For one Austin family, the decision to sell their home meant closing a chapter on decades of memories. They described it as a major life change that felt heavy with emotion. When realtor Meryl Hawk first visited them, she didn’t start with a sales pitch; instead, she sat down and listened to the story of their home.
“Meryl understood the sentimental value and approached the sale with sensitivity, while still maintaining professional excellence,” the client said.
That level of care has helped place Hawk in the top 3% of Coldwell Banker agents worldwide, based on sales volume.
Understanding how to market a home
Hawk serves the luxury markets of West and Southwest Austin. She starts each listing by learning every detail about the property and her clients’ goals.
“I learn as much as possible about each property so I can maximize its sales price,” Hawk said.
This thorough understanding is the foundation of her brand, symbolized by her signature red “M” logo: a mark of each home’s distinct character. Selling a home successfully, she explained, begins with highlighting what makes it unique and translating that personality into a compelling marketing story.
Hawk then brings each property to life with custom property video tours, giving potential buyers a sense of daily living and the subtle touches that set the home apart.
Anchored in these distinctive details, she crafts a tailored marketing strategy designed to make every listing stand out.
She positions tailored digital advertisements across social media and hundreds of real estate websites. She has also spent the last two years closely studying how artificial intelligence is transforming the way people search for homes. To stay ahead, Hawk has taken multiple AI classes and tested the technology herself, experimenting with different prompts and strategies to see what works.
At the same time, she believes visibility should extend beyond screens. Hawk sends custom brochures to neighbors and hosts open houses and broker tours. This creates multiple touchpoints for potential buyers. Someone could see the property online on Monday, receive a brochure on Wednesday and attend the open house on Saturday.
First impressions are equally critical; she works exclusively with a top-tier magazine photographer.
“I only work with the best,” Hawk said. “If we don’t pull people in with the first three photos, they’re going to move on to the next property.”
For the family selling their long-time home, this strategic balance of staging and high-end marketing resulted in multiple offers, which sold the home above the asking price.
Private vs. public listings
Before launching any campaign, Hawk collaborates with her clients to determine the best selling strategy, whether that be listing the home privately or publicly.
By sharing the listing privately with top-producing agents first, she can gather candid feedback and gauge market response without the home accumulating unnecessary days on the public market. This works well for properties that are difficult to price, such as those with rare amenities that have few comparables in the area.
“Meryl executed a targeted marketing strategy that attracted qualified buyers while maintaining confidentiality. The sale exceeded expectations,” one client said. “Selling a luxury home requires a different approach.”
Other homes are launched publicly to generate broad exposure and more interest than competing homes, often resulting in quick sales.
Success in a changing market
Her strategy has proved effective, even during a slower season in 2025.
“We listed it in August 2025, a very slow market, and we had an offer by September 2025. Not only did Meryl do a top-notch job of marketing our home, she was highly responsive during the entire process,” one of Hawk’s clients commented.
Hawk said the market is gaining momentum in 2026, with buyers eager to secure their next home.
For Hawk’s clients, the goal extends beyond achieving a strong sales price; it’s about respecting both the financial and emotional weight of the transaction.
Click here to learn more about Meryl Hawk, or call 512-937-7056 to inquire about selling your home today.
The above story was produced by Senior Multi-Platform Journalist Sydney Heller with Community Impact’s Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their “sponsored content” purchase through our advertising team.