Today we’d like to introduce you to Alfred and Allison Lockhart.
Alfred and Allison, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
After feeling stagnant with my job in corporate America, I ventured into real estate because it is a great industry that provided me with an opportunity to excel under my own terms. As I continued to work in corporate America, while practicing real estate part-time, I introduced my wife, as well as my daughter, Allison, and son, Al to the industry. At an early age, Allison took to real estate. Often times, I would pick her up from daycare to accompany me on evening appointments. At the age of four, Allison started taking over the showing. Walking our buyers (who had no idea I now had a toddler as a partner in the business) through the home pointing out the living room. kitchen, dining room and bedrooms.
As the real estate industry began to change and real estate companies began to franchise, I later moved my license to ReMax Executives in Tucker, GA. By this time Allison was nine years old and was now assisting me with what we called “ReMax Work” – folding brochures and stuffing envelopes (her brother would occasionally join when he wanted some money too). 19 years later, I finally made the complete switch and left my full-time job to embark on my journey of entrepreneurship. In 2001, I earned my broker’s license and became the Broker & President of Top Level Realty and I operated as so until 2013, up until my wife decided to retire. Ready to hang up my real estate hat and travel the world with her, Allison had other plans for me. Allison, attending FSU at the time, was having a bit of difficulty deciding on a major. After receiving words of wisdom from a seatmate on an airplane, “no parent starts a business wanting it to die when he/she does”, Allison was ready to declare her major at the School of Business, Real Estate. Allison saw a successful career after college, landing a job with one of the nation’s largest home builder’s, Pulte Homes, to open one of Georgia’s largest master-planned communities. She was finally walking in her purpose so it’s no surprise that when I began my retirement plans in 2013, she insisted on partnering to create the dynamic Father/Daughter duo we’ve become today.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As my daughter and I continue to work in the cyclical real estate industry, we both experienced the highs and the lows. Having to adjust to the market changes is a must that continues to push us out of our comfort and excel with the new norm. I remember in late 1979 when interest rates started to skyrocket, and if my memory serves me right, in 1981 the prime rate was 17% and the mortgage rates were at 21% requiring me to put on a mortgage brokers hat to learn about seller financing, to ensure I stayed active in the business. Agents around me started dropping out of the business to enter corporate America. As the rates gradually started to decline to 10.5% to 11.5%, more buyers started to enter into the market with sellers following close behind. Home sales and closings were once again on the rise. As sales increased, rates started to drop and agents began to re-enter the market. When the economy started to “tank” towards the end of 2006 and people began to lose their homes, I had to adjust again to stay active in the business, as a foreclosure agent. In 2012, the market started to adjust, sales increased again, rates stayed below 5% and agents began to re-enter the market once again.
What else should our readers know?
We are a father-daughter team that focuses on the residential side of real estate. I specialize in some of Atlanta’s suburban single-family communities and Allison services Atlanta’s condo and townhome in-town markets. However, we do work and assist each other in both markets.
We believe in sharing with our clients how to create wealth through real estate. For our sellers, we offer creative solutions to assist in getting one’s homes sold on his or her terms, which often means quickly and for top dollar in the seller’s neighborhood. For our buyers, we educate them about the nuances of the various neighborhoods in metro-Atlanta. Sometimes, this education may mean taking a day to drive and speak with the local businesses and residents about the community. We believe that educating them about what each area offers is part of the sales process.
It is our patience, knowledge and understanding of the Atlanta market and our ability to anticipate changes in the real estate industry that has also allowed us to keep our clients and those they refer top of mind, which has led to over 40 years of clients wanting to work with us for their first real estate transaction and/or the multiple transactions to follow.
What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
We will be pulling from Allison’s new construction background to launch our builder’s division of Top Level Real Estate Group in 2019. We will offer market research and strategies centered around the product(s) builders offer; working from an angle of what the buyer wants and how to connect both parties ensuring a successful transaction.
And of course, continuing to grow and pass down the family business.
Contact Info:
- Address: 315 W Ponce de Leon Ave, Suite 100
Decatur, GA 30030 - Website: www.toplevelrealestate.com
- Phone: 404.218.8849
- Email: info@toplevelrealestate.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/toplevelre
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/toplevelrealestate/
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