If you make the mistake of telling Kara Baxter she can’t do something, be prepared to eat your words.

 

A violinist and college professor turned-REALTORⓇ at HOME Real Estate in Lincoln, Kara has swiftly risen up the real estate ranks after fate forced multiple career pivots.

 

“I have learned life is a journey, and especially being newer to the industry, I have accepted that I’ll never know it all, and I’m just learning every day,” Kara says brightly.

 

Well on her way to becoming a professional violinist after picking up the instrument at age 4, Kara's musical career derailed when she barely escaped a car accident with her life in Chicago in 2003. Unable to perform, she embraced teaching music, eventually taking on a role as a part-time college professor for 15 years while also working part-time as an office manager.

 

Kara's life took yet another unexpected turn though when browsing homes online in the evenings turned from a relaxing hobby into a lifeline. Her husband's battle with cancer eventually prompted her to leave her part-time teaching position and go all-in with real estate.

 

"I used to browse houses online to decompress in the evenings. Some people play Solitaire or crossword puzzles … I looked at houses," Kara shares. "After my husband’s cancer diagnosis, it made us both really examine how we spent our time and energy working; it made him realize he wanted to start his own company, and made me realize how much I wanted to make doing real estate my sole focus.”

 

Inspired by her own Realtor, Marsha Artz, Kara reinvented herself again, obtaining her real estate license in early 2022.

 

“When we moved back to Lincoln, we had such a great experience with Marsha,” Kara recalls. “She made it look easy! I work with her at HOME now. When I was considering the big, scary leap, she would answer all of my calls and really gave me the confidence to do this. Her and Daria Springer have both been amazing mentors.”  

 

Last year, Kara achieved remarkable success, closing $5.4 million with 13 deals. A quick study, she projects a total volume exceeding $11 million in less than two years into her fledgling career.  

 

“The classes prepare you for the legal side, but the business side is a whole other story, and I knew that I needed to hit the ground running,” Kara affirms. “But when I stopped worrying about where the business would come from, and just took care of my clients while keeping gratitude at the forefront, it all fell into place.”

 

Kara's success is rooted in her goal-oriented nature and perfectionist tendencies as a lifelong musician.

 

"I think that’s what makes me a good violinist and musician — high standards and discipline," she acknowledges. “But I’m also resilient. The doctors told me I would never play the violin again after my car accident, and a year later, I started practicing and eventually auditioned successfully for the Lincoln Symphony.”

 

Kara’s creative problem-solving skills, honed over 20 years as an office manager, have seamlessly transitioned into her real estate career as well. She advises up and coming top producers to be organized if they’re going to make it in the business.

 

"I’ve always worked three jobs while taking care of my family," she reveals. “I’m not used to having much free time on my hands. Plan your day, your week, your month so you have tasks outlined and when you are going to work on them. You’ll thank yourself when you’re not scrambling to get things done last-minute.”

When she’s not busy helping clients, Kara cherishes her family and creative pursuits. Married to husband Wes, the couple shares the joys of raising three active boys who are also musically-gifted: Sebastian (14), Tobias (11), and Gabriel (9). Activities such as fishing on their acreage, playing music together, and remodeling their home fill their days.

 

"We have remodeled our entire place, inside and out, so I feel like I spend all of my time working on the house. I love to tile, paint, and build things," Kara enthuses.

 

Her passion for design and creativity extends to composing her own music, practicing the violin, and reading. Kara also carves out time to volunteer by playing music at church and supporting local youth orchestras.

 

As Kara looks to the future, her short-term goals include achieving a work-life balance and providing a sense of normalcy for her family after a challenging year.

 

"I only know how to be 100-percent invested in things, and sometimes that makes a work/life balance challenging," she admits. “Personally, I have some compositions I want to finish this year, and some performances I’m looking forward to.

 

“I also hope we can take the kids on some fun vacations this year where we can unplug and spend some good quality time together,” Kara continues. “My husband launched a new business last year, and I am helping him get things off the ground, so I have big goals for that venture as well as real estate for me.”

 

Kara notes the sky's the limit and she loves having a career where she is finally in control of her own destiny, while having the flexibility to be there for her loved ones, too.

 

“I think we tend to see ourselves a certain way, and we then think other people won’t be able to see us as anything but what they know us as (a teacher, a violinist, a singer, an office manager), but really that’s not true,” Kara concludes.

 

“I can be many different things at once, and I can be really good at all of them. I don’t have to fit a mold because I am a lifelong learner; and as long as I keep trying new things, having new experiences, and learning like a sponge, I don’t have to be labeled, defined, or categorized.”