During our homebuying process, I was underwhelmed by the service and kept thinking: I can do better than that. I had no idea that single thought would lead me to build a multi-state brokerage, a #1-ranked team, and a reputation for taking on the deals nobody else would.

For several years I worked as an admissions rep in a hospital, checking people in, navigating insurance, and solving problems for people on some of their hardest days. I was good at it. But problem solving was something I'd done in every job I'd ever had, and eventually I started wondering if there was somewhere else I was supposed to put that skill.

The answer had been sitting with me for a while. When my husband David and I sold our home in Arkansas, the experience stuck with me, specifically how the buyer's agent on our sale handled things. It wasn't good. There was so much I wish would have happened but didn't. It took a couple of years to act on it, but in 2019, I decided to get my real estate license. David was incredibly supportive and encouraged me to take the leap and go all in.

Going from a steady paycheck in a career where I'd always have a job to suddenly asking myself, "What if this doesn't work out?" was a big change. The early days were humbling. My first brokerage didn't offer much training. Fortunately, my second gave me training on nearly everything: contracts, negotiations, and how the transaction works. But nobody taught me how to market myself. I did just two deals my first year.

What changed everything was an unexpected phone call from a broker who said three words: "We do REOs." I'd already figured out that foreclosures and REO properties were where I wanted to focus. They are complex, numbers-driven, the kind of deals that require real problem-solving. I loved putting the puzzle pieces together and making it happen. Suddenly I had a partner who operated in that world. I honed my skills across a ton of REO transactions, and by 2021 I had enough experience to earn my broker's license.

Then I took another chance. In 2022, David and I moved to Booneville, Mississippi, knowing absolutely no one. No clients, no referrals, no network. The area was underserved for foreclosure and REO work. I connected with referral partners who confirmed it and got to work. That first year, I surpassed every goal I'd set. The second year, I did it again. Our team was rated number one in the nation with one of our national partners, three years running. It really solidified for me that I'm exactly where I'm meant to be.

Today I own Property Specialist Realty, covering Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi, and I'm affiliated with Vylla Home across Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Missouri. David is now a licensed agent and works alongside me, and through our brokerage and team, we serve clients across multiple states on some of the most complex transactions out there, including REOs, foreclosures, reverse mortgage estates, novation deals, investor acquisitions, and first-time buyers. I've made it a point to take on the deals other agents walk away from. If there's a path to closing, I'm going to find it.

What I tell my agents, and what I genuinely believe, is that this job requires two things: you have to care, and you have to keep learning. I care deeply about my clients' financial outcomes and their lives. And I never stop adding tools, resources, and knowledge to better serve them.

When I look back at where I started, I'm so grateful I took the leap. I love the life I've been able to create, where every days has new challenges to overcome, new people to meet, and new towns across different states to visit. Helping people get to the finish line on some of the biggest decisions of their lives never gets old for me.

I've been told I'm the calm in the storm. When deals start falling apart, I don't panic because I know there is always a solution. And given my history, I think I've proven that to be true time and time again. My expertise across multiple states and hundreds of transactions has prepared me to take on just about any challenge my clients bring to me. The goal is always the same: help you reach the best outcome with as little stress as possible.

When you work with me, you get someone who will tell you the truth about a property. I offer full-length private video tours with honest commentary on condition, loan eligibility, and what it would take to make a deal work. I also come with a trusted network of lenders, contractors, roofers, and HVAC professionals across my entire service area. My husband David works alongside me as a licensed agent and handles photography and drone work on every listing. I've honed my systems and processes so when something comes up, there is already an established course of action. I take pride in being the REALTOR® who takes on the challenges no one else will and helping people get to the other side as smoothly as possible.

Sincerely,

Tara Bellomy