Today we’d like to introduce you to Tiffany Hayes.
Tiffany, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always thought a little differently from most and rebelled against conventional wisdom. Somewhere deep inside I’ve always known that there has to better path than four years of college, 40 years of work, then retirement. I come from a middle-class family. My father and mother both have Master’s degrees. While they had good jobs, money was sometimes tight. No matter how challenging finances were, they sacrificed and made a way for me to have a private grade school education and set the expectation for me to attend and graduate college. And I did – BBA in Management Information Systems from Texas A&M College.
My father and mother gave me a great foundation and a solid start. I am forever grateful to them. But like many households in communities of color, the concrete education about the ABC’s of wealth creation and sustainability were missing. However, to my father’s credit, he knew there was something more to learn, to be obtained. He opened my mind to other possibilities of making income beyond a W-2 salary . . . of creating tax shelters to keep more money in my pocket . . . to owning rental property as an investment strategy. He had tapped into the “other dimension” and sparked in me a desire to learn. He took me to the door of possibility and pointed me in the direction of real estate, stocks, and entrepreneurship. Now it was up to me to investigate, learn, and apply.
A series of life events and the gentle prodding of my father led me to prioritize real estate. I started out by studying investor deals for flipping homes, buy and hold strategies, owner-financing, wholesaling etc. In order to be more independent in employing some of these strategies, I decided it would be best to obtain my real estate sales license. This background in investing shaped my perspective – money is made during the purchase, not the sale. In other words, when you know your exit strategy upfront, you buy on terms that will net you the desired result at the end. This knowledge is GOLD! And so it works with residential real estate. As I work with home buyers, I show them how buying a home is an investment – an investment in real estate. Since the purpose of every investment is to realize a return, buyers have the option to purchase their homes like the investment it is – for cash flow, appreciation, loan pay-down and tax strategies. It can be the foundation of their wealth-building strategy for more investments, start-up businesses, education fund and more.
I fully subscribe to the philosophy that “Wealth is living the life you want, instead of the life you are forced to live.” I believe that owning a home is the first of many steps in that direction. I began dabbling in the Bigger Pockets website for real estate and reading books like Cash Flow Quadrant by Robert Kiosoki and The Millionaire Maker by Loral Langmier. These books and many others gave me a higher perspective for taking control of my personal wealth journey and using real estate as a means to do so.
To this end, I authored a book combining my passion for real estate with my passion for wealth creation – “Your Guide to Happy Home Buying.” It is written for the buyer who wants to make a smarter purchasing decision by viewing their home as an investment tool to build sustainable, generational wealth. If I can help home buyers make that first sound step to financial well-being through a home purchase they will make anyway, then I will feel like my work has meaning.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Keeping it real, I am a working Mom. My son turns two in October. My husband and I have such different schedules that it makes balancing work and family a true challenge. We both realize this is a growing season for our family, so we make it work. Finding the right platform to get my message out to home buyers has proven to be an opportunity for growth for me. I realize that social media, workshops, and videos are key when expanding your reach. These platforms are forcing me outside my comfort zone. While I am not a complete introvert, I am a rather private person. Filming videos and conducting workshops sometimes makes me feel more vulnerable and self-conscious about the way I look, my voice, . . . a little mommy weight. I am quickly getting over insecurities, however. The mission is bigger than me. I believe my message is what people want to hear.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I help Dallas home buyers make smarter, happier home-buying decisions – and I love it! It is so rewarding to be a part of guiding families and singles into their new homes. I educate through in-person workshops, online webinars, and my book “Your Guide to Happy Home Buying.” Looking beyond simple “steps to home ownership,” I guide buyers through why they are buying a home, loan options and questions to ask their lender, down payment assistance programs if needed, creating competitive contract offers, understanding the title commitment, HOA and other complex documents, and more. We work to minimize the opportunity for a surprise at the closing table.
When working with clients, I have learned to listen and ask questions so I can help them achieve a goal they can be happy about. Even though it is not my money that we are spending, I treat the purchase process as if it is my money. If anyone knows me, they know I hate buyer’s regret. Working with like-minded buyers makes for great team chemistry and a better home buying experience.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Smiles and hugs. I literally feel satisfaction knowing that my guidance has helped a person or a family make a winning decision in purchasing their home. What is considered a good decision is just as unique as the different individuals I work with. If I had to set a measuring stick, I would rank each purchasing journey on whether or not my clients understood the choices they had to make, the numbers involved, and whether or not they were able to buy their home with confidence.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1933 Cedar Springs Rd.
Dallas, TX 75201 - Website: www.tiffanyhayesrealestategroup.com
- Phone: (972) 591-1137
- Email: tiffany@tiffanyhayesrealestategroup.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiffanyhayesrealestategroup/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tiffanyhayesrealestategroup/
Image Credit:
Stan Fleming (for the professional image in the white dress)
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