Real estate; it's a family affair

Real estate; it’s a family affair

The broker sign from my grandmother’s business, “Violet M. McKeithen, Inc.” hanging above my desk

Hello there! 😀

For me, being a realtor is far more than just a job – it’s a part of who I am. Real estate is in my DNA, a family legacy passed down through generations. I can’t see myself ever retiring, and honestly, why would I? My grandmother worked in real estate until she was 77, and if it weren’t for the evolving technology, she probably would’ve never stopped. She lived to be 101, with a passion for real estate that never faded.

Growing up, I didn’t just hear stories about the business – I lived them. As a teenager, I spent my summers working alongside my grandmother, who owned her own brokerage, Violet M McKeithen Inc. She and my father had offices together; while she ran her real estate business, my dad sold property insurance to homeowners. For me, it was a masterclass in life and business rolled into one.

1988; “A grandparent is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend.”

My dad didn’t treat me with kid gloves, either. He’d hand me his checkbook and say, “Balance this.” It was one of my first lessons in responsibility. My grandmother, though, would get me to write long letters by hand and later type them up, also by hand. And let me tell you, this was before the days of computers or smartphones. The MLS? It wasn’t an online database – it was this massive, clunky notebook with all the listings printed out on hard paper. You’d flip through pages to find what you needed. Contacts were stored in a Rolodex, not in your phone. Everything was done face-to-face, and that built a different kind of connection, a deeper trust with people.

Aged 99 in 2003, with my son Jack at just a few weeks old

Looking back, those summer days were where I really cut my teeth. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was being shaped by the personalities and challenges around me. I learned how to build relationships and navigate different situations.

One of the things that keeps me grounded and motivated is the real estate broker sign from my grandmother’s business, “Violet M McKeithen Inc.,” which I have hanging right over my desk. It’s a constant reminder of where I started, of my roots in this industry.

Real estate isn’t just something I do – it’s something I am. Like my grandmother, I have no plans to ever step away from this business. It’s not just a career for me – it’s a lifelong passion, a legacy I carry forward with pride.