About
Cecilia Whitley
Broker
About Sterling & Associates Property Management
At Sterling & Associates Property Management, we believe that trust, communication, and personalized service are the cornerstones of successful property ownership. Founded and led by top-producing real estate broker Cecilia Whitley, our company brings decades of leadership, negotiation, and real estate experience to every property we manage in Elgin, Texas, and surrounding communities.
Cecilia’s career in real estate began in 1984 with part-time administrative work for a local agent. Though she would go on to spend over 34 years in public service—culminating as Associate Commissioner of the largest procurement division in the State of Texas—her passion for real estate never faded. After retiring from state government, she returned to her roots and launched Sterling & Associates, combining her expertise in high-stakes negotiations, billion-dollar contracts, and client-centered service into a real estate firm known for results and relationships.
Building on the success of her sales company, Cecilia created Sterling & Associates Property Management to meet a growing need: giving property owners peace of mind through expert management and hands-on care.
Our Tenant Philosophy
We don’t just manage properties—we manage relationships. Happy tenants are more likely to stay longer, take better care of the property, and pay on time. That’s why we prioritize respectful, timely communication with tenants and address their needs efficiently.
At the same time, we enforce lease terms and hold tenants accountable. We strike the balance between being firm and fair—because your investment deserves nothing less.
Meet our Team
Nicole Sheffield
Executive Property Manager
Nicole Sheffield, REALTOR, serves as Executive Property Manager for Sterling & Associates Real Estate & Property Management. Based in Elgin, she combines small-town care with big-league professionalism—overseeing leasing, tenant relations, inspections, make-readies, vendors, and monthly owner reporting.
A detail-driven operator, Nicole is fluent in Texas Property Code best practices, fair-housing standards, and brokerage compliance, helping owners reduce risk while maximizing returns. She’s known for clear expectations, thoughtful screening, and fast, transparent updates—especially during turnovers and maintenance events.
Local to Central Texas, Nicole’s contractor network and market knowledge keep properties rent-ready and competitively priced. Her philosophy is simple: protect the asset, respect the tenant, and communicate early and often.
When you work with Sterling & Associates, Nicole is your point of calm—turning moving parts into smooth, predictable results.
Brian Hawthorne
Realtor®
License: 524092
Brian Hawthorne joins Sterling and Associates with over 15 years of experience in the real estate and property management industries. His extensive background encompasses management experience on a variety of asset types including single-family rentals, conventional and student housing as well as specializing in new construction lease-up communities, asset repositioning, and dispositions.
Brian spent the majority of his career at Alliance Residential where he served as Vice President of Operations and led high-performing teams overseeing new construction-owned assets in a joint venture environment in multiple Texas markets. During his tenure at Alliance, Brian was instrumental in the successful disposition of many assets including several record-breaking sales.
After Alliance Residential was sold Brian joined RPM, a boutique management firm where he served in a similar capacity and focused primarily on business development and renovation communities. Currently, Brian serves as the Vice President of Operations at Cardinal Group Management. A graduate of Texas State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing, Brian also holds a Texas Real Estate License and is a member of IREM with a Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation.
Steve Balch
Realtor®
License: 633014
I am passionate about helping Texans buy, sell, and invest in real estate in the central Texas area. Whether you are a first time home buyer looking for that perfect starter home, or a seasoned investor looking for the next big thing -- I have the industry know-how and local knowledge of the area to ensure you are taken care of from first sight to closing day. Being a multi-generational farmer and rancher in the central Texas area, I bring a wealth of experience to bear on all your real estate needs -- including knowing how to get you what you deserve for your property and being able to scout out the hot-buys in a rapidly changing real estate market in the Austin area.
As a real estate agent at Sterling and Associates, I am able to serve you with a full range of options including residential, commercial, and farm & ranch needs. Being a part of an established company such as Sterling and Associates gives me an increased opportunity to serve you with the kind of dependability that is especially vital in today's real estate markets.