We had the good fortune of connecting with Samantha Hampar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samantha, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
How I got here was far from a straight line. After graduating from USC, I took a job at a Pinterest influencer marketing agency back before “influencer” was even a thing. That job kicked off my career trajectory— being part of a startup acquired by The New York Times, moving to Austin, and working with incredible house name brands like Disney, Nabisco, Wendy’s, and Levi’s. But when the gaming company I was working at suddenly shut down in 2023, I faced a crossroads: find another job in my field or pivot completely. Much to my surprise, being laid off ended up being a blessing in disguise. It made me pause and think about what I really wanted to do.

I kept coming back to real estate. I’d heard so many friends talk about how stressful and confusing their home-buying experiences were, and I thought, I can do this better. With my background in sales, strategy, and education, I knew I could help people feel more informed and less overwhelmed, coming from a place of authentic strategic advisor rather than “salesperson.” So I got my license while doing freelance influencer work and interviewed with a ton of real estate teams until I found the perfect fit with the Serene Team. They’ve been instrumental to my success and share strong values of education, relationships over transactions, early adoption (we leverage AI and tech daily within our systems), and out of the box creativity. We’ll be announcing an exciting partnership, but hint hint we’re an Official Small Business Partner of the LA Clippers providing our Real Estate services across the local community.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Last month marked my one-year anniversary in real estate, and honestly, I can’t believe how much has happened in that short time! As a solo millennial female homeowner and investor, I bring a different perspective to the table. Before real estate, I spent over 11 years in influencer marketing, which taught me how to connect with people online and create entertaining, relatable, and educational video content. That’s been huge for my business—whether it’s generating leads or making sure my clients feel completely confident and informed throughout every step of the way in escrow.

What sets me apart is my focus on a niche I’m incredibly passionate about: helping first-time home buyers, and if we’re getting even more niche, solo females in particular. For too long, homeownership has been treated as a milestone reserved for the married. I believe it’s just as much about building personal wealth and stability, even if that means buying a condo solo instead of holding out for the dream house. I’ve seen firsthand how real estate has given me financial stability, and I’m passionate about helping others—especially women—experience that same sense of empowerment.

One of the things I’m most proud of is exceeding expectations. I was told not to expect any deals in my first year, especially given 2024’s tough market, yet I’ve closed on seven homes and two leases. The numbers are exciting, sure, but what means the most to me are the individuals who trusted me to guide them through such a monumental decision. It’s seeing them happy in their new homes that remind me I’ve found my purpose.

If there’s one big life lesson I’ve learned transitioning to real estate, it’s that you can’t control everything (rough learning for someone who has perfectionist tendencies), and that’s okay. Escrows are rarely smooth or turnkey, and every person you work with is different—for better or worse. What matters is knowing how to communicate when everything feels like it’s blowing up and staying focused on solutions. Additionally, relationships are everything in this business. I’ve had offers accepted when we weren’t the highest price because agents trusted me to get the deal done smoothly, and that’s something I’m really proud of.

At the heart of my brand is the belief that homeownership is attainable and empowering for everyone, you don’t have to have “everything figured out.” As someone who has always been inspired by strong women (having gone to an all girl high school, being in a sorority, working at women-led companies, and having incredible female friendships), I’d love for my name to become synonymous with championing solo female buyers. My story is about taking risks, redefining what’s possible based on facts, and helping others do the same—get the lender pre-approval!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
As an LA native who’s lived all over—from the Valley to DTLA, Santa Monica, the Eastside, and Northeast LA—I feel qualified to answer this question. Let’s pretend they’ve already knocked out the touristy staples (because honestly, everyone needs to hit the Griffith Observatory or roller skate the Santa Monica boardwalk at least once) and jump straight into a local’s guide for the long weekend.

Kick things off biking the LA River Walk in Frogtown, then refuel with breakfast at Spoke Bicycle Cafe. Hit up Benny Boy Brewing in Lincoln Heights—if it’s live band karaoke night, even better. Wander through Descanso Gardens for a nature break, or if we’re feeling ambitious, head out for a hike in the Angeles National Forest or join a Saturday morning community run at the Hollywood Bowl.

Swing by Vinovore for a bottle of wine (shoutout to their all-women-made wine selection) and picnic at Silverlake Meadows. There are too many amazing dinner options but can’t go wrong with Loreto in Frogtown or Joy in Highland Park. End the night with live music at the Lodge Room or comedy at Señor Fish (on Mondays in Eagle Rock). Another option is socializing over games at a Venice Backgammon meetup. Sundays are reserved for coffee and snooping extravagant Open Houses because… duh. 🙂

Even as an LA native, I’m always actively searching for new things to explore and sharing neighborhood highlight videos on my Instagram @samhampar (shameless plug!).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Shoutout to my dad, the OG real estate inspiration in my life. Back in 2016, while I was deep into my career in influencer marketing, he encouraged me to take a leap and buy an investment property—and that’s where my interest in real estate really sparked. Then in 2019, when I was paying way too much for a shoddy (understatement) studio in Echo Park and couldn’t see how buying a home for myself was even possible, he stepped in again. He helped me cut through all the myths about home buying and showed me it was doable as a solo female buyer.

He’s taught me grit and shown my brother and me how to go after your passion, which is something he knows firsthand after making big career pivots himself—from accounting to music to real estate (he’s a broker here in LA!). He’s my biggest cheerleader, even when I chose to mark my own path by joining a different brokerage. For as long as I can remember, he’s been telling me to “make it a powerful day.” And honestly, I think that mantra stuck with me more than I realized.

Website: https://samantha.sereneteam.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samhampar

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-hampar/

Other: Zillow: https://www.zillow.com/profile/samanthahampar
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samsellsthecity

Image Credits
Headshot (first image): photo credit Jessi Gray @jgray.photography

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.