As a fourth generation Atlantan, Kiplyn Thompson’s roots run deep. Beginning in Milton where she grew up, down to Grant Park where her in-laws met, and now her current home in Buckhead, Atlanta has always proven to be home. Kiplyn’s grandfather was the owner of the Alpharetta General Store and also served as the Mayor of Alpharetta in the 1940’s. Holding fond memories of counting cars on Highway 400, Kiplyn witnessed firsthand Atlanta come to its fruition.
Beginning at The University of Georgia, Kiplyn obtained degrees in both Psychology and Counseling (with lots of French along the way), met her husband, and they married during his third year at UGA Law School. Her husband transitioned from lawyer to real estate developer after fourteen years, and was the one who nudged her into the industry; now their evenings are spent sipping wine and discussing real estate transactions. Before she made the jump, she reached out to Beacham agent Alec Williams, fast forward and they have been partners ever since! Alec grew up in the Ansley Park neighborhood of Atlanta, and with 35 years experience, Kiplyn knew they would make a great team and she would learn a lot from him. Their team has consistently been ranked among the top producers in the Atlanta area.
Kiplyn’s driving force behind why she works in real estate is to understand ‘how’ people want to live, as she believes that has been the determining factor in Atlanta’s growth and recent development. “We are moving towards people wanting to connect differently in how they live; wanting a more authentically engaged community where they can live, work and play.” Her knowledge of Atlanta, paired with a unique ability to envision limitless possibilities within any home, cements her as a Realtor® of choice.
Can you discuss the career path that lead you to real estate?
“I have always found it personally and professionally rewarding to serve the needs of others. I joined Beacham in 2014 after practicing in the counseling and education fields for about 12 years. I worked as a school counselor in public schools and at the Atlanta Speech School, and I taught at Peachtree Presbyterian. I took off two years when I had my son and daughter, and during that time my husband left a large Atlanta law firm to join a real estate development company, which specializes in developing multifamily residential housing in Atlanta and other markets around the country. Over time, I found my professional background in counseling and connecting with people converging with my personal interest in real estate, and I decided to join Beacham to pursue a career path in real estate.”
How did your first year in the business go?
“Quite well actually, thanks in large part to my wonderful, intelligent and quite humorous partner and mentor Alec Williams. When I was considering which brokerage firm I might join, I called Alec whom I had known through his sales in my neighborhood and who consequently was the listing agent on my current home that we purchased in 2012. Alec’s partner of 13 years had just retired, and he had ideas of how we could work together—it has been a wonderful partnership for six years. We talk to each other every day.”
Why do you Broker with Beacham?
“The brand, and what constitutes the brand are the people and the leadership set by Glennis Beacham. I remember around 2007 seeing these beautiful Beacham signs appearing in yards around town and incredible photos on a cutting edge website, and then I met the staff behind this amazing office. I knew the reputation of Glennis Beacham, the integrity and professionalism behind the brand. I instantly knew I wanted to be a part of Beacham and Company.”
Was there any specific sale that was your all time favorite, or one that helped define your career?
“Each home sale is uniquely special to me. I recently sold a Mediterranean Revival home designed by famed Atlanta architect Jimmy Means, originally built for the grandparents of a good friend, that was later owned by one of my colleagues at Beacham, and now this wonderful family. It’s incredible to see the life cycle of the home.”
What traits have contributed to your success in this business?
“Market and contract knowledge, as well as my honesty. I have lived in Atlanta my entire life, and Alec grew up in Ansley Park. We have seen where neighborhoods have been and where they are going. I follow sales trends through friends at other brokerages and FMLS daily. When I married my husband, he was in law school and I was in graduate school, and we will celebrate our 20th anniversary this August. We’ve discussed A LOT of contracts and legal issues through the years. Keeping my clients protected is very important to me. I always joke with my partner Alec that he, too, missed his calling as an attorney, so the legal aspects of the contract are always at the forefront of transactions for me. With regard to honesty, a great agent I know used to say to clients, “I can tell you what you want to hear or I can tell you what is going to sell your house,” and I take the same approach. My background in counseling informs my real estate practice and helps me have straightforward and honest conversations.”
How are you adapting to the market amid the current COVID-19 situation?
“I think we are all adjusting day by day. While I love connecting in person with buyers, sellers and other agents at listing appointments and open houses, we are all adapting to the current pandemic by enhancing the virtual technologies we previously utilized as part of the sale process — virtual tours, drone videos and photography. I’m not really one to give advice, but I’ve learned cooperation is key. Many agents now refer to “the agent on the other side,” but my partner Alec refers to “the co-oping agent” since in the early years of his 35 year practice there was no “buyers’ brokerage,” and agents were tasked with working cooperatively to mediate the demands of both clients for the mutual benefit of the parties. When agents become too combative, everyone loses in my opinion, especially in this environment.”
How does your eye for design impact your work with buyers and sellers?
“Aesthetics are so important in the world today—people are inundated with beautiful, often times filtered, and photoshopped images; people, places, interiors. Buyers want to see beauty. They also want to “see themselves in the home” as opposed to the current owners. Working with sellers, I have called on interior designers, stagers, and professional organizers to prepare homes. Working with buyers, I try to help them envision what CAN be. Most recently a client loved a home, but her husband felt there needed to be one more family room. I helped my clients realize and envision that the stone porch could be enclosed with chic steel windows and doors. This idea turned the home from a possibility into their dream home.”
As a fourth generation Atlantan, you have seen firsthand Atlanta’s dramatic change. In your opinion, what is the biggest change you’ve witnessed?
“How people want to live and the redevelopment of the Beltline and other areas such as Midtown, O4W, Alpharetta, Roswell, etc. allowing people to be more authentically engaged in a community where they work, play, live. My (paternal) grandfather was a general store owner and the mayor of Alpharetta in the 1940’s, and later my dad’s best friend was the mayor for 25 years. My fondest memories were going to the Alpharetta City Hall on Saturday mornings to visit, having a chili-cheese burger and milkshake at the Alpha-Soda, followed by the bank and laundry, and if we were lucky Demps Variety Store for a treat. Later on in life, my brother and I would count cars on GA 400 driving from Alpharetta (now Milton) to Perimeter & Lenox Malls, the High Museum and The Fox. The thought of the giant stretch of asphalt both enthralled and disgusted me, and I never fully grasped why until I read Ryan Gravel’s book Where We Want to Live, which describes conceiving the Beltline concept as his masters thesis at Georgia Tech and working with community leaders to see it through. It seems we are going back to the City Hall & Soda Shop lifestyle, but in a much more progressive and diverse human way, incorporating nature and recreation. Everyone should read that book!”
What is your favorite thing to do in Atlanta on the weekends?
“As a family we bike, hike, and walk every week. Some of our favorite spots are Chastain Park, Piedmont Park or any trail along the Chattahoochee. My son’s school has a mountain biking team, so my husband and son spend a lot of time together on trails while my daughter and I walk. My husband and myself together hold five degrees from The University of Georgia, making us HUGE Georgia football fans. We rarely miss a home game! My husband and son have even been known to load up the bikes and find trails on the way to away games in the SEC.”
What do you love most about your own home?
“My home really represents who were are as a family. The listing on my home actually read “Tear down and build your dream home”…when I walked in, I said this IS my dream home, I just need to update the kitchen and baths! Of course, went a bit further, but I love that we brought life back to this home; I hate waste. My dearest friend and notable designer, Lauren DeLoach whom I’ve known since I was 12, helped make my interiors a respite reflection of who we are. I have artifacts and keepsakes around my house that bring me great joy — furniture passed down in our families, paintings by my mother, pottery by my children, gifts like the photo of UGA chapel where we got married, a wedding gift from a law school friend. I especially love the location, and there are only 20 homes on my street. Believe it or not, three of us were in college together! My whole life is in a two mile radius: Beacham’s office, children’s school (first, Trinity School, now Pace Academy), our church, restaurants, park etc.”
What drew you to your current neighborhood, Chastain Park?
“I was early to pick up my children at school and decided to drive on my favorite street. Alec Williams (my now partner) had just put a sign in the yard. It was meant to be!”
Favorite neighborhood restaurant?
“At lunch you’ll find me at Souper Jenny at the Atlanta History Center, as I can walk there from our office at One Buckhead Plaza. A stroll through the grounds clears my mind and takes me back to my grandmother’s backyard— my grandparents owned a landscaping nursery that provided the plantings for the Swan Coach House and Callanwolde. The unique scent of the North Carolina Boxwoods soothes my soul. For dinner, it’s a tie: Houston’s on West Paces and Georgia Grille. Tie goes to Houston’s, as Alec dines weekly at the Peachtree Road location and often sings with the piano player there!”
What is your go-to weekend getaway when you want to escape Atlanta?
“We love the different beach experiences that Watercolor on the Gulf and Palmetto Bluff on the marsh of the Atlantic have to offer. Often times Athens is an escape for us, as it takes us back to when we were first married living at a slower pace. Plus we still have old friends from undergraduate and graduate school living there. My husband’s and my best weekend date of the year though is The Masters! No cell phones allowed, so 12 hours of uninterrupted time together is our greatest luxury.”
If you’re interested in working with Kiplyn, click here!
