Daily American
info@dailyamericanpodcast.com
@dailyamericanpodcast
Daily American
How A 21-Year-Old Built A $20M Sales Pipeline
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
A lot of people talk about “skipping the safe path” but Sam Walls actually did it. At 19, he went from studying finance to getting his real estate license, then watched real estate take over his schedule so completely that college stopped making sense for his goals. We get into what that decision looked like in real life, including the pushback at home, the pressure to prove it was not a mistake, and the daily work it took to build confidence when he had never bought or sold a home himself.
We also get honest about the money side of being a real estate agent. Sam breaks down typical commission rates, what a $400,000 sale can look like on paper, and why the take-home number is often far smaller after brokerage splits, team cuts, and paid lead sources. If you have ever wondered how a young realtor can say he’s on pace for $20M in sales while still talking about how hard it is early on, this conversation explains the math.
Then we dig into the part that surprises most buyers: how Zillow leads really work. That bright blue “Schedule A Showing” button can route you to a random buyer agent, and Sam explains why Zillow can take a huge percentage and how it can even disrupt an existing agent relationship. If you care about real estate investing, buying your first home, or building a referral-based business, you’ll take away practical steps you can use right away.
If you found this useful, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s buying or selling and contact Sam wall @sam_walls_realty
DC1 Enterprise is a home service contractor servicing Greater Philadelphia 🏡🔨
Info@dailyamericanpodcast.com
Welcome And Sam’s Background
unknownMr.
SPEAKER_00Sam Walls, welcome to the Daily American Podcast. It's a pleasure to have you on.
SPEAKER_01Thanks so much for having me, Dan.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, dude. So hey, man, let's just kick it off like I do most of these interviews. Kick me off with your childhood, man. Where were you born? Um, family life, and tell us a little bit about yourself.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so I was uh born and raised in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Uh a small town called Downingtown, Pennsylvania. I grew up there my entire life, and I went away for one year to the University of Pittsburgh, but then came back quickly and got started in real estate. Um and I've pretty much been here my entire my entire childhood. Um went to Downingtown schools, went to Westchester University, and uh now I live in Westchester, Pennsylvania.
SPEAKER_00Wow, dude. So Downey, so so the University of Pittsburgh, um, what were you studying there?
SPEAKER_01I was studying finance, and I after my first year at the University of Pittsburgh, I ended up getting my real estate license because I was super curious about what I could do, and I was very interested in investing in real estate, so I thought it was a good time to get my license. I came home that summer and uh just got absolutely hooked on it, and I ended up transferring to Westchester University because I needed to be closer to home to sell real estate. So I was commuting into Westchester every day, and then also selling real estate, and you know, I I real estate kind of just took over. So after once I did a full course load in the fall semester, and then you know, I got busier in the real estate world, and then the second semester I was doing half a course load, and then that summer I decided I was gonna take a gap year, and real estate ended up just taking off, and I never went back.
SPEAKER_00Wow, dude, that's that's pretty phenomenal, especially um, you know, in today's day and age, especially in schools. You know, college, college, college. If you don't go to college, you're gonna be a failure, blah, blah, blah. Bottom line.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you're you're just telling Imagine telling both your parents or both school teachers. Right.
SPEAKER_00I'm sure they were thrilled, dude. How did they react to that?
SPEAKER_01Uh, they were pretty disappointed. Uh, they were first disappointed that I transferred from the University of Pittsburgh to Westchester, and then they were even more disappointed when I told them I was gonna take uh actually, they were even more disappointed when I said I was doing half a course load instead of a full course load, and then they were even more disappointed.
Choosing Real Estate Over College
SPEAKER_01Um, so I just constant disappointment and disagreement. But after that summer, after the second summer in real estate, things really, really took off. Um, you know, I pretty much 10x my business, and then I ended up shopping for a house, and then they were like, okay, you know what you're doing, and you know, now they're absolutely fine with it.
SPEAKER_00So it's so funny too, Sam, because you're you're you're very young, man. You're really getting after in the real estate, in the real estate game. I mean, you sold you sold me my um my property, and it's just like, dude, I was just blown away by you know, I you're a young kid, you know. And back in my head, I'm like, what's this kid knowing? Then I get to working with you, and it's like, you know, just totally blown away by how well versed you are in um in properties and property management and in uh real estate. So talk uh numbers a little bit. I I I see you sometimes posting. I know you're like, first of all, how old are you? That's one number we'll start. What are you, 16?
SPEAKER_0112. I started when I was 21 years old. Or I'm sorry, I started when I was 19 years old. I'm now 21 years old.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01I started with absolutely nothing. I had never bought or rented anything. I didn't know what a mortgage lender was, I didn't know anything. Um, but I just like kept showing up every single day into the office, and you know, I just I just never gave up. And because I showed up every day, I never missed a lucky day. And, you know, then I joined my first team and I started getting mentors and I hired a coach, and I went from selling like, you know, two million my first year to 12 million my second year, and uh we're on pace to do I'm on pace to do over 20 million in sales this year, and I just started my first real estate team.
SPEAKER_00Wow, that's phenomenal. So 20 million, so break that down for the audience. So 20 million in sales, um, which a typical commission rate for just if you're just starting out in real estate, what what is it, three percent, three and a half, four?
SPEAKER_01It's funny because most people think that you know you make so much money, but the reality is like starting out, it's actually super, super
Mentors Coaching And Rapid Growth
SPEAKER_01difficult. I mean, my average sale is around 400,000, and usually it's like three percent, so it's that's 12. A gross commission is $12,000. But the reality is that the brokerage ends up taking a lot of money, and then you know, if you're on a team, the team lead takes a lot of money. So my first commission check in real estate, I watched my commission go from 10,000, you know, Zillow ended up taking 40%, KW took 30%, the lady who sent me the lead took 20%. Anyhow, long story short, my first commission check went from 10,000 all the way down to uh 2,800. Um, you know, now that I run my own house.
SPEAKER_00How much was that house that you sold?
SPEAKER_01Uh it was like 390,000, 387,000.
SPEAKER_00Like almost 400,000, okay.
SPEAKER_01It's crazy. I actually met with or I didn't meet. I I called the uh the people that I sold that house to today, and they're interested in buying another one, so we have a meeting this week set up to to go shopping again. And that that's like uh let's see, it's been it's been like just under two years since I last sold them that house. That was my first sale.
SPEAKER_00Damn, really, and they're coming back for for another one.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah.
Commission Splits And First Paycheck
SPEAKER_01I'm so grateful because uh, you know, before like I was just I didn't know anyone who I'm working with, but now, you know, as I've really gotten into the business, I find that most of my business is actually mostly referral or repeat clients or someone that I know. So I'm extremely grateful for that. And I can I think that's for a few reasons. Number one, it's just being in the business long enough, people will trust you more, but number two, it's doing a really good job for people where they can trust you and uh refer you business.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, man. Well, you're gonna be you know, you're just you're just starting out, dude. So the sky's the limit for you. Plus you're really good with the drone. I see you you see your drone videos and when you're doing the um, you know, your virtual showings and you know, you're awesome on social media, dude. Sky sky's the limit for somebody like yourself, Sam. What um talk to me about some uh struggle though.
SPEAKER_01I mean, there's had to have been something growing up, or you know, have you ever the most difficult period was honestly getting started. So my first five to six months in the business, I didn't really stro I I wouldn't say I struggled growing up. I mean, I was a pretty competitive athlete. I got good grades at school and I worked.
SPEAKER_00What sports?
SPEAKER_01Uh just soccer.
SPEAKER_00Awesome. Xavier loves soccer.
SPEAKER_01Good, good. Yeah, you should play soccer. I mean, it's it's awesome. And it's really good because you'll you'll develop this competitiveness and you'll be able it it just develops you so much uh as a person, especially when you get in young and you you start doing team sports and all that good stuff. I'm definitely a major supporter of it. Uh honest.
SPEAKER_00Cardio's nuts, though, isn't it, dude, when you're playing soccer? Damn you guys running non-stop.
SPEAKER_01The the best I ever got to was like a five-minute 30-second mile. Wait, say it again? I got to a five-minute 30-second mile. That's not crazy. Like, there's people doing way crazier stuff. That was the best I ever got to.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, but that's a really fast, that's a really fast mile, Sam. I mean, let's not cut that short. The fast mile I ever ran was like six minutes and twelve seconds. And that was in tip top shape out of out of uh in boot camp. So 5 30 is ridiculous.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it was uh the most to be honest though, to answer your question, the most difficult has been, you know, really going against the grain, because the traditional path is to go to school and then get a degree and you know, then g get a job. And for me, it was like go to school, do less school, do even less school, do no school. And you know, I at the time like my first six months in the business, I didn't do a single deal. And that's not because I wasn't trying. I mean, I really, really tried. I would go every single day, I would go door-knock neighborhoods, and I would end up getting kicked out of those neighborhoods usually. Uh people would yell at me and I didn't really know what I was doing. I'd never bought or sold real estate before, so I was asking people to trust me to help them buy or sell real estate, and I quite frankly, I didn't even really know what I was doing when I was when I was asking them that. Um so that was honestly the hardest part. After you know, getting uh getting my first few deals, even though my first few deals, like I made very little money off of them, they still taught me and then they developed my confidence as well. Which ultimately led to me like going down and hunting down my own business by setting open houses. Um and then once I got you know my mentor,
How Zillow Lead Routing Works
SPEAKER_01then he started giving me business, and then you know, it really took off from there.
SPEAKER_00So Zillow Sam, real fast, Zillow. So so why did so Zillow, I I don't understand. How do they get a portion? Like who who like if I find a house if I find a house on Zillow and I ha how how do they get their cut? I don't get it.
SPEAKER_01So anyone listening to this, and you can do this right now, Dan, anyone listening to this can go on their phone, they can search up Zillow, and then they can go pick a random house. And they're gonna there's gonna be a button on that screen, a bright blue button button that says schedule a showing. And what that's doing is it's routing you to a random buyer agent who buys leads from Zillow. Okay and the specific model that I was on, some you know, my client clicked on that button before they were my client, and they were just uh you know, browsing and they clicked the schedule a showing button, and they scheduled a showing, and the agent who happened to meet them at the property for the showing was me. And because of that, Zillow took 40%. So that's how much and Zillow's in a in a large lawsuit right now because wait, wait, wait.
SPEAKER_00So so so the buyer's agent, the company that you're working for, they took their they took their cut too, but you're talking about Zillow themselves is kind of like an Uber.
SPEAKER_01Zillow's the worst. I mean I I hate Zillow.
SPEAKER_00I they you know I didn't realize that they that they actually like you know uh reap benefits from from that.
SPEAKER_01Because you'll be, you know, I've seen this all the time, and luckily I don't think it's happened to me though, where like you'll be working with a client for a very long time, and then that client will go hit a button that says schedule a showing, you know, thinking that you know they're contacting the listing agent. They're not, they're contacting a random buyer agent, they need a random buyer agent, and they buy the house with that agent, and then the agent that they were using before wasted all this time, spent all this energy, left their family on evenings, you know, did whatever to go show them all these houses before, and the buyer just goes and signs with a random agent. And then on top of that, then Zilla takes forty percent of that agent's commission. So yeah, no, I'm not a big fan of Zilla.
SPEAKER_00Crazy.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they're like Uber, dude, Uber, you take a ride. Um, you know, but and if you're a driver, you say the ride is you're getting paid thirty dollars, but on the back end, the customer, the rider, is getting charged uh $75. So it's like uh it's just ridiculous, man.
SPEAKER_01It's it's uh really stinks because the but the and the Asian is the one who like you know, they're driving to all these houses, they're the one submitting the offers, right? And Zillow's taking nearly half their commission, which is pretty crazy. But that's that's how hard it is for people to go out and find business. You know, like at this point in my career, you know, I can go sit seven open houses, and on average I have a signed client by the end of it, just because I, you know, I'm good at what I do and I know all the rules and I know how to negotiate, I know how to talk to people, I know how to figure out what's the best next step for people to take, and I usually take that step with them.
SPEAKER_00And the key in real estate. So so right now, when you do that, when you when you um sit these open houses and Joe Schmoe walks in and he wants to utilize you and and move
Open Houses Referrals And Future Plans
SPEAKER_00forward in the process now, because you don't have your own agency yet, the what that that that so you're working for a buyer, right? The buyer's still taking their cut, a significant portion of the commission, correct?
SPEAKER_01Um so Zillow, when when when the buyer closes and that commission is sent to the brokerage, Zillow will take 40% of that commission. And then, you know, the brokerage then takes whatever their cut is. You know, if you're a Keller Williams, it's 30%. Um and then you know, then you get your share, right?
SPEAKER_00Okay. But but but you can essentially become a Keller Williams.
SPEAKER_01If you yeah, you can.
SPEAKER_00Okay. That's probably your ultimate goal, I would assume, right?
SPEAKER_01Um We'll see, you know, I mean, real estate I really do love what I do. I don't know if it's gonna be owning a my own brokerage or running a team, but you know, I'm super content with where I'm at right now, and my only focus is on helping as many clients as I possibly can. So, and it probably will be that way for a while. And at the same time, I plan on just you know keep buying real estate.
SPEAKER_00Awesome, dude. Well, like I said, man, you're gonna be successful no matter uh what avenue or route you choose, man. You're you're an all-around good dude. I look forward to working with you in the future. My son and um and his mom just got home, Sam, so I'm gonna wrap this up. But I think, you know, hopefully we get some listeners to this, and uh, you know, you never know, you may get um you may get some business from it. No guarantee though, that's for damn sure. But it's funny because then um your lender listened to the Daily American podcast, and like I've never met him before, or you know, I didn't really know
Closing Thanks And Next Steps
SPEAKER_00him. You connected me with him, but he was like, uh yeah, I I've listened to that before. Um but you know, it is what it is. I'm not yeah, I'm not I'm not super invested in the podcast, but if I can get cool people on like yourself and get their stories out there, um why not? You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean it's just I'm just happy to be on, and I really appreciate the opportunity. Thank you, Dan.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, you're very welcome, Sam. Alright, we'll wrap this thing up, and uh, you're always welcome back to the Daily American. Keep crushing it, dude. You're only 21, and uh, like I said, the sky's the limit for for somebody like yourself.
SPEAKER_01Awesome. Thank you, man.
SPEAKER_00Take care.