June 17, 2025
Clients labeled her as “personable, energetic, and innovative” and a “blessing.”
The family of Traci Powell, owner and broker of Philadelphia’s Realty One Group Purpose, announced the business owner passed away at the age of 44 on May 22, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
While the cause of death has yet to be determined, Powell was known throughout the City of Brotherly Love and across the country as an advocate for Black businesses and home ownership. Becoming the owner and CEO of Realty One Group Purpose in 2024, Powell’s leadership shone, resulting in her being selected as the number one real estate broker in The Inquirer’s Philly Favorites advertising supplement in April 2025.
Clients labeled her as “personable, energetic, and innovative” and a “blessing.” One client touched on how patient Powell was during her homeownership journey. “Her patience with me was beyond that of a Realtor, but more resembling a friend,” one said. Another labeled her as “one of the best in the industry.”
The real estate professional wasn’t shy about sharing her struggles within the industry, but decided it was right for her at an early age. At just 16, according to The Philadelphia Tribune, Powell worked alongside her father, also a broker and investor, all while attending classes at George Washington Carver High School for Engineering and Science. Studying chemical engineering at Drexel University, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., she chose to prioritize her real estate career over attending college events and sorority galas.
“I had to be steadfast mentally,” she said during a 2021 appearance on the podcast, Buy the Hood.
“It was a heavy influence.”
Her sacrifice paid off, leading her to become the first vice president of the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers and then vice president and director of residential sales at Mosaic Brokerage Group before opening Realty One Group Purpose.
Her work as a real estate professional and conference speaker reached beyond Philadelphia’s lines. Honored with the “40 Under 40” award by Philly Real Estate Week, Powell ranked among the top 4% of buyer agents and the top 15% of listing agents on the national level. In 2014, Powell made an appearance on HGTV’s popular House Hunters series, assisting a client in the home-buying process.
Survived by her parents and several family members, loved ones highlighted how her work made a difference to people she came in contact with. “She made an impact on every person who had the pleasure of making her acquaintance, and undoubtedly everyone who called her family or friend,” her family said.
As a board member of Inspiring Minds Philadelphia, a nonprofit for children, she once said in a LinkedIn post that she wanted to “make sure every young person has the tools to dream big and achieve even bigger.” “She brought new ideas, fresh thoughts, and had a passion for seeing us succeed and grow,” Inspiring Minds Executive Director Andrea Garner said.
RELATED CONTENT: Ananda Lewis, Beloved MTV Icon and Advocate, Dead At 52
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)
{if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};
if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';
n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',
'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js');
fbq('init', '709767812947612');
fbq('track', 'PageView');