Why This Community Is Worth Investing In

Featuring Caddo Mills Realtor Lori Hawkins

Lori believes the best Realtors serve as trusted advisors and community liaisons, not just salespeople.

For many people, success means chasing the next opportunity somewhere else. For Lori Hawkins, success meant coming home.

Lori is a Caddo Mills realtor who understands that real estate is not just about property lines or closing deals; it is about the people and the history woven into the very fabric of Hunt County. Born and raised in the area, Lori has watched the community evolve from a quiet, slow-paced town where someone’s mama was always watching into a growing area teetering on the perfect line of small-town safety and big-city opportunities. Apart from a brief stint living in Addison right after high school, the pull of home was too strong to resist, and she quickly made her way back.

This month, as The Local Letter celebrates Local Independence, Lori opens up about her journey from home baker to local real estate expert, the power of deep-seated roots, and why investing in a hyper-local realtor makes all the difference. Her story is about believing that where you live matters, raising a family in the same community that raised you, and understanding that helping someone find a home begins long before you ever unlock the front door.

From Cake Designer to Caddo Mills Realtor

Before real estate, Lori built a successful custom cake business that taught her entrepreneurship, customer service, and the value of word-of-mouth referrals.

Before diving into real estate, Lori expressed her creativity in the kitchen, running a successful cake-baking business while raising her family. That venture taught her the fundamentals of building a business from the ground up, navigating early social media marketing, and prioritizing customer service. She credits that season with teaching her lessons that still shape her business today, explaining that it taught her to put people before profit and showed her how important word of mouth is.

However, physical demands and back issues eventually forced her to look for a career where she could work with her brain instead of her body. She went in search of something that could give her the flexibility of being at home with her kids while still allowing her to provide for her family.

When a local broker suggested real estate, Lori initially worried she was getting too late of a start. She remembers telling her mom that she was just too old, even though she was still in her twenties at the time. She quickly realized real estate is a thriving second career for many, and she was perfectly on time for it. Getting licensed in August 2016, a highly successful first fall proved she had found her true purpose, and she has never looked back.

Why Choosing a Local Caddo Mills Realtor Matters

Whether at school events, city meetings, or local businesses, Lori believes being involved strengthens the entire community.

When people hear the phrase “use a local realtor,” Lori believes it should mean finding someone truly hyper-local.

“Serving too broad of an area does your clients a disservice,” Lori explains. “I don’t know another community the way I know Caddo Mills. I don’t know the Rockwall School District or its growth projections like the back of my hand, but I can spout that info back to you in my sleep for Caddo.” She compares it to visiting a specialist, noting that you would not ask an orthopedist to perform heart surgery because everyone has their own area of expertise.

Her knowledge goes far deeper than basic MLS data or the ability to understand a contract. Lori has actively invested herself in understanding how her community works by serving on the Planning and Zoning Board, the Economic Development Corporation, and the City Council. By attending bond meetings and school board sessions, she knows the inner workings of upcoming municipal growth and school pipeline shifts long before they happen.

That deep community connection translates to a tour guide level of familiarity for her clients. She can share the history behind neighborhoods, possibly tell you who grew up in the house you are looking at, and describe what the neighbors are like. She is also able to protect her clients by identifying specific areas that flood, even if they do not show up on a official FEMA map.

Why People Love Living in Caddo Mills

Bakrew has quickly become one of Lori’s favorite local stops, especially for its Mexican coffee.

As more people move into Hunt County, Lori notes that the area has intentionally protected its way of life. Some people assume that small towns are simply behind the times, but Lori sees it differently.

“I think we’re behind on purpose,” she says. “We’ve protected our way of life here, and that’s what draws people here.” While the county continues to grow, she sees leaders, schools, businesses, and residents working together to protect the sense of community that defines life here.

That protective spirit relies heavily on supporting the mom-and-pop brick-and-mortar operations that sponsor local youth teams, scholarships, and community events. When asked about her absolute favorite local spots, Lori highlighted several community landmarks:

Supporting locally owned restaurants is one way Lori invests back into the community she calls home.

The Coffee Fix: Her latest obsession is Bakrew, where she says the Mexican coffee feels like it was brewed with angel tears.
The Mainstays: Downtown staples like Si Senor, Buc-ee’s Cafe, Spirit 66, Fox Nutrition, and Simply Heaven keep the community vibrant.
The Future Addition: Residents are currently watching Frankie June’s being built. It is not open yet, but many are looking forward to it and she believes it will be a great addition to the area.
The Highway Staple: Baker’s Ribs on the highway serves up her favorite smoked turkey and potato salad.
The Time Capsule: Mona Lisa Pizza holds a permanent piece of her heart. When the restaurant opened while Lori was in middle school, it brought a sense of excitement to the town. The owner, Joe, employed many of her friends in high school, and today nothing inside has changed. Walking in feels like stepping back in time, and Lori loves that her kids get to grow up on the exact same pizza she did.

For Lori, Mona Lisa Pizza represents a piece of Caddo Mills history that continues to connect generations.

Raising a Family in Caddo Mills

Lori’s passion for entrepreneurship is a family tradition passed down from childhood brainstorming sessions with her dad, back long before anyone had access to Google. Today, she and her husband are raising three daughters in Caddo Mills, which is a beautifully blended family of her two girls and his one. Together, they focus heavily on instilling confidence, creativity, and a service-first mindset in the girls.

Lori believes entrepreneurship, confidence, and serving others are lessons worth passing to the next generation.

She encourages each of her daughters to discover what excites them and learn how to turn those passions into an income stream. “Your livelihood does not have to depend on anyone else but you,” Lori says. “Showing them how their creativity, their hustle, and learning how to serve people on a level where they put profit out of their mind and put making a customer happy in the number one spot, it will train them to operate a business successfully.”

More Than a Realtor: A Community Advocate

Lori Hawkins has served buyers and sellers across Hunt County since 2016 while remaining deeply involved in her hometown of Caddo Mills.

Though her career forces her out into the public eye, Lori describes herself as a genuine introvert who recharges by staying home, lounging by the pool, and cooking with her family on Saturdays. That balance allows her to give her full energy to clients when they need it most.

Ultimately, Lori wants her clients to remember her as an advocate who put their goals ahead of a paycheck. At the end of a transaction, she does not just hope clients remember the house they purchased; she hopes they remember how they were treated. “Find a realtor who can afford to put your needs above theirs, because sometimes the answer needs to be no,” she says. “Sometimes the answer should be advising your clients to terminate.”

When someone chooses a local realtor, Lori believes they are getting a community liaison who brings experience, connection, and deep historical knowledge. For anyone looking to make Hunt County home, Lori’s advice is simple: “Do it. You won’t regret it. Our people are great, you’ll love us.”

From the Writer: I first met Lori in 2018 while working with the real estate broker she was affiliated with at the time. A few years later, after we had both gone our separate professional directions, Lori became one of my marketing clients. It has been rewarding to watch her business grow over the years, and this interview gave me the chance to learn even more about the story behind the success.

Reader’s Note: While the different last names mean you might not automatically connect them, entrepreneurship runs deep in this family! Lori’s sister is Sara Childress, owner of Elevate Health & Aesthetics, which proudly operates a storefront right here in Caddo Mills. If you missed it, be sure to head back to our archives and check out Sara’s own business feature from this past January!

Connect with Caddo Mills Realtor Lori Hawkins

Whether you’re buying your first home, selling a longtime family property, or simply have questions about the local market, Lori Hawkins is passionate about helping people make confident decisions. Born and raised in Caddo Mills, she serves buyers and sellers throughout Caddo Mills, Greenville, Royse City, Fate, Quinlan, and the surrounding Hunt County area. As a Realtor and Luxury Property Specialist with Coldwell Banker APEX, she combines local knowledge with years of experience to help clients navigate one of life’s biggest decisions.

Website:
www.lori-hawkins.com

Phone:
903-355-8680

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