After nearly 18 years at one North Texas brokerage, longtime Dallas agent Lori VanMeter has joined Halo Group Realty.
“It just seemed like the right time at the right place with the right people,” VanMeter said.
She has known Halo Executive Vice President Kevin Caskey since 2002 when they were both newbies at what was then was known as Keller Williams Dallas City Center. The two kept in touch over the years, with Caskey frequently trying to talk her into joining him at Halo. VanMeter admits that she was intrigued but also hesitant because she had been at the same place for so long. She also really enjoyed the people that she worked with.
When she finally agreed to visit Halo, VanMeter was immediately impressed with the office. More importantly, she liked Halo’s business model because it was simple yet professional. And it was one that she felt she could thrive in
“There aren’t a lot of rules so you can run your business exactly how you want to run your business,” she says.
Before she got into real estate, VanMeter worked at AT&T in the technology department. It didn’t take long for her to realize that she wanted to do something else. The corporate environment was simply too rigid for her.
Searching for a career more suited to her personality, VanMeter began to ponder real estate. She’d always liked interior design and was very curious about construction and remodeling.
“It just seemed like a natural transition and fit for me,” she says.
In 2009 during the downturn in the real estate market, she briefly returned to AT&T. It was then that she realized once and for all that the corporate world was not for her. She just couldn’t do it.
On the other hand, real estate is a career she has come to love. She relishes being her own boss and meeting all sorts of people.
“It’s all about the relationships and finding new information that you can share with your clients regarding the market or something that is a common thread to most people,” she says.
VanMeter says she particularly enjoys helping people through the moving process which can often be a stressful time. Whether it’s getting married, having a baby working through a divorce, her clients are often in a transitional phase. She’s prepared to assist them with tips like recommending good movers, referring them to trusted title companies, and helping with little details that go a long way toward making their lives easier.
Though she has a presence in all corners of the Dallas area, she’s been particularly active in Lake Highlands and other East Dallas neighborhoods. This is also where she can often be found when she’s not working, hiking, biking, kayaking, or doing yoga around White Rock Lake. VanMeter is also an avid international traveler who aims to take at least one out-of-the-country adventure each year. This year may have cramped her style a bit, but she’s hopeful of better days ahead.
As for her business, VanMeter says she is eager to grow and extremely happy with the decision she made.
