Sandstone Real Estate Group - ​Faulkner County’s First, Only, & Largest Full-Service, Minority-Owned Real Estate Company

Disparity among the African American homeownership rate vs. Non-Hispanic White homeownership rate is attributed to a number of historical and modern-day factors – from decades of discrimination against Blacks in employment, education, housing, and other areas to predatory lending practices and implicit bias from real estate agents. Greg Hunt – the first African American male real estate broker/owner in Faulkner County – had a vision to change this. He served in leadership roles such as the Faulkner County Board of Realtors President and Vice Chairman of the Arkansas Minority Business Advisory Council, among many others. He was also a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Incorporated. He is also a founder of Sandstone Real Estate Group.

Like Hunt, Forrest City native Korry “KG” Garrett didn’t know much about real estate when he entered the profession, but has successfully grown a thriving company. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce and as President of the Arkansas Association of Realtist. His years in the industry and experiences have set him as the 2024 Conway Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Committee President – the second African American to hold the position. In addition to this, Garrett is a husband, father, and member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated.

Hunt and Garrett attended the University of Central Arkansas together but never really knew each other. They generally just hung with their fraternity brothers since they were in two different fraternities. However, the two men formally met when Garrett’s wife suggested they use Hunt as their realtor, which resulted in the Garretts buying their first home from Hunt in 2001. The two men socialized a lot more after that and became good friends.

Garrett and his family moved to Dallas but returned to Conway shortly after. In 2006, Hunt and Garrett crossed paths at a local gas station. Through a conversation, Hunt asked Garrett to work with him at the real estate company he was working for at the time, where they worked together for two years.

SANDSTONE

In 2008, the two men left the company they were working for and created Sandstone Real Estate Group. During a nationwide housing crisis in America, they became the first, only, and largest full-service, minority-owned real estate company in Faulkner County. This made the company’s initial start harder than a normal, ideal start of a real estate company, so they worked to create a recruiting formula.

Although formal education is not a requirement to become a real estate agent, Hunt and Garrett made it their company’s priority. The two men established the slogan “A Smart Choice For Real Estate” to portray their educational approach to real estate, and it became their recruiting formula. Their first two agents were Jamille Thomas and Denise Perry – both full-time schoolteachers. From there, Hunt and Garrett continued to recruit in the education sectors, as well as outside of it, with a high preference for those with a formal college education.

Hunt and Garrett made it the company’s business to serve the community through real estate education and provided direct support to educators, students, and schools. They hosted realty seminars, school-related events, and community fundraisers. The proceeds benefited the students, the teachers, and the school. Their support efforts reciprocated many relationships and significant trust between the company, agents, and clients.

Hunt and Garrett wanted their company’s agents to be diverse from its conception, but because of the uncertainties of the real estate industry and the company’s lack of credibility at that time, it remained all Black until 2012, when Kara Bloomfield joined the team. Because of her extensive experience in the industry, she was able to share her expertise with the other agents and add additional trust and recognition to Sandstone. As the company’s agents learned and implemented, Sandstone Real Estate Group grew in the number of agents, sales volume, and familiarity. The company has remained ranked in the TOP 10 of Sales in Faulkner County, running with big industry names, such as ReMax, ERA, and Coldwell Banker.