Jessica Swaffer

Written by Kevin Green | Photos by Lily Chris Photography

Jessica Swaffar’s journey into the real estate world started with a desire to learn and a determination to grow.

It is a path that has led her to become one of the most respected leaders in Oklahoma’s real estate industry. Her story is one of passion, growth and an unwavering commitment to helping others succeed.

At just 19 years old, Swaffar stepped into real estate through a receptionist role at the Keller Williams Advantage office with encouragement from her father, who had a strong thriving retail business and who had found success as a top REALTOR® in Tulsa.

After quickly taking over office operations when the training manager left, she decided to earn her real estate license at 20. Under the mentorship of Susan Beach, the general manager, Swaffar quickly took on more responsibilities, managing various office operations.

Within a year, she earned her real estate license and began navigating the challenges of entering a competitive market, particularly one where her father’s reputation loomed large. However, she persevered, developing creative strategies to carve her own path.

“Having a real estate career at such a young age is not such a bad thing, necessarily, unless your fathers in real estate and none of your friends want to buy or sell because they can barely make rent,” Swaffar said. “I had to get really creative. I couldn't reach out to my parents' friends because my dad had that market locked down. But what I did do is, I said, ‘Listen, a lot of your friends have children that I've grown up with who are my age, and they may be thinking about buying a house, or maybe their parents are thinking about buying them a house over where they're going to college, so let me reach out to them for that potential business rather than their personal business.’”

RISING TO LEADERSHIP

At 21, Swaffar became the youngest market center administrator (CFO/COO equivalent in other businesses) at Keller Williams Advantage in Oklahoma. Her early career was marked by significant achievements, including a merger with Patterson REALTORS® in 2011 and the expansion of their office space, and another merger with Montie Box REALTORS® at the end of 2011.

Resigning from her position at Keller Williams Advantage in 2012, she spent a few years focusing on real estate sales and marketing before she was invited to serve as one of the managing brokers in 2015 — a role that allowed her to combine her expertise in operations with her passion for mentorship.

In 2020, Swaffar launched a coaching division to support newer and struggling agents.

The program, which includes group sessions and individual consultations, quickly expanded to other market centers in the area. Today, the coaching group retains about 45 agents in each office at any given time, with half actively producing each month.

Success stories from her coaching program highlight her impact, with agents achieving significant milestones under her guidance.

Her structured program spans up to a year of support for each agent who engages with the program, with the office covering initial costs to ensure accessibility for all agents.

“One of the perks for the other market centers that I expanded to is that I would help their leadership identify and hire their coaches,” Swaffar said. “I still lead all the coaches under our local program, and recently just expanded the program into Edmond. I have now replaced myself as the head coach in our office and have taken over as the team leader in the Keller Williams Advantage office, which means I am responsible for growth, retention and production in all ways that help an organization and its agents thrive in the real estate industry.”

A PHILOSOPHY OF LEADERSHIP & LEGACY

As a leader, Swaffar emphasizes creativity, efficiency and observation.

Her approach to coaching is deeply rooted in her belief in helping others succeed, often quoting Zig Ziglar: “If you help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want.”

Swaffar’s impact extends beyond her office walls.

Her entire immediate family is involved in real estate, creating a supportive environment that embodies the family-like culture she fosters at work. Her husband, whom she met through the industry, and her mother-in-law, a significant contributor to real estate, further exemplify the legacy she is building.

“My mother-in-law is a leader here in Tulsa and now in Iowa and has been for many years,” Swaffar said. “I think she started around the same time I did at KW, which was in 2000, and she received the REALTOR® of the Year award in 2008, which is a BIG deal at our local association of REALTORS®. They bring in all your family (for the awards ceremony), and that's where I met her son Morgan, who is now my husband. She likes to say that she's the reason we met, and she is. Years later, my sister-in-law got into real estate, my husband got into real estate, and my father's still in real estate. My father-in-law is a mortgage broker as well and also has his license. “It makes our family get-togethers really fun.”

AN UNEXPECTED PATH
Swaffar’s initial career aspirations were far removed from real estate.

She studied music education while minoring in business at Tulsa Community College and envisioned a future in performing and teaching. However, real estate provided her with an unexpected avenue to continue teaching and mentoring others, a role she has embraced with passion and dedication.

“My goal was to perform and then teach,” Swaffar said. “Instead of pursuing a career in music and education, I ended up pursuing real estate, which still gave me a path to train, teach and help others.”

FINAL REFLECTIONS
Reflecting on her career, Swaffar attributes her success to her ability to connect with and support others.

Her coaching and leadership efforts have not only transformed the careers of her agents but have also cemented her legacy as a cornerstone of the Oklahoma real estate community.

Through hard work, a commitment to others and an ability to adapt, Swaffar continues to leave an indelible mark on the industry she loves.

“Susan and her husband Don Beach, they're like my second family — everybody here is,” Swaffar said. “I've never seen the need to look at another real estate model because of the culture and the family environment we have here at our office.”