About
Built on the belief that every family deserves a safe place to land.
Shepherd Group is a fully integrated real estate business rooted in purpose — one that serves people, fosters community, and creates lasting value through thoughtful development and service.
Founder
Blake Barker
Blake is deeply rooted in family values, and believes every family deserves a safe, stable home where they can thrive — free from the fear of homelessness.
In 2020, he began a mission to develop starter homes for families in need. That work sparked a passion for real estate that led him to Nashville, Tennessee, where he began offering real estate services, helping individuals find both homes and long-term investments. A 2022 graduate of Western Kentucky University, Blake brings a strong background in leadership, sales, entrepreneurship, and teamwork.
In 2025, Blake earned his Master’s in Real Estate Development from Auburn University, further equipping him to navigate complex projects and better serve his clients. As the founder of Shepherd Group, he set out to build a fully integrated real estate business rooted in purpose — one that serves people, fosters community, and creates lasting value through thoughtful development and service.
Blake is a devoted family man, happily married to his wife, Abbey. Outside of work, you’ll likely find him on the water, enjoying time with friends and family. He remains committed to being a knowledgeable and reliable guide for anyone building in Greater Nashville and Brentwood.
Credentials
- Licensing
- Tennessee affiliate broker
- Education
- M.R.E.D., Auburn University, 2025 · B.S., Western Kentucky University, 2022
- Markets
- Greater Nashville · Brentwood · Williamson County, Tennessee
- Focus
- Infill teardowns, ground-up single-family, luxury new construction
Giving back
Home 4 Homes
Blake is a proud supporter of Home 4 Homes, an organization that builds homes for families in underserved countries including Uganda and Honduras.
Blake and Abbey consider it a blessing to have the opportunity to help provide safe housing for families well beyond the markets they work in every day — and it’s the same conviction that started the business in the first place.
The team
Small team, short decisions.
Shepherd Group runs lean on purpose. The people who underwrite a deal are the same people walking the site once it’s under way.
Joe Archer
Land acquisition
Sources and vets the lots and teardowns that become our projects, and runs the early diligence that decides whether we pursue.
How we work
“Every family deserves a safe, stable home where they can thrive.”
Blake Barker, Founder
- Numbers shared openly — you see the budget we’re working from, not a marked-up version of it.
- Bad news travels fast. Delays and overruns get raised the week we see them coming.
- Decisions stay with the people doing the work, not a layer of account managers.
- We build for the long term in markets we intend to be working in a decade from now.