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Show Summary
In this episode of the Real Estate Pros Podcast, host Erika chats with Jojo Rodriguez-Caraballo, a home consultant and realtor with a diverse background in cleaning and property management. Jojo shares her journey from being a cleaning business owner to entering the real estate market, highlighting the importance of understanding client needs and the challenges of the saturated short-term rental market. She emphasizes the significance of proper home design and consulting to maximize returns on real estate investments.
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Investor Fuel Show Transcript:
Jojo-Johanys (00:00)
It’s saturated. Everybody’s Airbnb. got three on my own block and I love them. But yes, everyone thinks, well, how hard could it be? It’s just putting cute stuff in a house and I’ll rent it out and somebody will rent it. But it’s like there’s in our market here in Pinellas and Floor Hillsboro, there’s way too many Airbnbs. ⁓ There is a department now that opened up. Our city was like, there’s too many Airbnbs. Everyone’s Airbnb in their house. So they’re kind of regulating things right now. But there’s too many for you toI can do it, I can put some cute stuff in there. There’s a lot more that you have to do to stay in competition with the hundred more that are in your neighborhood. ⁓ Everything, I would like to consult them, because I generally get the calls of them saying, I don’t know why I’m not getting any
Erika (02:17)
Hey everyone, welcome to the Real Estate Pros Podcast. I’m your host Erika and today I’m excited to be chatting with Jojo Rodriguez-Caraballo. She is Shakin’ Things Up and she is a home consultant in pretty much every aspect that you can think of. If you have something with your home that you need help with, she’s got you covered. Jojo, it’s awesome to have you on the show today.Jojo-Johanys (02:43)
Thank you for having me, I’m so excited.Erika (02:47)
Yeah, me too. And, you know, I can’t wait to dive into your story. So JoJo, can you share with our listeners who may not be familiar with your world? How’d you get started in real estate?Jojo-Johanys (02:59)
I can talk here for hours. How much time do I have? Many years ago, cleaning, was a new mom and I said, what am I going do with my life? So I got a little license, became a dental hygienist assistant. Then a conversation happened with a friend. All of a sudden I’m cleaning. It opened up to a whole different world. Got trained for two years with one company and then went with another company to scale the different kinds of class of clients.Erika (03:02)
youJojo-Johanys (03:26)
was with them for four years and then I launched my own cleaning business and that led to me diving into short-term rentals, leasing, just everything you could think of, dealing with property managers left and right, other realtors, all vendors. So I’ve been doing that for the last eight years and then I heard too many times that I should, if I was a realtor and so third time somebody asked me that I said, know what, if somebody asks me again, I’m going to do it. And I did get asked and here I am, I’m a realtor withLpt Realty. My team is with Larry Fisher out of Seminole, all of Pinellas County and Hillsboro. It’s the military vet team so we like to get back to our veterans. But I’m serving all of Pinellas and all Hillsboro so I just like to help everybody when it comes to any home needs like call me.
Erika (04:15)
love it. We need to like go rewind a little bit and go back because the the jump from doing cleaning to short term rentals is not something we really hear about a lot. So can you explain how that opportunity came about?Jojo-Johanys (04:19)
I know, it’s a lot. It’s a lot.Yeah, residential. I’m cleaning, you know, people want to make extra money in this in this market in my area. Cleaners, right? Everybody. It’s like a luxury now. Everybody has a cleaner made. So I just happened to walk through the right home and he happened to be a large property manager out here on the beach. And he held over 40,000 units.
And that led me to cleaning cleanouts and moving stuff like that. And then he also ventured into the short-term rental. So then he actually gave me the opportunity to remodel nine of his units here in Madeira Beach. So it was a full gut reno. I felt like the, you know, on-site manager there. was picking design and interior and just working that whole thing. And that was really my first experience of running short-term rentals from top to bottom, from start to finish and hosting them. ⁓
And then it kind of, just, it all goes together and you’re just meeting people, networking with people and you realize that they have a need for this and a need for that, or they need a property manager, they want to own this. ⁓ The world today has shifted to people being self-pronounced entrepreneurs. So everybody wants to work for themselves. owning real estate and renting and leasing and just living this life. It’s just.
It’s almost every single human being who doesn’t want that, right? So ⁓ it’s just going from one cleaning person to realizing they own a huge market of properties that allowed me to scale to where I’m at today.
Erika (06:57)
Do you still work with them today?Jojo-Johanys (06:59)
The property management company that gave me, threw me all those bones, they’re still here. I love them to death. They threw me, honestly, I was working from like seven to one in the morning. Sometimes I would clean 24 hours straight. just grinding till I couldn’t breathe. I let my body tell me enough was enough. I just kept doing it. Cause I knew it was a short run. It’s, you can only.Things were shifting so much here and I know he was a new property manager like I knew he was gonna either expand move or sell his business so I just took every bone he gave me but he gave me so much work that I felt like I Couldn’t keep up so I froze the account and when I froze the account, of course they still had a need and I just basically got the spoon out. I still see them I still talk to them actually still service their personal homes
But I also have other property managers ⁓ aside from them, just like them, that I still work with. But I literally love them. ⁓ They gave me such opportunity and so many experiences working for them for all those years. So I’m ⁓ still connected with them, but not cleaning for them still.
Erika (08:14)
Yeah, yeah, that’s awesome. Well, with the background with cleaning, how do you think that has changed your perspective when it comes to being a property manager or how you help people as a realtor or just the consulting in general?Jojo-Johanys (08:30)
Yeah, I mean, just going into people’s personal homes, being able to just understand that everybody was different. ⁓ And after thousands of houses of cleaning houses, it just allowed me to create this sphere that I was able to consult and advise people ⁓ just differently to make the right decisions. Because I just felt like anybody can get money and buy a property, butthen they got it, they didn’t know what they were doing. So being in so many different homes, cleaning them, I know what materials to put in, what couches to put in, what rugs to buy, what linens to buy, and all different levels when it comes to the client. They can go from very expensive STRs or affordable, there’s different levels to that. But cleaning has allowed me to play with all of those materials and different personalities to understand.
exactly to excel in real estate where I’m at now and consult people accordingly individually because not everybody can hold the same thing. You can tell one person to get this money and buy this, but it depends on their personality. If I’m not going to send them to go buy a $600,000 unit, if they have a fear of certain things or they’re jumping or they want to take baby steps, try to, everyone’s different. So I just try to consult them differently. ⁓
Meeting thousands of people as a young girl in this county has really shifted that and allowed me to just really scone in on what I can do for everyone individually. I’m still trying to figure out how to get it where I can do it in a bigger scale instead of talking to one person at a time. Right now, I haven’t been able to figure that out. Everyone’s different and everyone’s need is different. So one by one is what I’ve been doing.
Erika (11:02)
Yeah, yeah. And even with everyone being different though, I’m sure there’s some themes though. So, you know, for example, as a realtor, what are some of the trends that you’re seeing as you’re helping people?Jojo-Johanys (11:18)
⁓ everybody wants to own more than one home. Everybody wants to rent their home. Everybody wants to short term lease their home. Everybody wants to work for themselves at this point. ⁓ in real estate, at least since COVID here and the floods that we’ve had, the hurricanes that we had has given a lot of those people those opportunities. So there’s a lot of deals right now. I think that would be the only trend. like everybody wants to, ⁓ you know, look at their futures and longevity of things and retirement andand work less and live more. I think that’s about it. It’s pretty much everyone’s want and need, I think.
Erika (11:55)
Yeah, yeah, that makes a lot of sense there. And with your experience helping out as a property manager, I’m sure you’ve seen things go sideways in one way or another. Maybe you had the pivot really fast for someone who was staying in a short-term rental. Maybe it had to do with you’re helping a client witha deal and evaluating whether it’s a good fit and you’re telling them it’s a no-go. Can you share one of those moments on your journey and what you learned from it?
Jojo-Johanys (12:32)
Yeah, I guess with me, a lot of them are, you know, referrals and networks, so personal relationships, even though it’s business related. feel like guiding the client to choosing the right tenant and trying to leave their emotions out of it has been the most challenging part for me in consulting people, because everybody wants to help everybody. ⁓So it’s, I just try to get them to like relieve themselves from the emotional when it comes to wanting to rent out their home to a friend or foe. ⁓ That’s pretty much it. The way I do things, I try to get it where nobody’s making a mistake and it’s, can’t discriminate, but it’s, you have to lay out your home in a specific way to be able to bring in that.
perfect tenant that you are seeking, depending on the amount of rent you’re looking for. ⁓ So I just, everyone’s different. It’s hard to say specifically, like, I can’t think of a hundred stories that came about. ⁓ I just try to, money’s always been the number one thing. So I just try to figure out depending on the situation, if it’s.
what we should do moving forward and put a couple plans in play and then me and my clients will figure out which one’s the best for them.
Erika (14:00)
Yeah, would you say that, do you notice anything when people are looking for a property and whether it’s a good fit, if there’s some common mistakes people make that they might think a property is good for them or that it’s gonna, they’re gonna get that kind of cash flow that they’re hoping for.Jojo-Johanys (14:21)
Yeah, some of them have some really high wishes and dreams. There’s a really low home, but it is unfortunately going to bring only this amount of money and this amount of, you know, this kind of demographic area that’s either ⁓ low income or not. It’s just, they really have to put all that into perspective. They do want.or everybody values their home as a million dollars these days. So it’s hard to tell them it’s not, and this is what it’s valued, and this is what you can get with the tenant, and this is your return. I’ve had people put so much money into a rental to lease it, and you can put all the marble you want in a house. It is not gonna give you the value that you think you would get in return. just…
Listen to those trying to guide you and either have experience especially if they’re giving you all the options And either renting or buying ⁓ But yeah, they they they have high high wishes and dreams. I’ve seen almost everything I can think of That could I seen a lot
Erika (16:19)
I’m though these are people who are new to the short-term rental space and are just getting it. Are there a lot of people that are trying to enter right now?Jojo-Johanys (16:23)
yeah. yeah. Yo yeah.It’s saturated. Everybody’s Airbnb. got three on my own block and I love them. But yes, everyone thinks, well, how hard could it be? It’s just putting cute stuff in a house and I’ll rent it out and somebody will rent it. But it’s like there’s in our market here in Pinellas and Floor Hillsboro, there’s way too many Airbnbs. ⁓ There is a department now that opened up. Our city was like, there’s too many Airbnbs. Everyone’s Airbnb in their house. So they’re kind of regulating things right now. But there’s too many for you to
I can do it, I can put some cute stuff in there. There’s a lot more that you have to do to stay in competition with the hundred more that are in your neighborhood. ⁓ Everything, I would like to consult them, because I generally get the calls of them saying, I don’t know why I’m not getting any
And I’m like, I can tell you why. So I’d like to get them before they buy their stuff and before they put all that money into it thinking this is what it is. We have a variety of… ⁓
younger and older mix and when it comes to the short term rentals, so the older class of investors, they want to kind of put what they like in the listing. And it has to be what demographically more people would like versus like you like flower print. It’s not it’s going to age your unit. ⁓ We want to, you know, try to appeal to more than just yourself.
So consulting them and thank God I have a client right now. She’ll send me a million Amazon’s pictures of what she wants to buy because it’s like no, no. Yes. Yes. Yes. I’m trying to look to show that it’s going to bring in more than what they can be. There’s too much competition. I had a client, for example, real quick. He this is his fourth Airbnb and he’s doing so good, but he moved into this neighborhood where there was way too many.
And everybody and their mother was designing their Airbnb in fish theme, beach theme. And so he was, did the same thing. And it’s like, why you want it to stand out compared to those other listings. And it’s just a simple console that you get from me that it sounds like common sense when it comes out of my mouth, but it’s just, it just, please call me so I can help. And not that he’s not going to do well, but it
He’s not going to stand out compared to the other listings. So yeah, it’s hard advising them on how they should design their home and what they should buy. But I can tell them what’s not going to work, why it’s not going to work, what holds orders, what’s going to break. I know so many materials. ⁓ I can just advise them before they make that mistake.
Erika (19:11)
Yeah, do you have any stories related to that Jojo where you’ve helped an investor transform their space so they were able to get the returns that they were hoping for?Jojo-Johanys (19:24)
I mean, I’m doing one right now and I’m kind of nervous, honestly, because it’s a really hard, it’s a really large home. I sold it to them and it went under a full gut remodel and the way the market is right now and the way that real estate is, I’m hoping the return is there. ⁓ But no, I do do some. Well, I do like to be able to come in and revamp them because the problem, a lot of the times people aren’t making what the return that they want. And it’s reallythe design, like the pictures are everything. How do we get people by just looking at your home through the internet to make them want to come to your home? There is so many ways you can do that depending on where your home is, what the layout is, all of that, the materials you have in your home existing, if we weren’t going to do a leave your models. I have affordable rentals too. have a house that
this she inherited and she didn’t want to sell because it meant so much to her. And it’s this cute little vintage home here in Seminole. And so we vintage designed the home. There’s an old retro vibe to it with the 60s and it’s cute and old. And so it’s just like, please call me. I try to just get people to understand it’s hard to see your home.
in a different light. I can’t design my own house. Trust me. I’ve been trying to design it for the last five years. So I need somebody to come into my space and see what I can’t see because you can’t naturally see your space like somebody else would. Even cleaning my cleaning business. I can’t clean my house like my cleaners would. I don’t know why. I can clean your house really good. Mine? I don’t know why. But it’s just like letting somebody else guide you with things that.
your eyes just can’t see or are hidden to because it’s your home or your space. ⁓ Just taking that consult.
Erika (21:20)
Yeah, well, I hope people today reach out to you Jojo if they’re in Florida and speaking of which, you know, how can they reach you if they need help with their home?Jojo-Johanys (21:32)
my gosh, so I’m with the military vet team. usually if you search us, you can see our full team. I’m on there. I am on Google also as a realtor. I’m on Airbnb. I’m on the Airbnb Facebook group. So I’m on every platform, JoJo, your realtor. I have a Facebook page that I’m running with my other agent, best friend, Christina Pagnina. It’s called Sold.sisters with the soul in the D at the end. We’re kind of trying to market that right now. ⁓ Trying to convert it all because home, everything, we try to simplify everything for our clients to just deal with one person. So I can help you with managing your Airbnb, short term rental, long term rental, sale of the home. I can clean it for you. I can design it for you. I can sell it for you. I can do anything.
within the home. We manage it. So our cleaners and myself, we also wear the hat of plumbers, electricians sometimes. There’s always like a breaker or two you have to flip, a disposal needs to be fixed. We’ll do it all in house. So we just, if you’re looking into the short-term rental, there’s so many things to cover.
for that client to understand it’s not just the income that you’re bringing in or the income that we’re presenting that this STR can present. It’s the maintenance and all the stuff that goes behind it. just please call me, try to find me, AI my face and say, where is she? ⁓ I’m all over the social media platforms. Listen to the video again. I’m everywhere. if there’s a chat somewhere, I’ll put my info down there. ⁓ But I’m in Pinellas County everywhere.
Erika (23:22)
Well, JoJo, it’s been great having you on the show. need people like you who are so passionate about educating and helping othersJojo-Johanys (23:25)
No, no, no.Yes.
Jojo-Johanys (23:31)
definitely just hate to see people hurt physically and financially and emotionally. It’s such an easy preventive. Don’t you know, just just call, you know, I saw I drive by so many. I’m all over Pinellas County, so it’s like when usually people call me and ask me for something, I’m like, oh, I’m right down the street. I don’t know why God just puts me in those places, but just call.If I can help, I can help. If I can’t, I’m going to definitely say I can’t. ⁓ But I’ll definitely, I just, I just, I just wish everybody cared this much. ⁓ Yeah, I just want to help everybody.
Erika (24:10)
Yeah, it’s great. Well, I wish you so much success with what you’re doing. It’s great that you want to help others.Jojo-Johanys (24:14)
I’m sorry.Yeah, thank you so much for having me.
Erika (24:21)
Yeah, it’s been awesome. And for our listeners today, if you enjoyed this episode, make sure that you’re subscribed to the Real Estate Pros podcast. We’ve got more conversations lined up with operators like JoJo who are out there building fantastic real estate businesses. We’ll see you on the next episode.Jojo-Johanys (24:41)
Bye, thank you.
