House & Home — Laura McGreal: @properties Christie’s International Real Estate

Visiting a college fair changed the course of Laura McGreal’s career trajectory. A finance major, a career in banking was put on hold after meeting a national builder by chance.

She took a leap of faith in joining the industry, which paid off. While there, she acquired valuable knowledge regarding sales and mortgages, construction, product development, and land acquisition. A move into starting her own real estate business was a natural progression.

Currently, with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate, McGreal understands the value of hard work after building her business from the ground up. Even with the highs and lows of the business, her passion is steadfast and has successfully resulted in a steady line of clients leaning on her for support and guidance. The most rewarding part? “I love getting texts, notes, letters, holiday cards from my clients on the exciting ways their lives have changed based on their moves,” she said.

McGreal and her family, including her husband and two daughters (and Bear, their 120-pound Bernese Mountain Dog), live within the community she serves. Often, you can find them walking to their favorite restaurants, the farmers market, or concerts in the park. Since moving to Downers Grove in 2015, McGreal has immersed herself in the “very down-to-earth community with great people.”

Familiar with the process of building a new home, whether through a large builder who finances the construction or a smaller, owner-financed custom home, McGreal also enjoys helping clients with older homes with unique character. “Either way, these transactions have many moving pieces, so you need an expert to guide you, “she said. “Making any home my client’s ‘own’ is the key to success.”

As for the future, with a career as fulfilling as hers, McGreal sees herself doing nothing else. And the bonus? “Showing my daughters that if you work hard and treat people right, good things will happen in life.”