Meet Carolee Hawkins | Realtor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Carolee Hawkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Carolee, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I had always thought about a career in real estate, but honestly, it is a little daunting going from a steady paycheck and knowing what to expect to an entirely new career that is paid on commission based upon on what is oftentimes a person’s largest financial asset. I don’t take that role lightly.

Sometimes the universe knows what you need before you do. My friend worked for one of the top Re/Max teams in the world as their marketing director. They were looking to add a new agent to their team, and she suggested I reach out to them. She knew real estate had always interested me. Two months later, I found myself needing a change from my role as an account manager at a local advertising agency and met with the team leads, a brother-sister duo, Dave and Jan. They had never taken on an agent that was new to the business, but after several meetings decided to offer me a position on the team. I remember the moment when I decided to bet on myself and dive into real estate. I was sitting in my car in front of this beautiful Victorian Hair Salon in downtown Grand Junction. I called Dave, the team lead, and shared with him that I’d decided to make a go at it. The irony of it all is that 8 months later, I’d sell that one of kind building to a client I had met while taking online lead calls.

In deciding to pursue real estate, I knew that my past careers would be beneficial especially the construction knowledge I acquired during my days as an insurance adjuster for one of the top insurance companies. Understanding, the mechanical components, roofing structures, drainage, and so much more, allows me to provide a greater insight into the viewing or potential properties.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Being a real estate agent is hard work period. A lot of people will say, I bet the flexible schedule is great. They don’t see all of the work that goes in on the back end of getting a transaction to the closing table. Plus, you are always on the schedule that is most conducive to your clients’ schedules. Over the last 2 few years, if you didn’t jump on a property within the first day of it hitting the market, you weren’t going to get the opportunity to show it to your client.

Being available to answer questions, show properties, take time to talk through options and details, counsel clients, and so much more often doesn’t take place during your typical 8-5 hours. This part of the career can be challenging, especially on a family.

In my 1st full year as an agent(2022), I received the Rookie of the Year award at Re/Max 4000 which has about 80 agents and is the largest brokerage in the Grand Valley. I sold just over 22 Million dollars in real estate that year and ended up as 16th in overall volume out of over 900 agents in the Grand Junction MLS.

I’ve had other agents approach me about how I’ve been able to achieve this much success in such a short period of time. Hard Work. Dedication. And Being Myself. Period. I work in the best interest of my clients. I point out the pros and the cons of a property and help them dissect what their true priorities are in their purchase. I had a client tell me just this week, “you really knew how to put into words what I was looking for in a house before I even really knew what I actually wanted.” I love serving people! I work diligently to find off-market properties and solve problems when they are presented.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Here’s the thing about my job, I work with a large percentage of out-of-town buyers, so I get to be a tour guide often. For breakfast, I’d probably take them to my favorite food truck, Rubi’s. They have the world’s best breakfast burritos. Then, we’d probably hike Liberty Cap. It’s a great locals trail that gives you a great elevated view of the city. The Grand Valley has so much to offer people! We are such an outdoor mecca from biking to hiking our trails are endless. For a delicious snack, we’d hit up Taco Party for chips and guacamole with a hand-crafted margarita. If it’s summertime, we’d paddle board down the Colorado River!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Jan Kimbrough Miller without a doubt is the person I owe my success in real estate to. She took me under her wing and spent countless hours mentoring me and sharing her lessons learned over the last 20 years in real estate. During the fast past market of 2021 and into 2022, I learned from the best of the best as Jan is a top-producing agent in the Grand Valley. While I was getting my license, she allowed me to shadow her 5 days a week. She moves fast and I would hover over her desk soaking up any nuggets of wisdom I could. Dave Kimbrough, Jan’s brother, has also been a great mentor providing additional perspectives on being a successful broker.

Website: carolee.thekimbroughteam.com

Instagram: caroleehawkins

Facebook: Carolee Hawkins

Other: Here’s my Zillow Profile! This is probably one of the best spots to learn about an agent. https://www.zillow.com/profile/caroleehawkins

Image Credits
The one of me sitting down on my laptop writing an offer while camping, I credit that one to my husband, Tyler Hawkins. Haha.