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The Spotlight: Amy Bernstein's 40-Year Commitment to Real Estate Excellence

Writer's picture: Flori Meeks HatchettFlori Meeks Hatchett

Smiling woman wearing glasses, blazer, pink shirt
Amy Bernstein

Ask Amy Bernstein what she’s proudest of about her Houston real estate company’s 40th anniversary, and she’ll tell you it’s how little Bernstein Realty has changed — at least when it comes to the business’s priorities.

 

“We are a boutique real estate company that has held true to the values we committed to when we opened in 1985, and that is service first and foremost,” Bernstein said. “Our service goes beyond just finding a home or selling a home. I want clients to call us when they need a plumber or an electrician. I want them to call us every year when their property tax values come out and ask us what we think. Long after a client’s closing, if there are any questions pertaining to their home, we want to be a resource for them.”

 

Bernstein also takes great pride in the people who make up Bernstein Realty.

 

“The firm was built by people who had the same passion, the same desire, and the same goals of developing long-term relationships,” she said.


Bernstein Realty, 11 staff members and 33 real estate agents, includes people who’ve been there nearly as long as Bernstein. For example, Mary Piper, the director of operations and relocation director, has been there for almost 25 years. Many others have been there for 30 to 35 years.

Two women in business outfits pose outdoors.
Amy Bernstein and Mary Piper, her firm's director of operations and relocation director, who has been with Bernstein Realty nearly 25 years.

“I’m so proud of the longevity and loyalty of these associates,” Bernstein said. “When you’re working alongside people you know and love and trust, it’s not like work. That’s a high point for me every day.”

 

One of the Best Summers Ever

 

As committed as Bernstein is today to her firm, clients, and team, there was a time when she envisioned a much different path for herself. Her original career goal was teaching; she was an elementary education major at The University of Texas at Austin. But in her junior year, she started rethinking her choices.

 

“I have a huge love of kids and thought that being an elementary school teacher would be wonderful,” Bernstein said. “I still think it’s a wonderful career, but for many reasons, I decided teaching was not going to be something that would fulfill me. So in my junior year, while I was at The University of Texas, I got my real estate license.”

 

Right after that, Bernstein completed a summer internship at a Houston real estate firm, an extremely positive experience that convinced her she was on the right track.

 

“That was probably one of the best summers of my life because I realized I had found something that I was excited about doing as my career,” she said.

 

After completing her degree in elementary education, she returned to Houston and the real estate firm she had interned with: Laguarta, Gavrel and Kirk.

 

When the firm closed its residential branch to focus on commercial realty, Bernstein left and went to work for Memorial Realty. During her time there, she launched one of the most professional relationships of her career.

 

The Stars Align


While working at Memorial Realty, Bernstein befriended a real estate agent who specialized in corporate housing. Her friend managed temporary accommodations for employees relocating to Houston and referred them to Bernstein for permanent housing.

The partnership thrived, and demand for their combined services surged. Recognizing the opportunity, Bernstein decided to launch her own company in January 1985.

The agents continued working together after the launch of Bernstein Realty. Bernstein also hired two agents with engineering backgrounds.

 

“They were very tech oriented, so we would show houses all day, and then at night, they created systems for the office on the computers. They were creating programs and databases and all sorts of things on the computer with their engineering minds, and they were fantastic at it.”

 

Demand remained strong for the company’s local real estate services, the corporate housing services, and later, a property management division. At the time of Bernstein’s interview for this blog post, freezing temperatures and snowfall were predicted for Houston, where homes aren’t necessarily designed for winter temperatures. Bernstein and her team spent days making sure pipes were wrapped and faucets were running at the properties they managed to prevent bursts and flooding.

 

“That's a luxury for a homeowner, if they have our property management services, they don't have to worry about those things,” Bernstein said.

 

Group shot of the Bernstein Realty team.
The Bernstein Realty company photo.

COVID’s Impacts

 

While Bernstein Realty has experienced steady growth over the years, it’s also seen its share of challenges. As far as Bernstein is concerned, the biggest was the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“We had to learn how to show homes virtually and do open houses virtually, how to sell real estate in an industry where people like to look at the house and touch the house and feel the house,” Bernstein said.

 

The associates made those adjustments, but even after the pandemic, COVID continued to affect day-to-day operations. During COVID, agents operated from home offices, and most agents have opted to continue working remotely after the pandemic. Agents still communicate with the office and each other, but many use their home office as their home base now. Adjusting to that has been challenging, Bernstein said.

 

The firm also has dealt with the negative impacts of economic ebbs and flows over the years, as well as southeast Texas’ hurricanes and flooding. More recently, uncertainty about the 2024 election made people reticent to make real estate decisions. That reluctance has eased up tremendously since Nov. 5.

 

“After such a contentious political year, we now have a decision, and whether one likes it or not, at least we can all move forward and get back to business,” Bernstein said.

 

Mentoring Moments

 

Bernstein has experienced each challenge and opportunity not only as a business owner but also as a real estate broker. She continues to have a hands-on role in assisting clients buy and sell homes, which is something she is extremely passionate about. The company has an advisory committee made up of associates who have all been top producers for the company over the years, and Bernstein meets with them quarterly to discuss the firm and items Bernstein appreciates their opinions on. This group has been together for many years, and the members are very close friends. Bernstein Realty relies greatly on their ideas and input.

 

"In addition to the operations of the company, I’m in the field every single day with my associates, so I know what they’re dealing with," Bernstein said. "I know what the market looks like out there, and I can guide them accordingly, if needed.”

 

Coaching other agents is one of Bernstein’s favorite aspects of her work. Maybe that’s because of the wonderful relationship she had with her mentor, Nancy Owens, early in her career.

 

Owens, co-founder of the former Turner-Owens Properties real estate firm and later of Nancy Owens Properties, passed away in September 2001 after enduring three hard-fought battles with breast cancer.

 

“It was an unbelievably sad time for me personally because she was not only my dear friend, but she was like a big sister to me and taught me so much, but it was also a huge loss for the real estate community because she was a real estate legend and loved and admired by so many,” Bernstein said.

 

Bernstein and others who’d known and worked with Owens felt strongly that the best way to honor Owens’ memory would be to raise money for breast cancer research, as one of Owens' final wishes was for the torch to be carried. Together, they launched the Nancy Owens Memorial Foundation and started organizing annual fundraising luncheons and other events throughout the year.


Group of adults, many wearing pink, at luncheon to raise money for breast cancer research.
Nancy Owens Breast Cancer Foundation committee members.

The organization, now called the Nancy Owens Breast Cancer Foundation, has raised more than $2 million since 2001. Bernstein chaired the foundation for its first 19 years and then passed the baton to Terri Guerra, one of multiple associates who once worked for Owens for many years and is now associated with Bernstein Realty. Bernstein said it was one of her happiest days when Guerra joined Bernstein Realty as Bernstein and Guerra had been close friends for many years. Another former associate of Owens', Gloria Moorman, also joined Bernstein Realty and has since retired, now works in an advisory capacity with firm and takes an extremely active role in the Nancy Owens Breast Cancer Foundation. Piper, the firm's director of operations and relocation, plays an active role in the foundation as well. Bernstein says she's honored to worth with each of them and the other foundation committee members.

 

Two smiling women.
Amy Bernstein and Terri Guerra.

Looking ahead, Bernstein says she’s confident that, with its excellent staff and associates, Bernstein will remain committed to its original mission.

 

 “We want to take care of the client, first, last, and always.”

 

 

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