Taylor Bay
FEBRUARY COVER STORY
STORY BY LOREN BRAMBLE | PHOTOS BY VAST MEDIA
“I want my clients to feel educated, supported, and heard,” says Bay. “I try to focus on serving my clients and always keeping their best interests and goals at the forefront… I give my best to each client with whom I have the privilege to work.”
A TRUE TULSAN: BORN and RAISED
Taylor Bay is a native Tulsan who is passionate about creating a wonderful experience for the individuals and families she works with who are buying, selling, or building a home. Bay received her early education at Union Elementary School, and then attended and graduated from Broken Arrow High School. She then studied marketing at OSU Tulsa.
Before entering the real estate industry, she worked in outside sales in the beauty industry, until she was attracted to a different kind of beauty altogether: real estate.
“I was drawn to real estate when my husband and I purchased our first home in Florence Park in 2008,” Bay says, “We slowly updated and renovated it ourselves, and after our first son was born, we would take long walks through the neighborhood, pulling him along in his wagon. I loved looking at all of the architecture and unique characteristics of the homes.”
Those walks eventually led her on a journey to a career change. “My love of homes evolved over the years and my passion for helping people and being creative made real estate the perfect career choice,” reflects Bay. But it wasn’t an immediate change; Bay took years to discern her path into Realty. “I contemplated becoming a realtor for over 4 years before taking the leap of faith… the encouragement and confidence of my family and friends and my trust in God ultimately led me to where I am today.”
A SERVANT'S HEART
Taylor is driven to help her clients find a home that fits their particular needs and lifestyles. “I have been lucky during my time as a realtor to have the unique opportunity to represent diverse properties in numerous parts of Green Country, from gorgeous estates in Owasso to Midtown bungalows to a home on 80 acres in Ramona.”
Taylor is appreciative of the success she has achieved, but she hasn’t lost focus on what’s most important, the needs of family, friends, and clients. As her clients are confronted with obstacles and emotions during a transaction, Taylor always tries to remain grounded in who she is and what is important to the people she is representing. As Bay explains, “I believe in being genuine, enthusiastic, and truly caring for people. I think it's important to be a good listener and I try to put myself in others' shoes, knowing each client has their own unique circumstances. And as each client is different, also is each home, “I treat each home with care and respect. I take time to help truly prepare each home to be showcased in their best light through staging and creative marketing.”
Taylor truly wants the best for her clients–regardless of the numbers at the end of the day. Though she counts herself as a competitive person with clear and ambitious goals, she works hard to keep everything in perspective, never losing sight of why she is in this industry and why she became a realtor: serving others.
“I want my clients to feel educated, supported, and heard,” says Bay. “I try to focus on serving my clients and always keeping their best interests and goals at the forefront… I give my best to each client with whom I have the privilege to work.
WHO IS TAYLOR BAY?
It’s not all work for Taylor Bay–she prioritizes her family and her life outside of work obligations. She is a loving mother to two wonderful boys, Brooks and Graham, and wife to her very supportive husband, Mike, who she has been married to for 11 years. Though being a successful realtor, wife, and mother is a hard balance to strike, Bay is intentional about her relationships with both her clients and her family.
“I try my best to always take my kiddos to school every morning and to schedule my appointments to allow me to pick them up each afternoon. I feel that the time together in the car and the conversations that we have are priceless. I also always try to commit to being at all of their school events and activities. This time is so fleeting and these moments as they grow up are something that you can never get back,” says Bay. “Attending church regularly together as a family and focusing on my relationship with God also helps me to stay balanced and focused.”
Bay also recognizes that a well-balanced life leads to better business practices, “I know spending time with my family and friends helps to re-energize, and I am thankful to have a supportive community and village.” She attributes her business practices and devotion to her family to the values her parents instilled in her as a child. Her father, a Marine and retired A&P mechanic, modeled the importance of a strong work ethic and was always willing to extend a helping hand to those in need. Her mother dedicated her life to raising Taylor and her sister and was highly involved in their lives. “My mom has always been my biggest cheerleader and really helped me to believe in myself and that I could do anything I put my mind to,” Bay recalls.
Those are values and priorities she seeks to pass on to her own children, “I am proud to be able to help teach them the value of determination and having a strong work ethic.”
When not spending time with her family, Bay also enjoys all things pertaining to decorating and interior design and always has the next project at her own home in mind.
Taylor Bay is truly all about making things beautiful–inside and out!
