Meet Tanisha Holmes

Meet Tanisha Holmes

There’s No Place Like Holmes.™

To be honest, I'm actually a little shy.

As I've gotten older, I've become more reserved, more reflective, and much more protective of my peace. When people see me today—as a real estate broker, general contractor, artist, entrepreneur, creator, and someone who has appeared on television—they may see the finished picture.

But my life has never been an illusion of perfection.

There is a real woman behind the businesses, the homes, the art, the television appearances, and the creativity.

I'm Tanisha Holmes, and I've experienced the good, the bad, the unexpected, and more than a few fiery darts that life has thrown my way.

And through it all, I'm still standing.

Home Has Always Been Part of My Story

I have been selling real estate for more than 25 years, but my relationship with homeownership began even earlier.

I became a homeowner myself at approximately 18 or 19 years old.

Looking back now, I realize what a major responsibility that was for someone so young. Homeownership taught me independence, accountability, negotiation, money management, and how important it is to make decisions about your future instead of simply living for today.

Even at that age, I knew I wanted to create.

I imagined myself building homes, becoming an architect, designing spaces, making art, or doing something where I could take what existed in my imagination and turn it into something people could actually see, touch, and experience.

I've been creating art since grade school.

For many years, I thought these were separate interests.

Now I understand they were all pieces of the same puzzle.

Homes. Building. Art. Design. Real Estate. Creativity.

They were all leading me here.

Give Me the Buyer With the Complicated Story

After more than 25 years in real estate, I've noticed something funny:

Somehow, I always get the difficult transaction.

Give me the buyer with the unusual circumstances.

Give me the first-time buyer who doesn't know where to begin.

Give me the buyer who has already been told “no.”

My instinct is usually:

“Okay. Let's figure this out.”

Over the years, I've helped many first-time homebuyers and clients with circumstances that required more patience, research, creativity, and coordination than an ordinary real estate transaction.

I've worked with down-payment assistance programs, VA and USDA financing, and buyers facing significant financial challenges.

I have even successfully helped buyers purchase homes while actively in Chapter 13 bankruptcy, as well as buyers who were only a few years beyond a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

That doesn't mean every person in those circumstances can immediately purchase a home. Bankruptcy, financing, court approval, trustee requirements, income, credit, lending guidelines, and individual circumstances all matter.

Sometimes the answer is yes.

Sometimes it's not yet.

And sometimes there is another legitimate path that simply hasn't been explored.

That's where I discovered one of my gifts.

I'm the agent who wants to figure it out.

I will ask another question. Make another call. Talk with the lender. Communicate with the attorney. Study the situation. Negotiate. Research the program. And determine what options actually exist.

Real estate taught me something that eventually became a philosophy for my entire life:

Difficult does not automatically mean impossible.

You Have to Find Your Gift

Everyone has a gift.

Sometimes we spend years looking outside ourselves for something that has been sitting inside us the entire time.

One of my gifts is seeing possibility.

I can walk into an outdated house and imagine what it could become.

I can look at a blank canvas and see the beginning of a piece of art.

I can hear a complicated buyer's situation and start thinking about solutions.

I can look at land and imagine a house.

That ability eventually took me from wearing my real estate hat to wearing a construction hard hat as a licensed general contractor.

Through SheBuilds Holmes, I now get to build and transform homes.

For decades, real estate taught me what buyers want.

Construction allows me to create it.

Art gives me the imagination to see it before it exists.

And life gave me enough experience to understand that sometimes the most beautiful transformations begin with something that looks broken, outdated, complicated, or unfinished.

My Story Hasn't Always Been Pretty

There have been periods in my life when things became extremely difficult.

While studying theology at Liberty University, I went through a season when my life seemed to turn completely upside down. Circumstances became so serious that I felt as though I had to choose between my life and my freedom.

I chose my life.

There were moments when I didn't recognize the Tanisha I had become.

But I kept moving.

I kept believing.

And eventually I began finding myself again.

Those experiences strengthened my relationship with God and taught me that one terrible chapter doesn't have to become the entire book.

I Appreciate Women With Complicated Stories

Maybe that's one reason I've always been fascinated by strong women—not necessarily perfect women, but real women.

Women who are strong and vulnerable.

Successful and imperfect.

Loving but learning boundaries.

Women who have made mistakes, survived difficult chapters, learned something, and continued moving forward.

Even movies make me think about this.

One movie that has stayed with me is A Thin Line Between Love and Hate with Martin Lawrence. I can appreciate what both the good and bad sides of its female characters reveal—not because every action should be celebrated or repeated, but because complicated characters remind us how complicated human beings can be.

People are rarely just one thing.

A woman can have a terrible moment without being a terrible person forever.

She can experience heartbreak, anger, disappointment, success, failure, faith, joy, and transformation.

I've learned not to judge someone's entire existence by one chapter.

And I don't allow anyone to define mine that way either.

That was a chapter. It was not the whole book.

Faith Changed How I Look at Life

I believe there is power in your mind, your tongue, your words, and what you repeatedly speak over your life.

I also believe in surrounding yourself with people who speak life into you.

Love people—but don't lose yourself trying to love everybody else.

Some people pour into you.

Others constantly take.

And then there are what I jokingly call the energy vampires.

At some point, you have to protect your peace.

Sometimes that means creating distance—even when the person is a friend or family member.

When you stop allowing everyone else to consume your energy, you may be amazed by how much of your God-given gift you can finally access.

I'm Still Learning to Rest

One lesson I'm still learning is how to rest.

I'm naturally a doer.

I sell.

I build.

I create.

I design.

I help.

I solve problems.

But sometimes the assignment is simply to sit down.

So I'm learning to rest. Date myself. Enjoy my home. Drink my water. Eat better when possible. Create something simply because it makes me happy.

And most importantly:

Give thanks.

Pray over your family.

Pray over your home.

Pray over your business.

Pray over your decisions.

Pray over your candles.

Pray over your soap.

Pray over everything.

Well…almost everything.

Mosquitoes and ants may still have to meet the bug spray.

I believe in faith—but I also believe in boundaries!

Sometimes What Is Assigned to You Finds You

Years ago, I purchased a new vehicle after going quite some time without buying one.

I bought a beautiful black vehicle with red seats.

It looked good.

It looked luxurious.

But something deep inside me kept saying:

This isn't your car.

I couldn't fully explain it.

What initially felt chaotic eventually redirected me toward another vehicle—the one that felt like it was actually meant for me.

That vehicle had been specially ordered and ultimately came to me from South Carolina.

I still thank God for my car.

And you know what else?

It's good on gas!

I learned that I don't need a luxury vehicle just to impress the gas station while hurting my pocket.

That experience reinforced something I've seen repeatedly in real estate.

Sometimes what looks impressive isn't necessarily what's right for you.

And sometimes what belongs in your life has an incredible way of finding you.

I feel that way about homes.

I've watched buyers walk through property after property and suddenly enter one house where something changes.

They feel it.

This is home.

Buy the Life You Can Actually Enjoy

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is:

Buy what you can afford—not what you think will impress everybody else.

A beautiful home isn't a blessing if the payment prevents you from enjoying your life.

A luxury car isn't luxurious if you're worried every month about paying for it.

Comfort and style don't require financial chaos.

Live beautifully.

But live within your means.

I would rather have peace in my pocket than spend my life trying to maintain an image for somebody else.

Everything Came Back to HOME

Eventually, I realized something extraordinary about my businesses.

They all come back to one word:

HOME.

Through Homes By Holmes Real Estate, I help people find homes.

Through SheBuilds Holmes, I build, renovate, and transform homes.

Through my original art, handmade soaps, fragrances, soy candles, and custom creations, I make things people can enjoy inside their homes.

And during the day, another part of my heart is helping people who don't currently have a home.

I care deeply about people experiencing homelessness and make strong efforts to help connect people with shelter and resources whenever possible.

When I finally looked at everything together, I realized:

I'm in the business of putting people in homes.

I sell them.

I help build them.

I help make them beautiful.

I create things to enjoy inside them.

And I try to help people who don't have one find somewhere safe to go.

Maybe my last name wasn't an accident after all.

Maybe Holmes was part of the assignment.

This Is Tanisha

I have been through beautiful experiences and horrific situations.

I've won.

I've lost.

I've made mistakes.

I've learned.

I've had to start over.

I've had to walk away.

I've had to forgive.

I've had to protect myself.

I've had to rediscover myself.

And I've had to trust God even when I didn't understand what He was doing.

But I'm still here.

Still creating.
Still selling.
Still building.
Still helping.
Still designing.
Still learning.
Still laughing.
Still praying.
Still dreaming.
And still pressing forward.

If there's anything my life has taught me, it's this:

Find your gift.

Protect your peace.

Control what you can control.

Remove unnecessary negativity from your life.

Love people without losing yourself.

Write your dreams down.

Take the picture.

Create the vision board.

Pray about it.

Work toward it.

Speak life over it.

And give thanks for what you already have while you're waiting for what's next.

Life isn't about creating the illusion that everything has always been perfect.

Mine certainly hasn't been.

It's about what you build from everything you've been given—the beautiful pieces and the broken ones.

And maybe that's why I love homes so much.

A home can age.

A home can become outdated.

A home can weather storms.

Its paint can fade.

Things can break.

It can need repair.

But with the right foundation, vision, work, and care, it can become beautiful again.

So can we.

This is my story.

This is my faith.

This is my creativity.

This is my purpose.

And this is Tanisha Holmes.

Tanisha Holmes

Real Estate Broker • Licensed General Contractor • Artist • Creator • Entrepreneur

Homes By Holmes Real Estate
SheBuilds Holmes
Art • Handmade Home Creations • Fragrance

As Seen on HGTV's House Hunters

There’s No Place Like Holmes.™

There’s No Place Like Holmes.™

To be honest, I'm actually a little shy.

As I've gotten older, I've become more reserved, more reflective, and much more protective of my peace. When people see me today—as a real estate broker, general contractor, artist, entrepreneur, creator, and someone who has appeared on television—they may see the finished picture.

But my life has never been an illusion of perfection.

There is a real woman behind the businesses, the homes, the art, the television appearances, and the creativity.

I'm Tanisha Holmes, and I've experienced the good, the bad, the unexpected, and more than a few fiery darts that life has thrown my way.

And through it all, I'm still standing.

Home Has Always Been Part of My Story

I have been selling real estate for more than 25 years, but my relationship with homeownership began even earlier.

I became a homeowner myself at approximately 18 or 19 years old.

Looking back now, I realize what a major responsibility that was for someone so young. Homeownership taught me independence, accountability, negotiation, money management, and how important it is to make decisions about your future instead of simply living for today.

Even at that age, I knew I wanted to create.

I imagined myself building homes, becoming an architect, designing spaces, making art, or doing something where I could take what existed in my imagination and turn it into something people could actually see, touch, and experience.

I've been creating art since grade school.

For many years, I thought these were separate interests.

Now I understand they were all pieces of the same puzzle.

Homes. Building. Art. Design. Real Estate. Creativity.

They were all leading me here.

Give Me the Buyer With the Complicated Story

After more than 25 years in real estate, I've noticed something funny:

Somehow, I always get the difficult transaction.

Give me the buyer with the unusual circumstances.

Give me the first-time buyer who doesn't know where to begin.

Give me the buyer who has already been told “no.”

My instinct is usually:

“Okay. Let's figure this out.”

Over the years, I've helped many first-time homebuyers and clients with circumstances that required more patience, research, creativity, and coordination than an ordinary real estate transaction.

I've worked with down-payment assistance programs, VA and USDA financing, and buyers facing significant financial challenges.

I have even successfully helped buyers purchase homes while actively in Chapter 13 bankruptcy, as well as buyers who were only a few years beyond a Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

That doesn't mean every person in those circumstances can immediately purchase a home. Bankruptcy, financing, court approval, trustee requirements, income, credit, lending guidelines, and individual circumstances all matter.

Sometimes the answer is yes.

Sometimes it's not yet.

And sometimes there is another legitimate path that simply hasn't been explored.

That's where I discovered one of my gifts.

I'm the agent who wants to figure it out.

I will ask another question. Make another call. Talk with the lender. Communicate with the attorney. Study the situation. Negotiate. Research the program. And determine what options actually exist.

Real estate taught me something that eventually became a philosophy for my entire life:

Difficult does not automatically mean impossible.

You Have to Find Your Gift

Everyone has a gift.

Sometimes we spend years looking outside ourselves for something that has been sitting inside us the entire time.

One of my gifts is seeing possibility.

I can walk into an outdated house and imagine what it could become.

I can look at a blank canvas and see the beginning of a piece of art.

I can hear a complicated buyer's situation and start thinking about solutions.

I can look at land and imagine a house.

That ability eventually took me from wearing my real estate hat to wearing a construction hard hat as a licensed general contractor.

Through SheBuilds Holmes, I now get to build and transform homes.

For decades, real estate taught me what buyers want.

Construction allows me to create it.

Art gives me the imagination to see it before it exists.

And life gave me enough experience to understand that sometimes the most beautiful transformations begin with something that looks broken, outdated, complicated, or unfinished.

My Story Hasn't Always Been Pretty

There have been periods in my life when things became extremely difficult.

While studying theology at Liberty University, I went through a season when my life seemed to turn completely upside down. Circumstances became so serious that I felt as though I had to choose between my life and my freedom.

I chose my life.

There were moments when I didn't recognize the Tanisha I had become.

But I kept moving.

I kept believing.

And eventually I began finding myself again.

Those experiences strengthened my relationship with God and taught me that one terrible chapter doesn't have to become the entire book.

I Appreciate Women With Complicated Stories

Maybe that's one reason I've always been fascinated by strong women—not necessarily perfect women, but real women.

Women who are strong and vulnerable.

Successful and imperfect.

Loving but learning boundaries.

Women who have made mistakes, survived difficult chapters, learned something, and continued moving forward.

Even movies make me think about this.

One movie that has stayed with me is A Thin Line Between Love and Hate with Martin Lawrence. I can appreciate what both the good and bad sides of its female characters reveal—not because every action should be celebrated or repeated, but because complicated characters remind us how complicated human beings can be.

People are rarely just one thing.

A woman can have a terrible moment without being a terrible person forever.

She can experience heartbreak, anger, disappointment, success, failure, faith, joy, and transformation.

I've learned not to judge someone's entire existence by one chapter.

And I don't allow anyone to define mine that way either.

That was a chapter. It was not the whole book.

Faith Changed How I Look at Life

I believe there is power in your mind, your tongue, your words, and what you repeatedly speak over your life.

I also believe in surrounding yourself with people who speak life into you.

Love people—but don't lose yourself trying to love everybody else.

Some people pour into you.

Others constantly take.

And then there are what I jokingly call the energy vampires.

At some point, you have to protect your peace.

Sometimes that means creating distance—even when the person is a friend or family member.

When you stop allowing everyone else to consume your energy, you may be amazed by how much of your God-given gift you can finally access.

I'm Still Learning to Rest

One lesson I'm still learning is how to rest.

I'm naturally a doer.

I sell.

I build.

I create.

I design.

I help.

I solve problems.

But sometimes the assignment is simply to sit down.

So I'm learning to rest. Date myself. Enjoy my home. Drink my water. Eat better when possible. Create something simply because it makes me happy.

And most importantly:

Give thanks.

Pray over your family.

Pray over your home.

Pray over your business.

Pray over your decisions.

Pray over your candles.

Pray over your soap.

Pray over everything.

Well…almost everything.

Mosquitoes and ants may still have to meet the bug spray.

I believe in faith—but I also believe in boundaries!

Sometimes What Is Assigned to You Finds You

Years ago, I purchased a new vehicle after going quite some time without buying one.

I bought a beautiful black vehicle with red seats.

It looked good.

It looked luxurious.

But something deep inside me kept saying:

This isn't your car.

I couldn't fully explain it.

What initially felt chaotic eventually redirected me toward another vehicle—the one that felt like it was actually meant for me.

That vehicle had been specially ordered and ultimately came to me from South Carolina.

I still thank God for my car.

And you know what else?

It's good on gas!

I learned that I don't need a luxury vehicle just to impress the gas station while hurting my pocket.

That experience reinforced something I've seen repeatedly in real estate.

Sometimes what looks impressive isn't necessarily what's right for you.

And sometimes what belongs in your life has an incredible way of finding you.

I feel that way about homes.

I've watched buyers walk through property after property and suddenly enter one house where something changes.

They feel it.

This is home.

Buy the Life You Can Actually Enjoy

One of the biggest lessons I've learned is:

Buy what you can afford—not what you think will impress everybody else.

A beautiful home isn't a blessing if the payment prevents you from enjoying your life.

A luxury car isn't luxurious if you're worried every month about paying for it.

Comfort and style don't require financial chaos.

Live beautifully.

But live within your means.

I would rather have peace in my pocket than spend my life trying to maintain an image for somebody else.

Everything Came Back to HOME

Eventually, I realized something extraordinary about my businesses.

They all come back to one word:

HOME.

Through Homes By Holmes Real Estate, I help people find homes.

Through SheBuilds Holmes, I build, renovate, and transform homes.

Through my original art, handmade soaps, fragrances, soy candles, and custom creations, I make things people can enjoy inside their homes.

And during the day, another part of my heart is helping people who don't currently have a home.

I care deeply about people experiencing homelessness and make strong efforts to help connect people with shelter and resources whenever possible.

When I finally looked at everything together, I realized:

I'm in the business of putting people in homes.

I sell them.

I help build them.

I help make them beautiful.

I create things to enjoy inside them.

And I try to help people who don't have one find somewhere safe to go.

Maybe my last name wasn't an accident after all.

Maybe Holmes was part of the assignment.

This Is Tanisha

I have been through beautiful experiences and horrific situations.

I've won.

I've lost.

I've made mistakes.

I've learned.

I've had to start over.

I've had to walk away.

I've had to forgive.

I've had to protect myself.

I've had to rediscover myself.

And I've had to trust God even when I didn't understand what He was doing.

But I'm still here.

Still creating.
Still selling.
Still building.
Still helping.
Still designing.
Still learning.
Still laughing.
Still praying.
Still dreaming.
And still pressing forward.

If there's anything my life has taught me, it's this:

Find your gift.

Protect your peace.

Control what you can control.

Remove unnecessary negativity from your life.

Love people without losing yourself.

Write your dreams down.

Take the picture.

Create the vision board.

Pray about it.

Work toward it.

Speak life over it.

And give thanks for what you already have while you're waiting for what's next.

Life isn't about creating the illusion that everything has always been perfect.

Mine certainly hasn't been.

It's about what you build from everything you've been given—the beautiful pieces and the broken ones.

And maybe that's why I love homes so much.

A home can age.

A home can become outdated.

A home can weather storms.

Its paint can fade.

Things can break.

It can need repair.

But with the right foundation, vision, work, and care, it can become beautiful again.

So can we.

This is my story.

This is my faith.

This is my creativity.

This is my purpose.

And this is Tanisha Holmes.

Tanisha Holmes

Real Estate Broker • Licensed General Contractor • Artist • Creator • Entrepreneur

Homes By Holmes Real Estate
SheBuilds Holmes
Art • Handmade Home Creations • Fragrance

As Seen on HGTV's House Hunters

There’s No Place Like Holmes.™