Pleasanton, CA — January 16, 2018 — NextHome is proud to announce our newest addition to the franchise, NextHome Realty Advisors. The brokerage represents the 15th location opened in Texas for the NextHome franchise.
Based in Texarkana, the company will be owned and operated by husband and wife and business partners, Lee and Karen Hammonds. Karen will also serve as broker of record for the company.
NextHome Realty Advisors will provide real estate services such as single family residential sales, first-time home buyers, rehab and resale property listings, investment sales, luxury homes, land sales, veteran/military relocation assistance, lakefront properties, and commercial services to the areas of Texarkana, Nash, Wake Village, Redwater, Maud, Simms, Hooks, New Boston, De Kalb, Atlanta, Queen City, and all other communities in Bowie County, Texas. The brokerage will also provide real estate services to regions of Arkansas such as the cities of Hope, Ashdown, Foreman and other areas of Miller and Little River Counties.
Texarkana received its name because of the city’s proximity to both the Texas and Arkansas state lines.
As a young adult, Karen opened her own beauty salon at the young age of 20 years old. After growing her salon business for the next eight years, she purchased her first home. Going through the process of buying a home was not only interesting, but something Karen found as an opportunity to change careers from the demands of a salon owner.
Getting her real estate license in 1999, she started as an agent at a local independent brokerage in De Kalb, Texas. In her very first year in the business, Karen sold 20 homes. A lot of her previous business ownership experience prior to real estate proved to be valuable when it came to marketing and systematizing her real estate business.
Steadily growing her real estate business over the next 10 years, Karen saw annual sales of more than 70 homes annually. She credits her success to hard work and understanding and catering to the needs of the client above all else.
“My business philosophy is to be a solutions-based agent who provides guidance to helping someone find the right home,” said Karen. “It’s about being honest and never forcing someone to make any decision they are not comfortable with. As a full-service REALTOR®, I take pride in being a resource that my clients can count on to give them the right expert advice in what can sometimes be a very stressful process.”
Also licensed since 1999, Lee has been a business entrepreneur for his entire adult life. In 2007, Lee started his own pest control company. Then two years later, purchased a competing pest company – Rid-X Pest Control – and merged the two companies which quickly increased sales and service.
In 2011, Karen stepped away from real estate sale to join Lee helping him with his pest control company and over the next five years, they grew to one of the largest and most-respected pest control companies in the region.
In 2016, Karen wanted to return to real estate, but realized that many real estate companies lacked a broker who would be able to assist agents in growing their business. Instead of returning to the industry and working for another brokerage, Karen attained her broker’s license and decided to go out on her own.
“By becoming NextHome Realty Advisors, our company focuses on being the resource center in our community,” said Karen. “We want to be the company that not only shows professionalism, but also provides high-level technology, listing syndication, increased communication with our sellers and be a local business our city can be proud of.”
“In addition, we want to offer agents a company that will help with training, guidance, support and flexible commission options that allow agents to grow in their real estate career,” she added.
In 2017, Lee moved from the pest control business to real estate sales to work alongside his wife.
“He’s always been a people person and is great at building relationships with his clients,” said Karen. “He’s naturally personable and his early success in full-time real estate sales is a reflection of his hard work and the way he connects with people.”
Not only are the Hammondses involved in their community through real estate, but also in volunteer work to help those less fortunate in the Texarkana area.
Karen donates her time to the Altrusa of Texarkana – an organization committed to social services to those in need. This will be Karen’s third year on the Board of Directors of the organization and she will serve as the 2018 Secretary.
Together for more than 20 years, the Hammondses have two children from previous relationships who have grown up together since they were two years old.
“The kids are only five days apart in age, so it’s been like raising twins,” said Karen with a laugh.
Aaron (23 years old) was in the Air Force and has just returned home. He will be starting fire school and intends to pursue a career as a firefighter. Lauren (23) graduated from Henderson State University with a degree in Graphic Design and works for a software company in Denver, Colorado.
Please join us in congratulating Karen, Lee and the rest of the team at NextHome Realty Advisors on the opening of their NextHome office in Texarkana, TX!
Interested in being a part of the NextHome Real Estate Franchise? Contact VP of Sales Charis Moreno at Charis@NextHome.com.
Each office is an independently owned and operated business.