Melissa Barnett

INSPIRATIONAL AGENT

WRITTEN BY ZACH COHEN | PHOTOS BY PEAK RES

"Synchronicity: A meaningful coincidence of two or more events where something other than the probability of chance is involved.”

— C.G. Jung

Melissa Barnett’s entry into the real estate business came through a synchronistic series of events. In 2009, she was working in marketing for an assisted living home, raising her daughter, and enjoying her life. She was involved with the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and earned a trip to Washington, D.C., as a sales award. On that trip, she made a connection that would forever alter her career path and her life.

Melissa met the owner of the Oklahoma-based builder Home Creations. He gave her a business card and suggested Melissa work for him.

“I wasn’t interested at the time but took his card anyway. When I returned to work the following Monday, my boss met me at my office door and informed me they had restructured and I no longer had a job. So, all of a sudden, I was interested in that job.”

Melissa was interviewed and hired by Home Creations, and so began her real estate career.

Forging a Path Forward

Melissa stayed with Home Creations for three years; she considers it the launchpad for her future success. In 2012, she moved on to a second builder and continued delving deeper into real estate sales. She was licensed soon after and began listing homes for clients. In 2015, she parted ways with that builder, and that’s when she really kicked off her career as a REALTOR®.

Over the past seven years, Melissa has come to be known as one of Oklahoma’s most caring, devoted agents. She keeps her ego out of business matters, choosing to focus on the needs and desires of her clients.

“I am honored to help them with what is best for their needs, not my own,” she says. “Relationships are worth so much more to me than the commission.”

A Story Shaped by Love

An Oklahoma City native, Melissa comes from humble beginnings. Her past has not only shaped her; it’s shaped the way she does business, too.

Melissa gave birth to her daughter, Kaitlyn, when she was young. She remembers the challenges of figuring out how to be a mother and how to provide for her family.

“It took several years of job jumping to discover who I was and what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I was a hard worker and didn’t want to work three jobs to make ends meet for the rest of my life. I knew if I had nothing else, I had a drive and determination to succeed and create a better life for my daughter,” she explains.

Melissa’s daughter has continued to motivate her towards success. Melissa has never had anything in life handed to her — and perhaps that’s why she has made such a commitment to giving back to others.

“I have had to work for everything I’ve ever received. I feel an amazing sense of accomplishment at all I have been able to do for my daughter. I am changing our family tree,” Melissa says.

Today, Kaitlyn is 24. She graduated from Oklahoma State University in May 2021 and moved to New York to work with a ministry organization. Back home in Oklahoma, Melissa continues to devote her life to supporting others — whether through real estate or other means.

Being a Blessing

In real estate, Melissa has achieved tremendous success. She closed an impressive 57 transactions in 2021, but the numbers don’t begin to express the impact that she has on the lives of others. She’s committed to being a blessing in the lives of her family, clients, and community members. Melissa recently won the KFOR Remarkable Woman Award in recognition of her community service.

“I find so much joy in blessing people. I do everything I can to bring a smile to someone’s face. I know how fortunate I am to have this career, and while we do have to work many hours, we are also compensated well for it,” Melissa says. “I have been known to take a homeless kid who is college-bound to the mall for a new wardrobe, babysit a stranger’s child for the week because her daycare was closed during COVID, give a single mom a $5,000 gift card to take her kids to Disney, throw a Christmas party for staff and teachers of a local elementary school, pay for someone’s items at Target, give my clothes or jewelry to someone who compliments them — whatever I can do to help. I don’t do any of these things to get recognized, but just to know it made a difference to them brings me tremendous joy. I simply feel so blessed in life and have a heart full of gratitude.”

So, when asked what she wants to be remembered for, Melissa’s answer was, naturally, rooted in a spirit of giving.

“[I want to be remembered for] my generosity. I fully believe that to whom much is given, much is expected. I genuinely want to make a difference in people’s lives. Any way I can be a blessing to others, I’m in!”