The $150 Check That Turned Into a Decade of Referrals

When Jen and Geoff Tackney started geographic farming their Orange County neighborhood in 2014, they couldn't afford mailers. So they did something more direct: they wore out shoe leather. Door knocking, sponsoring garage sales, and personally introducing themselves to neighbors became the foundation of a business that now includes a team, a real estate brand, and an annual community event that draws thousands of people.

Jen and Geoff joined Meredith Fogle on "So You Want to Be a Real Estate Agent" to talk through how their farm actually grew, and what agents chasing the same results tend to get wrong.

Farming is about giving first, not marketing volume

A common frustration Meredith hears from listeners: "I've been sending postcards for two years and nothing's happened." The Tackneys' answer wasn't more mail. It was more presence.

In the early years, with no budget for direct mail, they sponsored 27 neighborhood garage sales, took over decorations for a local holiday photo event, and sponsored a youth softball team with a $150 check Jen worried might bounce. That sponsorship alone eventually led to a referral to sell a family home.

"It's not what are you doing, it's what else can you do," Jen said, describing how they layered mailers, community events, digital advertising, and simple door-to-door introductions rather than relying on any single channel.

Building trust looks different than building visibility

Signs and mailers create recognition, but the Tackneys were clear that recognition alone doesn't convert into business. What moves people to actually call is trust, built through consistent, personal contact over years, not a single marketing push.

Geoff described their overall approach as staying "on the balls of your feet," ready to respond when opportunity or a client emergency shows up, rather than waiting passively for business to arrive.

Not taking rejection personally

Jen shared a story about a neighbor she'd known for twenty years who chose a different agent to buy a home in their own farmed neighborhood. Rather than writing the relationship off, she kept treating the neighbor the same way she treated every client, dropping off a welcome packet and staying in touch. Years later, that same neighbor called the Tackneys when it was time to sell, specifically because of how the relationship had been maintained.

"Everything is working out for our highest good," Jen said of the mindset shift that helped her let go of the sting of that original loss.

Building a small, aligned team

When it came to growing beyond a two-person operation, the Tackneys were deliberate about staying lean. Rather than scaling into a large team, they built what Geoff described as a small, nimble group that could adapt quickly as the industry shifted. Their advice for anyone considering building a team of their own: set clear expectations early, on both sides, since vague expectations are often what turn into resentment down the line.

Their core values, spelled out as an acronym, guide how the team operates day to day: honesty, integrity, generosity, humility, excellence, respect, and responsibility.

If you're thinking about what it takes to build a real estate business rooted in community and long-term relationships rather than short-term transactions, reach out to The List Realty to learn more about joining a team built the same way.

Watch the original episode

Watch: Generosity, Grit & Geographic Farming with Jen & Geoff Tackney