Episode 25: Living the Beach Life in Panama City Beach, Florida with Sandi Smith

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Nate Carver
Hey, it's your favorite mortgage guy, Nate Carver, with between two doors. And today we're talking to Sandi Smith out of Panama City Beach, Florida. If you're looking to buy, sell a home in that area of Florida. Think you're going to enjoy this conversation. Hey,

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Nate Carver
Hey, I'm Nate Carver and welcome to Between Two Doors.

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Nate Carver
Hey, Sandi, how are you doing?

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Sandi Smith
I'm good. How about you? I'm doing.

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Nate Carver
Good. I actually, I just flew back. I'm in Pensacola. And, I got in this morning, so we're all set up.

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Sandi Smith
Where'd you go?

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Nate Carver
Texas Christmas with the family. And, I folks, my mom, stepdad live out there. And so went out there and spent Christmas and New Year's with them. And, it was a good time. And it's nice and sunny and cool here. So cold there. So, anyway, I'm glad to be back.

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Sandi Smith
So it.

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Nate Carver
So tell me about yourself. You've had a phenomenal the past year. We're jumping in 2025 right now. And 2024 you had a I think you had a fantastic year in real estate. I want to celebrate that with you. And, I I'd love to know when you got into real estate. And then what what sparked that?

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Nate Carver
What was what got you into real estate?

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Sandi Smith
So realistically, I was a hairstylist back in Georgia. I had been at that point for about 20 years in the industry, and Covid happened. And so when we got sent home for five weeks during Covid, I was like, realistically, I didn't realize my body hurt and until I was home for five weeks and I was like, how I say, you don't feel, you don't know you feel bad until you feel better.

00:02:12:09 - 00:02:27:15
Sandi Smith
And so I was like, oh my gosh, my back. That and our, my legs, you know, aren't. So all, you know, just things like that that I would have for Mark and long days behind the chair. And so I told my husband then I was like, I'm not going to be able to do this until I'm 65. And I was like, there has to be something else.

00:02:27:15 - 00:02:48:16
Sandi Smith
I made over $200,000 a year doing hair, and I was like, there's got to be something else that I can do besides going back to be like a frickin doctor or something. I'm not Booksmart. So I was like, we had bought and sold a couple of things, and the process was interesting to me. I love, like, design, obviously, hair, you know, a house.

00:02:48:21 - 00:03:17:04
Sandi Smith
Oh, canvas all the time right now. So I love to, like, look at a place and say, oh, you can do this to it, or, like, just the vision, you know, and, so kind of the process. Definitely. I would say sparked an interest. The commission amount that I would say that they met, you know, and a realtor made, I was like, it's not bad money not realizing how much it cost as well.

00:03:17:04 - 00:03:40:13
Sandi Smith
You know, if you want to make money to spend money. And so just several things. It wasn't like somebody said, oh, this is what you should do or, I really like to say that it was the good Lord, just kind of opened that door and I said, you know what? We had bought a place down here at the beach, and I had people ask me, how do we acquire a stack at home?

00:03:40:15 - 00:04:08:04
Sandi Smith
You know, and did we rent it out enough to pay for itself? You know, all these questions. And I thought, well, clearly people are interested. And so I was like, you know what? I'm going to get my license. I planned on still doing hair for like 25 years, but, I ended up not because my business grew, and so, just decided that I'd start helping others.

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Sandi Smith
And here we are.

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Nate Carver
Nice. And there's, there's some carryover from your time being a hairstylist. Your your your demeanor, the way you treat people. And, and, you know, it's a different service industry. Sure.

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Sandi Smith
Sure. Absolutely.

00:04:27:21 - 00:04:51:24
Nate Carver
But you're definitely you definitely have people skills and the ability to connect with people. You know, your hair gets cut wrong. That's a very high stress moment, right by the house is a very high stress moment. Or it can be if you get a good team, put together a good realtor and a good lender, you've got an opportunity to take a lot of the stress and chaos out of that whole process.

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Nate Carver
So good for you.

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Sandi Smith
Sure. For sure I'm in. But I feel like in today's world, everything I said that happens in every transaction. I feel like. And it's just really one of my favorite sayings and it's really basic and generic. But if there's a will, there's a way. We just got to find the way to make.

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Nate Carver
That's right. Good for you. So so do you do more? I guess in the past years, more on representing home buyers or home sellers.

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Sandi Smith
So of course, to start with. So I've only been an agent, for just over three years. So about three and a half years now. And obviously to begin with, I feel like all agents really start working well with buyers. And you have to kind of, prove yourself, to start getting listings, you know, then people are like, oh, I see her.

00:05:42:05 - 00:06:12:01
Sandi Smith
She's doing good. You know, I think I'll let her sell my house. You know? And so now this last year, I would say I was probably 60, 40, probably still 60% buyers and 40% sellers. And so, you know, in our industry, we feel like half and half is pretty good. I really do enjoy still work and with buyers because I enjoy shopping, I always say I'm spending somebody else's money.

00:06:12:03 - 00:06:32:08
Sandi Smith
And so I like to, you know, help people think outside the box, look at other things, you know, I mean, some people go in thinking that they want a certain thing, but when you really especially investment property, like here on the beach, I do sell just as many condos or short term rentals, second homes as I do residential.

00:06:32:10 - 00:07:04:21
Sandi Smith
So, you know, they think that they want a certain product. But when I tell people also, are you shopping with your heart or are you shopping with your head because either you you have the money to pay for it or you need the money for it to pay for itself? So, I think just being transparent and, and having to show people with different things that they're interested in are not really how it will work for them or, you know, there's it's really crucial.

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Sandi Smith
I don't know, just I like thinking outside the box and show and different options. And so sometimes people will come into the, you know, market thinking, you know, I want this, this and this, but then they end up realizing that's not going to work for them. So it's just kind of finding out there need.

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Nate Carver
Have you seen anything like that in finding out those needs? It's kind of been a trend. I know it's different for each homebuyer, each each family buying a home. But how are you seeing things in Panama City Beach area that are kind of trending? From your experience?

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Sandi Smith
Well, when it comes to, I think anybody invest in, if they're new to invest and they naturally think that it will completely pay for itself. And right now, with the rates the way they are, those properties are harder to find. Especially because the values practically almost doubled, you know, in 2022. And so we're are seeing some property values definitely come back down and normalize.

00:08:17:01 - 00:08:41:17
Sandi Smith
But the numbers still don't math. So it's really just educating people. There are still profitable properties if you have cash. Absolutely. There's properties that will work for your money and give you a better return on investment than probably the bank, but it's just finding the right fit, right?

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Nate Carver
So when you're dealing with people looking to buy a home, have you have you seen, I guess, in your, in your three years, any, any fun or memorable stand out moments? For you could be funny. Could be what it was like, the first closing. What that meant to you? I'd be interested to know that.

00:09:08:02 - 00:09:39:20
Sandi Smith
I do really like working with more first time investors because they're so eager to learn, and they don't know at all. I mean, we have three now. And we've acquired those in the last four years, and I learn something new all the time. So, I enjoy that most. And again, not funny, but it it is like when they come into it, they're, they're so stereotypical.

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Sandi Smith
And, you know, I think they know exactly what they want, but it's really nothing that would work for their needs. And so that kind of. I don't know the whole educational process. But then, I mean, it's also fun to work for people that know exactly what they want, and money's not an option. And, you know, but. And more of a dream than a reality, you know.

00:10:10:08 - 00:10:49:12
Nate Carver
Right. Yeah. I've, I've seen well I've bought investment properties too and whether you're a seasoned investor or brand new to it, you make your money on the purchase and and then you know, whether the rent is cash flowing or paying the note, that's a different conversation. But definitely, it's one worth having. But getting that investor a full picture, of what they can expect is, is critical in it, whether they're paying cash or doing financing.

00:10:49:14 - 00:10:59:05
Nate Carver
So how many investors are you working with now? And I'm curious how how do investors find how do investors find you?

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Sandi Smith
So, work with a social media marketing company? They only work with one realtor per market area. So, and the Bay County, affiliate with them, I guess you would say. So through yet, run social media ads and I do get leads through at, approximately 50 a month. So I literally, for instance, I run one of our, my best ones that I run is Waterfront home list.

00:11:35:16 - 00:11:59:09
Sandi Smith
So it's literally a list of homes. And for them to get that list of home, they have to give me their contact information so they opt in, you know, and either give it, they submit it or they don't. They get it or they don't. So through that, I'm able to reach out to the, if, if I desire to, I typically wait through it.

00:11:59:09 - 00:12:27:24
Sandi Smith
There's an automated email that goes out, and after they engage in that is typically when I start engaging with them. I don't sit there and go on the phone. I do a lot of social media marketing, and I'm very transparent and I myself very authentic. So most of my business truly comes from people reaching out to me, the homes that at least they see, the way that I market them and, that I have success.

00:12:27:24 - 00:12:54:06
Sandi Smith
And so they actually reach out to me to list their home. As far as the buyers, they just like my personality. They can tell I'm down to earth. I'm not no suit and tie kind of girl. So I think they just feel comfortable when they reach out to me. Obviously, you know, I'm outgoing. And so I feel like through my social media, I work with the people who are like me.

00:12:54:08 - 00:13:32:10
Nate Carver
Good, good. Yeah, I like that. You're. When you're dealing with condos, are you seeing, like, on the lending world? I always hear, I hear from other other loan officers that condos are brutal, painful. I haven't experienced that personally. So I got a great team. So I'm just. I'm curious what what things. And when it comes to buying or selling a condo that the red flags or things that you do.

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Sandi Smith
Yes. In the last, what, three years, I guess you would say, since that condominium fell in Miami, that the new laws here in Florida have put the condos tremendo silly, the milestone inspection and whether they've had it or passed it or when they are due for it, is one of the first things that when I'm working with somebody, I want to know, after we get through that, if they've had the mouse on inspection, they pass it.

00:13:59:01 - 00:14:20:14
Sandi Smith
Yay! They're safe for the next ten years. You know, what their reserves look like. So to me, I try to work with them to profile out the condominium complex and make sure it is a safe investment for them before I even go there. If they have not maxed it, I'm pretty sure that they're going to have some special assessments.

00:14:20:16 - 00:14:43:01
Sandi Smith
And to me, that's just setting them up for future debt. And so those are some of the main questions that I start looking into. Like if it's I try to be familiar with the majority, but we've got so many, there's some that I still have never even shown in before. But we also have some that are so popular that I've been in multiple times and I just know where they're at.

00:14:43:03 - 00:15:17:17
Sandi Smith
So just know when the right questions to ask and what's going on within the, condominium market. But then we have so many that are, no HOA. Like we literally own two townhomes that have no HOA. One is second right to the beach and one sits on Thomas Drive. So there's other options. Some people think Manila that a no HOA means it's going to be cheaper is not really the case because, you know, you still have insurance in your HOA fees.

00:15:17:17 - 00:15:39:17
Sandi Smith
That's one of the main things that it covers is the exterior insurance. But we can also paint our house the way we want to, you know, personalize it, do things like that. So, there's a there's a product for everybody. You just got to figure out what, the need is and just made it.

00:15:39:19 - 00:15:53:04
Nate Carver
Yeah. There you go. All right. So let's I'm going to shift gears on. You have love to know, what what do you love doing outside of real estate?

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Sandi Smith
We love to travel.

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Nate Carver
All right.

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Sandi Smith
We're leaving tomorrow to fly down to Thomas for a few days. Before I became a realtor, I got timeshare points. And some people, when I say that now, because of being a realtor, they're like, oh, my God, you're crazy. I always say if you use them, I don't lose them, than it was worth your money.

00:16:17:04 - 00:16:38:24
Sandi Smith
We travel and enjoy it. So for me, though, what a waste of money. And then when the weather's beautiful, I'm not. I hate the cold. So I really don't like being out and about when it's cold and windy, but, when it's pretty, I say I moved here for a reason. I like to be sun kissed and half naked.

00:16:39:01 - 00:16:41:02
Sandi Smith
Put me on the beach somewhere.

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Nate Carver
Yeah. It's, when you live in Paradise, you know? Yeah. You know, I mean.

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Sandi Smith
Like, what, 9 or 10 months out of the year here? I mean, we literally can be out there. Oh, we were out there. They're. They're nice. And on the beach, it was 72 degrees and beautiful. But when the sun starts to go down, it gets a little chilly.

00:17:02:07 - 00:17:26:12
Nate Carver
Yeah. It's not so bad if the wind's blowing out of the south, which, I mean, I think we're actually. It's a rumor. I don't believe it. Till I see it, we might get snow. I'm not kind of, it'll be gone by noon, but you know that I'm not going anywhere because I never make it. Nobody knows how to drive and snow here.

00:17:26:14 - 00:18:04:03
Nate Carver
It's so I would. Yeah. So, Nice. Yeah. So, Saint Thomas. Excellent. All right, so world traveler and, three years in the in the real estate and you're on your you're a top one percenter in, in Florida, for sure. Definitely in the Panama City Beach area. Just celebrate the, you know, you've done the right activity and working and staying in contact and being personable as you are.

00:18:04:05 - 00:18:26:15
Nate Carver
And, just I love it. I love I love that and wanted to celebrate your success and have you on the podcast. So tell everybody, Sandy, how is the best way if they're looking to invest, buy a home or sell a home in the Panama City Beach? What is best way that they can get Ahold of you?

00:18:26:15 - 00:18:28:04
Nate Carver
Sandy.

00:18:28:06 - 00:18:47:16
Sandi Smith
I like to say my telephone, kind of an old, mindset. I like to talk, so give me a call. I would say my cell phone. Either shoot me a text message, and if you rather get a phone call, call me. You know, literally pick up the phone and call me. (229) 326-2998.

00:18:47:18 - 00:19:03:05
Nate Carver
There you go. All right, everybody, there you have it. Thank you, Sandy, for meeting me with me today. Between two doors. You're a just a fun person to know. And, really enjoyed talking to you. Thank you.

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Sandi Smith
Well, thank you.

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