It’s hard to believe, but 18 years have passed since sisters Stephanie Butler and Lisa Swayne left their jobs to pursue careers in real estate. Butler worked in corporate events, and Swayne was a product manager for a medical software company.

“Our mother was a career ‘IBMer’ and felt she missed out on a lot because of work,” say Butler and Swayne, team leads of The Butler/Swayne Team at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties. “We wanted to do something for ourselves, earn an income and be present for school activities.”

As latchkey kids, they honed the problem-solving skills that they regularly apply to real estate. “Tackling issues from an angle that is not necessarily conventional is often how we are able to overcome obstacles,” they say. Oftentimes, clients describe them as gutsy, aggressive, persuasive and resourceful. “It’s not easy, what we do,” they say, “but it boils down to ‘not what you say, but how you say it.’”

Butler and Swayne assist buyers and sellers in North Fulton-Milton, Alpharetta and Roswell, and specialize in the luxury market, relocation clients and new construction. They grew up in East Cobb and both moved with their families to the Milton/Alpharetta area shortly before they began selling real estate.

For more than a decade, their North Fulton branch of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has won awards as Top Listing Team and Top Team Overall. In 2020, they were named the No. 1 team for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties. “Our production is high, so it helps to have a team that supports each other and can fill in on a moment’s notice,” they say. “We love this phrase: ‘Act like a duck. Be calm on the surface and paddle like hell underneath.’”

Self-proclaimed perfectionists, the sisters hold themselves to a high standard but still take time for themselves and love to spoil their team.