I am a Land Specialist: Rae Powell

Land is in My Blood. It’s my Living—and My Life.

Rae Powell, Land Specialist, Hayden Outdoors Real Estate

Put it in land, you can always walk on it.”

Where do you live? San Antonio, Texas

Where do you work? Hayden Outdoors Real Estate

What drew you to ranch and recreational real estate? As an animal health sales representative years ago in Wyoming, I met a ranch broker who worked with some of the most interesting people. I spent the next several years in corporate agriculture in various sales, marketing and management roles always thinking about a career in ranch real estate. I finally made the jump awhile back and have enjoyed every bit of it.

What makes the corner of the world where you work special? I work across most of the western half of Texas. I’d say my favorite part is the Hill Country. The popularity and growth driven by both tourism and new opportunities in boutique agriculture have made it a fun place to work. I still dream of the old days when ranch brokers worked with large producers and investors engaged in large farm and ranching operations. That’s obviously changed, but today I really enjoy helping land and agriculture newcomers get the most out of their investments.

What are the three most important tools in a ranch broker’s kit? Diligence, strong work ethic and a cell phone

If you could call anywhere on the planet home, where would it be? A good working ranch. . . . There’s so many out there, it’s hard to pick just one! Why? Because I value my roots in production agriculture.

What’s the most profound lesson you’ve learned from the land or its people? Take care of your land and it’ll take care of you.

Listener or talker? I strive to be a better listener.

If you had one extra hour of time per day, how would you use it? Flying

Would you rather be without Internet for a week or your phone? Internet

If you could give one sentence advice about how to live life, what would that be? Work with people you like and trust, and your job will be easier.

Describe your perfect work day. A strong cup of coffee, an early morning workout, then finding my clients their perfect piece of property

What is your most memorable deal to date? To date, my most memorable deal was a large federal government acquisition. I never really understood the complexities and nuances of dealing with the federal government. But I definitely learned more about lawyers and procedures in that one deal than I could have learned from a lifetime anywhere else. Sure makes me appreciate my day job!