5 minute read
Jacksonville Real Producers - Lily Tran ~ August 2024
Congratulations to our Top Producer for August 2024, Lily Tran with The Ohana Team of Florida Homes Realty and Mortgage.
ALOHA SPIRIT
By Zachary Cohen | Photos by Renee Parenteau Photograph
Lily Tran’s life has been defined by the cultures she’s been steeped in. Born in Vietnam, her life took a turn for the better when she arrived in Hawaii in 1983. Although she was already in seventh grade, Hawaiian culture quickly became part of her outlook on life. “I am who I am because of the Hawaiian culture, because of the aloha spirit. We give. Life is all about giving,” Lily shares.
Lily spent most of her life embracing the island lifestyle, never imagining she would leave. She spent 26 years in hotel management — all for the same hotel — and became deeply rooted in the local community. And yet, as life progressed, so did Lily’s desires. Her brother had moved to Jacksonville and started a career in real estate, and he encouraged Lily to join him.
“One of the most common questions I hear when I tell people I used to live in Hawaii is, ‘Why did you leave paradise?’” Lily smiles. “Family became a priority. My youngest sibling, Harrison Leevann, has lived in Jacksonville for over 25 years and always encouraged me to join him in the real estate business. I finally visited him in 2017, and that’s when my Jacksonville journey began. By 2018, I had uprooted my family and made the big move to Jacksonville.”
I am who I am because of the Hawaiian culture, because of the aloha spirit. We give. Life is all about giving.
Lily is the founder of the Koko Crater Stairs Challenge group (Koko Head in Oahu, Hawaii). She loves creating challenges to push everyone’s limits on the stairs. She wants everyone to know that you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it!
Lily loves working out. She even completed the 50th anniversary of the annual Honolulu Marathon in 2022.
By the time she moved to Jacksonville, Lily had already begun her real estate career in Hawaii. She was re-licensed in Florida in 2018, finally joining her brother in business.
Lily may have left the island life of Hawaii, but the culture remains a core part of who she is personally and professionally.
“The best part of my job is helping people and forming lifelong friendships, which is why I love working in real estate,” Lily explains. “I pour my heart and dedication into everything I do, sharing a piece of the aloha spirit with everyone I encounter in Jacksonville. I often say that I am who I am today because of my upbringing in the Hawaiian culture, which emphasizes caring and sharing.”
KEEPING IT POSITIVE
“I’m all about sharing positive energy with others and being kind. I post my positive morning greetings on Facebook every day. Life is too short to not be happy and share positive energy with everyone.”
Lily’s experience in hotel management has also been an asset. In that role, she learned how to deliver exceptional customer service, treat each client with warmth and care, and deliver results.
Lily has been part of the OHANA team at Florida Homes Realty & Mortgage for the past six years. Ohana means family, and she intends to treat everyone like family. In 2023, she helped an impressive 51 families with $19.5 million in sales production. Most of her business comes from referrals and the lasting relationships she has built.
When she’s not immersed in real estate, Lily enjoys quality time with her husband, Phillip, their sons Justin (23) and Preston (29), and their dog, Lucky (3). Preston, her oldest son, lives in Hawaii with his wife, Myra, and their son Marcus, who turned one on July 8, 2024. Whenever their sched ules permit, Lily and Phillip visit them and spend as much time together as possible.
“If there were one thing I would want people to know about me, it’s how much I care. In my culture, we share, and we care. I’ve found Jacksonville to be very similar to Hawaii. The people are very similar. So, while I never thought I would uproot my family after 34 years in Hawaii—II was in my late 40s and established—I've learned to love it here. I’m super blessed with what I do here.”
If there were one thing I would want people to know about me, it’s how much I care.In my culture, we share, and we care.
