REALTOR® Community Involvement Spotlight: Katlyn Morrow
REALTOR® Spotlight: Katlyn Morrow
What began as an opportunity that offered flexibility for her young family while her husband was serving the nation overseas has blossomed into a successful, fulfilling career that has gained national attention.
Born and raised in the Fort Polk, Louisiana area, Katlyn Morrow attended Northwestern State University before starting her first career as an insurance marketing specialist. Years later, she decided to leverage her conversational skills and negotiation tactics to seamlessly transition into real estate. She viewed this field as one where she could influence her own outcomes and put herself in a great position to be successful, and she’s proven that to be true.
30 Under 30 Recognition
When the submission period opened for the National Association of REALTORS®’ annual 30 Under 30 nominees, Katlyn was hesitant to apply. After some coaxing from a client, who was also one of several who provided a letter of recommendation, she threw her hat in the ring. Of the nearly 300 REALTORS® who applied, she was shocked when she was selected given her market area and average sales prices of transactions.
“Looking at previous bios, the recipients were producing so much real estate, and I’m from small-town Fort Polk, where our average sale price is about $185,000,” states Katlyn. Actively serving the DeRidder area where a major army installation and training facility are based means that her market moves with the military, and that residents often don’t have the equity to sell or a large budget to buy because they’re always on the move.
To make matters more challenging for an already difficult market, her sales were severely impacted by both COVID-19 and hurricanes in 2020. In fact, the military froze movement for a whole quarter, which meant minimal opportunity in real estate. During this period, she had to get creative and market to the small number of locals in her town until operations resumed.
With her adaptability and positive spirit throughout not only this trying climate but also throughout her entire REALTOR® career, Katlyn has proven that hard work, service, and dedication deserve industry recognition no matter the size of your market. “It made me feel good knowing that they (NAR) took into consideration my community service work and me as a person, and not just my production,” she explained.
Developing as a REALTOR®
In addition to her 30 Under 30 recognition from the National Association of REALTORS®, Katlyn has earned several other honors and distinctions. During her first year as a REALTOR®, she was named her Latter & Blum office’s Rookie of the Year. She has also been featured on Latter & Blum’s Top 100 Agents list and was recognized by the American Institute of Real Estate Professionals as one of the 10 Best Real Estate Agents in Louisiana based on her exceptional and outstanding client service.
While her first two years in the industry were challenging, Katlyn was committed to growing her business and providing the service her clients needed, and that has been the case ever since. “They feel like they are well advocated for, and they feel well represented,” Katlyn says when asked how her clients feel about her. She strives in each transaction to make her clients feel like family and that they are very well taken care of.
She says that while she was getting her career off the ground that her in-laws, who are both established REALTORS® in the area, and her office manager, who began a new position around the same time, made her feel as though she didn’t have to walk it alone. This sense of community in the industry is something crucial for a REALTOR®, no matter the stage of your career.
Her advice for anyone who is even a little bit interested in real estate is to shadow someone in action. “There is so much of the work that you don’t see from the outside looking in. Seeing behind the scenes allows you to understand and appreciate all that REALTORS® do. There is always something to learn in real estate!” says Katlyn.
Community Involvement
Katlyn is heavily involved in her community, contributing to causes that she is passionate about. She is on the board for the June Jenkins Women’s Shelter, which helps women and children who are victims of domestic violence. “I appreciate the opportunity to take what I’ve seen in my life to help people going through something similar,” said Katlyn.
Katlyn also sits on the board for Water Works District 6, an initiative aimed at bringing community water to the residents of Beauregard Parish. Her role as a REALTOR® was the main reason she was requested to serve on this board, as no one knows a community better than its REALTORS®. “If you can’t offer clean drinking water, how can you expect us to grow?” asks Katlyn, who has been working diligently to get funding granted for this project.
The way that Katlyn cares not only for her clients, but for her community as a whole, truly embodies what it means to be a REALTOR®. And her story is a great testament to why so many people get into real estate in the first place. It allows individuals to change the trajectories of their lives to provide a stable environment for their families and to make a difference in the markets in which they serve.
