Daniel Condon may have had real estate in his blood, with both his father and grandfather working in the Frankston market, but joining the industry wasn’t his initial plan after finishing school.
“I never really considered real estate after school, but after taking a few months off after finishing VCE, I was going through the papers to apply for different jobs,” Daniel says.
“One of the interviews I got happened to be for an associate position. It wasn’t something I’d really thought about doing even though my family had been doing it. But as soon as I got that interview and thought more about it, I was very excited.”
Starting in the industry at just 18 years old, Daniel remembers being thrown in the deep end with minimal training.
“I was always a very nervous, shy kid. I will never forget my first day in Mount Eliza, when the director sent me to go door knocking at Pelican Place, one of the most expensive streets in Mount Eliza. No scripts, no dialogue, nothing. Just ‘go and book some appraisals.’ I didn’t even know what an appraisal was,” he says.
After three months, Daniel moved to an office in Langwarrin where he received proper training and guidance, quickly finding his footing in the industry.
A year later, he joined his father and stepmother when they opened their own office in Frankston – where he would remain for the next two decades.
The Frankston market
Daniel specialises in the core Frankston area, including Frankston North, and occasionally ventures into Frankston South. The diverse market keeps him engaged with a steady stream of transactions.
“A lot of young families, a lot of elderly people that have been there forever. So quite a diverse market which I like,” Daniel explains.
“It’s definitely more of a turnover market, not like your premium end where you’re only doing a couple of transactions. I really enjoy that busy market with a lot of properties and appraisals.”
“I’ve built my career around honesty and integrity.
“Staying in the same area for twenty years, there’s got to be a good level of honesty there. Otherwise, you just burn through the market and there’s no repeat business coming your way.”
A foundation of honesty
When asked about his strengths as an agent, Daniel points to his negotiation skills and unwavering commitment to transparency.
“I’m very transparent, very honest, very strategic,” he says.
“I’ll give real advice even sometimes if they don’t want to hear it.”
This approach was inspired by wisdom from his grandfather early in his career:
“If you want to live locally and work in that same market, you can never do the wrong thing by anybody.
“You never want to have to go to the shops after work and duck and hide from people.”
That advice has served Daniel well, with many clients choosing him specifically for his honesty, leading to strong repeat business and referrals throughout his career.
The move to Area Specialist
After two decades in the industry, Daniel made the move to Area Specialist in August last year, motivated by the desire for greater flexibility, control, and financial rewards.
“I’ve got two kids. I’ve got a wife. I want to provide the best life I possibly can for them,” Daniel explains.
“I was looking at figures, trying to upgrade homes, and looking at schools for kids.
“There’s just no way I could do that where I was. I needed to branch out.”
The Area Specialist model, which promotes the agent more than the brand, was particularly appealing to someone like Daniel who has built a strong reputation in his local market.
“I’m getting a lot of phone calls from people going, ‘Oh, we see you moved. We can see where you are now.’ It’s not hard for people to find where you are under that brand.
“That was one thing that really drew me in, it promotes me as an agent, not the office.”
After more than two decades in the industry, Daniel’s passion for real estate remains strong.
“I absolutely love real estate. I recommend it to so many people as a good job,” he says.
“I love that you get out what you put in.
“If you work harder than anyone else, you can earn more than that person.
“I love that real estate rewards hard work.”
Area Specialist is a real estate platform for top-performing agents, providing the systems, tools and technology they need to create, grow and power their business. For more information visit beyourboss.com.au
