KGCI: Real Estate on Air - From Submarine Officer to Real Estate Pro: A Masterclass in Systems

Episode Date: November 10, 2025

Summary:This episode features an inspiring and tactical conversation with Christy May, who transitioned from a career as a US Navy submarine officer to a top-producing real estate agent. She shares how the high-stakes lessons in discipline, systems-thinking, and grace under pressure from her past life became the foundation of her real estate success. Agents will learn not just an incredible story, but also how to apply a mission-critical mindset to their own business, with specific advice on creating checklists, managing client expectations, and maintaining professionalism during chaotic transactions.

Hey, everyone. This is Real Estate Rich's podcast, and boy, is it going to be rich, full of the wealth and the tips and the tricks of all kinds of successful agents, because that's what you want to be, right? Business builder who has success in their business? Well, that's what we got going on here. And I'm going to have all kinds of agents, men, women, younger, older, sharing all their stuff because there's technology, there's just, how do you build your business? There's so many questions, right? So let's learn from some of the best. Gather your wealth and build your business. That's what this channel is all about. And I'm excited to bring it to you. I'm Kathy Burns and I'll be your host and stay tuned. Let's get at it, right?

Hey, everybody. It's Kathy Burns and I'm here with Real Estate Riches. And today I've got Christy May on and you are out of Sarasota area, right? I am. I'm in the main office downtown, 100 North Tamiami. It's where the action is. The main office. You mean of your firm? Of Covo Banker. They have five in the area. And I moved to this one a couple years ago because there's a lot going on, especially with the new condo laws and the condos that need my help. Boy, we'll get on to that in a minute because I don't know about any new condo laws.

Maybe it's different in Florida. It's a Florida thing. Okay. Because I'm in North Carolina. Carolina and we are at different companies. And what's cool about this particular podcast is I am looking for seasoned agents to share the nuggets that they've learned through the years for agents that are struggling. Maybe they're starting over at life like I did at 55, you know, where you're trying to figure out the business and hopefully you've got some collaboration. A lot of really good agents don't like to share. Well, and that is not who I want to do.

business with. I want to do business with that agent again. Yes. You know, transparency is a beautiful thing if it doesn't hurt your client. Right, right. That's exactly right. So you want to give us, Christy, a welcome, by the way. You want to give us a little background on you? Okay. I started out in marine biochemistry, did 200 underwater dives and was the photographer that everyone wanted to have along because I knew how to put together a 35 millimeter camera, 35 millimeter film, a lusite case, and seal it with the right silicon and make sure all the levers worked. I went on every research cruise I wanted during the four years I was at the University of Miami, Rosensteel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. But from the camera thing,

you can get some very visual, right? So I decided to take that and go up to Boston University and get my master's in communications. But before I left, I hooked up with Channel 10. I sent them all my films and videos and worked with them on what wrist mass was up to. And I worked with a girl at Channel 10 in Miami. And I went to interview with Channel 5 in Boston while I was getting my master's.

I figured I'd do the night shift nobody wanted because that's what I had figured out. And I interviewing, and the girl from Channel 10 walked by, she said, Christy, what are you doing here? And I was interviewing with Rich Dickinson, and he was being very circumspect and boss-like. And so when she walked by and said, what are you doing here? He said, how do you know her? She said, oh, I've worked with her. She's awesome. Hire her right now.

I don't care for what. Just hire her. And they did. Back to. They liked her too, I guess, right? Yeah. So I was a TV news producer as we chatted before I came live. And that's hard, especially back in the 70s and 80s, right?

When you couldn't go on Google and find out. what the real story was. We kind of depended on AP Newswire, and I had to be a research hound. I really did turn into a research hound. I still am. So, hey, I loved that job. Two years, news producer, Channel 5, in their best years ever. And I picked up science clientele with that, too. You know, my Marine, Boston's a Marine town, too, right? So I worked with, Woods Hole Oceanographic with Patel Ocean Sciences as a side of that all play into becoming a realtor it's coming okay the research part that I love that makes sense it really does if you know what you're talking about you're likely to get hired just saying I agree yeah so okay so I

left there, Channel 5, because I got too busy in my ad agency, DM Communications. And that was nice. But then I got hired away early on by a trade show company and came up with the name Comdex, the computer dealer's exposition that did better than the consumer electronic show in Vegas. But now there really aren't trade shows so much, just gatherings. They're gatherings. no, they're not trade shows. So back to, back I went to my science background and research and really enjoyed my clients. Geez, who's better than Woods Hole? I had the Office of Naval Research.

I published the Journal of Electronic Defense, so I actually have clearance. And from our chat before we went live, can you even believe I have national clearance? So, yeah, I did commercial stuff, commercial marketing of real estate, Fidelity FMR properties on the Massport peer. I knew because I worked with Massport, right, project-wise, that they were going to lease their peers. So I talked to my financial advisor at Fidelity and he said, oh, let me introduce you to Dan. So he introduced me to Dan and we did the FMR properties lease pitch.

of the 99-year lease on a major, it was a huge pier. It was the biggest peer in Boston. And we developed it as a conference center. And that was our plan. And I knew the people at Massport. I knew they wouldn't read five-inch thick engineering plans that covered a whole table or five three-ring binders that sat on top of it. I knew this, right, in my heart of hearts. So I said, hey, let's do a video, summarizing everything. And that's what did it. Don't you know, a nine-minute video would do better than all the other research they might have to do. Yeah. Well, it's today, too. Videos are in. Well, back in the, when we did this, it was, you can do video? Yeah, I can do video. So we did it and we named it Bosscom and it's still

boss calm today. Wow. And yeah, and it totally redid the South Seaport area. It became more vibrant and I'm really proud of that, really proud of that accomplishment. Then I decided I like the actual real estate part of it, got to know some realtors. All right, should I say this on a podcast? It's another one of those way too interesting things, right? Well, the goal here is to share for other people to get some nuggets. So let's get into some of the things. All right. I'll share nuggets rather than go into what I was thinking of talking about what actually got me in. I had something that actually got me in, but we will not discuss that. Okay. But I did make, I did make 86,000 on my first residential real estate deal back in the 80s.

Jeez, woman. That was way ahead of the. That was my own house. It was your own house? Yeah. And I wasn't even a realtor then. but I went to the broker and I said, I'm going to sell the house myself. Will you do the paperwork? And he said, sure. You didn't want to lose my listing. Wow.

So to get to know how to do business, I published things all along the way for different clients. I thought, okay, I'll publish broker agent magazine in the area. I had access to every realtor, their contact information, through this magazine, and I learned all their tricks, a story on the best realtors. They talked to me, like I talked with you earlier, right? And how I'm talking to you now,

realtors who are starting, it's tricky. It's good to have all the best learned features of every top realtor in your market. And getting to know them is also good. that's what I did. I don't suggest that they publish a magazine, but they could do a blog like you. They could. I mean, really, you're doing a marvelous thing. I really, it's been good. Yeah, yeah. I don't mind the little details and all the things you go through. Okay, I'll give you one nugget I've learned. The smaller deal with the less amount of money

are the ones that keep you up at night. Go for the big stuff, everybody who's listening. Go for the best stuff. It's so true. They don't give you as much grief. They don't drink themselves out of, drink themselves drunk out of anxiety and call you at 11 p.m.

They don't do that. Yeah. They have their contact you. Okay. What can we do? They like the big deals. Yeah. And if you could only like the big deals to whoever's listening, you know a few people and if you don't go after them anyway.

Go after them anyway. That's exactly right. Educate yourself, level up. Yes. And when I moved to Florida, I bought my own house. I transferred my license down here. And I like going after the big deals. I just, that's the best advice I'll give to you. If you can figure out a way to get in, go to open houses at the big deals. get to know the buyers walking in and out of the big deals. Another thing that is, I used to do that isn't so good now, is to do open houses at the big deals, right? Volunteer. I think they are a big deal now. I think with the NAR. You can't get their business there.

They don't even remember the name of their realtor, right, when they walk in. But they don't want to talk to you about getting some of their money on the buy. No, they don't. not the first time hello no matter how lovely we are you're not going to get it right because i'm going to disagree with you on that one okay i don't think they're going to agree to give me pay me commission on the first date basically but i think i'm going to be able to pick up agents or buyers that have not aligned with anybody because they don't want to put sign that byrary tell us that in florida they all tell us oh i have a realtor i don't remember our name i think

It's Julie. Yeah. Okay. No. Yeah, I don't believe them either. So I'll say, well, let me write down Julie's name, you know, blah, blah, blah. I still get their information. Yeah, of course. I say the seller must have your information. Yes. And because our open houses here are blown up with people coming in, unrepresented people. Yeah. And so there's opportunity there. And now, is that a slower thing? Yes. But everything's not necessarily fast track, right? It isn't. Something that we do in our firm, and

you can probably do it within your office too, is we are allowed to share our listings with each other and market them. And we do that. And so that's how you're capturing buyers, and I tell them, pick the higher price point houses. If you're going to market

it, pick a higher price point market to grab those buyers. And that is very successful here. that's really good i'm listening what it's called myo make it your own decide what's ethical about telling them oh you know what don't you like about this house oh i know another one right when you're doing an open house you're a realtor yeah can you really say you know i know exactly what you want when do you want to go see it i can't do you can't say that anymore it's like if if you're want to look at others and we've got to have a sit down we've got to have a conversation because the

rules have changed yeah the rules have changed buddy we got to sit down we got to decide you and me are we going to work together well if not you're going to have to find somebody else but there are other properties that may fit your deal and i think i could help you but we got to sit down and talk about the new game in town are you listening new realtors go to the big deal don't do what i thought you might want to do and try to scoop them from whomever they're working with is not okay. But I know, because I'm a market research person, what might suit you? Let's have a sit down. I love that. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. That's great. All right. I'll do open houses again. I will. Change your perspective. Well, and the other thing is, I have agents that I'll be doing these low-budget homes, like you're saying.

And I had one sell me. She says, well, I want to do a million-dollar homes. I said good. She goes, and I want to increase my number to 30 million for the coming year. And I go, so you don't want a life, huh? Commission that she's made? No, the price point of the house. Okay.

And I said, so you don't understand that either. They think if you say 30 million, you're thinking that's how much the realtor makes? No. Right, yeah, 30 million. And our audience is realtor. So 30 million. million is what she wanted to do a million each 30 homes so she'd have gross commissioner or gross sales of 30 million and I said that so you're doing 30 deals in a year and I said me I'd rather do

15 two millions and have a life and I said because first of all just like the bigger price point they're not so crazy oh they're not the drama is not the same they're not desperate spread on every year. Yeah. First time home buyers only for friends. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. And I prefer listings over working with buyers. It's just my niche. Matter of fact, they lived at a Colbo banker. List to last. Well, you know what? There's a software out there. The software is called PropStream. I know. And you pay for it. Yeah. I use it in commercial too. see and now you can do a search within that where you say i'm looking for a particular area and because it's all of the u.s anybody can use this you just right i love it i love that program i

love that feature so i said i want around the lake here where i'm at i want you to find me all the homes that have a minimum of a million dollars in equity in their home they've owned it over 30 years. It doesn't equity. It told me their age group in a sense. And it also told me that they've got plenty of equity in the house. And I said, and they haven't refinanced lately. So that was my person that now I created a list from that. You made a beautiful algorithm. You did. Yes. You made a beautiful algorithm. Now you give that to predictive analytics experts and you come up with your list. And then you just call. Hello. I understand you're looking. What's predictive analytics? Hold on everything in here. AI in lists. A.I. in lists. I use reminder media and they do all the hard work for me.

So you take your list like you would have gotten from PropStream and you give it. Okay. For example, with the new Florida law, going to that a little bit, I wanted to work on Siesta Key. Have you ever heard of siesta key number one beach in florida in the world many times dr beach loves it once they got rid of cigarettes it was always number one yeah so siesta key big beautiful homes big beautiful condos you know all older overlook in the water the new florida law says hey do you remember the collapse of the Miami Beach condo. That resulted in Senate Bill 26 in Florida, which by law by July, you had to have a milestone inspection. You had to have a, you had to have your assessments and reserves all lined up. And then waterfront insurance, what do you think? It's kind of hard. Yeah. So those four things,

together make it really hard to sell your property. It's taken the value of people in the note. Most people don't know. I'm not surprised you don't know. My own husband said, you know, I hear you talking about it, but what's the scoop? It's going to take these properties when people find out about what they're facing in terms of additional money. A lot of these people bought these places 20 years ago. They don't have continuing income. They gave it to their kids. Their kids don't have the same income. Third of value down when people know about this. If they don't know about it, and according to Berlin Patton attorneys, if you don't have the milestone inspection, although you were mandated to have it, you couldn't get it because there

weren't enough engineers to do the work. So find those properties. That's in my predictive analytics list. Find the properties that have not had their predictive, that have not had their mandatory milestone inspections. Call the HOA director and say, hey, this is what you're facing. Do you want to get out of town? I have a nice house over here in Lakewood Ranch. Yeah. That works really well. It's a forfer. right yeah sell the condo before people know you find them a little house in lakewood ranch so they get to know and love it then they build the house of their dreams and then you sell that little house i like four first yeah i like forpers too so that was a i dot enlist e n l i s t no reminder media artificial intelligence the big ai thing that everybody's using you can do you can use it with algorithms

on predictive analytics lists, those most likely to sell, right? And then you have your own algorithm for the time frame and the demographics fit in from POP stream. You let Reminder Media do the hard work. Say, oh, I want 500 postcards and people's phone numbers and emails in CST Key with that. And then you have something to work with. So Reminder Media is not analyzing it.

It's just getting it like a postcard. They work on my algorithm. You came up with your own algorithm for your lakefront people, right? Right, right. It's not that hard if you really think about what. No, I'm not worried about that piece of it. I'm trying to understand what Reminder does. Are they mailing out postcards or are they analyzing your data?

Okay, let's see what they do. Okay. They're known for doing this magazine. Have you ever heard of Good to Be Home? No, but are you saying they're going to print something, or are they the analyst? Two different people are the company that sells promotional material that's better than me, even if it's an advertising example. Okay, that's the part.

They do add their mark on magazines. They print them for a little money as a postcard. Wow. I mean, that's amazing if you buy it now. Yeah. And then you can write your own stories. Esplanade is where I live. And I wrote a story about how the pre-golf homes are different from the homes that came after the golf course was, you know, done.

You have your own stories in a magazine that they have Beachfront Haven stories about and recipes, tear out recipes. I love reminder media that you could make a trifle and then you give it to your friend and they have your name. and phone number. Yeah. I think I have seen those magazines before. So it works well. Yeah, that makes a small area. Yeah. I thought you were saying it was an AI program in itself. You're putting the AI into it. They run an AI program they have. Gotcha. And they do all the hard work. And it's a postcard that says the value of your condo is changing with the new Florida laws. Call me. And then I have QR codes. I love QR codes. Let me not let that go by. Yeah. The QR code will take them to a landing page. What's the value of your home? Then you have their address. And then of course you can come up with the value of their home. Property appraisers website, props train. You can look them up, right? It's it's making life easier AI. Yeah. Oh, I agree. I'm a fan. I used to think I was a fabulous writer, right? Oh, I'm such a good writer.

No, I put in my story in chat, GPT, and it comes out better than mine. Yeah, yeah. It's sad. Yeah, I love it. But why not why fight it? Let's just do it. That's just do it. It's right.

Yeah, QR codes are a great way to go. For all you. I even put them out at open houses so people who just are doing a drive-by can get me. Yes. I think it's a great idea. I put them everywhere. If they're waterfront, you can put a QR code with all your contact information. I do.

Yeah, I do too. I think it's great. Yeah. Well, you are an interesting woman, Christy. I like it. So are you. I love that you're helping other realtors because I like two, too. I have a team.

Yeah. And that's my retirement plan. I'm going to get my team up to speed, convey to them my huge database. it's like 10,800 now. Wow. And I send out emails, right? And all different kinds of emails because that's the fun part.

To me, the promotional part. That's who I am. I'm a promoter. Me too. Maybe not as good as a reminder media, but I'm pretty good. I know. That's where my passion lies is in the marketing.

Well, I like your, what do I like about what you're doing? It's so satisfying. Thank you. It is so satisfying for me. Absolutely. I love it. And I'm going global with it.

I like getting it to mesh up. Yeah, it's great. Details and the research. Yeah. Well, thank you so much, Christy. So thanks for joining me on this episode of Real Estate Riches. Wasn't that great? I'm sure you've got a nugget or two.

I know I did. So if you liked it, please subscribe below. Share it with everybody. Make some comments. We really find that invaluable. And if you're thinking that you would love to talk about this a little bit more, let's schedule a business strategy call. I'll have the link below.

Let's see if we can't mastermind together and see if we can't empower each other. That would be great. So until next time, signing off. Hope to see you on the next one.