Anomaly Realty’s Jamel Williams wants to help residents of Fayetteville find their dream home. The 20+-year U.S. military Veteran, who served in the 82nd Airborne and 7th Special Forces groups, retired in 2018. 

Since then, he became a full-time realtor, specializing in new construction, existing homes, homes owned by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and military relocation. 

“I understand the hardship of moving for military and civilians, having been both. I plan on making Fayetteville my permanent home,” Williams said. “There is no place like Fayetteville, North Carolina. I love my work, I love meeting people and finding them what they want.” 

As a realtor, Williams said he specializes in a little bit of everything. Williams, however, shared that he has tried to find a niche. 

“As a new realtor, I was exposed to a lot of aspects of realty, property management, residential sales and commercial sales,” he noted. “I really enjoyed the new construction piece, because you kind of get the opportunity to see homes being built from the ground up, watching them just transition to something absolutely beautiful.” 

Helping Veterans has also become one of Williams’ specializations. Moving as a military member can become a stressful time for Veterans as they seek to advance in their military career. 

“Transitioning to a new community, a new city… moving can take up a lot of time,” Williams said. “So we streamline that process by starting the process early, and doing it early is paramount. You want to make sure that you are planning at least 120 to 90 days in advance to ensure you have adequate time to plan for the unexpected.”

The key is to find a realtor who can be on the same page as you, Williams said. For instance, he added, a realtor can help keep service members’ homes on the market if they are in open communication. 

“Or if you’re coming into the community and are getting acclimated to the environment, we can let you know some good tools that you could use in different organizations in the community that could benefit you,” Williams said. 

To help military members, Williams has instilled values in his business that he learned during his time in the service. 

“We say ‘honor,’ and that encompasses all our Army values,” he said. “One of the most important things we bring when we are dealing with the community is trust. We try to establish trust right up front.” 

Trusting your realtor, Williams said, is one of the key elements that make housing transitions easier. 

“When you trust your realtor, you feel like you’re buying a home or someone is selling your home as a family member or someone you’ve known all your life, [like] a good friend, a good family friend,” Williams said. “Also very consistent communication [is important] – letting them know that ‘hey, this is what’s going to happen,’ setting expectations.” 

One of the reasons why Williams loves Fayetteville is the city’s diversity. 

“This is a very diverse and multi-cultured city, with people from all around the country, and you just don’t know who you’re going to meet,” Williams said. “You never know what stories they may have or what assistance they may need.”

As a realtor, Williams said he tries to meet the diverse needs of the Fayetteville community. 

“So as a realtor, we try to cater to all of that,” he noted. “We try to meet their needs and [help them] transition into the next chapter of their lives.”

Diversity is also a point of pride for him. As a Black business owner, Williams said being part of that community brings significant value to his life and his business. He noted he sees his identity as a badge of honor. 

“You have people of color looking up to you,” Williams said. “And if they see that you can do it, it’s always good to see someone who looks like you be successful in the community.”

Black leaders, he noted, are often strong pillars in their community. 

“It also makes you want to be as good as that person, or even better,” Williams said. “We are out in the community, helping other businesses of color to be strong, to be helpful.”

Beyond his identity, Williams said his family is not only his northstar, but also a source of inspiration. His spouse and five children keep him grounded, he noted. 

“They are a strong anchor in my life,” Williams said. “My family has contributed to my career as a realtor and to the community as a whole. They help me keep my eye on the prize and have taught me about working hard.”

Williams said the calling card for his business is to be a good listener. 

“I listen to their concerns, needs and desires,” he noted. “If you want a realtor who is professional, honest, loyal and knowledgeable [and] works hard for you, I will be more than happy to help you find the home you will be most happy with.”