So super, super excited about that. And to the point where I’m pretty sure by the end of this year, Seven Levels RE will be a household name.
Michelle Kesil (21:12)
Amazing. I’m excited for you. Sounds like a big opportunity ahead.Syeta Davis (21:15)
⁓ yeah.Michelle Kesil (21:19)
So before we wrap up here, if somebody wants to reach out, connect, learn more, where can people find you and connect with you?Syeta Davis (21:29)
So.As always if you’d like to text or call the phone number is 937-660-6611. Our website is 7levelsre.com. Also on Facebook which is I’ll spell it for you, Syeta, S-Y-E-T-A, Lybri L-Y-B-R-I, 7levelsre. also on Instagram at the number 7levelsre.com.
real estate. ⁓
Michelle Kesil (22:02)
Perfect, well, I appreciate your time, your story, and your perspective. Thank you so much for being here.Syeta Davis (22:08)
Thank you for having me.Michelle Kesil (22:09)
Of course. And for those that are tuning into the show, if you got value, make sure you have subscribed. We’ve got more conversations with operators like Syeta who are building real businesses and we will see you on our next episode.
