Jack T. Wallace

COVER STORY

STORY BY LOREN BRAMBLE | PHOTOS BY PEAK RES

From Interior Design to Real Estate

Jack T. Wallace, REALTOR-Associate® for Chinowth & Cohen REALTORS®, began his career as an interior designer, with real estate as a “side hustle” as he worked his way through college. Once he graduated from the University of Tulsa with a degree in marketing, he began working as a personal assistant to designer Charles Foundree and later established his own design business.

Then he met John Sawyer, his former partner. “When I met John, he had just moved back from New York City and was starting in real estate. I would go with him to sell and help people with possible design changes to the homes they were purchasing. It worked really well, so well that we started teaming up and eventually built the Sawyer Wallace Home Collection together.”

Though John passed away a few years ago, Jack continued on in the real estate business.

“When the internet really took off, the design business changed entirely. We had made our profits from selling products, but with the internet, customers could simply purchase their home products online. So, I began engaging more in real estate, and eventually, real estate kept me so busy it became all I did,” remarks Jack.

But Jack’s expertise in design isn’t absent from his work. Jack’s clients not only receive his knowledge of real estate but his eye for interior design. “When I show a client a home, or perhaps help them stage their home to sell, I make suggestions about where they might move their furniture, or perhaps a wall that could be taken out to open up a space,” Jack explains. “I help people to see the possibilities and visualize how to make the home uniquely theirs.”

“Sometimes, this ends up being a catch-22,” Jack laughs, “I’ve had clients who have fallen back in love with their homes and decided not to sell after they rearrange and update their space.”

Professionalism as a Priority

The process of purchasing a home is often daunting and highly emotional, an aspect of his job that Jack understands well. “For most of my clients, purchasing a home is the biggest investment they will ever make–it is their whole life,” remarks Jack. “And while I’m not a savior, I bring the information and knowledge I have to every transaction and do my best to keep things on track.”

For some REALTORS®, the challenges in closing a deal are the drawback of the job. But not for Jack! For him, the most exciting part of the job is “putting the puzzle together.” As Jack explains, “People hire a REALTOR® because they’re looking for someone with expertise to help them navigate a difficult process. If they could solve their problems on their own, they wouldn’t need a professional. If you’re a really good REALTOR®, you make a difference in the transaction–100%.”

Many real estate agents rely on likability to carry them through a transaction, but Jack feels that real estate is less about popularity and more about performance. “Your client may like you personally, but if you don’t serve them well in the process, that’s a failure in my eyes,” Jack says. “My priority is to serve people well. I want my clients to feel I have taken care of them and responded to their needs. If they like me, then that’s a bonus. But you don’t always get both, so professionalism comes first for me.”

A Passion for the Arts

While Jack loves and enjoys his work, his true passion lies in providing arts education for kids. Jack was involved in theater growing up and today works to offer a space where kids can recognize their value.

“I founded The Kristin Chenoweth Broadway Bootcamp with my best friend Kristin, and we have been fortunate to watch it grow into a very amazing nationally recognized camp. Each year we bring in major talent in both the staff to teach and the high school kids that are there to learn.”

The Bootcamp is offered every year, right here in Broken Arrow, OK. While the camp is not well-known at the local level, it has a huge following on an international level. This year, the camp’s director is Kenny Ortega, director and creator of High School Musical. Kids from seventeen countries will flock to Broken Arrow for a two-week, intensive training. “It is my Christmas!” Jack smiles. “It is truly my favorite time of year. I love real estate but at the end of the day, it is a career. This camp is what feeds my soul.”

Whether it's real estate or theater camp, with Jack T. Wallace, there’s an artistic flair to everything he devotes himself to. He is a truly unique and passionate REALTOR®!