Atlanta Real Estate Forum congratulates CJ Hawkins with Rocklyn Homes for winning Rookie Salesperson of the Year at the 2018 OBIE Awards. Presented by the Atlanta Sales and Marketing Council, the OBIE Awards are the premier awards given in the Atlanta new home construction industry.
In 1996, CJ Hawkins was a young, single mom living in Denver with her two sons when her job at a telecommunications company was eliminated. CJ prayed about her dilemma and, in a moment she’ll never forget, she heard the voice of the Lord urging her to move to Atlanta. She took a deep breath and went for it.
CJ enjoyed a successful career in telecommunications and built a life for her family here. Though the work provided a good living for many years, CJ longed for a change. She knew she wanted to help people, but she wasn’t exactly sure how.
Around this time in 2015, CJ was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, CJ took two bold steps. She pursued alternative treatment and decided to get her real estate license.
“I’d built three homes over the years and the experience was never great,” CJ said. “I wanted to help homeowners feel educated and cared for.”
Real estate license in hand and health improved, CJ was hired by an Atlanta real estate firm. Her first client hoped to purchase a Rocklyn home, so CJ took her to see Stonecrest in Lithonia. There she met Community Sales Manager Holly Martin. They instantly bonded and in April 2017, CJ became Holly’s assistant and hit the ground running.
By late June, CJ was promoted to Community Sales Agent at Alden Park, a Rocklyn Homes townhome community in Decatur. Her drive, customer relations skills and passion, yielded phenomenal success. From June 22, 2017 to May 28, 2018, CJ sold 48 of 53 (91 percent) sellable townhomes, reflecting a dollar volume of $8,275,000. She’s since moved on to her second Rocklyn Homes community.
CJ credits honesty, transparency and being a good listener.
“It’s my job to treat everyone who walks in as if they were buying the Taj Mahal,” CJ said. “They appreciate the time I take to educate them about the process. Whether they buy or not, I’ve done my job.”
For CJ, finding Rocklyn Homes was like finding lost family. Her younger son Kempton has joined the company as an assistant builder. And she treasures friendships with Holly and other colleagues.
“CJ has an incredibly authentic, caring manner, coupled with a gentle approach that first-time buyers really appreciate,” Sales Manager Kerry White said. Her skill and dedication have contributed not only to her success but also helped Rocklyn Homes join the elite ranks of Builder Magazine’s 2017 Top 100 Homebuilders in the U.S.
CJ enjoys outreach work with her church, and she recharges her batteries by skydiving, scuba, and riding horses and motorcycles!
For more information, visit RocklynHomes.com or call 404-309-8889.
The Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association’s OBIE Awards celebrates its 38th anniversary in 2018. The awards began in 1980 and have grown throughout the years to include more than 100 building, remodeling, marketing and personal achievement categories. The OBIE Awards are named after the obelisk shape of the actual award given.
To see all of this year’s OBIE award winners, visit www.AtlantaRealEstateForum.com/Category/OBIEs. Make sure to like, share and comment on this story.