About
RPM Home Advisors Partners
Marc Takacs
Partner, Realtor
706-237-8125
404-538-6849
License Number: 272594
marc@rpmhomeadvisors.com
“I strive to be a positive influence, a steady voice, and above all let my integrity lead the way.”
Growing up in Central Ohio, the Midwestern roots of my youth are heavily instilled in me. From my work ethic to my demeanor, I am a believer in getting the job done and getting it done the right way for my clients.
In college, at the University of Dayton, I worked third shift for a large manufacturing company, putting myself through undergrad. After graduation, the company moved me to Atlanta, where I worked as a systems analyst for the next five years. It was in 2004, when I realized I was spending more time dreaming about the beauty in old houses and exploring the unique neighborhoods in Atlanta than I did getting excited to go to my corporate job every day, that I decided I needed a new career. So after talking to a friend in the business, I got my real estate license and started dabbling in it. I was selling a couple of houses a month and after a year of learning the ins and outs of the business, I took a leap, leaving my job and beginning a new adventure that allowed me to work daily with what I’m passionate about – tapping into my knowledge of local communities and being the go-to resource to my clients.
My timing was impeccable…not long after I got into real estate full-time, the Great Recession occurred. I knew I had to make a go of it, so I dug in my heels, putting that Midwestern upbringing to the forefront, and forged ahead. I steadily grew my business in a down economy and began adding team members.
In 2006, Rick [Hale] asked me to join the Keller Williams Intown Atlanta office and in 2016, he and I merged our team’s, creating a unified group that consistently ranked at or near the top of the Keller Williams Atlanta Midtown market center. Now we are thrilled to be teaming up with Pam [Ahern] and her group to form RPM Group Home Advisors, where we believe in transforming our clients’ real estate experience. By being trusted advisors, we provide advice, guidance, and our expertise on the home buying process, the market, and the Atlanta neighborhoods, so that our clients can make the decisions that are best for them.
On a personal note, I’ve been married since 2006, have twin daughters, and a dog that finds any possible way to escape our backyard to explore. I enjoy restoring my 1997 Jeep Wrangler, spending time on the lake, and volunteering. I’ve helped run the Neighbor in Need program in East Atlanta since 2015, sat on the Governance Board of Burgess-Peterson Academy for five years, ran committees for East Atlanta Strut, the Porch Press, and have spent years serving on the Advisory Council of PAWS Atlanta, a no-kill animal shelter.
Everyday my goal is to help others – from my team members, to my family and friends, to the community – I strive to be a positive influence, a steady voice, and above all let my integrity lead the way. I’m thrilled to be on this journey with our great team and look forward to serving you in your real estate needs.
Pam Ahern
404-876-4901
404-978-2273
pam@rpmhomeadvisors.com
Pam has been listing and selling real estate in Atlanta for more than 25 years. Her experience spans the residential and commercial markets and encompasses both resale and new construction. She loves the problem-solving aspect of pulling all the moving parts together – whether that’s gaining a deeper understanding of a homebuyer’s needs or developing large-scale, multi-family projects.
Pam has an eye for what could be. She says a home is more than just a building; it’s part of a community. She especially enjoys working with developers to transform properties and create new environments for people’s lives to unfold. A champion of eco-friendly, green building and construction practices, Pam partnered with developers to create the first Gold Level LEED certified multi-family project in Georgia.
Every homebuyer, seller, developer and investor has a unique style and set of goals. Pam understands that meeting those goals is more than just the number of bedrooms and baths or the location. She takes a more holistic approach, asking deeper and broader questions homebuyers, sellers, and developers may not have considered. She was named one of Atlanta’s Top Realtors by Atlanta Magazine, and twice voted Best Realtor in Atlanta by readers of Creative Loafing.
Pam is as passionate about growing people as she is about selling homes. At Keller Williams, she served on the Agent Leadership Council for six years. Now, as the leader of Intown Area Homes, she works with her team to set goals and keep everyone inspired and motivated.
Pam recharges herself through yoga and meditation. As a certified yoga instructor she loves helping others build their practice and continuously expands her education both as a student and a teacher. Pam also enjoys spending time outdoors, traveling, and with her family.
Rick Hale
404-541-3555
Rick@rpmhomeadvisors.com
“I’m inspired by helping others have a big life in pursuit of their ultimate best.”
I’m a true Atlanta native and graduate of Georgia State University. It was during college when I was selling AJC newspaper subscriptions door-to-door that I really started to understand what this diverse and exciting city had to offer.
So a few years later, newly married and a baby on the way it became obvious it was time to move on from the music industry. I cut my signature long hair and made the switch to real estate. Being from Atlanta I already had a strong network, which allowed me to hit the ground running. I’m a competitive person by nature, so in my first four years I quickly grew my business and was offered an investment opportunity, buying into the first Keller Williams office in Atlanta as a top producing agent. This opportunity opened my eyes to the concept of building a company within a company and that launched my career to the next level.
Starting in 2001 and over the next eleven years, I bought and opened six Keller Williams offices in Metro Atlanta, as well as led my own team of realtors to become a top five group in the country for the company. Last year alone, our group (the six offices known as the Heart of Atlanta Group) sold approximately 12,000 homes, placing us in the top 50 real estate office groups in the country for all brands.
In 2016 I merged teams with Marc [Takacs] forming the enhanced “In Atlanta” team and now we are joining forces with Pam’s [Ahern] team to form RPM Group Home Advisors and surround ourselves with an amazing mix of talent to provide the best experience to our clients. The ultimate goal and outcome of both mergers was to simply provide a stronger platform and experience for our team members and above all else our clients!
When I’m not busy taking the real estate world by storm, I still play guitar in a great band, and love to have adventures with my wife and our four adult sons. I spend my time traveling, snowboarding, wakeboarding and scuba diving, where I attempt to take photographs of aquatic life as they are swimming away from me…the ultimate challenge is to get a picture of their face!
I also am involved in numerous organizations that allow me to help at risk kids and teens, including Camp Grace, an organization where we have been able to fund summer camp adventures for kids that wouldn’t be able to have these experiences. Supporting others less fortunate is in my heart and my personal interest encompasses everything from homeless shelters to affordable housing for single women with children to educational non-profits to grow them from dependency to self-sufficiency (Every Woman Works). My mentor (Bob Kilinski) even has a non-profit that recently donated it’s 100th car to single women with children. My hope is to support and help connect the dots to a holistic solution enabling and inspiring the dreams of those that have lost sight of their potential.
Over the course of my career and in my personal life, I’ve had the privilege to meet some amazingly talented people. What inspires me daily and allows me to go to sleep fulfilled and wake up inspired is being a servant leader, and knowing that I along with my team are making a positive impact in the lives of those around me every single day.
RPM Home Advisors Group
Michelle Hipp
404-876-4901
404-978-2273
michelle@rpmhomeadvisors.com
“I thrive on seeing a process through from start to finish.”
Over the past three years working in new construction real estate, I’ve established myself as a go-to-resource in a niche market. When I joined the team, Pam [Ahern], whom I had known for 15 years, was looking for an onsite agent on a new build complex. I hit the ground running and haven’t looked back.
Originally from Athens, I moved to Atlanta 20 years ago to pursue a career as general manager for a multi-location salon. The always on the go structure of that business prepared me well for being a mom to my eight-year daughter and having a thriving real estate career. Although I’m only a few years into the industry, I became infatuated with the complete home buying process when I purchased my first house. Since I joined the team in the summer of 2018, one hundred percent of my sales have been new construction. There’s nothing more satisfying to me than being onsite, putting on a hard hat, and walking through the house week after week – seeing the walls go up and the progress being made. For me, that’s the start of when a house starts developing warmth and transitioning to become a home.
As if I don’t spend enough time in houses during the week, on the weekends you can find me scouring estate sales, discovering furniture that I can refurbish and resell. My favorite thing though is taking my daughter to different festivals throughout the city and uncovering “new-to-her” experiences that we can have together.
If you’re looking for a new build, I’m your person…your execution expert. I find joy in creating something out of nothing and partaking in beautiful homes rising out of the dirt feeds my soul.
Blake Howell
404-541-3555
404-538-3670
blake@rpmhomeadvisors.com
“I’ve made a career out of meshing design and real estate, providing a unique experience for the client.”
As a realtor with 15 years of interior design experience, Blake is uniquely qualified to help buyers recognize a property’s potential – and help sellers stage their homes for maximum appeal. Throughout his career, Blake has handled design projects ranging from simple kitchen and bath makeovers to home additions and new construction.
Blake loves helping clients create their home lifestyle. Becoming a realtor was a natural extension to Blake’s career; because he gets to help his clients find as well as design their dream homes. He likes how Intown Area Homes uses technology to collect information and help clients identify the neighborhoods that fit their needs exactly.
Blake enjoys working with people who are ready and eager to learn and push boundaries. He thrives on keeping up with the latest developments and is known for listening carefully to his clients and then delighting them with designs that deliver things they didn’t even know they wanted.
An Atlanta native, Blake loves the city’s diversity and its variety in restaurants and entertainment. He’s traveled to Las Vegas, Tampa, and Austin with his men’s softball team. For future adventure, he’s got his sights set on Greece, Spain
Carlen Hultgren
404-541-3555
404-229-0746
carlen@rpmhomeadvisors.com
“Real estate is like solving a puzzle. I enjoy learning my client’s needs and piecing those needs together with the right home.”
After living in 11 unique places, including eight states and three counties, I haven’t given up my love of travel, but I’ve found my forever home in Atlanta.
I landed in the South while earning my fashion design and merchandising degree and then started a three-decade career, which included owning a small clothing manufacturing company, operating a design showroom, and acting as a sales rep and freelancer for various retailors.
In 2017, it was time for a career change. I became connected with Marc [Takacs] through our volunteer work with East Atlanta Strut and jumped out of my comfort zone, earning my real estate license, and joining the team. Real estate is a great fit for me. I enjoy new challenges and getting to know people and understanding their interests and desires. Then it becomes all about matching their needs and wants with the perfect home for them. As a newer agent, I appreciate that I have a team of real estate veterans behind me that I can always call on to answer questions or bounce ideas off of. It’s allowed me to quickly grow as an agent and to learn the nuances of the business.
In addition to real estate, I’m heavily involved in the East Atlanta community, serving as the hospitality chair for Strut, as a committee head for the East Atlanta Business Association, and an editor for Porch Press, a neighborhood newspaper. I practice yoga daily, currently am working on two novels, and I occasionally submit my work into flash fiction contests.
For me, it’s all about relationship building. I have a desire to meet and help people and I can’t wait to work with you!
Blake Jones
404-642-1695
bjones@intownareahomes.com
Blake is the special ops force of the IAH team. On any given day he could be meeting with clients, vendors, partners, potential new team members – whatever is called for, Blake is up to the task. Before going into real estate, he worked for Starbucks, first in the retail environment, and then behind the scenes in training. Blake loves the fluidity of being able to jump into whatever role is needed. He appreciates the open welcoming culture at IAH, because it’s a place where people can be authentically themselves. He says no matter who you are, you can find your people there.
Buying your dream home – or selling a home you’ve lived in for years – can be uncomfortable at times. One of Blake’s superpowers is helping ease clients through those uncomfortable moments to reach their goals. His mantra is “We get stuff done. Whatever needs doing, we get it done. And we make it look easy.” That’s what clients want when they’re buying or selling a home.
A native of Atlanta, Blake loves knowing everything about the city. His hobby is exploring hobbies – which underscores an insatiable curiosity and drive to learn. Currently, he’s focused on mastering knitting. So far, he says he’s created a series of kites – that were supposed to be washcloths. He’s also loving a new exploration of veganism.
Donna LaRoche
“I get great joy out of learning the reasons why a client chose their home.”
I’ve lived in Duluth, GA since the mid-1990s and was a stay at home mom, raising my three children until 2012 when I decided to get back into the workforce. I joined up with Rick [Hale] and have been with the team ever since.
As the listing manager with RPM Group Home Advisors, I get to tap into my outgoing side on a regular basis. I talk with each of our clients who are selling their home with us to get a better understanding of their property – both the features and what makes it such a special place – so that I can put together the information in a way that is appealing to those in the market searching for a new home. I work with clients on all of the scheduling, from their photos shoot to the showings, and am available to answer any questions they have. From start to finish, I am with our sellers throughout the entire process.
Over the past three decades, I have loved watching my family of five grow and flourish, finding their way through college, grad school, and marriage. Now as an empty nester for the first time, I’m rediscovering, in a different way, many of the enjoyments I had over the years…from playing cards with friends to keeping my yard full of flowers, to being at the lake with my husband. I’ve volunteered with the youth at my church for years, relish the time spent with my friends and family, and am a regular Red Cross donor.
I’m an extrovert by nature and enjoy learning about others and am excited to work with you on your sale.
Jane Lomas
Listing and Buyers Agent
404-541-3555
678-374-9370
License Number: 380650
jane@rpmhomeadvisors.com
“The progression of taking a first time home buyer through to close is inspiring”
Although I’m a scientist by trade, having received a Geology degree from Tulane and working in environmental consulting for 20 years, I always found myself gravitating towards a different field, one that would allow me to combine my process-oriented mind with the ability to help people directly.
After leaving Louisiana I moved to Florida and became the co-owner of a personal training facility. Owning this business let me work with people and see the impact I was making in their lives. During the recession, our business shifted and I was given the opportunity to work with a neighbor, who was a realtor. I earned my license and about three years later, moved to Atlanta, where my three siblings were already living.
Shortly after moving to Georgia, I met Pam [Ahern] and I decided to join the team. I enjoy the day-to-day activities of being a realtor and the details that go along with it, but what really drives me is working side-by-side with first time home buyers. It’s up to me to educate and nurture them through the process and show them all of the possibilities along the way. It’s exciting to see the difference from the beginning of the process to the buyers at the closing table, now feeling empowered with the knowledge I’ve helped them gain along the way. Pam has always provided me with great support and coaching and I get to do the same with my clients.
When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time with my siblings and being out in nature, hiking and working in the garden. I also serve on committees that allow me to make a big difference, such as the Atlanta Realtors Association and the Atlanta Independent Women’s Network, in addition to being part of the 2020 Emerging Leaders program.
I thrive off of working with my clients and seeing the results.
Joel Madden
Associate Broker
404-353-4500
License Number: 250506
Joel@rpmhomeadvisors.com
“I flourish in small group settings and appreciate getting to know my clients personally.”
I grew up in a town of 600 people in northern Michigan. It’s the same town my parents and grandparents were raised in, so it’s safe to say I find comfort in smaller, more intimate settings.
By the time I was 19, I was done with the cold weather. I loved to ski, but skiing from November through April was beginning to get old, so I packed up and moved to Orlando, where I graduated from the University of Central Florida.
Financially independent since my teenage years, I not only have held a variety of odd jobs in high school and college but on top of my higher education degree, I earned certifications/licenses in diverse areas, including real estate, allowing me the ability to try new things until I found my path.
After a brief stint in Tallahassee, I moved to Atlanta in 2002, working for a home construction company and then for a couple of real estate firms, where I was averaging nearly 40 transactions a year. Through that job, I met Darcy [Watts] and joined the Keller Williams team in 2012.
Being a seasoned professional in real estate, with more than 20 years of experience, I find it hugely beneficial to be part of this team. I’m not out there on my own…I’ve got comradery, top agents to bounce ideas off of, specialized team members that are experts in their niche, a group of people working towards the same goal, and a culture where the team cares about each other's successes.
I pride myself on building relationships and taking care of my clients, so that they continue to see me as their long-term real estate partner and friend.
When I’m not working, I’m still looking at houses. I’m fascinated by them and the way people live. I spend my spare time browsing real estate in other countries, enjoying my log cabin in the North Georgia mountains, cultivating beehives and harvesting honey, and traveling around the country and overseas with my husband.
I’m thrilled to bring my experience and the team that’s behind me to my clients. Being from a place that I’d routinely get snowed in, sometimes for weeks at a time, having a home that fits me is extremely important, and I find pleasure in bringing that same sense of security to my clients.
Davy Rankin
“I succeed when my clients succeed and by coaching them through the real estate process, I’m able to educate and advise clients on how they can meet their goals.”
Originally from a town in Northwest Tennessee, Davy Rankin grew up in a tightknit family, but always felt more at home in a bigger city. So after living in multiple other states and determining she was too far from her parents and siblings, she moved to Atlanta, permitting her to be only a quick drive home for a long weekend.
Spending more than 15 years of her career in luxury retail management working with high-end clients, Davy Rankin has mastered the art of customer service. So when she decided three years ago to switch careers and go into real estate, it was a natural transition, allowing her to lean on her skills she had developed over the years and focus on learning a new industry where those skills would be just as applicable.
She has discovered that in real estate working with her clients on the big picture has become incredibly satisfying. Davy focuses on educating her clients on how they utilize real estate to build their wealth and help them achieve their long-term goals. She understands that each client is different with what they need and where they are in their life and is able coach them on their unique situation.
As the most recent hire in the RPM Group Home Advisor team, Davy has spent much of her career coaching others and is excited for the collaboration and to gain the mentorship of the team’s leadership and team members.
When she’s not working, she and her husband, who recently became empty nesters, spend most of their time with friends and family. She enjoys being outside and working in her yard, traveling to see her family, and spending as much time on the water as possible.
Darcy Watts
404-541-3555
404-992-2024
darcy@rpmhomeadvisors.com
“I’m incredibly proud to be part of a team that is loyal and supportive of one another.”
Growing up in South Florida, I moved to the Atlanta suburbs in sixth grade and lived there until I relocated into the city. My father was an interior designer, so when I was younger I always loved looking at his design books, and picking out my favorite wallpaper and carpet for my future home.
I started my career in retail sales and for the better part of 10 years worked in women-owned boutique stores across the city. I really enjoyed selling and matching what people wanted with a product, whether it was shoes, clothes, or accessories. So it was a natural fit for me to obtain my real estate license and get into the industry.
For someone that likes structure and has always succeeded in a stable environment, I joined the team in 2002, but in a contract to close role, with the opportunity to use my real estate license to sell houses as a portion of my job.
To this day, I still love my dual role – giving the team the support they need to be successful and also selling houses. In my operations role, I work with many of our clients and get to be a part of many numerous projects, including finding ways to make the team more efficient, making every day different than the day before.
At night and during the weekends, I spend time with my two kids, have found recent enjoyment in doing yard work, and am obsessed with all things Disney, even naming our two dogs Disney and Wally.
Being part of this team has allowed me to foster relationships, grow with a great group of people, and find an extended family. I love being part of something that is bigger than just m
