Mobile Bay Real Producers | May 2023

Limited

time

on certain new D.R. Horton homes.

5.50% Fixed Rate FHA Mortgage

3.5% down payment required.

Based on a FHA 30-Year xed rate mortgage with a sales price of $325,000, a loan amount of$319,113, up front mortgage insurance premium of 1.75%, and a monthly payment of $2,287. Total monthly payment includes principal, interest, estimated taxes, mortgage insurance, homeowners insurance and HOA. Rate also available for VA and USDA loan programs. SBC #9505.

6.665%APR

9102Independence Ave., Daphne, AL 36526 251-316-5449│dhimortgage.com

5. 75 % drhorton.com

Fixed Rate Conventional Mortgage

5% down payment required.

Based on a Conventional 30-Year xed rate mortgage with a sales price of $325,000, and a loan amount of $308,750, and a monthly payment of $2,111.

Total monthly payment includes principal, interest, estimated taxes, mortgage insurance, homeowners insurance and HOA. SBC #9506.

5.

65%APR

HOA = Homeowne s Association FHA = Fede a Housing Administ ation VA = U.S Departmen of Veterans A airs USDA = U.S Depa tment o Agriculture SBC = Standby Commitment REV: 04/02/23 Expires on the close by date listed above.

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!

ATTORNEY - REAL ESTATE

LD Holt & Associates, LLC

LD Holt

7581 Spanish Fort Blvd. Spanish Fort, AL 36527 (251) 937-4111

LDholt.com

BUILDER

DR Horton (251) 447-0329 drhorton.com

CABINETS/CUSTOM

Jimmy Stocks Woodworks

James Stocks

10251 Gayfer Road Fairhope, AL 36532 (251) 895-5524

FLOORING & DESIGN

Prestigious Flooring and Design LLC

Garrett Scarberry (251) 802-0363

prestigiousflooringand designllc.com

FOUNDATION REPAIR

MDH Foundation Repair

Shannon Reichart

108 5th Street, Daphne, AL 36526 (251) 375-0565

mdhfoundationrepair.com/

GLASS & SHOWER DOORS

The Glass Guru of Mobile

Wyatt Gerald

220 Portside Blvd. Suite A Mobile, AL 36695 (251) 287-1562

theglassguru.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT/ MAINTENANCE

All Inclusive Maintenance

(251) 509-4618

aimremodels.com

HOME INSPECTION

Crum Home Inspections

(251) 281-7387

www.crumhome inspections.com

Home Boss Inspection

Riaan du Plessis 323 De La Mare Ave, Suite 9 Fairhope, AL 36532 (251) 230-9595

www.HomeBoss Inspection.com

ProComp Home Inspections

Billy Coley

P. O. Box 603 Loxley, AL 36551

(251) 367-3196

procomphome inspections.com

HOME WARRANTY Old Republic Home Protection

Todd Powell (850) 543-1512 x1

www.ORHP.com

HVAC SERVICES

Don Hembree Heating & Air (251) 259-4664

hembreeac.com

HVAC/PLUMBING

Hansen Heating & Air

Chad Setchell (251) 471-3047

Hansenair.com

INSURANCE AGENCY

Coastal Insurance Group, LLC

Kurt Wielkens 3660 Dauphin Street, Suite A Mobile, AL 36608 (251) 344-9898

www.coastalinsgrp.com

Goosehead Insurance (251) 999-6931 wigginsflock.com

Lynne Ernest Insurance, LC (251) 971-3622

LENDER

Clear Mortgage

Kenneth Harter

(251) 282-6894 clearmortgage.com

Holland Mortgage Advisors

Tiffany Bradley (251) 219-4043

HMAmortgage.com

Movement Mortgage

Richard C Hampton 4851 Wharf Parkway Suite D-228 Orange Beach, AL 36561 (251) 270-4482 movement.com/ chad.hampton

MOLD AND ODOR

REMEDIATION

AdvantaClean

Jimmie Newton 25421 Hwy. 181, Suite 103 Daphne, AL 36526 (251) 776-4669 advantaclean.com

MOVING/DELIVERY/ STORAGE

All My Sons Moving & Storage (251) 313-5898 www.allmysons.com/mobile/ index.aspx

Motivated Movers

28225 N. Main Street

Daphne, AL 36526 (251) 621-0063 getmotivatedmovers.com

PEST SOLUTIONS

E3 Termite & Pest Control

Mike Adams 20040 Hwy 181 Fairhope, AL 36532 (251) 850-7378

E3pest.com

Proshield Termite & Pest Control

Michael Hayes (251) 776-2362

Southeastern Exterminating (251) 402-0264

PHOTOGRAPHY

Deep South Focus Photography

Jon Jeffress

233 Suzanne Circle Mobile, AL 36608 (251) 421-0517

www.deepsouthfocus.com/

POWER WASHING

Prestige Power Washing

John Lankford 14194 Sierra Court Summerdale, AL 36580 (251) 213-8313

ROOFING SERVICES

Professional Roofing & Construction (251) 680-7500 prorc.org

SIGNS & GRAPHICS

Fast Signs Pauline McKean 4668 Airport Blvd. Mobile, AL 36608 (251) 279-0747 fastsigns.com

SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

Southern View Media (251) 517-9425 southernviewmedia.com

STAGE & DESIGN

Show Homes, Mobile - Baldwin

Kim Odom 82 Plantation Pointe Fairhope, AL 36532 (251) 622-5004

TITLE COMPANY MLJ Escrow (251) 968-5586 www.mljtitle.com

Springdale Title, LLC Diane Brookerd 1501B Highway 98 Daphne, AL 36526 (251) 270-4500 springdaletitle.com

VIDEO PRODUCTION/DRONE SERVICES

EyeSky Video & Photo, LLC

Stephen Hinds 297 Beall Lane Daphne, AL 36526 (317) 727-2919 eyeskyvp.com

VIDEOGRAPHER Adobe House Media Production

Lew Thomas 27940 Bay Branch Drive Daphne, AL 36526 (251) 454-0004 adobehousemp.com

publisher’s note

By Robert Orso, Owner

Events, Connections & Followings Events, Connections & Followings

It is always awesome to be a part of something that is significant and beneficial to you personally and professionally. We find a lot of satisfaction, gratitude and often profit by being a part of a community.

Most of you know that Real Producers is a national franchise with platforms and top Realtor communities in over 120 US markets. Mobile Bay Real Producers launched in this market in April 2020. Since then, we have worked and endeavored to build a close community made up of the top producing Realtors and your business partners who advertise and support your magazine and social events.

We hosted our most recent private social event on May 1 at the Mercedes-Benz Dealership in Mobile and the feeling of community was extraordinarily strong. You can watch the video recap on our Mobile Bay Real Producers Facebook and on our Instagram Page @MoblieBayRealProducers page to get a sense of how the Top Realtors who attended felt about the event.

The banner that is on the front cover of every issue is “Connecting, Elevating, Inspiring” top Realtors. That is our mission.

Who are the members of the community we build? The top producing Realtors in the market. Those Realtors who have not reached top status are also watching and inquiring about how they can be a member. And the business partners who to a large degree gain most of their business from Realtor referrals and want to develop relationships with you top Realtors and increase the number of referrals. Even if they are already extremely busy and do not think they need to advertise makes no difference. The important thing is that they join the community and support the Realtors who are sending them the line share of their business.

How do we build and maintain the community? By providing a forum for you all to tell your stories. I know by talking to many of you that you have worked with other agents on the other side of transactions, that you have never met and know truly little about. We give you the opportunity to meet them in our magazine, learn all about them, and hopefully learn what has made them so successful. Our private social events are icing on the cake as you get to meet one another and improve your collaboration in the future.

For all of you top Realtors (Real Producers), this is a community without costs. We never ask you to pay for the magazine or the articles that are written about you. As I meet with Real Producing Realtors, I only ask for two things in return for what we do. First, I ask you to make our social events a priority and attend them if possible. We have all had functions that we did not feel we had the time or energy to attend, but we went anyway, and once there we had a fun time. I guarantee you will enjoy the Real Producers events.

Secondly, I ask you to refer me or introduce me to your best and trusted service providers (vendors). Some of them you may think are already remarkably busy, but that has nothing to do with anything. It is all about joining the community that supports their businesses.

I want to give my sincere thanks to all of you who have become an enthusiastic member of the Mobile Bay Real Producers community. I appreciate your participation and positive feedback. Our community is already big, and I look forward to the excitement and engagement growing stronger.

Three ways to connect with the Real Producers Community of Top Performers

1. Friend request and follow us on Facebook at Mobile Bay Real Producers

2. Follow us on Instagram @mobilebayrealproducers

3. Join out private Facebook group Mobile Bay Top 300 Real Estate Agents & Vetted Businesses

We're Motivated to Move Your Clients!

ABOUT THIS MAGAZINE

Welcome to Real Producers! Some of you may be wondering what this publication is all about, which is why we have created this FAQ page. Here, we will answer the most commonly asked questions from around the country regarding our program. My door is always open to discuss anything regarding this community — this publication is 100% designed to be your voice!

Q: WHO RECEIVES THIS MAGAZINE?

A: The top 300 agents in the Mobile Bay Area. We pulled the MLS numbers (by volume) from Jan. 1, 2021, through Dec. 31, 2021, in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. We cut the list off at number 300, and the distribution was born. For this year’s list, the minimum production level for our group is $7 million in 2021. The list will reset at the end of 2022 for next year and will continue to update annually.

Q: WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR BEING FEATURED IN THIS MAGAZINE?

A: The process is simple. Every feature you see has first been nominated. You can nominate REALTORS®, agents, affiliates, brokers, owners, or even yourself. Office leaders can also nominate real estate agents. We will consider anyone you bring to our attention because we don’t know everyone’s story, and we need your help to learn more.

A nomination currently looks like this: Email us at robert.orso@realproducersmag.com with the subject line “Nomination: (Name of Nominee)” and explain why you are nominating the individual. Maybe the person has an amazing story that we need to tell, or perhaps someone overcame extreme obstacles, is an exceptional leader, has the best customer service, or gives back to the community in a big way. The next step is an interview with us to ensure a good fit, and then we put the wheels in motion for our writer to conduct an interview and for our photographer to schedule a photo shoot.

Q: WHAT IS THE COST TO FEATURE A REALTOR®, AGENT, OR TEAM?

A: Zero, zilch, zippo, nada, nil. The feature 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 PREFERRED PARTNERS?

A: Anyone listed as a preferred partner in the front of the magazine is a part of this community and will have an ad in every issue of the magazine, attend our quarterly events, and be a part of our online community. We don’t just find these businesses off the street, nor do we work with all businesses that approach us. One or many of you have recommended every preferred partner you see in this publication. We won’t even meet with a business that you have not vetted and stamped for approval, in a sense. Our goal is to create a powerhouse network for the REALTORS® and agents in the area and for the best affiliates so we can grow stronger together.

Q: HOW CAN I RECOMMEND A PREFERRED PARTNER?

A: If you have a recommendation for a local business that works with top real estate agents, please let us know. Send an email to robert.orso@realproducersmag.com.

brokers in charge

By Jill Clair Gentry

Jimmy & Sue Lyon say constant innovation and forward-thinking are the keys to a successful brokerage

It takes a special couple to successfully work together managing a business every day. Jimmy and Sue Lyon, brokers at EXIT Realty Lyon in Mobile and Baldwin counties, say working together in real estate for over 20 years has been a blast.

“We always knew we wanted to work together,” Jimmy says. “We live together, work together and play together. We’ve been married for 33 years, and I like to say every day is a honeymoon.”

Jimmy is a big-picture thinker, always planning and creating opportunities. Sue is the day-to-day manager of their company, paying attention to details and ensuring the business runs smoothly.

“Something we do really well together is taking problems in the real estate industry and figuring out ways to work through them creatively,” she says. “We are very inventive and don’t mind taking calculated risks to work through issues that can pop up. We really think outside the box, and we rock the boat by doing that sometimes. But we both believe if you’re not moving forward, you’re backing up.”

That drive to innovate and solve problems is a perfect match for EXIT Realty.

The Lyons purchased the first EXIT franchise in Alabama in 2002 after hearing a presentation about EXIT’s unique business model.

Photography by James Avera, Avera Design

“It was intriguing that you could leverage your time by simply inviting an agent to join EXIT Realty anywhere in the U.S. or Canada and earn residual income (in addition to your own commissions) plus there are retirement and death benefits,” Jimmy says. “That’s what sold me on EXIT.”

Sue, was impressed with EXIT’s understanding that agents are the assets of the company as well as

everyone being so positive and helpful — right up the leadership ladder to Founder Steve Morris.

The EXIT real estate philosophy, known as the Five Pillars of Success, sums up the heart of EXIT. Those five pillars are training, branding, technology, culture, and financial security.

“With training, we show agents the whole gamut of the real estate

industry,” Sue says. “Everyone owns their own business inside this business, but we are here to coach and mentor. We teach agents how to sell real estate, of course, but also how to treat their business as a business. We are also big on personality assessments (DISC) so we can learn how to sell to all personalities in a way that is comfortable to every customer. We have online training 24/7, lunch and learns, sales meetings, training, and classes almost every day through our local offices.”

Branding is typically done at the brokerage level, but Sue says at EXIT, each agent also learns how to brand themselves. This goes hand-in-hand with technology, which is essential in today’s real estate industry. EXIT’s technology is designed for the human behind the device, not the device itself. EXIT associates have access to Smart Sign TM Technology so that no buyer lead is left behind.

“Consumers want instant access to photos, pricing, etc., but don’t always want to talk with an agent, so with our text codes they get instant information, and we get their number to follow up,” Sue says. “It’s a great lead generator too. Another of EXIT’s tools (all free to our agents) are buyer guides and seller guides, automated listing presentations, agent websites, and the secure electronic signing platform, Dotloop.”

Culture is what brings and keeps agents at EXIT.

“We are an empathy-oriented company where leadership is accessible and available and everyone has a vested interest in each other’s success, much like a family,” Jimmy says. “This is also evident with our hardworking staff who are there to assist the agents in every way. EXIT gives back, too!

To date, the Spirit of EXIT’s dollar-for-dollar matching program has

We are an empathy-oriented company where leadership is accessible and available and everyone has a vested interest in each other’s success, much like a family.

pledged $6M to charity. EXIT really is a company with a heart.”

The final pillar, financial security, is what really sets EXIT apart, Sue says.

EXIT’s unique 10/7/5 business model creates opportunities for real estate agents that Sue says do not exist anywhere else in the industry.

“With EXIT, agents don’t pay any desk fees, and they can earn residual income through sponsoring,” she says. “Residual income can be life-changing for agents.”

Jimmy and Sue have been in their current roles for almost 20 years, but they’ve been involved with real estate for much longer. Both Sue and Jimmy come from real estate families and are second-generation realtors:

Jimmy’s father, Billy Lyon, owned a real estate and building company,

and Sue’s mother, Ethel Carter, was a 40-year veteran of real estate who served as the first female president of the Board of Realtors and brought Women’s Council of Realtors (WCR) to the area. But the apples don’t fall far from the tree—Jimmy got a degree in architecture and business from Auburn before becoming a home builder and subdivision developer for over 25 years, and Sue has served as WCR President and on various committees.

After purchasing their EXIT franchises, the Lyons have built their business to include over 70 agents in their Mobile and Fairhope offices.

EXIT Realty Lyon with the leadership of Jimmy and Sue Lyon and the hard work of their agents has continued to grow each year.

“Our goal is to teach, coach, and mentor as many agents as possible, grow our company, and serve the community in the best way possible,” they say.

of Wise Living Real Estate

By Ron Sivak

Photos by Kayley Robinson, Deep South Focus Photography

ABSOLUTE BEST

Born and raised in Irvington, moving to Fairhope immediately after high school and now living in Daphne as an Associate Broker for Wise Living Real Estate in Fairhope, Real Producer’s May 2023 featured Top Agent, Michelle Bigler, is no stranger to the spotlight.

Bigler has comfortably worked with rock stars, as well as confidently faced down the camera for close-ups.

“I took a job with a local radio station called WGCX Rock 104 based in Daphne in the late 1980’s as a liaison, hosting artists when they came into town,” Bigler said.

The bands from that era that Bigler remembers distinctly included Queensrÿche, Heart, Tommy Shaw (Styx fame), Tommy Lee (Mötley Crüe) and Don Henley (Eagles) and Jimmy Buffet, to name a few.

“Don Henley was my favorite. He was a super nice guy and very approachable. Tommy Shaw did charitable work here with rehab for teenagers. Tommy Lee was a handful but an interesting character. I had the opportunity to meet dozens of artists.” Michelle said.

She worked there two years until marrying her first husband, moved to San Antonio to start an automotive advertising agency and then returned to lower Alabama.

“With the agency, I was in commercials and worked as their on-camera spokesperson for multiple car dealerships across the country. It was fun, and we were in a different city almost every day.” Michelle said.

“Locally I worked for Treadwell Honda. My tagline at the end was ‘Come see us under the giant American flag’.”

Not resting on her laurels, Bigler also started a boutique retail kid’s store during the 1990’s.

“Initially, I had to come up with the money, because my husband at that time did not want me to do it. He thought that I was already stretched too thin.” Michelle said.

Not deterred, and with savings plus money earned from a yard sale, she gathered inventory to open a kiosk at Bel Air Mall.

Within three months, she opened her first physical location at Bel Air Mall. After six, she launched two boutique Daphne shops inside the Jubilee Center called “Spoiled Rotten” for children and ‘Misbehavin’ for teens.

Her retail foray lasted from 1999 to 2006.

“It was in 2006 that I decided to do real estate full-time.” Bigler said.

“In 1995 I had bought and renovated a condo on the beach, and then leased it. Renters then offered me a ridiculous sum of money and bought it. I loved the whole process. There was something exciting about seeing it transform and, obviously, making a nice profit.”

Michelle also confessed that her tightening focus on a real estate career, transitioning away from other irons in the fire, was also due in large part to starting a family.

“My children were getting older, I wanted to stop traveling and slowed down to doing commercials for only one dealership locally to stay with them. My son was five years old, and my daughter was two.”

Although noble, the timing of the decision to dive full bore into real estate left something to be desired.

In the same period, initiated by the bursting of the United States residential housing bubble, followed by a subprime mortgage crisis, along came the massive economic meltdown known as the Great Recession.

“As many know, it was one of the absolute worst times to get into the market.” Bigler said.

Tapping into her entrepreneurial background, she persisted and soon thrived.

“I visited local contractors and said ‘If you’re thinking about making a change, please consider me. I’m new at this, but please try me for six months and let’s see where it goes from there.’”

The builders responded, and Michelle saw success in the throes of a slumping regional market where other agents deserted in droves.

She started to work with Trae Corte at Prestige Realty in 2006, but soon opened her own shop in 2008 called Veranda Realty. Witnessing her success in a down market, Corte closed his office and decided to again join forces with her.

Life, as it often does however, intervened and precipitated more changes.

After divorcing her first husband, remarrying, and deciding to have another child, Bigler closed her shop in 2011 moved her real estate license over to Fairhope Realty.

In 2017, Michelle moved over to Wise Living Real Estate in Fairhope and started developing tailor-made neighborhoods alongside her husband and his partner, the ever-present Corte.

“We saw that there was a need for custom home neighborhoods. I had clients that wanted to look at these, but not many were available outside of what was considered ‘cookie cutter’, and so we developed The Verandas and The Estates at The Verandas. Our website is www. theverandasfairhope. com” Michelle said.

Not slowing down, Bigler also mentioned new properties she and her husband are working on for 2023 and beyond.

“We have a piece of property on Fairhope Avenue, east of Highway 98 and have narrowed the project down to about three names.” Michelle said.

“It is the same for our projects in Orange Beach on Canal Road, we haven’t decided on a name yet. It will be a Seaside/30A style community in the Wolf Bay area, and all the houses will have a boat slip and a common area. Build out will probably begin in the next six months.” she continued.

For those wanting to emulate Michelle’s remarkable success story, she emphasized the importance of always giving maximum effort.

“The one thing that sets me apart is that I give my absolute best to make the whole process simple, easy, and fun - as it should be. By eliminating undue stress on my clients, and taking care of issues before they arise, we find the whole process to be fun and exciting.”

For questions or comments about this article, contact Michelle at (251) 3671111 or michelledbigler@gmail.com

THE ONE THING THAT SETS ME APART IS THAT I GIVE MY ABSOLUTE BEST TO MAKE THE WHOLE PROCESS SIMPLE, EASY, AND FUN - AS IT SHOULD BE.

Harter Kenneth

& Airborne Mortgage Group

Leading the Way on the Benefits of VA Loans partner spotlight

By Dave Danielson

Photos by Lew Thomas, Adobe House Media Productions

Those who serve deserve every advantage and tool that can be provided to them as they look to make their real estate dreams come true.

Luckily you and your clients have Kenneth Harter on your side. He is the Founder and Mortgage Broker with Airborne Mortgage Group powered by Edge Home Finance.

Serving Those Who Serve

While Kenneth and his team work with the full range of conventional, FHA, USDA and investment financing, he works with a strong focus on VA loans.

His work is also a passion.

“I love helping veterans and those who are active in the military to help them to take advantage of VA loans … to help them secure affordable loans with favorable terms,” Kenneth emphasizes. “As part of that, I really enjoy educating the real estate community about VA and dispelling the myths that are out there about the VA loan itself.”

A Passion Reflecting His Service

It’s no coincidence that Kenneth named his brokerage Airborne Mortgage Group. In fact, the name reflects his own dedicated service. Kenneth served as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. As part of that, he served as a Team Leader in the division, and experienced several military deployments and a combat parachute jump during his tenure.

After Kenneth’s military service ended, he went on to a career working as a manger in the oil & gas industry for a number of years.

In time, he talked with a friend who he had served in the military with about the opportunities available in the mortgage business. He took a closer look and knew it was for him.

Experience and Expertise

Today, Kenneth is a Certified Veteran Mortgage Advisor. In addition, AIME Association of Independent Mortgage Experts recently appointed Kenneth as a State Captain to represent independent mortgage brokers with Mississippi state legislators. He carries a great passion and belief in what he does.

Kenneth’s background as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division gives him a unique perspective on the challenges faced by military service members and veterans.

As he says, “The majority of my focus is on educating real estate agents … and providing presentations to offices on the advantages of the VA loan and about the process itself.”

When Brokers ask Kenneth about how much time his presentations last, his answer can range from one to three hours.

“The reason for that is that, in my experience I’ve found that the sessions with the more experienced REALTORS® usually take longer,” he says.

“At first, that may not sound like that would be the case. But the reason for that is because there are so many myths and issues that the more experienced agents may have had from the way VA loans used to be. So there is a great deal of good discussion that usually is generated during our sessions.”

Giving You an Edge

During his educational sessions, Kenneth centers his time on key elements, including dispelling the myths of the program, including explaining the VA appraisal process and ways to overcome low appraisals that other programs don’t have.

The majority of my focus is on educating real estate agents … and providing presentations to offices on the advantages of the VA loan and about the process itself.

As Kenneth points out, “The VA program is the best program for those who qualify. I like helping my REALTOR® partners understand how they can expand their business by understanding how veterans think and understanding the way the VA process works.”

Accessible Communication

Those who work with Kenneth and his team appreciate the personalized attention that their clients get and constant communication he carries out with them.

“Communication is obviously key. We have a small, local team. With that, I am very accessible to my partners and clients via a text or call,” Kenneth explains. “Those who work with me aren’t dealing with a large call center where they never know who they are going to get on the phone.”

Away from work, Kenneth looks forward to time spent with his wife, Mary Elizabeth, and their daughters.

Kenneth’s free time is dedicated to supporting the girls in their school and recreational activities. They also enjoy time at the beach and on the water together. In addition, Kenneth enjoys live entertainment and attending sporting events.

Congratulations to Kenneth Harter and Airborne Mortgage Group, powered by Edge Home Finance. Day by day, he is serving the best interests of his partners and their clients.

Contact Kenneth today!

Contact Airborne Mortgage Group Powered by Edge Home Finance Today!

Phone: 251-282-6894

Website: www.AirborneMortgageGroup.com

MADE FOR THIS

rising star

By Dave Danielson

Drive and Dedication

As a REALTOR® on the Jaime Cooper Team with EXIT Realty Lyon Fairhope, Karly has the drive and dedication to help her clients achieve their dreams.

When you talk with her, it’s easy to see that she is made for what she does.

“I love talking with my clients. In the process, I enjoy hearing their stories and finding ways to better their future,” she says with a smile.

An Early Look

Prior to earning her real estate license in January 2020, Karly had exposure to the business that shaped her while she was growing up.

“My mom was an Escrow Officer when I was growing up in Colorado. I remember going to her office every day after school and being around the Realtors and title agents. Always loved watching and hearing about their days and clients,” Karly remembers.

Photos by Lisa Johnson, Deep South Focus Photography

The skills and gifts you bring to your role in guiding your clients forward make all the difference in the world to them. They count on what you know and how you do what you do.

Karly Dunlap is the same way.

“My sister got her real estate license about 10 years ago and created her own brokerage out in Colorado. I loved being a part of her early stages in Real estate and would love helping assist her with her growing business. We still love bouncing and creating ideas with each other to help grow each other’s business.”

Steps Forward

In time, Karly moved to Oklahoma and earned her license there. She went on to transfer to Alabama in August 2020, earning her license and operating her business in both states.

Today, she works as a Buyer’s Agent with Jaime Cooper.

“Jaime and I work really well together,” she says. “I’ve really enjoyed being able to help people through my work.”

Rising Above

Then COVID happened. At the time, Karly was working on deals in Oklahoma. Her husband was laid off. So they decided to move to Alabama to

be closer to family. After the move, Karly continued her real estate business in their new surroundings.

Since then, Karly has continued to build a strong business in Alabama.

In the meantime, the light of her life is her family, including her husband, Zack, and their children — Dominic and Sawyer.

In their free time, Karly and her family enjoy time together at the beach. They also like to get to Colorado as often as they can, as well.

I’VE REALLY ENJOYED BEING ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE THROUGH MY WORK.

She is also involved with Baldwin Realtors Association, where she serves on the Community Service Board.

Qualities of a Leader

When you talk with Karly, it’s easy to spot the qualities that make her a great fit for her work.

“My hope is that those I serve think of me as their friend,” Karly says with a smile.

“My hope is that they think of me as their REALTOR® and also someone they would like to chat with and hang out with.”

It’s true that some people seem to be uniquely qualified for what they do … as if it was meant to be. One of those is Karly Dunlap. As her clients and those who meet her would agree, she was clearly made for this.

For questions or comments about this article, contact Karly at (251) 233-7351 or karlydunlap@gmail.com