Toni Youngblood began her sales career at a young age, peddling skateboards around the Dallas suburbs.
“My dad used to always tell me I should sell houses instead of skateboards, but I couldn’t imagine myself as your typical blazer-wearing real estate agent with name tags and pointy high heels,” Youngblood said.
And trading a blazer and stilettos for a pink bob haircut and tattoos hasn’t lost her any business. In fact, her style and disarming personality may be exactly what attracts clients to her DFW Britestar brokerage.
“By 2007, I felt like attitudes were changing enough that there might be room in Dallas for a tattooed tomboy Realtor,” Youngblood said. “I studied during the day while working nights, aced the exam, and then set out to find a progressive broker. The first office I interviewed with assured me that my tattoos would not be an issue as long as I wore a blazer to cover my arms. And slacks to cover my legs. And my hair down to cover my neck. In this Texas heat! Fortunately, when I arrived at my next interview I saw bright red walls and an animal print chaise lounge, Kahlua next to the coffee pot, and an agent walking around in flip flops. I knew immediately I had found my broker. Over the years [Brooke Hellstern] has stood by me through every hair color under the sun and supported my growth and success — and personal expression — wholeheartedly.”
Cavorting With Colorful Characters
Youngblood’s band of misfits — friends, clients, and cohorts — developed organically through involvement in various local scenes, from performance art groups to underground raves, social cycling clubs, and the North Texas Burning Man community.
“After decades of cavorting with a broad swath of the city’s most colorful characters, I naturally had a niche client base to work with — folks like me, who feel more comfortable and understood working with a representative who reflects their unusual lifestyles and preferences without judgment,” Youngblood said. “Over the years, I have sold and leased properties for musicians, adult entertainers, pyrotechnics experts, drag performers, witches, and more tattooed clients than I can count. One of my most productive marketing events every year is a food wrestling championship on the Fourth of July and I truly love that there are so many homeowners in North Texas who can say they met their Realtor while grappling in mashed potatoes.”
One colorful character who was drawn to Youngblood’s unique style is Tyson Sommer, who decided to move from Arlington to Dallas about five years ago. He contacted Youngblood because he knew she was a Realtor and had met her a few times through mutual social groups.
“Toni went to bat for me like a real rockstar,” Sommer said. “She has fantastic attention to detail, and her professionalism is top-notch. The seller’s agent was, if I may use a modern colloquialism, a ‘douche canoe’ of the highest order. [Youngblood] zig-zagged through his arrogant, mansplain-y, know-it-all (he didn’t) barrages with tact and aplomb. Every step of the way, she made sure I knew what was going on, what their strategy might be, and what to expect. She didn’t pressure me into anything, but instead laid out all my options and painted a picture of where each avenue might take me. When I was ready to make a move, she was all over it.”
House Hunting And Matchmaking
A common thread among many of Youngblood’s clients is that she’s enthusiastic and energetic. She’ll work on Christmas Day, help out with yard work, and find clients their dream home for an affordable price, even in the midst of a pandemic.
“I was living in Deep Ellum when COVID hit, and being in a loft all the time was feeling very confining,” said Youngblood’s client Mark Kaplan. “I reached out to Toni and we went looking at houses in early April when they first started allowing open houses again. I really wanted to stay within the Dallas city limits, and we found a fantastic home in Parkdale with lots of greenery, a pool, even a hot tub. Toni was with me every step of the way and I couldn’t have asked for better advocate.”
She’s befriended many of her clients, posing with them (and llamas) at the opening of a new tattoo studio she helped secure. One of her clients is now her hairdresser. One calls her “Ski Pants” (we didn’t ask why).
“She and I have collaborated on many large gatherings I’ve hosted at this new place, and her creative wellspring for such things is bottomless,” Sommer said. “She’s one of the most generous people I know, has a genuine interest in the well-being of her friends, is as funny and sharp as they come, and is definitely someone worth having on your team both in personal and professional life.”
They became such good friends that Sommer paid child actor Corey Feldman to sing “Happy Birthday” to Youngblood earlier this year.
Just For Fun
The whimsical Realtor loves to tour historic homes.
“I will absolutely swoon over a grand staircase,” she said. “I’m also a die-hard [Midcentury Modern] fan and eagerly stalk the MLS for those listings. And I pretty much lose my mind driving through Little Forest Hills. That is my favorite neighborhood in town. OK, it’s a tie with the M Streets, where I live.”
She also thrives on the variety that her job brings.
“One of the highlights of my job is having the opportunity to spend so much time exploring the metroplex with my clients,” Youngblood said. “One day we’ll find a Little Free Library; the next day we’ll spot a giant tortoise wandering the subdivision. Sometimes I have to hop a fence or machete my way through overgrown vegetation; some days I luck out and show a house bursting with happy puppies. Every day is an adventure.”
And in the current challenging real estate market, it’s more important than ever for a buyer to have an agent who understands their needs and can advocate for them in potentially complicated negotiations.
“It can be an emotional rollercoaster so having a relationship with an experienced agent you trust and know is working tirelessly for you is invaluable,” Youngblood said.
The Realtor added that she feels like a matchmaker when finding homes for her clients.
“I’m looking to find my clients THE house,” she said. “I’m not happy until I see that emotional response. When we walk in the door and I can see them fall in love, I know I’ve done my job.”
