Epic Agents: The Best in Real Estate

092: Selling Real Estate in Beverly Hills with Daniel Phai

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. Epic Agents Podcast https://epicagentspodcast.com/ [https://epicagentspodcast.com/] Produced by: Jeff Hamm  - SEO & Digital PR for Realtors https://aidawerks.com/ [https://aidawerks.com/]

091: Kristen Lueck - Coastal Markets, Smart Investing & Marketing That Actually Works

Kristen Lueck of Compass and the Andy Bovender Team joins the podcast to share how a decade-long career in content marketing and PR — including negotiating celebrity endorsement deals for brands like Diageo, Tabasco, and Post Cereals — became the unlikely foundation for a thriving real estate business in Wilmington, North Carolina. After renovating a beach home and building a personal property, Kristen earned her license just two weeks before being laid off from a healthcare tech company, giving her the runway to dive headfirst into real estate. She breaks down why Wilmington remains one of the country's best-kept secrets, despite being among the fastest-growing metros in North Carolina, and walks through the distinct personalities of the area's beach communities — from the luxury exclusivity of Figure 8 Island to the car-free simplicity of Bald Head Island to the approachable price points in Brunswick County. The conversation also dives into the realities of investing in coastal real estate, where Kristen helps clients reverse-engineer the right property based on whether they want short-term vacation rentals, midterm rentals for travel nurses and Camp Lejeune military families, or downtown Wilmington ADUs. She shares why rental investing is never truly passive, how she builds long-term advisory relationships with clients, and why her most powerful marketing strategy isn't a shiny new channel — it's the un-sexy fundamentals: one-to-one agent outreach, authentic content, and showing up as a human first. Kristen and Jeff also unpack the compounding value of networking with agents across the country, both for referrals and for the cross-market education that makes you sharper in your own backyard. Kristen Lueck | Wilmington NC Realtor https://bovenderteam.com/agent/kristen-lueck https://www.instagram.com/kristensellsthecoast/ Epic Agents Podcast https://epicagentspodcast.com/ [https://epicagentspodcast.com/] Produced by: Jeff Hamm  - SEO & Digital PR for Realtors https://aidawerks.com/ [https://aidawerks.com/]

090: Savannah Pope on Video Marketing & Asheville’s 2026 Market

In this episode, Jeff sits down with Savannah Pope, a Coldwell Banker real estate broker in Asheville, North Carolina, to explore how her marketing degree from Western Carolina University has shaped a seven-year career rooted in new construction and residential sales. Savannah shares how a senior-year internship at a boutique Asheville brokerage unexpectedly launched her into the industry, and why leaning into digital marketing — particularly Instagram and Facebook — has become her signature edge in a market that's rebalancing after Hurricane Helene. Jeff and Savannah also dig into the state of the Asheville market heading into 2026, including why inventory is loosening, how recent interest rate dips have re-energized both buyers and sellers, and what the short-term rental landscape looks like after years of rapid growth. The conversation closes with practical, encouraging advice for newer agents on getting started with video, pushing past on-camera discomfort, and why showing up as a real person — not a “real estate robot” — is the fastest path to genuine connection and referrals. Savannah Pope | Coldwell Banker Advantage (Asheville, NC) [https://www.coldwellbanker.com/nc/asheville/agents/savannah-pope/aid-P00200000FDdtO0XhpUz9iV4JPz6xdz7DY9SsX47]https://www.coldwellbanker.com/nc/asheville/agents/savannah-pope/aid-P00200000FDdtO0XhpUz9iV4JPz6xdz7DY9SsX47 Epic Agents Podcast https://epicagentspodcast.com/ [https://epicagentspodcast.com/] Produced by: Jeff Hamm  - SEO & Digital PR for Realtors https://aidawerks.com/ [https://aidawerks.com/]

089: Delaney Clarke - Instagram Marketing and Breaking Sales Records

Delaney Clarke is a REMAX United Realtor serving the Southern Maryland market – Calvert, St. Mary's, and Charles Counties. She got her start working as an unlicensed assistant for three years at a new construction community right out of high school, an experience she credits as the foundation of her success. That hands-on training gave her deep knowledge of how homes are built and prepared her to hit the ground running once she got licensed, closing 25 homes in her first year.  Now 10 years into her licensed career, Delaney closed a record 87 transactions in 2025 and is shifting her business toward a higher ratio of listings. Delaney has built her business largely through consistent Instagram marketing over the past 13 years, generating steady leads without ever doing the traditional "sphere list" approach most new agents are taught. She also discusses her expansion into TikTok and email newsletters, her creative approach to local networking – like dropping off lunches to small businesses each month – and the lessons she wishes she'd learned earlier about treating real estate like a business from day one, especially when it comes to taxes and financial planning.  Looking ahead to 2026, she's focused on better work-life balance after recently getting married and plans to aim for around 70 transactions. Connect with her on Instagram at @DelaneyClarkeRealtor. Delaney Clarke | Southern Maryland Realtor RE/MAX United Real Estate 14340 Old Marlboro Pike Upper Marlboro, MD 20772 https://delaneyclarke.com/ [https://delaneyclarke.com/] Epic Agents Podcast https://epicagentspodcast.com/ [https://epicagentspodcast.com/] Produced by: Jeff Hamm  - SEO & Digital PR for Realtors https://aidawerks.com/ [https://aidawerks.com/]

088: Manhattan Luxury Real Estate with Lynne Samone Mazin

Jeff sits down with Lynne Samone Mazin, a Compass real estate agent specializing in residential properties in Manhattan and the Hamptons. Lynne brings a unique background to the industry – spending roughly 15 years on Wall Street covering central banks, sovereign wealth funds, and major hedge funds before transitioning into luxury real estate.  Now nearly 10 years into her real estate career, she shares how her experience in high-stakes sales gave her a strong foundation for serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients who view real estate as part of a broader, diversified investment portfolio. Lynne and Jeff dig into what it really takes to build a successful real estate business in one of the most competitive markets in the world. Lynne shares her "Hot 100" strategy for launching a sphere of influence, the importance of getting into rooms with people you admire, and why real estate is ultimately a long game that no TV show accurately portrays.  She also touches on her recently launched team at Compass, Après Global, and her growth plans for 2026. https://www.instagram.com/lynnesamonemazin/ [https://www.instagram.com/lynnesamonemazin/] https://apres-global.com/ [https://apres-global.com/] Epic Agents Podcast https://epicagentspodcast.com/ [https://epicagentspodcast.com/] Produced by: Jeff Hamm  - SEO & Digital PR for Realtors https://aidawerks.com/ [https://aidawerks.com/]