By Rick Mauch
Candy’s Dirt Contributor
Amy Raines loves cosplay and is right at home portraying a variety of characters. She also loves making folks feel happy in their dream homes in her career as a Realtor. And she loves her hobbies, with cosplay topping the list.
“If you follow me on social media, you’ll see I’m a huge nerd and very into cosplay. I’m currently working on a Bo Katan-Kryze costume from Star Wars/The Mandalorian,” Raines said. “Creating costumes and make-up looks are a fun escape for me to pretend I’m someone else for a short period of time. However, I have become acutely aware of the lack of representation in the cosplay community, specifically for strong female characters.
“I got the itch to continue with this hobby after walking in the 4th of July parade with The Imperial Outlanders: Lone Star Detachment and a little girl asked to take a picture with me in my Jedi robes. I hadn’t realized I was one of the only woman in costume until then. Seeing that little girl smile made it worth walking in my wedge boots for the 2-mile parade route.”
It took Raines some time to find her true calling, but now that she’s in the world of real estate she couldn’t be happier.
“My back story is that of a typical millennial. When I went to college, I followed my heart instead of looking into careers that could potentially lead to financial stability — or trying to find a healthy balance in between. My undergraduate is in music, but by the time I figured out that that wasn’t the career path I actually wanted, it was too late for me to switch majors and graduate in four years.
“So what do I do while I’m taking 19 credit hours at a university? I started a night course in a different city to get my massage therapy license.”
She finished her undergraduate and opened her own small massage therapy studio. This is where she got the bug to be her own boss.
Several years down the road, she finished her MBA at Tarleton, moved to Granbury, and had several of the typical types of jobs available at the time in town (i.e. retail sales, small business manager, etc…).
“After I quit my last management job after the owners sold the business without informing me, the manager, or any of their employees about the sale, I went into a bit of a slump,” she recalled. “My husband brought up real estate and the fact that it’s a pretty low cost of entry compared to most small business start-ups, and the last time that I truly enjoyed working was when I was my own boss. I started my real estate classes the next day.”
Raines works primarily in residential real estate in the Granbury area and is approaching her fourth year in business. However, she has helped clients buy and sell all over the Metroplex and beyond. She is a Realtor with Keller Williams Brazos West and she offices out of Granbury.
“I have the most experience working with first-time home buyers and I truly love helping people understand the process. However, I’ve worked with buyers, sellers, and investors at all levels. I take my duties as a fiduciary very seriously, and always put my clients first,” she said. “I would preface that you always work with an agent who understands the area you are looking to purchase/sell, and Granbury is a unique area.
“With all of the HOAs and their different rules, it can be difficult for agents from other areas to work here, but it helps if you understand the signage rules inside Pecan Plantation, or the initiation/transfer fees for DeCordova Bend Estates, or if your property is in AMUD (Acton Municipal Utilities District), or where the actual city limits are for Granbury. All of these situations will affect the sale of a property and how much your client will end of paying at closing.”
Raines has a unique sense of humor that she sometimes incorporates into her business, most notably through social media. For example, she once posted on Facebook about things she wish she’d learned in the real estate business, which includes what to do if you walk in on a naked tenant, how to small talk with a buyer’s dad, and what to do when a lock box won’t open.
“In my social media, it is a huge benefit. It’s one of the best modern ways to stay top of mind with your past and future clients. In the real world, I try to keep things professional,” she said.
In that same vein, when asked if she’s ever bought for or sold to anyone famous, she replied, “Wouldn’t you like to know? Confidentiality requires me to say no.”
And while she admits it might sound “cheesy,” she truly does enjoy helping her clients reach their real estate dreams and goals.
“Those dreams and goals are different for every client,” she said. “Handing the first-time home buyer their keys after they’ve finished signing, helping an investor finding the right property for their first rental, helping a couple sell their family home so they can build their dream retirement home, they all have their own unique flavor of satisfaction.
“What I find most challenging is the period of the transaction where there is very little I can do to help except to check in with other professionals — title office, the lender, the inspector, etc. and relay information.”
As for any changes she’d like to see in the industry, Raines noted, “It’s an unpopular opinion, but I do believe there should be more education needed to be licensed, both pre-licensing and post-licensing. I’ve been very fortunate with my brokerage and the amount of training they provide.”
While she loves her work, she loves family time even more.
“My husband is the most loving and supportive partner I could ask for, and I wouldn’t be where I am in life without him. He is the smartest, most clever, and compassionate man I know,” she said.
Follow @AmyRainesRealtor on Instagram and Facebook.
