North Fort Worth Real Producers - May 2023

TYLER KREIS GIVING IT AWAY

Photo by: Desiree Roberts Photography

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ATTORNEY

Sullivan Law Offices

Christopher Sullivan (214) 784-9900

sullivanlawoffices.com

BRANDED MARKETING MATERIALS

Lovehandle (281) 778-2051

www.lovehandle promo.com

BUILDER

Perry Homes, LLC

(972) 629-3900

perryhomes.com; brittonhomestexas.com

BUSINESS COACHING

Rialto Academy

(512) 743-4330

RialtoAcademy.com

CLIENT AND REFERRAL GIFTS

Board + Brie

(817) 693-1908

boardbriedfw.com

Buttermilk Sky

Pie Colleyville

(817) 581-7437

buttermilkskypie.com/ locations/colleyville/

COMMERCIAL ROOFING PROCO

(817) 975-5948

procoroof.com

FOUNDATION REPAIR

DW Foundation Repair

(817) 706-3430

HEALTH

Restore Hyperwellness & Cryotherapy

(817) 912-1550 Restore.com

HEALTH CARE COVERAGE

Impact Health

Stephanie Ziemann (817) 682-1356

HOME INSPECTION

Endeavor Real Estate Inspections

Chris Carathers

(817) 726-5333 endeavorinspect.com

Greenworks

(855) 349-6757

greenworksinspections.com

HomeTeam Inspection Service

(972) 400-7034

HomeTeam-DFW.com

Inspect360

(817) 754-0360

inspect360.com

Semper Fi Home Inspections, Inc.

(682) 351-2267

SemperFiHome Inspections.com

Super Team Services

Robyn Jordan

(940) 367-1708

superteamservices.com

HOME WARRANTY

Achosa Home Warranty

(817) 933-8707

www.achosahw.com

INSURANCE

Duren Jenkins Agency

(817) 445-0120 insurinwithduren.com

Jason Ridley Agency (817) 281-4500

jasonridleyagency.com

JUNK REMOVAL

Junkluggers of Grapevine, Irving & Denton

Rajagopal Ramanujam

(630) 470-8307

junkluggersofgid.com

MORTGAGE LENDING

Ameridream Mortgage Group, LLC

AmeriDreamMtg.com

Cardinal Financial Company, LP

(972) 777-5626 (LOAN)

TheBryanConnatser Team.com

Cherry Creek Mortgage

(817) 709-4683

NunisLending.com

Cross Country Mortgage

Corey Kastler

(817) 715-5637

crosscountrymortgage. com/THE-KASTLER-TEAM/

Edge Home Finance (972) 333-7360

www.NicktheBroker.com

First United Mortgage Group

(469) 629-0776

firstunitedbank.com

Movement Mortgage (469) 202-4195

LoanOfficerMark.com

Neighborhood Loans

(817) 501-4255

mikeprotono.com

OriginPoint

Dan Carson (512) 878-3047

Titan Lending, LLC (817) 290-3464

titanlending.com

MOVING COMPANY

Black Tie Moving North Fort Worth JC Caldwell (615) 900-2641

MOVING SERVICES

Firehouse Movers Inc

(972) 412-6033

firehousemovers.com

Stonebriar Moving Services

(469) 734-9000

stonebriarmoving.com

PEST CONTROL PROCO

(817) 975-5948

procoroof.com

PHOTOGRAPHY

Desiree Roberts

Photography

(972) 998-3133

DesireeRoberts.com

Katie Wallace Studios

(817) 688-8557

katiewallacestudios.com

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

American Real PM

(469) 620-0114

americanrealpm.com

RENOVATIONS

Renovation Sells Grapevine

(817) 646-5040

renovationsells.com/ grapevine

RESIDENTIAL ROOFING

PROCO

(817) 975-5948

procoroof.com

ROOFING

Alpha Roofing & Restoration

(817) 330-9250

roofbyalpha.com

K&M Services, Roofing & Construction

(817) 918-3940

kmservicepro.com

Tarrant Roofing

(817) 571-7809

TarrantRoofing.com

Texas Direct Roofing & Construction

(682) 408-8551 txdroofing.com

ROOFING & SOLAR

Rankin Roofing & Solar LLC

(469) 952-9151 rankinroofingandsolar.com

STAGE & DESIGN

Evergreen Staging & Design

Sherwood Wilson (817) 513-3141 x1 evergreenstaging.com

TITLE COMPANY

Alamo Title Company

Cory Turner (817) 896-8686 www.alamodfw.com

Boston National Title of Texas (972) 584-9660 bnttexas.com

Juniper Title, Inc.

Julia Mitchell (817) 358-9500 junipertitle.com

McKnight Title (817) 500-4146 www.mcknighttitle.com

Texas Excel Title LLC (817) 980-1018 TexasExcelTitle.com

Texas Premier Title (817) 577-5111

www.TXPrem.com

TRANSACTION COORDINATOR

Controlled Transactions

(817) 889-0864

controlledtransactions.com

VIDEOGRAPHY/ PHOTOGRAPHY

StudioUSA

(469) 955-5833 studiousa.live

WEBSITE DESIGN

MPC Studios Inc. (956) 423-2233 mpcstudios.com

WINDOWS

Glass Guru Southlake (817) 424-3500

theglassguru.com/southlake

MEET THE NORTH FT. WORTH REAL PRODUCERS TEAM

If you are interested in contributing or nominating REALTORS® for certain stories, please email us at lance.dunahoe@realproducersmag.com.

If you are interested in contributing or nominating REALTORS® for certain stories, please email us at lance.dunahoe@realproducersmag.com.

DISCLAIMER: Any articles included in this publication and/or opinions expressed therein do not necessarily reflect the views of The N2 Company d/b/a Real Producers but remain solely those of the author(s). The paid advertisements contained within the North Fort Worth Real Producers magazine are not endorsed or recommended by The N2 Company or the publisher. Therefore, neither The N2 Company nor the publisher may be held liable or responsible for business practices of these companies.

Missy Kremer Editor

Mark Fadden Writer

Dave Danielson Writer

Kareen Delos Reyes Administrative Assistant

Katherine Fondren Content Coordinator

Lance Dunahoe Co-owner

Julie Altemus Executive Director

Jordan Espeseth Founder/Co-owner

Landon Robinson Director of Client Relations

Desiree Roberts Photographer

Landon Day Photographer

Rick Davis Videographer

Jessica Nelson Social Media Director

THE INFINITE GAME THE INFINITE GAME

Have you ever thought about your mindset in regard to your business and life? Are you relational or transactional? Do you believe in collaboration or competition? Do you believe in abundance or scarcity? Are you short-term or long-term focused?

Depending on how you truly answer these questions will determine not only your enjoyment in your life and business but also how long your business will continue to succeed. Creating success in the short-term, and sustaining success over time, are two very different things.

Simon Sinek’s book The Infinite Game is a transformational book around this topic. He brings about the point that in business, most of the time, the pie is plenty big enough for everyone, and that we are better off focusing on how, collectively, we can grow the pie together, versus trying to take a crumb off your competitor’s plate. He says that if you embrace your competitors as co-players, you will start to develop a mindset of abundance over scarcity, which will in turn get you to focus on the big “why” in your business… more than the person next to you who is trying to “beat you.” This shift creates more success for you and your organization.

This focus on abundance over scarcity, and how that drastically alters our experience, is something I have been putting a lot of awareness around lately. Did you know we have something in our brains called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) that is a bundle of nerves at our brainstem that only allows important information to come through our brains and filters out the “unnecessary” data?

What is interesting is that there are billions of bits of data coming through our five senses at any given moment, and our brains can only process a tiny fraction of that information. This is where the RAS comes in. And, the data that gets allowed in, is determined by our beliefs. If you believe people are friendly, that is what you will see and experience. If you believe people are wicked, that is also what you will see and experience. If you believe there is abundance… you guessed it…you will live in a world filled with abundance. “Ask and you shall receive,” has never rang truer.

As we enter into the midway point of the year, I want to challenge you to look at your beliefs and how you are approaching your life and business. Some of you may realize that you have been allowing your RAS to show you a world that is making it more difficult for you to create the life you want. It is important to ask…are you playing the infinite game?

I hope to see you in the land of abundance!

Jordan Espeseth Founder/Co-Owner

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Forged in Fire

Leeanne Hackney would be the first to admit that she was more than a bit rebellious as a child.

“I went up a grade in math in elementary school, but school bored me,” Hackney said. “I was expelled in 8th grade for breaking a few rules. My parents homeschooled me for the rest of the year, but when I went back to school in the ninth grade, I skipped school a lot. I definitely did things the hard way for some time.”

rising star

Written by: Mark Fadden

Photos by: Desiree Roberts Photography

Originally from Flagstaff, Arizona, Hackney moved around quite a bit in her late teens to Texas, Montana, Seattle, and back to Texas. When she was 17, Hackney was emancipated from her parents. “Basically, my parents did not want to be held responsible for me as I pushed back against their rules and boundaries, and so they kicked me out of the house and had me legally emancipated,” she said. For the next year she was, for all intents and purposes, homeless. She bounced around staying with friends and the party crowd; a handful of times she had to contemplate a safe place to sleep outside if that plan didn’t work out. She eventually moved to Seattle on a whim, but after suffering a one-two punch of a massive panic attack followed by a severe kidney infection that led to a lengthy hospital stay, she decided to move back home to face the music.

“I started working to save money and make changes in my life but didn’t realize that I had some legal issues, because I had so many underage drinking charges that I had never dealt with,” Hackney said. She decided to turn herself in, and she spent ten days in jail. That’s when she knew she was finally ready to turn a corner.

She took college classes and met her husband in 2007. They moved to North Dakota for his job in 2008. She became a certified nursing assistant and took more classes to apply for the nursing program. She also worked in banking before getting pregnant and becoming a stay-at-home mom. With a husband in the oil and gas business, Hackney and her family moved a lot. One particular move made her recognize just how strong she could be.

“When our two boys were two and three years old, we took a relocation from North Dakota to Pennsylvania. My husband had to work through his off weeks while we sold one house, purchased and built another, and moved across the country. I pretty much had to orchestrate each piece of this move on my own with no support system to assist with my husband far away and two small children in tow,” Hackney said. “I really had to lean into my faith, and I quickly realized that there is no limit to what I can accomplish if I push past the discomfort into the rough waters and swim.”

When COVID hit, forcing her husband to be at home while many industries all but shut down, Hackney decided to leverage her ability to push through things no matter what and try her hand at the very first thing that she loved doing. “I loved looking at houses when I was a little girl. I would ride around my neighborhood and my friends’ neighborhoods on my bicycle and pull the flyers off of the for-sale signs in front yards of houses that were for sale,” Hackney said. “When my husband was home for a while, I thought there was no better time for me to get my real estate license, so I jumped in headfirst and got my license in two months. I’ve been at it full force ever since.”

Being in real estate full force means that she uses all of her life experiences to make sure that she understands her clients’ needs. “Customer service is key, which is a good amount of sales and customer care. I love getting to know my clients beyond just them needing a four bedroom, three bath house,” Hackney said. “That’s what I love about real estate … the emotional side.”

I really had to lean into my faith, and I quickly realized that there is no limit to what I can accomplish if I push past the discomfort into the rough waters and swim.

When she’s not helping her clients navigate through real estate deals, she spends as much time with her family and kids as possible. “We have a daughter, Hayleigh, who’s 17 and will be attending University of Arkansas next year. We also have three boys, Rylan, 10, Cayson, 9 and Lincoln, 3,” Hackney said. “We love to travel, and we took all four kids to Colombia last summer. I want them to experience all cultures and different types of people and really know to appreciate everyone and everything.”

She’s also mended the broken ties with her parents, so they are part of her life again. “I have a great relationship with my family now,” she said.

“I am grateful for all the hardships I have gone through, because they molded me and made me strong and compassionate and able to persevere. If I can make it from that to this, there is hope for anyone.”

Speaking of learning about different things and embracing the things that you learn at a young age, Hackney has a deep love of astronomy. Her fondness for it grew from spending time with her family at Lowell Observatory in Arizona, where Pluto was discovered.

“I would spend hours in the library reading college level textbooks about black holes, dwarf stars, and super giant stars when I was young,” Hackney said. “There’s just something about space, about its limitless appeal. It reminds you that no matter where you come from, you can do big things, take risks, and pursue dreams. You can be molded through big struggles and be better, stronger, and more successful for it.”

Were you, your broker, or the team featured in an issue of Real Producers?

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WHY DO I NEED THOSE?

These reprints are a professional marketing tool that can help brand you, your team and/ or your business.

• Use on listing appointments

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HOW DO I ORDER?

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rp vetted business spotlight

Written by: Mark Fadden

Photos submitted by: Leslie Riccitelli

L E S L I E

OF AMERIDREAM R I C C I T

E L L I

The Voice

Singing allowed Leslie Riccitelli to see the world at a very young age.

“I was blessed with a very unusual upbringing,” Riccitelli said. “At age six, I travelled the world in the ministry with my family for six years. I branched out and then travelled the world again as professional singer for nine years.”

Singing also taught her to build relationships with people. “It’s not the limelight, it’s that I get to make connections with people,” said Riccitelli. “Speaking and singing in front of thousands of people made me fluent in understanding people and how to relate with them.”

Being a singer didn’t just help Riccitelli get comfortable with being in front of large crowds, it also gave her a solid work ethic. “My family would go on these four and five-day long shows three to four times a month. We were running the entire thing, from setting lights to building the stage,” she said. Living such a fast lifestyle and growing up working hard quickly became normal to her and allowed her to graduate high school she was 14.

When she was old enough to be on her own, she moved to Nashville and lived there for five years where she sang, did voiceovers, made commercials, and learned to play several different musical instruments. “Knowing the right people at the right time, I made connections there and I was able to evolve my singing from gospel to country,” she said.

Soon, Riccitelli leveraged her people skills along with her knowledge of stage presence and singing to work for the Miss America pageant. She worked there for three years helping pageant contestants with choreography and producing the show. “I got to

let out my creative side with the choreography,” Riccitelli said. “I also got to teach other women how to be empowered and be strong women. I’ve always had a passion to help others. It’s what brings me joy and determination.”

Marriage and a move to Dallas made Riccitelli switch careers once again and she got into the aerospace industry where she worked for 12 years, first in sales at an aviation repair station and then moving into logistics. “I had customers all over the world, so that meant getting calls at all hours to facilitate millions of dollars in aviation parts getting to where they needed to go,” said Riccitelli. When she got pregnant with their third child, Riccitelli realized that schedule wasn’t going to work, and something else happened that made her understand she couldn’t handle such extreme hours any longer.

“I was diagnosed with severe preeclampsia while pregnant with my third child. After almost two months of strict bedrest at the hospital during COVID and not being able to see my family or kids, my body had enough and was giving up,” Riccitelli said. After an emergency c-section, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl weighing 1lb 10oz. Paris Celine Riccitelli was three months early and came out breathing on her own.

“Nurses and doctors called her the miracle baby,” said Riccitelli. “During this challenging time,

Photo by: Aravaggio Photography

the owner of AmeriDream Mortgage showed his true colors by offering help and making sure my family and I were okay. At this moment, I decided this is the kind of company I want to work with. They proved that people mean more than the circumstance. So, in January 2021, I officially started at AmeriDream Mortgage and have loved every day since.”

Besides Paris, Ricitelli and her husband Chris, have two other children; Scarlett age 6, and Enzo, age 4. Instead of trying to get everyone out of the house to spend time together, they enjoy time at home with family movie nights. “We make homemade popcorn, eat candy, and drink hot cocoa cuddled up on the couch. These are memories that are hard to forget when you slow down and love on each other,” she said. “It sounds cliché, but I love spending time with my family. I love to see their own personalities take form and to laugh with them.”

When the whole family does venture outside the house for adventure, one of their favorite destinations is Disneyworld. “I never got to go as a kid, so now we go at least once a year,” said

Riccitelli. “It’s so much fun to watch my kids and their reactions. I think it makes us more childlike and real people. We get so caught up being mature. Things like going to Disneyworld brings real life back in perspective.”

Perspective is also Riccitelli’s driving force at work. “As a mortgage loan originator, I get to help people into their dream homes on a daily basis,” Riccitelli said. “AmeriDream has a great reputation for not turning away loans. What I mean by that is, for challenging loans we always provide a plan to get our clients where they need to be to fulfill their goals. While the W2 borrower loans are exciting and easy, we have a niche for complicated loans such as Jumbo or Self-Employed business owners that require thinking outside the box and persistence with following through to the end. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!”

I’ve always had a passion to help others. It’s what brings me joy and determination.

WHICH REAL PRODUCERS TERRITORY

WHICH REAL PRODUCERS TERRITORY ARE YOU A PART OF?

ARE YOU A PART OF?

REAL PRODUCERS IN THE DFW METROPLEX

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

Fort Worth Real Producers

Dallas Real Producers

North Fort Worth Real Producers

Written by: Mark Fadden

Roberts Photography

TYLER KREIS GIVING IT AWAY

Tyler Kreis knows you can’t have a milliondollar dream with a minimum-wage work ethic. He also knows that in order to be successful in real estate, he’s got to give a lot of his knowledge away.

Photos by: Desiree

WE WIN WHEN OUR CLIENTS WIN.

Being a manufacturer’s sales representative and helping large brands like Blackstone, Riddell, Proform, and Voxx Electronics sell products to major retailers taught Tyler Kreis the one thing that would become the foundation to his real estate career.

“Relationships are everything when it comes to sales.”

Working as a manufacturer’s sales representative also made him realize that many factors can work against you when you’re trying to work a deal. That’s when a solid relationship with a client means everything.

“Multiple manufacturers may be competing for the same shelf space. If you can’t beat them in quality, cost, or turn time, you focus on relationships. People want to work with people they enjoy talking to and trust,” Kreis said.

Growing up in Bedford, Kreis graduated from Trinity High School. He was fortunate enough to play college baseball for a year before tearing his UCL. After a year of rehab, he made the decision to get his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at UTA.

“My past taught me how to stay hungry and always grind,” Kreis said. “I am not someone that dwells on the past, because there is no changing it. All we can do is learn and move on.” That mindset served him well went he hit a dry spell at his job and had to make a tough decision.

“I didn’t get paid for three months. It left me confused and angry. I had been flipping houses on the side with my father-in-law, who was a real estate broker, and he told me to get my license,” Kreis said.

While he enjoyed flips and rehabs, Kreis wasn’t sure about being a REALTOR®. “The first few months after being licensed were hard, and I had to lean on credit cards and borrowed two mortgage payments from my mom,” he said. “However, I didn’t have the option to quit; I had to grind every day.”

In his first year, Kreis sold over $5 million. He was able to pay his mom back and make a dent in his credit card debt. “Real estate provided me an opportunity to live the life I always wanted,” he said.

While he owes his start and opportunity in real estate to his father-inlaw, who was also his broker at the Westrom Group, he began the new year by starting his own firm, TK Realty, where he focuses on what else? Relationships.

“I love the process of finding my clients the perfect house,” said Kreis. “It’s exciting to see them light up when they enter their dream house. From there, it’s my job to win them the perfect house.”

He also leverages his experience flipping houses to help them see beyond the scratches and the dents that come with almost any house purchase. “I love negotiating repairs! I love walking into a house and being able to dissect it. That allows me to not terrify the client. They may see a new paint job as a huge $20,000 cost. I can show them that it’s

not that; it might be $4,000 and I can also show them how much they may have to pay per foot, because I’ve done it hundreds of times.”

Family is the reason why Kreis gets up each day to do his best. Together with his wife, Taylor, Kreis has two young boys: Tatum and Trevor. They work hard to make sure their boys are well provided for and also know the importance of family.

“I never want money to be the only reason my boys can’t receive the best education, medical treatment, play multiple sports, or do whatever hobby they are into,” Kreis said. “My wife and I met in high school and have been together ever since. We are going on 16 years of being together and have been married since 2015. We love hanging out with family and friends, going out to dinner, and traveling. Our favorite places to travel are Broken Bow, Chicago, Fort Morgan, and to a little town called Ocheyedan, Iowa, where, among the 500 people that live there, I’ve got family.”

Starting a new business and raising a young family might make other some

people want to hold on to every lead, every contractor’s name, and every client with a tight grip. Instead, Kreis’s mindset is to do the exact opposite.

“I don’t teach the scarcity mindset to my clients,” he said. “There are 30,000 realtors in DFW and everyone has that special thing and no one is willing to share it. I’m willing to give it away. If something is working, like a great lead source, lender, or contractor, we’re an open book. If something can help someone else, we give it away.”

Kreis’s inspiration to share his knowledge and information came from a meeting with the founder of Kinko’s, who offered him the advice to give away best practices and contact information. “Our business is different because we believe all parties in a transaction need to win. Our goal is to create offers that work for both the seller and the buyer. The highest isn’t always the best. I teach our agents to work with other agents to create an offer that checks all the boxes. We win when our clients win,” said Kreis.

He also loves to take on challenges – like opening up his own brokerage – that scare him just a little bit.

“The reason I love to snow ski is because it terrifies me. Every time you get off a lift, you are on a completely new surface and anything can happen,” said Kreis. “That’s also why I am excited about opening a new brokerage. This is uncharted territory for me, and it’s terrifying. I want to be remembered for being a person who took his own path and never stopped trying to improve.”

MY PAST TAUGHT ME HOW TO STAY HUNGRY AND ALWAYS GRIND.

Bryan joined the mortgage business in 1994

Bryan has been in the "Top 1% of all Originators" nationally every year since 2016, as listed by Mortgage Originator magazine.

The Bryan Connatser Team was voted the Silver Award winner in the Best in DFW People's Choice Awards, by The Dallas Morning News for 2022 in November.

Bryan has been named Best Mortgage Professional by D Magazine every year since 2016, and PLATINUM PRODUCER in 2020 & 2021.

CHRISTY

Hart

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE FOR NOW!

Christy Hart has some advice for all of us: “It’s never too late for your

Hart has been a court reporter, an administrative assistant, a pharmaceutical sales representative, a personal trainer, and an interior decorator prior to becoming a Realtor.

“You could accurately say that I ‘reinvented’ myself often before becoming a REALTOR®! I happily know that selling real estate is what I will always do going forward. I love telling people that I started this career in my

Hart has always loved anything to do with houses and decorating and wanted to be a Realtor for many years. But with five kids, she knew that she couldn’t devote the time needed to give her clients the attention they deserved.

“I was ‘that person’ who went to open houses and home tours, even when I wasn’t in the market to move,” Hart said. “When my youngest was a senior in high school, I knew the time was right and I jumped in with both feet. Best decision ever!”

Born and raised in a small town in southern Indiana, Hart and her family lived a simple life with priorities of family, faith, and being a good and kind person. She had her first job when she was only 13 and learned early on that nothing in life is free but that hard work and a positive attitude makes just about anything possible.

“I credit my past for my strong work ethic, my love of helping others, and for my desire to be the best I could be in each and every job,” she said.

It is quite possible that Hart would still be living in southern Indiana if it weren’t for a job she took very early on with a major pharmaceutical company. “The person I worked for eventually became president of the company, and I was his administrative assistant,” said Hart. “As part of my job, I would sometimes travel to major conventions and was exposed to so many people and places that I may not have seen otherwise.”

She met her husband at this same company, which was relocated to the east coast and prompted their move to Princeton, New Jersey. While there, Hart secured a promotion to being a pharmaceutical sales rep, but it was a short lived career change.

“Our next move was to the Chicago area a couple of years later when my husband was promoted. I would have been in his reporting line as a rep, so instead of changing jobs, we decided I would leave the company,” Hart said. They had their last child and Hart stayed home for his first year but quickly realized that she missed working outside the home. “I started working part time in my other careers, which would allow me to have the flexibility to continue to be ‘Mom’ first,” she said. While she credits her pharmaceutical job with broadening her horizons, she never did anything to compromise her

family first mindset. “As my world became larger, so did my hopes and dreams,” Hart said. “But never at the expense of knowing what was truly important in life.”

Besides having five grown children, Hart has three sons-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and ten grandchildren … so far! And even though everyone is spread out across multiple states, it’s top priority for all of them to spend as much time together as possible.

“We always rent a big house on a beach for spring break and then typically everyone comes to Texas in the summer and again at Christmas,” said Hart. “Even though we always manage to have lots of fun, all that really matters is that we are together.”

Being a grandmother, Hart also juggles other multiple mini trips to see her grandchildren. She’s made quick trips to see them participate in sports, star in a play, celebrate birthdays, and even be there for Grandparent’s Day at preschool. “Seeing them frequently is a must in my book, and I make sure I have the systems in place so nothing misses a beat for my clients,” she said.

Speaking of clients, when Hart isn’t spending time with family, one could probably find her on the tennis court, where she estimates more than 50% of her business comes from.

AS MY WORLD BECAME LARGER, SO DID MY HOPES AND DREAMS. But never at the expense of knowing what was truly important in life.

“I am such a people person, and it’s so fun when clients become friends. I become very personally invested in my clients and really do want to make all of their real estate dreams come true,” Hart said. “I feel that my clients quickly learn they can trust me with what is often their largest financial investment and feel confident that any advice or direction I offer is truly what I consider to be in their best interest.”

Hart sees herself as being a partner with the clients she serves. “I love using my background as a decorator to help my sellers get top dollar by staging their home to appeal to the masses, and I also love helping my buyers see past the less than desirable furniture, paint colors, etc. and envision what a house we are touring could look like,” she said. “It is very important to me that every client feels that I am available to them, that I am listening to them, and that their goals quickly become my goals.”

In her Hart, (pardon the pun) she believes that integrity, honesty, and hard work is the foundation of a great business that allowed her to produce $32 million in sales last year as a solo agent. “When you add in kindness, compassion, and the highest level of service, you have the mantra for the Hart of Texas Realty Group,” Hart said. A mantra that is reflected in her favorite quote from Maya Angelou:

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

I AM SUCH A PEOPLE PERSON, AND IT’S SO FUN WHEN CLIENTS BECOME FRIENDS.

I become very personally invested in my clients and really do want to make all of their real estate dreams come true.

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE FAQ

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 2021.

In 2022, Tarrant Real Producers split into two publications, North Fort Worth and Fort Worth Real Producers. Fort Worth Real Producers launched in August 2022!

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, and 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 of 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 for 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.

inspirational agent

Written by: Mark Fadden

Photos by: Desiree Roberts Photography

Kimberly Rae Brown

The Early Bird

Growing up watching her mom be a real estate rockstar, Kimberly Rae Brown thought she had it all figured out.

“I was always a mini version of my mom, so when she became an agent I very naturally followed in her footsteps,” Brown said. “I used to think being a real estate agent was all about wearing pencil skirts, cute clothes, and showing fancy houses. Boy, was I wrong!”

Brown graduated from Rockwall Heath High School a semester early and went to the University of North Texas to get a bachelor’s degree in business with a focus in real estate. Not only did she graduate in two and a half years, but she did so while holding down multiple jobs, which provided her an education about how to treat her future clients.

“While in high school and college, I worked in both retail sales and as a babysitter a few days a week. In January of 2013, I passed my

real estate license exam and worked part time as an agent under my mom, Debbie Brown. I also worked part time at the front desk and continued full-time in college with 18 hours of coursework, so that I could graduate in the spring,” Brown said.

“The biggest thing I learned from working in retail sales was how to connect with all types of people. I learned everything else from watching my mom care about her clients and work hard to do the best she could for them.”

After graduating college, Brown threw herself into her work and her volunteer efforts. She had become a volunteer leader to a group of fifth grade girls at Lakepointe Church in Rockwall the summer after her freshman year, and she continued to lead them in various capacities during this time as they began to enter their middle school and high school years. But while she led these girls by being a positive role model on the outside, there was something nagging her on the inside.

“Looking back over this time of my life, I really sought my worth in my relationships with friends and whoever I was dating at the time. I did not lead by example,” said Brown. “How I was living my life was not one I would encourage the girls to live themselves.”

While Brown was struggling with some inner turmoil during this time, she also lost one of the most important people in her life. “In September of 2014, we lost my Mamaw, my mom’s mother, to ALS. She was the sweetest person with a laugh that I will never forget. The slow process of ALS drew out the pain, and when she passed, I once again ran away from my feelings and right into the arms of people, finding comfort in relationships,” Brown said.

In 2015, she got into a new relationship and focused so much on it that she completely isolated herself from everyone and everything else. Her work began falling behind, and she put her clients on the back burner.

I enjoy working with my buyers and sellers directly, helping them with some of the biggest assets and decisions in their lives. I get a lot of joy in being a part of their lives and not just part of a onetime transaction.

“After just a few months, the relationship was breaking, and so was I,” said Brown. “I was spiraling into a depression, bailing on church and on my leadership responsibilities and shutting out everyone around me.” Still, she was able to put on a good face while her world inside was falling apart. “I kept up a smiling face on social media while feeling broken beyond repair on the inside,” she said.

Late at night on July 30, 2015, she got in her car and just started

driving. Pain and loneliness were overwhelming her.

“I remember like it was yesterday. I was driving for hours, searching for answers and running from pain. At 2 a.m., I was driving along this country road and ran off the road into a row of trees. I wish I could say it was an accident, and for a long time I stuck with that story,” Brown said. “But the truth is, it wasn’t. I wanted to feel the pain. I wanted to suffer on the outside like I was on the inside. It was a cry for help.”

She had hit rock bottom. But in that moment, Brown made a decision that would ultimately save her life in many ways.

“I surrendered my life back to Jesus,” she said. “I was saved as a child and accepted God’s greatest gift of grace and salvation in elementary school. But I lived one foot in and one foot out with God for 15 years. But that night, I decided to go two feet in, full surrender. Alone and stuck on the side of the road trapped in the trees, I asked Jesus to take over.”

That event changed the entire trajectory of Brown’s life. Instead of seeking her identity in her relationships with others, she now knows her true identity, as someone who was saved by grace and created with a unique purpose.

“I really thought that my purpose was being the highest level of agent, with a huge team and making a ton of money. But in the last few years, I’ve realized that is not my path,” Brown said. “I enjoy working with my buyers and sellers directly, helping them with some of the biggest assets and decisions in their lives. I get a lot of joy in being a part of their lives and not just part of a one-time transaction.”

She also has a much healthier approach to the relationships in her life. These days, when she’s not working, you might find her outside playing pickleball, hiking, biking, paddle boarding, or traveling with her best friend Emily. She also leads a women’s bible study twice a month and she started seminary school in January.

“One of my gifts is hospitality,” Brown said. “I love doing just about anything that lets me use that gift, especially when I get to love on and encourage other women in various life stages, careers, and seasons.”

SIGNATURE EXPANDED BANK STATEMENT

Allows self-employed borrowers to qualify with alternative documents instead of tax returns.

SIGNATURE EXPANDED ASSET QUALIFIER

Allows high net worth borrowers to qualify solely off their assets (no income required).

SIGNATURE EXPANDED FULL DOC

A near-miss product to help provide coverage to borrowers who may not meet Agency or Prime Jumbo guidelines.

SIGNATURE EXPANDED INVESTOR CASH FLOW

Allows real estate investors to finance an investment property by using the property's gross rent to qualify instead of the borrower's personal income.

SIGNATURE EXPANDED ALT DOC - 1099

A reduced doc program that allows a borrower to qualify off the average of 1099 income instead of tax returns.�