Fort Worth Real Producers - January 2023

Photo by: Desiree Roberts Photography

REAL PRODUCERS TEAM FT. WORTH MEET THE

Lance Dunahoe Co-Owner

Julie Altemus Executive Director

Landon Robinson Director of Client Relations

Jordan Espeseth Co-Owner

Kareen Delos Reyes Administrative Assistant

Lanie Schaber Ad Strategist

Katherine Fondren Content Coordinator

The

Renee Hart

Desiree Roberts

Photographer

Missy Kremer Editor

Jessica Nelson Social Media Director

Landon Day

Photographer

Dave Danielson Writer

Mark Fadden Writer

PREFERRED PARTNERS

This section has been created to give you easier access when searching for a trusted real estate affiliate. Take a minute to familiarize yourself with the businesses sponsoring your magazine. These local businesses are proud to partner with you and make this magazine possible. Please support these businesses and thank them for supporting the REALTOR® community!

BANK / MORTGAGE / FINANCIAL SERVICES

Amarillo National Bank - (Ft Worth) (682) 354-2700 ANB.com

CLIENT AND REFERRAL GIFTS

Board + Brie (817) 693-1908 boardbriedfw.com

COMMERCIAL ROOFING PROCO (817) 975-5948 procoroof.com

EASY OWNER FINANCING

TL Global (281) 818-5471 easyrealtormoney.com

FINANCIAL PLANNER

Edward Jones Jay Brown (817) 459-0018 edwardjones.com/jaybrown

HOME INSPECTION Inspect360 (817) 754-0360 inspect360.com

HOME WARRANTY

Tarrant Roofing (817) 554-2196 tarranthws.com

INSURANCE

Liberty Mutual Insurance (817) 898-6187 LibertyMutual.com/Agent/ Tracy-McNeil

LAW FIRM

Harris Cook Law Firm (817) 275-8765 harriscooklaw.com

MORTGAGE LENDING

Cardinal Financial Company, LP (972) 777-5626 (LOAN) TheBryanConnatserTeam.com

Cherry Creek Mortgage - The Jefferson Team (817) 602-0348 TheJeffersonTeam.com

PEST CONTROL PROCO (817) 975-5948 procoroof.com

PHOTOGRAPHY DayDream Photography Landon Day (817) 983-1204 daydream photography.net

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

American Real PM (469) 620-0114 americanrealpm.com

RESIDENTIAL ROOFING PROCO (817) 975-5948 procoroof.com

ROOFING

Tarrant Roofing (817) 571-7809 TarrantRoofing.com

Texas Direct Roofing & Construction (682) 408-8551 txdroofing.com

TITLE COMPANY

Alamo Title Company - Southlake (817) 896-8686 AlamoDFW.com

Capital Title of Texas (817) 343-5911 CTOT.com

Fair Texas Title (602) 421-6417 fairtexastitle.com

Yellowstone National Title, LLC (817) 473-3332 www.yellowstonetitle.us

WINDOWS & SIDING

Tarrant Windows & Siding (817) 571-7809 TarrantWindows.com

ESPE Awards The

& WELCOMING 2023

On Nov. 17, 2022, we had the Second Annual ESPE Awards. And the verdict? It was AMAZING! We had almost 700 people in attendance, the room was set up beautifully, the people all looked dazzling, connections were being made, smiles were on people’s faces, and awards were given to well-deserving people … it truly was a fantastic evening. Something my team and I are very proud of.

Now, don’t get me wrong — there’s absolutely room for improvement, and we learned a lot of valuable lessons from this year’s event. Luckily, nothing too major, but lots of

relatively simple things that we can put into place for next year to take this event to the next level. Lessons such as testing the presentation clicker from the stage (… come on, Jordan), finding a way to speed up valet, having even MORE bars and bartenders, including healthier food options, trying out your new shoes before the event (my heels have never been so torn up from shoes), and other small things that would make the awards ceremony flow more smoothly.

I am certainly not a perfectionist by any stretch of the

imagination; however, I have come to learn I am pretty hard on myself and always strive for excellence, which can be good at times … but also not so good if I don’t keep myself in check. Where I beat myself up is that these things mentioned above could have been so easily fixed with a little extra attention to detail and awareness. Where I get excited is that the things mentioned above will be so easily corrected that I know next year we will nail them, and the event will go from great to incredible!

It is crazy to me that it is already 2023! I say it every year, so I will say it again … where does the time go? Our January issue is the last magazine that those who made the Top 500 for 2022 will receive. We have pulled the new numbers based on your MLS sales production volume from all of 2022, and those of you who made the Top 500 again will continue to get the publication moving forward for the next 12 months, receive our new “2023 Top 500” logo, get access to the events, and have the possibility of being featured at no cost to you. Exciting!

I want to thank all of you for helping make 2022 the best year of my life. Truly, from the bottom of my heart … thank you! It is an honor to lead this organization and to spend time with such incredible people daily.

My team and I are extremely excited to take the lessons we learned from last year to make 2023 the next best year of our lives!

Happy New Year!

Jordan Espeseth Owner

jordan.espeseth@n2co.com

WHICH REAL

PRODUCERS

TERRITORY ARE YOU A PART OF?

REAL PRODUCERS IN THE DFW METROPLEX

WHICH REAL PRODUCERS TERRITORY ARE YOU A PART OF?

A Quick Look at the Different DFW Real Producers Markets

Real Producers in the DFW Metroplex

A Quick Look at the Different DFW Real Producers Markets

Real Producers has 100+ franchises nationwide and there are four in DFW alone. In each of these markets, we pull the top 500 agents based off annual residential MLS sales volume. Where your broker address is located will determine which publication is for you. This map shows the territories for each of the four DFW franchises. If you are a top-500 agent in any of these markets, you will be receiving a publication every month and have the possibility of being featured at no cost to you!

Real Producers has 100+ franchises nationwide and there are four in DFW alone. In each of these markets, we pull the top 500 agents based off annual residential MLS sales volume. Where your broker address is located will determine which publication is for you. This map shows the territories for each of the four DFW franchises. If you are a top-500 agent in any of these markets, you will be receiving a publication every month and have the possibility of being featured at no cost to you!

North Dallas Real Producers

North Fort Worth Real Producers

Dallas Real Producers

Fort Worth Real Producers

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

Real Producers magazine started in Indianapolis in 2015 and is now in over 100 markets across the nation and continues to spread rapidly. Real Producers first launched in DFW in August 2018 with North DFW Real Producers (now called “North Dallas”). In May 2019, Dallas Real Producers launched, and then Tarrant Real Producers in March of 2021.

In 2022, Tarrant Real Producers split into two publications, North Fort Worth and Fort Worth Real Producers Fort Worth Real Producers is launching with the August 2022 issue!

Q: WHO RECEIVES Real Producers MAGAZINES?

A: The top 500 real estate agents in each of the four markets in DFW based on their MLS production for the previous year. Refer to the map in this publication for the exact territories. If your broker address is within that given territory and you are in the top 500, you will receive that publication for the year. There are approximately 60,000 licensed real estate agents in DFW. The list will reset at the end of every year and continue to update annually.

Q: WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THIS MAGAZINE?

A: We believe that we are better together. When we surround ourselves with other successful, like-minded people, we grow to new heights. Real Producers is a platform that brings together the most elite individuals in DFW real estate.

We take the top 500 real estate agents and RP-vetted businesses in every market, and we build an exclusive community around that group. We share their stories, successes, market trends, upcoming events — really, anything that will connect, inform and inspire, we put in our monthly publication.

Q: DOES Real Producers HAVE EVENTS?

A: Yes! Each community will have two main events a year, and then we do a combined event at the end of the year, which is an awards gala called The ESPEs. For these events, we invite the top 500 real estate agents and our RP-vetted businesses. Top 500 agents are allowed to invite members on their team as well. These events are an incredible opportunity to connect with the best of the best in DFW real estate. It is amazing to

see the power in the connections made at these events. Be on the lookout for your exclusive invites!

Q:

WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR BEING FEATURED IN THIS MAGAZINE?

A: It’s really simple. You have to be on the top 500 list, and we take nominations seriously. You can nominate other real estate agents, businesses, brokers, owners or even yourself! Office leaders can also nominate real estate agents. We will consider anyone brought to our attention who is in the top 500 because we don’t know everyone’s story, so we need your help to learn about them. We cannot guarantee a feature, but we encourage you to meet with one of our team members, support Real Producers and attend our private events to increase your chances.

You can email your nominations to jordan.espeseth@realproducersmag.com.

Q: WHAT DOES IT COST A REAL ESTATE AGENT/ TEAM TO BE FEATURED?

A: Zero, zilch, zippo, nada, nil. It costs nothing, my friends, so nominate away! We are not a pay-to-play model. We share real stories of Real Producers.

Q: WHO ARE THE RP-VETTED BUSINESSES?

A: They are one of the best businesses in DFW in their category, and you can find them listed in our index! We don’t just find these businesses off the street, nor do we work with all businesses that approach us. One of many of the top real estate agents has recommended every single business you see in this publication. We won’t even meet with a business that has not been vetted by one of you and “stamped for approval,” in a sense. Our team will further vet every business to make sure they are a good fit and bring value to our community. Our goal is to create a powerhouse network, not only for the best real estate agents in the area but the best businesses, as well, so we can grow stronger together.

Q: HOW CAN I RECOMMEND A BUSINESS?

A: If you know and want to recommend a business that works with top real estate agents, please email us to let us know at jordan.espeseth@realproducersmag.com.

LIVING THE DREAM

REALTOR® on the rise

Flor Alvarado came to this country wanting a better life. Now she’s the one making lives better for everyone around her.

Flor Alvarado was just 18 years old when she decided that it was time to take a chance on America. “I lived in Chihuahua, Mexico, and while it’s a beautiful place, I wanted a better life,” she said. She had family members in Fort Worth, so she made the journey north to come and live with them while she began planning the next stage of her life. “I didn’t know the language, so I began taking English as a second language (ESL) classes. I also started working as a babysitter and a housekeeper to make ends meet,” said Alvarado.

As an undocumented worker, Alvarado’s job prospects were few and far between. She kept babysitting and cleaning houses for 20 years, but she knew in her heart that she was meant for something more. “I decided to get my GED, regardless that I was still undocumented and very fearful that registering for classes might open me up to getting deported by the authorities. I knew that getting an education was the way forward,” said Alvarado. While both she and her husband Jorge, who was a landscaper, were good citizens who contributed to society, fears of police and immigration authorities were always top of mind. “We never took vacations because we feared getting stopped on the highway. In fact, every time I would see a police car, I feared that we would

get pulled over and sent back to Mexico,” Alvarado said. During this time, she and Jorge had three children, who were all U.S. citizens by birth, which meant another layer of anxiety. “As an undocumented parent, you are sent back to your home country, but if your kids are American citizens, they stay here,” Alvarado said. “You cannot come back to visit them. You must wait for them in Mexico, and that was one of my fears.”

As a mother of a U.S. citizen, Alvarado had the opportunity to establish residency in the U.S. While it took years to go through the painstaking bureaucratic process, Alvarado not only attained residency, but she had a new goal in mind: a college degree. “I decided to go to TCC and began taking core college classes. It wasn’t easy since I had never attended college before. I didn’t know the language very well, and at 40 years old, I was much older than the typical college freshman. But I was very excited to be learning and doing something for myself. I couldn’t believe that I was going to college in America!” she said.

Always having the desire to help people, Alvarado started out as a psychology major, but going to

Written by: Mark Fadden Photos by: Desiree Roberts

school part-time meant that it would take 20 years to fulfill all the requirements to earn a psychology degree. “I truly believe that God uses people as angels that deliver us messages from time to time,” said Alvarado. “I was constantly asking God to help me to find a career that I could use to serve Him in some way. That’s when a friend suggested that I change gears and take classes to become a REALTOR®. So, I registered at the Champions Real Estate School.”

At Champions, Alvarado once again felt like she was a bit out of place. “When the instructor asked us why we wanted to become real estate agents, many of my fellow students said that they wanted to become rich or travel the world. When I said that I wanted to help others, many of them

laughed,” she said. But that’s when another angel revealed himself to her. “The young man sitting next to me told me, ‘Don’t worry. I know exactly what you’re trying to say.’ That gave me the confidence to realize that I was doing this for all the right reasons and that it was what God wanted me to do with my life.”

Alvarado quickly passed all the requirements needed at Champions and became a real estate agent. But being the goal-oriented person that she is, she already had a new goal in mind. “I could have remained a resident, but I decided to become a U.S. citizen because I love this country, and I am very appreciative because it has given me so much,” Alvarado said.

As part of her citizenship application, Alvarado had to prove that she would

be a good citizen, which meant providing years of tax records, and proof that she was an upstanding person that was contributing to society. She also had to learn all the information that would be on the 100-question citizenship test. “I am a very dedicated person, and I had an attorney guiding me so I could pass my exam,” said Alvarado. “I also met with Father Manuel, the pastor at my church, and he said to do as you have done your whole life and trust in God. I passed the exam in five minutes, and I was as proud as I could be. As soon as I walked out of the immigration office, I cried, thanking God, because, for the first time, I felt like I was walking on my very own land.”

Today, Alvarado continues to work with Keller Williams and owns her own business, Flor Alvarado Realty Group LLC, where she and her team of five REALTORS® help hundreds of families, many of whom are Hispanic, navigate the complexities of buying and selling real estate.

“Nothing is more fulfilling to me than helping others,” Alvarado said. “My motto is ‘I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).” As for her classmates who once laughed at her desire to help others while serving God? Well, she hears from them from time to time. “They ask me for advice,” said Alvarado. “One of them even contacted me to sell her nephew’s house for him.” And what of the young man who gave her those fateful words of encouragement back in real estate school? Alvarado sees him almost every day. “He works in our office helping all the agents with dayto-day operations. I never told him that his words had such a tremendous impact on my life and that they helped inspire me to chase after this dream job, but now I think I will,” she said.

Oh, and by the way … his name is Angel.

Nothing is more fulfilling to me than helping others.

Heidi&Gilstrap Fair Texas Title

rp vetted business spotlight

Written by: Dave Danielson

Photos by: Desiree Roberts

Solid Success Made for the Long Run

While we all appreciate those times when there are unexpected moments of triumph, there’s no replacement for the feeling that comes with results that are made to be replicated through time.

That’s the way of doing business that is alive and well at Fair Texas Title.

Branch Manager and Escrow Officer Heidi Gilstrap, and her team, are driven by having the chance to work with their partners and clients to achieve solid success that’s made for the long run.

“I love the longevity I have with my cus tomers and team,” she says. “I’ve been doing this for a while, and it’s really rewarding to have those relationships where you have full trust and work together and work toward what’s best for the customers and transactions.”

Team Difference

A big part of the happiness that Heidi feels is from working with her team of professionals.

“I have wonderful customers, and it’s an honor to work with them. They are my friends. That is a privilege, and it brings a lot of joy. It makes everything really great.”

A big part of that is the leadership from Britt Fair. “I really appreciate him,” she says. “He is a good man and a man of his word, and he treats everyone with the utmost respect. He is always there for his employees. He is involved in our company functions and knows a lot of our customers firsthand. I worked with him prior to joining the company, and that trust goes a long way.”

Heidi is quick to shine the spotlight on her team, including Business Development Representative Clint Blackwell (who is also Heidi’s brother).

“We have worked together for 20 years, and he does a great job. He really cares for our customers,” she says.

Other members of the team include Randa Lindsey, escrow officer; Darlene Daniel, escrow officer; assistants Amber Potter and Samantha Ciccarelli; and receptionist Kiyah Fleming.

“We really care about each other in our office, and we are there to help each other. That’s one thing that is really unique about our office,” Heidi explains. “We have longevity. It’s really solid, and we really are there for each other and our customers.”

Tireless Focus

At the forefront of the team’s efforts is a strong commitment to taking care of priorities and maintaining a tireless focus on client needs.

“They trust me. My hope is that everyone sees the way we care, and we want to do the best we can by all parties … with open, honest communication.”

Family Highlights

Away from work, life is made much richer for Heidi by her family, including her husband, David, and their children — 23-year-old Noah; 22-year-old Bryce; 20-year-old Kiyah; and 10-year-old Jack.

In her free time, Heidi has a love for running. Travel is also a big favorite.

Faith is also an essential part of life for her and her family. With that in mind, they treasure their involvement with Christ Chapel Church.

Heidi is also an adoption advocate and likes becoming involved with various fundraisers over time.

Made for This

When you talk with Heidi, her best comes shining through with a sense of genuine trustworthiness and honesty.

Those qualities, along with her tireless sense of purpose for those she serves, make a vital difference in the community that she loves.

“It’s a great community with friendly, professional, loyal, and genuine people,” Heidi points out. “We love being part of the growth here.”

Contact Fair Texas Title Today! Email: Heidi@FairTexasTitle.com Cell: 682-433-7555

It’s a great community with friendly, professional, loyal, and genuine people. We love being part of the growth here.

THE SECOND ANNUAL AWARDS GALA

Presented by DFW Real Producers

ESPE event recap

by:

Peek,

The Second Annual ESPE Awards did not disappoint! Wow. What another incredible event to remember! We had nearly 700 people in attendance, celebrating at the Plano Event Center on Nov. 17. And we had over 12,000 people vote on the ESPE Awards this year! The entire event was such a blast!

The Winners: Rising Star of the Year — Chase Duran Spirit Award — Holly Oestereich

Most Inspirational Story — Matt and Renee Beaver Rise and Grind — Travis Hitt Ultimate Connector — Pam Heinrich Social Media Superstar — Kaitlin Lindley Best Cover of the Year — Brian and Tisha White World Changer — Shannon Patterson Icon Award — Josh Harley Leader of the Year — Russell Berry Team of the Year — Nick Good and The Good Home Team RP Vetted Business of the Year — Shaddock Homes Remmy Award — Heidi Marsh

The Groomsman Award — Ben and Jason Espeseth

Huge congratulations to our ESPE winners! You are all very deserving of these awards.

I want to thank all of our RP Vetted Businesses that make Real Producers what it is today. A special shout out to those of our partners that went above and beyond by sponsoring this event — it wouldn’t have been able to happen without you!

To the endless real estate agents who continue to love and support Real Producers … my team and I are forever grateful to you all. You are the lifeblood of this community, and we appreciate each and every one of you so much.

I don’t know about you, but I am counting down the days to the Third Annual ESPE Awards!

Thank you all,

Photos

Scott

Scott Peek Photography LLC and Jin Kim, URSPECIAL

Jordan Espeseth Owner

cover story

Written by: Mark Fadden Photos by: Desiree Roberts

Kim Pratt Pratt

Kim Pratt’s real estate experience started in high school. While she’s had a few jobs in other industries, she realized that building a real estate business would give her a platform to make the greatest impact.

It’s often said that we’re a product of our environment. Sure, we’re born with certain genetics, traits, and abilities, but external factors such as culture, socioeconomic status, and who we choose to spend our time with all affect the type of people we become. For Kim Pratt, there were several instances in her life when someone was there who left a big impression, and each time, she was smart enough to listen to their lesson.

“I have always been a hard worker,” said Pratt. “I got my first job when I was 13 years old, throwing newspapers for the Dallas Times Herald. I was one of the only female newspaper couriers in the entire company.” When the route next to hers came open, she discussed taking it over with her dad. “If I took it, I would have the largest route in Dallas County delivering 235 newspapers a day,” Pratt said. After they discussed the pros, like the extra money, and the cons, like the bigger workload that would take up more time in her day, Pratt took on the extra route. Her dad not only helped her to make the decision but also helped her deliver the newspapers in their Ford Ranchero with wood paneling on the sides. She used her paper route money to buy a Datsun B210 hatchback, which she then used to get her back and forth to not one but two jobs she held down while

Coming Full Circle

attending DeSoto High School. One of those jobs would be her first experience with real estate.

“When I was 16, I was working at the local Safeway grocery store, but I felt I could handle another job.” One day, Pratt was in the high school counselor’s office when she noticed a request from a local real estate agent for office help. She contacted the agent and was hired. “I ran errands and did other normal office tasks, but I also got a taste of real estate,” Pratt said. “This was before computers were a big thing, so I had to help keep up the agent’s real estate book and check out keys to show a house. It looked nothing like how real estate works today.” After high school, Pratt drove her Datsun out to California, where she got a job working for Disney in their Imaginary division. “From creating and engineering the rides to making sure that all of the set pieces in the various shows worked together, the Imaginary division is responsible for making everything happen,” she said. After she worked for Disney, she then stayed out in California and worked at a startup insurance company. Missing her family, she decided to head back home to Texas, where she met, or should we say re-met, her future husband. “The first day back in Texas, I attended my best friend’s wedding. I know it sounds cheesy,

but I looked across the crowded reception hall, and I saw Shawn,” said Pratt. “We started talking and quickly realized we had a spark we needed to reignite from when we had met years before in the sixth grade. We also both graduated in the same class from DeSoto High School.”

A short time later, the two married and started a family. When a good friend’s parents put their investment property on the market, Pratt used the knowledge she gained from her part-time job back in high school to run the numbers and put in an offer. “We didn’t really have extra money, but I thought it would be a good investment,” she said. “The sellers gave us the chance to buy the property owner-financed, so we bought it. We then started out looking for tenants and got very lucky. Eighteen years later, we still have the same property and those same original tenants.”

Buying that investment property also re-ignited Pratt’s interest in real estate. When she and Shawn went looking for their second property, it led to a job working for the sales manager at Ryland Homes. From there, Pratt then earned her REALTOR® license and went to work for Century 21 Judge Fite, where she built a team of nine agents. When the opportunity came to take her team to the next level with NextHome, she and Shawn went all in and purchased their own franchise.

“I’m proud to say I have been married for 28 years to Shawn and get to spend every day working with him as a co-owner of our office and an agent on our team. He loves to say I am his boss 24/7!” Pratt said. Along with their son Preston, who’s been working with them since he graduated high school, Pratt has grown their office to three office locations and 25 agents. “We’ve made some key hires and partnerships and are looking to continue to grow our company by expanding to different areas and adding more amazing agents,” said Pratt. “We do that by cultivating a positive culture and being a magnet for people whose personalities are the right fit.”

One positive thing they’ve done is creating a charity called Flipping Blessings so that they could not only donate to their local community, but they could see their work and donations in action. “We call it Flipping Blessings because we feel blessed, and we want to flip our blessing back to others. This will be our third year that the charity is up and running, and we are set up to be hyper-local in helping our community,” Pratt said. Flipping Blessings works to support several other local charities and with the organizations at high schools to coordinate for families in need to provide things like Thanksgiving meals and holiday gifts.

When she first started out with NextHome, Pratt’s business grew from 10 agents to 25 agents in two months. While numbers like that are impressive, it’s the people behind the numbers that make it all worthwhile for Pratt. “Over the years, I have loved helping our clients find their first home, move up to new ones and downsize,” she said. “As the years have gone by, being able to help past clients a second and third time and even their children make purchases … it makes my heart happy. And now, as owner of the brokerage, I am in love with being able to help agents hit their goals and watch them grow!”

We do that by cultivating a positive culture and being a magnet for people whose personalities are the right fit.

BETH

The Power of Kindness

agent feature

Written by: Mark Fadden

Photos by: Desiree Roberts

BETH KELLY’S WORLD REVOLVES AROUND ONE WORD: KINDNESS. NOT ONLY HAS THAT SINGULAR FOCUS PAID OFF FOR HER BUSINESS, BUT IT HAS ALSO PROVIDED HER WITH A LIFETIME OF HAPPINESS.

I wish I had kept count of how many times the words “kind” or “kindness” came up during my interview with Beth Kelly. But keeping count really isn’t Kelly’s thing anyway. “If you asked me how many closings I had this month, I couldn’t tell you,” she said. “But if you wanted to hear the stories behind those transactions and how unbelievable it feels to help my clients reach their real

estate dreams, then I could tell you about every single one.”

Her focus on helping people and being kind is something that Kelly has always championed, even as a real estate agent just starting out. “I never really fit the mold,” she recalled of the time when she worked at a big agency. “They gave me a playbook and told me that if I wanted to be successful, then I needed to follow it,” Kelly said. “I ended up my first year being runner up in the Rookie of the Year award standings, but it wasn’t because I followed what they told me to do. In fact, I did the exact opposite.” While the agency told her to follow specific systems based upon making a certain number of cold calls and hosting a specified number of open houses, Kelly did what she had done her whole life. “I focused

on helping other agents in the office,” she said. “I noticed the established agents often had more work than they could handle, so I made myself available to them. Anything that they needed to do, I would help them. No task was too small.” One of these agents had a lead in Frisco and didn’t want to take it, because he didn’t typically conduct business there. “I was willing to go anywhere to help a client buy or sell a house. I still work that way,” Kelly said. “I not only worked with that client in Frisco, but he was an investor who bought eight more houses with me in Arlington. He also hooked me up with several other investors, as well.”

For Kelly, real estate isn’t just a way to give back and help others. It’s also a way for her to keep a strong

connection with her dad. “One of my dad’s last business ventures, before he passed, was being a real estate agent, and I often helped him,” Kelly said. “He was always in sales, and no matter the business, all the customers loved him. My dad was friendly and willing to do whatever was needed to help his clients. He taught me that approach, that the focus is not about how much money you could make. It’s about giving 110% to your clients and being kind. Whenever I go to a closing, I take a moment to pause to give thanks and think of my dad and his inspiration.”

As a UNT graduate with a degree in journalism, Kelly is very aware of the power of words. They are intentional, and they can be used to lift us up and help us when we need them the most. So when it came time to open up her own brokerage, she had the perfect name for it. “Kind Realty,” she said. “Not only does the word itself stand for how we will treat our clients, but it’s also an acronym for our team’s four beliefs. In every transaction, we will be knowledgeable, innovative, noble, and diligent.”

Having the word ‘Kind’ displayed so predominately on the brokerage’s

yard signs has also given Kelly and her team a fair amount of business over the years. “That word resonates with people, and the signs generate a lot of calls,” Kelly said. “I remember that I had a sign at a property in Lake Worth and got a call from a lady. She didn’t want to see the property; she wanted to talk about why I chose the word Kind for my brokerage. I ended up going out to her house to chat, and I saw that she had all these signs in her house with sayings about kindness. I ended up representing her in seven transactions over the years.”

Kelly continues to break the mold when it comes to running her brokerage. “I have always worked on a referral business and do not purchase leads or advertising. I also don’t have any social media,” she said. Another component that she has chosen to work without is a transaction coordinator. “I personally help all my clients from the beginning to the end of every transaction,” Kelly said.

Beyond real estate, Kelly is always trying to spread the word about the power of kindness. She maintains a website called the “Be Kind Project” that promotes ways to be kind to others. “We spread kindness three ways,

through volunteering in groups with quarterly acts of kindness, posting ‘Be Kind’ signs in the community, and engaging in random acts of kindness throughout the year,” said Kelly.

As far as what the future holds for Kelly, you can be sure that she will always be campaigning for kindness. “I am hopeful that my professional life will continue to bless me with opportunities to help others with their real estate needs. I’m also hopeful that I can continue to grow my Kind Realty brokerage and inspire more agents to focus on helping people and being kind in the real estate industry,” she said.

“In my personal life, I am hopeful my family will continue to be happy and healthy. I am also hopeful that my family will continue to grow.” In case they read this article, that’s a hint to her four children to get started working on grandkids. Kelly already has grandparent names picked out for her husband, Pat, and herself. Pat’s is Bear, and hers is Bunny because, you guessed it, bunnies just seem to be so kind.

IN MY PERSONAL LIFE, I AM HOPEFUL MY FAMILY WILL CONTINUE TO BE HAPPY AND HEALTHY. I AM ALSO HOPEFUL THAT MY FAMILY WILL CONTINUE TO GROW.

LOUIS PACHECO

inspirational agent

Written by: Mark Fadden Photos by: Desiree Roberts

The next time that you think there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done, think of Louis Pacheco. As a Dallas police officer at night and a real estate agent during the day, Pacheco is a master of time management. When his night shift ends at 4 a.m., Pacheco gets home by 4:30 a.m. and sleeps until 9 a.m. Then, he wakes up and starts working on helping his clients buy and sell homes all over DFW. “I don’t sleep a lot,” he said. “I’ve always worked a lot and worked crazy hours.” In fact, when we spoke on the phone, he was up early in Las Vegas after flying out at the last minute to pay his respects to a fallen officer as part of the Brotherhood for the Fallen. The national organization sends two officers from each chapter to an officer’s funeral to not only pay their respects but also to offer monetary donations to the family.

Pacheco’s hard work ethic can be traced back to his grandfather. “My father passed away when I was a young

boy, so I was raised watching my grandfather as my male role model,” he said. “My grandfather served in the United States Army, and I remember that he always had worked. He had a very strong work ethic and hardly ever took a day off. My grandfather was someone I could count on, and even though it was unspoken, I knew that my grandfather would do anything and everything to make sure his family never went without.”

While his grandfather was a positive role model in his life, Pacheco was still a rudderless ship as a young man. “I was 19 years old and had no discipline, no motivation. I was enrolled in community college, but I never went. I was too busy drinking and partying every week,” he said. His grandfather saw that Pacheco lacked direction, but he also knew that he wouldn’t be the one that could make his grandson get back on the right path.

Fortunately, he knew the right man for the job. “The majority of my

family members are veterans. One of my uncles, who was a major in the Army, kept in touch with my mom and my grandfather, and he heard from them that I was having a hard time finding direction in my life.

He lived in Florida and flew in one weekend to try and help me figure things out. He told me about how much the Army could help me find the discipline and the motivation I needed. I thought it sounded like a good idea, so he took me to an Army recruiter himself and made sure that I signed up that day,” said Pacheco. “If it wasn’t for that moment in my life, I would have probably ended up in jail. Joining the Army was the best decision I ever made. It truly saved my life.”

A day doesn’t go by that Pacheco isn’t thankful for what the Army gave him. That’s why he’s dedicated himself and his business to those who serve.

“Ninety percent of our clients are veterans and first responders,” Pacheco said. He also tries to educate them on

By night, Louis Pacheco helps keep Dallas safe. By day, he’s helping veterans and first responders safely navigate the complex world of real estate.

the complexities of buying and selling a house. “The Dallas Police Officers Association graciously lets me use a meeting room in our building to give quarterly housing seminars to officers. I start out by giving them a broad explanation of the home-buying and home-selling processes, about how to find the right agent and lender, and how staying in touch with all of the people involved in the process is key,” Pacheco said.

In addition to helping his fellow veter ans and first responders learn more about real estate transactions, he goes the extra mile when it comes to the financial component. “We make sure to work with lenders and title companies that offer financial incentives for veterans and first responders. My team also offers incentives as well when a veteran or a first responder buys or sells a home with us,” said Pacheco. “Beyond that, we make char itable contributions to veteran and first responder nonprofits.”

When Pacheco isn’t working, he loves nothing more than spending time with his family. His daughter attends UTA and will graduate this year. His youngest boy is 11 years old, and his middle child is a freshman at Redland Junior College in Oklahoma, where he plays baseball and is an aspiring country music singer. “For his high school graduation, I got him a guitar,” Pacheco recalled. “He started playing it at the graduation party, and then he started singing. My jaw just dropped; I never knew he could sing!” That summer, Pacheco’s son spent every weekend outside Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth playing for tips. “The first time he did it, he came home with almost $400. He’s very disciplined. If he wants to do it, he’ll do it,” said Pacheco. Sounds like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

We make sure to work with lenders and title companies that offer financial incentives for veterans and first responders.