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Jamie Mazuryk: Negotiation Strategies to Close More Deals in Real Estate

By September 25, 2025October 6th, 2025Real Estate Pros Show

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Show Summary

In this episode of the Real Estate Pros podcast, host Erika chats with Jamie Mazuryk, a former police officer turned real estate agent. Jamie shares how her protective instincts and direct communication style shape her approach, emphasizing client education, honesty, and preparation for homeownership. She discusses the impact of new buyer broker laws, the importance of strong relationships and negotiation, and her passion for helping clients build wealth. Driven to protect, empower, and inspire, Jamie views every challenge in real estate as an opportunity to serve others.”

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    Investor Fuel Show Transcript:

    Jamie Mazuryk (00:00)
    I would say that it’s number one, it’s not about us. I think if you take the agent takes themselves out of the negotiation, it has nothing to do about what we want, what we think, ⁓ what we think our clients should do. It’s their money, it’s their decision, it’s their house. They have to live in it. You can advise them on what you think that you should do. You have to know.

    that every $10,000 is $62 in a payment and a mortgage. So if you don’t want to give the seller $20,000 more and $120 is going to move the needle for you, then that’s what we do. We say no to this $20,000 ask increased.

    Erika (00:00)
    Hey everyone, welcome to the Real Estate Pros podcast. I’m your host Erika and today I’m excited to be chatting with Jamie Mazuryk. She’s been making serious moves in the real estate space. Jamie, I’m so glad to have you here.

    Jamie Mazuryk (00:14)
    Thanks for having me.

    Erika (00:16)
    Yeah, so let’s jump on in. First, let’s talk a little bit more about your story because our listeners may not be familiar with your world. Tell us how you got started in real estate.

    Jamie Mazuryk (00:29)
    Yeah, so it’s a pretty crazy story. was, I met my husband, my current husband now, and we had some land and we decided to build a house. And unfortunately we picked the wrong builder and it just was a horrible like lawsuit. know, we were $70,000 in, you know, not an engineered septic in our front lawn. So.

    It just was a really, like really bad thing. So I just decided to protect people and I was already a police officer at the time. So I said, well, why don’t I protect people that are buying and selling real estate and houses and wells and septic? So that’s kind of how it all kind of ⁓ got started for me and ⁓ just went from there. You know, just really just love the whole process and loved helping people ⁓ buying and selling houses and building.

    Erika (01:21)
    Yeah, that’s really cool. that is, you know, such a unique transition there into real estate, Jamie. Now, was there a certain moment along your journey that, you were, you know, as you became an agent that you knew you wanted to make the switch?

    Jamie Mazuryk (01:38)
    Yes, it was probably seven years into it when I was like being able to supplement my police salary with how many houses I was selling. ⁓ But it was a really scary time. Obviously, you go from getting a paycheck, right? I think a lot of people kind of, you know, having a paycheck to not ever having a paycheck again unless you sell a home. But I was very confident knowing that I knew this is where I was supposed to be and

    The transition was very easy for me. The decision was very easy for me. I had done 10 years as a police officer and I just knew that this was the next path and I knew it was gonna work out because I was essentially writing my own paychecks. So it ⁓ was a really good feeling to be in charge of that. And then once I made the switch, it was definitely the right choice.

    Erika (03:19)
    Yeah, that’s really cool. With having that background of being a police officer beforehand, do you feel like your approach or your strengths are different having that experience?

    Jamie Mazuryk (03:32)
    ideal for sure. I think I’m very much to the point, ⁓ you know, when I would unfortunately have to arrest somebody, it was like, okay, you’re getting arrested. Like this is happening. turn around, like, it’s just like, this is what it is. The roof is bad. There is mold. Like you just explain things differently. You don’t really tip toe around things. ⁓ There really isn’t any reason to. ⁓

    They’re either gonna buy the house or they’re not. they’re either gonna get convicted of the crime or they’re not. mean, it’s just, to me, it’s very cut and dry. ⁓ There is some negotiation, obviously, when you get to houses. There’s also discretion when you’re there. But I think my approach, even before we even get to the contract and before we even decide we want to purchase a house.

    There’s just so much that goes into it before. So I think I educate a lot and ⁓ just make sure that ⁓ they know what’s going to happen the next step. So yeah, I just think it’s my forcefulness, my fierceness, I guess, that I’m not afraid to tell you the truth or what’s going to happen. And if you can’t afford a house right now, then let’s wait six months or a year to when you can, ⁓ because I really don’t want to sell anybody a home that they’re not prepared, you know.

    There’s a lot of things that can happen.

    Erika (04:56)
    Absolutely. And those questions that you asked beforehand can be very monumental when it comes to, you know, making the decision of buying a home or a property. What would you say about your process sets yourself apart from the rest?

    Jamie Mazuryk
    Yeah, for me, it just seems like people that I work with are repeat now. ⁓ So I do, you know, I’ll work with obviously anybody. I do not discriminate, but I really do love to sit down, get to know where we’re at. If it’s your first time, is it an investment? are we doing? And really get to know my clients. And it can change. It has changed. But I…

    I definitely like to work with people that want to know what my experience is so that I can help them if they’re new or seasoned or whatever.

    Erika (08:04)
    And then Jamie, for those clients that you’re working with, are there certain markets that you tend to work in in particular?

    Jamie Mazuryk (08:12)
    No, I do. work all the counties in New York. I will tend not to take a buyer in an area I’m not super familiar with, because I think buying a house, really need to know what the demographics are, where the clothes, like if it’s a well or septic or like, I think you need to know a little bit more as a buyer’s agent. But as a listing agent, I will take a listing, you know, anywhere in the counties that I serve. it’s mostly

    It’s mostly, I would say at least 10, if not all 13 counties in New York.

    Erika (08:45)
    And Jamie when it comes to understanding those counties and the market, how do you educate yourself when it comes to these listings?

    Jamie Mazuryk (08:55)
    there’s a lot. I mean, I think a lot goes into it. I think ⁓ every house is different and unique. So no matter where it is, I think it’s really mostly about the house. But then we have to kind of go from, you know, maybe where the closest like fruit stand is or, you know, stand is it’s a little rural. ⁓ Knowing what the tax implication is, what’s the county like in building and expansion?

    You know, taxes are a big thing. You know, they’re getting expensive. ⁓ What do you get? What is involved in that? ⁓ But I would say mostly it’s it’s about the house and the person and why they’re selling or why they’re buying in that area. ⁓ I I think there’s a space for everyone in there. That’s why we have so much different things. You know what mean? That’s why we have different ⁓ counties and.

    different areas and if you don’t want to be in Saratoga Springs, you can be in Hudson or you can be, you know, there’s, I guess it depends on the person really. And then you can say, I’ve sold a couple of houses here. It’s pretty rural. You know, I think just experience in knowing the counties and living here my whole life. ⁓ I think that like lends itself, you know, to it a little bit more, but.

    I do think it’s mostly the house and like a lot of people shop school districts, you know, if they have children. And so, you know, you want to make sure you have them look up the school, you know, ⁓ criteria and like how good they are and how many kids graduate and things like that. So.

    Erika (11:03)
    And Jamie you’ve done quite an impressive volume when it comes to being an agent. How do you prioritize deals to hit that volume without sacrificing the quality there?

    Jamie Mazuryk (11:16)
    that’s a really good question. ⁓

    I don’t know, I just really, really love what I do. And it’s not really work to me. I know that sounds like it’s just not work. I am helping you create an opportunity to build wealth through real estate. And to me, that’s the most exciting thing I could help someone do, is to create wealth.

    especially in something that is always appreciating unlike a car. I always laugh when people are like, you’re like a car salesman. I’m nothing like a car salesman. ⁓ Cars depreciate, houses appreciate. And so I just think of it as, ⁓ I don’t know, it’s just so fun for me. So I love it. And so when you love something, it doesn’t feel like work. Now there are days, obviously, that…

    You have another agent on the other side or you have difficult buyers or sellers. There’s days like that. But for the most part, I don’t feel like I have to pick and choose. I feel like people choose me and I choose them. Honestly, if we’re not a good fit, it’s known really quickly in a transaction. You know what I mean? Or in a conversation. It doesn’t even have to go to a transaction level. You either know you want to work with somebody like me who’s aggressive and

    totally are gonna get what you want, or you say, I’m not really ready yet, but when I am, you’re the person for me, or they really look into themselves and they’re like, I’m not ready for this. Because I’m not in the business of looking at houses, I’m in the business of selling them or listing them. Like that’s what I do. So I can help you and prepare you to do that, but that’s what we’re doing. If you’re working with me, you’re buying and selling.

    If you don’t want to do that, then I’m not the person for you. that’s really upfront. That happens. Like that just happens organically. So, you know, it’s not really work for me. This is what I do all day long. So.

    Erika (13:14)
    Yeah.

    That’s fantastic. And, you know, even as much as you love it, though, I’m sure there’s some moments that you’ve had where a deals went sideways, you had the pivot, you know, being a real estate pro has its challenges. So can you share one of those moments on your journey and what you learned from it?

    Jamie Mazuryk (13:19)
    Thanks!

    Yeah, I mean, I do have so many. ⁓ Specifically, I’m just thinking of really, sacrifice my commissions a lot. I hate doing it. ⁓ It’s one of the things I’m really working on. like if it’s like a $2,000 AC unit and it’s in working condition, but your buyer or seller is just like, I want a new AC. I don’t want to be buying a million dollar house.

    and having the AC go next year, you sometimes you give back a little bit. ⁓ Deals that have completely fallen apart, ⁓ it’s mostly because there was a lack of understanding or a lack of really wanting to buy in the first place. And again, I really try in the beginning to make sure we’re a good fit because that isn’t my purpose. It’s not my purpose to bring a buyer

    or to list the house to not sell it. ⁓ Things change. People have taken their houses off the market. They haven’t relisted with another agent. They really have kept it. But the big challenges are really over little tiny things. And sometimes ⁓ it’s in the details, as they say. And so I think it’s really…

    getting down to like what your buyers and sellers want and like those little details that really mean the most to them. ⁓ So, I mean, specifically, I just can’t think of like one thing. I feel like I’ve gotten through it because my nickname is the fixer. I really, I really love to fix your problem. Like, OK, this came up. This sucks. we really like do you want to move forward or don’t we? And so if we move forward, we have to do this and this. We weren’t planning on doing this in this.

    But we have to do this in this. If you don’t want to move forward, we’ll get out of this contract. There will be ramifications. There’ll be consequences. There might be a lawsuit, but you don’t have to buy this house or you don’t have to buy this income property or you don’t have to buy this business. you know, there could be title issues. Maybe there’s a I do remember one that the uncle came out of the woodwork that had claimed to a house and

    It was already sold to somebody else. We were going to the closing table and unfortunately we couldn’t sell it. You know, it was just, it was a title issue and we couldn’t solve it. And so my buyers were out. And so those are unfortunate things that happen. But I think if you, you know, know what you’re selling and you get to know what you’re selling and you know what your buyers want, I think, you know, for the most part it does work out. But yes, there are all kinds of, you know, nightmare stories. But I think.

    A lot of stuff has to happen in the beginning for those things not to happen in the end. And who you decide to use as a lawyer or who you decide to use as title or who you decide to use as an inspector. Like all of these things make a difference. It’s not just one thing that makes something fall apart. It’s a succession of things in my opinion.

    Erika (17:16)
    Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. One thing that I thought was interesting, not so much with you talking about titles, but seemed like a lot of the stuff that you mentioned had a lot of negotiating involved. So for our listeners here who are looking to level up their negotiating skills, no matter what area of real estate they’re in, what kind of advice would you give them?

    Jamie Mazuryk (17:28)
    Yes.

    I would say that it’s number one, it’s not about us. I think if you take the agent takes themselves out of the negotiation, it has nothing to do about what we want, what we think, ⁓ what we think our clients should do. It’s their money, it’s their decision, it’s their house. They have to live in it. You can advise them on what you think that you should do. You have to know.

    that every $10,000 is $62 in a payment and a mortgage. So if you don’t want to give the seller $20,000 more and $120 is going to move the needle for you, then that’s what we do. We say no to this $20,000 ask increased.

    But if you understand what $20,000 does to your payment or what $20,000 can do and shut this down and you win the house,

    I think that’s where the negotiation part comes in. Knowing the information that the client actually needs to know to make the best decision. It’s not so much what you want, but it’s the knowledge that we have as agents to be able to tell our buyers and sellers. Listen, I know it seems like a lot of money, $20,000. To the buyer, it’s 120 bucks a month. To you, it’s $20,000 in your pocket. What if we did this? And you…

    Just give them the best advice that you would want someone else to give you. think that’s what we’re lacking too in negotiations. You’re just doing it sometimes. People are doing it just because they’re like, my God, really, you know, I’ve been working on this deal so long. I need this to happen. Like, let’s just do this. And you’re not really taking yourself out of it because it has nothing to do with us. Like I said in the beginning, it is not our buyer sell. It is not our money. It is nothing. It has nothing to do with us other than.

    We are the information person to get that person to make the best decision for them. And sometimes they’re not gonna make the decision we would make.

    They’re just not. You’re like, okay, well, I think it’s the wrong move and you should tell them that. But most of the time, if you are truthful and you’re right about the information, they’re going to do it. They’re not gonna let $20,000 or $5,000 or an AC

    you know, stop them from making this great purchase that they fell in love with the floor plan or whatever their want was in the beginning, you kind of have to bring that back and just remember all those things. So our job is to be the facilitator, the information person, the person that gives them the best advice for their situation, not ours. So I think if you take your personality out of a lot of things, you’ll get a…

    you’ll get more done because you’re working for the client instead of working for you and your needs. And that’s what I feel like I do really, really well. I just give them the truth. I’m like, okay, so you’re going to hold this house for five more months. That’s going to cost you 20 grand right there with taxes. So, I mean, we can button it up now and lose it now, or we can be five, six months down the road and still be in the same position. We might not get another offer. So you just…

    You them, you put it on paper. I’ve had people say, okay, what’s gonna cost us a month? What is this gonna cost us? If we don’t get another offer for six more months, what is this gonna cost us? And when they see the numbers and they see everything and you’re just explaining it and you’re trying to keep the deal together, of course, but if they can’t see what you’re presenting, then at end of the day, it’s their choice. But I really feel like I have all the right information and I can have them make a really good decision based on the information I’m telling them.

    Erika (21:08)
    Yeah, and educating your clients is also empowering them. And I know that’s something that you’re passionate about, the education side.

    Jamie Mazuryk (21:16)
    ⁓ for sure,

    for sure. It’s not my job to know everything. I do this for a living. So yes, I’m going to know the ins and outs, but it is my job to make sure you know the process and not have to call me every two seconds. Like I’ve redone my business ⁓ to where it’s a follow-up email after you go into contract. And it’s also a plate of cookies or popcorn with a little highlight reel.

    of, next steps is attorney approval. Next steps, we have to schedule the inspection. After inspection comes appraisal. So the phone calls for me and the stuff has stopped. So I don’t have a lot of distraction because I’ve prepared my buyer and seller and given them the tools that they are, again, what you said, empowered. Everybody knows the process. And so with me anyway, they know what’s next.

    Erika (22:07)
    Yeah. And Jamie, I have to ask you what’s next. What do you see on the horizon as being an agent?

    Jamie Mazuryk (22:08)
    So it makes my job a lot easier.

    ⁓ I want to be on as many podcasts and in people’s Instagram feeds as I can. I want to tell my story. I want to be an inspiration to people. want people to learn from my mistakes. mean, really, you know, at 30 years old is when I really started ⁓ my life, per se. I was a floater.

    My whole life, I had no idea what I wanted to do in this life. I barely passed high school. I only went to college to have a really good time and to play a Division I sport. And because I was a really good athlete. ⁓ So to me, the next is like, how can I get somebody over that hump for their life? How can I how can I help you see the glass half full and not half empty? Or if you’re struggling or if you’re doing really well?

    What’s the next step for you to keep that momentum going? So I just, my next step is to give back. I’ve done it. I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot of things. I have three amazing children. I have an awesome husband who lets me be exactly who I was able to be in this life. ⁓ so now it’s, think my turn to be like, okay, what can I help you with? How can I help you succeed?

    Erika (23:35)
    That’s awesome, Jamie. we want to help people find you and reach out to you. So can you tell our listeners how they can reach you if they want to connect and learn more?

    Jamie Mazuryk (23:48)
    Absolutely. I ⁓ always answer my phone except for on this podcast. I had to do it. Do not disturb. So if you did call me and you want to talk to me, I will call you back. But 518-929-4475 ⁓ is my direct line. ⁓ I am definitely here for anybody. I will answer any questions. I’m at JamieMazuryk on Instagram and JamieJMazuryk on Facebook. But yeah, you can, I mean…

    I am an open book. would share my story with anybody and I am definitely wanting to help and ⁓ see how we can get to the next step for anybody out there.

    Erika (24:26)
    Yeah. ⁓ Jamie, we appreciate you being an open book, ⁓ on the podcast here. There was a so much to take away from today. We really appreciate it.

    Jamie Mazuryk (24:35)
    Thank you so much for having me. was awesome.

    Erika (24:37)
    And for our listeners, if you got value from this episode, make sure that you’re subscribed to the Real Estate Pros podcast. We’ve got more conversations lined up with pros like Jamie, who are out there building fantastic real estate businesses. We’ll see you on the next episode.

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