In Episode #128 of the Better Than Success Podcast host Nicole Purvy Interviews Earnest Key.
Real estate investor, property manager, realtor and real estate investment coach, Earnest Key was born in Alaska, but raised in Philadelphia. Earnest Key has served the Philadelphia real estate community for over 13 years. Additionally, Earnest retired from the Adult Probation and Parole Department of PA after 14 years of service. His law enforcement experience is one of the many reasons that he has excelled in the art of patience and negotiations. During his 13 years in the real estate arena, he has managed his own units, as well as dozens of other investors’ units. Also, he has assisted first-time home buyers and sellers with their home needs as well. His total sales volume is north of $20,000,000!
Currently, Earnest is a Realtor at City Wide Keller Williams Philadelphia and is the team leader of The Earnest Key Team.
Earnest’s favorite aspect of real estate is negotiating in order to help both sides of the deal leave satisfied. Real estate aside, Earnest is most proud of his family, which consists of his wife and three daughters.
30 Day Checkin After I Left My 9-to-5
After working in the law enforcement field and working part-time in real estate for 14 years, Earnest was about to retire this November due to success of real estate. After college Earnest started his job in 2004 and acquired a property transferred to him by his grandmother. After being inspired to do real estate in college but having no money, he was able to pursue one of his dreams he explains in this episode. Moving on, Earnest shares a story of one day driving home from his 9-to-5 job and seeing a property (which looked like a shell) and called the agent to get a price so he could possibly invest with little cash money. After calling finding out the property was a very high number, Earnest wasn’t going to be able to invest in that property instead he was able to connect with someone who pivoted that conversation into a mentorship. Finding out about home equity line of credit, he dived in head first and used that strategy on the property acquired from his grandmother. He was able to get a good chunk of cash from his grandmother's property and the first thing he did with the money (what every investor typically does) was shop in real estate. Earnest explains that the property he bought with the home equity line of credit was his worst nightmare. This is how he began his “official” career in real estate. “Anything that can go wrong with you project, went wrong with my first project... but it was good for me because i learned my lesson” Earnest shares. After learning his lesson with his first official investment property, he learned about property management and started managing other people's properties while putting a hold on his acquisitions… all while working a 9-to-5 job! Being so driven by the real estate business, he then pivoted his experience to help others and started to make money that way which lead to him becoming a licensed agent. Earnest then started managing properties, consulting, and working a full time job with no help. It wasn’t until he got the help and support from his wife to help and then they started a team together under City Wide Realty. He then took a leap of faith and quit his job to pursue his career in real estate full-time with no prior warning this his employer.
Nicole asks during the interview: How did you know it was time to leave? And Earnest response is what follows..
My full-time job was wearing on me for 14 years I was getting more familiar in real estate I was able to accumulate enough savings to quit“What was the best thing from quitting?” Nicole asks. Earnest responds with “the feeling of having independence”.
Contact Info:
Email: earnest.key@kw.com
O: (215) 627-3500
Website: www.citywrealty.com
