Transcript of a groundbreaking ceremony and group discussion (recorded July 28, 2025) led by mentor Charles J Noonan. Participants discuss building on hills, foundation techniques (build up then dig down), neighborhood impressions, a ceremonial shovel-groundbreaking, property negotiation strategies (offer targets ~55–65%), sewer connection issues, and immediate construction plans for a second house (size ~1266 ft²). Tone is conversational and instructional; the recording captures multiple speakers and audience interaction.
Chapters
So welcome. Right, of course. All your support. Right? We support each other.
Family. Yes.
Yes. We had a long day, bro. Happy you're here. Amazing, right? So we're here for you today, right now. And for those of you that want to know, Right. About building on Hills as part of, like, the licensing portion, the house would go straight, or maybe a little step up would be, like, the first floor, and then we actually just built down. So you build a little bit up, you build the first floor foundation, and then you build down. And of course, up as high as.
You want to go.
That house over there will give you a really good idea, a really good example. If you move straight, it's straight, but then we actually build downwards. And the house next door isn't bad either. It kind of shows. You have to just go down, hit the bedrock to start your foundation. Maybe not bedrock, but you start your foundation, and then you would build up from there based on how high up you want to go. All right. This is a beautiful neighborhood. Would everybody agree? Beautiful. Yeah, we love it. All right, so here's what we're gonna do. We got four people that are actually ready to start. Hopefully Desiree doesn't leave and you get a chance to see her house, because you gotta get a chance. You gotta take a look at it. Do you guys like our house?
Yeah. Beautiful.
Very pretty. Did you hear, what have you been hearing about the backsplash? Oh, God. Still 50.
50. All right, people. Still not sold.
So what about now? What do you guys think? 50, 50?
No, I love it. I love the backlash. Yeah, it's very unique. Yeah, it's unique.
Seeing it in person. I. I'm in love with. I like it. Yeah, I like the creativity. All right, so the only other thing. Jason, just get a little closer. The only other thing before we break, actually. Come on, guys, let's get behind. Let's get behind Karan and I.
Okay. Come on.
Come on. We actually gonna dig this right here? Not yet, though. Not yet.
We gotta do the other part first.
Where's Jonelle?
You ready? Hold on.
You could be on that side. You could be on that side. We're not digging yet. We're not digging yet. Gemma, y' all gotta be on this side.
Hold on. I gotta get some dirt from over here.
I'll go back over there.
Oh, you're right.
On three, we're going to hold our shovels up and say congratulations, but you got to get in it. Come over in this. I'm on your way.
Come in, come in, come in, come in. Come In.
Y' all ready back there? All three. Congratulations. There we go. One, two, three.
Come. Congratulations.
We can't do Lesville. Birmingham. Birmingham. All right, so, Jason, come.
Let's build.
On three. Left build. 1, 2, 3, left build.
We're not from here. We're not from here.
Not like.
Ron.
Ron is a little bougie. Just a little bit.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
We ain't mad.
He got say his feet.
All right. Yeah. So just tell us what. Oh, so we gotta dig a little bit of dirt. Let's get some dirt. This is actually the groundbreaking.
That's right.
What?
Oh, that's a beautiful picture. And I'm gonna do it this way. Like you. Like anyone you want. You can go both 1, 2, and 3, and then. All right, we'll do 1, 2, 3. All right.
All right. So, Karan, tell us, please, what this day means to you.
This day means a lot to me. I came to the Birmingham conference in February. I was just inspired by everything that was going on while I was here. I. I came with a list of properties, and I just drove around in each property. You know, get out the car and, you know, just step on the land. I just. I just felt the energy. So, you know, it just inspired me to just, you know, move forward. I got back home from the conference and I saw this property maybe two weeks later, and I didn't hesitate.
Africa.
I did my research.
That's right. Africa. Very good. I see everything in here.
I put an offer in with Shaw Snetter, put offering on the property, and, you know, we kind of went back and forth with the seller and we came to an agreement. You know, the rest is history. We're here. Let's go.
What about the negotiation? Did I help you with that saying, like, go low?
Oh, yeah, exactly. 65%.
65%. You got close to 65. Come on. They say you make money when you buy.
When you buy. Exactly.
That's right. So I'm happy about that.
Exactly. And I appreciate the support from everybody. This is a family. We all support each other.
Let's just keep going.
This is not going to be the first property, and I hope you guys feel the same, you know?
Yes.
Let's build Burn on the hand.
Yep. Let's build. Burn.
I get so happy for him to say 65, because I say whenever you're buying something from a realtor, just start at like 55. 65%. Just see. Just see what they say. You don't know how long stuff's been on the market, how long stuff's Been in families names that they may have inherited or whatever. So just shoot your shot. Just be like, how long would that. 50. $500. I'm offering 55. Then just go up a little bit. Slowly, slowly. You can always leave, close the door and come back. They're not gonna say, ah, you, you shot your shot, it's over. That's just a big money saving tip. And then I do close the door when I negotiate, always remember, the person who cares the least always wins. So if somebody wanted to buy a piece of land from me, and I want to say it's $80,000 because I don't want to sell it and the city is turning, I don't care if you offer me 75,000, I'm like, I don't care. I said 80. Don't even call me if it's less than 80, right? I win. Because they're going to have to come up to 80 to get it. The same thing with you with negotiating anything. If you have the concept like you don't care, like, yeah, no, no, that's only worth 55 to me, right? Whatever, 55, that's only worth $8,000 to me. That's just your offer. All right? Give the offer to the owner, right? The realtor or whoever has to do their job. It's their, it's their duty, right? They have to present the offer whether they like it or not.
Oh, yeah.
Because if not, you're kind against the law, against breaking the law by not submitting offers, right? So submit the offer and let's see. And then they. Eventually it's like, hey, you're getting an offer for 8,000, 6,000, 5,000, and then the person eventually can break. Unless they just don't care. Then you got to be like, all right, all right, I give you the whatever because we know we want it. But that's just always been a really good starting point for, for me, 55%. Because the broker has their money in there, they're probably trying to pay some back taxes. Whatever it is, the price, the asking price is always inflated and padded. What they want to take home is different. But what people want to take home is what they want in their mind. Reality sets in. And if you're listing something for a hundred thousand and you're only getting $60,000 offers, reality is like, I'm only gonna get six and you take it. So just a little bit. But I'm happy that you knew that number, right? So that means that you guys are learning some stuff from me. Desiree got A beautiful house, which. I love that.
Yes. I love it.
Like when she has her grass line. So we didn't do the grass yet. Oh, one quick, quick learning point. Gemma asked me the last time she was here. She said the left side of the house was dug up. Now, the right side. The left side is where the water comes in. The right side is where the waste comes out. So sewer was never connected to the house. The land is there. Sewer's there, but it was never connected. So there's no sewer line. So we actually have to make this sewer line to the street and tap into it. That's why the mound of dirt. That was unforeseen. So we just got to work through that, which Wednesday it'll be done.
Okay. All right.
All right.
I have a quick question. What are. What plan are you going to build for your second house to the left of your. The build for today? It'll be similar, but I can't change too much because I have to stay within, like, 12 to. Oh, yeah, the same size. So it'll be the same size, but. So we're already at 1266 on that one. So I can't change.
I like it. The grass, everything. Got to get our actual blue. Want that? I want that blue right there. That is the blue we need. All right, so we're done. You guys can stick around.
