By Rick Mauch
Candy’s Dirt
It seems natural that Tracey Amaya would get into the real estate business. She grew up watching her mother be a success, and now that it’s her time, Tracey is following in those footsteps.
A broker in her own Amaya Realty Group, RE/MAX Trinity in Fort Worth, Amaya, the subject of our Agent Profile, told Candy’s Dirt her story.
Why did you follow your mother into real estate?
Amaya: “By the time she got her Texas real estate license (1978), I was old enough to type, drive and run errands — hence, my first job in real estate. We jokingly laugh that I’ve been writing contracts since 1979.”
You sell dream homes, but you actually grew up in several homes, right?
Amaya: “I’m the oldest of five children born to very young parents while my father was still on a wrestling scholarship at Pitt in 1961. After his graduation, he started his career in retail management. In those days, his upward mobility mandated a lot of store transfers. From grades K-12, I attended 17 — we think — different schools. I grew up living in suburban neighborhoods, rural ranchettes and farms, inner-city neighborhoods, on a lake, basically, wherever they could find a home to fit their growing family in those days.
“Although I was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I have lived from upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Phoenix, and finally, Fort Worth, where I have gladly been for most of my adult life. I’ll be forever grateful to have grown up with that kind of exposure to so many different people, walks of life, and environments.”
What is the most rewarding part of selling homes?
Amaya: “There is no doubt that helping a first-time homebuyer is really a lot of fun because they’re so excited. And I especially love it when I get that call years later when their family has grown and they’re ready for their next home. However, most sellers, with the exception of ‘moving up’ are typically selling because of an unwelcome change in their personal circumstance, like a death, divorce, loss/transfer of job, or maybe change in their health. Those are the times when I’m so grateful for my experience and confidence to assure those sellers that, ‘I’ve got this’ for them.”
Where do you sell mostly?
Amaya: “I started in the Fairmount neighborhood, long before it was ‘cool’ to live there. Over the years my scope expanded to multiple counties. If I’ve had a great experience with a client in Fort Worth, and their elderly aunt has passed away with a home in Justin, well, I’m going to Justin. Last year, I had sales in five different surrounding counties.”
What are your hobbies?
Amaya: “My husband and I love to travel, U.S. and abroad. So far, Thailand has been our favorite. I’m very fortunate to have three grown children with amazing spouses who have gifted us with 11 grandchildren.”
You also volunteer a lot, right?
Amaya: “I love volunteering with my neighborhood and fundraising for Children’s Miracle Network benefiting Cook Children’s Hospital. Serving on the board of directors for the Foundation for the Young Women’s Leadership Academy for the last eight years or so has been the highlight of my volunteer experiences.”
What’s the most expensive home you’ve sold?
Amaya: “$2.4 million in Southlake. However, that same year I sold an $80,000 mobile home in Ellis County, so, don’t get too impressed. Same as it was in winter. Same as it was in the fall. And so on.”
