Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura McGreevey.
Hi Laura, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in the Pacific Northwest (Portland, OR) and when I got married, moved directly across the river to Vancouver, WA where my husband and I spent 20 years raising our 4 kids. In 2018 I got my Real Estate license and built my brand! Business was easy – we knew tons of people from our 40 years in the PNW, almost all our extended family had been local for years – so building new business in a town you are known and already familiar came easy and naturally. In the summer of 2021, my husband and I decided to make a huge change and moved our family of 6 out to Argyle, TX. We arrived in town knowing ONE small family – and that was IT. I realized very quickly that we were going to have to meet people FAST or we were going to be extremely lonely, bored, and BROKE. So I made a decision that truly changed our trajectory: I decided to say YES. I said yes to EVERYTHING: invitations to walk, go to bible study, wine night, serving in the worship ministry at church, play dates, sports teams for the kids, fine arts, PTO/PTA, volunteering, neighbor gatherings, business networking groups – you name it – we did it. Fast forward now 4 years later we are a thriving family who is so connected in our community, we have a home church we love and are super involved in, I have a business community of over 200 local business owners that I know, love and cherish who support and encourage me daily. My husband has a booming company that is experiencing crazy growth – really what we have been able to build is what I like to call a “Connected Culture” – a community-mindset both in business and personal that values the person as a relationship, not as a transaction or a commodity. Here’s what I figured out:
I don’t sell houses. A house is just the result. What I truly offer is CONNECTION; connections that build trust, foster friendships, and create a sense of community. Through those connections, homes are bought, investments are made, and lives are enriched. Ultimately, for me, it’s about building relationships that people can rely on – for their business, for their families, for life.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth? Ha! Early on – back in the PNW, real estate felt smooth and built fast because the market was hot and I knew so many people! I had built my business and my brand strong, and when we moved to Texas I had to leave all of that behind. I had to start over with licensing in a new state (180 hours to get your TX license, vs 90 hours to get your WA license), and had nothing transferred. Then, in TX with a new license I had to really figure out where I wanted to land brokerage-wise. I started with Magnolia Realty, which was a phenomenal company to get to experience and be involved in, but ultimately it wasn’t where I felt that I could truly be ME. I ended up at a little boutique brokerage in Argyle called Turner Massey Realty, which later had a name change and is now Southern Collective Realty. I absolutely love our small-family atmosphere and the collaborative engagement we have with each other!
But I struggled hard with starting over here in TX. My biggest lesson learned through all of this was the importance of being INTENTIONAL.
Back home, my relationships were built-in, a given, convenient, and always once or twice removed in the circle of “how do I know you?” – in Texas, everyone was a stranger – so I really had to learn to be intentional about connecting with people on a real and sincere level and you can’t do that in a convenience mindset – every interaction whether it’s a text, phone call, neighborhood walk, or family dinner – has to be intentionally created, initiated and nurtured.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in Residential purchases and sales in the Argyle, Northlake, Flower Mound, Justin and surrounding areas of North DFW. I have a passion for helping buyers who really want to get involved and connect in their new community, and sellers who are connected and want to pass on that connected culture to someone new, finding their roots again wherever they are heading. I’m known for being relational, approachable, friendly and kind, a strong negotiator and solution-oriented. I am also known for being the go-to for any resource someone needs… people tell me all the time, “you seem to know everyone! Do you know a ________ (painter, holisitic pediatrician, hair stylist, house sitter, emergency plumber, handyman, massage therapist, etc!)” I pretty much have someone for everyone and everything – and I LOVE connecting people! We were not made to do life alone – we were built for community! So if I can help the people around me experience true connected culture – I’ve succeeded!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I definitely see Real Estate being more challenging than it has been in years past. I still see the trend of suburban homeowners feeling the pull of wide open spaces, farmland, and “simpler” life. I also have been hearing more and more conversations over the past couple years especially of families discussing the need for larger space to move an aging parent into their home for long-term care. We definitely have a shift of young families who want and are preparing for the multi-generational family home (or “compound” on property) as they grow. We are seeing several of these small, rural towns become more suburban-community hubs and then, in turn, seeing more of those suburban families push out to the extended rural areas. Interestingly enough, I also am seeing a heavier push of younger families toward homeschooling or co-ops which allows them more freedom on where to live – they are not tied to a specific school district, so we’re seeing families begin to take advantage of cheaper living situations on the outskirts as they choose alternatives for their children.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.heylauramcgreevey.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/heylauramcgreevey
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/heylauramcgreevey
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heylauramcgreevey
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@heylauramcgreevey
- Other: https://lauramcgreevey.southerncollective.com
Image Credits
Kris McGreevey
Argyle Community Church
Lynn Seeden
