Check Out Hannah Hester’s Story

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Hester.

Hi Hannah, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I’ve worn a lot of different hats since entering the professional world, from leading the marketing team with a sustainability tech startup to running a portrait photography business to supporting multiple small businesses on their web design, product photography, and marketing needs.

One thing that I found to be a common thread through it all was that it was always about people. When I wore my ‘photographer’ hat, it was about making people feel comfortable and good about themselves. When I wore my ‘marketing’ hat, it was because I enjoyed finding ways to communicate to large groups of people about something I found important. And, by seeking out as many opportunities to use my talents as possible I was connecting with so many amazing business owners. It doesn’t hurt that I’m a bit of an extrovert.

When I used to think about Real Estate, I used to think you had to be really excited about houses, architecture, and design, and while I appreciated those things, I never found them to necessarily be a passion. When I purchased my first home years ago, it all clicked. Of course, I wanted a ‘good house’, but the right house for me can be very different from somebody else. It hit me–Real Estate is really about people–helping them take a major step in their lives.

This planted the seed. I was still working full-time at EarthHero, an eco-friendly startup focused on making it easier for people to shop sustainably. That chapter wasn’t over for me, but I still couldn’t get the idea of real estate out of my head. It seemed like a career path that would allow me to lean into my wide range of interests, while really supporting people at an important time in their lives.

Years later, when I was facing a crossroads, I chose to take the leap and pursue getting my agent’s license. I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Every day is different and fulfilling, I’m surrounded by an amazing group of supportive agents at work, and I’m more involved in my friends’ lives and have the opportunity to meet new people every day.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Honestly, it’s been much smoother than I anticipated! I think every person’s journey into real estate is unique. It could be a year before your first sale, or you could be busy right out of the gate, depending on your social sphere.

For me, I was lucky that my friends took a leap of faith and chose to work with me in my first year of real estate. This gave me the opportunity to prove myself to my community as well as build my confidence. I realized that the education that I received at Live West was second to none and that I really did know my stuff.

My first year was also in the middle of the pandemic, which was a unique time for real estate. I learned about the industry during one of the most hectic markets in history. Homes were selling drastically above the asking price, buyers were having to be extremely creative to be noticed, and listing agents were sorting through 10-20 offers on every home.

Everybody had to be on their A-Game. I think that this worked in my favor, as I was able to learn how to be quick on my feet, write a perfect offer, and get my clients noticed. Now that things have calmed down, those skills have stuck with me.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
When I ventured into Real Estate, I knew I wanted to do things differently. I had the same perception that many people have about Realtors as coming off as very “salesy”… to put it nicely. I intentionally built my real estate brand around transparency, authenticity, and education. I want clients to know that they can be fully honest with me and that I will return the favor.

I find that many of my clients are scared about being ‘pressured’ into purchasing a home, so I make sure they know that they’re in the driver’s seat at all times. I specialize in working with first-time home buyers because I genuinely enjoy teaching them about the process, and I provide the patient guidance needed when making this decision for the very first time.

I want to share that now that I’m in the industry, my perception of real estate professionals has wholeheartedly changed. The majority of other agents that I have interacted with and have done deals with have been incredibly genuine, authentic people. Overall, there is a very high bar for professionalism in the industry. If there’s anything that I want people to come away with after reading this article, it’s that you get to choose who you work with, so feel free to talk to a handful of agents until you find somebody that really resonates with you.

Something that I’m incredibly proud of is my connection to the Boulder Chamber and my network of industry professionals that I can trust to support my clients. One group that I created and facilitated through the Chamber is called Boulder Home Professionals. We’re a group of 30+ professionals that support homeowners in any way–general contractors, plumbers, lenders, insurance agents, etc.

This has really helped me improve the service that I provide my clients, as I have a recommendation for nearly any professional that they may need to contact as they become homeowners.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up.
I have great memories of doing projects with my dad. From setting paver stones in the backyard to putting 110% into handmade school projects, he was the one who taught me to love building things.

Contact Info:

• Website: hannahhester.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hannahhesterrealtor