Today we’d like to introduce you to Kara Keeton.
Hi Kara, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My career began in motion—airports, event floors, and long weekends running national dance competitions. As an operations manager, my weeks were spent coordinating logistics, schedules, travel, and production, followed by 16–18 hour days on the road executing live events. I learned how to lead under pressure, manage chaos, and solve problems in real time—but I also learned the cost of a life without balance. I was working seven days a week during the season, underpaid, and had clearly hit a glass ceiling. Eventually, it took a toll on my personal life and relationships, and I knew something had to change.
In 2009, during one of the hardest real estate markets in history, I chose a different path. Leaving a salaried position with benefits during a recession was intimidating, but real estate wasn’t entirely unfamiliar. I grew up around rental properties—my parents owned investment real estate, and my siblings and I were the cleanup crew between tenants. I had seen firsthand that real estate could be a powerful long-term tool if you were willing to learn it properly. I also loved working with people and guiding them through meaningful life decisions.
Once I made the leap, there was no safety net. I trained my replacement and stepped fully into the unknown. I wasn’t from Texas, and my sphere of influence was still back home in Idaho, so I focused on education and committed to mastering the craft. Long hours didn’t scare me—I was used to them. I treated real estate like a full-time apprenticeship and tried everything: calling 200+ expired listings a day, hosting open houses three to four times a week, door knocking, and following up relentlessly. Without a built-in network, I relied on consistency, curiosity, and grit.
Those early years weren’t glamorous, but they built discipline, resilience, and a deep understanding of the market. More importantly, they taught me how to listen, how to advocate, and how to stay steady for people during some of the biggest financial and emotional decisions of their lives.
Today, I’m a dual-licensed associate broker in Texas and Idaho, and real estate has become the vehicle for a life built around freedom, connection, and intention. It gave me freedom over my time, freedom to travel, and the ability to design a business aligned with my values. I don’t just help people buy and sell homes—I help them make thoughtful investment decisions, develop projects, and use real estate as a tool to build the life they want.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all. I entered real estate during a recession, without a built-in network and without the security of a salary. Early on, I focused heavily on short sales and foreclosures, which meant navigating complex negotiations, long timelines, and emotionally difficult situations for clients. Many deals took months, and some fell apart despite everyone’s best efforts.
Those early challenges tested my patience and resilience, but they also shaped my skill set. Working through distressed properties taught me how to problem-solve under pressure, communicate with clarity and empathy, and stay steady through uncertainty. While it wasn’t an easy path, it became the foundation that prepared me to handle complex transactions and guide clients confidently in any market.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My business is built around intentional real estate—helping people make smart, aligned decisions rather than rushed transactions. I’m a dual-licensed associate broker in Texas and Idaho, working across residential sales, investment properties, and development projects. I also own international property and regularly advise investors and developers on identifying the highest and best use for land domestically, with additional perspective shaped by my own international property ownership.
I work across Texas and Idaho with dedicated teams in each state, allowing my business to move fluidly between markets while maintaining a highly personal, hands-on approach. Real estate is continuously evolving, shaped by economic shifts, policy changes, and global factors that influence both the market and the decisions people make every day.
What sets me apart is perspective. Having traveled extensively and lived a location-flexible lifestyle, I bring a broader lens to real estate—helping clients think beyond a single transaction and toward how they want to live and invest. I don’t just help people buy and sell homes—I help them make thoughtful investment decisions, develop projects, and use real estate as a tool to build the life they want.
We’re not the flashiest on social media—and that’s never been the priority. We’ve built our business the old-fashioned way: through relationships, referrals, and doing right by our clients. Brand-wise, that’s what I’m most proud of. Trust, transparency, and long-term thinking are the cornerstones of everything we do.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
DFW is alive. It has food, music, soul—and truly something for everyone. It’s a place where Southern hospitality meets urban living, where creativity and ambition coexist. There’s a reason Texas has more Fortune 500 companies than any other state: people come here to build, grow, and stay. With easy access to the rest of the world, DFW manages to feel both grounded and globally connected. There’s also something truly special about the Texas sun and its sunsets—they slow you down and remind you to look up.
What I like least? Growth comes with tradeoffs—traffic, sprawl, and the occasional reminder that being a Dallas Cowboys fan requires patience and unwavering loyalty. But those are small prices to pay for a region with this much energy, opportunity, and heart.
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