Why Listings Sit, Buyers Hesitate, and Top Agents Still Win | Alexis Gamel
Real Estate Excellence
If buyers finally have more leverage again, are they prepared to use it wisely or are they still waiting for a crash that may never come? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Alexis Gamel. Alexis is a Northeast Florida real estate agent with deep roots in development, construction, residential strategy, and beach market expertise. In this conversation, she shares how her background in land sales, custom homes, and family life shaped the way she now helps buyers and sellers make smarter decisions. The episode explores pricing strategy, the...
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How The Listings Lab Can 10X Your Business With Jess Lenouvel
Real Estate Excellence
What would change in your business if you stopped chasing ready now leads and started building trust with people much earlier in their decision-making journey? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Jess Lenouvel. Jess is the founder of The Listings Lab, author of More Money Less Hustle, and a real estate marketing strategist known for helping agents build scalable businesses through digital marketing, systems, and psychology. In this conversation, she explains why outdated prospecting methods are failing, why most agents misunderstand branding, and...
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Jacksonville Relocation, New Construction, Beach Luxury and Pricing Right with Taylor Diaz
Real Estate Excellence
What does it really take to make it in real estate when the flexibility everyone talks about turns out to be one of the biggest myths in the business? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Taylor Diaz. Taylor is a Northeast Florida real estate agent who shares how she went from working in the medical field to building a career in real estate through discipline, mentorship, and long term relationship building. In this conversation, she opens up about getting licensed during COVID, joining Sarah Rocco’s highly structured team, and learning how...
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How to Sell Luxury Real Estate in 2026: Leigh Howe Amelia Island
Real Estate Excellence
What do luxury buyers need to understand about owning on Amelia Island that most agents never explain? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Leigh Howe. Leigh shares a career path that started far from traditional real estate. She moved from teaching, nursing, retail, and sales into land development and homebuilding after she and her husband took on a 100 acre project in Gainesville. That experience gave her deep knowledge in zoning, infrastructure, construction, customer selections, and the human side of real estate. She explains how surviving...
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How To Successfully Build A Top Producing Real Estate Team: Megan Jernigan
Real Estate Excellence
What happens when you stop chasing commissions and start obsessing over service, systems, and solving problems before they explode? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Megan Jernigan shares how she built a high performing real estate business in Nashville by committing to service, discipline, and relentless follow through. She explains that strong vendor relationships are not about perks or kickbacks, but about responsiveness, trust, and doing what is best for the client every single time. She also opens up about leaving the security of a...
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Mindset In Motion with Debbi DiMaggio
Real Estate Excellence
What if the only thing standing between you and your next breakthrough is the decision to move before you feel ready? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Debbi DiMaggio. Debbi shares how clarity, belief, and relentless action shaped her 35 year career in real estate and her life beyond it. From writing down ten things she wanted at age 25 to building a thriving business during the Great Recession, Debbi reveals how mindset in motion became her secret weapon. She explains why most agents do not need more motivation. They need movement. Debbi...
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NEFAR President Kim Knapp: 2026 Playbook for Florida Realtors | AI, Contracts & Leadership
Real Estate Excellence
If you had to prove your value to every buyer before showing a single home, what would you change first in your process? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Kim Knapp. Kim shares her vision for leading the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors in 2025 with a focus on doing it right and keeping it real. She talks about building stronger volunteer leadership systems, reconnecting members through local councils and training, and pulling top producers closer with a Top Five Forum featuring an NAR economist and business coaching. The...
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Tina Priest: Military Spouse to Real Estate Agent Star
Real Estate Excellence
If you had to lose the paperwork and keep only one habit to grow your business this year would it be answering the phone or following up? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Tina Priest. Tina shares how her service first mindset shaped her path into real estate through military life social work and operational leadership. She explains why Hover Girl Properties focuses on boundaries transparency and real relationships so clients feel seen not processed, especially when timelines are tight and emotions are high. You will hear practical habits...
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How Christina Swyers Built a Cross-Market Real Estate Business Through Relocation, Leadership, and Grit
Real Estate Excellence
What would your real estate career look like if you stopped learning and finally acted? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Christina Swyers breaks down the mindset, systems, and discipline that transformed her from a brand-new agent into a multi-state real estate leader. She shares how she rebuilt her entire business after relocating 1,000 miles to Florida, proving that success follows those who take action, stay uncomfortable, and relentlessly meet new people. Her story reveals how the right network, the right brokerage, and the right habits...
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Winning in New Construction Sales: Discipline, Builder Strategy & Buyer Wins with Jerry Strums
Real Estate Excellence
Are you using every resource in front of you or waiting for success to knock on your door? In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Jerry Strums of Richmond Homes to explore the world of new construction from the builder’s side. From military buyers to first-time homeowners, Jerry shares what it takes to succeed in Northeast Florida’s competitive housing market—and how agents can better partner with site reps for smooth transactions and happier clients. Listeners will discover the unspoken rules of registering buyers, the power of relationship...
info_outlineWould you be willing to remove an organ just to escape your 9-to-5 and chase your dream?
In this episode of the Real Estate Excellence Podcast, Tracy Hayes sits down with Drew Kazemba. Drew shares one of the most unconventional entries into real estate ever told—he voluntarily had his appendix removed to get time off work and take his real estate exam. Drew walks us through how he transitioned from a miserable medical sales job into building a thriving real estate career in Jacksonville, Florida. From cold-calling hedge funds and wholesaling to learning the ropes at DJ & Lindsey, Drew reveals the gritty hustle behind his rapid success.
He also dives into how technology like ChatGPT has supercharged his operations, the power of learning from top agents, and why real estate isn't just about selling homes but building wealth and strategic opportunities for clients. This episode is packed with golden insights for both new agents and seasoned pros looking to level up.
Are you stuck in a job you hate and dreaming of diving into real estate? Don’t wait for the perfect moment—take action now. Subscribe to the Real Estate Excellence Podcast for more inspiring stories and tactical advice. Follow and message Drew Kazemba to learn how you can build wealth through real estate—no appendix removal required.
Highlights:
00:00 - The Appendix Exit Plan & Real Estate Awakening
- Drew's bold plan: appendix removal for PTO
- Leaving medical sales for real estate
- Self-teaching wholesaling after hours
- Scoring a big deal that never paid, but lit the fire
- The moment he knew real estate was it
11:59 - 22:59 Building Skills Through Volume
- Interviewing brokerages and choosing DJ & Lindsey
- Call time, leads, and sales floor discipline
- Learning fast through repetition and structure
- At-bats vs. years: why high-volume matters
- Outgrowing a lead-based model
23:00 - 32:59 Time-Blocking, Tech, and ChatGPT Mastery
- ChatGPT as virtual assistant and knowledge base
- Automating follow-ups with Zapier
- Using AI to build reports and analyze tax strategies
- Structuring days with time blocks
- Why tech-savvy agents have the edge
33:00 - 46:28 From Agent to Developer
- Meeting Matt Roberts again and joining Someday
- Learning construction, development, and investment modeling
- Using project experience to serve investor clients
- Helping buyers buy smart with long-term mindset
- Real estate as a launchpad to bigger things
46:29 - 1:00:00 Equity, Cash Flow, and Pitfalls
- The myth of guaranteed cash flow
- Evaluating properties like a pro
- Why break-even deals still build wealth
- Common investor mistakes and bad flips
- How Drew calculates cost of money, rehab, and ROI
1:00:01 - 1:16:11 Airbnb Realities & Final Real Estate Lessons
- Is Airbnb still worth it in NE Florida?
- Short-term rental logistics and costs
- How Drew advises on STR vs long-term play
- Risk management and truth-telling for investors
- Empowering buyers with education and honesty
Quotes:
“I got my appendix removed just to take time off and chase real estate—I'm not kidding.”
“You win in real estate when you buy the house, not when you sell it.”
“You’re not going to cry about the deal you didn’t get; you’re going to cry about the one you lost money on.”
“ChatGPT is my best friend. I vent to it, I time-block with it, and I learn from it.” – Drew Kazemba
To contact Drew Kazemba, learn more about his business, and make him a part of your network, make sure to follow him on his Website, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Connect with Drew Kazemba!
Website: https://www.somedayhomesteam.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drewkaz_jaxrealtor/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drew.kazemba/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrewKRealty
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dkazemba
Connect with me!
Website: toprealtorjacksonville.com
Website: toprealtorstaugustine.com
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