Austin — the number one fastest-growing city in the U.S.—has felt its share of growing pains. Longtime locals complain that the cost of living is skyrocketing, there isn’t enough housing and SXSW is actually “SXSUX.”

Well, not all longtime locals feel that way. Our Hilary Taylor finds all this growth “exciting!” A resident of Texas since she was 4 years old, she’s experienced life in Lake Jackson, San Marcos and Austin. And, while each holds a special appeal to her, none tugs at her heart as much as Austin.

“My first week in Austin, I just remember being completely enamored by the city’s beauty and vibrancy,” she explained. 

“I remember loving the small-town feel, which was so different than our other major cities like Houston and Dallas. Yes, Austin is rapidly growing and changing but, to me, that just makes the environment all the more exciting.”

Born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, young Hilary had a long list of dreams. She wanted to be a doctor, an Olympic track athlete, a professional soccer player, or an engineer. She also played with the idea of becoming a real estate agent, like her grandmother and grandfather.

In the end, hoping to snag a CEO position in a hospital, she obtained a degree in healthcare administration from Texas State University. 

Which is all well and good until she realized the positions that she was considering didn’t fulfill her personal goals – to interact with people “and to not sit at a desk all day, chained to a computer screen,” she recalls. “I wanted to help people.”

In fact, those personal goals fueled her exit from the healthcare industry. She was then free to pursue her life calling of doing “Anything I can to help somebody accomplish a goal or a dream.”

And, isn’t that what real estate agents do best? After buying and selling her own Austin properties, it hit her that the real estate industry could help turn her passion into a career and, as she says, “It is the most fulfilling job I have ever had.”

A generous heart

“Philanthropy has a big place in my heart and in my world,” Hilary mentioned. She is a member of the Junior League of Austin and a proud Texas State University Alumna; she is also a sitting member on the Wittliff Collections Advisory Board, and she serves as an advisor for a Collegiate Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha.  Hilary is also a 2019 graduate of the Leadership Austin: Emerge Program.  And, lest you think she’s all hat and no cattle, Hilary is also passionate about agriculture and livestock. She serves a board member for the Raise ‘Em Up Foundation which raises money annually to support local students in FFA and 4H programs.   

When she’s not working (“Wait…when I am NOT working?  When is that?” she says, laughing) or volunteering you may find Hilary at a hot yoga or Pilates class, playing with her “baby cows” or spending time with friends, her husband and her two beautiful children.

We asked her to list her three favorite things about Austin:

• Austin patio weather
• Esther’s Follies
• The eclectic culinary scene

What you can bank on when you work with Hilary

I think if you ask my friends what is one quality that describes me most, one of their top 3 answers would be ‘Planner.’ I love to plan not only parties and events, but I find myself meticulously and strategically planning my clients’ real estate transactions.”

Nothing falling through the cracks? Check.

“I work hard for my clients to help them accomplish their real estate goals and I am their biggest advocate as they go through this process.”

Someone committed to your success? Check.

“Hilary has this amazing way of intensely listening. It’s quite rare but something that her clients find immensely valuable,” says Kasey Jorgenson, the boss here at the Jorgenson Group.

A real estate agent who actually listens? Check.

“To have the opportunity to share the joy of purchasing a home is such an honor and, truly, the most rewarding thing I have ever done. I love it when my past clients continue to reach out to me with questions and with invitations to their get-togethers. I simply love what I do!”

Designations & Certifications

Hilary holds multiple licenses & professional certifications, including:

• Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) Sales Agent License #690660
• REALTOR® - Member of National Association of REALTORS®

Local Involvement

• Member - Texas Association of REALTORS®
• Member - Austin Board of REALTORS®

Brokerage: Keller Williams Realty Southwest Austin, Texas