By Je’Don Holloway Talley
For the Birmingham Times
Tundra Pippens Smith has sold a number of houses, but one recent sale stands out—she helped her son Torien close on his first house in January.
“I had the opportunity to educate him on the process, to make sure he had his savings in place and his credit where it needed to be so he could actually close on his first home,” she said. “That was the greatest feeling.”
Pippens Smith—a Birmingham-based real estate agent, assistant broker, and Certified New Home Sales Professional (CSP) with D.R. Horton Homes—has a passion for teaching and helping.
“I started Tundra Pippens Real Estate School in early 2019 because I’m a teacher at heart,” she said. “A lot of agents were seeking me out for mentorship and coaching, so that kind of [led] me toward the education side of it.
“My passion is for helping agents become the best version of themselves in the industry and helping those that want to break into the industry have a fair chance.”
Pippens Smith, 45, said she’s always been interested in helping people better themselves: “I felt real estate [and new-construction homes] were definitely an avenue to help people.”
She has 14 years in the industry and enjoys working on new-construction sites in Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Montgomery because it’s a way of helping people build their dream homes. She pointed to the advantages of purchasing new-construction homes. When building from the ground up, for instance, homebuyers can avoid early out-of-pocket repair expenses, closing costs, and have customizing options.
“You’re looking at the home warranty that comes along with it, and the builder’s warranty, [which can differ per builder], but they all have their different types of warranties,” she said. “You also have the opportunity to choose your floor plans and housing site in some cases, as well as [customize] your options and upgrades. … With a new construction, you’re the first person to do whatever it is that you want to do in your home. I think that’s an advantage.”
The Birmingham market is so competitive that there’s not enough inventory to go around, and that makes new-construction homes a benefit to both buyers and sellers.
“A decade ago, we were close to coming out of the recession, and a lot of homes were being foreclosed at that time. Now, it’s been rebuilt,” she said. “We’re back into a thriving market, and we can say it’s a seller’s market because as soon as [a house] hits the market, it’s gone. You have agents actually out knocking on doors asking [homeowners] if they are ready to sell their home because the inventory is so short. … There’s a whole lot of new development in the downtown Birmingham area, which is bringing in a lot of millennials and a lot of other people are now looking to relocate to this area.”
Pippens Smith, a Samford University graduate with a bachelor’s degree in general studies is a CSP with several instructor certifications. In 2019, she won a Salesperson of the Year award from the Greater Birmingham Home Builders Association in New Home Sales.
The Hoover resident conducts classes throughout the state.
“When I first started and went to real estate school it was a challenge … because a lot depends on the instructor helping the student do well on the exam,” Pippens Smith said. “I want to be the type of instructor that can help give [people the tools and information] they need. … I want to be able to help them and give them an opportunity to excel. I [also] offer one-on-one coaching for students preparing to take the test.”
A single mom when she embarked on her real estate career, Pippens Smith left a nine-year career with the Birmingham Water Works Board in 2006 firmly believing she could succeed in real estate. Asked what gave her the courage to step out, she said, “Faith.”
“My favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’”
The Hueytown native is a wife to husband Rodney, mother to 26-year-old-son Torien, a stepmother of two adult children, and a grandmother of two.
To learn more about Tundra Pippens Smith and the Tundra Pippens Real Estate School, call 205-422-7356; follow her on Facebook @Tundra Pippens.
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