Exploring Life & Business with Daniel Grandfield of Elysian Pads

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Grandfield

Hi Daniel, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I have been a full time real estate investor for the last five years after working in the hospitality industry for over a decade. The first three years of my real estate journey consisted of mostly fix & flip renovations in San Diego. In 2023, I started the Full Service Mid-Term Property Management company, Elysian Pads, after I saw the demand in San Diego for longer term furnished rentals. I was already operating the properties that I owned here in San Diego as Mid-Term rentals (typically 3-6 month stays) and I was able to quickly scale to 50+ properties under management within 18 months of starting Elysian Pads. Today, we are growing our network to focus on housing tenants from the Department of Defense, insurance temporary housing, corporate housing and relocation companies serving all of San Diego.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
In year three of my real estate journey, I broke my collarbone during the middle of two fix & flip renovations. That drastically changed my day to day operations as I was doing most of the renovations myself. I was able to get one project completed & sold, but was not able to sell the second property. Three surgeries & one year later, this turned out to be a blessing as I kept that last property and it has been rented ever since as a Mid-Term rental. I currently manage 14 units in that same condo complex and it has been the catalyst for growing the Elysian Pads company & brand. Growing to 50+ units in 18 months had its struggles as well in terms of systems, SOP’s and hiring staff. Today we operate on a lean staff of three plus myself.

We’ve been impressed with Elysian Pads, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Elysian Pads is a full service property management company that specializes in Mid-Term rentals in San Diego. We have furnished housing from studios to four bedroom houses ranging from Imperial Beach to Oceanside! The majority of our tenants come from the Department of Defense, insurance temporary housing, corporate & relocation housing. We set ourselves apart by maintaining a 95+% occupancy annually across all our properties while receiving 1.5-3x the rental rates compared to the traditional long term rental market. We work hand in hand with our owners & tenants to make each and every reservation a memorable one.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
There are a few things that come to mind right away….hard work, dedication & hospitality. After working in a hotel for ten years and learning what true hospitality looked like, I have used everything I learned to create a memorable experience for every guest. I saw first hand how repeat business is the best business. The hard work & dedication to put in the long hours daily, seven days a week, week after week to grow that business & clientele base is not what most people will do. By continually trying to improve every aspect of each guest’s stay and every property, I feel as though this company has grown far faster than others who are not willing to sacrifice and put in that extra effort. All these combined have been critical in the success of Elysian Pads.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ElysianPads.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ElysianPads
• Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/ElysianPads

Image Credits
T Buck Springmeier – Click N’ Capture