Women Leaders Of Real Estate: Tiffany Harris and Brandi Hawkins On The 5 Things You Need To Succeed In The Real Estate Industry

As a part of my series about strong women leaders of the Real Estate industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Brandi Hawkins and Tiffany Harris of Harris Hawkins and Co.

Brandi Hawkins is an experienced and highly sought after Maryland-licensed Realtor. As a Baltimore County native, she is particularly versed and in tune with the unique characteristics that Maryland neighborhoods offer. Her continued passion for business and cultivating personal relationships have propelled her to excel as a self-made entrepreneur; Brandi has not only owned and managed a successful business but also began her real estate career early on as a property manager. She has a perceptive and intuitive ear for what her clients truly want and is plugged into the Maryland real estate market and it’s continued redevelopment and growth, tracking new projects and trends. Brandi lives in Baltimore County with her husband and young son, where she has made a home.

Tiffany Harris is the Broker Owner of Harris Hawkins & Co., a boutique Brokerage located in Baltimore, MD. Tiffany has an impressive Property Management background and her extensive knowledge of local market conditions and area development is a testament to her commitment to assist clients in a multitude of Real Estate goals. Tiffany serves as a current member of Maryland Realtors Housing Affordability & Equal Opportunity Committee, Greater Baltimore’s Women’s Council of Realtors, and Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors Housing Affordability Committee in hopes of sharing her knowledge with colleagues, building industry relationships, and making a difference in the affordable housing arena. Tiffany resides in Baltimore City with her husband, son, and shih tzu Cupcake.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us the “backstory” about what brought you to the Real Estate industry?

Tiffany: Initially, I got into real estate for my own personal investments. I wanted to understand the process and contract documents. My very first clients were referred by a high school friend, and after assisting them, I fell in love with the process and was a part of such a major life decision.

Can you share with our readers the most interesting or amusing story that occurred to you in your career so far? Can you share the lesson or take away you took out of that story?

Brandi: Real estate is a series of never-ending, emotional events and occurrences. I don’t know if I can pinpoint one event. Every single day brings new adventures!

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people? We are working on a few things.

We are expanding into DC, recruiting additional agents, and launching an agent training platform. Knowledge and education are the foundation of a successful career in real estate, and we want to curate and share what we didn’t have early in our career.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

HH&Co is woman-owned, black-owned, and known for providing an excellent experience for our clients, from start to finish. Our motto is Collaboration Over Competition. We collaborate, we uplift one another, and we love to see one another winning.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Brandi: Absolutely! When I was 16, I worked at a consignment shop. One day, a lady named Natalie walked in. She began to tell me that she owned a boutique, and she absolutely loved what she did for a living. I begged my parents to let me work at her boutique. Natalie was young, she looked like me, and she was so savvy. I admired her greatly. I still do.

Ok. Thank you for all that. Let’s now jump to the main core of our interview. The Real Estate industry, like the Veterinarian, Nursing, and Public Relations fields, is a women-dominated industry. Yet despite this, less than 20 percent of senior positions in Real Estate companies are held by women. In your opinion or experience, what do you think is the cause of this imbalance?

Brandi: Real estate is an industry that men have dominated for quite some time. I believe that imbalance has shifted significantly. More and more, women have decided to go for more. I don’t know the cause of that imbalance, but I am thrilled to see that gap closing.

What 3 things can be done by a)individuals b)companies and/or c) society to support greater gender balance going forward?

Both: Being a part of relevant boards and committees, let the work speak for itself, and offer diversity training.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women executives that aren’t typically faced by their male counterparts?

Brandi: Respect. I do feel that women do find themselves demanding respect. While our male counterparts are respected regardless.

Can you share 3 things that most excite you about the Real Estate industry?

Both: Inner-city development, affordable housing, and education.

Can you share 3 things that most concern you about the industry? If you had the ability to implement 3 ways to reform or improve the industry, what would you suggest?

Tiffany: Equality, accessibility, and consumer education. I think real estate should be a part of the high school curriculum, and consumer education should be the responsibility of every licensed individual in the industry.

What advice would you give to other leaders to help their team to thrive?

Lead with education and hold your team accountable.

Ok, here is the main question of our interview. You are a “Real Estate Insider If you had to advise someone about 5 non-intuitive things one should know to succeed in the Real Estate industry, what would you say? Can you please give a story or an example for each?

Both: Educate yourself, do the work and ask questions. As a Realtor, clients will always look to us for accurate information. It is essential to know how to best advise your clients and help guide them through the biggest purchase of their lives. Doing the work means putting your head down, seeking the information, asking questions, and getting with people that have your answer. If you do the work, someone will most likely be more than willing to assist you.

Because of your position, you are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be?

Both: You never know what your idea can trigger. :-) Homeownership, investing, and financial literacy are taught to children at an early age.

How can our readers follow you online?

IG @harrishawkinsandco FB Harris Hawkins &Co. Website www.harrishawkinsandco.com