“Don’t judge a book by its cover” – a lesson Buddy West learned in a very humbling way when he was out showing a house to a man whom he thought was a drug dealer. When you’re in the real estate industry, it’s incredibly important to not prejudge your clients. Instead, ask the right questions and be open-minded, fair and open with all who come seeking your help. Listen to find out just who Buddy’s shady-looking client really was and some other crazy stories Buddy has accumulated along the way. Please subscribe to this podcast in iTunes or in the Podcasts App on your phone. Never miss a beat from Leigh by visiting The Leigh Brown Experience. Time Stamped Show Notes:  00:27 – Leigh welcomes today’s guest, Buddy West 00:36 – Buddy is a legend in the real estate industry 00:57 – He has been in real estate for 33 years 01:08 – He caters to the Delaware area 02:12 – Buddy will share 2 stories 02:18 – 1st story: Don’t pre-judge people 02:28 – One Sunday, Buddy got a phone call to look at a listing 02:51 – Buddy went to show a high-priced house 02:59 – He pulled up to the house and found a guy who looked like a member of the Grateful Dead 03:14 – After Buddy showed the property, the guy told him he wanted to check another property 6 miles away 03:17 – Buddy called for an appointment 03:23 – He offered a ride to the client and said he’d drop him off again at the first house they met 03:33 – Buddy asked if the client was paying cash or was financing 03:51 – Client said he’d pay cash and is capable of paying up to $550K 03:56 – Buddy immediately thought this guy was a drug-dealer 04:06 – Upon showing the 2nd house, the client said he liked it and that he’d buy it 04:21 – Buddy asked the client why he wanted to work with him 04:28 – Client goes, “because we have something in common” 04:37 – He said they were both writers 04:56 – Buddy found out this client was the writer for Spider-Man 05:00 – His client was David Michelinie 05:58 – “You don’t judge a book by its cover” 06:58 – “Preconceived notions are going to kill you in the real estate business” 07:44 – Ask good questions 07:55 – Dave introduced Buddy to the illustrator of Superman, Brett Breeding, whom he also sold a house to 08:07 – Buddy shares a story he has with Joe Clement, his partner 09:28 – They were showing a house 09:48 – The husband came out giggling 09:57 – The bedroom vent had a hole in it with a camera lens pointing towards the bed 10:14 – Buddy called the listing agent about the camera 10:26 – The agent called the owner and found out the lady didn’t know about it 10:33 – They went to the house, up to the attic and the VCRs were all set-up with an electrical line down to the neighbor’s electric outlet 10:59 – The neighbor was video taping his estranged wife 11:26 – The guy got arrested eventually 12:32 – Buddy also shares about a pre-settlement inspection 12:35 – He sent a realtor to his place because he had a schedule conflict 12:47 – She walked in the buyer’s house only to find him dead on a chair 13:04 – She was out of real estate not long after that 13:35 – Real estate is an expensive business to be in 14:03 – Realtors should stay calm to work through any difficulty in the business 14:31 – Stop, think, and act 14:49 – Buddy is one of the first people Leigh learned the business from in real estate 15:39 – Start taking real estate classes 16:06 – Reach out to Buddy at buddy@buddywest.com 16:31 – Tweet Leigh Brown for your very own crazy story in real estate  3 Key Points Stop judging people based on how they look—preconceived notions will really kill you in this industry. Don’t be afraid to ask the right questions. Real estate business can throw you a whole array of experiences—stop, think, and act in every situation. Credits Audio Production by Chris Mottram Show Notes provided by Mallard Creatives Cover Design by Two Minds Design Original Music by Rimsky Music