The Realtor Prospecting Strategy That Built a Platinum Real Estate Business

Heather Corrigan (00:00)
And I do want to say, yes. And I do want to say too, like, for example, the Hurricane Hub, that’s my networking group. We were talking about that. People joining a networking group, I think, is very important. It’s consistent. Mine is lunch once every two weeks. And people may find that the networking groups in their area may already be filled because the real estate category is obviously one that’s pretty tough to get a vacancy. So my advice is start your own if you have to. That’s what I did.

I just did it though because that was always my dream and I’m a natural networker. I got a guy is something that people always came to me when even when I moved here before I was a realtor.

Dylan Silver (02:07)
Hey folks, welcome back to the show. Today we’re joined by Heather the Hurricane Corrigan, an award-winning realtor, investor, entrepreneur, and founder of the Hurricane Hub Networking Community. Heather, thanks for taking the time today.

Heather Corrigan (02:21)
You

can’t thank you enough right before the July Fourth celebration.

Dylan Silver (02:24)
Come on now.

There’s a lot of competition in New Jersey where you’re Yeah, absolutely. They call it the parentheses, right? The two coasts. And you’re you’re in the East Coast and you’re in New Jersey. How can realtors create successful businesses that scale without it being handed to them?

Heather Corrigan (02:48)
Let me tell you, that’s the only way to do it. And you it can be done. It seems, you know, it’s funny you should say that. I feel there are people that come into this business that they think that it’s just easy. You could just do that and they find out it’s not. Or they come in thinking, wow, this is going to be a challenge because as you can see, there it is very competitive and it’s definitely attainable. It’s hard work, but it’s attainable. I mean, I made it happen in eight short years. I’m a Platinum agent.

And there are lots of tips I can talk about on how to do it, consistency, creativity, hard work. But believe me, you can

Dylan Silver (03:24)
When we talk specifically about strategy on a granular level, maybe without giving away the whole gold bar but a nugget here for our audience and folks who may be realtors themselves, if you’re scaling, right, and you’re focusing on one or several different lead sources and you’re looking at open houses and you’re looking at your social media and you’re looking at your sphere and your referral network and how you can get in front of more people.

What would you say is something that newer realtors and folks that are scaling in their business can focus on?

Heather Corrigan (03:57)
You know, it’s so funny that it’s interesting that you say that a lot of people will give tips that just focus on. I always hear people saying other folk, you know, everyone has their own strategies. Personally, I think it’s a combination. I hear a lot of times people say, just door knock, just make phone calls. I personally, the hurricane method is all of it. I really think you have to be a well-rounded agent.

I’m well-rounded not only as far as the things that I do, but I’m also well-rounded in the fact that I do rental sales, buys, work with investors, first-time home buyers, people that are downsizing. I think to be a good agent, a well is to be a well-rounded agent. And I also feel that way about building yourself. It took to get the hurricane here a combination of door knocking. I to this day, I don’t drive one mile, one second without running and seeing a dumpster and knocking on a door to this day, every

minute of my life I am prospecting. It’s phone calls, it’s door knocking, it’s networking, it’s all of it. Social media, of course, I’m I’m a huge, I’m going viral. It’s been a lot of hard work, but I’m very consistent there as well. So for me, it’s a combination and that’s what I would share with your audience, our audience as well.

Dylan Silver (05:58)
Now when we talk about the all encompassing nature of prospecting, you mentioned several, door knocking, right? You’re driving places and it’s, you know, not one thing, it’s everything. How can folks adopt that mentality without ultimately burning out?

Heather Corrigan (06:14)
Good question. To me, I haven’t burnt out yet. And it’s exhilarating. Like, you know what it is? I think when you’re seeing results, that’s when you’re not burning out. You you’ll burn out if you don’t see results. You’re like, I’m doing all this for what? But if you’re doing all this and actually seeing the results, where’s the burnout gonna happen? Right. Yeah.

Dylan Silver (06:35)
It’s you know giving you energy, it’s not draining. But

Heather Corrigan (06:39)
Fuels

the energy it fuels the hurricane.

Dylan Silver (06:41)
Fuels the hurricane, right? Adds some extra miles per hour, you know, to your sales. When we when we talk about the the nature of of being a a realtor and managing prospects, but also managing your pipeline and managing expectations, one of the things that can be challenging for realtors really in every stage of their career is those, you know, people conversations, right? And dealing with sometimes challenging clients, challenging

opposition as well. How have you been able to manage, you know, the the people element of this business so successfully?

Heather Corrigan (07:13)
That is a good question. And really that is what it’s all about. I mean, at every hour, even before we hopped on this 9:00 a.m. call, I must have gotten spoken to 20 people already within less than, you know, before the 9:00 a.m. So it’s very important. People skills is a huge part of this business. And how to manage it, I mean, you know what you have to realize? Most of the time, there’s, you know, you always just just think on your, you know, just think on your feet, be honest. You know.

The worst thing you could be is a used car salesman, especially in this business. So really that’s how you manage your people. And sometimes people aren’t ready for that. And if they’re not, not ever you’re not gonna jive with every single person. Can you believe that everyone loves the hurricane? Most people do, but sometimes it doesn’t always work out. And that’s okay. Not every person is meant to work with you, but the ones that are will, and the ones that are and love you will refer you. So that’s how you’re gonna build your business. You focus on what does work, not what doesn’t work.

Dylan Silver (08:10)
You work with a number of different types or avatar of buyer, right? Investors, folks, condos, single family homes. Each of those conversations is different, right? When you’re going from the condo to the single family home to to the investor, how do those conversations differ?

Heather Corrigan (08:19)
Yeah.

My God, that’s a great question. So number one, like for example, and and like my month looks just like that. I just had a condo, a two-family, a single family, a building all within a month. So very interesting. And for example, the condo, lovely single gal that I just put in a condo in Fort Lee. Never thought she was gonna be a homeowner. And here we are, she’s happy, she’s no longer paying rent. And that conversation went differently. Then right now we’re closing on a home for a

divorced woman and her children and now she’s going to be a homeowner of single family home in Belleville. I mean, everything looks so different. Today I’m meeting with an investor actually, right after I hang up with you. And we’re looking for properties in the Teaneck area to flip. So that’s so interesting. Every conversation does look different, but every conversation is about what is it, how can I get this person their dream home? Or is it that we’re downsizing and selling their home?

Or is it that, this person needs a rental? It’s about identifying what each one of these people need, and that’s the direction we go in. Let’s get to that finish line. Let’s get their goals met. That’s what it’s all about. So the con it’s still talking to people and it’s still similar conversations, but the points are a little different, but it’s still really the main objective is to get to their next plateau in this. Maybe it’s downsizing, maybe it’s your first investment, maybe it’s your fifth investment.

Dylan Silver (10:30)
You know, you mentioned several different conversations and and you know buyers, right? When when we talk about these different segments of the real estate space, you gotta be like a Swiss Army knife of a realtor because you’re working with

Heather Corrigan (10:42)
Ooh,

That’s a good that’s a good that’s another my next merch. My next hurricane merch. Yeah. My next hurricane merch, a branded Swiss Army knife.

Dylan Silver (10:50)
There you there you go. Can you know

It’s because you have to be able to find a property that will work for someone who’s downsizing and maybe an approval might be challenging. So you’ve kind of gotta throw on your, you know, lender hat. Hey, if I’m looking at this through the eyes of a lender, what’s gonna work here? And then you also have to be able to look at it if you’re looking from the perspective of an investor, right? Hey, what’s the rehab on this property like? What’s the ARV like? You know, what are the rents like in this neighborhood? And frankly speaking, there’s a lot of realtors.

that are unable to wear either of those hats. There’s a lot of realtors that just delegate all of the you know approval portion, a hundred percent of it, to the lender without thinking at all, like, hey, is my client that they have any chance of getting approved here? And on the investor side, they don’t look at the you know, rehab numbers and they say, well, I’m don’t work with investors, so that’s over there. You’ve managed to do both, right?

Heather Corrigan (11:44)
Yeah, I’m dealing with that right now. I have a listing that’s in a flood zone and every day it’s a challenge to figure out we figured out the right number that we accepted an offer and then we’re gonna rehab it and sell it. And he’s happy with where we came. And that took some time and commitment and figuring out that this making everyone happy on all ends. So yes, yes, yes, yes, I agree with you. Sorry to cut you off, but I just totally agree.

Dylan Silver (12:07)
That’s okay, ’cause it it’s it’s challenging, right? And I’m sure you see it as someone who’s a high performer. There’s a lot of agents that have a very small, you know, client profile of who they’ll help, whether it’s, you know, people who have bought a home and they’re looking to sell or or buy their second home or first time buyers or folks who are in this area. And you mentioned you’re active in several different markets in New Jersey across several different segments, right?

You know, so what’s that like being active not just in one area but in multiple counties?

Heather Corrigan (12:37)
Yeah, I mean it’s I have I’m a very active also. I just sold a new build two-family in Newark. Like I said, but I’m here in Bergen County and I’m listed here in Paramus, you know, because a lot of investors and people first time and there’s lots of opportunities everywhere. So what that looks like is I think for me makes me again back to well-rounded making my a very successful business. But also I put limits on that as far as I’m in, I need

Bergen, Hudson, Essex, Morris, Union, Passaic, that’s six counties.

If there’s a county I feel that I can’t get deliver that kind of service to, I have wonderful referrals within my network. And that’s so important too. You want to be able to, yes, stretch yourself, but you want to do it a hundred percent. I have people in that in Essex, I have a guy that helps me in Essex County. I know to call him when we’re working in that area. You know, so I have.

My people, I have I work very closely here. I have an internship program with the high school. So I’m very involved with the community. I’m also president of the Lions Club. That’s who’s just calling me. So I’m very involved with the community. That’s a whole other thing. But yes, but yes, I do cover other counties. I think that’s so important. But you should do it to a point where you know I’m going to do five star. And if it goes beyond that, have a wonderful referral network.

Dylan Silver (13:54)
You mentioned some of the ways that you’re involved in the community and ultimately that’s what real estate boils down to is people buying homes, you know, starting families, right? Becoming and building the community. You mentioned the Lions Club too, so you’re you’re very much involved. Well, how do you approach, you know, community involvement?

Heather Corrigan (14:12)
So it’s been a long ride with my community outreach. I was still am a Girl Scout leader. I run events in the community. I’ve done a I think I’m gonna bring that back. My my Halloween party, and there was money goes to charity and gets everyone together. I won the Hineni Award. Like I said with the Lions, that’s something I got involved in now. I’m vice president soon to be president. It’s just so important and part of I think all of this.

It’s a big piece of it.

Dylan Silver (15:23)
Yeah, absolutely. And you know, one of the things that sometimes goes un unspoken to or or gets glossed over is how important it is to continue to do all sides of this. And I think when when you have, you know, your your moniker, right? The hurricane, right? It’s it’s not one thing, it’s everything. You think about what is a hurricane, right? It’ll take everything, right? And so

You’re doing not just, you know, the digital marketing, but you’re involved in the community, right? And you’re not just in one segment, you’re in several. Is that where the hurricane came about? Is thinking like, hey, what is a hurricane? It’s just gonna, you know, take everything on full force?

Heather Corrigan (15:58)
Pretty much, yes. I’ve been called that since I was for years ever. But when I started in real estate, I started just I just jumped right in and everyone was like, my God, the hurricane, there she is, she there she she’s dropping off a a a check, there she is, hurricane in and out. And then everyone actually there was like a little bit of a controversy who named her the hurricane. I might have to gonna have to trademark that. It’s a whole big to do. So yes. I did wanna say also another avenue that I do is

I do speaking engagements. I’ve been hi I spoke at the Bergen County Chamber of Commerce, a w a woman’s luncheon. I won Innovative Business of the Year last year. And also I do like shows like I was I’m doing the car show coming up in a couple of weeks in River Edge. I just did the Montvale Street Fair and the here in Oradell, where I live, our last fair, I spoke to a family. They said, my sister cannot find a house.

That lead ended up being a $900,000 two-family. I found her right in the area. So that’s another great, again, community outreach branding. I’m I’m gonna be sponsoring with my State Farm partner, a a play in something with this a new community, reaching these couples. To all these types of things combined as well.

Dylan Silver (17:15)
I’ve heard such great things about, you Lions Club and Chamber of Commerce and we’re in two totally different parts of the country, but the same, you know, thing.

Heather Corrigan (17:22)
International.

Dylan Silver (17:23)
Yeah, I I mean and so these these tools that people can use are really, you know, gold nuggets that they can take into their business wherever they’re at in the States. You know, when we talk about this idea of not just community involvement, but also being a leader in some of these groups, how are you how are you able to manage it, right? Because you’re involved in so much. How are you able to to manage your time between the Lions Club and Chamber of Commerce? You mentioned Girl Scouts, right?

Heather Corrigan (17:52)
It’s it ain’t easy. But like I said, I have taken on different things. You know, I do have an assistant now. That was something new for me. It was actually one of the interns that I work closely, like I said, with the high school. And those that internship program not only gives those students credits, but it certainly helps me. The videos I’ve done with those kids went viral. It’s like staying in touch with the community, but in a way that not only benefits them, but you’re like a mutually benefiting partnership is great for everyone.

Things like that. I have it online, you know, somebody that I hired to start doing my AI stuff, that kind of thing. So the right kind of help is wonderful, but I believe in really being there for my clients, the hurricane, like you get me, you know what I mean, when you work with me.

Dylan Silver (18:33)
We are coming up on time here, Heather. Any new projects that you’re working on? And then also anything you’d like to mention directly to our audience.

Heather Corrigan (18:40)
And I do want to say, yes. And I do want to say too, like, for example, the Hurricane Hub, that’s my networking group. We were talking about that. People joining a networking group, I think, is very important. It’s consistent. Mine is lunch once every two weeks. And people may find that the networking groups in their area may already be filled because the real estate category is obviously one that’s pretty tough to get a vacancy. So my advice is start your own if you have to. That’s what I did.

I just did it though because that was always my dream and I’m a natural networker. I got a guy is something that people always came to me when even when I moved here before I was a realtor.

Being able to be a wealth of knowledge for people is so important in this business too. So like my got a guy, like when I filmed for House Hunters, just filmed again for the second time. Like we had a watch party and everything. The that line came out on national TV, I got a guy. So like being a resource to pe is like being a resource to people and

[Contact Invitation Line / Calls-to-Action Highlighted below per guidelines]
You know, having a great network behind you, I think is very important too. And I’m the hurricane. Look out for me. I mean, my videos are going viral. I’ve built the brand that I’ve always wanted. I’m planning to be an even bigger storm as the years go on. So look out for me. Head of the hurricane. And I love helping people. So please reach out, whatever your needs are. Happy to help at any hour.

Dylan Silver (19:58)
Heather, thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you for your time.

Heather Corrigan (20:00)
Thank you.