A home is made up of many elements. The small details—decorations, fixtures and lighting—make it a place to treasure and savor. But it's the foundation, the concrete and rebar beneath it, that ensures it stands the test of time. For Brittney McAllister of aro Real Estate Group at Realty ONE Group Sterling, it's the strong foundation of family and relationships that has enabled her to build a remarkable business in the Omaha metro area.
McAllister’s unique perspective comes from growing up immersed in the world of real estate. She was eager to follow in her mother’s footsteps as an agent, learning the ropes long before launching her own career. McAllister recalls: “I remember my mom studying for her test and helping her with flashcards. It was really since she got her license when I was 11 that I wanted to pursue the same career she had. That’s what I’m going to be when I grow up.”
Her passion for real estate was so strong that in high school, she deliberately answered career aptitude tests in a way that would steer the results toward a promising future in the field. “All through school, I was trying to rig the tests so they would tell me to be a real estate agent. That’s all I ever wanted to do.”
However, McAllister’s path took an unexpected turn in her senior year of high school when she received a substantial academic and athletic scholarship to Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. A talented tumbler, McAllister accepted an acrobatics and tumbling scholarship and chose to pursue a degree in marketing. Despite the success she found there, a series of injuries and an unrelenting pull toward her original career led her to return to Nebraska in 2015. She enrolled at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, completed her degree, and began working toward obtaining her real estate license.
McAllister reflects on this period with a smile: “I told my professors I was getting started in real estate, so if my phone rang, I had to leave class to answer it. Of course, it never did, but it's funny how determined I was. I was going to win the National Association of Realtors’ 30 Under 30.”
At 21, McAllister earned her real estate license and began her career, encouraged and mentored by her mother, a successful agent. McAllister joined her mother’s real estate team, and they began working together.
“I’m thankful my mother partnered with me,” McAllister says. “I excelled quickly because I could ask her questions and receive wise, experienced answers.” Reflecting on her early days, McAllister credits much of her success to the lessons she learned from her mother. “My mom typed up a sheet with six basic steps—the essentials,” McAllister says. “I printed 20 copies, stapled them to manila envelopes, and that became the first version of my process. Now, of course, I have an assistant who is my ‘manila envelope,’ but we still use that foundational outline at aro.”
In 2017, McAllister decided to branch out on her own. After a few years as an individual agent with little to no support, McAllister knew that in order to scale her business and help more people, she would need to surround herself with talented people. In 2020, with the knowledge she had gained and the motivation to be the best for her clients, she launched aro Real Estate Group. “I wanted to build a team that wasn’t just about me—I wanted a team known for serving its clients,” she says. “aro stands for authentic relationships, real estate experts and outstanding experiences. It’s all about the client experience.”
From 2020 to 2023, aro Real Estate Group made a significant impact on the Omaha area. McAllister’s team sold a record number of homes, and she began to draw national attention. For two years, she was the top-selling agent in Omaha, and in 2023, her dream of being named to the 30 Under 30 list became a reality.
Married in 2018 to her husband, Cole, McAllister was at the pinnacle of her career when her life took another unexpected turn. “I was married, at the top of my career, hustling and selling so many houses. I was pregnant. And then, it all came to a halt when Morgan was born three months premature.”
Weighing just 1 pound, 3 ounces, their daughter, Morgan, entered the world fighting for survival. Born with underdeveloped lungs, Morgan required constant care in the NICU. For nine months, McAllister and her husband took turns sitting by her side. “It was such a unique time,” McAllister recalled. “For the entire nine months, I worked. Real estate was the only thing I could control in a season where everything felt out of control—and we ended up having one of our best years at aro. I didn’t take maternity leave.”
Surprisingly, McAllister and her husband found themselves expecting again, shortly after Morgan’s birth. “I FaceTimed him from the hospital after taking a pregnancy test, freaking out,” she said. “Of course, he immediately asked if Morgan was okay, and I was like, ‘Yes, she’s okay—but I’m pregnant!’”
This new chapter led McAllister to refocus her priorities. “Once Collin was born and we brought Morgan home, I really needed to focus on what was important,” she said. “I didn’t have the time to be all things to all people anymore.” Over the next few years, McAllister’s team evolved, and so did her availability, but she remained committed to providing the same level of service to her clients.
“I have to be home at 4 every night,” McAllister explains. “So we’ve all learned to work around that.” The balance of family and career became even more crucial as motherhood gave her new perspectives. “Motherhood gave me relatability,” she says. “Now, I understand what it’s like to be tired. Now, I get why people need coffee at 4 p.m.”
McAllister’s experience also helped her build stronger connections with her clients. “I love creating a community and watching them get married, have babies and then need a new house,” she said. “We have this entire community of past clients at aro who are going through these life events and it’s amazing to be invited along
As McAllister celebrates her 10th anniversary in real estate, she is most proud of the referrals that continue to pour in. McAllister has helped first-time homebuyers, military clients, families looking for more space and many others through various life transitions. “I genuinely fall in love with the process each time we help a new client because no transaction is the same,” McAllister said.
For McAllister, it’s no surprise that her clients continue to return to her, trusting her with one of the most important decisions of their lives. Anyone who spends time with her can see she deeply understands the true value of home and the people who help make it.
To find out more about Brittney McAllister and aro Real Estate Group, visit aro-re.com.