Ep267: Owning a Market with Paul DeLano

Ep267: Owning a Market with Paul DeLano

From More Cheese Less Whiskers by Dean Jackson

December 21, 2025 · 59 min

About this episode

Paul DeLano discusses how specializing in lakefront properties has positioned his business as a leader in the market.

Being known for what you don't do can position you as the natural choice in your market. Today on the More Cheese Less Whiskers podcast, I want to share a great conversation with Paul DeLano from Lake Life Realty, located in southwest Michigan near Notre Dame. Paul and his son Matt have built their business since 2010 around one focused decision. They exclusively work with buyers and sellers of lakefront property. If a home isn't on the lake, they simply refer it to another agent. We talked about how this specialization allows them to really serve their clients at a level generalists can't match, from taking buyers on boat rides before writing offers, to building relationships with everyone in their ecosystem—appraisers, dock installers, marinas, and home service providers. What's really interesting is exploring how they're not just selling real estate transactions, but selling the lake lifestyle itself. They advise families on how to maximize their time at the lake, connect buyers with local marinas during showings, and are building toward a full concierge service for lakefront homeowners. Paul also shared how their direct mail approach to the known, 16,000 lakefront homes in…

People in this episode

Host: Dean Jackson

Guest: Paul DeLano

Topics covered

  • market positioning
  • real estate specialization
  • lakefront property
  • client relationships
  • business focus

Keywords

  • lakefront property
  • real estate
  • market positioning
  • business focus
  • client relationships

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Lake Life Realty

Places: southwest Michigan, Notre Dame

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