Zayne Wykoff
“My original plan was not to be in real estate at all,” says Zayne Wykoff in all earnestness. “I wasn’t going to be like my family.” His family has been in real estate for three generations.
Instead, Zayne had high hopes of going to engineering school. A self-described “math nerd,” he went to college at Tulsa Community College for two years. “I absolutely hated it,” he says, “every minute of it.” It was obvious. “Maybe that’s not the way I want to go.”
At a crossroads, he had to either change his degree or figure something else out. When he talked to his mother, his confusion turned into clarity.
“Get your license,” she told him. “I told you this already.”
Taking her advice to heart, Zayne got his real estate license 3 years ago. Let’s just say that his mother was right. Real estate has been the career that he was made for, especially after receiving the Rising Star of the Year award in 2025.
“it’s been awesome,” he raves. “I met so many fun people and it started out with open house after open house after open house.” He got his name out there and increased his sphere of influence. Now friends are buying homes from him. “Now I know what I’m doing so I can help them,” he comments.
A fourth generation REALTOR®, Zayne discovered that real estate was much more rewarding than engineering. “A big drawback is that engineers are not talkative,’ he points out. “Everyone is quiet and keeps to themselves.” In real estate, it’s exactly the opposite. Meeting people and talking to them comes naturally to Zayne, who might be described as a social butterfly.
Following in his family’s footsteps was a long time coming. His great grandmother, great grandfather, grandmother, his mother and his cousin all paved the way in real estate. “My mother and I are at the same brokerage, Chinowth & Cohen REALTORS®,” smiles Zayne. “But we’re not on the same team.”
Overcoming Obstacles
Zayne’s first few years in the business were challenging. “I looked like I was too young to be helping people with real estate,” he says. He was determined to overcome this obstacle. “I became as competent as I possibly could.” Whenever people asked him a question, Zayne knew the answer. He reasoned, “They can argue age, but not competence.”
He uses social media to his advantage, connecting with his client base. “I make relatable, fun, easygoing content,” he says. “I’d rather be fun and professional than reading from a script in my chair. I want people to laugh because if they laugh, they will trust you in this business.”
How often does he post on social media? “Not enough,” he says without hesitation.
“Sometimes a couple of times a month, sometimes a couple of times a week.” You can follow him on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. “During the COVID era, I built up a following on TikTok by doing ‘stupid things.’” As he says, “They were dumb relatable videos that apply to everyday people.” With his relatable content, he connected with potential clients. Now he is switching gears to make videos about real estate, especially videos of properties.
What’s next? “I want my business to keep growing,” he says. Every year he has been in real estate, he has doubled his production. He also hopes to have his own real estate team in due time.
Fun + Family
As to what motivates him, Zayne wants to travel. “I want to travel the world and go everywhere,” he says. What’s on his bucket list? “I want to see the Seven Wonders of the World.” Experiencing the world and all that it has to offer really pushes this driven real estate professional.
“Experiences fill my cup,” he says. “I don’t need a cup of coffee. I would rather go to the top of a mountain.” Next year, he is hoping to climb to new heights on his backpacking trip to Europe. “I’m not sure about 60 days yet, but I definitely want to do 30 days.” Where will he go? “France and Italy,” he says. “I have ChatGPT making my itinerary.”
Zayne also likes to travel with his family, recently visiting Glacier National Park and Yellowstone with them. “It was amazing and it opened my eyes to wanting to travel and see the world. There is a lot to see out there,” he says. Ironically, his passport doesn’t have any stamps in it – yet. But that will change.
Other pastimes include playing pickleball, sand volleyball, and hanging out with his four little Huskies. “They’re cute, but don’t let them fool you." he laughs. He also likes playing games on game nights with his family. “Quality time is definitely my love language,” he points out.
How does he achieve work-life balance? “I just put my phone on Do Not Disturb and don’t look at it. That’s the only chance you get, unless you take a trip to the mountains and don’t get service,” he says.
Final Thoughts
They say real estate runs in the family, but for Zayne, it also runs on curiosity, humor, and a dash of adventure. This Rising Star is proof that when talent meets tenacity, the deals get done, the laughs keep coming, and the journey is just getting started.
