Dan Daniel has been a residential real estate agent with Prudential Network Realty in Mandarin since 1997.
DAN DANIEL?
Were his parents deliberately trying to give him a funny name? No, says Daniel. His full name is actually Harold B. Daniel. “Dan” is a nickname that his father was called, so when he came along, he was “Little Dan”. “It was then Danny and then as I got older, just Dan. I was named after my father’s family country doctor. He grew up on a farm in Georgia.”
BEFORE REAL ESTATE?
He was in the international transportation field for 27 years. “I represented companies that owned and operated ships that carried freight around the world. Over the years I did traffic, management and sales management. My last job was in Atlanta.”
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HELP IN REAL ESTATE?
“I had a lot of sales experience in my previous career. I have always been involved in some sort of sales even from my days as a child when we would take my dad’s lawn mower around the neighborhood asking people if we could mow their lawn. Every career I’ve ever has involved sales as well as marketing and management.”
WHY GO INTO REAL ESTATE?
“My family wanted to come back to Jacksonville and I had reached a point in my career where I was at a middle management position. I was with a company that I didn’t think was on real strong footing, so my wife, children and I started talking about coming back to Jacksonville. My wife and I had lived here before. I said ‘What can I do in Jacksonville to make a living?’”
Daniel had a real estate license for years, but had let it expire. He took the class again, retook his test and decided to go with Prudential. “Selby Kaiser hired me.”
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT REAL ESTATE?
“I think I like the entrepreneurial spirit of it and the fact that it is supposed to be limitless in your achievement level. You can achieve as much as you can possibly work toward dollar-wise and goal-wise.”
SPECIALTY?
Selling and listing homes all over Jacksonville.
APPEAL OF REAL ESTATE?
“It probably seems strange for a guy to like houses. But, I like to look at the different architectures and the landscaping. I like to work in my yard and see what I can do to make my home look more attractive. As long as I can remember, my weekends have always involved riding around looking at houses. I just always enjoyed doing that. Whether it was something new that was coming up or existing homes.”
LESSONS LEARNED?
“Treat people fairly and do the right thing. In real estate, we touch people in their most vulnerable area and that is their pocketbook. Other vulnerable areas are their heart and their emotions because buying a house is an emotional experience. We have to be so careful to protect their vulnerability.”
PET PEEVES
Daniel said people who like to cut corners and don’t like to do things the way they should. “I hate verbal contracts. If someone is interested enough in a piece of property, they should be concerned enough to sit down and write something down. Another pet peeve is the lack of concern that clients have sometimes for your time. They think you should be available at the drop of a hat for them and they disregard your time all together.”
UNCANNY RESEMBLANCES?
Actually, Daniel looks like two different famous people. His blue eyes and facial features are identical to that of actor Gene Wilder, while others tell him he is the spitting image of Fran Tarkington, the former quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings.
ADVICE FOR NEW AGENTS?
“Be prepared to not get a paycheck for awhile. Some people say have six months salary saved up, I say a year. If you have a spouse with a steady income, that would be a big benefit. Set aside some time for yourself and your family.”
WHAT’S GOING ON IN MANDARIN?
Daniel said the prices have escalated tremendously in the area. “Seven years ago we were still able to offer a new home in the $70,000, now the prices have escalated so you can’t find a new home for under $100,000.”
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS?
Northeast Florida Association of Realtors.
HOMETOWN?
He was born in South Carolina but was raised in Jacksonville.
RESIDES
Mandarin.
CHURCH
Mandarin United Methodist Church.
PERSONAL SIDE?
Daniel has been married to Jeanette for 26 years. “I met her over the telephone.” When he worked in transportation, he used to call her office to speak to people in her company and they developed a friendship. “We talked on the phone for about four years and I never thought I’d meet her. Finally, I went to see her for the first time. Five days later I asked her to marry me.”
They have two children, Adrienne, 17, and Erin, 15. He is a comedy and holiday movie buff and one of his favorites is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Even though he is not a big reader, he has been reading “The Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren. “It’s so neat because it supports that you’ve always thought about how you are different from others and that God made you that way for a certain reason.” When he is not working, he likes to walk on the beach, go out to eat, spend time with family, drink beer and relax. His favorite getaway spots are St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach.
-by Michele Newbern Gillis