New LRRA president Stacy Hamilton balances family and career

March 6-12, 2017

By Nick Popowitch

When Stacy Hamilton first moved to Little Rock in 2005 to work for Governor Huckabee, the Texas native had no intentions of making Little Rock her home. “I was going to be here just to finish out the governor’s term, and then I was going back to Austin,” said Hamilton. But in those two years, she found in Little Rock a place she could call home.

“I fell in love with Little Rock,” Hamilton recalls, “At the end of two years, I looked around and said, ‘I’m not going to leave, my best friends are here.’”

Ten years later, Hamilton is the current president of the Little Rock Realtors Association, and her decade-old decision to remain in Little Rock has led to a successful career and strong community roots.

Hamilton, a Realtor with Pulaski Heights Realty, started her real estate career in 2008, while still working for the Arkansas Attorney General’s office. “I wanted to do something else, so I got my real estate license and worked nights and weekends showing houses.” Due to the economy, she wasn’t able to work full time in real estate until 2010.

Hamilton reflected on how starting her career during the downturn benefited her. “I learned the hard part of the business first,” she recalled dealing with distressed properties, long market times, new marketing strategies, and complicated financing. Looking at the market today, she also talked about the issues new agents could face starting out.

“I was able to ease slowly into the business; to absorb and learn before the economy recovered. Now,” she says, “you’ve got to be on your feet, ready to go.”

In 2012, Hamilton began to get more involved in the Little Rock Realtors Association, and by 2013 she was on the board of directors.

“My big challenge at the time was our awards distinction program, and how we might improve it.” Hamilton recalls, “I had some ideas.”

Since then, she has been involved in planning four of the awards events, the most recent two as chair of the planning committee. Hamilton’s especially proud of this year’s event, hosted at The Robinson Center.

Looking towards the future of the LRRA, Hamilton is focusing on education and safety, so that members are able to protect themselves. The association is working in conjunction with the Beverly Carter Foundation, which offers information on safety training programs to agents and brokerages. She is also working towards improving the way the public interacts with realtors.

“This isn’t a jump and run business anymore,” said Hamilton. “We’re trying to become a more professional organization, and educate our realtors how to run a professional business.”

When Hamilton isn’t showing homes with Pulaski Heights, or presiding over the LRRA, she’s busy raising two children, a three-year-old and a four-month-old, with her husband, Nathan Hamilton, in their home in Park Hill. She also finds time to keep active in her community through the Park Hill Neighborhood Association.

“Right now,” she says, “my focus is on the Realtor Association, with all of our events. That, and the new baby.”  

 

  • Stacy Hamilton
    Stacy Hamilton