In this episode, Jeff sits down with Daniel Phai, a top-producing real estate agent at Keller Williams Beverly Hills, to talk about what it’s really like selling real estate in one of the most high-stakes markets in the country. Daniel shares how he got his start by Airbnb-ing the guest house behind his first home, pivoted through short-term, mid-term, and long-term rentals, and eventually built an investment portfolio in Arizona using a simple rule: follow the Costcos, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe’s. He also opens up about losing $6 million in pending deals on his first day as a full-time agent, sticking to his routine anyway, and earning all of it back two weeks later.
Beyond the deals, Daniel digs into the mindset and habits that built his business: relationship-driven referrals over cold calls, deep post-closing client care, and the philosophy that “revenue is for ego, but profit is for character.” He closes with two rules for getting the most out of a mentor relationship – the mentee does all the work, and the mentee finds ways to bring value back. A grounded, refreshing conversation about doing real estate the long way.
Daniel Phai Real Estate | Keller Williams Beverly Hills
439 N Canon Dr
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(818) 584-2937
https://www.danielphai.com/
About the host:
Jeff Hamm is a real estate broker with Ivester Jackson | Christie’s International Real Estate, serving Lake Norman & Charlotte, North Carolina and Banner Elk, North Carolina. He specializes in luxury, waterfront, mountain, and investment property, with a focus on buyer representation. He is also the founder and host of The Best of LKN and Banner Elk Living.
Learn more and contact Jeff:
LKNreal.com
BannerElkLiving.com
Jeff Hamm is a North Carolina real estate broker with Ivester Jackson | Christie’s International Real Estate, serving two of the state’s most sought-after markets: Lake Norman and Banner Elk and the greater High Country. He specializes in luxury and second-home property, from Lake Norman’s waterfront, golf, and lakefront communities to High Country communities including The Lodges at Eagles Nest, Elk River Club, Farm at Banner Elk, Diamond Creek, and Echota. He also works with buyers of condominiums, homes in active adult and family-friendly neighborhoods, and short-term rental and investment properties. His focus is buyer representation, where his relationships with each region’s top listing brokers, builders, and designers give his clients a measurable edge.
Jeff is also the founder and host of two local media platforms, The Best of LKN (since 2020) and Banner Elk Living. Each includes a podcast and newsletter that spotlight the area’s most admired small businesses, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs. He publishes the annual Lake Norman Visitors Guide and Banner Elk Guide, produces regular market reports for both regions, and hosts The Best of Lake Norman Business Network and the Banner Elk Business Network.