It’s no secret that real estate can be a lucrative business. Both agents and investors can make upwards of 6 figures a year, with some lucky enough to add another zero to the equation if they play their cards right. ArLancia Williamssaw the promising possibilities of the career and decided to take things a step further, establishing a real estate empire that’s worth more than money alone. In just six years, she has built an impressive portfolio of properties and businesses, establishing herself as a multifaceted powerhouse in Maryland: a real estate investor, a broker, and, most recently, an executive producer. While her relentless drive earned her much of this success, her deep love for her family and community is what inspired her to leap.
In 2019 when her mother suffered a major stroke, Williams made a life-altering choice that would inevitably push her closer to her purpose. After leaving a corporate job to serve as her mother’s primary caretaker, she was reluctant to return to the limiting 9-to-5 schedule, so she found something that let her live life on her own terms. She decided to pursue a career in real estate—a field that offered her the flexibility to show up for her mother along with the opportunity to achieve financial freedom.
Now with two brokerages under her belt, she has become a Principal Broker and a savvy investor and mentor—and she isn’t gatekeeping the steps it took to get here. Through her firm, Platinum Trust Realty, she is sharing her wealth-building expertise with others, giving them the knowledge and resources to establish their own legacies.
Here is how Williams plunged into the world of real estate and became an influential mogul for building generational wealth.
Love At First Sight
Jumping into a new industry can be intimidating for some, but for Williams, she felt it was love at first sight. “It was a perfect love story for me, even the [mistakes] felt good. So I knew that this was my career,” she told BAUCE reflecting on her early days as an agent.
In just four weeks, she secured her real estate license in 2019, initially setting her sights on becoming an agent. But she didn’t stop there. She soon became an active investor within the same year.
While attending an investment class—hoping to connect with investors for her listings—she was instantly intrigued by the knowledge she received. “Once they shared the formula, my interest changed immediately, like, ‘Okay, I’m gonna go out and get me a property’”. And she did just that, purchasing her first commercial property the very next day.
After researching the area, Williams secured her first property under contract for $187,000. She admits that this acquisition came with sacrifice, as she invested $100,000 into the building. The payoff, however, was undeniable as the property is now valued at $580,000.
ArLancia wasn’t the first in her family to have their hands in Maryland real estate. Her husband, Antawan Williams, a seasoned real estate entrepreneur, had built an impressive portfolio of about 10 apartment buildings with roughly 40 tenants. Watching his success gave ArLancia her first real glimpse into the power of generational wealth.
Now, the two are a prominent power couple in the DC real estate scene, owning over 100 residential and commercial properties, many of which provide housing for lower-income families. But ArLancia wanted to do more than accumulate assets, she also wanted to create access.
Sharing The Wealth
Determined to help others build wealth through real estate, Williams founded Platinum Trust Realty, a brokerage dedicated to guiding new homebuyers and investors through their first steps in property ownership.
Platinum Trust Reality aims to not only assist new buyers in securing properties but also with the everyday tasks that follow a closing. Williams sets up monthly meetings with clients to cover everything from draw schedules, budgets, monthly inspections, and even navigating tricky situations like contractors walking off the job. Most importantly, she provides insights on finding the right property for each client because “all investments are not good investments.”
“I’m teaching them everything that was taught to me. Sometimes people don’t teach everything they know in fear of someone passing them or being better than them. But no, we’re definitely in this together.”
Since then, Williams has further expanded her footprint on the DMV real estate market by partnering with Keller Williams—the largest real estate franchise in the United States—to launch a second brokerage, Platinum Trust powered by Keller Williams.
Initially, Patricia Long and Emerick Peace, owners of the top Keller Williams franchise in Prince George’s County, approached her to join their team. However, the serial entrepreneur had other plans. “I wanted to remain a broker and have ownership, so I decided to merge my company, Platinum Trust, with Keller Williams while maintaining my other brokerage.”
Currently, Williams is completing her “incubation period,” a training phase designed to equip her with all the skills and expertise to run the franchise. Once finished, she plans to open an office in Waldorf, Maryland, where she will hold the title of the first Black woman to serve as a Keller Williams franchise owner.
Bringing Real Estate to Reality
In the predominantly white industry, an increasing number of black women just like Williams are deciding to join the lucrative business and get their piece of the pie. Williams plans to put a spotlight on a few of these women making waves in the industry with her upcoming reality show, A Place to Call Home.
The reality series will follow 8 black women realtors in the DMV as they go through the process of renovating apartment buildings, transforming them from shells into luxury living facilities for lower-income families.
“A lot of women in real estate sell and help clients—they even do flips—but renovating an apartment, that’s a big thing,” William explains. The show will give audiences a behind‑the‑scenes look at the renovation process and demonstrate how these women use their keen talents to turn visions into reality.
Williams emphasized how important it is for black women to have positive representation in the media and plans to exemplify this in her show. “We’ll be showing black women in a better light—not bickering, arguing, or throwing drinks at each other. It’s not so much about income, but making an impact in the lives of less fortunate people.”
The DMV native hopes to eventually franchise the show, expanding its focus to cities with housing needs such as Mississippi, Houston, and Atlanta.
Williams’s journey might seem like a fast track to success, but she had to endure plenty of growing pains to get where she is today. From taking care of her mother in hospice to balancing work and family, she has faced plenty of challenges and made plenty of mistakes but she has always been determined to keep going.
“You’re not gonna get any better if you don’t make mistakes, you won’t. You’re not gonna grow if you stay in your comfort zone,” Williams says in closing statements. “I look at all my failures, and I’m glad that it happened so I was able to grow and share my experience.”
Her story is inspiring but her commitment to those around her is truly commendable. For Williams, opening doors for others is what makes success much sweeter.
