Northeast Ohio real estate agent Tracy Jones is setting a top-ranked transaction pace after overcoming some of life’s most difficult circumstances. Today, her Keller Williams-affiliated real estate team ranks No. 1 in Ohio among medium teams for transaction sides on RealTrends Verified’s rankings — with 300 sides and $56.4 million in volume in 2025.

The Tracy Jones Team, headquartered in Strongsville and covering surrounding Ashland, Mansfield, Richland County and Huron County counties, also landed at No. 13 nationally for sides among medium teams.

For a business founded in 2019, that trajectory represents a steady climb built on accountability, systems and a willingness to learn from mistakes.

“Every year we’ve been going up, so we’re kind of a slow burn,” Jones told HousingWire. “I’ve got a good solid team, and every year we do just a little bit more, so every year is our best year.”

Her latest results come as the real estate industry adjusts to market conditions following the post-pandemic boom. While some operations have struggled with volatility, the Tracy Jones Team has continued its upward momentum.

“Honestly, it’s about coaching and training, holding our agents to a high level, accountability, and we have systems and processes,” said Jones. “I mean, it’s no secret, it’s just hard work. We have standards. [Agents’] are expected to sell a minimum of 26 transactions, and/or 3.5 million [in volume] a year to qualify to stay on the team.”

Overcoming steep challenges

Jones entered real estate a little more than a decade ago in 2017, but her path to that career was anything but conventional.

She and her husband, Ryan, met in a 12-step program while both were recovering from addiction. By 2008, she was an auto worker at General Motors making nearly $100,000 a year in skilled trades. She could not relocate when asked to do so — and chose instead to pursue education as a displaced worker, receiving 99 weeks of unemployment and a full ride to college.

“Because I was such a slacker in high school, and I partied — that was when I was still partying quite a bit through my 20s — I didn’t have any kind of education,” Jones said. “I had to get a lot of the basic classes out of the way, and I was sitting in there with a lot of high school juniors and seniors.”

She worked her way to a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a finance focus while carrying mail and working factory jobs after unemployment benefits expired. Ryan supported Jones in getting through school, and she later put him through college in return.

In 2017, while working third shift at a factory and selling real estate during the day, she was logging about 100 hours a week between two jobs.

Her husband encouraged her to quit the factory job and pursue real estate full time.

Jones’ goal in her first full year; sell 52 houses, enough to match the weekly paycheck of her blue-collar job. She sold 64.

“I gave up a job at Newman Technology making about $70,000 a year, full benefits and a 401k,” she said. “I had two children in high school, a husband in college, two car payments and a mortgage — and [my family] was like, ‘Yeah, let’s quit that factory job and have you go full time into a 100% commission job, because we believe in you.’”

Building a team

By 2019, Jones was with Howard Hanna and drawing attention for her productivity. Jose Medina, who owns several nearby Keller Williams brokerages, recruited her, warning that she would burn out without leverage.

“He thought it would be a good idea if I would hire people to help me, and what I heard was, ‘You need to start a team,'” Jones said. She started the team that year — and made mistakes.

“I did everything wrong,” said Jones. “My first hire was a buyer’s agent and not an admin. I was our first transaction coordinator. I was our first listing coordinator, and as we got a little bit further in, I hired a part-time transaction coordinator, and just built the processes and systems.

“Slowly but surely, we got it down to where we had real systems. It was not easy and it took a while.”

In 2020, Ryan graduated college as a physical therapy assistant but lost his patient load when elective surgeries were canceled at the height of serious COVID cases. Jones had signed him up for real estate school without telling him — and within two months, he had made his entire annual salary from the previous year.

Ryan Jones is now the team’s director of sales, coaching all agents. Every Monday at 1 p.m., the team holds a sales class covering objections, social media and other skills.

“Our team is in our office all the time, they’re all here all the time. We’re just more like a family than we are a team,” Jones said.

Advice for others

For those looking to enter real estate or scale a team, Jones emphasized patience and outside perspective.

“Slow down to speed up, hire a coach and learn from everyone else’s failures,” she said. “I can tell you every single thing I did wrong, and I’m willing to be completely transparent.”

The team handles clients across all price points — from first-time buyers to luxury sellers. Jones said the key is consistent service regardless of transaction size.

“Speak to people on their own level and meet people where they’re at,” she said. “If they’re luxury, meet them at that luxury level. If they’re buying a first home, meet them at that level. Don’t talk down to people, don’t try to talk over people and don’t try to be somebody you’re not. Be authentic, and people will work with you.”

A personal milestone

In May, Jones walked across the stage to receive her MBA with a finance concentration. She had paused the master’s program years earlier to get her real estate license and finally returned to finish it.

“That finance concentration is extremely rare, because it’s the most difficult MBA path, which is why I did it. That’s kind of strange, but it’s relative and it helps with the business,” Jones said.

She will mark 20 years of sobriety on Sept. 11 — a milestone that, like her business success, came through consistency and accountability.

“I have a mentor and a coach, two people that hold me accountable on a weekly basis,” said Jones. “I also have a personal trainer. I have a sponsor. I have people that I surround myself with that hold me to a higher standard.

“I don’t think it’s right to lead people if you don’t have someone leading you and holding you accountable.”