Get to Know Tina Halsteter – Ocala Broker Associate with Showcase Properties

As a lifelong horse lover, rider and equine entrepreneur, Marion County has been the perfect fit for Tina Halsteter. Add real estate to that magic combination, and she couldn’t imagine a better location to live and work.

Born and raised in the upstate New York town of Oxford, Tina grew up on a small farm where her family raised goats for milk and meat.

She was just 6 when she got her first pony, a Shetland mare named Sunshine. She’s been riding ever since and participated in FFA and 4-H through high school.

Tina married her high school sweetheart Eric; the couple celebrated their 33rd anniversary in August 2025.  They are the proud parents of two grown daughters, Julie and Alysha.

In New York, Tina and Eric enjoyed living the farm lifestyle and bought a number of fixer-uppers over the years, which they’d live in while rehabbing the property to sell.

Eventually the appeal of Ocala’s horse country and the mild winters proved irresistible. They sold their home in New York and moved to the Sunshine State in 2005.

Shortly after moving here, Tina bought Sneak-E-Snacks, a start-up business that made all-natural horse treats. The treats were only sold in one local store at the time, but Tina had bigger goals. She grew the company to the point where Sneak-E-Snacks were carried by 23 stores before she sold the business in 2022.

With her experience in buying and flipping houses, Tina had toyed with the idea of getting her real estate license long before she actually did.

“I worked in the office for Showcase before I got my license in 2020,” says Tina, who is a broker associate and REALTOR®.

Tina has never been without horses since she began riding as a child. She enjoys trail riding now more than anything and currently has two horses Dakota, a Quarter Horse gelding and Reese, a Trote y Galope gelding, which is a gaited breed native to Colombia.

“There’s great trail riding in my area of northeastern Marion County. I can ride out the back gate of our 12-acre farm to Black Sink Prairie,” says Tina.

Making a difference in her community is important to Tina.

She was a barn judge at HITS for 6 years, chaired the events committee of the Florida Paso Fino Association, and

sat on the board of directors for Marion Therapeutic Riding Association for 7 years. 

“I recently stepped down from that board position to help more with local shelters and rescues,” says Tina.

Starting in 2026, she will chair the grievance committee for the Ocala/Marion County Association of REALTORS® (OMCAR). Tina also served on the Equine Alliance Committee, which helps educate the public about the many ways the horse industry benefits our county and the state as a whole. 

“I like helping people and animals,” says Tina, who’s also fundraised for the Humane Society of Marion County. In addition to her horses, her farm is currently home to chickens, dogs and cats; she’s had goats and alpacas in the past.

Her own background as an active horsewoman is a huge advantage when it comes to helping clients find their forever home or farm in the Horse Capital of the World®. 

Tina is delighted that her daughters also live in the area; she helped both of them buy their homes in Marion County. Julie got married on the family farm in 2023 and Alysha is set to be married in October 2025

She’s happy to do what it takes to help clients discover that next chapter, even if it means house hunting in less than conventional ways.

“I just sold a home on the water in Punta Gorda,” smiles Tina. “We literally rented a boat and took it around to see if they liked the area from the water.”

For Tina, being on the water is as natural as being in the saddle. She and her husband are avid boaters who are passionate about spending time with family and friends on Florida’s many amazing waterways.

“We love being on the St. John’s River and finding new fishing spots and water-front restaurants,” she says.

“Rooted in family, grounded by my farm and driven by my passion for real estate, I bring the same dedication and attention to detail to my customers that I do to being a wife, mom and steward of the land,” says Tina.

– by Cynthia McFarland

Check out some of our previous Agent Stories!