“I’m an opportunist, so if I see an opportunity I’ll take it.”

Payne Sharpley is the living definition of forward motion in Silicon Valley real estate. A native

Texan who landed in the Bay in the fall of 2020, Payne now works the Valley’s high-stakes

corridors with the Joe Velasco Group at Coldwell Banker Realty. He didn’t inherit a playbook or

a pipeline — he built both with stubborn grit and a bias for action that keeps paying off.

“I am so grateful for Joe Velasco for his mentorship, leadership, and style. Being at the #1

individual producing office in NorCal, I’m surrounded by greatness,” Payne begins. “It’s hard for

me to take credit; it’s those who have helped along the way and given me opportunities.”

Leap And Learn

Payne didn’t chase real estate; it chased him. “I was actually sold by an ex-mortgage and real estate broker who was my landlord,” Payne recalls with a chuckle. “Once he learned that I was fluent in Chinese, he sold me on this dream that I would be some sort of ‘superstar’ if I became a Realtor.”

The pitch landed because of timing and possibility.

“I come from a place of very little opportunities, and being the opportunist I am, I figured ‘Why

the hell not give it a shot?’” Payne adds.

He obtained his license in late 2023 while in a demanding managerial role in operations at a

Chinese-American startup, working twelve-hour days, six days a week. Eventually something

had to give.

“I had no interest in operations, I only wanted to improve my Chinese skills so I stayed for

almost three years until making the full-time leap to real estate in March of 2024,” Payne

remembers.

But the early learning curve in sales was steep and humbling: “It took me a while to learn my

market and I fell on my face 50 times before I got my first offer accepted,” he admits.

Momentum Shift

A chance conversation at an open house turned Payne’s career around.

“A lender, Eddie Garcia, introduced me to Joe Velasco after hearing me speak Chinese at one

of my listings in Los Gatos,” Payne recounts with a grin. The follow-up sealed it. After speaking

with Joe for over an hour at his Intero Cupertino office, Payne joined his team a week later in

August 2024.

Then came a decisive, risky bet on himself. “I had only closed three deals and I was down to my last $5,000,” Payne recalls. Instead of playing safe, he doubled down on activity, putting

everything on the backburner and sent out 6,000 handwritten mailers to the tune of $3,800.

“I felt a world of doubt around me. Within two months though, that $3,800 had netted me a

total of $140,000. That’s when I figured out I am on the right track and with the right people!

“I will never forget the feeling of Wendy Kandasamy calling me to tell me we were ratified,” he

continues. “I've never had that feeling again. It was surreal.”

That stretch turned a corner and confirmed the power of mentorship, while Payne carried

forward the lessons aggressively.

“I only went with Joe on two listing appointments. That was it! I remember recording one of

them and listening to it over and over again,” he shares. “I applied Joe’s business model directly to how I conducted business and saw instant success.”

Relentless Edge

Payne’s secret sauce is a mix of volume, precision, and speed. He’s unapologetic about the

hours he works, clocking 18-20 hours most days. “That’s what I’m willing to do,” he shrugs.

“Based on where I come from, I don’t have anything to fall back on or have anything handed to

me.”

He’s fluent in Chinese and uses that advantage daily. Half his clients are Chinese; the other

half come for the same reason — delivery. He also doesn’t make excuses; he performs.

“I bring a different level of energy to the table. I am 100 percent confident in every deal I walk

into that I will close,” he asserts. “I have an unrealistic optimistic mindset.” And he earns trust

fast with transparency and ‘credibility building.’

“At open houses, for example, I tell the visitor(s) something, good, bad, and ugly about the

property. Good is great, bad has a solution, and the ugly has a solution. This builds trust and

credibility immediately in my experiences,” he shares, “but it's all about your delivery and

conviction; I will probably have something new next week.”

The rest is people and pace. A natural networker, Payne takes pride in the reputation he’s built

with other Realtors and considers this one of the most important things he has done in his

fledgling career. “I’ve learned the hard way to never negotiate with someone that is not your

friend,” he advises.

And when the door doesn’t open?

“I am proactive every day in the field and move quickly; but I also get over rejection and

objections quickly,” he states.

Perspective helps too: “There’s a saying in Chinese which translates to ‘All beginnings are

difficult.’ But my favorite Chinese saying translates to: ’Perseverance, through the good times

and bad.’ It is a constant reminder that no matter what the outcome is, keep going, one step at

a time.”

A Bright Future

Looking ahead, Payne’s goals are clear and aggressive: he aims to keep doubling his

production every year until it’s no longer feasible and aims to retire by 40 with savvy

investments. A big fan of “The Art of the Deal,” Payne thrives on negotiating to deliver results

and doesn’t see that changing anytime soon.

He’s open to possibly forming a team someday down the road if the timing is right, but could

also see himself going in the direction of development or exploring other ventures in real

estate.

And for anyone second-guessing their own path, Payne offers some words to live by: “Just set

a goal, show up, take risks, and work your butt off,” he concludes.