By Arkansas Black Vitality Staff — One of Keisha Walker’s most unforgettable experiences occurred over two decades ago when she set out to purchase her first home. 

At around 20 years old and working at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Walker submitted an offer along with a $500 earnest money order for what she thought would be a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house in Greenfield Acres, central Little Rock. A week before closing, her real estate agent informed her that her income did not meet the financial requirements for the loan, a devastating blow after she and her boys had closely followed the home’s progress, even placing a brick during construction.

“A week before closing, I was told I couldn’t afford the home,” Walker recalled. “That was a significant heartbreak for me. I never wanted anyone else to experience what I felt at that moment.”

Undeterred, Walker continued to pursue her dream. A year later, she connected with Little Rock realtor Makeisha Davis, who found her another ideal home for her growing family, which included four boys.

“Makeisha guided me through the home-buying process, and I soon purchased my first home,” Walker said. “That was the feeling I wanted to help someone else achieve.”

Career Remodeling 

Now, two decades later, Keisha Walker is among the few Black real estate brokers in Arkansas, serving as the founder and principal broker of Dawn Realty & Associates. Notably, Makeisha Davis, one of Walker’s first real estate agents, now holds the position of Director of Training at the Little Rock-based brokerage and is one of its 15 realtors.

Walker’s journey from buying her first home to founding Dawn Realty & Associates was gradual. She initially found job security in her career at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), which she began at age 19.

“I was climbing the ladder in the medical field, unaware of the foundation I was laying for myself and my children by owning a home,” Walker recalled. “Becoming a realtor wasn’t even on my radar back then.”

Nonetheless, the idea began to take root. In her late 30s, Walker attended real estate classes amid her busy schedule but didn’t pursue her license right away. “I was balancing work, school, and parenting, so I didn’t take the test at that time,” she explained.

Finally, in 2017, with her husband Laboya’s support, Walker took and passed the real estate exam. They started remodeling and rebuilding homes across Little Rock. Despite the booming housing market, Walker was not yet ready to commit to real estate full-time.

Walker initially worked part-time for three local brokerage firms, gaining a comprehensive view of the industry. Although her husband’s construction company was thriving, she vacillated between her job at UAMS and a full-time real estate career.

“The first time I left UAMS to pursue real estate full-time, I struggled and returned to UAMS,” Walker shared, acknowledging the comfort her previous job provided.

The flourishing real estate market eventually drew Walker away from UAMS permanently. This shift was hastened by a “do not rehire” notice placed on her personnel file after she resigned. “I’ll never forget that moment. “I was frustrated and angry, but God was telling me I was too comfortable,” Walker continued. “UAMS had been a significant and instrumental part of my life.”

 I felt heartbroken and retaliated against, not realizing it was ultimately for my benefit.”

“Sometimes we get too comfortable,” Walker admitted. “God removes our security to force us to grow, and at the time, I didn’t connect the dots.”

After leaving UAMS, Walker worked at three other local jobs before her part-time real estate business and her husband’s construction company demanded her full attention.

“I realized I couldn’t manage the new construction company, the real estate business, and a full-time job. So, without consulting my husband, I quit my last job and started my brokerage, surprising him with the news on Christmas,” Walker admitted.

Unbeknownst to Walker, her “Christmas surprise” to her husband came just months before the global pandemic, which temporarily disrupted the real estate industry. “I took the risk, knowing I would either sink or swim.”

Real Estate Reality

Despite the challenges, Keisha Walker took a leap of faith and prepared to open her brokerage, Dawn Realty & Associates, on New Year’s Day. “I obtained my business license from the City of Little Rock and registered Dawn Realty & Associates in October 2020, determined to open the doors on Jan. 1, 2021,” she shared. “And I did it without any savings which was also a teachable lesson.”

Reflecting on her unique journey, Walker offered heartfelt advice to those wishing to follow her path. The mother of four explained that the transition to self-employment, coupled with the economic standstill at the start of the pandemic, led her to seek counseling.

“Real estate can be turbulent. It’s hard and demands perfect timing—it can bring you to tears,” Walker explained. “I’ll never forget my first year in real estate. As a wife, mother, and student, I had never been fully self-employed. During the first six months of owning my brokerage, I was nonstop, helping my husband build, managing various projects, while operating a real estate brokerage. Then, everything came to a halt.”

“I had to deal with myself,” Walker continued. “I sought therapy because, as parents and people, we often just go through life without addressing our issues.”

Walker highlighted that many Black families are not taught the importance of mental health. After the successful grand opening of her brokerage, she became depressed as the pandemic took its toll.

“I had met all my goals in the first six months, but when I didn’t feel God’s presence, I became depressed,” she revealed. Considering closing her fledgling brokerage in its first year, Walker found the strength to persevere and participate in one of the largest real estate booms in U.S. history.

“I sought counseling, and I kept going—and I still do to this day,” she said. “Any broker or small boutique real estate owner will tell you they contemplate quitting daily because real estate is not easy. It’s one of the hardest jobs out there.”

Strong Foundation for the Long-term

In affirming the industry’s reality and cyclical nature, Walker said the residential housing market is now going through a “course correction”, with interest rates returning to sustainable levels. She credits Maurice Taylor, past president of the Arkansas Realtors Association and owner of Vivid Real Estate Learning Center in North Little Rock, with preparing her for the industry’s “boom-and-bust” cycle.

“Maurice taught us that you have to be a forward thinker in real estate. And I think where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” said Walker. “So, when something comes up about real estate, the changes of the interest rates, the changes of contracts, the changes of anything — we need to take heed and do our research. 

“Study to show yourself approved,” Walker said, quoting a familiar Scripture. “So, I think that’s very important as a real estate agent and broker.”

Looking to the future, Walker said she is working with Taylor and Vivid to train her staff of 15 real estate agents on all aspects of the business, from credit-challenged homebuyers, loan products, and financing solutions to work-life balance and contract terms.

“Where I’m going is trying to create a strong foundation in longevity for Dawn Realty & Associates and all agents within my brokerage,” said Walker. “I want my agents to be authentically themselves. And that means homing in on their strengths and weaknesses because not every real estate agent is the same.”