Ryan Carter
Hey. Ryan Carter, president of 8z Real Estate. I'm here with Larissa Buso. Larissa, thanks for hanging out.
00;00;07;22 - 00;00;09;00
Larissa Buso
Absolutely. My pleasure.
00;00;09;01 - 00;00;23;09
Ryan Carter
Yeah, I'm excited to talk to you this morning and learn a little more about you. Talk about real estate. Talk about your background, your life. I pull out some stories from here, you know, sort of all the things.
00;00;23;10 - 00;00;24;21
Larissa Buso
Yeah, I love that. Oh.
00;00;26;03 - 00;00;34;04
Ryan Carter
Wow. I love to just sort of first off the top. Tell me a little bit about your story or kind of, you know, what got you to real estate?
00;00;34;28 - 00;00;55;07
Larissa Buso
Well, I kind of took a roundabout journey to real estate. I started in corporate America. I did about, I don't know, 15 plus years working in human resources, leading recruitment teams and kind of just got to a point with my family with three children kind of growing up and needing more time with me and decided it was time to make a bit of a change.
00;00;55;07 - 00;01;12;19
Larissa Buso
And I wanted a little more control over my life and my family life and how to balance it better and real estate. Really felt like that was going to be a good fit for me, mainly because I felt like I can really help people find the perfect home. And I used to help people find the perfect job, so I don't know.
00;01;12;20 - 00;01;14;13
Larissa Buso
To me, it seemed like a good segway for me.
00;01;15;06 - 00;01;42;14
Ryan Carter
It's such an incredible industry. I'm always so grateful for real estate. You know, as you said, the ability to really be in control of your business, of your life, work life integration and then the flip side of what we're able to do for clients and it's really makes an impact. You know, this idea of matching someone's with their perfect career and kind of guiding someone to find their perfect space or their home to impact their life, which is great.
00;01;43;05 - 00;01;58;18
Larissa Buso
Yeah, it's very gratifying. I mean, it makes me happy when other people are happy and I know that sounds cliche, but honest to God, like when I can put a smile on someone's face, hand them that key at the end of the transaction, no matter how much of a roller coaster it was, it's just super exciting to know that they're so happy.
00;01;58;18 - 00;02;07;01
Larissa Buso
I think homeownership is one of the most amazing things you can do in America. And, yeah, it's, you know, to have it be attainable and to be able to help with that.
00;02;07;11 - 00;02;32;08
Ryan Carter
Yeah. And in you as a real estate agent, as the professional expert that you are, you really have an impact in in in guiding someone to accomplish. That's not easy. The negotiation and finding the property, the financing got into all of it. It really takes you know, people need an expert agent on their side to guide them through it.
00;02;32;08 - 00;02;37;09
Ryan Carter
Really, one of the most significant things you can do from an investment standpoint and the impact it has on their life.
00;02;37;17 - 00;02;54;24
Larissa Buso
Yeah, it's true. I mean, I always try to work for my clients so that they feel like it. It seems pretty seamless on the outside and it's a lot of work on the on the back side, on the inside. But you want them to feel comfortable. You want them to be able to navigate all of the potential pitfalls that can come through the transaction.
00;02;54;24 - 00;03;06;02
Larissa Buso
And I feel like that's why I'm there. I'm there to help them feel calm and collected and competent about the decisions are making and they're still in control, generally at the end of the day.
00;03;06;20 - 00;03;24;01
Ryan Carter
Terry That's a really great way to to show up for clients. And as I was listening to you say that and I kind of have this visual of like, you know, you pull back the curtain and you're back every time managing all the things, and then you close a friend, the clients out front or like, here's your home, it's beautiful.
00;03;24;01 - 00;03;39;23
Ryan Carter
And let me guide you to the contract. But, you know, we laugh about it, but it's true. I think that's why the idea that people need a real expert and a professional to manage all that stuff is key. Yeah.
00;03;39;24 - 00;03;41;02
Larissa Buso
Yeah, it is, for sure.
00;03;41;08 - 00;03;42;19
Ryan Carter
So how long you've been in real estate?
00;03;43;01 - 00;03;45;21
Larissa Buso
It's been about a goal since 2017. I've been licensed.
00;03;45;25 - 00;03;47;07
Ryan Carter
Okay. 6 to 6.
00;03;47;07 - 00;03;48;04
Larissa Buso
Years. Yeah.
00;03;48;09 - 00;03;51;18
Ryan Carter
Nice. And what? How long have you been with 8z?
00;03;52;02 - 00;03;55;15
Larissa Buso
I have been with 8z I just celebrated my one year anniversary a couple months ago.
00;03;56;03 - 00;04;17;10
Ryan Carter
Congratulations. Thank you. So great to have you as part of the family. Seriously, it's an awesome to watch you kind of come into our organization, make an impact on your team, make an impact on your business. And we're kind of a family around here and it's really cool to have you part of that. We're the circumstances that you came to know.
00;04;18;04 - 00;04;38;07
Larissa Buso
Well, you know, it's funny, I wasn't looking to change brokerages. I had done that a few times early in my career and went from boutique to larger to smaller. And it just so happened I was working with some clients that were very interested in a home that had already gone off the market. They really wanted me to write a back up offer, and I said, Absolutely.
00;04;38;07 - 00;04;57;22
Larissa Buso
Let me get in touch with the agent. Let me, you know, find out what's what and see what we can do. And it just so turned out that it was Julie Maxwell who is at the time one of our managing brokers here at 8z. And I ended up writing the back of the offer. And just through that process, I probably badgered her on a every other day basis about follow up.
00;04;57;22 - 00;05;01;23
Larissa Buso
But as far as any changes and you know how her house, her back up, her looking.
00;05;02;06 - 00;05;04;16
Ryan Carter
And advocating for your clients trying to get in.
00;05;04;16 - 00;05;21;00
Larissa Buso
There totally. And I would, you know, proceed to give updates on the other end to my clients. And truth be told, through that process, Julie and I got to know each other and she just kind of started talking me a little bit about easy, just very casually. And I think, Oh yeah, it seems like a great company, you know?
00;05;21;03 - 00;05;49;07
Larissa Buso
That's great. Thank you so much. And she's like, Well, we should go, Tamara and we should go, you know, do lunch. And I was like, okay, but, you know, I'm not really looking to make a move, but I'd be happy to do lunch right? So we did we went had lunch. And kudos to Julie. I mean, she really just kind of laid it out for me with regard to some of the comparisons that she was able to make and some of the, I don't know, propositions as far as the ME coming over to 8z and what that could look like.
00;05;49;07 - 00;06;06;13
Larissa Buso
And actually for me I was probably selling myself short by staying where I was and just honest to God truth. And I said, I don't know, it just it was very difficult to make the decision my husband and I had, you know, talked about it, not wanting to make any more changes. And I'm like, well, you know, let me think about it.
00;06;06;13 - 00;06;25;01
Larissa Buso
And we talk it through. And I came back to her and we talked a few more times. And at the end of the day, obviously, I made the decision to come here and I couldn't be happier. My husband is 100% supportive of not that he wouldn't have been, but, you know, it's a relationship and you want to have, you know, everybody be on the same page and have that support behind you.
00;06;25;01 - 00;06;38;29
Larissa Buso
And I'm my only regret now is that I didn't find you guys sooner to badly and I didn't run into each other sooner because I'm just happy to be here and I have no plans of ever going anywhere else. This is my home from now on.
00;06;39;03 - 00;07;09;19
Ryan Carter
Well, good, good. Seeing you're stuck with us. And, you know, I mean, big smile on my face, you know, hearing you say that. Thank you. It's so great to have you here. You're a year into 8z. It seems as if it's certainly made a positive impact on your business and on your life. You know what has it meant to be an easy sort of a year in and kind of the opportunity to have some reflection positive impact on your business?
00;07;09;24 - 00;07;31;00
Larissa Buso
Well, being that I wasn't just fresh off of, you know, newly licensed individual, I feel like I've learned so much in this last year and I credit that to just the 8z family, the the conference that we had earlier this year, our managing broker and our partner, Castle Rock office, the whole team there, I just feel like everyone is so supportive of each other.
00;07;31;00 - 00;07;45;13
Larissa Buso
Like we have a group text, you send out a text, someone needs help with a showing, someone needs can you do this closing? I have to run out of town and I just feel like everyone has each other's backs. And it really does sound, you know, sound like it, but feel like it. And we live it. Yeah. And it just.
00;07;45;22 - 00;07;55;16
Larissa Buso
It feels true and it feels right and I feel like I've learned so much in the last year, more than I've learned previously. Well, that has done better because of it.
00;07;55;17 - 00;08;17;16
Ryan Carter
So yeah, there is that you you, you've, you've risen up and built an incredible real estate business. Your clients are really lucky to have you on their side. Real estate can be a little wild because some ups and downs are certainly and that's that's a beauty of it's a really dynamic industry and no client is the same. No transaction is the same.
00;08;17;26 - 00;08;27;18
Ryan Carter
You know, I have some skeletons, stories in my closet for sure. When I would do when I was producing real estate, I'm sure you have one or two.
00;08;27;18 - 00;08;28;01
Larissa Buso
Or you.
00;08;28;07 - 00;08;33;27
Ryan Carter
Wish, you know, what's what's an interesting story and your real estate career.
00;08;34;03 - 00;08;49;19
Larissa Buso
Well, one that comes to mind recently in the last year or so, it was closing day. And we were doing our final walkthrough with my buyers. And we were we had just arrived at the home. And typically this is like celebratory day, as you well know.
00;08;49;19 - 00;08;50;00
Ryan Carter
Yeah.
00;08;50;01 - 00;09;04;09
Larissa Buso
You kind of just are just checking off all the boxes, making sure everything looks good from inspection. Everything's in the same condition before you go to the closing table. And we walked into the house and it was a little surprising because there was still a whole lot of stuff in the hall and it's like, look, no big deal.
00;09;04;09 - 00;09;28;07
Larissa Buso
It's in the couple of hours, I'll have time and then, you know, we heard some background noise and I was like, What's that going on? And we later learned that there was some renters who hadn't moved out yet, some letters, and they were not happy to be moving out. I don't think they wanted to move out. Let's just say there was a little bit of some loud voices happening and my clients are kind of first time homebuyers.
00;09;28;11 - 00;09;30;04
Larissa Buso
We're like, Oh boy, what's happening?
00;09;30;12 - 00;09;30;23
Ryan Carter
Yeah.
00;09;31;11 - 00;09;49;25
Larissa Buso
And the seller was there and she said, Oh yeah, they're just going to be you know, moving out. Well, things just sort of escalated, let's just say that. And, you know, maybe people were getting fairly aggressive about moving their things out of the house and throwing them into the streets. Oh, wow. And so I finally called the seller's agent.
00;09;49;25 - 00;10;04;07
Larissa Buso
I was like, Hey, so we're just going to stop our walk through. I just thought maybe you'd want to check in with your seller. I'm not sure if we're gonna be able to close today. It seems there's a lot of stuff in the home and there's still some tenants living in the house. Wow. So maybe you could just give me a call and let me know.
00;10;04;07 - 00;10;08;06
Ryan Carter
No challenge to closing and then your clients moving in. Yes.
00;10;08;10 - 00;10;28;23
Larissa Buso
I was like, well, we're going to head to the closing table and maybe you could just give me an update. And so we know where we're at if we need to continue today or delay a day. And at the end of the day, she was able to go and find out what was what. And we did close that day, albeit 5 hours later, but there was a little bit of a challenge to get through on that one.
00;10;29;28 - 00;10;41;06
Ryan Carter
That's an interesting one. I mean, yeah, in a walk through right before closing. But another another way you step up for your clients and kept it together and closed. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00;10;41;16 - 00;10;47;15
Larissa Buso
I just want to keep everyone calm in a situation. I was worried that they were going to kind of get scared.
00;10;47;24 - 00;11;07;02
Ryan Carter
Yeah. Yeah. So with, you know, what are some of your how would you describe your business in terms of perhaps your expertise or some markets that you focus on or types of clients that you work with, any kind of specifics around your business?
00;11;07;17 - 00;11;33;16
Larissa Buso
Well, I really enjoy listings as well as, you know, the buy side. I like both sides. I really enjoy helping people list, particularly because I get to develop a deeper relationship with them. Yeah, buyers sometimes they find the house pretty quick and then, you know, it's just not as much involvement. But I think the basis for all that is that I enjoy working with people and developing relationships with them.
00;11;33;16 - 00;11;54;22
Larissa Buso
Yeah, I found through my experience that I tend to gravitate towards people who are kind of in a transition in their life. Yeah. So I really enjoy helping people who are going through change and the change could be there relocating here from someplace else, or they're downsizing because their children have left the home, or they're upsizing because they're expecting or unfortunately they're divorcing.
00;11;54;22 - 00;12;05;14
Larissa Buso
And now I need to help navigate them to their next place, wherever that's going to be. So I feel like I can really be an asset when someone's kind of dealing with that stress and that change.
00;12;05;15 - 00;12;05;28
Ryan Carter
Yeah.
00;12;06;27 - 00;12;27;03
Larissa Buso
Helping to keep them calm through that. Helping to figure out solutions for them along the way. Yeah, those to me are the gratifying, satisfying clients because I feel like I can do so much more for them than just sell their house or help and buy that next house. So I think that's why I really enjoy working with those types of clients.
00;12;27;12 - 00;12;54;11
Ryan Carter
That makes a lot of sense. I mean, let's face it, buying or selling a home, it's a high emotional process regardless. Even in the most smoothest situations, it's it's a big chapter of someone's life. And then to your point, adding on to that, perhaps additional stressors of relocating into a new market for a job, expanding your family, having to get your mind around downsizing, exploring a new neighborhood.
00;12;54;21 - 00;13;07;06
Ryan Carter
It's I could see I know you. I know you're a solutions oriented professional and that so I can totally see how you be such a value added impact for clients in that situation.
00;13;07;12 - 00;13;27;08
Larissa Buso
I just like helping people see kind of the other side, look at it, you know, through the lens of we're going to get to the other side of this, we're going to navigate the challenges. You know, I'm here to help you do that. And if you can keep them happy and calm and just navigate through all of the crazy stuff, you know, just all the things.
00;13;27;17 - 00;13;30;00
Ryan Carter
Yeah. All the things. Politics, all the things.
00;13;30;00 - 00;13;31;05
Larissa Buso
You never know what they're going to be.
00;13;31;09 - 00;13;53;04
Ryan Carter
That's right. That's right. And the real estate is a dynamic market. We sort of established that and yet and noted that transition where we spoke about transition, perhaps some would some would classify our market as a transitioning market, dynamic market. Any thoughts on our current market?
00;13;54;14 - 00;14;11;16
Larissa Buso
You know, I think it's very different from last year, for example. I think every year is different from the previous year. Just when you think we're in a bit of a role of where we're going to be at, is it a buyer's market as a sellers? Yeah, I think there's another caveat that goes into it. Right now. It happens to be interest rates.
00;14;11;16 - 00;14;30;07
Larissa Buso
Obviously, that's top of mind for buyers. It's impacting sellers. Buyers aren't ready to pull the trigger as much. They're being a little bit more choosy. Sellers are having to be a little bit more, you know, conducive to making some changes on their end as well. Yeah. So I just think helping again, your clients navigate that changing landscape.
00;14;30;07 - 00;14;31;04
Ryan Carter
Yeah.
00;14;31;04 - 00;14;40;03
Larissa Buso
But then you run into these pockets depending on the price point, where then there's still a bidding war and people are willing to go in and not make any concessions.
00;14;40;03 - 00;14;41;07
Ryan Carter
So yeah.
00;14;41;07 - 00;14;42;22
Larissa Buso
It's very eclectic in a.
00;14;42;22 - 00;15;10;10
Ryan Carter
Way. Yeah, bipolar. Yeah, yeah. That's me. I love that word. A classic. It is. It is eclectic because there is local markets, there's micro-markets, there's macro influences. There's a lot that goes into it. And I think just we we really need to remember that real estate is a market and markets by definition are dynamic. You know, you spoke about last this year, is it like last year?
00;15;10;10 - 00;15;26;09
Ryan Carter
Oftentimes no year is like the previous year because a market by definition is always evolving and always being dynamic. Yeah. Again, why? I think it's super important to have someone, an expert navigating that for you.
00;15;26;19 - 00;15;52;27
Larissa Buso
Yeah. And I really enjoy it. I think that's the the key for me is that I'm very passionate about it. Like I'm passionate about helping people to fulfill their dream and whether that's selling and downsizing or unfortunately navigating, you know, a change in their family dynamic, you know, I want to be able to be there for them. And if it means I can help them with their real estate transaction in the process of it, then everybody wins, right.
00;15;52;27 - 00;15;57;09
Larissa Buso
You know, and if they can move into the next phase of their life, whatever that may be, wherever that may be.
00;15;57;16 - 00;16;18;29
Ryan Carter
Yeah. Yeah. And I think you bring you know, you bring a sister to the table. You bring real things, real data, a real process. And you spoke of a clarity, control and confidence. Here you bring that to the table for clients. That's really important to for an agent that people work with to have in addition to the passion.
00;16;19;10 - 00;16;26;07
Ryan Carter
You know, you have to have that expertise. You have to have that process and a real passion to help people accomplish what they want to accomplish.
00;16;26;17 - 00;16;40;06
Larissa Buso
Yeah, it's always definitely my goal to kind of put people in the driver's seat and understand like how to drive a car. If that, for example, if I'm at a listing appointment and giving taken them through the process of what I'm going to do for them, how are we going to market your home? When are we going to do photos?
00;16;40;06 - 00;16;44;06
Larissa Buso
What is the signage going to be there? What is the marketing going to even look like?
00;16;44;06 - 00;16;44;25
Ryan Carter
Yeah, and.
00;16;44;25 - 00;16;59;24
Larissa Buso
When will you be in touch with me? And then, you know, like how long is it going to take and what all do I have to do? You know, there's just so many pieces to it and I like to be able to sit down and lay out all the steps and how we're going to do it and the timeline so that they can feel really confident about what's going to happen.
00;17;00;04 - 00;17;07;02
Larissa Buso
And not to say there's never going to be a surprise, but for the most part, they know what to expect. Yes. And they know that I'm really a phone call away.
00;17;07;09 - 00;17;30;19
Ryan Carter
Yes. Yeah. You provide real clarity on what that process is going to look like. And, you know, I know you mentioned you really love helping sellers on the listing side, particularly on the listing side, having that process and merchandizing a home and guiding a seller through that process that has a real impact and swing on what the market's going to bear on their house.
00;17;31;00 - 00;17;48;27
Larissa Buso
Absolutely. And I like making it just picture perfect. I yeah. My background, I wanted to do marketing and design. So for me to go into a house and help them get their house ready on the inside and get it, you know, show ready if you will. Always Spanish. Just an extra piece that I like to be able to add value for my clients right now.
00;17;49;05 - 00;18;02;27
Ryan Carter
Yeah. Awesome. So I think we should get to like the read The Good Stuff, like the real stuff talked about real estate. I'm a brunch person. I hear you're a real person. I know you love to branch.
00;18;02;27 - 00;18;03;13
Larissa Buso
I do.
00;18;03;21 - 00;18;05;11
Ryan Carter
Where's your favorite spot right now?
00;18;05;16 - 00;18;26;17
Larissa Buso
Oh, my gosh. So I. I don't want to name a specific spot, but I will say there are quite a few places downtown that my girlfriend group has dropped by and sampled. You know, a lot of times when there's mimosa flights, yeah, lots of flavors kind of choose your own type of mimosa. That tends to be.
00;18;26;27 - 00;18;27;20
Ryan Carter
A good go to a.
00;18;27;20 - 00;18;30;19
Larissa Buso
Good selling point. But also we like to have some good food.
00;18;30;19 - 00;18;31;08
Ryan Carter
So yeah.
00;18;31;23 - 00;18;37;03
Larissa Buso
Just having a nice atmosphere outside on a patio, particularly enjoying the weather when it's not 90 degrees.
00;18;37;10 - 00;18;52;16
Ryan Carter
Yes. Yes. All right. I'm an add on to your list. All right. Cherry Creek Bill book. Oh, I've been there. My favorite wine spot right now. Beautiful patio, amazing ambiance there. Right. They might have a good champagne. This amazing sounds like.
00;18;52;25 - 00;18;53;19
Larissa Buso
Hallmark Gourmet.
00;18;53;20 - 00;18;56;21
Ryan Carter
Is Saturdays is actually a DJ, right?
00;18;56;21 - 00;18;57;14
Larissa Buso
Live music.
00;18;57;15 - 00;19;19;06
Ryan Carter
Oh, yeah. Yeah. So put that on your list. I will. I will add that. Yeah. Larissa, it's an amazing to spend some time with you. Super great to learn more about your business and keep doing what you're doing. Thanks for being an 8zer. Thanks for impacting your clients the way you are and doing it the 8z way. And if you are able to work with Larissa, you are in incredible hands.
00;19;19;25 - 00;19;21;11
Larissa Buso
Thank you. It's been my pleasure.
00;19;21;11 - 00;19;22;08
Ryan Carter
Yeah.
