If Tamara Paul looks familiar, you may have seen her on grocery carts in Covington, at community events or fundraisers, or picking up trash on the side of the highway. Tamara Paul, a REALTOR® and the owner of The Tamara Paul Group, is a fixture in the Covington community, and she is proud to have been born and raised in the area. In fact, her parents still live in the home where Tamara grew up.
 
“I consider it my community,” Tamara said. “It’s home.”
 
For 16 years, Tamara has been a full-service real estate agent, serving buyers and sellers. Prior to that, she was a primary school teacher in the Kent School District. When making the career switch from teaching to real estate, Tamara was inspired by her parents who told her to “always own, never rent.” She followed that advice and bought her first home at 23!
 
She also considered that advice when deciding what she wanted to do after teaching. Tamara took a leave of absence from school to try out real estate, and she’s never looked back. Despite getting into real estate during a recession, Tamara wasn’t discouraged.
 
She is a people person, detail oriented and her work with clients is relationship-based. Tamara is also a connector and a resource for her clients, so real estate is a good fit for her. She loves working with clients and really getting to know them.
 
“I want to hear just as much about you as I want to tell you about me,” said Tamara. “My clients become family.”
 
Tamara offers real estate services A to Z, providing her clients with whatever support they need. Some need more support than others, but she is there to help however she’s needed. Working mostly by referral, Tamara primarily serves King and Pierce Countries, but she can serve the entire state.
 
But wait, there’s more! Tamara is not just a REALTOR®. She is very active in the communities she serves. Here are just a few of the organizations she belongs to:

• Covington BNI
• Covington Chamber – A member since 2007, Tamara has served on the board multiple times and has been board chair three times.
• Maple Valley-Black Diamond Chamber
• Covington Rotary
• Women’s Council of REALTORS® South King County
• Women’s Council of REALTORS® Washington State
• REALTORS® Leadership Institute (currently attending)
• Covington-Maple Valley Seahawkers

 
In addition, Tamara supports The Storehouse, Maple Valley Food Bank, Backpack Buddies, and she helps with three separate Adopt-A-Street programs through Rotary, Seahawkers and BNI. The active REALTOR® also sponsors Shop-with-a-Cop, Backpack Kids and Vine Maple Place.
 
Fun facts about Tamara:

• She married her husband Jeremy on 7/07/07 at 7:07 p.m. because 7 is her favorite number and it’s lucky! They were married at the Metropolitan Grill in Seattle in a small family-only ceremony, followed by a much larger celebration at Emerald Downs in November 2007.
• Favorite show to binge watch: Grey’s Anatomy
• Favorite vacation spot: anywhere with good beaches, like Costa Rica or the Dominican Republican
• She loves to travel and explore the Pacific Northwest. She and her husband “Jeep” and boat.
• Three words to describe Tamara: passionate, honest, connector

 
Tamara: “I’m an open book!”

​Learn more about Tamara and her real estate business at TheTamaraPaulGroup.com! 

​In retail management for 10 years, Brad Hanson was ready for a career change. When deciding what to do next, Brad remembered his own home-buying experience, which was not a good one. He loves serving people, so he decided to become a REALTOR® to elevate the experience for clients. During 2017 – his first year in real estate – Brad sold 27 homes, and now he is regularly in the top 1% of REALTORS® for John L. Scott.
 
Giving his clients his full attention, Brad caters to each individual client’s needs and treats them like family. Brad tries to educate, teach and help them understand the real estate market and their options, so clients can make the best decisions for their lives. This is probably why he has grown a very successful business in such a short period of time.
 
“They aren’t just a contract to us,” Brad said. “It’s about what’s best for the client, not what’s best for me.”
 
In one example, Brad was able to help a buyer purchase a $275,000 manufactured home. The buyer was someone who thought they would never be able to buy a home, so this sale is particularly memorable for Brad.
 
“It brings me joy to help people,” said Brad. 

​​With an office in Black Diamond, Brad and his six-member team are hyperlocal, focusing primarily on the real estate markets in Black Diamond, Maple Valley, Covington and Kent. They also serve other cities within King County as well as Pierce and Snohomish Counties. Brad is the managing broker. His team includes Jereme Farmer, operations manager; Lisa Holle, listing agent; Kate Humpherys, buyer’s agent; Hilary Gardiner, transaction coordinator; Davin Lee, marketing coordinator; and Sarah Beckler, listing coordinator.
 
When not “wowing” their clients with personalized service, Brad and his team are actively involved in their local communities. Brad is currently the president of the Tahoma Schools Foundation, and he has a partnership with Ticket to Dream, a nonprofit that provides hope and opportunities to foster children across the country, hosting a pajama drive every year.
 
On the personal side, we asked Brad…

• Three words to describe yourself: loyal, trustworthy and present
• Favorite vacation spot: Puerto Vallarta
• Favorite ice cream: Reese’s and Banana Blizzard
• Wine or beer: Wine
• Dogs or cats: Dogs. He has a Frenchie named Val, short for Valentine, a gift to his husband of 10 years, Jereme.
• Advice: “Whatever you’re doing, be 100% all in.”

In today’s world, it is so easy to get distracted and multitask, but Brad wants to really experience life and be fully present whatever he’s doing. That’s great advice we can all learn from. 

Learn more about Brad Hanson and the Bradley Hanson Group online.