Amani Hooker

Amani Hooker started preparing for his future long before he actually knew what he’d be doing as a career. His future has been bright as a Realtor for land development thanks to the deep roots he planted in rural North Carolina. Amani grew up in Fuquay Varina, where his mother worked full time, and he spent most of his time on his granddad’s horse farm. “I started working when I was 6,” he said of the experience he gained while tending to the farm, which taught him significant life lessons. “It shows you work ethic, being humble and genuine, and kindness,” he said of growing up in a rural community in the south. It also set him up for what he sees as his life’s purpose.

That purpose has flourished into a real estate career he’s proudly growing today. Amani started his career in sales after attending Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, where he intended to obtain an accounting and finance degree. It was there he realized he stood out from the crowd. “I was dressing up every day to go to a community college,” he explained. When approached by a fellow student who asked why he was wearing suits to school, that answer stood out, too. “I told him, ‘I’m dressing for success. I know what I want to be in life, so I’m putting that into the universe.’” Amani’s outlook landed him a position in sales with the student, who was a business owner, and he said, “That’s what set me on the path to get into real estate.”

Amani began shifting his career from sales to real estate after setting his sights on starting his own development and residential building companies. He was hired by a construction company and quickly soared to a management position in the company, where he gained experience developing a 112-lot subdivision. However, when he began feeling stagnant in this role, he focused on earning his real estate license, which he finalized in 2019. “I wanted to gain the knowledge so I can continue to grow as an individual and be the best that I can be in the field,” he said.

“One of my challenges was hanging my license somewhere that would be able to accommodate somebody like me growing the type of business that I’m interested in growing,” he added. As it turned out, that would be The Jim Allen Group. As a JAG Realtor and builder, Amani focuses on his role as a Realtor for land development and acquisition, including infill and investment properties. “I found my purpose at an early age, which is why I’m so sure about the growth,” he said.

“This is long-term,” he said. “I finally found my niche and my purpose and I’m sticking with it.” He’s also excited about the potential that exists for the future within the Triangle. “There’s a lot of low-hanging fruit for guys like myself, who may not have all the capital yet. There’s so much going on. There’s a lot of potential out here.”