“I want agents to know they are dealing with someone with integrity who will always protect his client's best interest first,” says Bud George of The Bud George Team with Parks Real Estate. “The reason for my hope and joy is way bigger than me, it’s about other people.” Bud believes his job is to live a full life and inspire excellence in the people he comes in contact with, starting with his family, church family, business, and community. “Somehow as an industry, we need to step it up together and learn to collaborate better,” he muses. “We need to take really good care of our clients but we also honor each other in how we do that.”

 

With 26 years of experience in the real estate industry, Bud has established himself as a trusted and respected figure in Rutherford County real estate. His journey began at Prudential Rowland & Wilson in 1997 and quickly moved to Parks the following year where he met his friend and mentor Bob Parks. During the challenging years of the Great Recession, Bud played a crucial role as the company's coach and education coordinator, guiding and supporting agents through turbulent times. It wasn’t easy to get where he is now, and Bud recalls the many influences he had along the way, starting with his family.

 

Bud’s dad was a land surveyor and he grew up in a family where a typical 9-5 job was not the norm. Some of his best memories come from helping his dad with the survey business, where he learned to love the land. “We researched deeds at the courthouse and helped people with subdividing their land. I was fascinated by the experience,” Bud recalls. “I loved the topography and undulation of the land, and I could stare at maps all day.” He went to school and graduated with a degree in Business Administration and Finance from UT Martin, got married the month following graduation, and went back to his father’s survey business while he figured out how to put his education to work.

 

“My wife, LeAnn, and I were in our early twenties and both God and family were very important to us,” Bud remembers. “I felt called to seminary to follow the longing I felt as a teenager to make a difference in people’s lives.” The couple moved to Fort Worth, TX, where Bud became a full-time youth minister and full-time student, earning a Master of Arts and Religious Education from Southwestern Seminary. Four years later and back in middle Tennessee shortly after his father’s death, Bud went through what he calls “self-inflicted growing pains” and found himself at a crossroads. “I went back to land surveying work, but LeAnn and I both wanted her to stay home with the kids and I had to figure out how to put food on the table.”

 

Settling his dad’s estate, Bud and his sister were pleasantly surprised to receive a small inheritance. “Dad didn’t need ‘stuff’ so neither accumulated wealth nor debt,” Bud says. “But that $50K was the jumpstart I needed to start a career in real estate. Had I not had that, I’m not sure I would have survived in the industry.” He and his growing family had been in the  Murfreesboro community only three years, and with a three-year-old and a newborn, he needed to take every opportunity offered to him. “I loved on people and did the right thing,” Bud recalls. “I worked nearly every Sunday at an open house, took the ‘floor times’ and any crumbs from other agents at the office, and covered for people when they traveled.” He didn’t know a lot of people, so he made up for that with hard work. “I wish I could tell you there is some sort of golden nugget or class that you could take to find success,” he muses. “But I think I got where I am today because I outworked other people when I was younger, tried to always do the right thing and put others first, and kept my promises.”

 

While Bud's success in real estate is noteworthy, he finds fulfillment beyond financial gains. “I’ve had a successful day, sometimes in real estate and sometimes in my personal life, if I’ve had a few heart conversations,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be deep, but taking a little bit of time to connect with someone is critical to me.” He emphasizes the importance of regular communication and connection within his team through weekly calls and monthly meetings, however, the real coaching happens in the moments between these structured sessions, where Bud offers guidance and support to his team members facing challenges in their personal or professional lives.

 

Family holds a special place in Bud's heart. He and LeAnn have been married for 34 years, and together they have raised three children and have a daughter-in-law and one grandchild. Bud cherishes the memories of coaching his kids' sports teams, particularly baseball with his son Blake. In addition to his family, Bud enjoys traveling and exploring different parts of the world. From Israel to Greece and Turkey, Bud has embarked on journeys that bring the Bible to life, deepening his faith and understanding.

 

While real estate is Bud's primary focus, he also finds enjoyment in land development as a hobby. From subdividing land into smaller lots to discovering the highest and best use of a property, Bud's fascination with land and its potential mirrors his belief in living life to its fullest potential.

 

 

While both the market and the industry have faced significant changes over the last few years, Bud’s optimism for the future remains. “Shelter is one of our basic needs. As long as I get to do real life with people and help them think through what would be a wise decision for their family about real estate and/or life, I’m going to work in this industry for as long as God allows.”