On this episode of The Standouts, Aaron chats with Arvin Haddad, a Los Angeles-based real estate agent and former co-star of CNBC's television series “Listing Impossible.” Renowned for his unique content on TikTok, Arvin shares insights into his commitment to authenticity and providing value in his real estate reviews on social media. You’ll hear how this strategic approach not only sets him apart but also translates into numerous successful sales and referrals.
On this episode of The Standouts, Aaron chats with Arvin Haddad, a Los Angeles-based real estate agent and former co-star of CNBC's television series “Listing Impossible.” Renowned for his unique content on TikTok, Arvin shares insights into his commitment to authenticity and providing value in his real estate reviews on social media. You’ll hear how this strategic approach not only sets him apart but also translates into numerous successful sales and referrals.
Arvin also discusses the development of his AI-based platform ZipSmart.ai, a unique product designed to accurately forecast and time the real estate market. Arvin provides key advice to all industry professionals – staying true to oneself, continuously learning, and above all, striving to add value to clients. Whether you're a budding real estate agent seeking inspiration or an established professional eager for a fresh perspective, this episode is a must-listen for all things real estate and content creation.
Guest Bio:
Arvin Haddad brings nearly a decade of experience in the Los Angeles real estate market and a stellar reputation to The Agency’s Beverly Hills office. Known for his massive following on TikTok, Arvin is highly regarded by clients and local agents alike. Specializing in L.A.’s luxury market, Arvin's stellar networking skills have earned him a strong roster of repeat clients, and he is respected and trusted within the industry. He was the co-star of CNBC's "Listing Impossible,", A graduate of California Polytechnic State University, and is fluent in Farsi and Spanish. In his free time, he enjoys running and spending time with his family.
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Guest Quote
“I think you're really adding true value. By giving a third-person opinion. And when you look at it across many different industries, you have it in, you know, Carfax, right? You have it in restaurants, Michelin stars. You have it in restaurants, Yelp, you know, like all that, all that infrastructure already exists. But for single-family homes, there's no such a thing.”
“It's like an AI inside me, you know, where I see a property and I'm like, boom, this is how much it's gonna go for. This is how much it's worth. This would be a good deal. This would be a bad deal. And it just happens instantly. And that only comes if you do what I do.”
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Time Stamps:
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Connect with Arvin:
https://www.tiktok.com/@arvinhaddad
https://www.linkedin.com/in/arvin-haddad-40311b89/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPIeusZUVcsxTPPsp6Mkltg
https://www.instagram.com/arvin_haddad/?hl=en
Connect with Aaron:
https://www.tiktok.com/@aarongrushowhomes
https://www.linkedin.com/in/423/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_SSHGREChuBaU6u_USIIEg
https://www.instagram.com/aarongrushowhomes
https://aarongrushowhomes.com/
Follow Estate Media:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/estatemediaus/
[00:00:00]
Aaron Grushow: My guest today is an extremely forward thinking luxury real estate agent and entrepreneur based out of Los Angeles. He's had a meteoric rise on social media, specifically TikTok, where he's grown an audience of over 500. Thousand people. He continues to leverage social media to grow his personal brand and expand his business in multiple ways.
Aaron Grushow: I'm really excited to chat with him. Arvind Haddad, welcome to the standouts. Thanks so much for being here.
Arvin Haddad: Thanks for having me, Aaron.
Aaron Grushow: Yeah. Uh, I've been following you pretty closely over the past few years, super impressed with what you've been able to build. Um, would you mind sharing a little bit about yourself, your background and your journey up until this point?
Arvin Haddad: So I'm a real estate agent. I specialize in ultra luxury. I'm also a content creator through COVID. I started getting really passionate about creating content. And that's gone well and had recently, um, over the past year, year and a half, built my own PropTech startup, which specializes in algorithms that help forecast and time the real estate [00:01:00] market better.
Aaron Grushow: what inspired you to start creating content and how far along were you in your career when you decided to, you know, give that a good go?
Arvin Haddad: So it was four years in and then my, uh, my wife's nieces were at our house and they're like, Arvind TikTok, as in they were doing these TikTok dance moves and everything. And then They're like, often, you know, like it's a new platform, it's really taking off and you know a lot about real estate, you should do some real estate content.
Arvin Haddad: And they kept telling me this over and over and over again. And, you know, one day I was just really bored and, you know, set up a camera. I was like, let me just shoot something. Right. And I've always, always passionate about doing like critiquing properties, because that's, that's how my brain works. Right.
Arvin Haddad: Like when I see a property, I just go through it in my head and I start like analyzing it. I was like, what if I do that in front of camera, right? And then, uh, I was like, okay, read a couple blogs on YouTube videos on how to create videos. Like, you need a hook, you know, you need to have some sort of attention.
Arvin Haddad: I was like, well, let me, let me critique like some [00:02:00] celebrity homes, right? And I, to be frank, I don't know many celebrities even today. I've covered their houses, but I don't know anything about them. But I was using it as a hook, right? I was like, I'm sure everyone else is interested. So I think I did a video on Justin Bieber.
Arvin Haddad: And, um, the first video went, and I posted it on TikTok, and the first video went 800, I think, 60, 000 views within like a day or two. And then I was like, holy crap. And I'd already made another video. I posted that one the next day or a few days later, and that one got like 700, 000 views. And I was like, oh my God, this is like, This is, like, I have to take this serious, right?
Arvin Haddad: And, and it's important to note because prior to that, I had done a TV show with Aaron Kerman, your current boss. Um, so it was a show on CNBC called Listing Impossible. And we, we, you know, in 2017, we started shooting it. I think it went live. Oh, [00:03:00] 2017, 18, we started shooting it. It took us a year to shoot.
Arvin Haddad: Maybe, I was in maybe 15 percent of all the episodes, you know. And just shooting that was such a hassle and such a, um, I would say commitment to your time as a real estate agent. It took us days. We had to block off schedule. And I remember, like, as the show was premiering, uh, Aaron would send us the reviews, like, like, views and, and how many, how many views the show got.
Arvin Haddad: I remember. Um, right, by the end of the, like, once all the episodes had aired, um, and this is pre Peacock, uh, you know, streaming service, the entire eight episodes had like 750, 000 views. And then, and, and that really put things in perspective for me because that one, my first video got 860, 000 views and second video got 750, 000 views.
Arvin Haddad: And I was like, holy crap, like, I had, I knew what it meant. You know? And I was like, I have to [00:04:00] take this seriously. I've obviously touched a nerve that, that people are interested in. Uh, and no one else is talking about it the way I was. And, um, you know, a lot of people sugarcoat the subject. And I, I just dive right through it, you know, uh, dissecting it with a surgical knife and, and going at it.
Arvin Haddad: So. Uh, I understood, I understood the audience, I understood the, um, people and it was just like a drug, you know, like I was like, Oh my God, like, okay, I gotta do this. I got it. And I told my wife, my wife was like, are you serious? You're selling, you know, 20 million homes, like, you know, like people, people at your calibers are not doing this, you know, uh, they're not making, they're not getting on TikTok.
Arvin Haddad: Are you sure this is onto brand? Are you sure, like, this is what you're doing, you know, you've, you've, your realistic career has taken off, like, seriously, I just sold a bunch of really big homes and, and it was, it was risky in that aspect to come up and put yourself out there and, and, [00:05:00] and critique properties, something that like, you know, you know, most real estate agents are hype men, you know, they just go in and hype it up.
Arvin Haddad: And I was saying all the bad things about the property and everything. So. Uh, I can tell you the most, my wife was like, this is dangerous.
Aaron Grushow: Ha
Arvin Haddad: Like, this is,
Aaron Grushow: ha!
Arvin Haddad: are you doing? Uh, but you know, I've always listened to my heart and I knew I was coming from a good place. Um, and, uh, I, I felt like it was really important to me, um, to do that and I, I run these exercises that, you know, we can talk about it later in the video, but, um, that I wanted to challenge myself in something else and I happened to get traction right away and I just never stopped after that.
Aaron Grushow: That's amazing. Uh, yeah, a lot to unpack there, uh, you made some really excellent points. Uh, I think it's very interesting when you tied You know, content creation on social media to, uh, the production [00:06:00] that went into a large TV show like Listing Impossible and how much time and energy and effort it takes to put together those huge network television shows, um, compared to what goes into creating short form content on social media.
Aaron Grushow: Uh, the production barrier has been completely broken down. Um, and it's enabled people like you and I to create content and really get our name out there and share what we have to say to the world, um, in a lot more efficient way, uh, than, you know, having to go on a show like Listing Impossible where it's almost impossible to even get on shows like that.
Aaron Grushow: Um, so yeah, I think it's, it's really incredible that you recognized, you know, the opportunity and. It doesn't happen overnight like that for everyone, obviously. Um, but I mean, you definitely, uh, hit the nail right on the head. You understood the audience and, um, I'm sure you're still experimenting and finding the best ways to, um, you [00:07:00] know, create content and accumulate more and more, you know, views and an audience, but I think your content really does provide a lot of value, which is different to what a lot of.
Aaron Grushow: Other maybe real estate agents or content creators are, are doing on the app. And I think that's why you're going to have so much longevity on the platform. And whatever you do is cause I know you're very like value first, like you're really, uh, educational in addition to being. Entertaining on these platforms and, um, that education is, I think, what really adds value.
Aaron Grushow: I mean, we had a very brief conversation the other day where we were talking about my content and, uh, house tours and whatnot, um, which I think we both agree can be entertaining, but there's not a whole lot of value there. Um, there's, there's not really any like education or, um, yeah, providing a sense of.
Aaron Grushow: Uh, if that makes sense. So, and I think like you've, you've really done a great job of, you know, creating that value [00:08:00] for people. Um, you said you're.
Arvin Haddad: I love, I love your, I love your videos you're doing now. Uh, I, I feel like you, you've been interviewing some, some really, you've had some really, really good interviews and I'm really excited to see your channel grow in, in this format because I like how you're clipping it in shorts as well. And, and, and, um, it's just, you have to ask really good questions.
Arvin Haddad: So
Aaron Grushow: Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, the content loop I think is huge right now. You know, starting with longer form, cutting it into shorter form. I'm still, you know, figuring it out as I go. Um, I'm
Arvin Haddad: we
Aaron Grushow: totally, yeah, exactly. That's the truth. Um, it doesn't matter if you're me, you're Ryan Serhant, you're Um, you or anyone, like we're all just sort of figuring it out.
Aaron Grushow: No one really has the answers to everything. Um, and I think that's something to keep in mind if you're looking to start creating content. I think it's very, can be very overwhelming. Um, you don't know where to start. Uh, but the truth is [00:09:00] like, none of us knew we kind of just went for it and, uh, something eventually stick.
Aaron Grushow: Um, but yeah, like you were saying, there's like risk involved, right? Like. Do you still feel that sort of like pressure to make sure that your brand is being best represented online? Is it, uh, challenging for you? Have you ever created a video and are like, Hmm, this may do very well on social media, but I don't know if this is going to best represent who I am.
Arvin Haddad: Maybe in the beginning I messed up on one of the videos I was a little bit too mean but I think what it's super super important is being Open about the flaws of the house and what's good about it, right? Because that's the only way we can get get better at purchasing better real estate And I think as real estate agents, we've always been more on the seller side, right?
Arvin Haddad: You always think like you got to represent yourself and you should But as a third party, right, which I am when I'm [00:10:00] critiquing a property, I have to cover both. I have to warn what's bad for the buyer and what's good for the seller, you know? So, so if you don't cover both of it, you're just not being fair.
Arvin Haddad: And if you're saying, if you would ever think that like, oh, like, uh, we shouldn't talk about flaws of a property, you're only looking at it as the, from the side of the seller. And that's not fair either, you know, so, um, I think it's, it's super important, as I've said before, um, every cryptocurrency, every stock, every commodity, everything gets, uh, analyzed by multiple analysts on, on social media, on CNN, on Fox News, on CNBC, but single family homes don't.
Arvin Haddad: I think single family homes are the biggest asset class in the United States, or what, 37 trillion. And no one, as far as I know, I'm pretty much maybe one or two people who are doing what I'm doing. Um, so I think it's a huge opportunity. I would love other [00:11:00] people to continue doing what I'm doing. Um, I think, I think you're really adding true value.
Arvin Haddad: By, by giving a third person opinion. And when you look at it across many different industries, you have it in, you know, Carfax, right? Uh, you have it in restaurants, Michelin stars. You have it in, uh, you know, restaurants, Yelp, you know, like all that, all that infrastructure already exists. But for single family homes, there's no such a thing.
Arvin Haddad: You have your real estate agent, right? We both are real estate agents, but we know real estate agents don't get paid until they sell the house, right? So, it's just not even fair to ask them, you know, all the bad things about the property, and they kind of would tell you what's bad, but then, you know, kind of convert it to something that could be turned good.
Arvin Haddad: But it's just super, super important to give a very unbiased, just say it the way it is, say what's wrong with the property, loud and clear. And, and, and then say what's good about it. [00:12:00] So my, my, I've never had a problem with that. Um, and in my heart of hearts, I think it's, it's, um, it's the most, I think when I'm 80 years old and I look back, I would be very proud of it.
Aaron Grushow: Yeah. I think that's a really interesting perspective. Um, because at the end of the day, you're just being authentic, right? You're being you. Um, you're being real. And I think that's what people really resonate with and, and want to see. And that's what really builds your personal brand. I'm thinking back to my own content and Uh, to a lot of people who do what I do when it comes to like the house tours and we're oftentimes nothing but positive, even though I'll walk through a house and I'll notice, you know, uh, terrible design flaw, but I'll kind of skip over it and just try and promote the good things and, and be uplifting and, and positive.
Aaron Grushow: Um, cause I don't know, I just feel like that may, uh. I don't know, just [00:13:00] boat over better, and I don't want to ruffle feathers, of course, but
Arvin Haddad: Yeah. You wouldn't be able to review the properties, right? So, so, so I don't, I don't go to the properties because no one would be like, well, only say the three good things
Aaron Grushow: Yeah. Imagine if I'm walking through a house and the listing agent's right there. And I'm just like, Oh my God, this kitchen counter is just terrible. Like who,
Arvin Haddad: That would be your last review,
Aaron Grushow: It totally. So, but like at the end of the day, that's not me being authentic, which is a problem. Um, so that's, it's something I really haven't thought about, but yeah, that's, it's so true.
Aaron Grushow: That's a really, really interesting perspective there.
Arvin Haddad: and, and, you know. I go to open houses, I go to all the open houses as much as I can, I try to see the properties in person that I review and I've seen, I would say, more than half of them in person. Um, and, uh, and it's just the way my brain works, you know, I first see the fecal matter, you know, and then I then see the positives, right?
Arvin Haddad: So the way [00:14:00] I, the way I, um, everything I look at, I'm like, how could this be better? Right? Like, so when I see the driveway, I'm like, could have this driveway been better? Right? So that I'm always critiquing in my head. And it's just a process that happens in my brain when I see any properties, right? So I'm just observing, analyzing it.
Arvin Haddad: And then the way I decided to make my first video was like, let me document that process. Right? Let me document that process, what happens in my brain and see if I can make a video out of it. And that's what I did. So it can't be even more authentic than that, you know, so it's, it's, it's what's happens inside me.
Arvin Haddad: And I'm just sharing it with other people. And even if you're, and I, you know, strictly, uh, review mostly mansions, right? And that's where my specialty is. That's what I, you know, learned from, you know, when I started in real estate, I started from the top and, and that's what I know. And I critique it, but a lot of the stuff applies everywhere.
Arvin Haddad: You know, it applies to a, you know, 500, 000 home in, you know, Tennessee. It's the same [00:15:00] concept, right? You just have to scale it down. So, yeah, um, uh, it's, uh, I can tell you I'm, uh, I'm not just, uh, super happy with what I'm doing. I'm tripling down on it. So, uh, I think it's a slow grind, as you know, but Uh, it's, it's, um, I think when you read the comments on my YouTube channel, you, you see how much, uh, people are, um, you know, appreciate what I'm doing and, and, and understand that it's important to me and, and to get value from it.
Aaron Grushow: definitely. Yeah. If I'm a home buyer who comes across your content and sees these realistic, authentic reviews, I definitely consider working with you because I want someone who can, you know, be real with me and, and point out, you know, flaws and things and explain why I should or shouldn't, you know, buy this house, [00:16:00] go this direction.
Aaron Grushow: And I'm, I think that may work, uh, against some agents who are that way. But ultimately, I think like you're definitely a big draw for someone who is looking to, you know, purchase a home in Los Angeles. Have you generated leads from your social media content? And
Arvin Haddad: Yeah, I have. I've had a few sales. I've had a few sales from directly from my videos. Um, but also, most importantly, I get a ton of referrals from old, older clients, and, and the first thing they do is they look you up and they're like, Oh my God, okay, not, not just this guy knows every freaking house. He has a video about everything, you know, there's one thing to know it, and then there's one thing to teach it.
Arvin Haddad: Once you start teaching it, you learn it at a way deeper level. Um, so, and, and, you know, I have, I mean, pretty much every house, you know, over three, four million dollars, I, I have, I've seen it, I look at every single house that comes on the market in about 30 different neighborhoods. And I've made videos about, you know, hundreds and hundreds of them.
Arvin Haddad: So, uh, [00:17:00] the, the, the immediately, uh, they get excited. They're like, okay, this guy knows his crap. You know, he knows what he's talking about. So, uh, it also helps cement a lot of other deals that you can't really put it monetize it, you know, that way, but I've had a few sales directly and I've have multiple, very, very high end clients from it that I'm showing homes, but we haven't closed the deal yet.
Aaron Grushow: right, yeah, I'm in a similar, similar place, but yeah, that's, that's awesome. I think that's so incredible, but like, like you were saying, there are certain, uh, deals, or when you're going on listing appointments and can share with the seller that you have this type of audience and, you know, they look you up and that's, you know, automatic social proof.
Aaron Grushow: There are ways that this benefits our business that aren't just direct leads generated from social media. Um, so like, I, I definitely, you know. I urge anyone who's interested in, in content creation, um, or just building a personal brand to explore social media because there are, you know, so many benefits to it.
Aaron Grushow: [00:18:00] Um, how else do you think it's like impacted your, your real estate business outside of just content creation?
Arvin Haddad: Well, I think it's pushed me to be, to perfect my craft as a real estate agent myself, right, because I, for example, I would, I would just look at every single house, right, briefly. Um, that comes on the market. And I did that ever since I got into the business. Every morning I look, spend an hour, look at every single house that comes on the market, every house that sold, every house that got a price reduction, every house that is back on the market, and every house that went expired.
Arvin Haddad: So, um, but that was a glance. And then, but pulling another, you know, award doc next to it, and then critiquing it on paper, writing it down. It is just, uh, you know, it makes you read, when you write it down, you just get so much more detail out of it. You understand the property better. And then I think I have, uh, [00:19:00] as a result of it for pricing properties, I think I have, um, developed a incredible, incredibly strong.
Arvin Haddad: Um, gut intuition. It's like a AI inside me, you know, where, where I see a property and I'm like, boom, this is, this is how much it's gonna go for. This is how much it's worth. This would be a good deal. This would be a bad deal. And it just happens instantly. And I, I, and it, that only comes if you do what I do.
Arvin Haddad: Um, you just have to, you, you have to monitor every house and then analyze every single house. And then look at the results of the sale, and then you just kind of build it inside you.
Aaron Grushow: totally. Yeah,
Arvin Haddad: been, that's been really, I would say that's been really, um, uh, useful in my, uh, just negotiating prices, price strategies for listings, going on, uh, you know, put it, where to put your first offer, um, if you're buying, where you want to end up, all that stuff has [00:20:00] helped me with other deals.
Aaron Grushow: yeah, that's, that's awesome. Yeah. You're a master of inventory at this point, which, you know, uh, obviously is so useful when it comes to, yeah, pricing properties and, um, all of that. Tell me a little bit about the software you're developing. Um, I know you've been working really hard on it. I see you promoting it.
Aaron Grushow: I'm so curious to learn a little bit more about it.
Arvin Haddad: So my mission is to eliminate buyer and seller remorse in real estate, right? So I do the quality part from the videos I've already made, right? So those are like, when you're looking to purchase a property, there's two elements that you have to pay attention to. Is it a good time to buy? Timing the market, right?
Arvin Haddad: And the other is, is this even a good property? Because, um, if the property is good, it's, it's irrelevant of the price. That's it, like a result of supply and demand. Right? But if the property, the purchasing the property is a result of timing the market correctly. So, ZipSmart. ai is an AI algorithm that tries to [00:21:00] time the best market and, you know, you know, which it's down to the zip code level.
Arvin Haddad: We analyze about 40, 000 zip codes, 3, 000 counties, all the 50 states, and it gives you, um, in version 3. 0, it would give you a signal. Right? It will tell you if it's a good time to buy, if it's not a good time to buy, when will be a good time to buy, and by, and how much we're forecasting the change in the market in each location.
Arvin Haddad: Which is, again, another part, which I think as real estate agents, we do not provide and we're incapable of providing. Even, even as I, as so much I know about prices, right, about at the current moment prices, it's really hard for me to analyze that in my head saying six months from now, It would be how much, how much property would be worth it, right?
Arvin Haddad: But AI can do that. AI can certainly help you, um, uh, have a better guesstimate, right? It's not a guarantee, it's probabilities, it's not certainties. [00:22:00] But, um, so the version 3. 0 would basically give you a signal. And tell you, uh, how much change we're expecting and how long of a period, if you wait, if you buy, if you should sell, um, with a degree of confidence.
Arvin Haddad: So it would tell you, for example, you know, uh, we're anticipating 40%, uh, this, we're anticipating this neighborhood to be 40 percent more buyer friendly in 9 months, and we were 85 percent sure about that. Right, so it's very honest and it's also approach, it would tell you, you know, that's the confidence level based on the historical data.
Arvin Haddad: Uh, so it analyzes every, uh, it's an incredible, incredible algorithm. Um, I've had, you know, PhD mathematicians working on it, I've had multiple Delta scientists on the team, um, and, uh, the front end is going to look on the version 3. 0, it's going to look extremely simple, uh, which I've learned how to simplify, you know, being a kind of a real estate nerd myself.[00:23:00]
Arvin Haddad: I think version 2. 0 was a little bit heavy on the front end as far as it was overwhelming, but the version 3. 0 is extremely easy to understand, um, but the engine is maybe 20 times more powerful than version 2. 0, um, and, um, we're introducing our own index for the first time in version 3. 0, where we, uh, we call it Zip Smart Market Pulse Index, uh, and it's a measure of how buyer or friendly.
Arvin Haddad: A geographical area is, and then we forecast that index, um, 12 months out, um, and we give you buy or sell signals. Um, uh, for that. So, super, super exciting stuff, um, and, and putting these two together, you know, the property reviews and timing the market, I, I'm trying to solve that, you know, eliminating buyer and seller remorse.
Arvin Haddad: If you get both of it together, then you can time the market better with the help of the third party. It does, it's [00:24:00] unbiased because. You know, if, if to real estate agents, if anyone calls you and say, it's a good time to buy. Of course, it's a great time to buy, you know, it's a good time to sell. It's a great time to sell.
Arvin Haddad: So, uh, we're really good at coming up with exact reasons why it's a great time to buy or sell at any given time. Um, but, uh, the AI doesn't do that, you know. Uh, the AI gives you a clear, uh, um, clear answer with a degree of confidence. Obviously you can't predict, um, uh, black swan events. You can't predict, uh, you know, random things happening to the market, but, um, it's the best technology out there.
Arvin Haddad: And I think if the technology is out there, we should use it. And, um, deep, like neck deep into this world of AI and algorithms and machine learning. And, um, it's super, super exciting.
Aaron Grushow: That is super exciting. Um, who are your customer segments? Is it just going to be home buyers and sellers? Or do you think real estate agents are going to use this as well to be able to then share that [00:25:00] information to their clients?
Arvin Haddad: It's so funny. So I saw this, I saw this, uh, I've been working on ZipSmart for a year and a half now, um, and, uh, initially I want to show it to people to be like, oh, this seems like something that real estate agents would be really interested in. And I knew immediately I disagreed. I was like, no, real estate agents don't care about prices.
Arvin Haddad: They want to sell and buy. The prices doesn't affect them. They just want to transact, right? But everyone kept telling me, the audience, like, this is like a good tool for agents. I was like, no, I don't think so. And then, um, our bigger segments are buyers. Uh, investors, uh, sellers and renters, and then real estate agents.
Arvin Haddad: Real estate agents are the last, uh, they're the least interested in the software.
Aaron Grushow: I'm interested. Like, I think this seems like an excellent tool to absorb all this information and be able to share that with, you know, my
Arvin Haddad: To, to be frank, because I haven't put also the effort to how I can monetize, how they [00:26:00] can use the tool to monetize them for themselves. Right. So, so, so I haven't put the effort in selling to real estate agents. Um, because, um, there's a way that you could, you know, you have to present it in a way to say, look, if you use this tool, you'll get this many more listings, right?
Arvin Haddad: If you use this tool, you will get more, your buyers accept that you, if you do this, you will price the property right as a listing agent, and you will be able to sell it faster, which will translate. I haven't sold it, right? Um, but I think buyers are just no brainers. They jump on it right away. Renters also really like it.
Arvin Haddad: Investors love it. Um, yeah, but it's been pretty broad. Uh, you know, we, we, we got, uh, uh, we got very early, um, market fit, you know, product market fit very early on. And that helped me build a version 2. 0 and now version 3. 0 is coming out, you know, in a year and a half anniversary.
Aaron Grushow: Cool. Love it. Um, [00:27:00] really quickly, what are your thoughts on the notion that artificial intelligence or technology in general will soon make our jobs as real estate agents, luxury real estate agents, completely obsolete? Do you think that is a possible future? Mm
Arvin Haddad: I mean, never say never, but I would say it will be a higher probability in 5 to 10 years than right now. But I just don't see it coming, especially in the high end where I specialize in.
Aaron Grushow: Right. Absolutely. Absolutely.
Arvin Haddad: The relationship side is so strong and the, uh, The consumer wants a confidant, you know, consumer wants someone, they want a real estate person, they want a real estate guy, real estate gal to come in and be like, you know, just take care of me, sell it for as high as you can.
Arvin Haddad: You know, um, this is what I want, get it done. Um, I don't see that human [00:28:00] connection finishing, you know. Um, I think it's very useful. And quite frankly, the real estate, um, transaction is quite Uh, document heavy and it's, there's just so many forms, so many different type of liabilities that are involved and small, very small tweaks to the system could make the buyer or the seller a lot of money.
Arvin Haddad: So my rule is always, I have to, I have to add as much as my commission is of value to my buyer or seller, right? So that's my rules. Like if I'm selling it, you know, 10 million home. And my commission is what, 250, 000. I got to add at least 250, 000 worth of value to my client. And that's my benchmark for myself.
Arvin Haddad: And I, and I go in there and I'm, you know, focusing on, focusing on, uh, how I can get that done for them. And most of the time, my clients [00:29:00] calm me down. You know, they're like, Arvind, it's fine. Like, we, we, we, we're good. Like, I'm like, I bet you I can get you another 50. I can get you another 100. And most of the time they're like, no, Arvind, it's fine.
Arvin Haddad: That's like, you know, we're happy with the deal. Just, just let's close it. You know, so, uh, that's always the approach I take with my, with what I can do. And it's, and it's frankly how I negotiate for myself. So, you know, I'll tell my clients, look, this is what I would do, uh, but I'm willing to walk away from any deal.
Arvin Haddad: Uh, and I don't know if you want to, you know, play the way I do, or if you want me to be more conservative or more risky, I can adjust my, my approach. So I'm very open about what I think I can achieve and how I would do it. And, but also letting them know that they could, you know, steer the wheel the way they want to as well.
Arvin Haddad: And I would obey and follow their instructions.
Aaron Grushow: That's wonderful. Yeah. I think that sounds like the ideal, you know, job of a, of a real estate agent. It's too bad. Not everyone thinks like you in this industry. [00:30:00] Um, but yeah, I mean, that seems to be an overarching theme throughout your life. Just add as much value as possible in the most authentic way possible, which I think
Arvin Haddad: It's, it's, it's otherwise it's not fun, you know, to me, to me, it's, it's like a, that's what the job is. You know, the, the, the job is, the job is to win for your clients, to, to deliver for them. And, and if you take the fun out of it, then I wouldn't do it. Um, I would, I only want to do it because I would want to have fun.
Arvin Haddad: And when I get a deal from my client, I feel like I got a deal. You know, I feel like I won. Like I, I made the, you know, so, so it's, to me, it's, it's super important to, uh, to, to, to keep going. I have to keep that excitement on. Um, and that way I, they're happy. I'm happy. And I continue to do, you know, well in, in, you know, transactions and everything.
Aaron Grushow: Gotcha. I love that. What got you into real estate, by the way? I don't remember if we [00:31:00] touched on
Arvin Haddad: So, no, we, we had a lot of, I had a lot of sales jobs all my life and everyone was, You know, Arvind, you'll be a, you know, great real estate agent, great real estate agent. And I was like, and we had a, I had a couple, we had a bad experience with a real estate agent ourself. I helped my parents buy a house in Orange County and they thought I should help them because I had bought a condo for myself in Boston.
Arvin Haddad: And, you know, and they were like, well, you just bought yourself a condo, help us buy a house. And I didn't know anything about Orange County at the time. And I got them a track home. Uh, with no backyard. Um, uh, in 2008, you know, it was the worst time to buy a property that had no backyard and it was an attractive development, which comes really bad during the crash.
Arvin Haddad: And our real estate agent never told us any of this stuff, never told us what was like, what are the negatives of buying a track home and never told us the fact that the [00:32:00] property had a small backyard. And that's that was a very small backyard for the neighborhood. We assumed all the other houses in our neighborhood had the same amount of backyard.
Arvin Haddad: It never told us it's a great time to buy as expected. Right? So. I was, we were furious. You know, we bought the, I bought the property for my parents, I think for $850,000 in 2008, and they sold it in 2016 for $830,000. So they kept it for eight years and they lost money. And, um, and I, and I, and for that reason, I didn't want to be a real estate agent, uh, like, uh, ev if everyone had told me already, like, you, you, I had done sales almost all my life.
Arvin Haddad: Uh, and I was excellent at everything every time I've had maybe 10 different sales jobs and can talk about it. But, um, and I was just like, you know, um, real estate agents are not honest and they wouldn't tell you this. And, and that really, really [00:33:00] hurt me. Uh, and her and her family, you know, who, who buys real estate for eight years and lose money, you know, so, um, that really drove me to not do it, but then everyone was like, Arvind, you would be so good at it.
Arvin Haddad: And then I met Aaron Kerman, um, and I think he was very influential for me to go full time. Um, I'm always grateful for the advice he gave me because at the time I had a, uh, luxury real estate, um, at the time I had a luxury sunglasses business in Beverly Hills Retail and Distribution. I was selling, you know, 1, 200 sunglasses, uh, on Bedford Drive and it was quite successful.
Arvin Haddad: I was making, you know, very good living there. And, um, I met Aaron, uh, I met Aaron, um, I was, again, I joined his team. This was really, really early on, maybe he had five or six different teammates at the time. He was just growing his team and he, um, and I had [00:34:00] just made three big sales right after each other, you know, big sales right off the bat and, and, uh, Aaron sat me down and said, Arvind, how much time, more time you have on your lease, on your, you know, on your lease on your store?
Arvin Haddad: I was like, a year. And he was like, if you close down the door to that store, how much would you be negative every month? And I was like, well, the rent was like around 8, 000 a month and all the expenses, it was like about 120, 000 I would be losing. And then he kind of looked at me in the eye and said, Arvind.
Arvin Haddad: If you 100 percent commit your life into real estate, you know how little you can do in this. Do you think you can sell one more 5 million home if you do this 100 percent all the time? I was like, yeah, of course. He's like, then you know what to do. The next day I closed the shop. And I closed the shop, lost a lot of money, went down to like a thousand [00:35:00] bucks in my bank account.
Arvin Haddad: And then just skyrocketed after that. And it just went through the roof. Um, but I owe that to him, uh, he, he, he believed in me and, and he convinced me to switch completely careers and I was making very good money in that business, um, it was very profitable.
Aaron Grushow: What an awesome story. The leap of faith. Yeah,
Arvin Haddad: you know, and low fear as long as it makes sense to me. And it's, it's, you know, it's logical and, and I, uh, my heart is in it. Um, and Aaron definitely made the ultra luxury real estate so much fun. I remember, uh, he was a great mentor in the beginning where, you know, from the candles he would light up in his office and, uh, how, how bougie and like luxury the feel and vibe was and his marketing directors and creating all this stuff and [00:36:00] the flowers.
Arvin Haddad: And it was just such a good vibe to come into. And I remember. I would pretend I would have questions, uh, which I didn't, and I would just go in front of his office while he's on the phone and just listen to what he's, pretend like I would have to go in and just listen to what, how he's talking to his clients.
Arvin Haddad: I was probably one of the most annoying salespeople he's ever had. I would just follow, I would follow him and annoy the crap out of
Aaron Grushow: It's funny you say that. Cause I, I tend to do the same thing, any opportunity I get to hear him or any other large agent in my office talk, uh, you know, to a client or honestly, in any situation, like I always try and listen in because you can learn so much
Arvin Haddad: Yeah. Yeah, just listening the way they overcome objections, the way they build rapport, and Aaron is fantastic at it. I would just stand in there and hold some pieces of paper in front and like play around with them, pretending like I just need to talk to them.
Aaron Grushow: That's [00:37:00] hilarious.
Arvin Haddad: and then he realized, at some point he realized that I'm really analytical, I have an engineering background and everything and Um,
Aaron Grushow: I saw you actually, sorry to cut you off. Um, I noticed you went to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, which is where I actually went to college as
Arvin Haddad: No way. That's awesome.
Aaron Grushow: a great school. Love Cal Poly and, uh, love to visit SLO whenever I get a chance. But
Arvin Haddad: Oh my, such a beautiful town. Such a beautiful town.
Aaron Grushow: It really is the best.
Arvin Haddad: Um, so yeah, I, uh, what was I?
Aaron Grushow: Yeah. You were talking about Aaron Kerman and how he quickly kind of caught on to you listening in on him. Yeah.
Arvin Haddad: he realized I'm pretty analytical and he would take me to, uh, listing appointments. He would take me to, um, Property valuation and it would ask me to tell him how much the property is worth. Uh, you know, because he was like, he's, he's, I was really into it, you know, obviously. So, uh, I remember going in and I'll give him hand signals, you know, like 32, you know, like how much I think [00:38:00] and I'll write down the prices I think and give it to him like for, for his listing appointments and stuff and I would help him out and I was happy to help him because I was learning so much from him.
Aaron Grushow: That's awesome. I love that. Yeah. I think having mentors and people to look up to and learn from is so critical in any industry, but definitely in real estate sales. Um, before we finish up here, who are some other sort of standouts, uh, people that you are currently watching, looking up to, or people who have inspired you to, uh, keep doing what you're doing?
Arvin Haddad: Oh, on, um. You know, I, I, I, I watch a lot of YouTubers, uh, like, uh, financial YouTubers. I really like Meet Kevin. Uh, uh, I think I, I used to dislike him. I, I didn't like his, I didn't like his, uh, I thought he was too young. I thought he didn't know, and I definitely misjudged them. But it was, it's been so impressive [00:39:00] what he's accomplished for the past, um, four or five years as a real estate agent.
Arvin Haddad: As a, as a. Um, uh, entrepreneur as a content creator, as an ETF holder, as a, you know, he has his own, uh, fund purchasing real estate now. Um, and his just dedication to growth, um, and how much, uh, you know, if he completely switched from real estate to finance and he does an amazing job of analyzing. Um, uh, analyzing the, you know, companies that come on, come on the market and, and, and everything.
Arvin Haddad: He's got his Series 7 license now. He's definitely an inspiring person. I think he's 31, 32 years old, and he's also a family man. He's got four kids now. So, so I, um, I really respect that. I think, um, you know, age is, uh, really just a number. Um, so, uh, he definitely drives me. I, I watch his. [00:40:00] Market opens at the gym.
Arvin Haddad: Uh, so, so yeah, I follow his content and, um, you know, um, I admire the fact that how committed he is to his craft.
Aaron Grushow: Wonderful. Arvind, thank you so much for coming on the show. I really enjoyed this conversation and I think people are going to get a lot out of it. And, uh, yeah, I look forward to maybe doing this again sometime.
Arvin Haddad: Thanks, Aaron. I really appreciate it. Thanks for having me on.
Aaron Grushow: My