Joanna Ford

COVER STORY

STORY BY ZACH COHEN | PHOTOS BY JJHOMES PHOTOGRAPHY

After graduating from Broken Arrow High School in YEAR, Joanna Ford set off to pursue her dream of becoming a pharmacist. But, as is so often the case, God had different plans for her. She got married, gave birth to her daughter, Shelby, and stayed at home to raise Shelby for the next five years. In the meantime, Joanna purchased her first home and, in the process, became fascinated with the real estate industry.

In 2005, personal circumstances changed in Joanna’s life; an impending divorce meant she needed to return to work to provide for her family.

“I became a single mom and hadn't worked in five years by that time. I prayed about it, and real estate kept coming up,” Joanna reflects.

Joanna began her real estate career with a strong start, closing $3.4 million in her first six months on the job and nearly $7 million in her first year. By then, she was sure she had discovered a career she was passionate about.

Two Decades Strong

Joana has now been thriving in real estate for nearly twenty years.

“It’s so rewarding, and not just financially,” she smiles. “The people I meet, my clients, become best friends. People often don't know what their options are, so to help people out when they are making a big life change — it's a good feeling to help people make the right choices and decisions.”

Joanna has been a solo agent with Coldwell Banker Select in Broken Arrow for her entire 18-year real estate career. She’s been the office’s top-selling agent for 16 years running, capped by a monumental 2022 when she closed 141 homes for $38.3 million — a considerable number for any team, never mind an individual agent. 

So how does Joanna do it?

“There’s no secret,” she says. “I'm very driven. I am a high-energy person and always have been. I can multitask like nobody's business. I get up at 5:00 am and work until I crash at night. I put in the time. I am always available for my clients, even on vacation. People are trusting me with the largest investment of their entire lives, and I need to be accessible to them when it's convenient for them.”

After so many years in the business, Joanna continues to feel joy and fulfillment. Every transaction is unique, which helps her keep her mind sharp, her attention focused, and her passion for the industry vital.

Right at Home

Joanna was born on Long Island, New York; her family moved to Broken Arrow when she was just five. Having visited places all over the country, she’s proud to call Tulsa home; she couldn’t imagine growing up or raising her family anywhere else.

Outside real estate, Joanna enjoys playing tennis (she used to play competitively but now plays more casually), going to the gym, and hanging out with her family. She and her husband, Josh, have a blended family with two kids, Shelby (23) and Ryan (19). Joanna adores her four dogs, who go just about everywhere with her.

Joanna has seen a lot in her 18 years in real estate, and she continues to learn something new daily. While real estate has been a tremendously rewarding career, she also experiences it as a challenging one. Building a business isn’t easy, and while real estate has been fulfilling for her, it’s not a simple path to success.

“I want people to not have any surprises. Some people have a false sense of reality that REALTORS® have a glamorous job and bring in a bunch of money. In order to be a top-producing agent, you're going to put in the time. We're self-employed, which brings challenges. You have to know that getting into it,” Joanna advises. “I learned that the hard way being a single mom. It all worked out for me because I put in the time and had some savings to help with signs, key boxes, and photography, but I think newer agents need to understand that.”

With the boom in the market over the past three-plus years, there are more active REALTORS® in Tulsa than ever before. That has coincided with historically low inventory, creating a unique crunch in the market for REALTORS® and homebuyers. Despite the challenges, Joanna is confident in her ability to remain successful, as well as the overall health of the Tulsa area real estate market. There’s nowhere else she would rather be.

“We’re lucky here. The market is stable and consistent. We're an oil and gas state, so people are always moving in and out. That keeps it busy all year long. Looking ahead, I think we'll stay consistent, stable, and steady,” she says. “As for me, I have a good life. I'm healthy. I’m happy, my kids are healthy and happy, and my career is a big part of that joy.”