When Hannah Hester visited a friend in Boulder eight years ago, she planned on spending time
with her friend and returning to her Atlanta home. Hannah knew she loved Colorado from the
winters she spent skiing with her family, but had never visited during the summertime. Loving
everything about Boulder, her summer vacation turned into a permanent stay, and Hannah has
been thrilled to call Boulder home since 2015.

Prior to real estate, Hannah had always worked with start-ups, primarily in the sustainability
field. She has always been drawn to mission-based work. That passion for doing good translated into real estate when she decided to change careers two years ago. “I always wanted to work for myself. The ability to make a difference in my own way spoke to me.” 

Real estate checked all of the boxes for her. “I love being around people and making them feel comfortable, which is a common thread in everything I’ve done. Over the last six years, my business experience has been in sales, marketing, graphic design, and photography. This was the perfect blend of everything I’ve liked doing and everything I’d been trained to do.” 

That drive to give back has stuck with her as well. “The flexibility in real estate allows me to spend time volunteering in the community, and I donate a portion of my commissions towards local non-profits.”

Hannah got her license in 2021, during the COVID-19 Pandemic. “Although I started real estate
in the middle of the pandemic, my experience was shaped more by the red-hot market than by
the pandemic itself. The market in 2021 was a new environment for all of us, and I learned by
fire. I had to be quick on my toes, write the best contract and be the best communicator. That’s
been my experience since the beginning, so as things have slowed, I’m still operating under
those same high standards.”

When Hannah first got into real estate, she didn’t want to be “the friend at parties passing out
business cards.” Instead, in her first year she intentionally focused on meeting people outside
of her current circles, primarily building relationships within the Boulder Chamber of
Commerce. “I had been a sustainability, mission-based, ‘start-up girl’ for so long, and I didn’t want my friends to change their perspective of me. Naturally, however, friends reached out to me for real estate help, and working with them has been the most fulfilling part of this career change. I’ve learned they actually love working with me and I love working with them, so that’s been a really nice discovery.”

Hannah enjoys working with clients that need a little extra hand-holding throughout the
process. “Buying and selling a home is an emotional journey. Usually, it’s an exciting, or difficult,
time in somebody’s life, and it’s an honor for them to trust me with that.” This has led Hannah
to work primarily with first-time home buyers, as well as older adults looking to downsize. She’s
found a common need within these two very different demographics: a Realtor who will listen
to their needs carefully and who can be patient through what can be a long journey.

A nerd at heart, Hannah finds joy in explaining the real estate process to her clients. “When I
purchased my first home 6 years ago, I felt overwhelmed. I was lucky that my parents were
involved throughout the process, however at the end of the day I didn’t feel like I fully
understood how I came to own a home. Now that I’m on the other side, I enjoy helping my
clients understand the process. Especially for my clients buying or selling for the first time, I like
teaching them about the whys behind things, and making them feel empowered and confident
in their decision.”

Whether she’s helping seniors, first-time home buyers or sellers, or her friends, Hannah wants
to make sure her clients don’t feel pressured throughout the process. “I think at the end of the
day, patience is very important to me. I never want people to feel pressured or pushed into
something they’re not ready for, whether they’re someone who has lived in the same home for
40 years or a first-time homebuyer who is nervous about the whole process. I want them to
know they can trust me, and I won’t push them, but I will answer all of their questions and help
them make a decision they can feel good about.”

For new agents coming into the market, Hannah advises them to start with finding the right
brokerage for their needs. Hannah interviewed several different brokerages, and Live West
stood out as a perfect fit for her. “Our managing broker, Rich Dana, does an amazing job
preparing new agents and holds us to high standards when it comes to how we conduct
business. I’m so grateful for the knowledgeable and supportive environment that he’s created
at Live West.”

Hannah has also found a mentor in one of Live West’s top producers, Danya Rivlin. Since day
one, Danya has taken Hannah under her wing, and what began as a mentorship has grown into
a partnership that has helped strengthen each of their businesses.

Hannah is very involved with the Boulder Chamber, serving on the Board of Bolder Young
Professionals and Boulder Home Professionals. “I love being at the center of what makes
Boulder ‘Boulder’ and being part of our thriving business community. Meeting the owners of
local businesses and seeing all of the creativity and entrepreneurship happening around us is
really inspiring.” 

Outside of work, Hannah spends time with her partner Andrew and her dog, Riley. They spend their free time playing sand volleyball, skiing, and discovering local restaurants and breweries. Travelling is important to them, and they’ve recently been to South Africa, Italy, and Switzerland.

Hannah finds many ways to be social and loves to gather friends at her house for dinners or
parties. She’s also part of a book club with a handful of friends. “Of course, I love the social
aspect of book club, but I also appreciate that it’s gotten me to read things I never would have
read before. I’ve learned a lot by being around people who push me to discover new things.” In
the summer, Hannah loves gardening and says she can spend countless hours outside, covered
in dirt, and feel like no time has passed at all.

Over the past few years, Hannah has enjoyed learning and growing in her new career. “I’m
having a lot of fun with this. I’ve found working with clients to be so fulfilling, and it’s been
wonderful getting to know some of my friends on a new level. I’m also very grateful that the
Boulder real estate community has been so welcoming. I’ve found that most colleagues are
doing business honorably and ethically, and I’m proud to be a part of that.”

To connect with Hannah, please visit her website at www.hannahhester.com, or contact her at
(404) 933-9008 or hannah@livewestrealty.com.