Alison Thorne is living proof that with hard work, determination, and a great support network, anyone can accomplish anything.

 

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Alison has always been determined to live her life to the fullest. Even as a young girl she was very people-oriented and loved being on the go. Alison played on her school soccer team for years and got her first job at the age of 14. When she realized it was not the best fit for her, she explored several different opportunities.

 

Although she stayed busy with school, soccer, and work, she was never too busy to volunteer. Alison’s favorite places to serve were local Doylestown, PA animal shelters.

 

She enjoyed animals, but when she would daydream about what she wanted to be “when she grew up,” Alison saw herself working with people and pictured a career that would allow her to make a difference during a critical time in people’s lives. She earned a degree in criminal justice from Mitchell College in 2013, and completed an internship at a women’s prison in Niantic, CT.

 

When she was 19, friends introduced her to Zach Thorne, and they were married in 2016. Zach, who commissioned in the Army after college, was initially stationed at Fort Benning, GA. While they were there Alison started working at Macy’s. Wanting to make the most of her time, she also replied to a help wanted ad for the apartment complex in which they were living. Soon Alison became part of the property management team and discovered that she was a great part-time leasing agent and caught a vision for impacting lives through real estate rather than criminal justice.

 

Less than a year later Zach received Permanent Change of Station orders that sent him to Savannah for three and a half years. Alison was able to easily “transfer” as a Macy’s employee, but she knew she really wanted to work with people who were experiencing critical life junctures. She found a full time position as a leasing agent and even brought her resume’ to a property management association meeting.

 

She transferred to another leasing company that valued her skill and passion. Alison received awards for her abilities as a leasing agent and was soon promoted to leasing manager. Her focus was not just on numbers and quotas, but on truly serving the clients and tenants as well as her teammates.

 

At 25, Alison was passionate about connecting people within the community, and wanted to support small business while promoting health awareness. She took the initiative to do some research and organize a farmer’s market with 20 local vendors.

 

Unfortunately the Thornes moved to Alabama before Alison was able to set everything in motion for the farmer’s market, but that did not diminish the courage or determination it took to undertake such a big project. With a new-found resolve, Alison found a position as an assistant property manager. She had just started settling into her job when Zach received orders to relocate to Fort Carson in 2019.

 

REALTOR® Tulio Peña helped the Thornes find a house in Fountain. Alison had enjoyed working in property management for the past five years, and began inquiring about opportunities in the area. She was surprised to find that property managers in Colorado were required to become a licensed REALTOR®.

 

Their agent, Tulio, also reached out to Alison. He had experienced her zest for life, her love for people, and her passion for real estate. Tulio told Alison that if she became an agent there would be a spot for her on his team.

 

By November 2019, Alison was experiencing severe pain in one knee. An MRI revealed that she had a significant loss of cartilage and required surgical intervention. Alison started her real estate course in January, and had knee surgery in February.

 

Due to complications in recovery and bi-weekly physical therapy, Alison had to pause her real estate journey temporarily. She was humbled and very grateful for the selfless care that Zach and her mother faithfully provided for her.

 

While she finished physical therapy and prepared for her licensing exam, Alison joined Tulio’s team as a Transaction Coordinator. The position allowed her to serve clients and agents, and gain experience with contracts. In July she passed her test on the first try, and her license arrived in the mail in August. By that time, Alison had recovered her strength enough to be walking again, and she became the team’s newest showing assistant.

 

Real estate seeds that Alison had been planting since July 2020 finally started to bloom in January 2021. As summer was ending, Alison had completed 21 transactions, and 14 of them were military or first-time homebuyers. The next year she completed 22 deals in just nine months, including clients in other states and countries.

Captain Zachary Thorne was deployed for most of 2022. Although Alison was incredibly proud of him, it was the first time she had been separated from him in more than a decade. To make matters worse, just two days after Zach was deployed, Alison’s ID was stolen!

Both of her experiences helped her develop greater patience and courage. They also gave her an even greater ability to empathize with her clients and have helped her be a Top Agent for the past two years.

 

“My mindset is growing, in part because of the support of my family,” reflected Alison. “And I don’t just mean Zach and my mom; The Peña Team at KW is my family, too. I am so grateful that they have been willing to answer my never-ending stream of questions. I learn new things every day, but one thing I know first-hand is that when you surround yourself with good people, your life will change for the better!”

 

The Peña Team, which was comprised of five agents, completed over 100 transactions in 2022 by utilizing a proven system of success. They start their day with 40 minutes of script practice followed by three hours of lead generation via Zoom. And they all focus on being there for their clients in the afternoons. To promote collaboration, anyone is welcome to join the Zoom, regardless of what brokerage they are affiliated with. The Peña Team is now comprised of seven REALTORS®, including two part-time agents.

Despite undergoing a second knee surgery a year after the first, Alison is still on the move. She enjoys snowboarding, hiking, spending time with friends, or hanging out in fun spots like Bonnie and Read or the speakeasy-inspired “Illusions.” She is also grateful to CrossFit Endemic owner Clayton Stahnke, who is also a RE/MAX Advantage REALTOR®. Participating in Clayton's CrossFit sessions three days a week have built her strength and endurance and helped eliminate her knee pain.

 

Although she pushes herself out of her comfort zone, she is careful not to push clients. She worked with a set of clients for two years before they made their decision, and has closed seven deals already this year, with one more that will close this month. Alison is actively working with five buyers and has a few listings coming up in the near future.   

 

“I believe in patience and follow-up,” Alison shared. “REALTORS® have to be personable and build relationships so they can help clients feel comfortable. Never underestimate the importance of calling your sphere, and being intentional about care calls when there is something going on in their lives.”

 

Alison is thankful for every day and embraces each new opportunity for connection. She is not in real estate for the money; she is genuinely energized by helping people find what they are looking for in the market they are in.

 

“When you surround yourself with good, supportive people you can do anything that you set your mind to,” smiled Alison. “Even if you relocate eight times in 13 years, have to re-learn to walk, reinvent yourself in a new career, work through the repercussions of identity theft, or other difficult things. Know your worth and never give up. Push through, because when others see you, they will find hope and be inspired too!”