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It's been a long and winding road to real estate success for Westport mother-of-two Patricia Prenderville.
"When we moved to Westport in the 1980's, I ended up going to work part time for the agent who helped us find our first rental in town," she says.
"He always encouraged me to get into the business full time, but that wasn't feasible with babies."
Instead, Patricia spent twelve years as a real estate paralegal, which gave her a "fantastic knowledge base." With her sons out of the baby phase - the younger is now a senior at Staples High School - Patricia took the "logical next step" of representing buyers and sellers.
"Unfortunately, I waited until right before the market crashed," she says. But Patricia has still managed to become one of the star players at Nicholas Fingelly Real Estate. Her secret?
"Patience!" Patricia says. "I am cautious, and I do a thorough job researching the properties I list and sell."
A measure of empathy helps, too, which Patricia learned firsthand when she sold her own home.
"Selling my own home ranks right up there as one of the best learning experiences," she says. "Your family is your worst client - it's great practice in maintaining objectivity and it creates a new level of empathy for your sellers. Having a home on the market is intrusive and nerve wracking!"
Knowing how it feels to be on the other end, Patricia also values her clients' privacy. She thinks that boutique agencies like Fingelly are more likely to take things like discretion into consideration.
"People want their houses sold, they don't want to be talked about at cocktail parties," she says.
The house she's most passionate about selling right now is a four bedroom, three and a half bath at 6 Hazelnut Road in Westport.
"I know the neighborhood intimately," she says, having lived on a nearby street when her children were small. "It's the kind of place where your new neighbors will bring over a pie or a bottle of wine to greet you." At nearly 3,000 square feet on a private cul-de-sac, the property is as family-friendly as they come - Patricia estimates that about 14 kids are at the bus stop every morning.
"I love it and just am mystified that people aren't fighting over it at $819,000," she says. "I think they can't see past the fact that it needs a little new paint!"
Good with a bucket and brush? Call Patricia at 203-221-4471.
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