Tom Thornton - Bio

 Personal Mission Statement
To counsel, educate, and serve my clients with the highest level of training, education and experience before, during, and after their real estate transaction.

Experience
Tom Thornton joined Realty Austin's team of professional real estate counselors in early 2008. He began his real estate career at Coldwell Banker United prior to joining Realty Austin. He became a broker associate (signifying 900+ hours of real estate education) in 2009. Over his real estate career, Tom has worked with listings and buyers from $100,000 to over $2 million. He is one of only 254 agents in Austin holding a broker's license, an ABR, and a GRI.

Before entering real estate, Tom worked extensively in marketing and advertising, most recently as Vice President at Young and Rubicam's Knowledge Group in New York, which provided brand management and marketing strategy to clients like Yahoo!, Dannon, and Pfizer. Tom's marketing experience also includes time at J. Walter Thompson and Burson-Marsteller in New York working with clients like Sony, Lipton Tea, and Merrill Lynch. He worked for famed UK newspaper The Guardian and for Texas Monthly magazine early in his career.

Education
BBA, Baylor University - Waco, TX (1995)
MBA, London Business School - London, UK (2000)

Awards
Top 150 Buyers Agents in Austin - Austin Board Of Realtors - 2009
Top 4% Of Realtors by Sales Volume - Austin Board Of Realtors - 2009

Designations
Broker Associate, ABR (Accredited Buyer's Representative), GRI (Graduate, Realtor Institute), EcoBroker, CRS (Council of Residential Specialists)

Tom is one of only 40 Austin Realtors to hold all four major Realtor designations: a broker's license, an ABR, a CRS, and a GRI. Tom has been awarded the Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®) designation (the benchmark of excellence in buyer representation) by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council (REBAC) and is a Graduate of the REALTOR® Institute (GRI). He is also certified as an EcoBroker by EcoBroker International. EcoBroker Certified® professionals help clients market properties with green features, save money, and live comfortably, through energy efficiency and environmentally-sensitive choices. He has also earned the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), the highest Designation awarded to sales associates in the residential sales field. The CRS Designation recognizes professional accomplishments in both experience and education. CRS Designees represent the Top 4% of Realtors in the United States.

Specialties
Tom Thornton is a Realtor specializing in Central, Southwest, and East Austin residential properties. His neighborhoods of focus include Tarrytown, Rollingwood, Westlake, West Campus, Hyde Park, Downtown, Mueller, Travis Country, Circle C, Legend Oaks, Village at Western Oaks, Lantana, Loma Vista, Travis Heights, Bouldin Creek, Sherwood Oaks, and Barton Hills. Tom has experience and/or specialty designations for buyer agency, green properties, and investment properties.

Community
Tom's favorite Austin charities include Wonders and Worries, Foundation Communities, and the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas.

Personal
A native Texan, Tom relocated to Austin from New York City. He understands the trials and changes involved in moving to Austin from another area, and is happy to help clients learn more about our city. Tom lives in the Southwest Austin area with his wife and two daughters, and is also a contributing music and food writer for Austinist, which has won multiple awards as Austin's best entertainment website. He has interviewed musicians such as Snow Patrol, Spoon, Santana, and Crowded House along with celebrities like Will Ferrell. Tom has been interviewed as a featured real estate expert in The New York Times and on KLBJ's "Real Estate Radio," and as an "Austin culture expert" by BBC Radio 2, The Wall Street Journal, MTV.com, KUT, 101X FM, and News 8 Austin. He has also contributed to Gothamist, Go2.com, and American Songwriter magazine. Tom's interests include travel, wine collecting, NBA basketball, and music. He is always happy to share his knowledge of what Austin has to offer!

 

Tom Thornton - Community Involvement

Tom's favorite Austin charities include Wonders and Worries, Capital Area Food Bank of Texas, Foundation Communities, Mother's Milk Bank of Austin, and the Austin Bat Cave. He also recommends the site ilivehereigivehere.org for those interested in local charitable donations or volunteer opportunities.

Tom Thornton - Testimonials

I have now worked with Realty Austin on two transactions - both the sale of my previous home and purchase of a new home. I could not have been happier with my agent, Tom Thornton - he was fantastic and supported us every step of the way. 

Tom couldn't have been more responsive, answering every little question we had - and his wisdom and expertise made the entire process so much easier. 

I would recommend Tom Thornton and Realty Austin to anyone!

Hannah Calvert

I was a first time buyer who decided to build for my first purchase. I has allot of questions and concerns well, about everything. Tom was more than helpful and answered all of my questions throughly. He also made sure to follow up and check in on us from time to see how the build was going. I would recommend Tom to anyone one of my friends looking to sell or buy in the Austin area. He was very knowledgeable, and made sure he had our best interest in mind. Which in my case you couldn't ask for better!

by April G. at Yelp

Years ago, when we first started thinking about selling, buying, or building, we brought Tom Thornton in to take a look at our house and offer his plan to sell it. I was so completely sold by his professionalism and thoroughness!  I've worked with other agents enough to know a quality, thorough planner when I see one.  Tom came on time, prepared and well-versed on the local market and other information worth knowing. It took us forever to make a decision (literally years), and Tom patiently waited, indulging whatever ideas we came up with whenever we called him, keeping the same professionalism and thoroughness throughout.

When we finally put our house on the market, we had decided to move out of state or we would have used tom as our buying agent as well. He helped us manage what turned into a very difficult sale with grace and patience.  He referred us to experts as needed, brokered the relationship with the seller in a really excellent and just-the-facts manner, and all around kept his cool in sometimes extremely challenging circumstances.

I wouldn't have wanted to live through such a tough experience with any other agent. I highly recommend Tom!!

by Kristina B. atYelp

Tom was fantastic every step of the way - he was available every time I needed him and he never lost his patience despite  me throwing him some curve balls with issues with my property.

I couldn't be happier how everything turned out and we are excited to work with Tom on our purchase of a new home next.

I am happy to serve as a reference for Tom any time.

Hannah Calvert

Tom Thorton with Realty Austin understands what being a service provider is all about - service. He was the one person we knew we could count on. He was dependable, responsive, flexible, and always able to provide answers to our questions and to provide great referrals for repairs and inspections. He is also very knowledgeable about the market in general and the home buying process. We would use Tom again and recommend him to our friends.

by Laura Lanza Tyson at Facebook

My wife and I used Tom to buy our first home here in Austin and he made the entire process easy. He was prompt on returning phone calls and emails and he would drop everything to show us a new house that went on the market. Even after we closed on our house he answered our questions and contacted the previous owner regarding our questions. Tom demonstrates knowledge and expertise on the housing market, honesty and attentiveness. Tom exceeded our expectations and we will definitely use him in the future.

Top qualities: Personable, Expert, High Integrity

Michael McPhaul - hired Tom as a Real Estate Agent in 2011

Relocating to another part of the country is a challenge no matter what the circumstances and looking for the perfect property can be quite intimidating unless you have the right realtor.

When I was relocating, Tom Thornton was my realtor and he was awesome! He knows and understands the uniqueness of Austin and its neighborhoods. Most importantly he listened to me and built a personal profile of my needs and a list of properties that would be of interest. The result was a huge time saver. He knew what would be of interest and when to steer me clear of a mismatch. He fully understood the lifestyle I wanted in my new home and that meant time was not wasted looking at properties that were not a good match.

Tom gets it! He is easy to work with and never more than a text message away. I highly recommend Tom Thornton if you are looking for a property in Austin. You won’t be disappointed.

Top qualities: Personable, Expert, High Integrity

Cathy St. Martin - hired Tom as a Real Estate Agent in 2011

Our experience working with Tom was very professional. Tom was outstanding to work with, keeping us informed on what was going on, along with the virtual tour, being able to see how many people were viewing the property, etc. Being out of state owners I spoke to Tom about 6 months before listing, he kept in touch and the website and monthly newsletters were definitely a plus. I hope to retire someday and come back down to the Austin area.

Thanks for the outstanding service, Richard Wyatt

Tom knew that inventory was limited so when my husband & I saw a house that we really liked that had just come on the market Tom set up an appt that day and we had an offer in by the end of the day. If we had waited even 1 day someone else would have beat us to it, there were even backup offers on the house. In the end we ended up getting the house!

Becky Severns McPhaul

We moved to Austin 3 months ago and started looking for a house. After some issues with a Realtor we met in passing, I spoke with my boss about his buying story. He previously worked with Tom and found a house in 3 days. We quickly started working with Tom to find a house in the Circle C area. From the beginning, Tom was calm, clear and professional. He gave us complete assurance throughout the buying process and a true expert in his knowledge of Texas real estate and buying in Austin. When we found the house we wanted, there were competing offers on the table. Through Toms direction, our offer was chosen by the seller. We literally couldn't have done it without him.

Jonathan Windham

We had a challenging purchase of a foreclosure home and Tom did a fantastic job!

Joe & Carrie Devine

Tom helped us find the perfect home in Austin. We started our search 7 months ago while we were still living in Denver and Tom was with us every step of the way. He remained patient and understanding even after showing us more than 40 properties! His knowledge of the city and the great things it has to offer was so helpful and appreciated since we are newcomers. Tom also recommended several contractors to do work on the house. This has been very helpful as well. I would recommend Tom to anyone looking to buy or sell a house in the Austin area, especially those coming from out of town. He is a great guy with lots of knowledge about the home-buying process and about Austin in general. He made us feel very welcome in our new city!

Danielle Viola

Tom managed us through a tough situation with an over-eager buyer (me) and a seller in a emotionally difficult situation (elderly mother who was moving to an assisted living facility). I made a few mistakes that upset the sellers. Tom was able to smooth over the ruffled feathers and get the deal done. When the sellers mistakenly removed some permanent items, Tom took time from his family vacation to sort out the situation with very little drama. I thought his style compared with the sellers' agent truly demonstrated his high level of professionalism and commitment to our interests.

Mr. Jordan Scott

Tom was amazing from the very beginning. Before we even began to look at houses he met with us to go over everything we needed to do before we set foot inside a house. He connected us with a really great lender and answered every single question we had regarding the buying process. Once all of the paperwork was in order (which was rather quick thanks to Tom’s advice and guidance!) the house hunting process was fairly quick. We had already requested to look at abut ten houses and Tom went through every single on of them with us, talking about foundation and structural issues to look for and never imposing his own personal preferences in order to sway our decision regarding a home. Once we found the one we wanted Tom was exceedingly dedicated to helping us get the best deal we possibly could. His knowledge of the market was invaluable and he stayed with us to the very end! I will recommend him to ANYONE searching for a home because he is fierce advocate for his clients and we could not have had a better experience!

Nick Courtright

Tom was very helpful initially in helping us not to set the price of our condo too high. He showed us how we could still net the price we wanted without scaring people away. He was very detail oriented on the contracts and caught a mistake that I missed. We sold our condo in under one month for 98.3% of asking price.

John Rathmann

Tom was beyond patient,supportive and informative.We started our house buying journey with one idea and then changed that idea into about 20 Tom guided us the entire way without one display of intolerance.When we asked for information on any given subject Tom would research and then give us a very informed answer.We had a few obstacles in our home purchase but alas Tom responded as a professional and upon closing was there to see us through our purchase.Tom is definetly an asset to Realty Austin.

Mrs. Cathy Pepe

Tom was extremely thorough with everything for us. He made sure to explain things carefully and would take the time to answer any and ALL our questions. Being first time home buyers this could have been a scary process, but knowing Tom was helping us throughout the way eased my mind! Thanks, Tom and Realty Austin!

Allison Pepe

Tom was an outstanding resource to us when we moved to Austin. He consistently showed a deep knowledge of the market, local laws, and behavioral trends of buyers and sellers. He keenly grasped our needs and desires and was insightful in addressing our questions and concerns. He always made time for us and our schedule and made the entire shopping and buying process smooth, efficient, and effortless. I would highly recommend him to anyone moving to Austin.

Tony Weber

Tom Thornton made our lives so much easier when decided to buy our first house. He took us to lunch very early on and explained everything we needed to know, and I do mean everything, which was very beneficial for rookies like us. He is extremely professional, had a knowledgeable answer to all our pesky questions, and guided us expertly through the entire process. I can't even imagine how stressful the whole process might have been if we didn't have Tom as our guardian!

Adi Anand and Natasha Taylor

As a first time home buyer, Tom was everything I could have asked for and more in a realtor. From the beginning, he was extremely helpful in guiding me through a process I knew nothing about. Tom recognized my needs and provided his knowledge and expertise to find me the perfect place. He was available at anytime to answer all of my questions and truly cared that I found exactly what I was looking for. Most importantly, he was honest, gracious, and understanding. Tom was an absolute pleasure to work with, and I strongly recommend him.

Rachel Hays

We had a wonderful experience with Tom as our agent. He was patient and understanding over the weeks we worked together to find a home that met our needs. He never made us feel pressured or rushed, and since it was our first home buying experience, he took the time to answer all of our questions and provide us with valuable insights into home ownership. Tom was always prompt in returning phone calls and emails and ensured that we understood the steps we were taking in each stage of the process. I would highly recommend Tom to you if you are considering buying a home.

Elyse and Matt Nicolette

Tom is the best real estate agent with whom I have ever worked. He knows the market and how to access that market. He was very responsive to our needs and is an excellent communicator. I highly recommend him to anyone needing an agent.

Ed Rossman

Tom was everything that I could have asked for in a Realtor. He was able to find me the perfect neighborhood and made the entire process smooth from contract to closing and beyond. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Tom and Realty Austin to all of my friends!

Amy Bradley

I give Tom my highest recommendation as a Realtor. He is level-headed, straight-forward, personable and generous with his time and effort. He helped me buy a house, and I was so pleased with his work that I later asked him to help me sell. He has a genuine interest in his job and the housing market.

William Callahan

Tom was great, and was within easy reach. Whenever we called, we always reached him, and if not he called back ASAP. He knows the Austin area well, and was able to reduce our search time by leading us in the direction we needed to go. This was very helpful, since we are not residents of Austin and are unfamiliar with the city. We also had Hurricane Ike to deal with, and so this added to our stress level. Tom was so understanding, and is someone we can highly recommend to anyone looking for a Realtor in the Austin area.

Kenneth and Sheila Stevens

We engaged Tom to help us find an investment property. Tom explained the pros and cons of each of the neighborhoods we were looking in, gave us pricing info on comparable sales, and even expected rents. We told him the price range we were looking in, and he let us know immediately when a matching listing came on the market. We were able to act quickly and close with Tom’s real estate acumen. It was an easy and clean transaction, and we could not be more pleased.

Cindy and Bryan Finnegan

Tom is a consummate professional and is very knowledgeable about the realty market in Austin. He is very thorough in contract reviews and came to our home visits well prepared with neighborhood information and statistics. Tom did a fantastic job of keeping us informed and advised without making a decision for us or biasing us towards one house or another. When we had an issue after closing, Tom was able to resolve it quickly with a minimum of hassle to us. I would highly recommend him to anyone buying or selling property in the Austin area.

Brad Piggott

We were very happy with Tom Thornton and the Realty Austin team. We were coming from Minnesota and were unfamiliar with Austin and had a limited time to make a decision and wanted to close the sale long distance. Before we arrived in Austin, Tom Thornton provided helpful information on real estate trends and neighborhoods and available listings. Tom is personable and was patient with our questions and indecisions. Tom is intelligent, professional and very competent and complete. In addition to finding us a nice home at a reasonable price, he also was an excellent tour guide of Austin. Tom helped us with home insurance, home inspection and extended warranty information and worked with our builder to make sure that necessary repairs were completed. Our bank in Minnesota said that Realty Austin was exceptionally easy to work with for closing long distance. Thank you, Tom, for making the entire process of home buying as stress-free as possible.

Lori Bryant

My wife and I reside in Portland, Oregon. I am a commercial real estate lawyer and my wife is a residential real estate broker. So, we have knowledge and experience when it comes to real estate. However, when we decided to buy a condo in Austin, we thought we should find a local real estate professional to help us. My wife scoured the web and, after talking with a few representatives, selected Tom Thornton of Realty Austin. Tom turned out to be the perfect choice. He really knows the Austin market and was able to explain to us all of the things that are happening--or about to happen--in Austin. He was also instrumental in helping us determine how much we should offer and what concessions from the seller might be appropriate. As a result, we were able to select and purchase our condo over a three day visit. We could not have done this without Tom. We highly recommend him.

Joe Voboril

Tom is a stellar agent! He lead me through the process with ease, knowledge and genuine enthusiasm. He is highly qualified in the Austin market, provides valuable information on analysis and is incredibly patient explaining all the details and processes. He brings years of experience, intelligence, integrity and confidence to the table and is a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend Tom for any real estate needs and feel grateful he was my partner in my homebuying experience.

Soumya Ramakrishnan

Tom was great. He was very patient with me even when the process took over 6 months from start to finish. He was always punctual, professional, very helpful, and pleasant. He is very knowledgeable of the market and communicates that knowledge well. Overall a great experience, and I would recommend him to anyone.

Mason McLead

Tom Thornton's Sold Listings

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