Top Real Estate Agents Tell How They Do It: Jere Metcalf Podcast

In this episode, Jere is talking to Jordan Gonda, a top real estate agent in Los Angelos. 

In the business for less than 4 years, Jordan has already broken sales records, starting a new business that serves his existing business as a top agent, and launching to new levels most real estate agents never dream of. 

In their conversation Jordan shares his mindset and the small things that are making huge impacts in his career as he and Jere talk about

How to accelerate your business to record breaking sales in luxury real estate… despite your age or your time in the business. 

⏱️ Timestamps:
0:06 Jordan's Sales Records
1:03 The Challenges of Breaking In
2:03 Getting Traction Fast
2:51 Winning a Record Breaking Listing
4:20 Jordan's Secret to Building Connections
5:39 Talking About Price with Listing Prospects
7:28 Listing Appointments with Santiago Arana
8:56 Honing in on the Right Things
10:42 "Pop By's" for Men?
11:43 The 3 Things to Leverage
12:35 'The Off Market Advantage' in Luxury
14:43 Jordan's Lethal Combination for Success
15:54 Listening- & What to Listen For
18:06 Leveraging Resources for Clients
19:29 Checking Your Ego
21:10 Flipping Biggest Challenges of Being an Agent
21:54 Building a 'Business Feeder' for Your Business
23:58 Choosing What Risks to Take
23:58 Choosing What Risks to Take
25:21 Figuring It All Out
27:00 Leveraging What You Have For What You Want
27:58 Door Knocking
29:20 Making it Happen (Not Waiting)
31:28 Knowing What Makes You Stand Out
33:15 Making Door Knocking Work
37:21 Understanding MLS & What Agents Really Do
38:25 Jordan's Greatest Resource
38:53 Partnering on Transactions

" Quotes
"People want the real deal."
"Align yourself with the right people."
"Work as hard as possible."

🙋‍♂️ People mentioned:
Santiago Arana
Aaron Kerman
Kurt Rappaport

JMPodcast.com
Where top real estate agents well how they do it.

This podcast is where real estate agents across the country to come together sharing ideas to take your there and our business to the next level.

►  YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/c/JereMetcalfPodcast

In this episode Jere is Live in-person with Brett Dickison in La Jolla, at Brett's listing,  The Sand Castle, offered for $108,000,000. Brett breaks down how he wins and sells ultra-luxury listings. They dive into pricing psychology, the motivators of the billionaire buyer, cooperative competition with agents, negotiation finesse, and why the best closers tell the best stories as they talk about
How to Show Up & Dominate Listings.

⏱️ TIME STAMPS
0:00 Teaser Intro: Changing the Game
0:20 About the Sand Castle
2:13 You've Got the Listing, Now What
3:16 Changing the Price Reduction Game
4:57 Without this Photography Approach, You Lose Buyers for Your Listings
6:27 Being the PR Engine for your listings
7:18 Stories that Sell
7:32 Targeting The Real Buyers for Your Listings
11:17 Micro-events That Create Deal Flow
13:48 The Unseen Gems That Create Value For Listings
15:26 Becoming 'The Name' That Wins The Listings
16:27 Owning Your Value in Client Conversations
17:15 'The 15 Year Overnight Success Story'
19:09 Rationalizing the Price
21:00 Framing it
22:15 The Brand versus The One of a Kind Sale
23:17 The Power of Stories
25:15 Adjusting for the Buyer Pool
26:09 "Situational Hierarchy"
27:02 At a Listing Appt - It's Not About The Price
30:02 A Problem with Zillow
30:47 Communicating When Clients Are 'Not Right' about Price
33:07 Beating the Zillow 'Algorithm'
36:34 Opening Your Mind to Bigger Price Points
38:42 Being a Cooperative Competitor
43:04 Pricing Conversation at the Listing Appointment
45:15 The Performance Element in Negotiating
49:20 Use Your Negotiating Weapons
52:20 Commission Scripts, Conversations, and Stories
58:15 Brett's Greatest Resource for his Personal Success
59:32 Brett's Book Recommendation
1:02:13 Brett's Final Words of Advice

📖 Book Recommendations:
Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff: https://amzn.to/4naBTNv
The Truth About Pricing https://amzn.to/47UGOgT

JMPodcast.com
Where top real estate agents well how they do it.

This podcast is where real estate agents across the country to come together sharing ideas to take your there and our business to the next level.

►  YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/c/JereMetcalfPodcast

In this episode, 324, Jere is talking to Erin Krueger, the number one real estate agent and team in Nashville, Tennessee, not to mention a top agent, at number 15, in the country. 

Erin is back, after 200 episodes, for round three. 

She shares where she is now, the incredible successes, and the unthinkable tragedies that have shaped her journey... and of course, the release of her new book, Capture the Culture, as Erin and Jere talk about:

How to Build the Team and the Culture that Dominate the Market

⏱️ Timestamps:

00:00 Intro (About Erin)
00:44 Meet Erin 
01:11 Her Book: “Capture the Culture”
01:53 Why Write It & Who It’s For
03:33 Difficult Days Don’t Define Us
05:59 Gratitude & Leadership on the Farm
07:04 Get Uncomfortable to Grow
07:28 The Insatiable Demand for Authenticity
08:01 Owning Your Power in Tragedy
10:48 Decisions Beyond the Bottom Line
13:55 Client Conversations in Difficult Times
15:31 “Real” Real Estate—When Clients Need Us
15:51 Caring Without Crumbling
17:29 Erin’s Tests for Hiring
18:59 Culture-Fit Interview Questions
20:28 Another 'Erin Hiring Test'... “Email Me Tonight”
22:02 How to Hire People Who Care as Much as You
24:58 Leading to Win (1/30/60/90; how and when to let go)
27:05 Nixing Negativity Before It Spreads
32:33 Commitment to Appreciation 
33:38 Growing & Promoting Top Talent
37:56 Knowing Talent When You See It
39:41 Scripting and Authenticity
42:43 Setting the Appointment
43:08 Controlling the Conversation
43:54 To Build—or Not—to Build a Team
46:12 Team Culture Audits & Feedback
47:41 Owning Your Mistakes in Leadership
49:47 Strength in “I Don’t Know” 
51:37 Commission Conversations & Articulating Value
52:33 “I’m Worth 12, but I'll Charge…” (value moments)
54:23 Erin’s Top Resource for Success
55:28 Should You Write a Book?
56:36 The One Thing to Remember

🔎 Quotes:

“When you put yourself in uncomfortable positions and put yourself out there, things magically happen.”

“Real estate is the vehicle; people are the priority.”

“Listening is the number one skill in real estate.”

“Leading my team, I’m like the NBA coach with a championship team—I push them to heights they didn’t know they could reach.”

“Difficult days do not define us—what we do with them does.”

“Fail forward. Don’t live in the setback—keep moving.”

“Don’t half-ass things–do it 110%”

📖 Book: 

Capture the Culture by Erin Krueger https://amzn.to/4gk1kJR

JMPodcast.com
Where top real estate agents well how they do it.

This podcast is where real estate agents across the country to come together sharing ideas to take your there and our business to the next level.

►  YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/c/JereMetcalfPodcast

In this episode, Jere is talking to Daniel Tzinker, also known as the Penthouse King of South Florida and the top agent in Sunny Isles.

Partner owner of The Agency in South Florida, Danny shares his spirituality and his journey—his childhood in Siberia, immigrating to Israel at 12, working there, and serving seven years in the Israeli military—before moving to the United States.

He reveals how he broke into South Florida’s luxury market, including what he calls his ‘lucky story’—his first $20 million deal.

He shares lessons from both success and failure, and his first million-dollar commission, as Daniel and Jere talk about how to create multi-million dollar transactions, embrace your past, and own who you are.

---

Timestamps: 

0:00 Intro (About David Tzinker)

01:05 Meet David Tzinker

02:18 Life in Siberia and Isreal

05:25 Business Lessons From Hardship in Childhood

9:39 Hard Work and Heaven on Earth

12:01 Your State and Your Words

17:02 Owning Bad Decisions and Shifting to Great Outcomes

21:40 Daniel’s ‘Lucky’ Break

29:43 Preparation Meets Opportunity

31:35 A Lesson in Underestimating Momentum 

34:45 Closing Prospects and Knowing the Market

39:09 Connecting and Compounding Business  

41:49 Breaking out of Burnout 

43:03 Why Clients Hire You

44:07 You Cannot Fake Caring

44:44 The Trillion Dollar Story

46:27 Learn, Serve, Grow 

47:24 Daniel’s Greatest Resources for Success 

50:09 Daniel’s 2 Book Recommendations

51:36 Daniel’s Final Word of Advice

Quotes: 

"There’s no elevator for success. You’ve got to take the stairs."

"Remember, preparation meets opportunity."

"The other agent is not competition. The other agent is my client."

"Work isn’t our curse, it's our blessing, it’s our way back to heaven on earth."  

"You cannot pretend and you cannot fake caring." 

"Love the other person like he like to be loved. Not like you love yourself because I'm very hard with myself. I'm very hard."

"Kindness tips the universe in your favor.”
 

Books Mentioned: 

Unreasonable Hospitality: https://amzn.to/3UQvEC8

Atomic Habits https://amzn.to/4lL34Nj

JMPodcast.com
Where top real estate agents well how they do it.

This podcast is where real estate agents across the country to come together sharing ideas to take your there and our business to the next level.

►  YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/c/JereMetcalfPodcast

In this episode, Jere is  talking to Sharon Beck, a powerhouse real estate agent in South Florida who in just five years, she’s broken three sales records and built a thriving business. She did it by turning relationships, a passion for service, and unapologetic candor into multimillion-dollar deals. 

She shares the challenges of transitioning from her former career into real estate, and how she earned the trust of ultra–high-net-worth clients in an ultra-competitive market.

🕘 Time Stamps:
0:00 Introducing Sharon
0:50 Meet Sharon
1:41 Sharon's Journey
4:32 Hospitality, Philanthropy, and Politics
5:12 Go Big or Go Home
5:54 Not Shying Away from Donald Trump
7:46 Sharon's Foundation For Success
8:47 Entering Real Estate
9:50 Accessibility
11:08 Pivoting to Residential
13:24 Earning Record-Breaking Transactions
16:21 Authenticity that Elevates
18:40 Establishing a New Identity in Luxury
20:22 Making a Name
21:14 Getting Over Getting Uncomfortable
22:08 The Listening that Closes Deals
23:35 Understanding Client Needs
26:00 Overcoming Challenges in Conversations
28:00 The Mindset
29:40 The Right Connections
31:06 The Power of Philanthropy
32:17 The Go-Giver
33:33 'Difficult' Clients
36:05 The Core of Client Trust
36:44 Your Fire

JMPodcast.com
Where top real estate agents well how they do it.

This podcast is where real estate agents across the country to come together sharing ideas to take your there and our business to the next level.

►  YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/c/JereMetcalfPodcast

In this episode, Carly and Jere dive into what it really means to lean all the way in to who you are—and how doing so will make your business soar. 

🕘 Time Stamps:
​1:07 Selling Lifestyle
2:24 What Really Sells
4:12 The Power You
8:38 Humor and Chaos
11:14  Relatability
13:35 Learning to Say No
16:28 The Formula For Client Trust
19:04 Understanding Clients
22:15 When to Pick Up the Phone
24:40 Feedback and Listings
27:37 True White Glove Service
30:37 Driving the Relationship-Driven Business
32:46 Tough Conversations
36:14 Tailoring Communication
37:11 Owning Who We Are
38:08 Rich Dad, Poor Dad & Building Your Future
39:49 Final Takeaway

JMPodcast.com
Where top real estate agents well how they do it.

This podcast is where real estate agents across the country to come together sharing ideas to take your there and our business to the next level.

►  YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/c/JereMetcalfPodcast

Brett Dickinson | How to Land, Market, and Sell a Masterpiece Property (Round 2)

The #1 Real Estate Agent in La Jolla
Brett has broken multiple sales records, including the two largest residential deals ever recorded in La Jolla’s history — one in the Shores and the other in the Country Club — as well as the highest sales ever on the waterfronts of Bird Rock and Point Loma. 

In his first conversation — episode 210, How to Break Records in Your Business — Jere and Brett talked about how to break “formerly undefiable price records.” 

In this episode, he’s sharing not just how he wins a masterpiece listing, but how he lands the opportunity, markets the property, and closes the transaction. 

If you’ve ever wanted a raw look behind the curtain at how the biggest listings are won — against the fiercest competitors — this is the episode.


🎧 Listen in for insights on:
• How to compete and win luxury listings—against the fiercest competitors
• The role of time and timing in high-stakes negotiations
• Marketing is not just a checklist
• Why pricing is a marketing tool, not just valuation
• How Brett landed more articles for his listing than Marilyn Monroe's home
• The gatekeeper
• Identifying and qualifying buyers
• The mindset shift from commission-driven to client-driven service

🔑 Top Takeaways
• “Play a winning game.” Don't just show up—study the competition, set the table, and deliver better.
• Gatekeepers matter more than titles. They shape who gets in the room and what happens next.
• Don’t chase comps—create context. Brett convinces buyers by shaping the story, not citing price per foot.
• Defend your value. Discounting your commission tells the client you don’t believe in your worth.
• Strategic timing wins deals. The right message delivered at the right moment can be the deciding factor.
• Marketing isn’t optional—it’s the investment. Custom branding, PR strategy, and storytelling made Sandcastle iconic.
• Integrity creates long-term wins. A lost deal due to honesty led to future loyalty and new clients.
• You don’t have to be famous—just to the right people. Brett’s wife helped him understand the power of positioning.


🎙️ Sound Bites
“I got him a big bottle of ‘Shut the F*** Up’—because knowing when to stop talking is a power move.”
“It's not about playing the commission game. That’s the wrong game.”
“Set the table.”
“You never know what a buyer or seller is going to do—until they do.”
“You want to be very famous to a small group of people.”
“People don’t buy square footage.”
“Enjoy the journey”


📖 Books and authors mentioned

Positioning by Al Ries and Jack Trout

Good to Great by Jim Collins

Blink by Malcolm Gladwell

Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff

Also mentioned
Lex Fridman Podcast #399
Jared Kushner: Israel, Palestine, Hamas, Gaza, Iran, and the Middle East 

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JMPodcast.com
Where top real estate agents well how they do it.

This podcast is where real estate agents across the country to come together sharing ideas to take your there and our business to the next level.

►  YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/c/JereMetcalfPodcast

Jere Metcalf Podcast – Episode 319 

Steven Shane | How to Become and Remain a Top Luxury Broker (Round 3)
Back for Round 3, Steven Shane is one of the most accomplished and respected names in luxury real estate.

Consistently in the Top 3 brokers in Aspen, Colorado
The #1 Compass broker in Aspen
The #4 Compass broker nationwide

Named year after year among the Top 100 agents in the country by The Wall Street Journal

Steven first joined us in Episode 152: How to Become and Be the Top Real Estate Agent for the High-Net-Worth Client.  In Round 2, Episode 306, we explored How to Be the Top Agent in the Highest Price Points in Luxury.  And now in Episode 319, we take it a step further:  How to Stay the Top Real Estate Agent in Luxury.

🎧 Listen in for insights on:
• Staying at the top in the most competitive markets
• Building authentic client relationships
• Marketing and messaging that converts
• Leveraging empathy as a business advantage
• Reinvesting in your brand for sustained success

🔑 Top Takeaways
• Success is relative—and earned
• Reinvesting in your business pays off
• Creativity and hustle win
• Messaging + reach = marketing impact
• Listening is your best negotiation tool
• The Aspen market is unlike any other
• Empathy isn’t just personal—it’s professional
• Long-term vision matters more than ever
• Comparison is the thief of joy

🎙️ Sound Bites
"Success is relative."
"Outwork your competitors and be more creative."
"Be yourself. Be a good person."
"Our business success is based on empathy."
"You have to love what you do."
"You need long-term vision in real estate."
"The way you know how to speak to someone is to listen."
"The single greatest thing you can do with a client is to have them understand that we are in it together."

📖 Books and authors mentioned

• The Nightingale – Kristin Hannah   https://amzn.to/3E4bEHr
Historical fiction set in WWII France, featuring strong female protagonists and themes of resilience.

• The Women – Kristin Hannah   https://amzn.to/4lFKY0y
A recent release about American women serving as nurses during the Vietnam War. Also centers around powerful, layered female characters.

• The Fountainhead – Ayn Rand   https://amzn.to/3XTzeNJA
A classic novel about architecture, individuality, and integrity. Steven referenced it for its strong characters and philosophical weight.

• Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafón   

JMPodcast.com
Where top real estate agents well how they do it.

This podcast is where real estate agents across the country to come together sharing ideas to take your there and our business to the next level.

►  YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/c/JereMetcalfPodcast

What does it really take to build $3+ billion in sales and a multibillion-dollar real estate business? Hillary Farnum-Fasth—founder of Corcoran Reverie and top agent on 30A—joins Jere Metcalf to share her journey and the subtle art of creating world-class client experiences.

This episode is a masterclass in client care, lifestyle selling, financial strategy, and staying grounded in a high-stakes, high-volume career.

​-- 

From to top agent selling three billion dollars in real estate to founder and owner of top brokerage, Corcoran Reverie, Hilary Farnum-Fasth is unstoppable in luxury real estate. 

Her successes include:

• Over 3,000,000,000 in personal closed sales
• Launched and Closed WaterColor (1,000+ home oceanfront development)
• Founder and Broker Owner of Corcoran Reverie

-- 

Interview Highlights: 

• The billion-dollar habit top agents overlook
• How to build lifetime client relationships in a second-home market
• Why answering your phone is more powerful than you think
• The 3 pillars of a world-class client experience
• How luxury agents can offer more than real estate—lifestyle, service & financial strategy
• The story that forever changed how Hillary shows property

Timestamps:

00:00– Intro

00:44The Billion-Dollar Mindset

01:59 – Why Relationships with Agents Matter

03:38– Lifetime Clients: The Long Game

05:24 – Making Connections in Second-Home Markets

07: 36– The Holiday Surprise That Mattered Most

09:10– When Hillary Gave a Client Her Car

10:47– Passion That Never Burns Out

12:40– Let Them Experience the Lifestyle Before You Sell

14:49– Family, Faith, and Resilience

17:11– Optimism Without Denial

19:40– Setting Expectations with Grace

21:49– Navigating Inspections

22:04 – Cameo Appearance: Meet Hattie ;) 

24:03 – The 3 Core Elements of Client Experience

28:46– The View That Changed Her Forever

31:00– Hillary’s Must-Read Book: Let Them

31:29– Lessons from Ritz-Carlton and Disney Mentorship

32:26– Biggest Lesson in Creating Impactful Client Experiences 

32:57– Mic Drop Advice: Stay Positive. Take Risks.

Memorable Quotes: 

“You can’t fake having a passion to help people. You can for a little while—but not for a career.”

“If my clients ever have to pick up the phone and call, I’ve failed them.”

 “It’s not about what you see. It’s about what your client sees.”

“Luxury is service. It’s subtle. It’s not loud. The more subtle the experience, the more impactful it is.”

“I want them to fall in love. Not with the house they think they want—but with how they actually want to live.”

“You have to show them the lifestyle before you show them the house.”

“If you leave out the financial piece, you’ve failed them—even if everything else is perfect.”

“Stay positive. Take risks.”

“I answer my phone—even when it says ‘spam.’ Because that’s how you sell billions in real estate.”

“Real estate is not easy. But I always believe there’s a solution. You could drop me anywhere, and I’d figure it out.”

JMPodcast.com
Where top real estate agents well how they do it.

This podcast is where real estate agents across the country to come together sharing ideas to take your there and our business to the next level.

►  YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/c/JereMetcalfPodcast

Known for his record-breaking deals and ranking as one of the top brokers in the world. Scott shares stories both recently and in his early days—before he even knew he’d end up in real estate.
 
He takes you through some of biggest challenges and how he turns them into his greatest opportunities, as he and Jere talk about
How to Make the Impossible Possible in Real Estate.


Notable Quotes:

"Some of the best deals I ever did, were deals I said no to." 

        - Scott Panzer

"The room laughed, and I got to know who I was. And, that was ok, because, now I knew that."

        - Scott Panzer

"For me, it's always been about testing the waters." - Scott Panzer

"Never forget where you came from, how you got to where you are, and never, ever lose your moral compass." 

        - Scott Panzer

JMPodcast.com
Where top real estate agents well how they do it.

This podcast is where real estate agents across the country to come together sharing ideas to take your there and our business to the next level.

►  YouTube Channel: YouTube.com/c/JereMetcalfPodcast