泰拉·巴克斯特一直是个艺术家. 她从小就喜欢画画.
In 2016, the Houston-based REALTOR® was looking for a way to create her art while offering unique, 给客户个性化的礼物. She started giving house portraits as closing gifts.
“I love connecting with people and their stories,她说。. “Every client ends up being a friend of mine. So it’s not about the art itself; it’s the story behind the home. 我们的家是我们的一切.”
带出情感的礼物
Baxter uses a reference photo to sketch the house on Bristol paper. She then traces over her pencil lines and applies color using professional grade markers and colored pencils. Baxter gives herself a week or less per project and usually completes the portrait across several sittings. The work may total up to six hours if there’s a lot of detail.
Her art is always well received, with some clients being deeply moved by the gifts. She’s had seller clients who have lived in their houses for 40 years. Receiving the handmade art is almost like bringing a piece of home with them to their next address.
“我和我的客户一起哭过. Some of the most memorable times are when the clients are selling the home they raised their children in and it’s time to downsize,她说。.
将艺术融入她的品牌
Baxter was creating portraits for her part-time real estate business while working full-time as a Crosby ISD art teacher and mother. She did not want to lose her connection to art after switching to real estate full-time, 于是她继续画画.
巴克斯特是特纳·曼格姆的特工, and while the brokerage focuses on new construction, 百特的大部分业务是转售.
“Everyone in real estate works on their personal brand. Mine is that I’m the real estate artist,她说。. “I’m creative but also capable on the business side. I can help you through what’s probably the biggest transaction of your life.”
Other agents who saw Baxter’s art became interested in the portraits and started requesting artwork for their clients. Baxter set up a website and started taking orders.
She describes much of her artwork as memorabilia: she also creates portraits of personal milestones as well as clients’ deceased family members and pets. She has completed over 100 portraits to date with many repeat customers.
“People ask me: ‘Can you make a portrait for my new house to go with the portrait of the house I just sold?“他们正在建立一个系列，”她说. “It’s always very rewarding … I never thought people would care so much. It’s a simple drawing on paper, but it’s much bigger than that.”