Some events you plan and hope for the best. Others take on a life of their own. The inaugural Realty ONE Group Great Realtor Race was firmly the latter — part scavenger hunt, part team competition, part community service project, and 100% the kind of day that reminds you why this office is something special.

Here's how it all went down.

The full Realty ONE Group Myrtle Beach crew, race-ready in their custom event shirts — a massive shoutout to Tammi Cole & Dan Button for designing and creating those amazing shirts!

The Concept: A Race Built for Realtors

The idea was simple in spirit, ambitious in execution. Teams of agents received their rules, fired up a custom-built app loaded with tasks, and set off across Horry County to complete as many challenges as possible — all while racing the clock and each other.

Tasks ranged from fun and creative photo challenges to meaningful community service stops. Each team had to strategize: Which tasks could they knock out quickly? Which ones were worth the extra points? And how do you manage a group of competitive real estate agents all convinced their route is the most efficient? (Spoiler: with a lot of good humor.)

Race day is GO — teams set off across the Grand Strand, app loaded and ready to compete.

Giving Back Along the Way

What made this race different from your typical team-building event was the community element woven throughout. Several tasks weren't about speed or cleverness — they were about showing up for the people and places that make Myrtle Beach home.

That broom drive deserves a moment. When the task came across asking teams to buy and deliver cleaning supplies to New Directions Shelter, the response was immediate and enthusiastic. New Directions' comment that they could use 50 sets says everything you need to know about the kind of need that exists right here in our own community — and about the kind of people who make up this office, who didn't hesitate for a second.

And then there was the team that headed to a local fire station. They cleaned, took out trash, and knocked out tasks that gave our firefighters more time to focus on what matters most — being ready for the next call. We are so incredibly appreciative of everything our first responders do, and proud that our agents jumped at the chance to give back in a way that was meaningful and practical.

The App: Built From the Ground Up

One of the things we're most proud of — and most honest about — is that the platform running the race was built specifically for this event and for our agents. Custom, purpose-built, and launched for the very first time on race day.

Four agents and one of our wonderful lender partners, Cole Williams from Revolution Mortgage, pause mid-race for a moment — the smiles say it all. The Great Realtor Race shirts (hats off again to Tammi Cole & Dan Button!) and that Kurbside Catering tent in the background are all you need to know about how this day was going.

Someone had time to leave their mark — "ROGD" — Realty ONE Group Dockside — written in the sand on the Grand Strand during the beach cleanup task. That's not just cleaning up the coast, that's doing it in style. 🏖️

The Finish Line: Lunch, Awards & a Standing Ovation

After a full day of racing around the county, teams returned to the office for what everyone had been quietly looking forward to — lunch courtesy of an office favorite, Kurbside Catering. The spread did not disappoint: cheesesteaks, quesadillas, and chicken tenders served up hot, and every agent who walked through that door had earned every bite.

With plates loaded and spirits high, it was time for the moment of truth: the awards ceremony. After tallying up points, photos, task completions, and charity contributions, one team rose to the top.

Congratulations to Team "The Myrtle Beaches" — Tera Smith, Courtney Blevins, Michelle Hankey, and Shoawna Hayes — you earned every bit of it. And to every team that raced, volunteered, laughed through a technical glitch, and showed up for this community: this day was yours too.

What's Next: A Fall Edition?

By the time lunch was cleared and the last award was handed out, the conversation had already shifted to one question: When's the next one?

The Great Realtor Race is officially coming back. The platform will be sharper. The tasks will be bigger. The competition will be fiercer. And if the energy in that room was any indication, so will the giving back.

We're already floating the idea of a fall edition — because if there's one thing this race proved, it's that this office has the heart, the hustle, and the sense of humor to make it something truly worth showing up for. Stay tuned.

A massive thank you to every agent and team who participated, to the Grand Strand Humane Society for welcoming our volunteers, to New Directions Shelter for putting those brooms and dustpans to good use, and to Kurbside Catering for sending everyone home well fed. And a special shoutout to Tammi Cole & Dan Button for designing and creating the incredible event shirts — everyone looked the part and then some. This community — inside our office and out — is why we do what we do.