Melissa Hladyniuk

Written by Dr. Kasia Suarez Photography By TresPiña Photography

MELISSA HLADYNIUK is a Mustang Island REALTOR® marked by leadership, motivation, and commitment. When she was in some tough places in life, people helped her pursue her dreams and create success. Now it is her turn to help others pursue their dreams. She pays it forward in many ways, but her favorite way is by providing her clients with the best real estate experience they can have.

Originally from London, Ontario, Canada, Melissa launched out into life on her own when she was 17. If there was an opportunity, she was there. She worked in the restaurant industry and delved into e-commerce. She learned about sales, marketing, and social media marketing. Melissa was very focused and disciplined because she was determined to succeed.

Her close friends saw her struggles and her victories and gave her unfailing support and encouragement. She also experienced the tangible goodness and kindness of people when the gentleman who owned her building provided seller financing. A close family friend also gave Melissa her personal credit card so Melissa could get her business started. The single mother and business owner had experienced a greater good helping her pursue her dreams, and she was determined to pay it forward.

She learned that just because a person came from a certain way of life does not mean they are doomed to stay there. Melissa stepped outside of her past experiences and continued her journey, this time as an entrepreneur. Owning and operating a spa out of the lower half of her Canadian home allowed Melissa to care for her young daughters while running her successful business. Each day she reaped the rewards of her solid work ethic.

When Melissa met Ryan, the man who is now her husband, they took several family vacations to Florida. She loved being by the water and dreamed of living on a barrier island and heading to work over a causeway, much like her many vacations to St. Pete Beach. In 2015, her husband accepted a position at the University of Texas at Austin Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas and the couple embarked on their journey to the United States. Melissa is still in awe that her dream of living by the water came true!

Since her husband was the only one granted a work visa, Melissa could not work for her first three years in the U.S. She still had a strong drive to help others succeed, so she started exploring options for her future. When her family moved to Corpus Christi, she realized that her experience in sales, marketing, e-commerce, and social media would be a good fit for the real estate industry. She reached out to Becky Corder at Port Aransas Realty and expressed her interest in volunteering to help with marketing and social media while she learned about real estate.

In 2018, Melissa obtained her permanent residency and followed through to become a REALTOR®. She is grateful for the mentorship of Keith McMullin, Suzette Freeman, and Becky

At the end of the day, being able to complete a transaction with RESPECT and INTEGRITY is the most important thing for me.

It is also important to Melissa to stay in communication with past clients. She says that client loyalty is important to her, and she follows through with aftercare. She always gives a welcoming gift and congratulates them on their new home. She also hosts client appreciation parties, and goes above and beyond, even installing cable boxes! She wants her clients to have a holistic experience. She pays it forward by doing more than is expected.

“Yes, there is money is at the end of every transaction. But having the ability to pull away from a deal is something my clients respect. At the end of the day, being able to complete a transaction with respect and integrity is the most important thing for me,” stated Melissa.

Corder brokers of Port Aransas Realty and Mustang Island Realty. Her real estate journey has not always been easy, but she says it is worth it. She says whenever she is thrown a curveball, she finds a solution and develops a plan so she can avoid it in the future.

Melissa has been working with Mustang Island Realty and Port Aransas Realty throughout her tenure. She says her broker’s loyalty and faith have allowed her to become the REALTOR® she is today, and she will never forget what he and the team did to help her dream become a reality.

Although others have tried to recruit her, she loves that Keith is available and that the team operates by the same ethical values she holds at her core.

Melissa takes customer service very seriously. She provides all the information to her clients as if they were buying their first home, even if they are not. She walks clients through the financial process, and all the important dates, in detail. She goes above and beyond when listing the home as well, utilizing social media, drone videos, and professional photography. She is constantly pushing herself to learn more and has huge plans to perfect that in 2022.

In her first year, Melissa received the Rising Star Award from her brokerage. She has been nominated for the Female Top Producer of the Year and Real Estate Influencer of the Year. Melissa closed out 2021 with $12 million in real estate transactions. She attributes much of her success to Keith’s mentorship in writing contracts, representing clients, and learning best practices. She is paying it forward by mentoring others.

Melissa is incredibly thankful for her family and knows she wouldn’t be successful without them. She is especially grateful for her husband who is her biggest supporter and picks up the slack by managing much of their household. She practices time blocking and plans to hire her first assistant soon. Melissa has big plans for paying it forward in 2022!