Raised in Panama City, Florida as the oldest of five children and moving to Tallahassee at the age of 15, Real Producers June 2023 featured Top Agent Kandy Hines feels quite at home working around the beaches of Gulf Shores, as part of “The Pro Team” REMAX of Gulf Shores.

“I moved with my family to Tallahassee, and at 18 went straight into real estate, working in long-term rentals from 1992 to 1997, and getting my real estate license in 1993,” Hines said.

“My first job was as a leasing agent working under a seasoned property manager for a large luxury apartment community in Tallahassee. Mary Brooks hired me and was my mentor. It happened because I was looking for an apartment with move in specials and she offered me a job right away that paid five dollars an hour plus leasing bonuses, which at the time was good pay.” she continued.

Hines quickly moved through the ranks in various positions, from leasing agent to assistant manager to property manager, oftentimes traveling to other developments also owned by the Atlanta-based management company. Her mentor, Mary, suggested that she obtain her real estate license, even though it wasn't required for the job, because it might help her over the ensuing years to open doors. It was an insightful suggestion.    

After achieving a high level of success, an appealing opening presented itself across the state line.

“I had accomplished quite a bit there, and a mutual friend had suggested another opportunity in Gulf Shores at a new beach development. At the time, I had no idea that there were amazing beaches in Alabama. I was pleasantly surprised to learn about Gulf Shores and Orange Beach,” she said.

Once again, Hines was hired immediately.

“I met with the owner of Head Companies, which is a local developer out of Point Clear. He offered me a job on the spot to become part of their development team. While there I got my broker’s license and was the rental director during the six years, I worked at The Beach Club. I was part of the development team that helped set up the rental management program for 656 beachfront condominiums that would additionally include the future phases of single-family cottages.” Kandy said.

In 2003 Hines made another significant move, wanting to fully utilize a real estate license held, at that point, for around a decade.

“At that point in time. I really felt like I wanted to do something a little different with my real estate license. I had just gotten married in 2002 to my husband who is a Baldwin County native and grew up in Elberta. He encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and to pursue a real estate career with the knowledge that I had gained over all the years prior.” Kandy said.

“For the first five months, I wasn't sure that I had made the right decision. Real estate is a lot more complicated than people may realize. It's multifaceted. There's a lot of moving parts and it takes a lot of dedication and a lot of hours. I didn't have a problem with dedication and commitment by any stretch, but it was a huge financial leap and I wanted to be successful. Suddenly, things got busy, and I attribute a lot of that to my team.” she continued.       

Expanding her knowledge base, learning and focusing on certain market segments also contributed towards her success.    

“I think the biggest change was allowing myself to learn to expand my knowledge about the product that I was trying to sell. My focus has always been condominium and single-family residential sales. That's what attracted me particularly about condominiums, because I'm a very number driven person.” Hines explained.

She went on to say that one of the biggest challenges in real estate is adapting to a mercurial market. When the circumstances change, it's never a duplicate of a previous experience.

“In 2003, when I was busy selling real estate, I knew there was always the potential for more and that I needed to earn my way and wait my turn. I had to be resilient in a changing market and understand how to adapt to the needs of the consumer.”

Fast forwarding through the market downtown of 2007 to 2009 and beyond, Hines continued innovating, forging a foreclosed property bank relationship that has lasted a decade.

“I’ve felt through the years that expectations have been exceeded on both sides from that unique partnership.” Kandy said.

In 2016 Kandy expanded her horizons again by engaging with fellow Realtors within the Baldwin Realtors Association.

“In 2016 I was invited to represent our local association as a board member. I felt that it was my chance to give something back to the community. I eventually moved up the ranks to board president in 2019 and was honored to have been recognized as ‘Realtor of the Year’ in 2020. It afforded me an opportunity to learn about our industry from a national perspective.” Hines said.

Other awards Kandy has earned over the years include having her two-person team consistently recognized as ranking among the highest in the state and country for small teams,

within the RE/MAX organization under the mentorship of Dotty Lou and Buzz Farias. Her personal best performing year was recently accomplished in 2021, with almost $30 million in sales. She attributes this to professional practices and the admin support of Samantha Goodson who’s been with “The Pro Team” since 2006.

 

Kandy concluded her interview with parting words of wisdom for those wanting to pursue her profession.

“Align yourself with a mentor that can help you understand, the real estate market in general, promotes personal growth and supports your desire to do the best job that you can. Save up a little bit of money, but don't be afraid to stop and smell the roses. This profession can be a wonderful journey. It has been for me.”

For questions or comments about this article, contact Kandy at (251) 209-1811 or kandy@remaxgs.com