Freedom Vlog Episode 20 - An Interview with Co-Owner Flip Robison

Hey, Freedom fans. Erik Jones here, director of sales and marketing for Freedom Real Estate Group, coming at you today with another awesome vlog video. As you can see, I have a guest. It is Flip Robison, the co founder and also director of acquisitions for the company. So we're going to get to know a little bit more about Flip and what exactly he does and want to start with. How did you get started in real estate? Really?

Well, actually, Danny and I both got started in real Estate in 2008. We had been doing other jobs at the time, and real estate has been a passion for both of us. And so we both jumped into real estate in 2008 was the perfect time to jump into real estate because that was, you know, a great time to be a realtor. And we found after doing eight months and doing only one deal, we said, well, you know, let's really go into real estate investing. And we reached out, we found a mentor, and we started studying and we hit the ground running. We actually did what everyone else doesn't do when they buy programs. They. They buy the program, put it on the shelf, and never do anything with it. We actually did stuff with it and we became actually quite successful right out of the gate.

So where were you were living in Texas at the time, right?

That's correct. We were just. Just north of Austin, Texas.

So then you moved from Texas to Arizona and then found your way to Ohio. Why. Why'd you find your way here?

Well, we were in Texas because that's actually where my family lives. And we were there for 10 years. And we decided to move to the Phoenix area, which is where Danny's family is, to spend some time over there. And as we were in Phoenix, we reached out and we got to be friends with a number of people on Facebook and we started doing virtual deals all over the country. And when we started doing that, we realized that we could do deals anywhere. And we started doing deals with a company out of Ohio. And they kept saying, boy, we could do more deals if you guys were actually here. And so we loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly. Well, we moved to Dayton instead.

It's close. Very close.

And so we moved to Dayton and that was in 2015. And we never looked back. We. And we just, again, we hit the ground running here in Ohio.

Cool. Awesome. So a really cool story is how Danny and Flip actually met, because I don't know if you know this, but Flip and Danny are both the co owners and co founders and they are married. So tell us how that happened, because I Think it's a pretty cool story.

Well, we're both musicians, we're both trumpet players. And I spent a number of years playing at an amusement park in Ohio, Cedar Point. And I met a guy while working there and he went to school at the University of North Florida. And he said, you need to go to school down here. I got tired of the Midwest winters and so I went down to the University of North Florida. And when I was down there the first couple months, they said, you need to work at Disney and do this winter job. And so I said, okay. So I did. And when I got there, one of the guys met me and he said, so you go to North Florida? And I said, yeah. And he said, so do you know Danielle? I said, no, I don't. Sorry. And I never really thought about it again. And so I did the job over the winter. It was a great time working at Disney. And about four months later, I got a call from another friend from Cedar Point, says, hey, I'm working on this cruise ship, I need a trumpet player. I said, okay, when he goes in three days, I said, sure. So I loaded up my suitcase. You kind of get into theme here, how we just load up and go. But I loaded up my suitcase and I drove down to Miami. I got on the cruise ship. And when I got on the ship the very first day, another trumpet player looks and he says, you went to North Florida, you worked at Disney. Oh, so you know Danielle. And at this point I'm like, all right, who is this Danielle? And so we laughed about it. And I said, no, I don't know who she was because actually she got off the ship the same day I got on the ship. So we just passing ships in the night, didn't see each other. Yeah. And about eight months later, there was a hurricane that came into the Caribbean. And so all the cruise ships diverted into Nassau. And. And when we got to Nassau, we had to do what's called a Captain's cocktail. It was a formal dance set. And so we're all dressed in our tuxedos and the curtain opens up and there's all these people sitting in the front row. And the trumpet player taps me on the shoulder, says, remember that Danielle? Yeah, that's her in the front row. And I went, oh, no way. So we played our hour long dance set. And at the end of the set, the curtain shuts and I put my horns away and I quick run outside and they're gone. So I had to go get my cruise ship id. And this is Nassau, Bahamas, In August. So it's about 120 degrees with 300% humidity and 5 o' clock in the afternoon, so the sun's out. And so I have my tuxedo on. So I go outside of the cruise ship because I got my ID and I see her and she's down the pier. So I go running after yelling, hey, did yell at it. Yell. And she turns around, she sees me wearing my tuxedo running after yelling your name. And she's like, who is this crackpot? Because she has no idea who I am after all these years. So anyway, so we ended up meeting that day, and then I guess, as you say, the rest is history.

Yeah. And you guys actually spent time working together on cruise ships for many years after that, too?

About. Probably about six to eight months after that, she got transferred over to my ship. I'm not sure how that happened. But then we spent a few years working on cruise ships as trumpet players, but then spent another about five years working on cruise ships as art auctioneers.

Cool. Really cool. So what I want to switch to now is sort of something that we hear a lot from our investors, and really they want to know more about the search process for properties and how we find the property. So how exactly do you go about finding the properties that we get for our clients?

Well, the first thing that I do is I want to feel the inner peace of the property. And so I go to the property and I feel the walls to see what if it's got the inner beauty inside the walls?

Yeah, very important.

I've got many sources. I actually have many sources on finding properties. I use auction sites. I use foreclosures. I use, which is a lot of the auction sites, share of sales, just the general mls, Craigslist, Facebook. I also have a long list of wholesalers, other people out there that find properties and then they wholesale the properties to us. But then we also do our own marketing to targeted areas of areas of properties that we actually would buy.

And plus, we have now five people, six people.

We just brought on four more people today. So now we have six people under. In my guessing, in my group, not under me, but that works alongside of me within acquisitions. So that way we can bring in the volume of properties we need.

Yeah, yeah. So we have. We're building that team to find even more awesome deals for our investors, which is awesome. So what would you say, I guess, is the biggest challenge? So when you're looking at these properties and you're deciding, you know, whether it's a good deal or not. Because inventory is tight. If you've seen our website or spoken to Sydney or myself, there's definitely, you know, tightness in our, in our inventory and a sort of a, you know, scarcity. So I guess describe some of the challenges you find in your day to day job and role of finding these properties.

Well, the, the amazing thing is that there is such a high demand for these properties because of the return that people are getting on the properties. They get one and they realize how good it is and they, they, they're like, hey, we need two more or three more. And so I'm constantly being told every day by Danny that I need to go buy a lot of properties. And that's pretty much like, good morning, how are you? Buy a lot of properties.

Good.

Yeah, exactly. So that is my biggest challenge. Because we can't just buy any property. It does have to meet our standards even before we rehab the property. It does have to have certain requirements, certain locations and certain just availability as far as the property, property itself. And it also cannot be, you know, which we've learned we need to stay away from flood zones.

That flood insurance can wreck a cash flow amount very quickly. Yeah. So sort of getting away from, you know, the day to day operations of your department, sort of tell everyone what you do outside of work. You leave the office, what do you do for fun?

Typically we leave the office and we go home and work. It's true, it is. But yeah, we, we really, the, it's funny because we say that and we joke about it, but it is true because we actually truly love what we're doing. We love what we've built here and we love the office and just, just everything about this. And it's never a burden to actually go back to work on those rare moments when I'm not actually working, I golf. And I like to like to say that I like to golf. I own a set of clubs. That's pretty much the extent of it. I went golfing last week actually. First time in a long time. So. But that's, that's pretty much it. People ask if I still play my horn because we played professionally all over the place and had numerous accomplishments doing that. But I do, I play my horn every single so often.

Okay. And you also, you and Danny are both very big fans of roller coasters, specifically like Cedar Point. I know that's a hot place that they love to go whenever they have a chance.

Oh yeah, absolutely. I mean with working there for five years, it's like my, my old stomping grounds. I grew up in Ohio, so every year my family went to Cedar Point. So it's a family tradition. So Danny got thrown into that whether she liked it or not.

Right. Well, I think she enjoys it, so. So is there anything, I guess anything want to share people may not know about you, fun fact, anything like that.

That we work all the time.

There you have it. All right, everyone, I hope you enjoyed this interview with Flip. He is our director of acquisitions and one of the co owners of Freedom Real Estate Group. Just to give you a little bit more insight onto how we find our properties. And also just Flip, who is an awesome guy. If you have any questions about this video about finding properties, about investing in turnkey real estate, email me salesreedomrealestategroup.com and be sure follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and of course, YouTube. So you will always get the most up to date information right away. And until next time, everyone, happy investing.

Are we recording?

Yep. Okay, in three, two.

Wait, I'm not ready.

Okay. All right. In three.

I really was starting real estate when I was younger. This is gonna be a long video.

For someone who didn't want to do this video. You're extending the time? The torture time?

Yes.

Okay, so we're gonna have to start over.

Oh, right from the beginning. Just come right where you ended the thing. I left enough space there.

Okay, well then are you going to. You going to start answering?

Yes. Okay.

There you go.

I had so many more things planned.

Did you really?

Oh, yeah.

What do you mean?

One take. Here we go. One take. Okay. Wow.

Really? Yep.

Sorry.

Okay. All right, it's Emma. All right, in three, two.