NRG 20 Under 40: Saluting HAR Members 40 Years and Younger

For Their Excellence in Sales, Leadership and Community Service

Amanda Fails  – Better Homes and Gardens Gary Greene
After five years in the sports and entertainment industry, Amanda decided to get into real estate and hasn’t looked back. She attributes her success to a strong commitment to customer service, most of which centers around communication. “I listen to my clients’ needs and learn who they are, making it easier to help them find their perfect home,” she says. Amanda vows to expand her leadership roles within the industry. Her passion and goal is to encourage and inspire young women and mothers to succeed as real estate professionals.

Brian Worrell – Bayou Properties Realty
A bad experience with a REALTOR® when buying his first home convinced Brian to apply his marketing/negotiating expertise and entrepreneurial spirit to becoming a real estate professional himself. Brian credits technology with making his real estate business successful, as he’s all about increasing exposure for his clients. In addition to social media, he has built a strong business in his target neighborhood by using a community website to update residents and build a sense of community. When those same residents are ready to buy or sell, they already know where to find him.

Bryan M. Beene – John Daugherty, Realtors
Before becoming a REALTOR®, Bryan managed a real estate firm of over 60 agents. This demanded sharp negotiation skills, efficient communication and the understanding that accessibility is a priority for success. The challenges of a fast-paced brokerage excited him and fit well with his driven personality. Bryan watched and learned from the agents in his office. He participated in company acquisitions and large commercial projects that the company was handling. Once he decided to sell real estate, he had a huge range of experience and knowledge from which to draw.

Christina Boston – Boston Real Estate Group, LLC
Christina has always had a passion for real estate. Her father and grandfather worked in auto sales while she was growing up, which taught her the art of negotiation and the concept of keeping paperwork buttoned up. “I also learned the priority of customer satisfaction and how that resonates to the power of word of mouth advertising, how invaluable that trust is within the community and how that leads to the ultimate value of your word,” she says. “Trust, candor and operating at the highest level of ethics and integrity gives your customers the confidence to refer your business.”

Clayton Katz – Move Properties
Becoming a real estate broker was a career change for Clayton, who studied the market and read books to learn the business. “Slowly but surely, I started to build a small little base of clients,” he says. “I took every transaction personally and my clients responded with positivity and referrals.” Clayton believes in maintaining excellent service before, during and after the transaction. “We do not just leave the closing table and go our separate ways. The connection between clients is grown. This allows me to maintain a great base of referrals that is essential to my future.”

Edward Delgadillo –Realty World Uptown
A passion for architecture design and helping people ultimately drove Eduardo to pursue a real estate career, and 10 years in, he knows he made the right decision. His early career path included property management and selling properties for home builders. Eduardo says his business focus is creating long-term relationships. “You can’t be a transactional agent and be in the business only for the money,” he says. “Building relationships sets your foundation for success. I have always genuinely cared for and built relationships with every client and focused on delivering top-level service that’s worth remembering.”

Indra Mouton – RE/MAX Exclusive
Indra has a unique perspective on the real estate industry after devoting 15 years to the title and mortgage world, where she worked every position from escrow officer and processor to branch manager. “These past experiences have proven to be golden in today’s market by being able to navigate through real estate transactions,” she says. “I am able to help remediate any issues that come up, whether I’m representing the buyer or seller.” Indra’s mantra is to offer the best service possible in a timely manner, align herself with knowledgeable and ethical people in the industry and remain educated about industry changes and new technology.

Jana Hayes – Keller Williams Southwest
Jana came to the U.S. three years ago from the Czech Republic and recalls how hard it was to communicate in everyday situations. “As an immigrant, I understand how important it is to have someone who is willing to help and advise you through the home purchase/sale process,” she says. She has taken that philosophy to heart and says patience and honesty set her apart from other real estate professionals. “Learning from the best, customizing it and applying it. I try to attend as many classes and learning events as I can. I use my success to drive me to bring my business to the next level.”

Jason Bisotooni – Intero Real Estate Services
As far back as he can remember, Jason’s parents took him to open houses on weekends. “I knew the moment I stepped into my first open house that I wanted to sell real estate,” he says. In fact, Jason wanted it so badly that during his senior year of high school, he went to real estate school at night. He became a real estate agent one week after graduation at age 18. And his passion for the profession continues. “I truly care about making all my clients leave the transaction feeling that I sold them a very happy part of their life.”

Jeremy Fain – Greenwood King Properties
What do music and real estate have in common? Just ask Jeremy. His previous career as a musician instilled the discipline necessary to succeed in real estate. “After obtaining three degrees in the field, playing in a professional orchestra and teaching at multiple universities, effective communication and extreme organization became second nature which translates into effective and commanding results,” he says. “Becoming a knowledgeable researcher and market specialist came hand in hand with my past experience as well.You spend hours a day as a musician honing and perfecting your craft, a quality that is 100% transferable into practicing real estate.”

Jessica Harless – RE/MAX Realty Center
For some, it’s shoes. For Jessica, it’s hats—figuratively speaking. “Being a REALTOR® requires you to wear many hats and change direction at least 20 times a day,” she says. “My previous experience selling granite and plumbing fixtures to builders and their customers has served me well. I learned the importance of customer care, repeat business and referrals, as well as the art of negotiation. I could see that working as a REALTOR® would enable me to enjoy a more personal relationship with my clients. I made the move into real estate and never looked back!”

Keeyan Sabz – Keller Williams Realty Southwest
Keeyan caught the real estate bug early. “As a child, my father was involved in flipping homes,” he says. “As I got older, I loved to stop by open houses or visit new construction homes after hours to explore.” After a brief stint in oil and gas, Keeyan, driven by a passion for working with people, got his real estate license, which he calls the best decision he ever made. He calls customers “our most vital asset.” His business philosophy: “Being a good listener, identifying and anticipating client needs, exceeding expectations, treating clients well and making them feel important and appreciated are huge!”

Lauren Blaylock Teare – Scott O’Connell Properties
Lauren wanted to practice real estate since she was little. “It’s the only career path I ever envisioned myself doing,” she says. “I LOVE all things residential real estate—the house hunt, negotiating, organization, decorating—before/after, the personal touch you have with your clients, and so much more.” Lauren works with ALL types of clients.  “Some clients are needy and I will call them twice daily to check in. Some want space, so I won’t bother them but with a text message every few days. Some are going through hard times, such as a job loss or divorce. I listen to their personal problems and just try to be a friend.

Leah Leggett – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties
Leah’s entree to real estate was in marketing. She helped implement new marketing strategies for the sale of multi-million dollar projects being developed by her brokerage’s largest clients. “My time in marketing and with the developer services team has been pivotal to my success,” she says. “It provided me with an in-depth understanding of new construction and educated me in elements essential to developing a successful project.” Leah’s favorite type of transaction is with the first-time homebuyer. “It is an honor to be trusted to help someone purchase their first home and see how excited they are once we arrive at the closing table.”

Rachel Conkling – Martha Turner Sotheby’s International Realty
Rachel got a crash course in real estate starting out as the assistant to a top producer. “I gained more experience in those two years of high-performance training than I would have in 10 years working by myself,” she says. “I learned the business from the ground up, working on every aspect of a transaction.” Today, Rachel says she loves what she does so much, she forgets it’s work. “It brings a smile to my face knowing I have made new friends with my buyers and sellers at the end of a transaction. Helping people find a place to call ‘home’ is extremely gratifying.

Richard B. Parr– Coldwell Banker United Realtors
With a background in the airline industry, Richard appreciates the importance of customer service in real estate.“Client communication/follow-up and being able to listen, are huge skills required, and I feel I succeed at all of those,” he says. “Not every transaction and not every buyer and seller is the same, and we have to remember that.” Richard, whose mother has worked for 35+ years in real estate, says he’s in it for the long haul. “So many people are in this business for a short period, when the market is up, but I have chosen, just as my mother has, to make this a lifetime career.

Samantha Maret – Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Anderson Properties
Samantha’s successful real estate career had early roots. “When I was a little girl, my sister and I played ‘Office’ and didn’t play with dolls,” she explains. “Several years later, around age 12, my brothers had me cold calling for their flyer delivery business. In my young adult years, I managed a couple of high-paced restaurants where the demand for customer service was held in the highest regard.” Fast-forward to today. “I enjoy being involved with the lives of my clients. I view each property transaction as a partnership opposed to additional production.”

Shannon Register – Register Real Estate Advisors
For Shannon, success in real estate is all about technology. She entered the business in October 2008. “I could not have picked a worse time to enter this market,” she says. “I knew that I had to do something radically different or I would not succeed. I saw seasoned agents all around me struggling.” Against all advice, she launched a website, started blogging and strategically used social media. Later, she began hosting a weekly real estate radio show. “We have added the show to iTunes and created online videos of every segment. All of these implementations produce leads for our company.”

Tara Waggoner – Redfin
Tara found inspiration for her real estate career from her parents, who were farmers and built small spec homes in a college town. “I saw the hard work and determination it took to build fields which fed the community as well as homes that housed students/families,” she says. “The happiness each time my family turned over keys to a new homeowner or parent was truly amazing. I knew at a young age I wanted to be in real estate and give back.” Tara says empathy and teamwork are at the heart of all she does. She adds: “Constantly learning and maintaining true advocacy for clients is the most imperative.”

Tarl Anderson – Tarl Anderson Properties
Tarl transitioned from the mortgage industry into real estate. “When I started, I had no experience, money, mentor or social network,” he says. “I worked tenants and eventually built a business that would later develop into a great base of young future high income earners that would become buyers and eventually sellers.” He says video has given his brokerage a competitive edge. “We send out video newsletters each month. Additionally, we video every listing and try to allow buyers to feel like they have walked through the house and driven through the neighborhood. Many of our houses are bought without ever being seen in person.