Kara Evalenko goes above and beyond, serving her clients with authenticity and compassion. Her magnetic personality and relatability create an inviting environment ideal for discussing personal matters that are often involved in real estate transactions. The Williamsburg native has a vast capacity to help others and be a role model for her girls.

As a newer agent, Kara spent the majority of her time answering renters’ questions, despite it not being typical practice. However, her generosity proved to be beneficial when those renters hired her for buying their first home. 

Being a military spouse, she has a heart for the military and veterans, and she often undergoes “sight-unseen” home purchases. She feels honored to take this weight off their shoulders and feels fulfilled when they burst into tears of joy after arriving at their new home for the first time.

An Old Dominion University graduate, Kara was a bartender and worked as a business development salesperson at Rick Hendrick Cadillac. Due to her innate leadership skills, 90 days later, she was promoted to the position of Business Development Manager for Cadillac and Chevy. Although she embraced the challenge, she experienced burnout and felt as if she were working like a machine, typically taking work home with her. “I was working for the man, and I was tired of it,” she states. 

In search of another job, Kara discovered an ad on Indeed about a brokerage needing a business development manager. The transition from her current position to this one would be seamless; however, when she interviewed, the recruiter informed her that she was a better fit to be an agent. With an adventurous personality, she got her license in 2017. “I could see the world again,” she says of this fresh start as a REALTOR®.

Kara is intentional about operating with integrity. As a result, she is selective in choosing businesses to whom she refers her clients, wanting them to receive the same level of care that she would provide herself. “It’s an honor to connect people,” she remarks, now having a solid network of businesses within the community.

At the age of 9, Kara’s military father was stationed in Hawaii, and her four years there shifted her entire paradigm. She was bullied relentlessly and was considered an outsider, encountering racism for the first time. Through this experience, Kara has undergone a healing journey, learning how to love herself. She undeniably has a love and empathy for others, saying, “I treat all of my people like I’m opening my home to them.”

Kara’s active-duty husband, Jim, whom she met through a dating app, has been a huge supporter of her business. Together now for six years, the couple has a daughter together, Hannah, and Kara’s “bonus daughters,” as she lovingly calls them, Madelyn and Grace, along with their silver lab, Chevy. While at home, Kara likes to cuddle up on the couch with her “little loves” and fully enjoy family time. They travel, and she and Jim recently started playing softball together.

Kara’s love for the beach was sparked in Hawaii, which is also where she learned to surf. She is an avid music lover, having gone to numerous concerts and festivals. One of her most memorable concerts was Linkin Park — she sat in the front row at age 19.

Her genuine focus on developing relationships, the support she has received (especially from her broker, Tomasina) and her determination have contributed to her flourishing in real estate. Running her business on referrals for six years now, she truly exemplifies her motto to help others: “If I’m able, I’m willing.”

“I have been working with Kara since the day she received her license. Watching her grow into such a powerful leader has been an amazing experience. I am so proud of the woman and entrepreneur she has become!” —TomasinaTatterson-Hood, Broker of Coastal Towne Realty