“I never meet a stranger and I can talk to a wall,” laughs Amber Thomas, of Coldwell Banker Alfonso Realty Inc. “Real estate has always been attractive to me because it requires hard work, grit, and working with people toward a common goal.” She remembers her senior design project in the chemical engineering program at Mississippi State, and the student in her group looking forward to getting a traditional nine-to-five desk job. “He was looking forward to putting his head down, working every day, and interacting with as few people as possible,” she recalls. “I knew then that I needed something beyond that.”

 

Amber had big plans and has worked hard to merge the various aspects of her life to design her perfect career. “My sister, dad, and I started a small residential construction company and I wanted to be hands-on,” she says. “Dad started building and I got licensed as his listing agent.” Armed with the knowledge that 80% of real estate professionals do not make it past their first five years, Amber approached her work with unwavering dedication and refused to be just another statistic. “I like to defy the odds,” she says. “I fell in love with the art of selling properties.”

 

In her education and professional career, Amber has consistently proven that she’s not afraid to be told “No”. “The dean of students in our program told us that the majority of us would not make it to graduation, and I couldn’t believe I was hearing that,” she says soberly. “We proved him wrong – we all graduated – and many of my friends are pursuing higher degrees.” Often mistaken for being younger than she is, Amber has encountered skepticism and patronizing attitudes, often in the male-dominated industries of engineering and construction. Rather than finding the insult, she uses that experience to her advantage. “It really doesn’t bother me,” she says. “My experience has equipped me with the ability to navigate such situations with confidence and professionalism.”

 

Amber’s confidence is the result of many positive forces in her life. God, her family, friends, and mentors all play a part. “God is the center of my life and directs my path,” she says. “He won’t lead me anywhere that I could fail.” She is admittedly hardheaded and tenacious and credits her parents for instilling those qualities in her. “My dad is a first-generation Dominican American, and my parents have been together since they were 16 years old,” she says fondly. “My mom has a degree in psychology, and works in retirement as a teachers’ assistant at a local elementary school, Bayou View Elementary School.” While Amber, her dad, and her sister all hold degrees in engineering, the construction company is still largely her responsibility and she balances that with her real estate career.

 

Four years into her real estate career, Amber has set her sights on emulating her mentor, Sandy Webb, who predominantly deals with luxury listings. She aspires to become the go-to realtor for luxury properties, combining her passion for high-end real estate with her knack for negotiation and client satisfaction. Additionally, Amber's interest in construction has sparked a desire to bid on larger commercial projects, aiming for higher-dollar contracts. She envisions a future where her hard work leads to substantial rewards, bolstering her self-esteem and opening doors to new opportunities. Amber has already garnered recognition, receiving the Coldwell Banker Global 30 Under 30 Award in 2021, chosen from over 96,000 real estate professionals in 40 countries in 2021. Her exceptional work and her ability to excel in an industry where she often deals with properties that require extensive renovations have set her apart from her peers.

 

Amber Thomas's involvement in her community extends beyond the realm of real estate. She is a strong advocate for combating the brain drain phenomenon, particularly in her home state of Mississippi. Amber understands the importance of building a strong community and actively contributes her time and efforts to various organizations. She serves as a youth coordinator and Sunday school teacher at her local church is a member of Coast Young Professionals- a network of over 225 young professionals and a board member for the Junior Auxiliary Gulfport and the National Association of Women in Construction.

For questions or comments about this article, contact Amber at (228) 243-2031 or amber@sellingcoastalms.com