In this month’s Rising Star feature, meet Kaleb Hurley, a rising luminary in real estate and auctions. As a third-generation auctioneer and realtor, Kaleb is not just about transactions; he's a problem solver. Specializing in farm and land transactions, he ensures the best results for sellers. Fluent in Spanish, thanks to a mission in Paraguay, Kaleb's commitment extends to his faith and family, including his wife Kara and son Hal. Discover how Kaleb, amidst innovations and deep respect for the past, redefines success in every property journey.

My dad started our company approximately 30 years ago, and I've been licensed for nearly three years now.

The majority of our real estate sales occur through auctions, a method my dad pioneered three decades ago. Our niche lies in farm and land transactions, but we're versatile, handling traditional real estate, estates, and personal property.

While we do a handful of standard listings annually, the bulk of our transactions—projected at about 115 properties this year—utilize the auction method. While all of our properties are placed in the MLS database we sell the majority through the auction method of marketing.

Referrals play a significant role, particularly from estate attorneys, given our focus on estate transactions. For farm and land deals, our promotional efforts take center stage. Traditional real estate referrals come from attorneys, CPAs, and our established network.

While I've helped out my whole life, I assumed a full-time role about three years ago. During the three-year mission trip my parents undertook for our church, I was living in Idaho, where I pursued my education at Brigham Young University-Idaho. It was during this time that I met my wife. While in this new environment, I obtained my realtor license, not initially as an auctioneer, and completed a few transactions.

Unfortunately, the business faced challenges in my father's absence, as he was a central figure. To navigate this period, he delegated responsibilities to others, but the business encountered difficulties. Recognizing the need for intervention, my father asked me to return and assist. This marked the beginning of my licensing as I took charge of the day-to-day operations, steering the company back on track during his absence. With his return, we are now pushing harder, but my initial entry into the field was somewhat compelled by the circumstances created by his three-year absence.

My sister and her husband are actively involved, and my younger brother intends to join after completing college. While my other sisters assist occasionally, they are still in school.

Family and faith are paramount. I find joy in sports, both watching and playing, and managing our small farm, where we raise goats and beef cows. Quality of life, for me, revolves around family time and enjoying our rural setting.

My mission trip to Paraguay left an indelible mark. It was a pretty incredible experience to go from living in a rural Pennsylvania town to a place that I'd never lived with a language that I didn't know and living with people I couldn't talk to.

As a missionary for our church, you're paired with a companion. Mine was from Peru for the first three months, and the language barrier was evident. I spoke English; he spoke Spanish. However, within a couple of weeks, our communication improved, and in four months, I became fluent in the language. The adjustment from my familiar surroundings to this new environment took a toll, especially considering it meant dedicating two crucial years of my life—from 18 to 20—serving our Heavenly Father. Despite the hardships, it was the most transformative and constructive experience, shaping me into a leader, teaching kindness, thoughtfulness, charity, and service. Those two years were dedicated to honing these values.

Late, when my parents were on their mission trip for our church, assisting young missionaries, I returned to help our struggling family business. At 21, having just married, I found myself in unfamiliar territory—learning the ropes of a business in need of help. These two experiences stand out as the most life-changing and character-building chapters of my life.

One of my assignments in Paraguay was to lead 180 missionaries. In being a leader there and being a leader here in the company, I’ve learned that it’s important that everyone feels valued. Otherwise, they'll just move on to the next company or the next thing.

And so we really try to take pride in helping our employees feel valued. We are extremely thankful for all that they do on a day-to-day basis because when you have a team, a brokerage, or a company, you need each person to be involved to accomplish the goal.

We try to be good people to work with and work for. We like to say, “Integrity is our motto.” We want people to know us as honest and good people in business, no matter what.