Celebrating 50 years in business is no small feat. It takes grit, resilience, and a relentless commitment to the people you serve. To the family, staff, and agents behind Helen Adams Realty (HAR), it’s also deeply personal. In honor of their golden anniversary this year, we spoke with Rebecca Adams Starrs, HAR Co-President about the firm’s inspiring past and bright future.
From homegrown vision to Charlotte mainstay
Helen Adams Realty (HAR) has been the front door to Charlotte’s real estate market for 50 years. The company is known throughout the Charlotte area for prioritizing trust, professionalism, and a client-first approach. It all began in 1975, when Helen Adams, a sixth-generation Charlotte native, started the company with four female colleagues.
Over time, Helen used her vision, optimism, and commitment to community to grow HAR into a name synonymous with Charlotte real estate. That foundation has guided HAR’s growth and success over the past half-century.
“Our growth mirrors the city’s, it has been slow but sure, and always intentional,” shares Rebecca Adams Starrs, HAR Co-President.
Helen passed away in 2015, but her celebrated legacy continues. In 1991, Helen’s son, Jeff Adams, took over as President, expanding the firm from six agents in one office to a team of 240 across multiple locations. The latest leadership transition in 2024 saw Jeff Adams move into the role of CEO, with two of his children, Rebecca Adams Starrs and Frank Adams, stepping in as co-presidents. Their sisters, Laurens Threlkeld and Eliza Adams, are top-producing agents at the firm. This change marked the third generation of family leadership, ensuring the company’s core values continue to thrive.
“We’ve grown intentionally, agent by agent and office by office, to preserve our family culture and high level of service. In doing so, we’ve been able to attract incredible agents and talented staff to support them,” says Starrs.
Growing with the Queen City
Over the past 50 years, HAR has grown alongside the city of Charlotte. “We have all benefited from that growth as the city has sprawled southward towards Ballantyne and Fort Mill, north to the many communities surrounding Lake Norman, and, with more recent fervor, west towards Belmont and Gastonia,” says Adams Starrs.
“The footprint of our four offices allows our agents to support their clients as their interests take them to these thriving parts of the greater Charlotte Metro.”
Across its four offices, HAR leverages its market expertise to the benefit of its clients. In fact, 75% of their agents’ business is made up of repeat and referral clients.
“We have a full bench of staff support, a world-class technology stack, and a full-service marketing agency within our firm, administrative staff, mortgage, title, and insurance professionals – the works. This support allows us to take as much work off our agents’ plates as possible so they can be where their time matters most – with their clients.”
Despite the growth of both HAR and the city of Charlotte, there are still some things that have remained the same. And that’s a good thing. The family culture of the firm and of the city itself still offer a friendly and familiar feel.
“Charlotte is a ‘new south’ but the mutual respect, shared community, and genuine friendliness that the south is known for is still alive and well.”
The power of resilience
You don’t get to be in business for 50 years without having to clear some hurdles along the way.
“We have stood the test of time through recessions and most recently, the COVID pandemic. All of these were challenging years in which our firm and our agents needed to adapt in order to thrive, and we came out of each one better than the last.”
Starrs shared a reminder that agents are independent contractors, making each agent a business owner and entrepreneur in their own right. This means they are incredibly resourceful, resilient, go-getters who know how to pivot and make the best of their circumstances.
“Our grandmother, Helen Adams, was a fierce entrepreneur and always put relationships and providing value to her clients above all else. She knew that if she put good out she would get good back. This is still a common thread throughout our company,” shares Adams Starrs.
“We couldn’t be more optimistic about 2025.”
As the firm celebrates this significant milestone, Helen Adams Realty is moving forward with a clear mission: staying committed to its core values of building strong relationships, while also embracing modern technology, a talented team, and exceptional support for both agents and clients.
“Charlotte will continue to grow and thrive, and our trajectory of steady growth will follow alongside, ensuring we can always support our clients to the highest level,” says Starrs.
Although much has changed over the past 50 years, the need for professional expertise in real estate remains consistent. “In real estate, the need and desire to be represented by a professional has not wavered,” says Starrs.
“The internet may be the place clients begin looking around, but the vast majority of people work with a real estate agent to transact. At the end of the day, a real estate transaction is:
- Infrequent – typically every 8-10 years
- Unique – no home is the same
- Sizable – one of the largest transactions of your lifetime
- Complex – many moving parts, vendors, and expectations to manage
- And risky – you can’t just send a home back once it’s purchased
In keeping with this, a real estate agent who can provide the highest level of personal service is as invaluable as ever, maybe even more so.”
HAR’s predictions for 2025 include growth of home price appreciation “somewhere between 5-8%,” a steadier mortgage rate environment, and a loosening in inventory with more homes coming on the market.No matter what the future may hold, Charlotteans can rest assured that HAR, with its 50 years of local expertise, is ready to face it head on. Learn more about how they are celebrating their 50 year anniversary at HAR50.com.
