House tours are a real estate staple, but the Glover Park Renovation Tour is something different. This tour, which Stokes held for the first time in 2005, provides a way for prospective buyers to see recently renovated historic homes in Glover Park and meet the contractors who did the work. “It gives buyers a chance to get more comfortable with the idea of renovating, and it’s a great way to meet prospects,” she says. Stokes donated all of the $2,500 from ticket sales to the neighborhood elementary school. Win-win ideas like these helped her command $9.3 million in sales for 2006, 20 percent of which came from Glover Park.

Share, don’t sell: At open houses, she’s glad to freely give information on anything from recent comparables to where to find a good plumber. “I work a lot with first-time home buyers, and you have to share good information at the right time in small doses so that they don’t feel overwhelmed,” she says.

A stickler for doing it right: Stokes is active in both the Women’s Council of REALTORS® and the Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®. In 2006 she served on the GCAAR Grievance Committee, which reviews ethics complaints.